So, today was the day we should have been boarding the Disney Wish, but as I explained earlier in the week, we changed our plans to ease Winnie’s anxiety and instead booked 3 nights at Port Orleans French Quarter. Steve still had to return the car to MCO by 8.30am as we’d planned to catch the cruise line transfer from there nice and early, so he set off with the plan of either getting an Uber back or using Mears Connect (you can book and pay for this at the airport), and we got the rest of the bits packed up.
By 9.00 Steve was back (he used Mears as it was only $16, and a bus was ready and waiting) and we were packed up to head to our new hotel. We got an Uber and took our luggage with us rather than having it transferred seeing as we were planning on a resort day. We’ve never stayed here before but it’s a beautiful resort to look at. It has such a relaxing feeling, and even though it’s small, feels so spacious. I love the little streets and the fact that it feels like an actual little town. We arrived just as the pool opened, so stored our luggage and enjoyed a lovely morning in the water (complete with beignets of course!) The girls loved the waterfall (or brain crusher as they nicknamed it) and slide. Around 12.30 we were notified our room was ready. It was in block 7 which was fine, but the furthest away from the lobby/ pool, and as we were happy enough by the pool Steve went to ask if there was anything closer available. He was told that would be no problem but asked him to wait in the lobby while they got the new room number. 45 minutes later he was still in reception waiting but was told they’d email when it was ready. We grabbed some lunch and the girls joined in the pool games and conned me into paying for them to tie dye t shirts in adult sizes so they could wear them as nighties.
At 3.30 we’d still not heard anything so Steve set off to the lobby again to see if it was almost ready as we had a reservation at 5.30 at Wine Bar George and were worrying, we wouldn’t make it. Another 45 minutes and we were finally allocated our room. The lovely CM sorting it also offered us a free taxi to Springs as we were running late, which was really kind. We headed up and asked Bell services to bring our luggage. However, when we got there the room was really warm and the air conditioning was making a really loud growling noise. Steve went to tell front desk and maintenance were there really quickly. The man said he’d turn the air conditioning down and fix the unit while we were out, so we quickly got changed and set off for Disney Springs, albeit not using the boat transport we’d hoped.
We’d never been to Wine Bar George before, but we’ve really enjoyed the less formal, lounge type meals this trip, so thought we’d try it. We had a lovely time, and the food was delicious. We had the skirt steak to share, with a side of Mac cheese bites and key lime pie for dessert, and it was so tasty. There was a really casual, friendly atmosphere, but a feeling that you’d been out-out! We loved it. However, midway through the meal the sky went black, and it was obvious a major storm was on its way. My weather app flashed a warning, and at this point Steve admitted it may have been a mistake not to bring the ponchos he went back to the room for but said he couldn’t find! Anyway, we enjoyed our meal while the rain started to pour, and pour, and pour! We hung around as long as we could (Steve begrudgingly had a few extra glasses of wine to fill time!) but when the storm eased slightly decided to make a dash for it. Despite eating her share of steak, Polly desperately wanted fish & chips from Cookes, so we dove in there and had a children’s meal and a brownie.
The rain had slowed slightly so we headed for World of Disney as the girls had seen Nuimos they wanted to buy with their own money. It was actually a fairly painless visit that lasted less that 15 minutes, which is a miracle with Winnie!
We decided to head back while it was fairly dry (although my maxi dress was getting wetter from the ground up!) but as we passed the photo studios the girls decided they’d like to go in. We queued while Steve grabbed a Starbucks. We haven’t done the studio in ages (the girls couldn’t even remember doing it) but it’s really quick, even with a queue, and you get done fun shots on different backgrounds which are all free if you have memory maker. Because of the girls outfits the photographer did a few extra individual ones which they loved.
The boats weren’t running because of the storm, and we couldn’t be bothered to walk back to the bus stop, so ordered an Uber for $9 instead.
When we got back to the room it was obvious the air conditioning wasn’t right. It was still growling, and the room wasn’t cool. Steve went back to reception. While he was there the maintenance man arrived and said that the air conditioner needed a new part that would take a while to sort out, and that the room was definitely not the right temperature. He phoned his manager and told him to phone front desk to explain and told me we’d need to move rooms, so the girls and I got the few bits we’d got out packed back up. Steve then text to say we were being moved and he’d come up to help with the luggage. It was now 9.30pm and the girls were tired, but it couldn’t be helped, and the staff were so good at helping get everything sorted. The new room was much cooler, and we quickly unpacked rte bits we needed and got them into bed. Plans for a Magic Kingdom rope drop tomorrow have been abandoned, and we’re going to explore Riverside instead.
It has been a much more eventful day than we’d planned (and to think we could have been relaxing on the Wish!) but in fairness to everyone at the hotel, they’ve done absolutely everything to make things right and we’re now tucked up in our beds ready for the day ahead tomorrow exploring this pretty hotel.
Doodle & Peg Do Disney 