Mickey Power!!! - July 2019 - Once Upon a Time When DHS Opened After Sunrise - 2/27

[TNGirlwCamera]

DW got this picture of the older 2.

I Love this photo ❤

I walked around looking to see if it was locked, and it appeared that it wasn’t. I didn’t touch it, obviously, but let me tell you the temptation to move it to a random parking spot clear on the other side of the lot might have popped into my head.

This is hilarious! I so wish you could have moved the care but I totally wouldn't have either.

That mermaid swimming looks awesome! But that's a lot for a tail especially at that age when they grow our of everything in two minutes.

Prayers for R.

 

[franandaj]

Mom decided to do something a little bit different and special for her birthday, so she bought her a session for the Mermaid School offered on certain mornings at some of the resorts.

That is such a fun and unique gift for her! They say experiences rather than things are the most memorable.

They took all the kids into the pool and had them sit on the steps. Each kid, one by one was asked to swim out to the instructors... some with assistance and/or were given a life jacket if needed. They did this to gauge the swimming ability and comfort of the mermaids.

This is really smart. I didn't think about how kids would have wildly varying swimming abilities (having been a swim team athlete).

The first 45 minutes were doing some specific games/tasks 1 on 1, 1 girl at a time with the instructors while the others sat on the step and watched. After everyone was adequately trained, they were allowed to spend the last 15 minutes swimming around in their tail and doing whatever they wanted to do.

Sounds like a fun time.

The downside of the whole thing... they had 1 lifeguard, which meant that nobody was allowed to go past the cannons you see behind the instructors in some of the pictures below. So they had to basically swim in circles in a small section of the pool during their free swim time.

That really was a small area, especially if all the girls were swimming around.

B got to enjoy mermaid school

She does look like she is enjoying herself in all the pictures!

I’m hoping to try to stay somewhat caught up around here. But between work and harvest on the farm this is a busy time of year. On top of that we’ve had some issues arise with R’s health.

Well you take care of what you need to do. We will all still be here (at least I hope most of us will be!) I hope that R's surgery goes well and I'll be sending prayers for you.

 

[ashw100]

Another thing of note, they didn’t limit us to how many people were allowed into the pool area to observe. We had our whole family there sitting on loungers watching. I’m trying to share whatever information I can think of but if you have questions about it, feel free to ask!

This sounds like an awesome experience. Thanks for sharing the details.

Not to get too far in the weeds with details, but we’ve seen some of the symptoms pop up that we’ve had to watch for with his shunt and diaphragm repair. There's been an ER visit and a couple of different CT’s to try to find out what is going on with him. Turns out he has a hole in the patch on his diaphragm and his colon is looped up through it and under his left lung. It’s not considered an emergency yet, but he’s getting fast tracked to a surgery in 2 weeks, at which they will essentially reverse the repairs made to his diaphragm when he was a week old and put in a whole new patch rather than try to patch the patch or re-attach it as they did a couple of years ago. This is going to be a major surgery with at least a weeklong hospital stay so if you could add him to your prayers, please do.

I am very sorry to hear about R. I hope everything goes well with the surgery and you guys are definitely in my prayers

 

[afwdwfan]

Hi everyone. I was hoping to catch up on my replies and post another update before we got here, but I just wanted to share that R had his surgery this morning and it went well. He has tubes everywhere that he wants to pull out and he isn't allowed to eat or drink anything for probably a couple of days so they can make sure his bowels aren't irritated from disturbance and working as they should. He's rocking on but keeps asking for water, juice, fruit snacks and ice cream. All we can do is give him a few drops of water on a sponge so it is a struggle. Thanks for the prayers and positive vibes for the little guy.

 

[natebenma]

So glad the surgery went well. Sending hugs and positive vibes as you get through the next few days.

 

[pkondz]

R had his surgery this morning and it went well.

Glad to hear!!

He has tubes everywhere that he wants to pull out and he isn't allowed to eat or drink anything for probably a couple of days so they can make sure his bowels aren't irritated from disturbance and working as they should.

Oh, man. Poor little guy.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I'm so glad things went well!

Although I'm sure the few days (or weeks) will be a struggle, I'm thrilled that R is on his way to feeling and being better. Many thoughts of strength for you, your wife, R, and your family!

 

[Terra Nova guy]

Glad to hear the surgery went well. Wishing the best for him and the family during recovery.

 

[cajunfan]

So glad the surgery went well, but gosh that has got to be hard on you guys not being able to give him food and drink! Continued prayers coming your way.

 

[cindianne320]

Hugs! Your little guy is such a trooper! I wish him a speedy recovery.

 

[vamassey1]

Thanks for the update. It's good to hear things went good. I'm very sorry he can't have food or drink. It's really hard at this age not to have something they want and need.

 

[LeiaIsAPrincess2]

Mermaid school sounds like an awesome experience!

So sorry to hear about R's medical issues but I'm glad he's recovering!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Delighted to hear that R's surgery went well. Crossing my fingers for a swift recovery for him

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Glad to hear the surgery went well. And that he has the spunk to want those tubes out! I hope he recovers quickly.

 

[afwdwfan]

Thanks for the detailed review about the mermaid school. They offer this at the Yacht & Beach Club pool, but I haven't really seen much from families who have done this. It does sound like a unique activity.

I had a hard time finding any information or reviews before our trip, so I did make a point to take some notes down so that I could share some details.

Funny, several years ago a guest of the resort complained that her daughter brought her mermaid tail to the pools at Disney but the lifeguards would let her use it. She complained that a company that promotes mermaid culture dashed her daughter's dreams and ruined their trip.

It appears that Disney is ok now with having kids with tails in the pool, as long as they get their cut!​

LOL. Well, probably didn't ruin the trip, but yeah, I get it. I don't know, I could certainly see it being a safety hazard with your legs essentially tied together. I don't know if they'd actually let someone use a tail that was purchased at the school in the pool during normal pool operating hours. Nobody bought one and tried to use it after 9 am.

Thanks for sharing your life update with us. R. and your family will be in my thoughts and I will be sending along lots of positive energy.

Thank you!

Mermaid school sounds like it was a success! Looks like a lot of fun for mermaid lovers and nice that you could enjoy some pool time as a family before it got crowded!

It did make for a nice relaxed morning... and it kind of carried over through the day.

Sorry to hear about R. I will be keeping him in my thoughts and hope everything goes well with the surgery

Thanks!

This really does sound fun. I'm sorry my girls are too big. I'm afraid Gia will be too old too.

Well, we didn't see any adults do it, but I don't believe there is an age restriction of any sort. I've heard of adults doing it. And there were a couple of girls that were probably 11 or 12 when B did it so Gia certainly isn't too old if she wanted to do it!

This sounds like how Danielle would have acted at that age too.

That's always fun.

You did a great job explaining this.

Thank you

Someone looks like they are having a great time!

Sounds like a fabulous way to start a Disney day.

Usually don't go for those slow mornings... but it was nice!

will be praying for your family.

This sounds like it will be better for R in the long run since he's a growing boy. I hope this fix will last a lot longer.

Thanks. They said it was definitely a good thing that we did it when we did.

Nice that they could accommodate all skill levels.

They were awesome dealing with the kids individually.

Well... I guess I can see that. Keep them all close. I can see someone getting into trouble wearing that pretty easily.

Very true. But still... that wasn't much room for 8 or 10 girls to swim around. Is it really that big of a deal to have a second lifeguard on duty?

Huh! Glad it worked out, though.

They didn't lack in the Disney service.

Ouch. But... those tails did look pretty cool.

Can't argue that point.

Which is really just another way of putting pressure on, of course.

They know what they're doing.

Nice. I don't normally get relaxing when I'm at Disney.

Me neither. It is very rare.

Thoughts and prayers to you and your family, Andy.

Thank you.

Glad the mermaid school was a success! That wasn't too bad a price for something done on Disney property. Honestly, I expected more and am sure if Disney ever takes it over the cost will skyrocket.
That's awesome that the whole family got to watch, too. I'm sure your mom was thrilled that B enjoyed her gift.

It really was a great add-on item for our trip. For as much as B enjoyed it, it really is a bargain for an hour in the pool getting to swim like a mermaid.

Sorry about the health issues popping up. Poor guy is a trooper, and I hope everything goes well.

Thank you!

 

[missangelalexis]

So glad the surgery went well! I'm sure he's struggling not being able to eat but he's a fighter for sure!!

 

[franandaj]

Glad to hear everything went well. Hope he's back to eating regular food and the tubes will be removed soon.

 

[afwdwfan]

What an awesome experience for B!

She had a blast.

I will be keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers, especially your sweet little man. Hope everything goes well and he recovers well.

Thank you!

Prayers sent for R. ♡

Thank you!

The Mermaid school sounds like something my daughter would love. I'll have to keep it in mind!

I'm sure she would. And it really is very affordable by Disney standards if you want to give her something extra special to remember.

Looks like a lotta fun was had at mermaid school and I’m glad the whole family got to watch and then have some uncrowded pool time.

It made for a rare relaxed Disney morning.

Sorry to hear that R is having health issues. I’m sure it’s a worrying time for you all. Crossing my fingers for a smooth surgery and speedy recovery. Take care of yourselves

Thank you!

Exactly. I think people get so hung up on the visible and stop to think things through to the later ramifications. They see their little part "yay me, I"m not using a straw", and don't think that choice through. Sure, let's reduce where we can and in situations that are feasible (pasta straws are a good solution actually) but no lids or straws for little ones is just stupid.

Common sense isn't so common anymore.

This sounds like a really fun extra for kiddos! And a quality program to boot!

It really was. I was impressed by it.

A fine example of good parenting right there. If more did it this way, we'd 100% see less crime.

Well, maybe. But in this case, let's just say B is stubborn but she gets it from me and I don't like to lose.

I did both while staying there- busy and alone. Guess which one was more enjoyable time?

Oh, that's no contest.

I wondered if this might happen. I am curious if they used mesh... I heard some things at work literally JUST yesterday about mesh repairs.. PM me if you're more comfortable.

Gore Tex patch. Images taken were looking from the front back, obviously couldn't tell them exactly where the hole was but it was in line with the esophagus. They were concerned, and thought that the patch had come loose near the esophagus, because they didn't have much to attach it to when the original repair was made and apparently this tends to be a problem area anyway. As it turned out, the patch ruptured about a half dollar hole near the middle. They went in the with plan of pulling out his intestines to give them room to work and taking out the old patches and putting in a new one. Instead, they were able to just push the colon back through the hole and patch it over the top.

The mermaid swim sounds so fun, Andi would have loved this about 10 years ago! The tails are very cute, however, expensive to buy!

I mean, she could probably still do it. I don't think they have an age limit!

Sorry to hear about your little guy’s health issues, prayer and positive thoughts being sent your way. Keep us updated as able!

Thank you!

OH no! Poor Guy. I hope everything goes ok. I will def be thinking of you guys!

Thank you!

That is a serious tail! I see why they were pricey! Is the top part flexible but the bottom rigid?

Yeah, it was kind of a spandex type material that they just rolled up their legs. The fins at the bottom were like a plastic insert inside it. I obviously didn't wear one so I don't know for sure, but I'd imagine it is similar to flippers that one might wear to snorkel or scuba dive. They said something about there being a pocket that they had to keep their feet in and they had to "land" on the tail a certain way to ensure that their feet didn't come loose.

that is a bummer that they couldn't swim around more. To have the whole pool to get really moving would be super fun! Was there an age limit for the class?

No age limit! I wish they could have brought out more lifeguards for the end of the class. I get why they only had one, obviously, from a cost perspective. But by 8:30 the full contingent of lifeguards was out getting the pool ready to open. If they could have just had a few of them available to patrol part of the pool for those last 15 minutes and just give them a little more room to swim, it would have been nice.

 

[afwdwfan]

o sorry to hear about the complications with R's health. How very stressful that must be for you and your wife. I hope that everything goes as smoothly as possible with R's surgery and that's he's feeling better and in good shape again soon. I'll add him and your family to my prayers.

Thank you!

A more positive note, but B's mermaid school lesson looked so neat! I wasn't quite sure what to expect when you said she was doing this since I'd never heard of it before, but it's a really cool idea! B looked totally at home in the water with her tail. The tails looked awesome in the pictures. But I think it's a pretty lame idea for them to talk about purchasing them in front of the kids, because then of course the kids are going to want them!

She really had a great time doing it. It was a little annoying, but of course it makes sense for them to talk about it in front of the kids. LOL

Mermaid school looks like a good experience. One of my neighbors just took her granddaughters and they loved it .

Yeah, it really is a great program that they offer!

sorry to hear about your son’s health issues . Prayers lifted

Thank you!

Mermaid school looks like so much fun! I didn't realize when you'd mentioned it during your planning that the kids would have actual mermaid tails to swim! I don't know what I thought it was, but I was surprised and impressed! It looks like B had a great time.

They really make it a very nice experience and worthwhile. She really had a blast with it!

A morning of pool time sounds glorious! Most of us (especially those on these boards) aren't great at taking mornings off for fun things like actually using the pools that you pay for in your resort cost. It sounds like a great morning overall!

A slow morning like that is definitely not something that we normally experience. It was a nice relaxing way to start our day though!

That's too bad about R - additional surgeries are never fun. I hope the fact that he's a little bigger now will work in his favor. Many prayers for your family and R's quick recovery!

Thank you!

Mermaid school looked amazing! I can understand why they charge that much for them - but yes, I hate when they try to manipulate you into a purchase by talking about it in front of your kids.

Made it a little rough to deal with the "I've gotta have it" attitude, but the school itself was a fantastic program.

Thinking of you and R for his impending surgery, and hoping this is a longer-term solution this time around.

Thank you.

Cool. That was nice of her!

Hmmm...lame.

They make kids swim in a small circle and its no problem, but if they were dolphins there would be protestors.

Good to know. Attitude really is everything! I'm sure Disney would hear about it if they were less than enthusiastic.

I'm not sure Disney would care though. As long as they're getting money.

Of course they did.

Of course it is.

Of course it is. By about $95.

Ugh. Not a fun situation for a parent.

Not really. But it isn't the first time we've dealt with that type of situation and certainly won't be the last.

Hey, that's pretty efficient. I like it.

I mean if we're going to miss rope drop in the park, we might as well do something else that's efficient.

Oh, man. I'm sorry to hear that, Andy. Praying they get it fixed for good this time and for a quick recovery.

Thank you!

Mermaid school looks like fun. Too bad they openly discussed buying a tail though. I think that's something that should have been mentioned only to the adults. But a small thing I guess. The important thing is that B enjoyed it.

Well, when you know what the adults are going to say already, it does make sense to mention it in front of the kids. Honestly, the instructors were busy with the kids once the swim period started. They just talked about it when the were addressing the whole group before the swim time began. There really wasn't a good way for them to just tell the parents.

Sorry to hear about R and his health issues. I will keep him and your family in my thoughts.

Thank you!

Computer trouble...double post. Apologies.

Hey, since I have the space to fill up, here's an article about the pace I call home. Maybe a few things you didn't know before. If you have time.

I like it! I'm stealing your idea next time I double post.

 

[afwdwfan]

This is hilarious! I so wish you could have moved the care but I totally wouldn't have either.

It was tempting, but I didn't really think a little payback was worth a potential felony.

That mermaid swimming looks awesome! But that's a lot for a tail especially at that age when they grow our of everything in two minutes.

Actually, I think they would last a while. The tails were very stretchy and seemed kind of like a "one size" type thing. They rolled them up to make the lengths work.

Prayers for R.

Thank you!

That is such a fun and unique gift for her! They say experiences rather than things are the most memorable.

This is really smart. I didn't think about how kids would have wildly varying swimming abilities (having been a swim team athlete).

They had all skill levels for B's class and they handled it great.

That really was a small area, especially if all the girls were swimming around.

It did get a bit crowded.

She does look like she is enjoying herself in all the pictures!

Well you take care of what you need to do. We will all still be here (at least I hope most of us will be!) I hope that R's surgery goes well and I'll be sending prayers for you.

Thank you!

This sounds like an awesome experience. Thanks for sharing the details.

She had a blast. I made a point to try to record as many details as I could because I had so much trouble finding information about it beforehand.

I am very sorry to hear about R. I hope everything goes well with the surgery and you guys are definitely in my prayers

Thank you!

So glad the surgery went well. Sending hugs and positive vibes as you get through the next few days.

Thank you!

Glad to hear!!

Thank you!

Oh, man. Poor little guy.

We had a very rough first night...

I'm so glad things went well!

Although I'm sure the few days (or weeks) will be a struggle, I'm thrilled that R is on his way to feeling and being better. Many thoughts of strength for you, your wife, R, and your family!

Thank you!

Glad to hear the surgery went well. Wishing the best for him and the family during recovery.

Thank you!

So glad the surgery went well, but gosh that has got to be hard on you guys not being able to give him food and drink! Continued prayers coming your way.

It was rough. Thanks!

Hugs! Your little guy is such a trooper! I wish him a speedy recovery.

Thanks!

Thanks for the update. It's good to hear things went good. I'm very sorry he can't have food or drink. It's really hard at this age not to have something they want and need.

Thanks! It was a very rough first night.

Mermaid school sounds like an awesome experience!

It really was. I definitely recommend it to anyone.

So sorry to hear about R's medical issues but I'm glad he's recovering!

Thank you!

Delighted to hear that R's surgery went well. Crossing my fingers for a swift recovery for him

Thank you!

Glad to hear the surgery went well. And that he has the spunk to want those tubes out! I hope he recovers quickly.

Thank you!

So glad the surgery went well! I'm sure he's struggling not being able to eat but he's a fighter for sure!!

Thank you. He definitely is!

Glad to hear everything went well. Hope he's back to eating regular food and the tubes will be removed soon.

Thank you!