Wish Trippers...Unite!! Volume One

[Winnielover]

Welcome back Bill! I look forward to hearing your imput on some of these questions, although I truly do appreciate everything everybody tells me!! It helps out so much and I feel a little more prepared for our trip each day and what to expect.

5dwarves Thanks so much for all the helpful information today.

This has been a question that I have been wondering for quite a while now when you stay at GKTW I hear you get a worldpass. I'm not exactly sure what this worldpass is but I read about it on whosyoumickey's trip report. Does everyone recieve one who stays at GKTW and what things does the world pass have on it? We live in Canada so that would be must likely where we would use it if we got one?

Thanks everyone!!!

 

[Winnielover]

oh Karen, I just read about your nurse problem. I hope you don't get any phone calls today!

And don't worry I'm sure you'll find a nurse willing to go with you to Disney. Give it some time and I'm sure everything will work out.

 

[wendygrace]

Hi guys. I'm reading but do not have a lot of time/energy for responding.

Winnielover, your trip report has been added to the first page.

Bill, I hope things are better at home. I completely agree that a time for the adults is a good idea.

I know I read in someone's trip report, and I don't remember who's or who said it but I completely agree with whomever (WYM?) said it that when we go in January 09, we need to give GKTW a heads up so they can be prepared for us. We will be a nice large group! LOL

So, who's coming with us in 09?

 

[wendygrace]

oh, and on the nurse issue. Make sure you ask to see if you can get a nurse for hire while you are out there. I know that was an option for us if we needed it but we just didn't need a nurse since Michael wasn't on any equipment at the time.

 

[alizesmom]

I absolutely can't stand it. I did get a phone call.......
from my nurse's sister asking if she could have the job!

ARRRRRG. Karen

 

[Holly Sox]

I absolutely can't stand it. I did get a phone call.......
from my nurse's sister asking if she could have the job!

ARRRRRG. Karen

Good Lord!



"Nurses" like this make me sad to share the title. Takes a lot of what my ds calls "go-nuts" to do something like that. I'm sorry you are having such a tough time with this.

Holly

 

[Pez Pez]

This has been a question that I have been wondering for quite a while now when you stay at GKTW I hear you get a worldpass. I'm not exactly sure what this worldpass is but I read about it on whosyoumickey's trip report. Does everyone recieve one who stays at GKTW and what things does the world pass have on it? We live in Canada so that would be must likely where we would use it if we got one?

Thanks everyone!!!

From what I have read (haven't been yet), it seems like it is a card that gives you admission to lots of different attractions across the U.S. I think I read something about minature golf and zoo's. I could be wrong, I too read and read and read and read everything I can. I am becoming a novice and I haven't even left Oregon.

 

[alizesmom]

Good news, we have a nurse for the trip! The part of nurse Wendy will be played by nurse Michele. Karen

 

[Camster0307]

Congrats!
Hope this gives you a little peace of mind!

 

[Eeyore's Mom]

I'm so glad you have someone! I actually woke up this morning thinking about this!! I guess I need to get a life, or perhaps it's easier to worry about other peoples problems than my own .

 

[Winnielover]

Good news, we have a nurse for the trip! The part of nurse Wendy will be played by nurse Michele. Karen

Congrats! I hope this helps out and takes care of some last minute stress you might have been having!! And again, We are so happy to hear this wonderful news!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Glad to hear you found a nurse, alizesmom.

Hopefully, your phone won't be ringing. Technically, the agency nurses should not be calling you after being removed, but I know, if you have a long history, they may want an explanation. I have yet to have one nurse call me after getting the boot -- and during Amanda's 13 years, I have let go my share of nurses!

We had a PCA that we let go and then let go of the agency she was with. She did some things that we felt reached the level of abuse, so we reported her to the state. DD's caseworker and the person at the state agency said that we can change staff or agencies at any time without giving a reason at all - that is part of the federal patient's rights rules. After the PCA knew she was let go, she did call us and try to convince us to hire her back. I talk her I did not want to discuss it with her and did not want to speak to her again. We were told that if she called us back, we could get a restraining order against her. We never did hear from her or the agency again.

 

[Camster0307]

Glad to hear you found a nurse, alizesmom.

We had a PCA that we let go and then let go of the agency she was with. She did some things that we felt reached the level of abuse, so we reported her to the state. DD's caseworker and the person at the state agency said that we can change staff or agencies at any time without giving a reason at all - that is part of the federal patient's rights rules. After the PCA knew she was let go, she did call us and try to convince us to hire her back. I talk her I did not want to discuss it with her and did not want to speak to her again. We were told that if she called us back, we could get a restraining order against her. We never did hear from her or the agency again.

That's scary! I, thankfully, have never had things go that far. It's always my biggest fear - having these strangers come into your home to take care of your children. I get sick to my stomach when I need to hire someone new, yet we have to take that leap of faith.

 

[Bill_Lin]

Hello everyone. I will try my best to stay connected here.

I know the common wisdom about Wish Trips is to just sit back and let it happen, trusting that all the plans will come together and everything will be communicated. I am glad that I did not follow that advice. Several things got miscommunicated, or not communicated between our wish organization and GKTW. The wrong number of people was listed for our party, no flight information had gotten through and a few other minor issues. Checking on these things actually helped.

One tip about a rental car, if arranged by GKTW: They arrange everything. You need to make sure you wish organization has your proof of insurance on your own vehicle. GKTW has an agreement with AVIS that covers the rental vehicle as long as you are insured for your own car. GKTW will take you to AVIS, sign the papers and hand over the keys to you.

Bill

 

[Who'syourMickey]

..... on the world pass question. Here is whats to do in Canada. I am going to do Canada w/o Black Ear Envy just taking the children by myself to do the things around toronto. It is such a wonderful educational opprotunity and he doesn't have enough vacation time. African lion safari cambridge on; Atlantic Playland, Halifax, NS; Bowmanville zoo, bowmanville on; Calaway park in Calgary; Canadian National Exibition in Toronto; Capilano suspension bridge and park north vancouver; centreville amusement park centreville island toronto; Dustys dinotown rosedale BC; Louis Tussauds waxworks museum, Niagra Falls, on; Miniature world Victoria BC; Niagra Clifton attractions, niagra falls, on; ontario place, toronto; paradise adventure mini golf parksville, bc; Paramount Canadas wonderland vaughan on; ripleys believe it or not, niagra falls on; timber creek golf stouffville on; toronto zoo, Scarbourough, on; wild zone adventures chatham on; Calgary Zoo Calgary Alberta. Toronto alone, has so much to do. Niagra Falls is something to see. There is a beautiful hiking trail near there. I was thinking on the way to toronto, see chicago (spend night with friends or see if we can use Black Ear Envies friends timeshare), then do the science museum in Michigan (spend night with bro and sis in law). Can you not just picture the fun times in Canada? A lot of the amusement parks are closed right now for winter, but I believe that there is one indoor amusement park and so many museums that a winter trip would still be worthwhile. The Canadian national Exhibit is only once a year in the summer months. We might arrange our trip around the Canadian natl exhibit or around MLG Canada events.

There are tickets from twenty or so other countries, not just the
USA. There are tickets to a amusement park in Sweden, but I checked and two airline tickets (just dd and myself) to Sweden from our house is $2,500. i do have cousins in Sweden though to stay with but...I pretty much think sweden is out of the question because of the cost of the airfare. Fun to google though.

If anyone wants to know what tickets the worldpass has for their area, just pm me.

THere are tickets to the royal gorge bridge in Colorado, and the train that goes through the gorge area. I want to take the children to see that too.

We are very fortunate to live in the central US to where so many things we can do in a weekend or on a three day weekend. I am going to use up every single three day weekend that we can on day drives to see things. Our poor little van is going to have the mileage spike!

 

[Momof2wCF]

Man, I have missed sooo much by going to WDW!
I'm not caught up yet, but had to answer a few things, so excuse me if they were already answered....

[SO These ARE the days of our lives!!! /QUOTE]
I hear ya, sister! We're pulling for you, Braeton, and DH!!:

Kirsten- Have a wonderful trip! I am sure it will be magical. I'll be thinking about you guys.

Aww, thanks, PalPluto, it WAS magical!

Anyone who has ever walked even ten feet in your shoes totally understands. The ones who don't - don't matter. That's the old lady's perspective.

Linda, you're making me cry! I hope your training at GKTW went well, I was sorry we missed you, I was pretty shredded by Wednesday night. I hope you've posted some info already?

we are in the planning stages for my son's wish trip - he's 13.

My son is 12 and all of the reports I can find are for smaller kids including GKTW information. Let me know if you find anything

If I knew some specific questions, I could get some answers from DS (17) for you. He is very teen, so I have to be specific or he won't be helpful. Two things that were really great-- My DMom and DDad came and he REALLY loved going on the big rides at Island of Adventure with them (while we were in Seuss Landing with DD) They also took him to a Blue Man Group Concert that was the highlight of the trip for him. Two thumbs way up!
BTW, here is the link to my TR
http://www.disboards.com/showthread....6#post21530986

 

[Momof2wCF]

Sorry, double posted.

 

[Momof2wCF]

Interesting about GAC and front of the line. I guess we'll see how that goes. When DS was first coming up with wish ideas, he was leaning more towards sports, but then those didn't come through and he knew of 2 other kids that he met at the hospital who did Disney and really enjoyed it. DS was in the hospital for about 4 months and lost a ton of muscle mass while waiting for his transplant (he was hooked up to a heart machine and also spend part of the time on dialysis until his kidneys started working again, so mobility was pretty much out a good part of the time). He went from the hospital to a rehab hospital as an inpatient for close to 2 months, and left there abe to walk again but had a wheelchair as backup. He was really weak, and after lots of PT/OT, he got most of his strength and endurance back, but he's still not 100%. He's so, so much stronger and almost 100%, but he runs out of steam more quickly, and when he's done, he's really done (steroids contribute to this too - patience is a toughy when you're on that stuff). So when he was last in Disney, age 6, we could go from 8 in the morning till 10 at night, walking and doing and seeing everything. He really was amazing. Now, we're going to have to go slower and front of the line will really help - standing for long periods of time really does him in after awhile. But when you look at him, he looks totally fine and normal, so I wonder if it will be hard to get front of the line privilege without them thinking we're taking advantage. I am not one of those people who likes to take advantage of things - totally the opposite. But I do want his trip to be totally fun and easygoing and I don't want to come up with itineraries that wipe him out, because he won't handle that well. And if I have to explain this whole story to a CM, they might put us in the front of the line just to shut me up! Sorry for rambling!

Sorry to quote your whole post, but had to respond to all of it and my memory isn't what it should be today
DS has huge stamina issues, but also looks fine to the average eye. (He has cystic fibrosis) HOWEVER, I did not want to end up in hospital when we got home, so I got him a wheelchair every day. The heat and humidity as well as the every day, every day pace would have done him in by Wed if I hadn't, and as it was, he was pretty crashed out by Friday (our 6th day) anyway.
I think it was the Make-a-Wish button that got everyone's attention as much as the GAC. When DS wasn't with me, he still had on his MaW button as a family member, and the cast members paid extra attention to him just like he was the wish kid instead of his sister. He didn't take advantage of it, but your DS IS the wish kid, and he should be able to do front of the line if offered, this IS his dream trip! And BTW, we also got GAC for both Universal AND Disney at GKTW orientation.
Hope your trip is wonderful!

 

[Momof2wCF]

Okay, Staci, I've gotta know.. what part of OR do you live in? We're south of Eugene

 

[LindaBabe]

Hi all
Just back tonight - quick update

Momof2wCF - Sorry I didn't call, I know what you mean about being shredded. The training was fabulous and exhausting. I cried buckets at the videos and learned a lot! Then we took an endless walking tour - I'll bet you had a fabulous time just in the village! I have photos.

Those to whom I promised post cards - they haven't been mailed yet - I'm sorry. I went in every shop I saw right up to the airport and could not find ONE Poohgang or peter Pan post card. I feel so badly about it. On the upside, postcards *WILL* be forthcoming, and I have a FABULOUS photo of Peter Pan and Tinkerbelle for our little Peter fan.

If anyone else reading this thread is thinking of volunteering, please take solid shoes like sneakers or oxfords, not sandals, crocs with holes or flipflops. I missed an opportunity to volunteer this weekend because I didn't have the proper footwear.