nebo
<font color=red>sharkbait<br><font color=teal>Uh o
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2006
- Messages
- 2,524
Unfortunately, haven't left yet. Your right about the tolls, too, but the reason you don't need them up there is because you get the Illinois drivers to pay for highways by giving them trumped up speeding tickets, especially in Racine County!
It is now Wednsday, February whatever, (not going to risk putting a date on it like last time), and for some reason it was my favorite day of the trip.
This is mostly going to be a pictoral chapter if the puter will let me.
The thing is, we both have a very dear spot in our heart for CBR. It was the first resort we stayed at on our first trip with the kids, and I have never, ever felt more on vacation then when we are there. The one downside, and it's a pretty big downside, was the main pool was muchly too small.
We tried it again for 4 nights back in May of '07 and everything I had just said was still in effect.
No more!
I had been dying to see the new pool since it's new refurbishment and on line pictures just wouldn't cut it. Besides, I have been suckered into "pool" shot pictures before, once stayed at a Days Inn that looked like it had just about an Olympic size pool in the picture only to find it about the size of a large hot tub.
So early that morning, being the heathens that we are we are ready to pool hop. Being all brand new Diane was worried that they might be a little bit particular about hoppers getting in, so on the way over I desperately tried to think of a good line for the guard house. No, dinner at Shutters wasn't going to cut it at nine thirty in the morning.
And I was coming up blanks.
Then, inspiration hit me and I confidently drove up to the guard.
"Hi, we want to see the new pool."
And this guy was gushing about it, as if he designed it himself. Friendly as can be, gave us resort maps, told us the best place to park, and almost called up someone to escort us through.
I dunno, mayvbe it was the Boardwalk parking permit on the dash or he really thought we just wanted to "look" at it but we drove all the way around and parked across the bridge in Aruba. I took my shorts off by the car and now with just my suit on and our book bag we headed through the grounds.
Not sure why, probably from the cold we had at Pop and I just didn't find the Boardwalk very pretty at all, but I felt like I was now in heaven.
With the digital in one hand and a cheap disposable in the other I started snapping as we walked to the bridge and then across it.
To me ist is all just beautiful. Festive, inviting, and I would much rather stay here than almost any other place. Now if only the pool passes turd.
I mean mustard.
Dang code brown!
At least this time I didn't get lost on the bridge, probably because I let Smidgy lead, soon we were at the pool. First thing to notice was a fence all around it, and the pool was just huge! The surprising thing was that no one was in it, or even inside the fence. After finding the gate I pushed to no avail, locked, then I read the sign.
Opens at 10:00 am.
Had ten minutes to go so we went to a nearby table in a Des Smok Area and waited. By ten they were starting to line up, a cast member unlocked the gate and we all just walked in.
No ID checks.
No fingerprints.
No secret handshake.
Once we settled into a couple of loungers, she went and changed and I just stood there gaping.
The new pool is incredible!
Marita would be proud.
It has to be twice as big now, they added another slide, still on the small side but similar to the Poly slide, mostly enclosed. After about an hour I got antsy and took a walk with the disposable to fully check it out and take more pics.
The one picture that for some reason didn't take is of the kids water playground area, and even that is very impressive. Tunnels, swings, tipping buckets and fountains, kids would just love it here.
Plus, it kind of separates the younguns from the older folk lying by the pool.
I went out for another smoke and decided that this is the best pool now in all of Disney. They even redid the hot tub, way bigger then the last one.
"Welcome to the Caribbean Beach Resort Pool, brought to you by Nebo."
Time flew and about noon we went and got some dogs from the food court, then headed back to the car. And once again I'm clicking away again with the disposable.
Took a slightly different route to the lot, and I thought these crappy disposable camera pictures came out even better.
Standing by the car, I didn't want to leave. But we still had another stop to make.
Originally we were supposed to stay at OKW, our second choice if the Boardwalk didn't open up, and that's where we headed.
We had briefly checked it out a couple of years ago, now it was time to check it out from a "staying there" point of view.
The main pool there was ok, but seemed very cramped, the only available chairs were hidden behind some bushes where kyou couldn't even see the pool.
Soon enough we were back in the car in search of the building we had requested, it was on the river about midway back and seemed the best compromise to the main pool and shops and the quiet pool, according to the resort map.
Wow, they talk about how big CBR and Coronado Springs is, this is way worse. After driving for blocks in what seemed like a condo development I parked thinking I was close, but we still had another block to walk.
With OKW and CBR, you would think the themes would be similar, but not even close. This is a much more private resort, balconies enclosed by trees, lots of shade, and to me, kinda glooomy. The quiet pool looked like a Motel 6 pool, and we had seen enough.
Even with the resort map, it still took us awhile to find our way back out, heck, I was wishing I had GPS.
Even had to stop a couple walking down the road and ask directions.
Well, ok, Smidgy asked.
Diane isn't as adament about it as I, but I just don't like the dedicated DVC resorts, the others that are a part of a deluxe resort I don't mind so much, WL, AK, Boardwalk, but OKW and SS I just wouldn't look forward to staying there. I was really glad that we got switched over to the Boardwalk a week before we left. The worse part is, OKW is our friends' home resort, and the easiest to book for them.
No, we didn't interlope on the OKW pool, it was just a "lookin at pool" for us this time.
Back in our studio, which is very nice by the way, cocktail hour had begun, and while Smidgy was changing I just walked around some more, even sat by the quiet pool for a few minutes just to say I did it.
THen with Sunny D's in hand we spent the night at Epcot.
Rode Mission Space, the wussy version, (sorry, the vodka was running low and I wasn't about to lose it after the spinning version), then we did Space Race, finally, they have a hard time getting folks to stop and play.
We also spent a lot of time visiting Nemo and friends, rode the ride twice without haveing to go back to the beginning, and walked all through the exhibits. Then walked all the way back around to the American Adventure, and sat and watched Ben Franklin put down Mark Twain for 25 minutes.
Then my foot threw up.
It had been sore but tolerable all day, but for some reason after sitting for a half hour watching the show, it wanted to watch the next show too.
I hobbled out of there like Quasimodo, and headed to the nearest drinking fountain, and you know why.
Cept I couldn't find one!
Since the foot was real good all day, I, was real good all day, but it's for times just like this that I was greatful I was packing.
But there was nothing to wash them down with, the Sunny D's were long gone by now. I was close to pulling a "Faulty", shaking my fist at the sky and yelling "I"VE BEEN GOOD ALL DAY AND YOU REWARD ME WITH HIDING THE BLOODY DRINKING FOUNTAIN!" As pathetic as I am, I stood there and working up saliva, and dry swallowed them.
The last one went down like an acorn. Then, slowly, we headed to the gateway,
Near Morocco, after a long smoke stop, since it was a long time since I had eaten, my little friends were kicking in already. Oh, the pain was still there, I just didn't care that much now.
And then I saw her.
A little old lady sitting in an ECV, by herself, close to the lagoon.
And it was dark!
I seriously thought about carjacking the scooter, but Diane followed my line of sight and after seeing the look on my face said, "Don't even think about it!"
"Who, me?"
Illuminations started but we just kept going though we did pause to watch the finale once we were on the gateway, and the charge that will be coming.
And it came allright. They still beat us to the ferry, if filled, pulled away, and we ended up walking back, again.
Made it as far as ESPN, I was hungry, asked her if she was hungry, and went insided and got lucky to get a table.
We each ordered a beer, then split an order of nachos, barely finished that.
Back in the room, I planned on changing and soaking my foot in the hot tub, but it didn't happen, in twenty minutes I was out.
coming up; final chapter
CBR's new pool is beautiful! Sorry about the water fountain mojo not being there. Better to have the "little friend" and no fountain than vice versa, though. 
nebo
