My Dad's first and probably last trip to WDW - suggestions please!

[Nanajo1]

I am so happy to hear the trip is going so well. and that your Dad is having such a good time. Thanks for posting. Pixie dust for a continued magical trip.

 

[philaround]

All my best to you and your family. I know that you will always remember this trip with fond memories. We did a special trip with my mom many years ago and every time we have returned I can look ariund and remember things my mon did and said during that trip. She was only with us on that one trip but she has been within our thoughts on every trip since.

 

[SueM in MN]

I was just wondering how things were going for you - and then saw you posted.
Hope you continue to have a great trip. Lots of pixie dust on the way to you.

 

[fausz4]

You are all so kind....this trip is a once in a lifetime.

We left around 9:30 am this morning to go to Kennedy Space Center (which was excellent) and returned around 8:30 pm after an excellent dinner at Logan's (offsite)(unbelievable steaks - under $20)...and we came back to large platter of cookies and a quart of milk, I am assuming as a token for them moving us.

I did notice today that the folks at KSC although kind - were not near as attentive to our needs as WDW....Boy did we get spoiled in one day!

We didn't get to Sea World today - so we decided that we would extend our trip one more day and leave Sunday instead of Saturday -----any tips for one nights stay on short notice???? I will look on the resort board - I'd love to stay on property yet - and I know we cant afford the condo for a Saturday night...

Tomorrow my oldest DS has the Pirate Treasure Cruise at 9:30 - and if the weather holds out - EPCOT! it rained all day today - so KSC was an excellent choice.

I will try to post tomorrow night - we are only paying for internet every other day....thanks again to all of you!

fausz4

 

[SueM in MN]

Re: extending a night, you might not have a lot of choice.

I saw you have DSs (were they 3 and 8?).
CBR is similar in feeling to OKW. It has an island theme and the rooms are the biggest of the moderates. The food court is like a Caribbean market place and the pool is themed as a pirate fort. It's a very large resort and quite spread out, but if you still have the scooter for your dad, that may not be a problem. I don't know if being big would make it more likley to have rooms or not. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/resorts/cbr.htm

Port Orleans Riverside is also a moderate, also large, but with paths connecting everything. Some people find the wooden paths are kind of bumpy, so if your dad is having any pain from driving over bumpy paths, it would not be a good place. The pool is kind of themed like an old swimming hole. There is a boat that goes to DD, the same as at OKW.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/resorts/portriverside.htm

Port Orleans French Quarter is a smaller resort. The theme is Mardi Gras and New orleans and the pool is King Neptune. It is the smallest resort and shares some things (I think they still share buses) with PO Riverside. It might not be the best choice given the hurricane.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/resorts/port.htm

If you want a value resort, All Stars Movies and All Stars Sports are popular choices with kids. The Value resorts are smaller than the Moderates, so I'm not sure how well the scooter would fit if your dad still has it.

 

[O2BNWDW]

I am so glad that you are having a great time with you Dad. The memories you make now are so important.

Last Oct my Dad was able to see his grandkids enjoy WDW for their very first time. We lost him in July of this year to cancer but that trip was something he talked about constantly!

 

[juliab]

One lastword of advice--plan a rest time duriing the day! It helps renew everyone-especially your Dad. Have a wonderful time.

 

[fausz4]

I thought I would update you all on my dad and the final days of our trip.

First of all - thank the DIS boards and this thread for all your help - you truly helped us have a great trip.

There is good news and bad news.....Good first of course!

We had the time of our lives! We extended the trip an extra day so we could get to EPCOT and Blizzard Beach (Me and the boys - dad and mom stayed back at the condo to rest). EPCOT was great - we were all pretty tired though. Dad was such a trooper! He just kept plugging away on his ECV (once again - the BEST thing we did for him on the trip! He just kept saying how he had fun EVERY MINUTE of the vacation! AND WE DID! It was the best thing we could have done----going on the trip....absolutely no regrets!

On the trip home (2 days of driving) Dad slept most of the time...we knew he was tired. Before we left the hotel on the final day of driving - he said his stomach was upset and that he was passing blood. He was also very pale...We made it home ok and he was excited to tell my sister and her family all about the trip....and the Petty Driving Experience he did in Daytona.

The day after we returned he went for a blood test and he was admitted to the hospital the next day. He was losing blood (obviously)...after tests - they found a couple polyps in his colon that they removed (no big deal) and they found a stomach ulcer (which has since found to be gastric cancer). This is the third type of cancer he has (prostate, skin and now gastric). The Dr.s gave him 3 choices--surgery (which he is too weak for), chemotherapy or do nothing and call hospice. He has chosen chemo - although I dont know how long he can handle the treatments- he is so weak.....I am sure doing nothing was NOT an option for him---that would make it seem that he has given up.

I have had a flood of emotions in the past 2 weeks - while I am so glad we went to WDW with him --- I did not imagine that we would come home and 2 days later he would be diagnosised with another cancer that is 'terminal'...I'm sure I will look back some day and say - I'm so glad we went when we did. But now I just am having a hard time dealing with it all.....especially after having such a good time - and this coming on so quick.

It is great when my kids are around Dad that they talk about what their favortive ride was or remembering the parades etc....but....I dont know ---Did I think/hope Disney was magical enough to cure the cancer???? I know that sounds riduculous...but coming home to this ---is just is too much to handle for me right now....

I appreciate any prayers or words of encouragement you can give...thanks!

fausz4

 

[Nanajo1]

I am so glad that you will have happy memories to sustain you in the coming weeks and no regrets of should have, could have. You gave your dad and your family a priceless gift, treasure it.
Prayers for you and your family coming your way.

 

[SueM in MN]

It is great when my kids are around Dad that they talk about what their favortive ride was or remembering the parades etc....but....I dont know ---Did I think/hope Disney was magical enough to cure the cancer???? I know that sounds riduculous...but coming home to this ---is just is too much to handle for me right now....

I appreciate any prayers or words of encouragement you can give...thanks!

fausz4

I don't think it sounds ridiculous. It sounds like someone who had very little hope and was looking for some.
Whatever happens, you will get through it and the happy memories that you got out of your trip will help you all to get thru it.
My own dad got to a point where he was not willing to fight any more. He had been thru chemo a couple of times and could see no "up" side to doing it again with a poor chance of cure. If I could have given him any more time at that point, with the situation he was in, I would not have, Because all he had ahead of him was an end that was inevitable.

You couldn't give your dad more time or a cure. But, you gave him what sounded like the time of his life and some very special things..............
...some happy things for him to think about in whatever dark days are to come.
...some happy things he can talk about to the people who care about him.
...the knowledge that people who love him will have some very special, very happy things to remember about him.
...the chance for a few days to be just a man having fun with his family.
...the chance to ride that race car.

I'll be thinking happy thoughts and prayers for your family.

 

[michelle9343]

I just wanted to tell you that your family will be in my prayers. I thnik that you dad is lucky to have such a wonderfully caring daughter. I hope all of you happy memories help to keep you all strong.