I have been asked privately and not so nicely to not continue to post on the subject of GKTW vs. Onsite because certain people are "monitoring" and don't necessarily like what is being said.
So I feel the need to clarify all of which I have been writing for fear that Brigitte's wish will be adversely affected by what I have apparently said and want the people who are "monitoring" to know where I am coming from. For the rest of you, I am so sorry and apologize profusely for this drama that has unfolded because of a simple choice we made...or actually Brigitte WISHED for.
I don't think there is a single person on here that can say I have EVER said a negative thing about GKTW...nor have I ever implied that anyone shouldn't stay there. In fact, I think I have said that we can't wait to go there and enoy the things the village has to offer.
I am very careful about what I say on this board. I always read and reread what I write before posting it. I have, on a number of times, completely deleted something for fear that it may be interpreted the wrong way....and things can and often are very misconstrued in the setting of an email.
All I have been trying to say is that there are different reasons why it is better for some to stay onsite and some to stay at GKTW. I don't think that any one of my posts said "do not stay at GKTW, do everything you can to stay onsite." Actually, I have been the one on the defensive having to say why it is better for our family because everyone has told us we shouldn't. I don't think there is any fear of people not wanting to stay at GKTW...in fact, I believe the issue comes up about them being full, quite a bit. I was told that it is full for the week we are going to be there....I heard this from our chapter...so don't really get where that is coming from. I also don't think that I have influenced anyone to choose offsite. I think as of right now...our family is the only one that is....everyone else has weighed the pro's and con's and chooses GKTW!!!!
We were given the option by our MAW chapter. It wasn't something that we just pulled from the sky. In fact, another NH wish family stayed onsite last year...they were given accomodations at CBR. We chose to stay onsite for a few reasons. We had no idea that by choosing this we would also be able to utilize GKTW. We didn't pick where we would stay. I was expecting to stay at an All-Star resort and have two rooms, only because of the size of our family. In fact, when we travel, we squeeze into one hotel room to save money. Space is never an issue as wherever we are, we don't spend much time in the room. So, when we were told what our accomodations were going to be, it was a complete surprise. I also was under the impression that we would be on the dining plan (which is much more economical than paying OOP) and would have 3 day PH passes to WDW....never knew that US/IOA/SW was included in the mix. I also didn't know that we would have a rental car. In fact, we were fully anticipating using ME and the Disney Transportation until our wishgranters actually talked us into the rental car and going to the other parks. I also didn't know that there was an expense check included in Brigitte's wish.
It has also been said that we should HAVE to stay at GKTW because we might have the opportunity to go back to Disney at some point. Maybe we will, maybe we won't. I don't think anyone should assume that because we have been before that we will be able to go again. We were in a very different place 2yrs. ago. My husband worked a TON of overtime and I also worked a little more than PT. I have since lost my job due to being in the hospital with Brigitte every single month. My husband can't work OT because he needs to stay home with our other 3 kids. When we get home from this trip, it is very likely that we will be looking for another place to live due to the financial burdens associated with having a sick child. I am sure many of you are all to familiar with this. So to say that we SHOULD stay at GKTW because we can go back.....BS. I won't even get into the fact that we are all going on wish trips because we have children with life threatening illnesses....so even if we can go back, who is to say it won't be with one less member of our family.
Just to address the cost issue...as we have seen on so many different PTR's and TR's....its different for each chapter. Some of you get a send off party, we don't. Some of you get a meal covered by your chapter, we don't. Some of you get to go to BBB or Pirates League, we don't. Some of you are having an extra family member or a healthcare professional covered by your chapter because you need the help, we aren't.....even though we were asked and asked since we have 2 other members of our party that have medical issues as well. So to say that I am in someway jeopardizing MAW and GKTW from a financial standpoint is pure nonsense.
It was never my intention to cause such a stir. I was just answering a simple question to which I had an opinion and some experience on......to help. Much like all of you have done for me. Which is why I thought we were all here in the first place. Never in a million years did I ever imagine that what is ultimately Brigitte's Wish, would turn into such a big deal.
I hope everything is going well
