I have to say that the drive down to Orlando from Jersey was well uneventful… which is a good thing! We left at about 6:30 stopped twice for food and about 4 times for gas and arrived in Orlando at about 1:00.
Here’s where the quibbling comes into play. I had requested an early check in when I had booked our room (which would have been 2 pm check in instead of 3pm). I 100% understand that this is a request and cannot not be guaranteed or even granted, but it is important to the rest of the story. I had called the hotel at about 12:30 to say that we were driving down from Jersey and were about a half hour out if they knew if a room would be ready for us once we got there or if we should go shopping or do something else. (Please keep in mind that when I had booked, I informed them that we would be driving the straight 17 hours and would like the first possible room.) Her response when I called 30 min out was that they wouldn’t know until we got there. I should have known then we should have just switched. You cannot guesstimate whether or not a room would be near ready in 30 mins? If it’s not fine but don’t make me come there to tell me it’s not ready. In any case we wind up driving to the hotel to have them tell us that the room is in fact not ready. At that point I reminded them how long we had been driving and the receptionist radioed housekeeping at 1pm to put a rush on our room and informed us it shouldn’t be longer than 45 minutes. (Again it was 1, I can understand) So we explored the grounds for about an hour and checked back in to see if the room was ready. It was not. We asked how long, they said another hour. So we went to Wal-Mart to pick up a few missing items. And came back at about 3 and asked again if the room was done. Again the answer was no. about another 45minutes. So we went to the pizza hut onsite (which is a whole other blog!) and came back at about 3:45 (mind you 45 minutes after regular check in time.) I was informed that the room was still not ready, but was given a choice. I was told that they had “hooked us up” and pre-booked us the penthouse for us and this was the only one available which was why it was taking so long to get ready. (More than 3 hours to clean one room? Please I would have cleaned it myself.) So they gave us the option to down grade our room and they would reduce the rate or we could wait for this room. I don’t know about you but when someone says that you have a penthouse suite… I’m waitin’! So we waited and waited and waited….we wound up taking a nap in their convention center on their couches.. real classy .. I know. At about 4:45 I went back to the front desk and surprise surprise still no room. This time though there was hope! They checked us in and gave us keys and estimated about 15 more minutes. I asked just for a luggage caddy so we could start moving the luggage out of the car. It’s been two weeks and I still haven’t seen it. Long story.. well cut short, we got into the room by 5:30. By the way, the ‘penthouse’ that they “hooked us up” with, was the 2 room suite I had booked in the first place! Nothing different, nothing special. That night was short lived, Christian went to a pirate show across the street. Danielle and I order in Chile's, and her Steve and I were in bed by 8:30- 9:00.
