Trickey Trip Planning--The Fairy Godmother creates a Princess

[go2cindys]

I have enjoyed reading your pre-trip report. I admire you so much.

We - DD, DSIL, DGS 12, DGD 8, and me Grandma nearly 65 - are going to DW in August. I went once in early Oct and thought I would melt and that was when I was able to walk around on my own two feet. We went in early Dec 2007 and it was wonderful - around 80. This time DD doesn't want to take the kids out of school again. So, we are renting a villa with private pool for a week and will probably only visit the parks a couple of days leaving in afternoon, and hopefully returning in the evening. I also need a scooter to get around (5 minutes is the max that I can walk or stand) but this time, we are renting one from outside the park. Last year I took the autotrain and brought my own van and scooter. That experience was not good. I did not have an accessible room; it was just a regular room with a bathroom. I am very poohsized and the bathrooms are soooo tiny. Maybe an accessible room would be bigger but they are book wayyyy in advance. On the 24th of Aug, we will be going on our first cruise on the Disney Wonder for 4 days. I am nervous about this as I have never cruised before; also, I will have to use a scooter. I have Lupus, bad back, knees, shoulders, and ankles.

I dearly love DW but have never stayed at a Disney resort. I am trying to talk a friend into going with me this winter (she has never been to DW ). Right now, I don't think she will go. I have been thinking about going alone and staying on property. I too am uncertain about using Disney transportation and think I would prefer to rent an accessible van & scooter) and drive myself so I can also go to the outlets. However, one of my favorite things about Disney is having someone to share the magic with.

How does the GAC benefit with the heat problem.

Enjoy your trip. I will be looking forward to your trip report. You have inspired me to consider writing one myself.

 

[Piper]

I have enjoyed reading your pre-trip report. I admire you so much.

We - DD, DSIL, DGS 12, DGD 8, and me Grandma nearly 65 - are going to DW in August. Disney Wonder for 4 days. I am nervous about this as I have never cruised before; also, I will have to use a scooter. I have Lupus, bad back, knees, shoulders, and ankles.

I dearly love DW but have never stayed at a Disney resort. I am trying to talk a friend into going with me this winter (she has never been to DW ). Right now, I don't think she will go. I have been thinking about going alone and staying on property. I too am uncertain about using Disney transportation and think I would prefer to rent an accessible van & scooter) and drive myself so I can also go to the outlets. However, one of my favorite things about Disney is having someone to share the magic with.

How does the GAC benefit with the heat problem.

Enjoy your trip. I will be looking forward to your trip report. You have inspired me to consider writing one myself.

Thanks for reading.

The GAC mostly helps by providing a shaded waiting area when the attractions are in the sun. The cooling vest is the most help. I wear a thin long sleeved shirt, the vest, a hat and use SPF85 Neutrogena sun screen. I also tour early mornings for the rides I can do and then rest, rest, rest...and go back in late afternoon. Don't get dehydrated or too hot. Do shows inbetween the hot rides.

About 10 years ago, when I still just needed a WC, I took the HC sleeper to see my daughter in San Francisco. I had the porter make up the bed and told him just to leave it made up the whole trip. Since I couldn't do stairs, he brought my meals. I took oodles of books and just had an orgy of reading, resting, and recharging. I looked out the window when I wanted, read when I wanted and slept when I wanted. I am also pooh sized and the toilet area was small, but adequate. I loved it!

I have done several cruises -- all solo. I enjoyed each and every one. I only picked 1 or 2 tours that were accessible each trip and then enjoyed the quiet of the ship the other port days. I think Alaska was my favorite. You'll have no trouble using the scooter on the ship. The elevator was the most difficult part, but I just asked my steward which one was used less & used that one!

My solo trip to WDW last year was great also. Usually I feel like I am holding people back when I go places with them since there are many rides I cannot do. I tell them to go on them, but often a family member feels they must stay with me--not! There are also many exhibits, shows, etc. that I had always wanted to do that others had no interest in. So by going by myself, I went at my own pace & did what I was interested in doing.

This year, Isabel is pregnant, so she will not be able to do a lot of rides. We are planning around Giuliana.

You will have a great time. Just pace yourself and let the magic renew your spirit!

 

[lovesdumbo]

Nine days left! I am going to have to go over my list and make sure I have things in order.

I am being picked up in Houston by Super Shuttle because they have a lift-equipped vehicle. I have a nagging worry that they will either forget me or not be on time. I will call them the day before to remind them.

In Orlando, I am using Mears because I am staying at the Dolphin. I requested meet and greet at the airport. Again, a nagging fear it won't be smooth. I'll remind them on the 23rd, too.

I have heard a lot of negatives about Disney transportation lately. I am really hoping it is smooth for me. I have had some problems in the past with drivers not wanting to load me, letting people board before me (this makes it difficult to park) and having to wait for 3 or 4 busses because they already had 2 wc or ecv. I don't mind waiting if the busses are full, but I resent the drivers who just don't want to deal with me. I can park on a dime because I use my own ecv and am very used to it. I can't turn my head to look behind me, so I am hoping I don't get any of the old busses they make you go on backwards! That is a little tricky for me .

Okay, I am off to go over my packing list one more time.

I am so sorry for your school's loss.

I have read lots of negatives on the busses too but they were pretty good on my last 3 trips (Nov 07, Jan 08 & May 08). I have never seen a driver not load a wc or ECV first. At DTD one day last Aug guests were complaining about the wc loading first (it was raining) so I just told my children loud enough for them to hear that we should all be happy to be able to walk onto the bus. Of course we were there first and these folks pushed their way onto the bus in front of us and got seats while we all stood up.

I have school until June 27th.

I'll be at Disney when you are. We (dh, me, dd(9), ds(7), dd(5)) will be at ASMu family suite. We were at POR last year.

 

[Piper]

I'll be at Disney when you are. We (dh, me, dd(9), ds(7), dd(5)) will be at ASMu family suite. We were at POR last year.

Cool! Are you feeling that last minute "What am I forgetting" panic yet? Look for my ECV (should be REAL easy to spot ) and come say "hi!"

I am off to get the oil changed in my car and the state inspection done. I only drive to and from work and for groceries (there are 2 stores within a block of me) so my car only has 58xx miles on it. It will be 2 years old on July 3rd! This will be the second time I have changed the oil! I'm also going to have the tires rotated. The mechanics who work on it always say they want to buy it when I am ready to sell!! Uh yeah, I have family members who want it, too!

 

[lovesdumbo]

Cool! Are you feeling that last minute "What am I forgetting" panic yet? Look for my ECV (should be REAL easy to spot ) and come say "hi!"

I am off to get the oil changed in my car and the state inspection done. I only drive to and from work and for groceries (there are 2 stores within a block of me) so my car only has 58xx miles on it. It will be 2 years old on July 3rd! This will be the second time I have changed the oil! I'm also going to have the tires rotated. The mechanics who work on it always say they want to buy it when I am ready to sell!! Uh yeah, I have family members who want it, too!

Sorry...I'll be there the same time diamondinthefuff is and our families are simular-just sort of opposite-she has 2 boys & 1 girl. I have 2 girls and 1 boy. The ages are the same. And she stayed at ASMu family suites last year and is going to POR this year we stayed POR last year and are doing ASMu family suites this year. I thought it was all sort of cool.

BUT...I am still almost in the panic mode. I've got lots of outfits to make the kids. Another bowling shirt for DS, a twirl skirt for younger DD, a couple of dresses for oldest DD and lots of other ideas.

My DH is a stay at home dad. I think he has about 60,000 on our 10 year old minivan. It gets less mileage now that we replaced my car with a minivan so the new one is the primary weekend car and even less next year when my youngest starts Kindergarten and takes the bus to school. We're hoping to get another 4 or 5 years out of the old mini van.


You must be getting super excited!!!! I'm sure it will be a magical trip. The trip I took pregnant with my 3rd was the trip that taught me how to slow down and really enjoy the atmosphere of WDW. I just couldn't move too fast and it was amazing how much more I saw when I took the time to look.

 

[Piper]

Wow! That is a coincidence--kind of like Alice through the looking glass!!!

I love the new bowling shirts. They are really great looking and seem to have so many variations. That's what makes a good pattern--being able to get many looks from it!


It took 3 hours at the dealer!!! I am exhausted. And they wonder why people don't get regular oil changes there instead of at a local shop!

I am going to get busy making some more crayon roll-ups for school. Now that I have figured out how to make them for the 8 big crayons and a spot for scissors it should go pretty quickly. I made 2 for me using the material I made my chair cushions out of---5 for use in small group at the "teacher table" -- and now I need to make 20 for the kids to use for large group work -- and 5 out of yellow material for the art station! Then I am finished!

 

[lovesdumbo]

Wow! That is a coincidence--kind of like Alice through the looking glass!!!

I love the new bowling shirts. They are really great looking and seem to have so many variations. That's what makes a good pattern--being able to get many looks from it!


It took 3 hours at the dealer!!! I am exhausted. And they wonder why people don't get regular oil changes there instead of at a local shop!

I am going to get busy making some more crayon roll-ups for school. Now that I have figured out how to make them for the 8 big crayons and a spot for scissors it should go pretty quickly. I made 2 for me using the material I made my chair cushions out of---5 for use in small group at the "teacher table" -- and now I need to make 20 for the kids to use for large group work -- and 5 out of yellow material for the art station! Then I am finished!

Your crayon roll ups sound great. I did just 2-1 for regular size crayons and 1 for colored pencils. I need to do a bunch more including one for 8 big crayons. Would love to see a photo of yours.

 

[Piper]

Okay--here are samples of the crayon rollups:

The floral stripe/black & white checkerboard is for my use (it matches the chair pads I have on my chair.) I made 2 of these because I usually have a student teacher
The motto/cherry is for the small group/teacher station. I made 6 of these. My mouse pads are in the motto fabric and the table cloth, apron, hot pads, etc. in the dramatic play area are the small cherry fabric.
The floral/blue & black checkerboard is for large group. This is what I used last year to make the curtains for the room (checks on top & floral sewed on to that.) I am making 20 of these.

I closed them with hair bands. I didn't want to have to tie them everytime someone was finished using them and some of the kiddos don't have the coordination to line up velcro every time--so this was my solution.

I also decorated the baskets I have materials in with ribbons in the color of the workstation. They have dots, checks, flowers, etc. on them. The kids take care of it really well because it is "pretty" and well organized. I don't even have to tell them to clean up--they just do it when the bell rings. If a child doesn't put something away nicely, I don't have to say anything. Another child will tell him or her to do "quality work."

Here is a picture of my teaching table. You can see the valance and under the easel is a trash can I covered in the floral stripe. You can see my Alice dolls on top of the TV cabinet. I also have Ann Estelle and her friends and the Mary Engelbreit books about them. My room is small for 20 kids, teaching area & workstations so I gave up my desk. I never sat at it during class anyway--but I do miss the storage! I have another trash can covered in the motto material. My other pictures of the class have children in them and I don't want to post them without parent's permission!

 

[Diamondintheruff]

What are crayon rollups? I only know about fruit rollups.

Your trip organizer looks great. I wish I could be that organized but it gives me something to work up to. I carry around a small mickey photo album with my schedules and such in my baggalini too. The photo album has made multiple trips to disney with a few of my friends and each of us adds new information to it each trip. I'm venturing out to Seaworld this year so I'll be filling up a few pages on that alone. Just booked the believe lunch and the polar excursion and my kids are all psyched about touching a penguin.

lovesdumbo-that is kind of neat that we are opposite this year. We loved the family suite but are hoping for a room only discount that will make our sacrifice of room space worth it. The suites weren't eligible for the room discounts last year. Also we are looking forward to the slides at the pool. But we did love ASmu. I love the bright bold colours and the energy at the busy pool. You'll love it.

 

[lovesdumbo]

Okay--here are samples of the crayon rollups:

The floral stripe/black & white checkerboard is for my use (it matches the chair pads I have on my chair.) I made 2 of these because I usually have a student teacher
The motto/cherry is for the small group/teacher station. I made 6 of these. My mouse pads are in the motto fabric and the table cloth, apron, hot pads, etc. in the dramatic play area are the small cherry fabric.
The floral/blue & black checkerboard is for large group. This is what I used last year to make the curtains for the room (checks on top & floral sewed on to that.) I am making 20 of these.

I closed them with hair bands. I didn't want to have to tie them everytime someone was finished using them and some of the kiddos don't have the coordination to line up velcro every time--so this was my solution.

I also decorated the baskets I have materials in with ribbons in the color of the workstation. They have dots, checks, flowers, etc. on them. The kids take care of it really well because it is "pretty" and well organized. I don't even have to tell them to clean up--they just do it when the bell rings. If a child doesn't put something away nicely, I don't have to say anything. Another child will tell him or her to do "quality work."

Here is a picture of my teaching table. You can see the valance and under the easel is a trash can I covered in the floral stripe. You can see my Alice dolls on top of the TV cabinet. I also have Ann Estelle and her friends and the Mary Engelbreit books about them. My room is small for 20 kids, teaching area & workstations so I gave up my desk. I never sat at it during class anyway--but I do miss the storage! I have another trash can covered in the motto material. My other pictures of the class have children in them and I don't want to post them without parent's permission!

Those are great! I LOVE the Mary Engelbreit fabrics!!!! I used that check to make my DD a Car's outfit so I also used it on a rollup I made for her. Your classroom looks awesome! Your kids are lucky to have you!

What are crayon rollups? I only know about fruit rollups.

Your trip organizer looks great. I wish I could be that organized but it gives me something to work up to. I carry around a small mickey photo album with my schedules and such in my baggalini too. The photo album has made multiple trips to disney with a few of my friends and each of us adds new information to it each trip. I'm venturing out to Seaworld this year so I'll be filling up a few pages on that alone. Just booked the believe lunch and the polar excursion and my kids are all psyched about touching a penguin.

lovesdumbo-that is kind of neat that we are opposite this year. We loved the family suite but are hoping for a room only discount that will make our sacrifice of room space worth it. The suites weren't eligible for the room discounts last year. Also we are looking forward to the slides at the pool. But we did love ASmu. I love the bright bold colours and the energy at the busy pool. You'll love it.

Here are directions for a crayon rollup:
http://skiptomylou.wordpress.com/2007/04/25/on-a-roll/

I'm really looking forward to the family suites. I booked it as soon as 2008 AAA rates came out-sometime in 2007 so I was lucky enough to get a AAA discount. Last year I had POR booked at AAA but did end up with a discount code that beat that. Hope you get a great room only! Your kids will love the POR pool and we were near a quiet pool too. You could also walk over to POFQ to use that pool too. The boat to DTD is great too.

 

[Piper]

What are crayon rollups? I only know about fruit rollups.

Your trip organizer looks great. I wish I could be that organized but it gives me something to work up to. I carry around a small mickey photo album with my schedules and such in my baggalini too. The photo album has made multiple trips to disney with a few of my friends and each of us adds new information to it each trip. I'm venturing out to Seaworld this year so I'll be filling up a few pages on that alone. Just booked the believe lunch and the polar excursion and my kids are all psyched about touching a penguin.

quote]
The photo album is a great idea and it is great that you get input from other's perspectives! Your Seaworld plans sound like so much fun. I usually give my students 5 or 6 books a year for them to keep (for some, it is the only books they own) and my end of the year book for them was a non-fiction book on penguins. They loved it!

I am just waiting until the rush of kids at summer school has settled down to call the school. Last night was the board meeting. I am very anxious to find out who will be our new principal. I hope they put the assistant principal who has virtually been running the school last year. It would make the transition smoother. We have a principal and 2 assistants--one assistant is being replaced this year already (which is a very good thing) so now we'll have 2 new administrators next year. If they don't put her in charge, she will resent it big time I'm afraid! Also 7 or 8 of our former teachers are now either principals or assistant principals. It would be nice if they put one of them back in our school as they already know the high standards our school has. We'll see.

Meanwhile--sewing continues. I can only do 5 or 6 at a time because the checks get to me! Like walking on those floors in the hospital--don't look down or

 

[Diamondintheruff]

I can only do 5 or 6 at a time because the checks get to me!

I can understand that.

Ran into a Mother of a one of my children's friends. The poor woman just mentioned she was heading down to Disney July 1st because her child is in a dance competition down there and I think that was the last word she got into the conversation. I just took over. She is staying off site(but one of the downtown disney hotels-Buena vista I think) and has no specific plans. She was just going to see what they were interested in while they were down there. So again she has nothing booked-not even her tickets.

I forget that there are people out there like this. I'm still in shock that she has nothing planned. I popped home at lunch and grabbed some planning stuff and sent it home with her child. I have to restrain myself from calling and planning out her families vacation for her.

 

[Piper]

I can understand that.

Ran into a Mother of a one of my children's friends. The poor woman just mentioned she was heading down to Disney July 1st because her child is in a dance competition down there and I think that was the last word she got into the conversation. I just took over. She is staying off site(but one of the downtown disney hotels-Buena vista I think) and has no specific plans. She was just going to see what they were interested in while they were down there. So again she has nothing booked-not even her tickets.

I forget that there are people out there like this. I'm still in shock that she has nothing planned. I popped home at lunch and grabbed some planning stuff and sent it home with her child. I have to restrain myself from calling and planning out her families vacation for her.

I so get this!! The father of one of my students appologized to me one morning last May because his child wasn't going to be at school during the last 2 days. They had booked a WDW trip and had to go when he could get time off from work. I told him "no problem" and started asking about his plans--They had bought a package and were staying at Pop, but no adrs, no idea of what they were going to do. So I wrote the url for the dis on his card and told him to hit the library or book store and buy at least one book--and I gave him a list! I don't know if they did, but I certainly hope so!

 

[lovesdumbo]

I am just waiting until the rush of kids at summer school has settled down to call the school. Last night was the board meeting. I am very anxious to find out who will be our new principal. I hope they put the assistant principal who has virtually been running the school last year. It would make the transition smoother. We have a principal and 2 assistants--one assistant is being replaced this year already (which is a very good thing) so now we'll have 2 new administrators next year. If they don't put her in charge, she will resent it big time I'm afraid! Also 7 or 8 of our former teachers are now either principals or assistant principals. It would be nice if they put one of them back in our school as they already know the high standards our school has. We'll see.

Meanwhile--sewing continues. I can only do 5 or 6 at a time because the checks get to me! Like walking on those floors in the hospital--don't look down or

Good luck with the new administrators!

I can understand your problems with that fabric. I used it to line my DD's a-line dress and it wasn't easy cutting that out.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Just noticed your doll's in the picture. How long have you been collecting?

Thank goodness for the disboards where we can all talk openly about our disney plans without anyone thinking we are all going overboard.

We are getting a new principal next year. We are also closing our school next year, building a new one on the edge of the property and joining with another school. So it should prove to be a busy year.

 

[Piper]

Just noticed your doll's in the picture. How long have you been collecting?

Thank goodness for the disboards where we can all talk openly about our disney plans without anyone thinking we are all going overboard.

We are getting a new principal next year. We are also closing our school next year, building a new one on the edge of the property and joining with another school. So it should prove to be a busy year.

My goodness~what a lot of changes you will have next year! Changing grades is stress enough.

Are they going to be building the school during the year? If it is close enough for the children to see some of the construction, that would be a good theme to study. You could read books about building, construction workers, vehicles, etc. A couple of years ago, we added a wing to our school and my kids really enjoyed watching all the changes......I think their favorite was pouring the concrete and watching the men (and ladies) slide around on large boards holding the ropes attached to them (to smooth the concrete.) We translated that into the kids walking on "romper stompers." (kind of like short buckets with ropes to hold on to.) They drew pictures and wrote about what they saw.

We even got into history by talking about how the first settlers had to cut down trees, build their own furniture, etc. And then we looked at how people around the world live in different types of "houses." (And how some of us lived in one story or two story houses or apartments--made a graph about that one.) We also kept a tally of the different construction vehicles and wrote a book illustrating "How to Build Kindergarten." (The classes that were being added were designated for kdgn--so they would be where the kid went the next year.

That's what I love about teaching PreK---I can make kids want to learn by focusing on what is interesting to them at the time and then just slip in the academics painlessly!

 

[Piper]

Okay!! I am in packing mode. I moved everything from my purse to the baggalini. Added the extra stuff--remembered to put my extra ecv key and house keys on the little clip (along with the gate card so I can get back in!)

I have my carry-on packed with the cooling vest, shorts, and all my chargers! I got a new book to read on the trip up and one for the trip back. Each one has 3 stories in it. I have my toiletries in a quart bag. Hope I don't forget to pack the makeup after I use it Tuesday morning! I put an extra big ziplock bag in the suitcase so I can put the cooling vest in it to pack if it is still damp.

I have the tip envelopes ready and filled for the ride to the Houston airport, Mears at Orlando, bell services for delivering the 2 cases of water I ordered yesterday from Staples, mousekeeping and then reversed for the return trip!

Clothes and shoes are ready to go in the checked case. Lime green bows are on all the cases along with ID on the inside and outside.

I even used some turtle wax and waxed my ecv! I put the lime green seat cushion and seat back cover on it and put my sign (My other coach is a pumpkin) on the basket with lime green gingham bows. It's purty now.

I have Mai Li's food ready to go to the vet. She isn't going to be happy when I take her food and water away on Sunday evening it may be a noisy night with her demanding I give it back! When she wants something, she has this loud meow that sounds like "herrow, now" I tell her she is a cat, not Scooby Doo!

I have that panic you get when you are afraid you will forget something--I keep telling myself that if I forget--so what. My OCD side isn't buying it.

 

[DisneyFun08]

Hi! I just found your pre trippie and you had me hooked from the get-go! I subscribed so I will definitely be checking back in soon! Great job!

 

[Piper]

Welcome! My Pre-trippie is almost a trippie!!! Three more sleeps

 

[Piper]

I am finished sewing!!! Here are the desk crates (actually table crates) I have made to hold the kids supplies.

Each one will hold the stuff for 4 kiddos. We "share" supplies so each crate will have 4 crayon rollups, 1 pencil cup with 8 pencils (I don't let the kids near the heavy duty sharpener, so they need extras) and either glue sticks or glue. The rollups each have one extra space for scissors.

The flowers have all the colors of the bows.....well, except for the purple. That's the one that goes on my teacher table. It will have different rollups (5 for the kids and 1 for me.) The material on the cups matches the wrist bands for the workstations (I made 3 extra of each color band--hope that is enough.)

I have spent the morning vaccuuming 3,257,835 pieces of thread, specks of material, etc. off my floor! Now I'm off to JoAnns to get some decoupage medium to put on the cups. I hot glued the bows so they won't come untied. Tomorrow I will drop them off at school so I won't have to worry about Mai Li messing with--umm, exploring them.