Updated Oct 23/"Um, where are my shoes? WHERE ARE MY SHOES?!" Our first trip & report! August '18

[Kippa-Dee-Do-Dah]

HEY Y'ALL!

Well, we've only been home from Disney for 6 days, and since school started today, it's time to start a trip report while all these memories are still fresh in my mind! But first things first, let's do some introductions!

If you'd like to read my pre-trip report, you can do so here. I go into much greater detail there about everyone in our family, so on this report I'll just keep it short and sweet!

DETAILS
Dates: August 19-28, 2018 (Travel dates: Aug. 17-18 and 28-30)
Hotel: Port Orleans Riverside, Alligator Bayou
Park Days: 3 at MK, 2 at Epcot, 1 at HS, 0 at AK
Torrential Downpours: 3


Welcome to Disney! Here's some rain. And thunder. And lots and lots of lightening.

FAMILY
On this trip were my family: Myself, my husband "Hubs", my son "Bubs", my daughter "Boo", and my sister "Rex"



Rex was only able to join us for the first week (19-25). She flew in from DFW late Sunday night and flew out Saturday afternoon.

I hope you enjoy this report! Stay tuned for the answers to these exciting questions:

- How many times will we attempt (and fail) to ride a Disney boat?
- Which ride will totally freak out both of my kids?
- What Disney song did we continue to randomly sing?
(and of course)
- Where are my shoes?!?!

Alrighty roo....let's get started!

(Table of Contents in the next post)

​

 

[Kippa-Dee-Do-Dah]

TABLE OF CONTENTS
​

1. "We leave in 4 days...Do we cancel our trip?!"
2. "Are we ever gonna get there?"
3. Aug. 19 - "Why aren't the boats running? It isn't even raining!"
4. Aug. 20 (Part 1) "Ok seriously, where is the entrance?"
5. Aug. 20 (Part 2) "Ok seriously, where is the entrance?"
6. Aug. 21 (Part 1) "There's a great big beautiful tomorrow..."
7. Aug. 21 (Part 2) "There's a great big beautiful tomorrow..."
8. Aug. 22 (Part 1) "Let's just have this out right here!"
9. Aug. 22 (Part 2) "Let's just have this out right here!"
10. Aug. 23 (Part 1) "I'll buy you TWO cupcakes if you ask her!"
11. Aug. 23 (Part 2) "I'll buy you TWO cupcakes if you ask her!"
12. Aug. 23 (Part 3) "I'll buy you TWO cupcakes if you ask her!"
13. Aug. 24 (Part 1) "Um, where are my shoes? WHERE ARE MY SHOES?!"
14. Aug. 24 (Part 2) "Um, where are my shoes? WHERE ARE MY SHOES?!"
15. Aug. 24 (Part 3) "Um, where are my shoes? WHERE ARE MY SHOES?!"

 

[pbarager]

Following!

 

[Kippa-Dee-Do-Dah]

Following!

YAY! Welcome!!

 

[bluejasmine]

SOunds exciting!

 

[ariane37]

I'm in, I love reading about "first visits"

 

[Kippa-Dee-Do-Dah]

SOunds exciting!

Thanks!!! Welcome!

I'm in, I love reading about "first visits"

I hope you like this one too!

 

[Bama Mom]

I'm along for the ride.

 

[Kippa-Dee-Do-Dah]

Chapter 1: "We leave in 4 days...Do we cancel our trip?!"

So like any good trip report, why not start off with a bit of drama drama drama! (Or, in our case, some really bad health scares!)

(A bit of a back story: I've been recovering from some lower back issues and two surgeries I've had this past year. I'm still not completely healed but for the most part activity is not painful. Combine that with the fact that I caught bronchitis this summer.)

Monday, August 13 (four days before we were to start driving from Minnesota), I woke up with what was very clearly a bronchitis relapse - fever, heavy coughing, just feeling miserable. I also noticed I had a LOT of fluid building at my surgical site - more than what my doctor has said is normal. Painful. I couldn't get out of bed. I had another doctor appointment scheduled for that Wednesday, so my husband (who works from home) worked a light schedule that day and forced me to stay in bed to recover.

Also that Monday, my father-in-law went into the hospital. He has a lot of issues due to some aggressive cancer treatments he had in the past. Well, at first, we were under the impression that it was a heart attack! *cue scary feelings and crying* Luckily it wasn't, but he had fluid around his heart and trouble breathing and the docs couldn't figure out, at first, what it was. I'm leaving out a lot of details but rest assured, for us, it was very scary, and being so far from his family (in Texas), we felt very helpless.

So Tuesday, when my fever and cough were more under control, I called my TA and explained what was going on: FIL in hospital, possibly having to travel to Texas, me possibly being physically unable to go, do we cancel trip, when can we cancel and not lose all of our money, etc...Our TA is fabulous and was very sympathetic and laid it all out for us with how and when to cancel if we needed to. I felt really bad for her too, because if we canceled it would be the third trip she helped us plan that we'd had to cancel. It turned out we didn't buy travel insurance for THIS trip like we had for the previous two, because now that my husband is no longer in the military, we didn't think we'd have to cancel! (Silly us! Let this be a lesson: ALWAYS GET THE INSURANCE). So, we could cancel by Saturday and only lose our deposit, but if we canceled after that we'd lose everything.

So Hubs and I discussed our options. It was really difficult because my MIL wasn't getting a lot of answers from the doctors at first, and she was insistent that we don't cancel, that she didn't need us (or Hubs at least) to come down. Hubs and I really didn't know how to gauge his father's situation - was it as scary as we feared, or did it seem more scary simply because we couldn't be down there?

That Wednesday, I had an appointment with my doctor. She ordered an MRI for me to see what was going on with the fluid build-up I was having. She did say I could still go to Disney, as long as I could manage the pain (and she gave me a better pain med) and was careful choosing rides. She also said that I had to lay down in the back of our suburban the whole way down, which meant....Hubs would have to drive the whole way to Florida! It had been a stressful few days at that point, so I admit it: I laughed so hard when she said that.

So, that Thursday, the day before we were scheduled to start driving, I put on all the laundry, then had my MRI done. Hubs and I talked, and since the doctors had confirmed by then that it wasn't a heart attack, and his father was doing well despite us not understanding what was going on, and that there really wasn't anything he could do to help his mom, and since I'd gotten the doctor's all clear, and the fluid build-up was going down.....

we would still go to Disney.

We decided that Hubs would bring an extra carry-on, and that if he needed to, he would fly to Texas during our trip to be with his parents. Also, since my sister Rex was coming, and had non-refundable plane tickets, we didn't want her to have to eat her money or go to Disney alone (although, we discussed the latter with her too, that week!)

So we said lots of prayers for my FIL and my back, packed our bags, made his mom promise to text us regular updates, held our breath a little bit, and began our trip!

​

 

[Kippa-Dee-Do-Dah]

I'm along for the ride.

Welcome! Glad to have you!

 

[smilie]

Sold.... I'm in.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Following...

 

[Kippa-Dee-Do-Dah]

Following...

Yay! Welcome!

Sold.... I'm in.

No refunds!

 

[tanyali26]

Following as well.

 

[DisneyAndrew]

Definitely in for this adventure

 

[Kippa-Dee-Do-Dah]

Following as well.

Thanks!

Definitely in for this adventure

Awesome!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I am following along!

Torrential Downpours: 3

Welcome to Disney! Here's some rain. And thunder. And lots and lots of lightening.

Oh No! I hope you guys were able to make the most of it!

(A bit of a back story: I've been recovering from some lower back issues and two surgeries I've had this past year. I'm still not completely healed but for the most part activity is not painful. Combine that with the fact that I caught bronchitis this summer.)

My husband has had 2 back surgeries. So, I know how back any kind of back pain can be. I hope you were able to manage all of the rides and walking.

She also said that I had to lay down in the back of our suburban the whole way down, which meant....Hubs would have to drive the whole way to Florida! It had been a stressful few days at that point, so I admit it: I laughed so hard when she said that.

That sounds like something that I would have done. I can only imagine how stressful that must have been! Did your kids know you were going to Disney?

So we said lots of prayers for my FIL and my back, packed our bags, made his mom promise to text us regular updates, held our breath a little bit, and began our trip!

Oh my gosh. How stressful! our last trip, My oldest daughter was sick right as we were headed down. It was just a cold but still stressful. So, I am sure this was beyond that!

Can't wait to read all about the trip!

 

[Kippa-Dee-Do-Dah]

I am following along!


Oh No! I hope you guys were able to make the most of it!


My husband has had 2 back surgeries. So, I know how back any kind of back pain can be. I hope you were able to manage all of the rides and walking.


That sounds like something that I would have done. I can only imagine how stressful that must have been! Did your kids know you were going to Disney?


Oh my gosh. How stressful! our last trip, My oldest daughter was sick right as we were headed down. It was just a cold but still stressful. So, I am sure this was beyond that!

Can't wait to read all about the trip!

Still learning how the whole "multi-quote" thing works.

We were able to make the most of it! We actually got rained on less on this trip than we did last year in DLR in February. So in a way we were experienced!

Pain - my new pain med is very good, ha! I was actually more comfy at Disney than I have been in awhile. Probably all the adrenaline!

Yes, kids knew we were going to Disney. They got a letter in the mail from Mickey Mouse the day after school got out for the summer!

It was stressful. We were so glad his dad wasn't as ill as we initially thought!

Hope you enjoy the rest! (My kids are reading this and chose the HM emoji for you!)(Ok they chose this one too!)

 

[amiskell28]

Wow! What s start! You have me hooked, and I hope all turns out ok!!

 

[cajunfan]

Wow! Hope the actual trip was a little less overwhelming for you guys!