A Very Merry Wonderful New Year

[katmigordon]

The cast:

Me: 47 year old, life long Disney Junkie and Walt Disney fan specifically.

Deb: My wife of 22 years, not such a big Disney fan but she loves cruising and she loves me.

The Event: B2B Wonder 5 day cruises adding up to 10... over Christmas and New Years.

Travel Day
Embarkation Day
Christmas Eve/Ensenada, Mexico
Christmas Day at Sea
Cabo San Lucas
Sea Day
Embarkation Day part 2
Day at Sea
Cabo San Lucas
New Years/Day at Sea
New Years Day/Ensenada
Debarkation/Hilton by the Bayside

The highs were high, the lows were low... in the end will we ever take another Disney Cruise? You'll just have to read along and find out.

 

[allaboutthemouse]

Following along!

 

[katmigordon]

Travel Day

The day started off like any other travel day for us, very little sleep the night before, grubhubbed doughnuts from bosa while we waited for it to be time to call the lyft.

The trouble started when the lyft arrived - or perhaps I should say that it started when I decided to way overpack. We had 2 large suitcases, 2 small suitcases and a carry on duffle bag, in short way too much luggage to do our usual regular lyft... so we went ahead and went uber lux in order to have room for us and our luggage, and my rollator.

We thought we were set, until the ride arrived and I realized that I couldn't step up into the cab of the vehicle. We didn't really want to mess with risking having to order several to find one I could get into. So it was decided that the wife would go to the airport ahead of me - and I would take a separate lyft. I sat there on the curb watching her drive away sadly realizing she had the key and I was trapped outside on an unseasonably cold morning while struggling to keep the impending Asperger melt down from crashing in. It felt like a warning of what was to come. That said I am a bit of a Diva and danged if she was getting lux and I wasn't - so I did get to mark off the bucket list item of riding in a BMW and apparently my driver was much nicer than hers.

When I got to the airport things got much better, we immediately found people to help us and had no trouble finding a wheel chair and a wonderful, amazing, funny young man to help with pushing my wheelchair.

We checked out the Admiral's Club, we paid for privileges for the day. It was tiny and full so we were left at our gate terminal... 6 hours early. What? I was really, really, really worried about missing our flight. We spent a very slow hour in the terminal until a kind soul came by to do a wellness check and moved us over to the now emptier club lounge.
We spent our long wait eating snacks in the lounge and playing gim rummy with a deck of cards Deb found in her purse. It was actually a really good time and it went fairly quick after we got into the lounge. Money well spent.

Things did get a little tense as they kept putting off our boarding time in half an hour increments while some guy at the bar kept telling horror stories and talking about how a postponement was the same as a canceled they just didn't want to tell us yet.

Finally we boarded and got to enjoy first class for the first time. (We're both big women and would have had to buy a 3rd seat if we went coach or southwest, the prices for that and first class came up similar so we splurged) We're right up front so plenty of leg room. The wonderful flight attendant fresh brewed a cup of hot tea and then gave me a glass if ice to get around the lack of ice tea being served on board. We thought that was really generous of him and were very touched by his kindness.

Get to San Diego airport and right away received the help we needed to go down get baggage, and get over to the whyndam shuttle. Luck was on our side and the shuttle was just arriving as we pulled up and we were there in no time.
In hind sight I should have asked them to put the ramp down so I could walk down that way, but didn't and fell on the stairs trying to get down. My knees have never been great and they haven't gotten better with age. I say this just to say if you need extra help due to disabilities - don't be afraid to ask for it.

The Whyndam was nice, clean, the bed was comfortable and the staff friendly. If you do have knee issues ask for a handicap assessable room as the toilets sat a little low for easy use . We'll be sure to book one next time.

Cons of the Day:

• Separate rides to start our anniversary vacation.
• Falling on the shuttle

Pros of the Day

• Playing Gin Rummy! Oh and I forgot to mention I went from 200pts behind to 300 pts ahead by the time the game ended so that was fun!
• Comfortable well stocked Admiral's Club
• Wonderful service at both ends of the airport.

Please bear with, still trying to find the few pictures we did take.

 

[katmigordon]

Ps how do I edit my table of contents in the first post to the link that has that information?

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Ps how do I edit my table of contents in the first post to the link that has that information?

First, copy the URL link of the post you want to link to.

Go to edit your first post and highlight the item you want to link. Then click on the Insert Link button on the menu bar on top (the one that looks like the inifnity symbol). Insert the URL link you copied. Save your edited post. Your item will now be linked.

 

[katmigordon]

Thank you!

First, copy the URL link of the post you want to link to.

Go to edit your first post and highlight the item you want to link. Then click on the Insert Link button on the menu bar on top (the one that looks like the inifnity symbol). Insert the URL link you copied. Save your edited post. Your item will now be linked.

 

[bcwife76]

Following! We were also on the second leg of your b2b (the NYE cruise portion).

 

[auntlynne]

 

[katmigordon]

Some pics from the Admiral's club - just to give an idea what kind of snacks were available. As you see there's plenty to make a solid meal from. I thought I'd throw this in here since any airport that hosts American Airlines should have an Admiral's club.

 

[katmigordon]

Embarkation Day

We woke up nice and early and started getting ready for the day, Deb was standing by the window when I opened my eyes and I asked her if she could see the Wonder from the window and she said no, I was a little bummed because I had specifically chosen the room in hopes of seeing the ship from our window.

I grabbed the phone and set a reservation for Brigantine across the street for lunch, deciding it was better than gambling we would be able to board in time to get lunch in the dining room.

Once I finally did roll out of bed and shrug myself into my embarkation day clothes - including my brand new "I believe in Sandy Claws" hoodie and made my way over to the window to see what I could see.

And to what to my wondering Eyes should appear?

This is the video Deb took after I informed that the ship right over there was the Wonder.

After I finished laughing at her we checked with the front desk to be sure that we could leave our luggage there while we ran across to lunch, planning to come back and pick up the luggage before heading over to embark.

Next up: The Brigantine for Lunch

 

[auntlynne]

 

[katmigordon]

Did she not recognize it or had it not pulled in when she looked?

She didn't recognize it - it was well after 9am so it had to have already been there.

 

[katmigordon]

Lunch at Brigantine

We set a quick resi via Opentable - I mean we probably didn't need, but why not scoop the extra points anyway? =)

Then we scooted across the street to grab lunch at the best seafood place I've been to in a while. We scored a table right next to the water on the patio with a breathtaking view of the Wonder while we ate.

It was vacation so I started out by ordering a nice strawberry mint daquri type drink - and was quickly teased by the waitress about being on vacation... ok so is it taking day drinking to an extreme if you have your first drink at 11am?

We picked up appetizers starting with some seafood fondu and a crab cake (you can see the crab cake in the bowl at the back) it was a super tasty dish - but the bread blew my mind. Normally the little toast points you get like this with a dip type appetizer are either kind of cold hard and chewy or they're toasted and semi painful to bite into. This was warm, and yet soft and delicious.


After that we decided to get the Shrimp Louie salad and the Lobster Tacos and split them between us. The server very kindly split them for us before bringing them out to the table.



The meal was AMAZING, so amazing that when our Celebrity Cruise out of LA docks in San Diego this November we're coming back here for lunch.

We both highly recommend dining here either before or after a cruise out of the San Diego port, esp if you're staying at the Whyndam, which btw we also highly recommend.

We were thinking we would need to call two lifts after lunch, one to get the luggage and one to get me to the ship. (Despite the easy walking distance from the Brig to port for the able bodied, I am not able bodied. ) We got lucky though and when the xl came to get her to get the luggage it was low enough that I could get in as well so we were able to stay together, get the luggage and head for the ship.
Next up: Boarding the Wonder!

 

[NAB]

That food looks really good hope to hear more about your trip.

 

[katmigordon]

Embarking For Adventure?

We found the parking lot and porters in San Diego very effective and easy to deal with the whole process seemed much easier than what we remember from Port Canaveral years ago.

Once inside we began the long track through security and onto the boat - me walking a few feet then having to sit and rest on my rollator... this was going to take a while. Lucky for me a kind soul on staff saw my struggle and immediately came over, informed me that they had a wheelchair ready and someone to wheel me aboard. (So be aware if you need this help in the San Diego port that it is available, all you have to do is ask.)

The gentlemen who wheeled me aboard was a highlight of the trip, a fun mixture of old world gentleman and whacky side kick if you can imagine such a thing. He was kind, and sweet and made me feel seen and important. (Until you have been in a position to need this type of service it's hard to imagine just how often this isn't the case - that the people doing this job often make you feel more like furniture at best and a battering ram at worst.) He was very gracious with Deb as well who was now using my rollator instead of her cane. "Shane slow down! My mother doesn't love you anymore!" will forever be part of our lexicon now. This was how he instructed her to tell him she needed him to slow down and he called it down the terminal a couple of times causing much laughter.

Once on board we were greeted, announced and moved quickly to customer service where we were to pick up my ECV. This, is where we ran into our next bit of drama. According to GS the ecv had not been delivered. We called the service, got a picture of the drop off - so we knew it had been left on board, and showed it to liaison who was now trying to help us sort this.

Very long story short, GS gave our key to the wrong person who then took our ECV. It took them an hour or so but they finally located it - meanwhile we managed to pass that hour semi happily at the French Quarter with Coffee and beignets. The French Quarter would become our home away from home over the next 10 days.

Next Up: Blood Sugar Drama, a Tree Lighting Ceremony and a Superman.

 

[NAB]

Guess we don’t get to hear anymore?

Hope all is well with you?

 

[auntlynne]

Crickets. Just checking in. Before you forget the details.

 

[mamaburrito]

Hope everything is okay!