kdonnel
DVC-BCV
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2001
- Messages
- 7,192
That was not the vacation I planned! It was supposed to be a nice relaxing 12 days with my wife, two kids, and in laws.
We left 5 days early so we had plenty of time to explore the LA area prior to the cruise.
We ran into little problems all along the way and then one big one towards the end.
It all started at the airport in Atlanta. We were not able to check in at curb or using the automated kiosks. We ended up at the ticket counter and were told that since my son and I had the same name (that is common right?) we would need to pay a $100 fee to change the names on one of the tickets because two people can not have the same name on a reservation.
I asked them if I was also supposed to find a way to change our names on our passports and visit a judge to get the name change official. After 20 minutes of arguing (you really should get to the airport early) a manager showed up who broke one of us out in a separate reservation and all was well.
We stayed in the Embassy Suites just down from Disneyland in Anaheim. The next morning we were all heading down the breakfast when my father in law announced he could not find his wallet. After looking for 10 minutes he was getting so flustered and upset that the rest of us went down stairs for breakfast.
He showed up 30 minutes later and had finally found his wallet in the trash can next to the desk where he had put his wallet. Disaster averted!
We went to Disneyland the first day and had a good trip. Everyone had said we would be disappointed at Disneyland after having always been to Walt Disney World. The only thing that was disappointing was the size of the castle.
Day 2 was an adventure into LA for the tar pits, Pinks hot dogs, and the Griffith Observatory. Part way thorough the adventure the never lost GPS in the rental car just turned off and would not turn back on. After calling Hertz we were told we would need to bring the car back to the airport if we wanted the GPS to work.
We had no maps with us in the car and had been relying on the GPS. I managed to use my iPhone to get us to the observatory and later pointed back to the airport. The same moment that the battery died on my phone the GPS came to life. We opted to head to the hotel instead and keep the car. Disaster averted!
The next two days were relatively calm. We went to the Santa Monica Pier, Malibu, and back to Disneyland, California Adventure. The GPS mostly worked. It would occasionally get way behind on the verbal directions but the moving map was always right.
Saturday night about 6:00pm my 8 year old daughter proclaimed her stomach hurt and she did not feel good at all and laid down were ever we happened to be. I called around an all the after hours places were closed. We were due to get on the ship the next day but I did not want to take her to the ER and wait for hours and hours. I found an urgent care place that was going to open at 8:00am Sunday and was on the way back to the airport to turn in the car and get our transportation to San Pedro.
The next morning she woke up feeling fine. We opted to just head to the ship. Disaster averted!
We got to the ship early and had to wait about an hour before boarding started.
The first day on the ship was mini disaster free!
The formal night was not! When I was getting dressed I noticed that the soles of my dress shoes were sticky. I thought some hair spray may have spilled on them in the suit case and put them on anyway. On our way to get pictures I had problems walking. It turned out that the soles were disintegrating with each step I took. I was leaving a trail of black debris with every step. Just then the photography manager appeared and offered to get me a pair of shoes. I took mine off, threw them in the trash, and went to dinner in my socks. The shoes were delivered to my room and were there after dinner. Disaster averted!
In Cabo we did the Talofa Tall Ship excursion. We all had a great time but my mother in law lost her hat in the last five minutes of the trip. I have a good picture of it floating away behind the ship. She was able to buy a hat in port soon after getting off the Talofa. Disaster averted!
In Mazatlan we hired a taxi/tour driver for the day. We had a good day with do problems.
In Puerto Vallarta my wife, daughter, and I were scheduled to do the Signature Dolphin Swim. I got up for breakfast with the kids and heading down to the dinning room with my in laws while my wife stayed in the cabin to sleep a little longer and get ready.
My mother in law was complaining that her tongue felt funny. Between leaving the cabin and arriving at Parrot Cay her tongue and the left side of her neck had doubled in size. Instead of eating breakfast she headed to the doctor with my father in law while I stayed with the kids.
Soon after I got back to the cabin to tell my wife that her mother had gone to the doctor my father in law appeared and asked my wife to go with him, he was getting off the ship and heading to the hospital with his wife.
We talked for awhile and decided I would go with my daughter to do the dolphin encounter. It was probably just an allergic reaction and she would be find after a shot or two of something.
After the dolphin swim was over (it was great) I check my cell phone. I had 12 missed calls and text. My mother in law had taken a turn for the worse and was going to have to have a tracheotomy because she was having trouble breathing.
When we got back to the ship my wife and father in law were packing up his stuff. He was getting off the ship and surgery was scheduled for latter that afternoon.
I told my wife we should stay as well. I sent her with my father in law and started getting cleaned up from the dolphin swim and a quick packing.
The pursers office made hotel arrangements for me and the kids. We ended up at the Crown Paradise Club just a half mile or so from the ship and a 5 minute taxi ride to the hospital. It was OK. We have been spoiled by the rooms at DVC and this was not a DVC property. It was all inclusive. The food was OK if you gave it a chance. A lot of the items on the buffet did not look appetizing but were surprisingly tasty. The kids pool area was great though. They had 10-12 slides, a pirate ship and castle with water jets everywhere, and was only 2 feet deep at the deepest. But back to the story!
I have a great set of pictures watching the Magic back out of port and head to sea. When I get the pictures all uploaded and sorted I will add a link.
My mother in law had her surgery at 8:00pm that night. Luckily the IV antibiotics slowed the swelling so that a tracheotomy was not needed. Here saliva glands were infected and they had to put in drains to lessen the swelling and pressure on her throat. Normally they would have given her steroids and sent her back to this ship but since she is diabetic the steroids are out. She finally admitted that she had been feeling bad since the first day in LA. She had a fever for the past 9 days but did not want to bother us and ruin the trip. The doctor told her that after 4 days she should have seen someone and they would have given her an antibiotic and that would have been the end of the whole ordeal.
She had a very quick recovery and was cleared to go home on Sunday. Diaster averted!
We had used frequent flyer miles to go round trip to LA from Atlanta. We tried calling Delta to see about changing them but got no help at all from them.
Disney's port agent had taken care of getting our Mexican Visa's and they had also given us the number of a woman in Orlando (Vicky) who was responsible for helping people like us stranded off the ship. She had the Disney air department call Delta and find seating and a decent rate ($450 each) from Puerto Vallarta to Atlanta. They also said Delta would have no problems changing our frequent flyer tickets it we asked to talk to the frequent flyer desk.
We called again and got a nice woman who said there would be no problem. She freed up 6 seats for use as frequent flyer seats and created a reservation. Then we were cut off. We called back and got someone else who again said it was possible but started rattling off all the fees in addition to the miles. It was going to cost $280 plus 30000 miles each to return.
We decided to just pay the $450 (did I mention we did not buy trip insurance? We have been on so many trips and never used it so I stopped buying in a few years ago) We called Disney back and asked them to add two more people to the reservation they had created earlier for four of us.
Later that night we logged into Delta to check up on Disney when we noticed the frequent flyer reservation waiting to be redeemed. We were able to redeem it online for $100 a person. Delta also claims we will get the 150000 miles we originally used returned so it ended up only costing an extra $600 and 30000 miles to get home. Disaster averted!
We all arrived home yesterday a few hours earlier then if we had stayed on the Magic and returned from LA.
All in all it was a strange and disaster filled trip!
(Sorry for the partial post for a while. I hit enter on accident and then it took me a while to edit the post and add the rest of the story)
Edited to add:
I forgot to mention how helpful the Disney people on the ship and in Orlando were during the whole process. We even ran into Javier (the Disney port agent in Puerto Vallarta who got our Visa's) at the airport. He apparently works for AeroMexico as well.)
I also learned a little known fact.
Later when everything had calmed down I looked at my stateroom bill and saw that no tips had been charged. I called Vicky and asked her to arrange for the tips to be charged to both our staterooms. It was not the dining room servers or stateroom stewards fault we had left early. Vicky said that the ship pays the standard tips to all those normally tipped when people must debark early.
We left 5 days early so we had plenty of time to explore the LA area prior to the cruise.
We ran into little problems all along the way and then one big one towards the end.
It all started at the airport in Atlanta. We were not able to check in at curb or using the automated kiosks. We ended up at the ticket counter and were told that since my son and I had the same name (that is common right?) we would need to pay a $100 fee to change the names on one of the tickets because two people can not have the same name on a reservation.
I asked them if I was also supposed to find a way to change our names on our passports and visit a judge to get the name change official. After 20 minutes of arguing (you really should get to the airport early) a manager showed up who broke one of us out in a separate reservation and all was well.
We stayed in the Embassy Suites just down from Disneyland in Anaheim. The next morning we were all heading down the breakfast when my father in law announced he could not find his wallet. After looking for 10 minutes he was getting so flustered and upset that the rest of us went down stairs for breakfast.
He showed up 30 minutes later and had finally found his wallet in the trash can next to the desk where he had put his wallet. Disaster averted!
We went to Disneyland the first day and had a good trip. Everyone had said we would be disappointed at Disneyland after having always been to Walt Disney World. The only thing that was disappointing was the size of the castle.
Day 2 was an adventure into LA for the tar pits, Pinks hot dogs, and the Griffith Observatory. Part way thorough the adventure the never lost GPS in the rental car just turned off and would not turn back on. After calling Hertz we were told we would need to bring the car back to the airport if we wanted the GPS to work.
We had no maps with us in the car and had been relying on the GPS. I managed to use my iPhone to get us to the observatory and later pointed back to the airport. The same moment that the battery died on my phone the GPS came to life. We opted to head to the hotel instead and keep the car. Disaster averted!
The next two days were relatively calm. We went to the Santa Monica Pier, Malibu, and back to Disneyland, California Adventure. The GPS mostly worked. It would occasionally get way behind on the verbal directions but the moving map was always right.
Saturday night about 6:00pm my 8 year old daughter proclaimed her stomach hurt and she did not feel good at all and laid down were ever we happened to be. I called around an all the after hours places were closed. We were due to get on the ship the next day but I did not want to take her to the ER and wait for hours and hours. I found an urgent care place that was going to open at 8:00am Sunday and was on the way back to the airport to turn in the car and get our transportation to San Pedro.
The next morning she woke up feeling fine. We opted to just head to the ship. Disaster averted!
We got to the ship early and had to wait about an hour before boarding started.
The first day on the ship was mini disaster free!
The formal night was not! When I was getting dressed I noticed that the soles of my dress shoes were sticky. I thought some hair spray may have spilled on them in the suit case and put them on anyway. On our way to get pictures I had problems walking. It turned out that the soles were disintegrating with each step I took. I was leaving a trail of black debris with every step. Just then the photography manager appeared and offered to get me a pair of shoes. I took mine off, threw them in the trash, and went to dinner in my socks. The shoes were delivered to my room and were there after dinner. Disaster averted!
In Cabo we did the Talofa Tall Ship excursion. We all had a great time but my mother in law lost her hat in the last five minutes of the trip. I have a good picture of it floating away behind the ship. She was able to buy a hat in port soon after getting off the Talofa. Disaster averted!
In Mazatlan we hired a taxi/tour driver for the day. We had a good day with do problems.
In Puerto Vallarta my wife, daughter, and I were scheduled to do the Signature Dolphin Swim. I got up for breakfast with the kids and heading down to the dinning room with my in laws while my wife stayed in the cabin to sleep a little longer and get ready.
My mother in law was complaining that her tongue felt funny. Between leaving the cabin and arriving at Parrot Cay her tongue and the left side of her neck had doubled in size. Instead of eating breakfast she headed to the doctor with my father in law while I stayed with the kids.
Soon after I got back to the cabin to tell my wife that her mother had gone to the doctor my father in law appeared and asked my wife to go with him, he was getting off the ship and heading to the hospital with his wife.
We talked for awhile and decided I would go with my daughter to do the dolphin encounter. It was probably just an allergic reaction and she would be find after a shot or two of something.
After the dolphin swim was over (it was great) I check my cell phone. I had 12 missed calls and text. My mother in law had taken a turn for the worse and was going to have to have a tracheotomy because she was having trouble breathing.
When we got back to the ship my wife and father in law were packing up his stuff. He was getting off the ship and surgery was scheduled for latter that afternoon.
I told my wife we should stay as well. I sent her with my father in law and started getting cleaned up from the dolphin swim and a quick packing.
The pursers office made hotel arrangements for me and the kids. We ended up at the Crown Paradise Club just a half mile or so from the ship and a 5 minute taxi ride to the hospital. It was OK. We have been spoiled by the rooms at DVC and this was not a DVC property. It was all inclusive. The food was OK if you gave it a chance. A lot of the items on the buffet did not look appetizing but were surprisingly tasty. The kids pool area was great though. They had 10-12 slides, a pirate ship and castle with water jets everywhere, and was only 2 feet deep at the deepest. But back to the story!
I have a great set of pictures watching the Magic back out of port and head to sea. When I get the pictures all uploaded and sorted I will add a link.
My mother in law had her surgery at 8:00pm that night. Luckily the IV antibiotics slowed the swelling so that a tracheotomy was not needed. Here saliva glands were infected and they had to put in drains to lessen the swelling and pressure on her throat. Normally they would have given her steroids and sent her back to this ship but since she is diabetic the steroids are out. She finally admitted that she had been feeling bad since the first day in LA. She had a fever for the past 9 days but did not want to bother us and ruin the trip. The doctor told her that after 4 days she should have seen someone and they would have given her an antibiotic and that would have been the end of the whole ordeal.
She had a very quick recovery and was cleared to go home on Sunday. Diaster averted!
We had used frequent flyer miles to go round trip to LA from Atlanta. We tried calling Delta to see about changing them but got no help at all from them.
Disney's port agent had taken care of getting our Mexican Visa's and they had also given us the number of a woman in Orlando (Vicky) who was responsible for helping people like us stranded off the ship. She had the Disney air department call Delta and find seating and a decent rate ($450 each) from Puerto Vallarta to Atlanta. They also said Delta would have no problems changing our frequent flyer tickets it we asked to talk to the frequent flyer desk.
We called again and got a nice woman who said there would be no problem. She freed up 6 seats for use as frequent flyer seats and created a reservation. Then we were cut off. We called back and got someone else who again said it was possible but started rattling off all the fees in addition to the miles. It was going to cost $280 plus 30000 miles each to return.
We decided to just pay the $450 (did I mention we did not buy trip insurance? We have been on so many trips and never used it so I stopped buying in a few years ago) We called Disney back and asked them to add two more people to the reservation they had created earlier for four of us.
Later that night we logged into Delta to check up on Disney when we noticed the frequent flyer reservation waiting to be redeemed. We were able to redeem it online for $100 a person. Delta also claims we will get the 150000 miles we originally used returned so it ended up only costing an extra $600 and 30000 miles to get home. Disaster averted!
We all arrived home yesterday a few hours earlier then if we had stayed on the Magic and returned from LA.
All in all it was a strange and disaster filled trip!
(Sorry for the partial post for a while. I hit enter on accident and then it took me a while to edit the post and add the rest of the story)
Edited to add:
I forgot to mention how helpful the Disney people on the ship and in Orlando were during the whole process. We even ran into Javier (the Disney port agent in Puerto Vallarta who got our Visa's) at the airport. He apparently works for AeroMexico as well.)
I also learned a little known fact.
Later when everything had calmed down I looked at my stateroom bill and saw that no tips had been charged. I called Vicky and asked her to arrange for the tips to be charged to both our staterooms. It was not the dining room servers or stateroom stewards fault we had left early. Vicky said that the ship pays the standard tips to all those normally tipped when people must debark early.
I never thought of a GPS in a rental car. What airport did you fly into? Was the car rental place right at the airport? How was the drive to find your hotel? How was the drive to the port? Did you return your rental car before boarding the ship? If so, How far was the rental car place from the port and was there a shuttle available for you to get to the port after? What did you and your kids enjoy most doing in LA? We were planning on just doing Disneyland (because of the kids) but were thinking of maybe doing a sightseeing day for one day instead. Any suggestions? Sorry for the million questions! 
. Thanks for sharing.
