1 Mom, 2 Daughters and 3 Days of Wonder! **Completed 6/29!** About This Page:

[Colexis Mom]

Great start Maureen!!! More please!!

[MickeyMAC]

Great trip report as always. Can't wait to read more. I really think we may pass each other on the road this summer---you heading back and us heading down to DW and my convention. We have to get together soon

[DrDolphin]

Great start Maureen!!

[eff051102]

Great start and I'm sorry that you found FL to be not so great. I hope everything
works out for you and that your move back will go smoothly.

[Kenny]

Great start to the trip!

[chezp]

What a great first afternoon and evening.

[OhToodles!]

What a nice start! Sorry your AC went out at home though - hope it was back up and running soon.

[belle0517]

Great start!

[pamcarey]

Great start! And I LOVE your new sig pic!

[iloverags2]

I love your signature picture...how cute! Jetty Park looks awesome! Glad you were able to catch that first shuttle over to the port.

[HeatherD]

Yay! You've started! Great Sig Pic....looking forward to more.

[statelady01]

May 7, 2009

It is on a great RARE occasion that you will find me up before any alarm but today was not an everyday kind of day and the excitement probably warranted me waking up on my own. I was able to get up and get showered before either of the girls woke up. I have to do Katie's hair every morning and help her with her make up (the very little I allow to her wear- she's still learning) and then got Emily going.

The first plan was to go ahead and move the car to the cruise parking area- so we headed out to do that. I left the bags in the room and luckily we were about as close to the cruise parking lot as we could be. We stopped back by the room, picked up the luggage going with us and had almost gotten to the lobby when Emily remembered she left her penguin in the room. Ugh. The girls stayed with the bags and I remembered when I got to the room door that we left the room key in the room. So back I went, getting a new key from the desk and back again to the room to retrieve Pinkie the Penguin.

By this time it was about 9:25 and figuring we could probably manage a quick bite in the cafe in 20 minutes before the shuttle arrived, headed there for breakfast. I am glad this breakfast is included in the room- because I've never found it to be good enough to warrant paying $9.95 for it- it's okay but not super. The three of us had cereal and bacon. Emily was all good with her Froot Loops:



Couldn't have timed things better- we were the third family to get the luggage to the driver and board the bus. It was absolutely full and Bong, the driver was entertaining as usual- (he was the driver when Lynn and I sailed on Royal Caribbean in Dec). I guess our happy group entertained Bong- because as we made our way over the bridge, cheers and applause erupted when we all got sight of the Wonder. He promptly told us in the 9 years he had been working the shuttle, we were the happiest group of passengers he ever had. Of course upon seeing the Wonder, I got teary eyed. I always do.

I tipped Bong and the porters - then the girls simply stopped once we cleared the initial gate security checkpoint to take it all in. Our time had finally come!





We breezed through the security and were one of the first families in the terminal. I headed straight for the Castaway Club check in line- which was great and on this day, the line much shorter than the regular line. It was just after 10:00 and the girls were content to walk around and check things out while I waited. Emily was very good with Katie and checked in with me every 5 or 10 minutes.

At 10:30, the desks opened up and I was able to check in with CM Dennis. It took literally no time at all and now starting to get a little nervous about no view of the outside world, asked about an upgrade. He directed me to the last counter. As soon as we finished, I got a boarding assignment (Group 2 YAY!) and headed to the designated counter. As luck would have it- the lady in front of me ditched her Cat 9 for a Cat 5. No way was I able to swing a Cat 5 but for $167- I could have the Cat 9. Done. Got new Keys to the World cards and that was done quickly. Emily almost did a cartwheel when I told her we now had a window.

Headed over to the photo ID station to get our pics made and attached to the KTW. From there, over to the Kids Program Registration area- where we were very happy to find Emily was able to go up to the Oceaneer's Lab since she was only 3 weeks away from being 8 years old. The girls got wrist bands and one of the counselors asked me several questions about how they could help Katie. I was doubtful Katie would be using the Lab but appreciate how dilligent they were in accomodating her.

With all the business taken care of, we headed over to a waiting area and out walked Captain Mickey! The line moved very quickly and soon we were posing it up with the biggest Cheese on the high seas!




After, we headed out to the patio out back so we could get a look at the ship up close:






I was thrilled with the Castaway Club lanyard I got at check in and was ready also to show of those Keys to the World!



Quick check of the time told us we were only minutes away from a most magical adventure....

[Colexis Mom]

Congrats on the upgrade!! More please!!

[DawnDenise]

Congrats on the upgrade! Love the update and looking forward to more!

[Kenny]

Great upgrade!
I really like the picture of the girls under the palm tree with the Wonder in the background. And the one of Emily on the patio with her hand over her mouth is just precious.
Looks like the pre-boarding went as well as it could have.