What will it be for trip #3? (August 5-14, 2012) - Page 24 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Great job with the survey sites! The rest of your plans sound great, I agree with the others about ending the trip at the beach. A nice way to relax and ease back into reality.
I am just getting caught back up on your PTR but not quite to the end yet. I wanted to comment on a couple of things before I keep reading. If they have already been answered sorry for the repeat.
As for your question of requesting a table or booth against a wall. We did this for our trip this past February for much the same reason as you. We did it when we made our ADR's so you should just be able to call Disney Dining and have it put on all your ADR's. Then we you get to each restaurant to check in you need to mention it again. We had no problems with this on our trip.
Nemo show at AK. I don't know if it will work or not but you can try to use your GAC. We used Selah's GAC but she also had her stroller as a wheelchair so that was a difference for us there.
All your plans sound great! Now I'm going to get back to reading.
As for your question of requesting a table or booth against a wall. We did this for our trip this past February for much the same reason as you. We did it when we made our ADR's so you should just be able to call Disney Dining and have it put on all your ADR's. Then we you get to each restaurant to check in you need to mention it again. We had no problems with this on our trip.
Nemo show at AK. I don't know if it will work or not but you can try to use your GAC. We used Selah's GAC but she also had her stroller as a wheelchair so that was a difference for us there.
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Thanks for the information on the setaing request. Last time I was on the phone with someone in reservations (had to change an ADR to accommodate our Pirates league) I asked about it and was told there was no way to add a note about setaing to the ADR. Should I call and talk with someone else or just mention it when we check in? Most of our ADRs should be at less busy times...
About the Nemo show--Thanks for your experience. If it seems to be a problem when we arrive I will consider asking about her GAC...
I mentioned above that I recently cashed out of Opinion Outpost for $250...Well since then I have qualified for almost nothing on that site. I was amassing tons of points daily for a while...and now it stopped. I wonder if I was getting so many because I had such a high points balance? Whatever it is...that tap seems to have dried up... Boo....
Or maybe....I am getting close to the $600 yearly total that you need to stay under to avoid paying taxes (and to avoid them having to print the W-2's...) and that is why they have stopped....
I have noticed that with some sites, I have gone through hot spells and then some really cold spells, I had the same issue with Opinion Outpost a year or so ago, I ended up with a real high "piggy bank", when I cashed out I recieved almost no emails from them but slowly they started trickling back in, now I think I am back to getting the same level of surveys I did before. Not sure why it happens but I am sure it will pick back up.
I should be gettting down to the last minute details...but other things are taking my time and priorities...
1. My mom is finally downsizing her house. My dad passed away 6 years ago and she finally realized it is too much house for her to handle on her own. We put it on the market and seemed to get a quick buyer. Of course there are bumps...but if things keep going she will close by the end of this month. EEEK! The realtor was well aware of my Aug 4-17 trip and then me returning to work full time the nex Monday...
2. Hannah. DD (8). This is going to be a bad mommy rant. If you are the judgey type...please skip...
Summer is always a tough transition for her. School--with its structure and consistency--works very well for her. Of course she says that she loves that mommy is a teacher and gets to be home with the kids in the summer. However...we always struggle with that transition. Usually she adjust by the end of June and things get better.
A week ago, I "gave" her my old smartphone. I created the notepad ap with her daily expectations for her to "cross off" as she completed them. I also added a link to the calendar so she could have a better sense of what was coming up. That seemed to turn her around--for 2 days
Last Saturday, she had a special date and overnight with her grandma. We had friends over to swim on Saturday evening and a different set of family friends on Sunday afternoon before she returned home to us.
The difference in our home was impossible to ignore.
Mom and dad were not stressed. The kids did not fight. I dd not have anyone screaming at me. When we were swimming with our friends, I did not need to keep constant vigilance over anyone to try and stop bad behavior before it occurred. Our friends kids were never splashed in the face on purpose or had a toy snatched from their hands. I was calm. Ross was not embarrassed. We could relax and enjoy our family and friends.
Hannah came back Sunday evening, and her cousin Courtney came as well--she would be staying with us for the week. Courtney was excited to get away from her brother and swim every day. Last summer was the first year we had her for a week. SHe and Hannah are 3 weeks apart in age and Courtney has always seemed to have a very positive impact on Hannah.
Not this year...
Hannah has been more disrespectful to everyone else in the house, more "forgetful" (of her daily chores and resposibilities) and I have been hearing more grunting and "sighing." I have also been told daily that I am the worst mom ever and just want to "ruin her fun."
Meanwhile, Courtney is a bit bored because Hannah wants to play on PixieHollow (with her), watch TV and read--Courtney does not like to do those things much at her own home! Hannah also also been very mean to Delaney (5.5) who just wants to play with the big girls.
Delaney's social skills are eons ahead of Hannah's and she seems to have the gift of making instant friends and being the center of attention--She is also cute and smart--I think the more Delaney develops the gifts that Hannah lacks, the more Hannah grows resentful of her sister. She lashes out at Delaney and actively sets her up for disappointment ("Lets have a sleepover in my roomtonight....I will help you set up your bed....I will read you a bedtime story"....then 20 minutes before bedtime taking it all away...)
Yesterday we went to th American Girl store at the MOA for the planned Birthday lunch. We took along another family friend in lieue of her gift for her birthday party coming up soon. We also brought that girls older sister and the best babysitter in the world. We had 4 girls, me and the babysitter. It was a great exerience. Hannah was in a great mood (when I am spending $200 on an experience!). **side note about the Am Girl Bistro...They accommodated Delaney's dairy allergy as well as WDW! I noted it on the reservation and a chef came out to talk with me. They have my Heart!***
Anyway...Last night was the last straw for me. After the great day... we came home to rest a bit before swimming (it hit 101 degrees in Mpls--before the humidity was factored in). In the pool, Hannah had 2 time outs before a third infraction sent her out of the pool. That is when I hung out with Courtney and heard a little about the week from her perspective. She is suc a sweet girl who has been trainined to be polite and put other peoples feelings above her own. It was hard to get her to talk about how she has been sad and bored and how Hannah has been "wierd" and not really wanting to play with her--unless it is on the computer in Pixie Hollow.
I called my SIL to arrange bringing Courtney home today, one day early, and still 100 degrees here.
I know Hannah has Asperger's. Hannah knows it. When she goes through a hard time we refer back to the best book ever, "All cats have Asperger's" and talk about how the cats feel and how people in her world react to her. It usually helps.. Adding more structure and routine usually helps. Not this time.
It has been about 6 weeks since her voice lesson (aka "music therapy") because her teacher got amarried in June. Thet start again next month and I am holding out hope that she starts to come back to us before ruining our WDW trip.
Sometimes she can "blend" so well. However, it seems like all of our family energy is focused on getting her in a good place so everyone else can have a good day as well.
Ben (10) is getting to be so awesome. Where he used to be resentful that she seemed to always get her way, he has grown in insight and understanding and knows that when Hannah is happy--we all can be happy. We have talked with him about how this is what God planned for our family and there are important lessons that we all need to learn for a greater purpose in our life. Ben takes that very seriously.
Anyway...I try not to be sad about what she is not. She has amazing gifts that I am easger to watch develop as she grows. But then I see how much she isolates her self and pushes other people away through her behaviors and attitudes and I worry that it will get in the way of realizing those gifts.
Thanks for reading...I hope to be back to positive Shelly soon...
Thanks for the information on the setaing request. Last time I was on the phone with someone in reservations (had to change an ADR to accommodate our Pirates league) I asked about it and was told there was no way to add a note about setaing to the ADR. Should I call and talk with someone else or just mention it when we check in? Most of our ADRs should be at less busy times...
About the Nemo show--Thanks for your experience. If it seems to be a problem when we arrive I will consider asking about her GAC...
When we made our ADR's we just explained that we had a child with special needs and we really needed to be up against a wall to make the dining experience pleasant not just for us but everyone else in the restaurant also. They said they would make note of that but we also needed to mention it when we checked in at the restaurant just in case the note was not seen. We had no problems the whole week. We were always seated if not at the wall, as close to as possible and never in the middle of the restaurant surrounded by other tables. Hope this helps!
I hope that your summer starts getting a little easier! I completely understand the difficult transition that you are going through. Selah has that problem too. She loves school and when she has a break from school it is difficult for all of us.
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Sorry it has been a stressful summer so far Shelly! I hope things quiet down soon!
Thanks...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tabitha34
When we made our ADR's we just explained that we had a child with special needs and we really needed to be up against a wall to make the dining experience pleasant not just for us but everyone else in the restaurant also. They said they would make note of that but we also needed to mention it when we checked in at the restaurant just in case the note was not seen. We had no problems the whole week. We were always seated if not at the wall, as close to as possible and never in the middle of the restaurant surrounded by other tables. Hope this helps!
I hope that your summer starts getting a little easier! I completely understand the difficult transition that you are going through. Selah has that problem too. She loves school and when she has a break from school it is difficult for all of us.
Thanks...
About the restaurant thing...When you checked in for your ADRs and mentioned it...did they already see it noted on your reservation?
Quote:
Originally Posted by KMB733
Sorry to hear that your summer has been stressful.
WOW! Sounds a lot like our world lately. I can understand exactly how you are feeling.
Here's hoping the music lessons get Hananh back to herself and the trip will be as perfect as ever
WOW! Sounds a lot like our world lately. I can understand exactly how you are feeling.
Here's hoping the music lessons get Hananh back to herself and the trip will be as perfect as ever
I know spectrum parents can understand. Before I was "blessed with understanding" I was quick to judge other parents. I am extra aware of the judgey thoughts that accompany some of the "looks" we get when Hannah acts out. She often just looks like a spoiled brat. Her issues are not obvious. Sometimes I am beyond thankful for that. When I see "real" disabilities I thank God for our healthy and smart children. But sometimes....I wish it was more obvious so we would be greeted with more understanding. at
Like any oldest child in a spectrum family, Ben has added responsibilities. In the past 6 months, he has risen to those challenges and has really valued the extra priveleges that come with that position (Like staying up late with mom and dad to watch "American Pickers" or "Modern Marvels").
Ben has a fair number of Disney shirts--mostly purchased from thrift stores. He has been wearing them a lot this summer. A few weeks ago, he went upstairs in one shirt and came down from his room in another--plus he added his ears. He strutted in front of me. It finally clicked.
"Ben--are you trying to remind me of Disney?"
He laughed and said he was trying to put me in a better mood.
I asked him if he always picks disney shirts to improve my mood. He told me that he did not do it "at first" but then he thought it would be a way to make me happy when I was stressed.
Now when I see him wearing a disney shirt I ask him if he thought I was crabby...
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Great plans for your final days, too! 
How great to get some family time in at the end of your trip. 
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