Wish Trippers...Unite!! Volume One

[maroo]

My daughter has been selected to go on her wish trip in April. I'm new to this and am trying to find the places my friend and fellow wishtrippers, Sebastian, with his family (Amber) is telling me about. AM I THERE? Help ! THANKS.

Yes you are!!!

Welcome!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to hear about all of your plans! You have a good friend, there, Amber!

 

[maroo]

Welcome Kellie

Jump right in and tell us all about you and your family

We are very nosy on here
Whoops, did I say nosy??
I meant we are happy to answer any questions you may have

Mandy

Mandy,

you crack me up!!

 

[LindaBabe]

Well, I don't have any 16 yo girls, but we had a family join us on our Disney Cruise last year and they had a 17 yo girl, so I'm thinking about what she might have liked. What about a swim suit cover up, beach towel with her name, those cute custom made flip flops, beach bag? Also, we took pillow cases to guest services along with some colored sharpies and all the characters signed them. I saw some had sent pillow cases with their name and Disney Cruise embroidered on it. They were very cute and I thought I might try to find something like that before our next cruise to have signed. Also I read that fabric markers are better to send to have things signed.

Carol

Oh! Great ideas - and we hadn't thought of ANY of those! Thank you!


You asked about breakfast time, Carol - eat your breakfast, and please don't fret over getting to the parks "early" - because you'll wind up just standing there waiting, either for the parks to open or for bag check or something. I think it would be more important to check the schedule and *not* to go to the park having extra magic hours on that day, because resort guests will be getting in an hour before you are able to.

Nemo information:

The Seas pavillion in EPCOT not only has a 'finding nemo' ride, there is also Turtle talk with Crush which is wonderful, also a tank of real Nemos, and many photo ops - like one in Bruce's mouth - and it's pretty accessable.

There is a new NEMO show in Animal Kingdom - it's a stage production and quite fascinating, although the long queue needed is outdoors and boring.

Spaceship Earth

NOT intense at all, although there are some periods of darkness (starry night). You sit in a car (4 people, maybe more if they're small) on a conveyor belt and ride slowly through history. There are great audioanamatronics, but no drops, no loud noises, nothing I can remember as scarey at all.

 

[AmberGreenawalt]

Oh! Great ideas - and we hadn't thought of ANY of those! Thank you!


You asked about breakfast time, Carol - eat your breakfast, and please don't fret over getting to the parks "early" - because you'll wind up just standing there waiting, either for the parks to open or for bag check or something. I think it would be more important to check the schedule and *not* to go to the park having extra magic hours on that day, because resort guests will be getting in an hour before you are able to.

Nemo information:

The Seas pavillion in EPCOT not only has a 'finding nemo' ride, there is also Turtle talk with Crush which is wonderful, also a tank of real Nemos, and many photo ops - like one in Bruce's mouth - and it's pretty accessable.

There is a new NEMO show in Animal Kingdom - it's a stage production and quite fascinating, although the long queue needed is outdoors and boring.

Fabric markers would indeed be better We took colored sharpies and had the characters wign white pillow cases on our last trip. After awhile the colors bleed. Even still our kids treasure thier special cases.

The Finding Nemo show is my absolute favorite show at Disney. I think it is arguably thier best...so don't miss it

Have a Fabulous time Carol. We will miss you!!!!!!!

 

[MondoWishes]

As said by Amber.......
#3 I saved the best for last...Tonight we stopped over at our good friend's house. They live just behind us. Their names are Frank and Kelly and they have two precious girls Emma and Abbie. Abbie was born with Spinabifida (sp?) This past year Brian and I started a Relay for Life Team called the Cancer Commandos. We thought it would be a way to stay positive and do something to fight back. Frank and Kelly were amazing team members!They even camped out ALL night long as we walked laps around the track. Emma and Abbie painted faces into the wee small hours of the morning as part of fundraising...they were awesome! It was the day of Relay that we got the news that Sebastian's tumor in his head had returned and that he would need a second more radical surgery. Abbie has had several surgeries in her six years-- the first when she was still in utero. I found myself leaning on Kelly because I knew she "got it" when it came to the hard emotions that go along with disease in your child. Flash forward to the Relay for Life Awards banquet (which by the way we did awesome at...raising 7k!) We had just found out that Sebastian was going to have a wish granted by Make A Wish. I had gotten on these DIS boards and read about other kids who had faced all types of life threatening medical conditions. I was certain that Abbie would qualify too and that night Brian and I told Frank and Kelly about it. So I was over the moon when tonight at their house they told us the exciting news that Abbie had just met her wish granters. I asked what she wished for and Kellie said that "the apple doesn't fall far from the neighbor's tree." Abbie wished to go to Disney and meet Cinderella. Tears just came to my eyes. I am so happy for them! I told Kellie all about this wonderful community on this thread and I can't wait for her to jump in and "meet" ya'll and start planning away


Hello! I'm Kellie. I'm the mother of 2 beautiful girls, Emma (10) and Abbie (6) who is our wishkid! Frank and I have been married for 12+ years and were led to MAW by Amber, our superorganized, incredibly motivated, one-heck-uva-wife/mother, and great friend. I love her! Abbie has Spina Bifida that was repaired in utero at 21 weeks gestation. This was a proceedure to close the spine, but that couldn't change any damage thus far caused to the baby by the acidity of amniotic fluid. The thought of prenatal surgery was to prohibit the ongoing damage and any further loss of funtion or neurological involvement that could possibly happen during the duration of the pregnancy. We are very blessed to have BOTH of our children, and Abbie is doing very well. She's been through 7 surgeries from brain to feet in her 6 years and deals with AFO's, bilateral below the knee paralysis, and issues with bladder and bowel. She's sharp as a tack, and cute as a button... and quite blessed to have an amazing 10 year old sister to be her role model and confidant. Emma has done an amazing job of facing and accepting the challenges that are dealt to a sibling of a child with extra-ordinary needs.
I teach 7th grade English and Frank is a civil engineer. He spent 12 years on active duty in the Air Force, and he's been a civilian now for about 18 months. We enjoy now living in Charlotte and hope to make it our long-term home.
We found out that our Wish Trip to WDW will be April 11-18 including travel. We are very excited - but things are so hectic here with my school shedule that I'm not able very often to get onto the computer for "fun" things. Im sooooo NEW to this board posting thing that I'm going to need lots of hand holding and help as I figure this out. I only get to jump on occasionally, so I appreciate all your advice and guidance!
Happy Tripping to everyone - and I look forward to getting to know you better.

 

[LindaBabe]

Hi Kellie! Welcome to the board!

You'll find a boatload of experience here to help you plan the trip of a lifetime for your family.

IF your trip includes a stay at "Give Kids the World" village, you can see photos here :http://www.gktw.org

(I'm not a wish mom, but grandma 'wannabe', and spouse of a USAF, ret)

 

[tinytreasures]

Welcome Kellie
there are a bunch of great people here

 

[Lambflock]

Welcome Kellie!!!!!

 

[bex271]

welcome Kellie glad that you found us.

becca

 

[bex271]

I just wanted to let y'all know that I did ship down Jonah's formula and some medical supplies. It cost me $17 to ship 30 lbs which is a lot cheaper the trying to take it on the plane. I know prices very but if you have something that's going to be heavy like that it might be cheaper to ship down then worrying about going over the weight limit. I just wanted y'all to know this for the families that have trips coming up.

becca

 

[mom2lilnick]

Thanks Becca, I don't think we have anything to ship but that is wonderful info for other families.

 

[camarks1234]

welcome Kellie! Can't wait to hear/read all about it.

 

[AmberGreenawalt]

Hi All!

Come on over to my PTR thread and check out my "amazing" skills with an iron... http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=28761150#post28761150

I "made" some T-Shirts for our trip

much love, Amber

 

[chcmama]

Amber-I love the shirts, I tried to do a few matching shirts when we went to WDW in the spring. DH wasn't thrilled but I got us all incredibles shirts and he was willing to wear that, otherwise it was just the kids that matched.

 

[iu97alum]

Amber-I love the shirts, I tried to do a few matching shirts when we went to WDW in the spring. DH wasn't thrilled but I got us all incredibles shirts and he was willing to wear that, otherwise it was just the kids that matched.

WOW! Those look great! I love that idea!

 

[iu97alum]

Hi Kellie! Welcome!!

 

[mom2lilnick]

Amber-I love the shirts, I tried to do a few matching shirts when we went to WDW in the spring. DH wasn't thrilled but I got us all incredibles shirts and he was willing to wear that, otherwise it was just the kids that matched.

Those are great and would match our family perfectly!

 

[AmberGreenawalt]

Amber-I love the shirts, I tried to do a few matching shirts when we went to WDW in the spring. DH wasn't thrilled but I got us all incredibles shirts and he was willing to wear that, otherwise it was just the kids that matched.

Those are AWESOME!!!!!

Brian, knew when he married me how ridiculous I am for this matchy stuff. Here is a picture of us at our wedding recption. We actaully got married in Rome but had a Luau when we got back.

My goodness I can't believe how much younger I looked!...I guess three kids in six years will do that!

 

[LindaBabe]

You kids are such cutie pies, Amber! It's no wonder your kids are adorable.

 

[zeppy68]

HI Kellie welcome


JOe
IAns pre trip report
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1958228