Every trip has its crisis. (I mean, right? Or is it just mine?) This one started just after midnight, when I discovered my camera battery charger was missing. I tore apart my luggage looking for it, but in a flash I knew Id left it plugged into the wall by the coffeemaker in my room at the Dolphin. I called the hotel and talked to someone in security, which doubles as the lost and found, and they assured me theyd look for it when the day shift started. I was seriously freaking out because the whole point of my trip was research, which for me is 80% taking photos and videos. Once my camera battery died the next day, Id be up a creek.
Before I went to bed, I used my free Internet connection (thanks DVC!) to go online and find a comparable battery charger to have sent overnight for the following day. When I woke up, I called the Dolphin back to see if theyd found my charger, but they hadnt been able to get ahold of the rooms new occupants to go check for it. I wasnt sure what to do with myself that day while I waitedit was supposed to be devoted to taking pictures around WDW of stuff I needed for various PassPorter books. Finally I decided I had to do something to keep from going nuts, so I set out for my intended first stop, Wild World of Sports, and vowed to be extremely judicious in my choice of shots.
Id never been to Wide World of Sports and probably would never have gone if I hadnt needed pictures for PassPorters Festivals & Celebrations guide. Im not sure what parts of the complex require admission, but I was able to use my Premiere AP at the gate. Although it has a bit of a modern suburban shopping mall feel, the complex is surprisingly photogenic!
I was standing on the knoll beyond the outfield getting this shot when the camera battery place called to let me know my new battery would be arriving by 5pm the next day. Good, but not soon enough to get me through my morning appointment to shoot wedding locations at Hollywood Studios.
I kept calling the Dolphins security desk and kept getting the runaround. Finally I decided to just go over there and make my plea in person. At the concierge desk they had me phone security, and when I kept telling them, If I could just get in the room, I know exactly where it is! they finally sent out a house detective (how exciting!) to talk to me. And possibly to escort this raving lunatic off the property
He explained to me how grim my situation was. For one thing, all lost items discovered by the housekeeping staff are logged into the computer each night, and there was no record of a battery charger having been found in my room. For another thing, when two security guys finally got into the room while the new guests were out, they hadnt found anything. I kept up with my insistence that *I* could find it if hed only take me up there. Finally, just like in the movies, the gruff detective with a heart of gold agreed to escort me to the room for one last look.
First of all, let me tell you how incredibly surreal it is to go back into a room that was yours and find it full of someone elses stuff. I know its just a hotel room, but it was my home for 3 days! I felt really skeezy pulling open what turned out to be the new occupants underwear drawerwhoops! Neither of us could find the charger. We went back out into the hall and happened on the housekeeping manager coming out of one of the rooms. When I told her my plight, she said shed speak to the housekeeper across the hall, who mightve been the one cleaning my room the previous day. Meanwhile, the detective is going on again about how all lost objects are logged into the computer.
As I started down the hall, my eye fell on the housekeeping cart, and there atop a roll of toilet paper was MY CHARGER! The housekeeper said it had been on the cart when she wheeled it out that morning and she had no idea where it came from. It was a Halloween MIRACLE! (And nuts to the Swolphins computerized lost-and-found systemit doesnt work if nobody turns stuff in!) I was so relieved I almost started crying. I thanked everybody profusely, the house detective shook his head incredulously, and the housekeeper wondered how anyone could ever get so worked up over a piece of plastic.
Back on track, I decided to treat myself to lunch at The Wave and hopped in the car. It was such a relief to have unlimited access to my camera again, that I took this bland picture just because I could!
Heck, I could take an even blander one if I wanted!
When I got to the Contemporary, I made a detour through the convention center to shoot some of the ballrooms where you can have a wedding reception. The first stop was the Nutcracker Ballroom, which had been divided into three sections.
Nutcracker Ballroom 1
The far section, Nutcracker Ballroom 3, has a wall of windows that opens onto a courtyard, which might be nice for a wedding reception.
Nutcracker Ballroom 3
You can see the courtyard from the East Rotunda part of the lobbyit gets my vote for nicest event space in the newer section (or, as I like to call it, the Miami Vice section) of the Contemporary Convention Center.
Miami Vice!
The ginormous Fantasia Ballroom (think 4,700 guests) can be divided into three sections. Two of them were in use together for some kind of convention that day.
Fantasia Ballroom G
Fantasia Ballroom H
Heres what they call a breakout room in the convention center businesspretty thrilling trip report so far, eh?
Fantasia Q
On the far side of the convention center is a trio of tiny meeting rooms maybe good for a small function, although Id recommend the Grand Floridian or BoardWalk convention centers for a wedding over the Contemporary, if only cuz of the décor. I think the Contemporary is better for those big-budget events (like Couture weddings) where you can afford to drape and light the H-E-double-hockey-sticks outta the place.
Pastoral Room 1
Why am I always the last to know everything?
abut the battery charger. I hope you were able to recover it.
Actually at $75 it's not a whole lot more than you'd pay at a character breakfast during high season (I exagerate of course a bit, but especially since you get booze at the deminars I say it'd be worth the price).
See, you know what I'm talking about! I go a little nuts with the portioning/dividing/thinking because I want each bite to be perfect. Cupcakes must be cut in half, and then three sections for each half so that every bite has the proper ratio of frosting to cake. Either that or I'll slice off the bottom and slap it on top to make a frosting sammich... 
I just hope it doesn't take as long as your meal did.
