September 29, 2007 - Magic

[MiaSRN62]

We got the CI&S for about 99.00 a night

Hi Dewesygirl,
I might be having a brain fog moment, but what is CI&S ? Thanks

 

[Deweysgirl]

Country Inn and Suites

 

[MiaSRN62]

Thank you ! I should have known that

 

[JDBlair]

Thanks everyone for the tips! This place sure makes it easier to plan this thing, doesn't feel so scary and intimidating when you have friends to help guide you!! I booked our hotel at CI&S because it's newer and it's actually cheaper than Radisson. I really love the idea of getting there Friday night and having a few hours to relax and then take the morning of the cruise light and easy!!! I think starting Saturday morning officially "on vacation" is music to my ears!!! Of course, I've told DH we'll take turns during our 2.5 hour lay-over in Atlanta to visit the bar - thus officially starting vacation but...you know what I mean! I read good things about Happy Limo at Mouseears and DH is insisting that he's not driving on this trip so we'll have to get a towncar or something. I should probably go in the main forum to inquire of people's experience with Happy Limo. Is it wrong to pick a limo company because you like their name?

 

[Zane_Anthony]

I have read some good reviews of Happy Limo. You should be ok with them.

 

[Zane_Anthony]

ZA - thanks for the trip report, I'm enjoying it and getting a laugh, I just feel bad, I hope the whole DL thing works out in the end. My DH and I have a friend that works for "Brown" and their inside joke is "UooPS, we lost it again!" (Sung to the Britney Spears tune!)

Glad to know it's not just me !

 

[Zane_Anthony]

Here are some pictures from the hotel we stayed at in Galveston (Hotel Galvez) it was beautiful and these pictures did not come out well so they did it no justice. The first is the view from the front, then the pool area, and lastly the view from our room.

 

[Zane_Anthony]

Next here is the restaurant we ate at and my pina colada.

 

[Zane_Anthony]

Lastly we went down to the beach...and of course I had to do the names!

 

[Zane_Anthony]

Ok...So it's 7:00 Thursday morning and I wake up. My friend has already had her shower and is ready to go. I get my shower and we are ready to go by 8:30. I decide to see if I had a delivery at the front desk just for grins and nothing but they still have 2 hours. I just need to be patient. We decide to head out to see the ship, eat breakfast, and run to Wal-Mart. We set up the shuttle to take us to the terminal at 12:00 so we don't need to be back at the hotel until about 11:00 to get everything ready. We drive and drive down the seawall until we run out of beach and no ship. Where can this thing be? We then drive down the main street in search of some food. This place does not have a lot of your chain restaurants. Finally about 9:45 we are at the other end of the island and we find a Whataburger near UTMB so we eat there. When we leave I ask the girl working where the cruise terminal is and she gives me directions. I don't think she really knows what she is talking about because she gives me directions that lead us downtown! Well I follow her directions and guess what there's the ship...right downtown. Why we thought the ship would be in the ocean instead of downtown I have no idea I guess that's what happens when you cruise for the first time. Now we are really excited I almost forget I don't even have my DL yet. I then remember and call my mom to check the tracking on it to see if it has been delivered since it's almost 10:30. Nope still in-route well at least it doesn't say " tracking information unavailable". We head to Wal-Mart get the few things we need and make it back to the hotel about 10:50. I go to the desk and there is my envelope Whewww...I am going on a cruise We go back up to the room, get all our luggage together, and get back down to the lobby about 11:45. We wait about 2 minutes and they tell us they are ready...We are off to the terminal

PS....Sorry I don't have pictures of the terminal, just look at ANY OLD warehouse and that's what it looks like

 

[MiaSRN62]

make it back to the hotel about 10:50. I go to the desk and there is my envelope Whewww...I am going on a cruise

Love happy endings ! It's nice to know we can trust the "brown".
The hotel looked really nice and what a wonderful view from your room !

 

[Shannon1984]

I love the trip report Zane. The pictures are great I can't wait to see some of the ship.

 

[JDBlair]

Great TR and am so glad you got the license. But of course, one could already assume you got the license or this wouldn't be a TR!! My ex sister-in-law says she is in love with Glaveston(I may have spelt that wrong). From the pictures, that hotel looks very nice and I want to swim in that pool!!!

 

[Gr00vyChc]

LOOOVE your story so far Zane.............

BUT.. I just want to share the good news.. we booked our airfare today!!!!!!
woooooohooooo

If you haven't booked yours yet, check out the prices now, as it has come down quite a bit. Last month, we looked at it and it was $300+ pp and today, we booked it for $247pp RT LAX to MCO!

Ok.. back to Tonya's story....

Gr00vyChc

 

[JDBlair]

BUT.. I just want to share the good news.. we booked our airfare today!!!!!!
woooooohooooo

If you haven't booked yours yet, check out the prices now, as it has come down quite a bit. Last month, we looked at it and it was $300+ pp and today, we booked it for $247pp RT LAX to MCO!


Gr00vyChc

Which airline did you choose? Do you have a layover? We chose Delta and have a layover in Atlanta both legs. Our airfar (after taxes and fees) was about $265/person and I didn't think that was bad at all!

 

[Zane_Anthony]

I really lucked out on airfare...We got RT DFW to MCO for 152.00 on Delta with layovers in ATL both ways...I think it was a system glitch because I have NEVER seen prices that low, especially on Delta

 

[JDBlair]

I really lucked out on airfare...We got RT DFW to MCO for 152.00 on Delta with layovers in ATL both ways...I think it was a system glitch because I have NEVER seen prices that low, especially on Delta

That is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am way jealous of those fares!!!

 

[Gr00vyChc]

JD: We're flying American. We almost always fly american 'coz we have our frequent mileage there. I don't think it can go that low $247 RT. We're flying nonstop going to MCO but on the way back, we have a layover in Miami. Which isn't bad I think. We used kayak.com.
We're going to Chicago this August and it's only $199 (AA) from SNA (Orange County) to O'Hare!

P.S. we're going to be trading places in 2 weeks, you'll be here in cali and we'll be there in AZ. We also always fly SWA when we go to AZ of course.. $118 RT.

Tonya: Wow! That's great airfare!


Gr00vyChc

 

[ibela]

Great pic october bride - hope to see some others!

Thanks for the hotel review link mia - glad to know dd's first hotel stay should be pleasant!

Um, I'll post my airfare too! Newark to Orlando, non-stop, 158pp (plus 3000 for taxes).

OK, I can't see any pics at work tonya, but I'll try to see them tonight! Glad you got your dl in time!!

 

[JDBlair]

You are so lucky to be flying. We are driving to CA this Thursday for the wedding in Le Verne. We'll be stopping in Temecula to drop off the kiddies with my aunt. It's going to be a long weekend. The drive from PHX to CA is a bit scary at times, crazy CA and AZ drivers!!!

JD: We're flying American. We almost always fly american 'coz we have our frequent mileage there. I don't think it can go that low $247 RT. We're flying nonstop going to MCO but on the way back, we have a layover in Miami. Which isn't bad I think. We used kayak.com.
We're going to Chicago this August and it's only $199 (AA) from SNA (Orange County) to O'Hare!

P.S. we're going to be trading places in 2 weeks, you'll be here in cali and we'll be there in AZ. We also always fly SWA when we go to AZ of course.. $118 RT.

Tonya: Wow! That's great airfare!


Gr00vyChc