So, I guess it is time for the last post before we board the ship tomorrow morning! It's been a long 24 hours but it is so lovely to finally be on our trip, and we managed to have a lot of fun today when all I had planned was 12 hours of driving.
The original plan was to leave home at about 2AM this morning, drive straight to the Radisson Port Canaveral, and go to sleep. Instead, we had a lovely afternoon at Downtown Disney. But I am getting ahead of myself. Since we don't have a car, we are borrowing my brother's while he rents this week. Something about paying far less as he is over 25 or something? Funny how much money they want to add for 21 year olds!
I decided last night as I was not going to get a planned three-four hours of sleep, to just go ahead and leave whenever we were ready. The luggage made it into the rental car for the trip to pick up my brother's car (he drove the rental so we would have a full tank from his place...surprisingly enough the tank lasted most of the way to Orlando!)
Driving was fun in some ways because I got to drive through southeast Alabama, which I lived in myself from the age of 8ish until I was 15. It was nice seeing places I remembered. So driving though the night, traffic was never bad. I was afraid that rush hour in Tallahassee was going to be horrendous but had it not been for signs I would have never realized we passed through!
We forgot to take pictures until after we were on I-75:
We eventually stopped for the gas. Florida and tourist corridors apparently means much higher gas prices
After gas we got McDonald's breakfast at the gas station/drive through across the street. The birds were a little crazy but very shiny...
Oh, before I forgot, at two different points on the drive I found somewhere to stop, park, and take a cat nap. Those are the only reason I made it through the drive and took up maybe 45 minutes total. If you have to drive all yourself, I suggest some naps. Made me much more awake and alert.
Anyway, enough of the driving, it's time to go to Disney World!
I'm actually surprised on how much I remember from the last time we drove down, Summer 2009. I didn't expect to remember things like the off-ramp before you enter property and such.
Our first glance of Downtown Disney, our destination for the afternoon:
You know you are on Disney property when the manholes get Mickey heads!
We mostly wandered around Downtown Disney, doing a little shopping at World of Disney. We were looking for Mickey Ears and of course I had to have the R2-D2 ones considering my large Star Wars nerdiness!
Tabatha, my wife, couldn't decide for a bit but settled on headband ears with a small sorcerer's hat. I loved when I saw this is front of us and had to take a picture:
After making it all the way to the opposite end, we turned around to head for lunch. I was unsure but the wifey wanted to try Paradiso 37. We both wanted to sit outside and while our spot by the water was lovely it was a bit nippy with the wind. Next time I will take a jacket.
Our food was good, the atmosphere of the restaurant was lovely, but the service was just meh. Between waiting forever for both our drink order and our entree order to be taken, watching the second table to come outside after us finish their entrees before our order was close to arriving, and having to track down the waiter to ask for silverware halfway through the meal, it was OK, but the meal itself made up for it. I have to finish my left overs for dinner after I post this!
After we finished eating, we were getting tired and were ready to head to Port Canaveral. One word of warning, have lots of money for tolls and be prepared to stop every five minutes for the first section of the Expressway from Orlando to Port Canaveral. I would have much rather paid the total of like $5 or so all at once instead of stopping 3-4 times.
I was hoping we would make it in time to see the Magic before she set sail but I wasn't certain we would as it was close to 4:50 by the time we got to Cape Canaveral. I knew the sailaway party was at about 4:30 but luckily we didn't miss anything. I loved seeing the ship!
We finally made it to the hotel:
It was nice to know that sleep was finally near. Luckily we got checked in, got a choice in a remodeled second floor or a non-renovated first floor (went with the second floor of course). We also suprisingly got a shot on the 10AM shuttle. I had been planning on just driving and parking but I suppose I cannot argue with the free shuttle and parking! Right as we were parking the car, we caught the Magic's horn and got really excited for our turn tomorrow!
So far, I have really not had much to complain about with this hotel, unlike many on the DIS.
Now I have had a few hours sleep and must go eat dinner!
Loving your TR so far and I HAVE to have a journal like yours!!! Your scrapbook stuff is fantastic too! 
I know y'all will have an awesome time and can't wait to hear all about it!
