Cast:
Myself (25 yr. Old working mom and wife)- My 6th time (havent been there since honeymoon in 1998)
My DH (27 yr. Old working dad and husband)-His 10th time (havent been there since honeymoon in 1998)
My DD (22 months old and as sweet as pie)-1ST TRIP EVER!!!!
My mother in law-Been there many times
2 sister in laws-Been there many times
1 great aunt-in-law-Been there many times
Day 1 (April 19, 2002) Travel
I left my house on Fri, April 19, 2002 at 7:00 AM for work. I worked until 3:30 PM and then left early to embark on my great adventure. My DH, sister-in-law, my DD, and I all departed Indiana, PA in an automobile at 4:00 PM. The ride was pretty uneventful. My daughter really didnt start to show discomfort until we hit the Florida border, so I was happy with the trip down.
Day 0 (April 20, 2002) Daytona and Marketplace (Marketplace was unplanned suprise)
I was on the sunny FLA beach at Daytona at 8:00 AM. This was a nice way to start the trip. Love the beach! My daughter loved it. I lugged the 25 lbs. child for approximately a 2 mile hike down the beach and back. We visited Daytona Speedway to pay our respects to the late Dale Earnhardts statue and then had lunch at a Dennys.
We tried to check into our hotel at Daytona (big mistake) a little early at 1:30 (check-in time was 3:00). We were told to come back in an hour. We did some shopping and returned at 2:45. We were told our room wasnt ready and, come back in ½ hour. We spent some time on the beach and returned at 3:30. Our room was not ready. I had been either at work, in a vehicle or travelling/visiting nonstop for close to 33 ½ hours now. I WAS NOT HAPPY. We decided to swim in their pool even though we had not checked in yet. I TRIED one more time at 4:30. STILL NOT READY.
Why in the world didnt they have them get it ready at 1:30 when I came the first time? Why didnt they offer me a room that was already ready?? I am usually a very shy PUSHOVER but I was furious. The posted checkin time was 3:00. It was 4:30. I had been there 4 times (maybe more...I lost count). Where was the customer service? I dont think that I will be back to Daytona. Definitely not back to this hotel. I demanded to be allowed to cancel without penalty. They obliged.
I was happy, though, because I got to enter Lake Buena Vista a day earlier. My mother-in-law, other sister-in-law, and great-aunt-in-law all met us in Daytona before we all had to continue the trek onto Lake Buena Vista.
They went to eat at Ponderosa. My DH, DD, and sister-in-law ordered pizza in the hotel and then went shopping a little at the Marketplace later in the night. Marketplace was SOOOOOOO CROWDED THIS NIGHT. I have never seen it this crowded. BTW this hotel in Lake Buena Vista (Sierra Suites) was wonderful and SO COURTEOUS. They bent over backwards for us. Very nice.
Myself (25 yr. Old working mom and wife)- My 6th time (havent been there since honeymoon in 1998)
My DH (27 yr. Old working dad and husband)-His 10th time (havent been there since honeymoon in 1998)
My DD (22 months old and as sweet as pie)-1ST TRIP EVER!!!!
My mother in law-Been there many times
2 sister in laws-Been there many times
1 great aunt-in-law-Been there many times
Day 1 (April 19, 2002) Travel
I left my house on Fri, April 19, 2002 at 7:00 AM for work. I worked until 3:30 PM and then left early to embark on my great adventure. My DH, sister-in-law, my DD, and I all departed Indiana, PA in an automobile at 4:00 PM. The ride was pretty uneventful. My daughter really didnt start to show discomfort until we hit the Florida border, so I was happy with the trip down.
Day 0 (April 20, 2002) Daytona and Marketplace (Marketplace was unplanned suprise)
I was on the sunny FLA beach at Daytona at 8:00 AM. This was a nice way to start the trip. Love the beach! My daughter loved it. I lugged the 25 lbs. child for approximately a 2 mile hike down the beach and back. We visited Daytona Speedway to pay our respects to the late Dale Earnhardts statue and then had lunch at a Dennys.
We tried to check into our hotel at Daytona (big mistake) a little early at 1:30 (check-in time was 3:00). We were told to come back in an hour. We did some shopping and returned at 2:45. We were told our room wasnt ready and, come back in ½ hour. We spent some time on the beach and returned at 3:30. Our room was not ready. I had been either at work, in a vehicle or travelling/visiting nonstop for close to 33 ½ hours now. I WAS NOT HAPPY. We decided to swim in their pool even though we had not checked in yet. I TRIED one more time at 4:30. STILL NOT READY.
Why in the world didnt they have them get it ready at 1:30 when I came the first time? Why didnt they offer me a room that was already ready?? I am usually a very shy PUSHOVER but I was furious. The posted checkin time was 3:00. It was 4:30. I had been there 4 times (maybe more...I lost count). Where was the customer service? I dont think that I will be back to Daytona. Definitely not back to this hotel. I demanded to be allowed to cancel without penalty. They obliged.
I was happy, though, because I got to enter Lake Buena Vista a day earlier. My mother-in-law, other sister-in-law, and great-aunt-in-law all met us in Daytona before we all had to continue the trek onto Lake Buena Vista.
They went to eat at Ponderosa. My DH, DD, and sister-in-law ordered pizza in the hotel and then went shopping a little at the Marketplace later in the night. Marketplace was SOOOOOOO CROWDED THIS NIGHT. I have never seen it this crowded. BTW this hotel in Lake Buena Vista (Sierra Suites) was wonderful and SO COURTEOUS. They bent over backwards for us. Very nice.
