mickeystoontown
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
- Messages
- 29,300
We've arrived! I checked the time on the dashboard and it was straight up 5:00 p.m. (our time, not Florida time). That was quite a long drive but, we had a major delay as I explained before.
We get to the signs that I posted above and we tell the kids that we have a surprise and, of course, they yell "What is it?". We said, "It's a surprise." "We are going to Cirque de Soliel?", says Lacey. "We are?", squealed Hunter. "Nope, it's something else." said John. By this time, we pass the sign that directs us to Pop Century. The kids look at us and said "Where are you going?". "To our surprise", I said.
We go on a little further and by this time, the kids are sitting on the edge of the backseat. We get to the sign that says Caribbean Beach and Hunter yells "We're staying at Caribbean Beach instead of Pop Century!". "We sure are", said John. Hunter is bouncing up and down in the backseat and starts talking a mile a minute...."I love this place. I would have loved Pop Century too but I love this place. I mean, it's the Caribbean Beach Resort. It's my favorite". Then, he remembered what he said last year, smiled at us and said "You're the best parents in the whole wide world. I gotta pee!" which had us all laughing.
We looked at Lacey and asked her is she was surprised and she said "Heck yeah! I really like this place 'cause it has beaches and we can rent one of those bikes and I can embarrass ya'll by ringing the bell over and over again." I told you she wouldn't be as excited as Hunter because she's only stayed there once. During her missionary work, she has slept in some pretty bad conditions. She's happy with a clean room and a bed. Well, she was getting her clean room, a bed, beaches, swimming pools and a surrey bike with a bell.
We get to the guard station and he asks our name. Hummm? McBride you say? Hummmm.....do you have an i.d. ? I pull my driver's license out and he writes us down on the list. Please don't let this be a bad sign. He gives us directions to the Custom House so I can check us in.
We pull around to the Custom House and Lacey said she was going in with me 'cause she had to tinkle.
The Custom House:

Personal business taken care of (I had to make a stop at the bathroom too.), we set out to find the online check-in window. I took this picture first:

The online check-in desk was straight ahead of us but there was no one standing at any of the three windows. Oh well, there's only two people at the other windows checking in or, possibly, out. I'd just wait in the regular line. I guess I was looking toward the online check-in windows and I heard a lady ask if she could help me. I told her I had done online check-in and she said she could help us. I gave her my name, she pulled up our reservation and next thing you know, she had a folder out and our park tickets/room keys printed. Less than 5 minutes. When she opened the folder, there was a Birthday celebration button for Hunter. She said, wait a minute, you're supposed to have Anniversary buttons too. I told her yes and that Lacey was celebrating graduation too. She smiled and came back with buttons for John and I as well as one for Lacey.
She took out a resort map and started circling our room location. Imagine my surprise when she said we were in Martinique 26. That's a free upgrade. I booked standard. Martinique is the closest building to Old Port Royale. Sweet!
*****Interuption: Boss just yelled down the hall that I need to come make copies. Be back after while.