Wish Trippers...Unite!! Volume One

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

But I do have 2 questions for those of you who had rental cars:

1. Is it really easy to arrange for a booster seat or two from the rental company? Our twins are just at the limit here which is quite austere (any child <80 lbs must be in a booster; one of our guys is almost too tall for the booster but is still light)

2. Has anyone ever returned a rental car to someplace other than the airport, like Downtown Disney? We're staying an extra few days, but as we are staying on property, we'd like to ditch the van.

Hoping to hear,
Alison

MAW did the arranging for us for a car seat for my one year old, it was no hassle at all. Depending on who MAW gets your car from will determine where it is able to be returned. Ours had to be returned to the airport. I dropped the family off at SSR and drove to the airport, returned the car and rode Disney's Magical Express back to SSR. Very easy, but it took almost two hours...it may take less time depending on the line at DME.

OK, so now I am on a roll. I did find a trip report that I never finished (thanks, Ilovemickeymouse, your girls are such cuties!) and it sparked another question about GAC's.

Some of you have said that the package you received at Orientation included your GAC. Do you mean that the GAC was already completed for you based on the info you had already provided or was it some kind of standard GAC?

We've been to WDW once before and received a GAC that allowed use of alternate entrances. This was based on my description of his needs - as well as needing a w/c for the parks, Mark has other medical issues. The only problem was that we faced a big line up to get the GAC a Guest Relations.

Having a GAC all ready in advance would be wonderful and save time if the parks are crowded. Do you think the GKTW people could give us a GAC that would cover the length of our full stay - i.e. including the add-on we are arranging ourselves? Not such a big deal, but we do think it's going to be a little crowded for that portion of our trip. Of course, if the GKTW GAC is special, we won't be eligible for it during our add-on.

Any thoughts?
Alison

aawww thanks...I think they are cuties too We did use our GAC for the two days extra that we were there. However, it is dated for the length of stay at GKTW. Nobody ever looked at out dates (they just see it and let you go...they don't look at it THAT closely!) I would use it, if someone says something...just go get another one! Oh, and it came in your packet at orientation.

I am enjoying all the action on the board as well! I'm loving all the new trip/pre-trip reports!!! Maybe I'll be inspired to do one of my own!!! (I'll definitely report when we get back, at the very least).

I have a question about autograph books for those of you who have already been on your trips. Would you think we would want to mess with more than one autograph book, even though we have four kids? (I'm thinking more than one would be a hassle). Where do you get these books? WDW? Does GKTW give them to you? I was thinking of purchasing one (or some) off of Ebay--there surely are some cute ones!!--but I don't want to if we will be receiving them from somewhere. On the other hand, I don't want to pay a fortune for them once we get there, either. Also, where do you get the "fat" pens everyone advises you to have?

[Please note that our counter is now below the one-month mark!!!]

YAY for under a month!!!!! Autograph books....they are available at the parks, not sure how expensive they are as we brought our own. The ones at the parks do have a spot for the autograph and then the pic on the other page. You could buy something better I would think at Wal-Mart or a hobby store. If you go to the "crafty" section of the disboards...you could find lots of ideas there. I like to acrapbook so I cut out tags on my Cricut and then had a clipboard that the tags would be on when the characters signed them. The characters will sign for each kid if that is what you want. Ask your kids if they each want one or want to do a group one. Now, the number of characters you get will depend on your interests. We are not a thrill ride family, we like to do some rides, but I am a character lover and enjoy meeting them, therefore DD learned to love the characters also, so one of our main goals was to get as many autographs as possible. You should really check out my TR if you haven't already....you will see all the characters we met. I will have to say, I think we got over 50 autographs BUT there were some duplicates...like Mickey, Minnie and the gang. Remember...you can go to the front of the line at character signings, "officially" you are not supposed to, but every CM that saw us waved us to the front of the line and let us go right away. I think we only had one guy say something and that was at the CARS meet and greet.....HOLY LONG LINE! He was fine once it was explained that we were a MAW family....which was nice since he had been waiting there forever!!!!

I posted a couple pages back on some good character information links, take a look at it, it will help you tremendously, especially if meeting a certain character is a goal.

 

[GoofyDoo]

I have now started my pre-trip report --> the link can be found in my signature.

Thank you for the info, Iluvmickeymouse!!! Believe me, I have checked out all those character links!! You always give great advice. I have read and read your TR, too! It's awesome!!!

~Amy

 

[Robin+5]

You all are just a wealth of information. I am seriously getting obsessed with this site. I think I am getting more excited about the trip than the kids. I am looking for anyone that is going in July. My son Nathan, would love a postcard to help him get ready for the trip. I would be willing to send postcards to a wish kid that is going after us. I am still looking for someone that is going the same time as us. Any one out there that is going Aug16-23?

Thanks Bill for the info on the GAC and the MAW lounge. Since we are not staying at GKTW, we should be able to get a GAC at guest services when you enter the park, right?

Do any of the other parks have a lounge for the kids to take a break?

We have to keep a close eye on Nathan. The other day he was playing video games and than playing basketball with a few kids and they ended up walking him home. He was all confused, didn't know the day, kept asking if school was out (it ended 2 weeks ago) and was talking jiberish. It was very scary. We made him tale a nap (he slept through a pretty load thunder storm) and when he woke up he was fine. He had no memory of what had happened or the questions he was asking. His brain is still healing and he needs frequent rest breaks to prevent that from happening. He gets overstimulated very easy. At school last year they gave him breaks about every 45 minutes to hour. It is hard for everyone to remember that things are not as they were last summer and Nathan is a different kid now. The part that is hard it that he looks healthy on the outside. I guess that is the tough part about a brain injury.

I promised the kids that we would spend that day at the Boston Museum of Science today. Nathan's Godmother gave us a family pass. They are having a huge baseball exhibit there. Nthan is a HUGE Red Sox fan and before he got sick, we was a pretty darn good baseball player. They called him little Papi because of his home run and grand slam record. We hope he can get back to baseball next year. I don't have any new news to add to my TR. We are in the waiting mode now. I will try to use photobucket to show some pictures of the kids. TTFN

Robin

 

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

Oh yeah...I forgot to mention about the pens for autographs. We used the clickable sharpies. The character handlers mentioned that the characters really likied the sharpies. Just be sure that when you are seeing a character to have all of your stuff ready. Have the autograph book, or whatever they are signing, out and have the pen ready. It makes it much faster and the people in line behind you won't get upset cause your taking too long.

 

[GoofyDoo]

Clickable sharpies!! OK--thank you. Great tip!!

Robin+5, I'm saying prayers for Nathan!! And I'm praying for peace for you and your entire family. You are very strong!! I know he will play baseball again, yet!!
xo,
Amy

 

[twinmum]

Hello! Today is Canada Day and we're celebrating our country's 141th birthday! We'll say a cheer for the USA on Friday.

Here's a question. I just read Amy's pre-trip report, and she described buying a paving stone for GKTW. This prompted me to explore the GKTW website and I see that there are all kinds of things that are available. Not only do I see things that our boys (and me!) might like as a souvenir of our upcoming trip, I also think my mother might enjoy a GKTW souvenir as well.

Are any of these items available for sale at GKTW? It's a lot easier to do our shopping than ship cross-border.

Thanks,
Alison

 

[GoofyDoo]

Hello! Today is Canada Day and we're celebrating our country's 141th birthday! We'll say a cheer for the USA on Friday.

Here's a question. I just read Amy's pre-trip report, and she described buying a paving stone for GKTW. This prompted me to explore the GKTW website and I see that there are all kinds of things that are available. Not only do I see things that our boys (and me!) might like as a souvenir of our upcoming trip, I also think my mother might enjoy a GKTW souvenir as well.

Are any of these items available for sale at GKTW? It's a lot easier to do our shopping than ship cross-border.

Thanks,
Alison

It seems like somewhere someone mentioned that you can't purchase the online store items while at GKTW, but hopefully a WishTrip veteran will let us know if that's correct. I want one of those snowglobes!!! Maybe I'll order one for the kids for Christmas. I think it would be neat to have one for the memories. I do think they give us a few things while we are there, like the CandyLand game. People probably don't want to tell us what all we'll get--> they probably want us to be surprised!! But I bought the book for a $20-donation, then afterwards decided to do the paving stone and they sent me another book. My dad and I are both book lovers, so I gave one to him. Then even later, I found out that they will give us a book when we get to GKTW!! Luckily, my aunt loves to read, too!! And as I've said in my trip report, I have been talking about Henri Landwirth to everyone who'll listen, so I have some interested people around here!!

Happy Canada Day!! I've never been to Canada, but luckily I will be there in about a month when I visit Epcot!!

 

[twinmum]

Thanks for the quick reply. You'll have to tell me what you think of the Canada pavilion at Epcot. We were at WDW with our boys in 2006,and we only walked on by! (I guess they figured they knew their own country...and they were too eager to go shopping for Yu Gi Oh cards in the Japan pavilion.) I know the movie has been updated since then and is reputed to show the beauty of our country. This time, I am going to insist that we see it!

(We live in Toronto, BTW)

Alison

 

[Bill_Lin]

Robin,

I don't know what the best way might be to pick up your GAC. It would be a good idea to ask about that on one of the GAC threads at DISabilities. There are lots of folks there who are not wish trippers, but deal with GACs all the time. I have heard that you can get a GAC from Guest Services outside the park entrance. If you don't find a thread, start a new one. Make the title very specific, like "The Best Place and Time to Pick up GAC."

You can rest at the Wish Trip Lounge at MK, at the VIP lounge in Epcot (Future World), and at any First Aid Station in any park.

Bill

 

[Bill_Lin]

You will get some cool gifts from GKTW when you are there. It is not possible to buy from the store while at the village. When you get home, order your gifts on line. Ask at the House of Hearts if there is a code for you to use as a guest for free shipping.

Bill

 

[Bill_Lin]

Robin,

The best bet for postcards would be to either PM smatterchu (A wonderful CM at DHS who would LOVE to send them to your kids) or to go to the Pay if Forward thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=717799&page=177 .

Bill

 

[Bill_Lin]

Everyone has got to see Amy's (GoofyDoo) pre-trip report
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=25976763&posted=1#post25976763

It is great already.

Bill

 

[Bill_Lin]

I have come up with a new Wish Trippers' code for the theme parks: Care to add to this code?

MK

DHS

AK

Epcot (anyone have an idea for this one?)

IOA

Univ Studios

Sea World

How about these:

Wish Trip

3D Movie

GKTW Christmas

Pirates and Princesses Party
Wish Granters


Bill

 

[bex271]

Jonah made a huge leap today, we were in doing PT today like every tuesday and he started out having a not to good time, he was sitting o.k. but kept pulling on his trach and g-tube but the PT (been working with him for 3 years now) kept working with him. Well heres the GREAT news, he stood up (with support of course) for about 30 seconds, he's done it before for a couple, but for that long and of course the day i don't take my camera is the day he does something new and wonderful. I just had to brag on my big man. I'm so happy his little legs are getting little stronger.

becca

 

[Iluvmickeymouse!]

I thought I would share what we used for DD's autographs. I cut out the tags on my Cricut machine. Then I bought a brown clipboard at Wal-Mart and decoupaged it. I found an o ring (is that what they are called?? ) and that is how I kept the tags on the clipboard. I kept the extra and the signed tags in a seperate ziploc baggie. We carried the clipboard in a ziploc baggie also with the pens. You can see both in the pic. I also put the sharpies in the pic. I am working on putting the pics and autographs together in a book. The one I have is an 8x8 scrapbooking album. Even if you are not a scrapper, I thik an 8x8 book would work nice because you could just put the pic and autograph together on a page and call it good. I have seen others who have used blank index cards also. I would be happy to cut tags out for any one who would like them. I cut mine at 5 1/2 inches. I felt it was a good size for them to have room to write. I can do smaller if you would like. Let me know!!!

 

[Bill_Lin]

WAY TO GO JONAH!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations Becca. I am very happy for you.

Bill

 

[Bill_Lin]

Thank you IluvMickey..... Now I get what you have been saying. I could not figure out the tag thing until I saw this... Now I say... oh DUH!!!

I like your idea.

Bill

 

[HeatherN]

I thought I would share what we used for DD's autographs. I cut out the tags on my Cricut machine. Then I bought a brown clipboard at Wal-Mart and decoupaged it. I found an o ring (is that what they are called?? ) and that is how I kept the tags on the clipboard. I kept the extra and the signed tags in a seperate ziploc baggie. We carried the clipboard in a ziploc baggie also with the pens. You can see both in the pic. I also put the sharpies in the pic. I am working on putting the pics and autographs together in a book. The one I have is an 8x8 scrapbooking album. Even if you are not a scrapper, I thik an 8x8 book would work nice because you could just put the pic and autograph together on a page and call it good. I have seen others who have used blank index cards also. I would be happy to cut tags out for any one who would like them. I cut mine at 5 1/2 inches. I felt it was a good size for them to have room to write. I can do smaller if you would like. Let me know!!!

[/IMG]
ok I apologize for the size of the pic....photobucket is not cooperating with me.

Oh my goodness, I LOVE that! That is exactly what I want to do with autographs.I have been driving myself crazy trying to figure out how to do that and have not been having much luck.I tried to do a page to cut out of an autograph book later, so I could put them with the pictures, but the logistics of it were driving me nuts! That looks so cute!!! I also like the tag idea because you can always decorate the tag later.I am going to send you a PM because that is so what I would love to do!

 

[HeatherN]

Jonah made a huge leap today, we were in doing PT today like every tuesday and he started out having a not to good time, he was sitting o.k. but kept pulling on his trach and g-tube but the PT (been working with him for 3 years now) kept working with him. Well heres the GREAT news, he stood up (with support of course) for about 30 seconds, he's done it before for a couple, but for that long and of course the day i don't take my camera is the day he does something new and wonderful. I just had to brag on my big man. I'm so happy his little legs are getting little stronger.

becca

WAY TO GO JONAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is a big deal.It's always so much sweeter when they work so hard for something. I am so happy for you!!!

 

[GoofyDoo]

Love the autograph books!! That is so very cute!!! Thank you for sharing.

YAY Jonah!!!