tazdev3225
<font color=darkorchid>I sucked my thumb up with t
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2008
I debated doing a Trip Report on any of my trips. Since the 1st trip was almost a year ago I really debated for a long time. Many of my DIS friends have moved on so I knew I wouldn't have many readers or comments. I changed my mind.
So 3 trips in one year??? Yep you read that right and two of the trips were/are solo!!! I married a non-Disney loving man. The horror in that. We have been married for 35 years so I have adjusted but what helps is he doesn't care if I go alone or meet a friend. He's a keeper. I did get him to join me for one of the trips to Disney and that is where the baseball comes in.
I also managed to go to Scotland this year for a week in July with my mother. This isn't always a good thing as my mother HATES Disney so we are not always in agreement. She also treats me like a child. I get that I am her child but I have grandkids I don't need to be told what to do or lectured.
So who went on these trips and how did they all come about? Pull up a chair and get comfortable. Get some coffee or whatever to drink. This is the longest part of the report but there will be a few pictures to break it up.
First there is me. I answer to Lorrie, Mom, Grandmom, Hey You, Sis, Grumpy pretty much anything. I was a SAHM with a part time job for many years. I was a School Crossing Guard in my former life before grandkids. I earned money but was able to be at home with my kids. Best of both worlds. I am retired which gives me plenty of time to travel and spend time with my EIGHT grandkids. They range in age from 1 year to 18 years old. I have turned some of them on to the love of all things Disney. The little ones will be introduced to Disney in a year or so.
Here I am so you at least have an idea. I am the one behind the camera on most trips so not many pictures of just me. These were from my Disney Cruise a few years ago.
20
38
My first trip was in June 1988 when my youngest was a baby. My parents didn't vacation so this was my 1st real vacation and I was in love. I was introduced to Disney at a very early age though. For my 1st Christmas I got a set of vinyl Snow White and the Seven Dwarves dolls. I still had Grumpy many years later.
5
And just because they are so cute here are my kids on their very 1st trip
My baby
2
And the older 2 with Goofy. No lines back then, it was a mob scene. They are the boy and girl in the foreground
28
So I have a few favorites. Characters: Grumpy and Eeyore - they are just misunderstood
Rides: It depends on the park but 2 I try to never miss are It's A Small World and Carousel of Progress. I rode them at the 1964 World's Fair.
Parks: No stand out favorite as I enjoy them all but Hollywood Studios is my least favorite at the moment.
My husband will be joining me on one trip. He goes by Jim, Dad, Poppy, Knot and a few names I can't repeat. Just kidding.
He is not a huge fan of Disney but he LOVES Donald Duck and does a pretty good voice. He does terrify one of our grandsons with it though. He loves fast rides and he doesn't really like the parks.
Here he is on our first trip
41
He is a bit of a clown. This was at Cozumel when I told him to stop so I could get a picture of him with the Magic.
245
246
And just to show he has a serious side on occasion the 2 of us together
49
Scotland I will be joined by my mom. She goes by Mom, Grandmom, Hon (my Dad refuses to call her by her given name Esther) and my favorite Big Grandmom! My grandkids call her that and she wasn't happy at first. We all laugh because my mom is only 4'11".
She does NOT like Disney. She has been there three times and after the last trip she was done. She went with me and let's just say it's a miracle we both came home alive.
Here we are together at the end of the 1st day. She was already forcing a smile
360
So there you have the WHO.
Now the Why. I know as if we ever really need a reason. Unfortunately I really did have a need to get away. In October 2014 I was in the ER with my grandson. He sprained his ankle playing football for his High School. What I didn't know was that my dad was in the same hospital having outpatient surgery. My parents were waiting to tell my brothers and I anything til after they had results. I wish I had known so I would have been prepared for what they told us. My dad had cancer. It was supposedly caught early and they got it all with that surgery. He was just going to need some kind of weird treatment. Not chemo or radiation though. It was Bladder cancer and even though he had quit smoking 50 years earlier it still got him.
The treatments didn't start til January so I was worried. Now we live along the I95 corridor so we get snow.
29
It is beautiful to look at but it turns to ice. That is not as beautiful. My dad had his first treatment right after we got the snow. Unfortunately he then fell down his front steps because of the ice and he got hurt - BADLY!!! My mom called her primary rather than take him to an ER. She should have taken him to the hospital. He broke his wrist, and had fractures on his spine. He also had a bad bump on his head. My dad was in his late 70's and has a heart condition which requires him to be on blood thinners. He still wound up in the hospital. His heart went haywire. It was probably a good thing in a way as they found his one kidney wasn't functioning properly. The bad thing during the stay is that not ONE orthopedist came in to see him. Finally he was discharged and the treatments started again. I still had my doubts about it all. We did joke that we would put dad on a rotisserie for his treatment. Picture Jack Sparrow with the headhunters. His treatment involved him rolling around to "slosh" the meds in his bladder. They were at least keeping an eye on his heart. His wrist was finally casted right after he left the hospital, so all was right with the world again. Or was it???
Nothing is ever that easy. We no sooner had dad going in the right direction than we get a phone call from Jim's niece. She NEVER calls!!!! We chat on Facebook. I listened in and watched the color completely drain from Jim's face. I knew this was bad. I didn't know how bad. His sister had Stage 4 lung, liver and bone cancer. She had 6 months at best. We called our kids and they took it very hard, especially my youngest. My son shocked me but made me so proud of him. His response, "Dad give me 5 minutes to call my sergeant then come and get me. We are going to the hospital now." I had a touch of the flu and couldn't go and I know Jim wanted to see his sister. My son who has avoided these situations his entire life really stepped up.
My sister in law unfortunately lasted less than 3 weeks. We did have time to say our good byes but it was heart breaking. Here I am happy that my dad looked like he was going to be OK and Jim's sister died.
Here's a picture of Jim with his sister and his niece in better days
058
Life went on and I wanted to do something to cheer Jim up. While watching my grandson pitch in one of his High School games it came to me - Spring Training! I would give Jim Spring Training for Christmas. I called my son and we started thinking about how to do it and yet surprise him as he needs to put in for vacation days. Jim had been telling me, "GO TO DISNEY!" ever since we found out my dad was sick but I ignored him. I figured Disney and Spring Training - we both win.
Then the other shoe dropped - again! My mom called to tell me that my dad was not only NOT doing better he was worse. The cancer was now invasive because they never got all of the tumors out to begin with and now involved the kidney they were worried about after his fall. They were waiting on the doctors to send him to an oncologist. He never saw one to begin with? We live in a city with a top rated cancer center and they waited? I just hung up and burst into tears. Jim said, "GO TO DISNEY, NOW!"
I texted my friend Scott, ScottNY here on the Dis, and asked if he minded if we met once or twice if I came down during his trip? Not only didn't he mind he put me in touch with a friend and I rented points so that I was staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I booked airfare and was set. I tried to plan my mom & dad's 60th anniversary surprise party. I figured if I planned the party dad had to be OK. My mom started planning her own party. We collaborated. While dad was in surgery for 8 hours we planned to keep our minds busy. Dad did do well and we had the anniversary party with about 100 of our friends, relatives and church members. My dad is a much loved person.
Mom and dad renewing their vows. Mom was adamant that wouldn't happen. HA HA HA! I loved the way my dad just reached over and put his hand on her shoulder.
48
And the new Mr. Mrs. again. 60 years later and they still look at each other with the same love they had the day they married.
53
Anyway Trip 1 was planned. I would go from September 28 to October 2nd. It was a short trip but all I could do on such short notice. I was staying at a Deluxe Studio standard view at the Animal Kingdom Lodge with no dining plan. I got tickets from the Disney Store and they didn't work. I called tech Support and found out they were outdated. The manager at the Disney Store was really nice and refunded the money since it was obvious that in 12 hours I didn't go to Disney and use an entire 5 day PH. I went to AAA and got the ticket there and actually saved a few dollars. I made some FP+ selections. Booked air on Southwest down and American Airlines home. Southwest never has a decent return flight.
Trip 2 was still a work in progress. I will get to that trip after I finish Trip 1.
Hope you are still me. Updates will be a little shorter with a lot more pictures. Please join in, say Hi, like the page, anything to let me know that I am on the right track. Thanks for reading along
So 3 trips in one year??? Yep you read that right and two of the trips were/are solo!!! I married a non-Disney loving man. The horror in that. We have been married for 35 years so I have adjusted but what helps is he doesn't care if I go alone or meet a friend. He's a keeper. I did get him to join me for one of the trips to Disney and that is where the baseball comes in.
I also managed to go to Scotland this year for a week in July with my mother. This isn't always a good thing as my mother HATES Disney so we are not always in agreement. She also treats me like a child. I get that I am her child but I have grandkids I don't need to be told what to do or lectured.
So who went on these trips and how did they all come about? Pull up a chair and get comfortable. Get some coffee or whatever to drink. This is the longest part of the report but there will be a few pictures to break it up.
First there is me. I answer to Lorrie, Mom, Grandmom, Hey You, Sis, Grumpy pretty much anything. I was a SAHM with a part time job for many years. I was a School Crossing Guard in my former life before grandkids. I earned money but was able to be at home with my kids. Best of both worlds. I am retired which gives me plenty of time to travel and spend time with my EIGHT grandkids. They range in age from 1 year to 18 years old. I have turned some of them on to the love of all things Disney. The little ones will be introduced to Disney in a year or so.
Here I am so you at least have an idea. I am the one behind the camera on most trips so not many pictures of just me. These were from my Disney Cruise a few years ago.
2038My first trip was in June 1988 when my youngest was a baby. My parents didn't vacation so this was my 1st real vacation and I was in love. I was introduced to Disney at a very early age though. For my 1st Christmas I got a set of vinyl Snow White and the Seven Dwarves dolls. I still had Grumpy many years later.
5And just because they are so cute here are my kids on their very 1st trip
My baby
2And the older 2 with Goofy. No lines back then, it was a mob scene. They are the boy and girl in the foreground
28So I have a few favorites. Characters: Grumpy and Eeyore - they are just misunderstood
Rides: It depends on the park but 2 I try to never miss are It's A Small World and Carousel of Progress. I rode them at the 1964 World's Fair.
Parks: No stand out favorite as I enjoy them all but Hollywood Studios is my least favorite at the moment.
My husband will be joining me on one trip. He goes by Jim, Dad, Poppy, Knot and a few names I can't repeat. Just kidding.
He is not a huge fan of Disney but he LOVES Donald Duck and does a pretty good voice. He does terrify one of our grandsons with it though. He loves fast rides and he doesn't really like the parks.
Here he is on our first trip
41He is a bit of a clown. This was at Cozumel when I told him to stop so I could get a picture of him with the Magic.
245246And just to show he has a serious side on occasion the 2 of us together
49Scotland I will be joined by my mom. She goes by Mom, Grandmom, Hon (my Dad refuses to call her by her given name Esther) and my favorite Big Grandmom! My grandkids call her that and she wasn't happy at first. We all laugh because my mom is only 4'11".
She does NOT like Disney. She has been there three times and after the last trip she was done. She went with me and let's just say it's a miracle we both came home alive.
Here we are together at the end of the 1st day. She was already forcing a smile
360So there you have the WHO.
Now the Why. I know as if we ever really need a reason. Unfortunately I really did have a need to get away. In October 2014 I was in the ER with my grandson. He sprained his ankle playing football for his High School. What I didn't know was that my dad was in the same hospital having outpatient surgery. My parents were waiting to tell my brothers and I anything til after they had results. I wish I had known so I would have been prepared for what they told us. My dad had cancer. It was supposedly caught early and they got it all with that surgery. He was just going to need some kind of weird treatment. Not chemo or radiation though. It was Bladder cancer and even though he had quit smoking 50 years earlier it still got him.
The treatments didn't start til January so I was worried. Now we live along the I95 corridor so we get snow.
29It is beautiful to look at but it turns to ice. That is not as beautiful. My dad had his first treatment right after we got the snow. Unfortunately he then fell down his front steps because of the ice and he got hurt - BADLY!!! My mom called her primary rather than take him to an ER. She should have taken him to the hospital. He broke his wrist, and had fractures on his spine. He also had a bad bump on his head. My dad was in his late 70's and has a heart condition which requires him to be on blood thinners. He still wound up in the hospital. His heart went haywire. It was probably a good thing in a way as they found his one kidney wasn't functioning properly. The bad thing during the stay is that not ONE orthopedist came in to see him. Finally he was discharged and the treatments started again. I still had my doubts about it all. We did joke that we would put dad on a rotisserie for his treatment. Picture Jack Sparrow with the headhunters. His treatment involved him rolling around to "slosh" the meds in his bladder. They were at least keeping an eye on his heart. His wrist was finally casted right after he left the hospital, so all was right with the world again. Or was it???
Nothing is ever that easy. We no sooner had dad going in the right direction than we get a phone call from Jim's niece. She NEVER calls!!!! We chat on Facebook. I listened in and watched the color completely drain from Jim's face. I knew this was bad. I didn't know how bad. His sister had Stage 4 lung, liver and bone cancer. She had 6 months at best. We called our kids and they took it very hard, especially my youngest. My son shocked me but made me so proud of him. His response, "Dad give me 5 minutes to call my sergeant then come and get me. We are going to the hospital now." I had a touch of the flu and couldn't go and I know Jim wanted to see his sister. My son who has avoided these situations his entire life really stepped up.
My sister in law unfortunately lasted less than 3 weeks. We did have time to say our good byes but it was heart breaking. Here I am happy that my dad looked like he was going to be OK and Jim's sister died.
Here's a picture of Jim with his sister and his niece in better days
058Life went on and I wanted to do something to cheer Jim up. While watching my grandson pitch in one of his High School games it came to me - Spring Training! I would give Jim Spring Training for Christmas. I called my son and we started thinking about how to do it and yet surprise him as he needs to put in for vacation days. Jim had been telling me, "GO TO DISNEY!" ever since we found out my dad was sick but I ignored him. I figured Disney and Spring Training - we both win.
Then the other shoe dropped - again! My mom called to tell me that my dad was not only NOT doing better he was worse. The cancer was now invasive because they never got all of the tumors out to begin with and now involved the kidney they were worried about after his fall. They were waiting on the doctors to send him to an oncologist. He never saw one to begin with? We live in a city with a top rated cancer center and they waited? I just hung up and burst into tears. Jim said, "GO TO DISNEY, NOW!"
I texted my friend Scott, ScottNY here on the Dis, and asked if he minded if we met once or twice if I came down during his trip? Not only didn't he mind he put me in touch with a friend and I rented points so that I was staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I booked airfare and was set. I tried to plan my mom & dad's 60th anniversary surprise party. I figured if I planned the party dad had to be OK. My mom started planning her own party. We collaborated. While dad was in surgery for 8 hours we planned to keep our minds busy. Dad did do well and we had the anniversary party with about 100 of our friends, relatives and church members. My dad is a much loved person.
Mom and dad renewing their vows. Mom was adamant that wouldn't happen. HA HA HA! I loved the way my dad just reached over and put his hand on her shoulder.
48And the new Mr. Mrs. again. 60 years later and they still look at each other with the same love they had the day they married.
53Anyway Trip 1 was planned. I would go from September 28 to October 2nd. It was a short trip but all I could do on such short notice. I was staying at a Deluxe Studio standard view at the Animal Kingdom Lodge with no dining plan. I got tickets from the Disney Store and they didn't work. I called tech Support and found out they were outdated. The manager at the Disney Store was really nice and refunded the money since it was obvious that in 12 hours I didn't go to Disney and use an entire 5 day PH. I went to AAA and got the ticket there and actually saved a few dollars. I made some FP+ selections. Booked air on Southwest down and American Airlines home. Southwest never has a decent return flight.
Trip 2 was still a work in progress. I will get to that trip after I finish Trip 1.
Hope you are still me. Updates will be a little shorter with a lot more pictures. Please join in, say Hi, like the page, anything to let me know that I am on the right track. Thanks for reading along
Thanks for joining in. It was a rough year but that's life. On the bright side my dad is doing great. And I managed to get a few trips along the way to deal with the stress. As soon as I remember where I put my notebook I will be getting on with the trip.
Keeping your father in our thoughts and prayers that he recovers fully - was so sweet to see the vow renewal pics! 
