Pre-Trip We are going back!

First order of business - I am not making light of Covid-19. My entire family has had it and has recovered. Myself, Val, Sterg and Toni caught it from a family member that was in NYC way back in March. Val had it the worse - fever and in bed for a week. I was asymptomatic, Sterg felt "a little" under the weather and Toni lost the sense of taste for a few days. Alexandra, my oldest, caught it in Las Vegas during one of her stints as a traveling nurse. She was also asymptomatic but had to self-quarantine.

So Covid-19 has had an impact on my family. Additionally, my 92 year old Aunt tested positive in March but fully recovered. Sadly we could not see her. The best we could do was knock on the window of her room and wave as we stood between the bushes. She unfortunately passed away a couple weeks ago from congestive heart disease ( the Doctors gave her 3 months to live - almost 18 months ago!).

Second order of business - (most of) the Fractal family is going back to Disney World! I made reservation under convention rates late last year. Little did I know what was to transpire. After the Covid-19 outbreak, the convention was cancelled. However -
Disney still honored the reservation and under the convention rates which were a fraction of off the shelf rates. We have reservations at the new Destino Towers at Coranado Springs Resort from July 21st through the 26th!

The room however only sleeps 4 which is a problem when you have a family of 5. After our last trip, my wife Val proclaimed that she was never going back to Disney. I made these reservation under that directive but currently it's causing some "angst".
Needless to say, I'm committed to going back and my children are thrilled beyond belief. I want to see the new Star Wars land - even if I have to don a mask - and want to ride Mickey's runaway train at DHS, not to mention Toy Story Land!

Alex has taken off - her new assignment is in Columbia South Carolina, and Sterg and Toni are game.

Here they are from last Christmas with their "HI" hats. Hi is a weird thing in our family. If I say I'm going to get a fountain drink from Wawa the response could go something like this; "Hi fountain drink". If I say I'm going for a run after work I may expect this response; "Hi running after work." Almost anything is game for a "HI" comment.

More to come!

 

[amjt660]

Good to hear you have tickets
From everything I have seen Disney is going to do Covid right-they will do what they can to protect you and the family
However there is a high level of due diligence on each and every visitor to the parks and resort to do their part
That is my concern and why we are doing the wait and see before booking our next trip

I am really looking forward to both the commentary and the awesome visuals that your TR will be bringing!!!

Max

 

[cgersic]

Since I know you have resort and tickets separately, and in case you haven't done it already, there is a different promotion going that includes your dates. I saved $93 yesterday. Almost paid for the extra day ticket I needed to purchase!

 

[fractal]

I'm so very late! I haven't been looking for new trip reports, well because their was no trips... but YAY! I'm so excited to see you'll be going, I cannot wait to read and see all about your adventures!

I am so glad your family made it thru the covid without hospitalization/ventilators/or death. HI! Very lucky! and I'm so sorry about your Aunt.

I sure hope you get somewhere with tickets soon. This whole mess has been super frustrating just to watch!

Thanks! Nice use of "Hi" Lol!

Just a quick PSA: The excitement I show in this picture does not match the excitement I have to be returning to Disney with the whole Fractal Family! I am stoked beyond belief! (Also Dad, can we get a little bit of an updated picture here? I know you have more...)

OK Jr.

Sorry about your aunt, fractal. She sounds like a tough lady to have fought her way through so much, for so much longer than the doctors thought. I can't say I'm happy you and your family got the virus, but I'm glad that's hopefully a weight off of your shoulders for the trip!

Thank you. It does feel good being on the other side of this.

Good to hear you have tickets
From everything I have seen Disney is going to do Covid right-they will do what they can to protect you and the family
However there is a high level of due diligence on each and every visitor to the parks and resort to do their part
That is my concern and why we are doing the wait and see before booking our next trip

I am really looking forward to both the commentary and the awesome visuals that your TR will be bringing!!!

Max

Thanks Max. If we all hadn't already had COVID I don't know if we would be going. TBH.

Since I know you have resort and tickets separately, and in case you haven't done it already, there is a different promotion going that includes your dates. I saved $93 yesterday. Almost paid for the extra day ticket I needed to purchase!

Thanks again for another tip!

 

[fractal]

Here are our plans.

Monday July 20th MK with a 1:50 reservation at Be our Guest
Tuesday July 21st DHS
Wednesday July 22nd AK Alex will be joining us on this day.
Thursday July 23rd. EPCOT with a 6:10 reservation at Spice Road
Friday July 24th DHS with a 5:40 reservation at Hollywood Brown Derby
Saturday July 25th AK Val and Toni leave us early to go back home
Sunday July 26th MK A few precious hours in the AM with Alex and Sterg before we head out

That's it. Can't believe it's almost a week away. Also hoping there is no last minute closures of quarantines to deal with. Everyone is getting excited!
If you happen to be in the Parks on the same day, let me know if you want to meet up.

 

[cgersic]

So disappointed I'm missing your family by one day! I arrive Tuesday night and leave the 19th. Looking forward to seeing your report!

 

[fractal]

So disappointed I'm missing your family by one day! I arrive Tuesday night and leave the 19th. Looking forward to seeing your report!

That would have been fun!

Enjoy your trip!

 

[fractal jr]

Is it really a Pre-Trip report if @fractal jr hasn’t made an appearance?

I'm here!

 

[fractal]

Not sure which is harder to believe; that it's been three long years since we've been to WDW, that we are now within 4 days of going back, or that we are going back admits a pandemic. I have to admit that this is the least excited I've been for a Disney trip. Somehow almost everything ones does today has become political and questionable. My entire family has had the virus and I've had all take an antibody test within the last 10 days. We are all on the other side of this yet I know people are judging. I know some will question our trip to Florida. "Is it really that important?", "Why are you risking your health and your family's health for a trip to an amusement park?"

Well, after much research into the whole thing I do feel we are in good shape to take this trip. Especially with the precautions that Disney has taken. The purpose of a potential vaccine is to build antibodies in you similar to what we now have. I am working on not feeling "guilty" about this and feeling like we are doing something harmful. We are not. I see it as making lemonade out of lemons.

I switched employers about a year and a half ago and it's been a good move but I would be lying if I said the last 6 months have not been stressful. I haven't taken a week off for vacation since February of 2019 and I really need to recharge my batteries. Nothing can do that better than WDW; at least for me. A week there will clear my mind and psyche and I have been looking forward to doing that.

As a group, we can all use this trip as each one of us has had their own fill of anxiety. Toni has had to deal with a senior high school year cut short; missing out on her prom, her graduation, and her senior dance recital. Sterg in his first year as a professional has had to deal with his hours cut in half along with his pay. He wants to set off on his own but this has made it financially impossible. Alex is doing great in her job but it's also her profession as a nurse that gave her Covid-19. Her current stint in South Carolina has become increasing stressful. Val is slowing getting back to her job but the continuous changing of rules and directives by our Governor is making things very difficult for the company she's working for. As for myself, being in the investment business the last 6 months have been literally insane. I've gone from trying to convince people to not pull all their money out of the market to convince them to not put all of their money in airline and cruise line stocks. The emotions of Fear and Greed have not gone away and the swings between the two has made things very challenging of late.

So having said all this, I'm really trying to get myself into an acceptance of how things are, how some people think and judge and how I need to let all that go and enjoy a week of something I truly love; spending time with my family in Walt Disney World.

 

[Songbird76]

Not sure which is harder to believe; that it's been three long years since we've been to WDW, that we are now within 4 days of going back, or that we are going back admits a pandemic. I have to admit that this is the least excited I've been for a Disney trip. Somehow almost everything ones does today has become political and questionable. My entire family has had the virus and I've had all take an antibody test within the last 10 days. We are all on the other side of this yet I know people are judging. I know some will question our trip to Florida. "Is it really that important?", "Why are you risking your health and your family's health for a trip to an amusement park?"

Well, after much research into the whole thing I do feel we are in good shape to take this trip. Especially with the precautions that Disney has taken. The purpose of a potential vaccine is to build antibodies in you similar to what we now have. I am working on not feeling "guilty" about this and feeling like we are doing something harmful. We are not. I see it as making lemonade out of lemons.

I switched employers about a year and a half ago and it's been a good move but I would be lying if I said the last 6 months have not been stressful. I haven't taken a week off for vacation since February of 2019 and I really need to recharge my batteries. Nothing can do that better than WDW; at least for me. A week there will clear my mind and psyche and I have been looking forward to doing that.

As a group, we can all use this trip as each one of us has had their own fill of anxiety. Toni has had to deal with a senior high school year cut short; missing out on her prom, her graduation, and her senior dance recital. Sterg in his first year as a professional has had to deal with his hours cut in half along with his pay. He wants to set off on his own but this has made it financially impossible. Alex is doing great in her job but it's also her profession as a nurse that gave her Covid-19. Her current stint in South Carolina has become increasing stressful. Val is slowing getting back to her job but the continuous changing of rules and directives by our Governor is making things very difficult for the company she's working for. As for myself, being in the investment business the last 6 months have been literally insane. I've gone from trying to convince people to not pull all their money out of the market to convince them to not put all of their money in airline and cruise line stocks. The emotions of Fear and Greed have not gone away and the swings between the two has made things very challenging of late.

So having said all this, I'm really trying to get myself into an acceptance of how things are, how some people think and judge and how I need to let all that go and enjoy a week of something I truly love; spending time with my family in Walt Disney World.

Did you all still have the antibodies? I'm interested because there was a story on the news here this week that it appears the antibodies disappear after a while, but the doctor they were interviewing said that your immune system has "memory cells" and he's hopeful that even if the antibodies themselves are gone, if someone is exposed again, the memory cells will recognize it and start producing antibodies again. So I was just wondering about that....if the antibodies were still present, since you had it more towards the beginning, from the sounds of it.

I'd say ignore the judgy people. If you've already had it, why would it be a health risk for you? I wouldn't want to go right now, not having had it, with the huge spike in cases. But that's my choice, based on my circumstances. You have different circumstances, and I'm sure you've weighed all the factors carefully. Do you have to quarantine on either end of the trip? Over here, they were discussing a sort of passport for people who had already had Covid-19 so they could move more freely, proving they weren't at risk. I don't know if they ended up doing that or not, since I haven't had it and I only know one person I trained at work who had had it, so I can't ask if they did. Is there some sort of document that you can get proving you've already had it so you don't have to quarantine again?

Why would people put all their money into airlines? It's such an unstable industry right now! Granted, I know nothing about investments. Do people often go against the advice you, as a professional, give?

 

[RememberWhen]

I’m so hoping for a wonderful trip for you and your family. While I understand the back and forth about the right thing to do, it seems as though you all should be okay. I’m glad you all recovered and I’m sure you will wear your masks and take precautions. Stay safe and have fun!

 

[Darstarr]

People will judge everything you do. It doesnt matter. It does not matter!!!
You do you and have a blast!!!
(I need a vacay after reading that post)

 

[MinnieM123]

@fractal , I think you and your family will have a good time. I'm not worried about any of you travelling now, because you've all had the virus already, and recovered some time ago. (I may have some concern for those who have not had the virus yet, but I wouldn't judge their vacation decision; my only genuine concern for everyone is that they remain in good health.)

What is your favorite ride that you all will run to first? (If I was in MK, it would be my favorite, classic, Space Mountain!)

 

[coachwnh]

Not sure which is harder to believe; that it's been three long years since we've been to WDW, that we are now within 4 days of going back, or that we are going back admits a pandemic. I have to admit that this is the least excited I've been for a Disney trip. Somehow almost everything ones does today has become political and questionable. My entire family has had the virus and I've had all take an antibody test within the last 10 days. We are all on the other side of this yet I know people are judging. I know some will question our trip to Florida. "Is it really that important?", "Why are you risking your health and your family's health for a trip to an amusement park?"

Well, after much research into the whole thing I do feel we are in good shape to take this trip. Especially with the precautions that Disney has taken. The purpose of a potential vaccine is to build antibodies in you similar to what we now have. I am working on not feeling "guilty" about this and feeling like we are doing something harmful. We are not. I see it as making lemonade out of lemons.

I switched employers about a year and a half ago and it's been a good move but I would be lying if I said the last 6 months have not been stressful. I haven't taken a week off for vacation since February of 2019 and I really need to recharge my batteries. Nothing can do that better than WDW; at least for me. A week there will clear my mind and psyche and I have been looking forward to doing that.

As a group, we can all use this trip as each one of us has had their own fill of anxiety. Toni has had to deal with a senior high school year cut short; missing out on her prom, her graduation, and her senior dance recital. Sterg in his first year as a professional has had to deal with his hours cut in half along with his pay. He wants to set off on his own but this has made it financially impossible. Alex is doing great in her job but it's also her profession as a nurse that gave her Covid-19. Her current stint in South Carolina has become increasing stressful. Val is slowing getting back to her job but the continuous changing of rules and directives by our Governor is making things very difficult for the company she's working for. As for myself, being in the investment business the last 6 months have been literally insane. I've gone from trying to convince people to not pull all their money out of the market to convince them to not put all of their money in airline and cruise line stocks. The emotions of Fear and Greed have not gone away and the swings between the two has made things very challenging of late.

So having said all this, I'm really trying to get myself into an acceptance of how things are, how some people think and judge and how I need to let all that go and enjoy a week of something I truly love; spending time with my family in Walt Disney World.

Wow! So much to agree with here, but because of everything you said I will say no more. Can't wait to wave in passing on Monday morning at the airport and meeting up in WDW.

 

[93boomer]

@fractal I hope your family has a wonderful and magical vacation!! Can’t wait for your TR.

 

[BuckyMom]

Please put it all aside and enjoy. It's more than an amusement park to us...the sights, the sounds, the smells, the food, the memories. It just makes us happy. As I read some of the live trip reports I'm so jealous of the lack of wait times and wish I could figure out a way to go. If I were you, I'd be going too. Enjoy and be safe. Can't wait to read and see those fabulous pictures.

 

[riverside]

My motto is "you're never going to please everyone" so I wouldn't give it a second thought.
"And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate...."

Besides, I'm looking forward to an awesome TR!!!

And this Governor....

 

[MissViv]

Hope you have a great time! Enjoy the low crowds.

 

[Shouldigo12]

Did you all still have the antibodies? I'm interested because there was a story on the news here this week that it appears the antibodies disappear after a while, but the doctor they were interviewing said that your immune system has "memory cells" and he's hopeful that even if the antibodies themselves are gone, if someone is exposed again, the memory cells will recognize it and start producing antibodies again. So I was just wondering about that....if the antibodies were still present, since you had it more towards the beginning, from the sounds of it.

I'd say ignore the judgy people. If you've already had it, why would it be a health risk for you? I wouldn't want to go right now, not having had it, with the huge spike in cases. But that's my choice, based on my circumstances. You have different circumstances, and I'm sure you've weighed all the factors carefully. Do you have to quarantine on either end of the trip? Over here, they were discussing a sort of passport for people who had already had Covid-19 so they could move more freely, proving they weren't at risk. I don't know if they ended up doing that or not, since I haven't had it and I only know one person I trained at work who had had it, so I can't ask if they did. Is there some sort of document that you can get proving you've already had it so you don't have to quarantine again?

Why would people put all their money into airlines? It's such an unstable industry right now! Granted, I know nothing about investments. Do people often go against the advice you, as a professional, give?

I believe the passport thing ended because health officials stepped in and said we still don't know how long immunity lasts, so an immunity passport may do more harm than good.

 

[senor_jorge]

Not sure which is harder to believe; that it's been three long years since we've been to WDW, that we are now within 4 days of going back, or that we are going back admits a pandemic. I have to admit that this is the least excited I've been for a Disney trip. Somehow almost everything ones does today has become political and questionable. My entire family has had the virus and I've had all take an antibody test within the last 10 days. We are all on the other side of this yet I know people are judging. I know some will question our trip to Florida. "Is it really that important?", "Why are you risking your health and your family's health for a trip to an amusement park?"

Well, after much research into the whole thing I do feel we are in good shape to take this trip. Especially with the precautions that Disney has taken. The purpose of a potential vaccine is to build antibodies in you similar to what we now have. I am working on not feeling "guilty" about this and feeling like we are doing something harmful. We are not. I see it as making lemonade out of lemons.

I switched employers about a year and a half ago and it's been a good move but I would be lying if I said the last 6 months have not been stressful. I haven't taken a week off for vacation since February of 2019 and I really need to recharge my batteries. Nothing can do that better than WDW; at least for me. A week there will clear my mind and psyche and I have been looking forward to doing that.

As a group, we can all use this trip as each one of us has had their own fill of anxiety. Toni has had to deal with a senior high school year cut short; missing out on her prom, her graduation, and her senior dance recital. Sterg in his first year as a professional has had to deal with his hours cut in half along with his pay. He wants to set off on his own but this has made it financially impossible. Alex is doing great in her job but it's also her profession as a nurse that gave her Covid-19. Her current stint in South Carolina has become increasing stressful. Val is slowing getting back to her job but the continuous changing of rules and directives by our Governor is making things very difficult for the company she's working for. As for myself, being in the investment business the last 6 months have been literally insane. I've gone from trying to convince people to not pull all their money out of the market to convince them to not put all of their money in airline and cruise line stocks. The emotions of Fear and Greed have not gone away and the swings between the two has made things very challenging of late.

So having said all this, I'm really trying to get myself into an acceptance of how things are, how some people think and judge and how I need to let all that go and enjoy a week of something I truly love; spending time with my family in Walt Disney World.

It is, what it is. It’s also what you make it. We could use our season passes for our local Six Flags but have chosen not to. That’s our choice. If others want to go, and act responsibly that’s their choice and responsibility.

There is also a difference between concern and judgement. Friends and family are more likely to be concerned. I’m not concerned about the judgement from others. I can’t control it, it doesn’t impact me, so it’s irrelevant.

Enjoy the trip and time with your family, and turn Jr. loose.

 

[MerMom1981]

For what it's worth, your internet forum friend supports your decision.
You've already had the virus, so your physical health is not at risk. Time to take care of your mental health!!
Go enjoy your family, and the blessings in your life and come back rejuvenated!