Trip Report-Did You Know Orlando Is in Ohio???-A Surprise Trip In April!

[MomToAp1699]

Welcome to My Pre-Trip Report.

Starring:
Myself-Valerie (28) Stay at Home Mom
Husband-Jason (26) Shift Manager of a Restaurant
Son-Alexander (8) Incredibly special 2nd grader with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and a Smile a Mile Wide
My Mother-Eileen
My Stepfather-Tom

Starters: I am going to start this Trip-Report by explaining the rather off title that I gave it. For myself this is my third time to Disney, but first time as an adult. For my husband and son this is a first time experience.

Seeing as our son is both 8 years old and Autistic the idea of telling him months before our intended departure just seemed like a not to great idea. So, we didn't tell him that we where going to Disney World. Instead chose to tell him we where going to visit relatives in Ohio. ( Ah.. see the title makes sense now)

I would love to be able to let him help plan this upcoming trip, but most days he has trouble enough focusing on moving his body forward when he needs to and stopping when he needs to. Adding more excitement to his already hectic life seemed like a bad idea. He does know we plan a trip to Disney World someday. He just assumes the one we are planning right now is the one we have decided that we would take in 2009. We chose a date a few years off in the future so that he would understand Disney is a big undertaking and requires saving and planning.

This is Alex here Below: He is a sweet,
friendly and tiresome bunch of energy that
I am sooo happy to have been blessed with.​

The big pending question in my household in the moment is how to tell him??
1. Do you wait and tell him when you get on the plane??
2. Do you let him figure it out himself when they say "Now Boarding For Orlando" ( seeing as how he is in a world ALLL of his own.. he may not even notice then.. )
3. Do you set up a elaborate surprise revealing event. ???
4. Or do you follow the slightly evil route my husband and I devised.. Wake him up early ( we have to leave around 6am) and get him dressed in a nice plain white fronted shirt.. that just happens to have Mickey on the back with a nice little message that says " I am going to Disney Today and I don't know it yet"

You either are shocked that I would think of doing something so mean as #4 to my poor child or you are laughing to hard to see straight. I love the idea of doing it. That being said, I understand my child well enough to know that the idea would not work well. The first person who laughed when they saw it would break his heart. He would think they where laughing at him rather than just enjoying a bit of humor at his expense. So we will do something else. Just had to share the idea with other people cause it really did make me laugh.

At this point we figure we will go with a revealing ceremony set to take place somewhere between the friday before we leave ( The 13th ) and the day we actually leave. Chances are heavy that it will be friday or Saturday depending on when Jason works so that we can be together for the reveal. I don't want to wait til the day we leave because we have to get up around 4 am to leave for the airport at 5 and that we be hard enough with a husband and an 8 year old. I think it would be uncecessarily complicated if we where trying to do a reveal at that time as well.

 

[MomToAp1699]

Now that the basic information and a bit of backstory is out of the way lets get down to trip planning!

Off to See The World:
Our plane leaves at 10:40 in the morning so in order to drive to the airport and get there in time we need to leave between 5 and 6am depending on whether we get our luggage packed in the car the evening before or not. Hopefully we will.

We are scheduled to land just before 1:00pm so then we will take the Magical Express to our Hotel ( We are staying at Pop Century) hopefully our room will be ready even though its before check-in time. If not we will leave our things with bell service and head off for our first day at the parks.

Day 1 4/16
Magic Kingdom: We will only have about 6 hours in the park today, which I know isn't a lot of time in the Magic Kingdom especially when we have to get Alex's GAC (Guest Access Card) prior to enjoying the park. Even so I think 6 hours enjoying the marvel of seeing Alex and my husband their first time every at the Magic Kingdom will be great. Can't wait to take hundreds and hundreds of pictures.

Day 2 4/17
MGM Day: We will head over to Mgm as soon as possible but won't hang around all that long as we have Ohana Breakfast reservations. Hopefully we will have time to secure a fast pass for something later in the day before heading to the Polynesian. After breakfast its back to MGM to spend the day doing the park my husband is most excited for. Nothing he loves more than a place that lets him have Aerosmith AND Star Wars.. Takes sooo little to make him happy. Later that evening we will have a late dinner at Hollywood and Vine. Wasn't my first choice to be honest but of the MGM table services its the one we like the menu of the most. So its what we went with. Dinnner ADR's may mean we miss Fantasmic though. Its not something we are sweating though as Alex has an Autism Spectrum Disorder and I have been told that Fantasmic may be a little too much for him. If we went way early we could get seats but I don't want to waste precious park going hours waiting for it to start. So we decided if we can't get in after dinner than maybe we will try before we end our free day on Friday Evening! If not. Maybe we will have to go another year to see it!

!
COMING SOON: 4/18 and 4/19 Epcot and Animal Kingdom with My Mom and Stepdad

 

[mystikgarden]

Great start! What a little cutie, he is going to be so excited. Heck I am I can't wait to here the rest.

I think the shirt idea is great. I have a sensitive DS to so yes take that into consideration!

Hope you guys have a wonderful time!!

 

[MomToAp1699]

Great start! What a little cutie, he is going
to be so excited. Heck I am I can't wait to here the rest.

I think the shirt idea is great. I have a sensitive DS to so yes take that into consideration!

Hope you guys have a wonderful time!!

Thanks, I find that I am having a horrible time trying to fall asleep at night. As soon as a sit still I start thinking OMG! I am going to Disney.. its real.. I am going..! I can't believe it.

Some More Backstory, My husband an I have been married for 6 and a half years. Our son is 8 and we where very young when he was born. We have struggled and strained for years. Me taking care of him and going to college and my husband working full time. I am out of college now and my son is in school but goes to therapy almost daily so I am still busy busy.. My husband works full time but has worked his way up the chain to manager. Things have gotten better over the years. Our bills are paid and we have extra. We have a credit card we use and pay .. We got a tax return and where able to for once use it for ourselves.. This is the third vacation we have ever taken, The second we have paid for all ourselves. In 2005 we went to Parris Island to see my brother graduate from the Marine Corps.. We paid 75% of the trip ourselves but family helped with the rest. Last year I Planned and executed a vacation to Hershey Park All on our own dime. No help from anyone, we booked, rented, paid all ourselves and it was soo overwhelming I started crying when we hit the gates..
This year. We are going to Disney. Its real. I know it is and yet I am terrified to believe we have managed to do it. Everything is paid. Our spending cash is set, Our ADR's are made and our bags are .. well.. Almost packed.. lol.. We are going. I think I will breathe again somewhere around April 22nd!

 

[MomToAp1699]

More Planning and Details:

In preparation for the trip, and as a tool for justifying some missed school time, I made a journal up for Alex. To make it I used some online Disney fun stuff and then I cut some Disney Pictures out of an old Disney workbook Then I ran the pictures through the sticker maker and added them to the pages. Then as an extra bonus gauranteed to make the Journal 100% a hit I added a Jiminy Cricket that I Searched high and low to find.
Why you ask??? Because my son is a HUGE Kingdom Hearts fan and the ultimate Journal for him would be a Jiminy Journal like Sora has in Kingdom Hearts so I did Just that. He has pages for each day and each park as well as travel pages each customized with stickers etc. But the cover has a HUGE Jiminy.. and then says Alex's Jiminy Journal and .. Its in a Lime Green Notebook ( I coudn't help myself) He is going to be soo excited. Its the little things that are related to his favorites that really bring out the emotion in Alex.

So these are the things I have done or gathered so far for our trip.
Passporter
Journal For Alex, I will take the Laptop to keep my Journal.
Reservations have been made and paid through Magical Journeys
ADR's Made
Gift Basket Delivery (From MemoriesBySarah) Pal Mickey, Autograph Book, Snacks and Water.
Trading Pins I ordered some off Ebay and Some From Pincastle
Disney Clothes Hats for All of Us and Shirts for Alex

So now some plans
4/18 Day 3
Epcot Day: So today we have big plans. Head over to Epcot in the morning as soon as it opens for a bit and then we have to leave again as we have breakfast ADR's for 1900 Park Fare! Yay.. Following Breakfast its back to the park where something magical happens.. My parents will call one of our cell phones and ask Alex how his day is going and what he is doing. They will ask him where he is and what he is looking at and then we ( Jason and I ) will bide our time and keep in the same area til my parents arrive to surprise Alex.. he will be thrilled.. We will spend the rest of the day.. From around 12-7:50 with them in Epcot and finish the evening at the Garden Grill with them for a fun character meal with Chip and Dale! yay...Then we will finish out the evening in whatever park has the latest closing and then head back to our hotel to finish off the evening..

4/19 Day 4
Animal Kingdom Day: Again My Parents will be with us today.. We head over to Animal Kingdom at Opening. Watch whatever they do for Opening Ceremony and then head into the park. We will spend the first two hours enjoying the park and get fast passes for something.. Probably the Safari and then we will head over to Rainforest Cafe for a Early Lunch ADR.. We are really looking forward to this as Alex has a major obsession with red eyed tree frogs and has seen pictures of Rainforest Cafe and was just about giddy with excitement at the idea of such an establishment actually existing.. After our early lunch is over hopefully everyone else will just be heading to lunch and we will enjoy animal kingdom til its 7 pm close. At that time we will part ways with my parents as they did not purchase park hopper passes. They will head back to Jacksonville to visit family and we will head over to Magic Kingdom for Dinner with Pooh and Friends at Crystal Palace ( I am sooo excited.. I LOVE POOH and EEYORE)..

Coming Soon: 4/20 and 4/21

 

[medicgirl911]

OOOooohhh I LOVE surprise trips!!!! I love the shirt idea..pure genious. How could he be upset once he seen that?? But if not I would wait til you are at the airport. Or maybe you could fill in day 1 of his Journal. Present it to him that morning..with Surprise, You are going to Disney World Today!!! Then maybe you could write about how you secretly planned the trip to surprise him, whey you wanted to take him, etc.
Anyway, I just think it is all so exciting. I wonder if I could talk DH into a surprise B-day trip for my DD?? You know without him having a stroke or something??

Anyway, I can't wait to read more!!!

 

[MomToAp1699]

How could he be upset once he seen that?? But if not I would wait til you are at the airport. Anyway, I just think it is all so exciting. I wonder if I could talk DH into a surprise B-day trip for my DD?? You know without him having a stroke or something??

Anyway, I can't wait to read more!!!

All Good Ideas! I will have to talk to Hubby and See what he thinks about the diffrent ideas! As far as the shirt goes, Alex has Asperger's syndrome. Its an Autism Spectrum Disorder and he just really worrys himself to death. I am afraid that if even one person chuckled over his shirt he would make himself sick over it because someone laughed at him..

Ooh.. Surprise Birthday trip! You have my support.. lol.. Now to the hubby convincing part!

 

[medicgirl911]

AAhhhh, I completely understand now!
Whatever way you decide to tell him, I know it's going to be special and magical! I can't wait to find out how the big reveal goes!
Thanks for posting on my posttrip/pretrip!!

 

[MomToAp1699]

So, I am feeling rather annoyed this morning.

Warning Non-Disney Related Rant.. You Can skip if you want!
First issue In completley non Disney Related annoyance. For Christmas my son got a TV/DVD combo. We picked it out etc but it was actually a gift from Grandpap.. When said TV was opened and placed where it belonged the dang thing would not work.. Nothing, Nadda! So it was purchased 12/18 and recieved by Alex on 12/25. So we wait a few days to miss the just after Christmas return crowd and return it for an exchange on 12/30. Tv starts up works great etc. Last week ALex wakes me up crying hysterically. His Tv won't turn on.. Freaking Lovely! So we unplug it and replug it in and voila! Tv turns on. This happens a few other times in the following days. Til yesterday when he went to turn it on and Nothing, Just the little red standby light that is always on. No picture nothing. So now he is hysterical again because 1. His tv isnt work and 2. His Stich the movie DVD is in there and even though I said I Woudl replace it if we can't get it out he is still sobbing.. So.. I move the tv across the room and sit it on the floor to take it back.. Course.. it only has a 90 day warranty and from the orginal purchase date we are on freaking day 91... But since the replacement just shy of 79 days.. So I try to plug it into the wall there.. Nope.. No workied.. Dang thing is shot .. RIGHT???? Leave it plugged in and try to get the DVD player open.. well... It won't open but the nice little door pops off and falls into the DVD slot.. LOVELY again.. took 20 minutes to get that out.. ( oh.. I unplugged it before sticking my fingers in BTW.. I am smart some days) So after thats all done I plug it back in and what the Heck.. Of course.. the Tv Turns on. So I am tired he is tired and crying. I put the Tv back on his stand and plug it in and back on it goes. I get the DVD out and say ok. Since it is 10pm its time for bed but I am going to cover the TV rather than turn the thing off again, Tears and hysteria insue. I wanted to watch TV.. ARGH.. you do realize I Just carried this 70lb tv around the house trying to fix it right??????
So I am going to call Circuit City today as soon as my migraine goes away and see if they can do anything, I know we can't return it but even if they exchange it I guess its better than nothing.. Right!


Disney Related Rant:

I ordered two bags as carry-ons for the trip. One is of course my Baggalini.. In a pretty tan color since Jason nixed Lime Green.. Its filled and ready to go with things packed in baggies like suggested by the great packing Gods so that Airport Security goes faster ..
BUT... the second bag I ordered is this cute bag set pictured here..

Its supposed to be for All of Alex's goodies on the trip. Guess what,. The thing is on Backorder .. Its "Supposed" to be in on time but I am tired of waiting! I WANT IT NOW!

 

[mystikgarden]

Thanks, I find that I am having a horrible time trying to fall asleep at night... Soon as a sit still I start thinking OMG! I am going to Disney.. its real.. I am going..! I can't believe it.

My husband an I have been married for 6 and a half years. Our son is 8 and we where very young when he was born. We have struggled and strained for years. Me taking care of him and going to college and my husband working full time. I am out of college now and my son is in school but goes to therapy almost daily so I am still busy busy.. My husband works full time but has worked his way up the chain to manager. Things have gotten better over the years. Our bills are paid and we have extra. We have a credit card we use and pay .. We got a tax return and where able to for once use it for ourselves.. This is the third vacation we have never taken, The second we have paid for all ourselves. In 2005 we went to Parris Island to see my brother graduate from the Marine Corps.. We paid 75% of the trip ourselves but family helped with the rest. Last year I Planned and executed a vacation to Hershey Park All on our own dime. No help from anyone, we booked, rented, paid all ourselves and it was soo overwhelming I started crying when we hit the gates..
This year. We are going to Disney. Its real. I know it is and yet I am terrified to believe we have managed to do it. Everything is paid. Our spending cash is set, Our ADR's are made and our bags are .. well.. Almost packed.. lol.. We are going. I think I will breathe again somewhere around April 22nd!

Ok just caught up on your pre trippie!

I have a terrible time sleeping too! Just as I think I can rest easy something new comes along!

We where young to m our oldest is 12 and we have been married for 9 years! (Next year is our 10 yr anniversary! )

We have struggled as well we have never taken a family vacation that we have paid for in full ourselves. We have gone to King's Island several times a few times we paid for it ourselves others where gifts (Christmas season passes and birthday) This year we have paid in full by ourselves!! Working real hard on crunching the numbers still but we are going to have the best time ever! It feels so good to be grown up and do things on your own!


I agree anything you do to tell him about the trip I'm sure he will love and be so excited about! I can't wait to see how you make the BIG reveal!!

So sorry to hear about your t.v. troubles We have a t.v. vcr combo for our DS years ago and had the same problems with it. Lucky for us my step dad knows how to repair those kinds of things Good luck with that I hope you do get a trade in for it!

As for the bags I would wait to see if they come or try your local Disney store. Also our Target here (Ky) has some of there luggage on sale!! Good Luck!

Remeber to breathe this is going to be a wonderful vacation for you all!

-Amber

 

[MomToAp1699]

Remeber to breathe this is going to be a wonderful vacation for you all!
-Amber

Thanks!

More Non-Disney Ranting and Raving..
I wish I could say the issues this morning where the lowest point of the day but its only 11 am and I have been on the phone with Health Care providers for an hour now. My son recieves Occupational Therapy at Easter Seals. Today is Therapy Day, They call and say the health insurance has denied it as not medically necessary. @@ I call the healh care they say we called the doctor on 3/16 to get a peer to peer review to continue his OT and left a message we gave them til 3/19 to call back and they never did. @@ Call Doctors Office they say. Nope.. Healthplan never called, What do you want us to do.. Umm.. FIX IT BY GOD! so they say we will try to get the doctor to calll healthplan. I Call Easter Seals tell them what I have found out . They say Yep! Healthplan says they called us too on 3/16 but I was the only one answering phones that day and they never called. Strike two .. someone fudged the logs at the Healthcare. So I filed an Appeal against the stopping of services but lucky us. He can't recieve services til its all worked out. Problem is. He needs those services. He recieves Land OT once a week and Water OT once every 2 weeks. The land helps him with his pencil grasp his muscle strengthening his coordination. The Water helps with sensory issues, space issues, muscle tone. When he was denied services for Speech we had the same issue, He has lapsed and we can't get him back in services. He is doing soooo well but not the best he could be and without the services he will backslide. I want to cry!

 

[photo_chick]

My DD is 6 adn my DS is 4. They love Kingdom Hearts. We have 1 and 2. DH and I are both Final Fantasy fans so we are often right there watching them play. They are great games!

I can't wait to hear how the reveal goes!

 

[medicgirl911]

Wow it sounds like you have a lot of stress right now, I sure hope things get worked out for your DS!!

 

[mystikgarden]

Wow it sounds like you have a lot of stress right now, I sure hope things get worked out for your DS!!

I agree please lt us now how things work out! Sending some your way!

 

[MomToAp1699]

I agree please lt us now how things work out! Sending some your way!

Thanks Everyone, I got some semblence of sorting out done in regards to Alex's therapy so that makes life a bit easier. I Filed a grievence and they approved him for 7 visits while they deal with that! Fingers Crossed..!


Back to Vacation Planning

4/20 Day 5
So Plans wise this is our free day but there are some things we need to go back and do that where missed on Monday because of the time we get to MCO etc.. We will miss the 3pm Parade so we will go see that and we will miss the morning opening ceremony so we will go see that as well.. After that its a mix of Whatever we want to do one last time before we leave and some time in DTD to get some shopping done. Make your own Lightsaber and Mr. Potato Heads being the of the upmost importance..

That evening we have Chef Mickeys for dinner at 8 and will pass of the Croc we will be fostering for the week to its new foster family who also has reservations for Dinner at Chef Mickeys.. We will eat, chat, pass the croc and take some croc pictures and then head back to our hotel. We will probably let Alex take one last swim that evening before bed and then go back to the hotel room and pack up everything but what we need in the morning.

4/21 Day 6
So, We have come to our last day! Our plane leaves at 3. But since ME leaves around 12 ( 3hours before flight) and check out is 11. we will probably get up REALLY early. Leave our stuff in the rooms til right at 11. Unless we can get the room for an extra hour( i have heard sometimes you can do that) and then head off to the airport.

That morning we will finish up any last minute things we need to get. Seeing as how the bags will be packed by now we will know how much more we can fit in the luggage.. YAY! lol.. I am packing an extra empty bag to put souveniers etc in that way we have room if we need it and don't have to worry about going over our Max allowed baggage weight..
If the worst should happen though and we DO go over our bag limit I will send some things down to Jacksonville with my parents and have them mail the stuff home from the relatives home! YAY! Smart me for figuring that out.. lol

 

[MomToAp1699]

Yay! Yay... So I went into Hubbys work today (schedule was tight and had to end up meeting my sons behavioral therapist there for therapy) anyway. The other manager says! Your MICKEY BAGS ARE IN! ..woooh..hoo.. course.. she didn't bring them with her.. her mail man came as she was on her way into work so she looked real fast saw that they where in fact my things and then came to work Oh well, I am a big girl and I can wait..:::runs away to pout in the corner::: but seriously I am sooo glad that Alex knew I ordered the bags for myself cause he was standing RIGHT THERE when she told me my Mickey Mouse bags where in.. EEK.. could have been BAD!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MomToAp1699]

We are sitting here listening to Disney Magic on Radio365 and I Feel like I am gonna burst if I don't tell this kid soon that we are going.. lol.. 23 days til we leave. I have most of the bags ready to go. Payday is monday so will head out and get some more misc toiletries and another pair of shorts for myself.. Can't wait. Now I have to think of how we are going to tell him. We think we are telling him on Friday April 13th. ( 13 is the number our family considers our lucky number)

 

[lorimc]

Looking forward to reading about the "big reveal" to your son and hearing how he responded!!!

 

[medicgirl911]

LOL, I don't know how you are doin' it because the suspense is hard for me to wait and see what happens, and I don't even know you!!!

 

[MomToAp1699]

Looking forward to reading about the "big reveal" to your son and hearing how he responded!!!

Thanks, My husband keeps mouthing at me TELL HIM.. and Its annoying the heck out of me.. I want it to be special not just telling him cause we feel like it