June 12th, 2008 - Goodbye Saratoga Springs Resort, Hello Disney Wonder

A big day of transitions - we're going from our nice resort to our nice ship - so it'll be a big post, padded out with lots of pictures.

We wanted to get lots of pictures of Saratoga Springs and our room. Yeah, yeah, we've stayed in hotels before - we're not complete yokels. In fact, we've stayed in a lot of hotels that were nice but this is probably one of the nicest. Gotta make sure we get it on record. Off we go, then.

What better place to start than the bathroom?

Yep, this place is so nice, it has indoor plumbing.



Yeah, we're from Oklahoma. Why do you ask?

Here's the view from our bedroom. That's the bus stop we used to, well, catch the bus.



The view from our bedroom window:



Emily, trying hard to act like she's sleeping, in the living room:



Rachel in the living room, with the welcome return of her MySpace face:



Showing off the luxurious kitchen:



Emily and Rachel acting as if they're studying which is what they promised they always do if they ever got to live at a place like this for good:



Rachel shows off the entryway:



The bedroom looking into the bathroom:



All right, time to get going. The next shots Clara took as we were leaving.



Our room:









So long, Saratoga Springs Resort! You were a great place to stay but we've gotta move on.

It's not a very long drive from Orlando to Port Canaveral. It's a turnpike all the way and all you do is point your car and go. Plenty of signs to show you the way there. This year, I was able to drop off everyone and the luggage right up front and we were early enough that I could park not far from the ship. While they waited for me, Clara took a shot of the girls.



The room may not be quite ready so it's best to have lunch, just to be sure. Wouldn't want to get hungry, would we? After all, we ate breakfast two hours ago but it's a long stretch before dinner at 8:00 and there's only a bon-voyage party and the poolside grill to help us make it.



Ah. Room's ready and here it is. And, look, Rachel's MySpace face makes yet another appearance:



Back topside, the Disney Wonder, looking back from close to the bow.



Here's the Disney Cruise Line terminal:



Rachel and, once again, her MySpace face:



Time to muster out. Emily plays it safe:



Under way, it's time to part-ay!



We head to sea. I looked for dolphins and saw one but I didn't get my camera set in time so I got the Florida Atlantic Coast curving away to Cape Canaveral in the distance.



Last year there was a sharp contrast between the harbor master's boat in Port Canaveral and the harbor master's boat in Nassau. I took this shot just in case I get a chance to show that contrast:



After the show, but before dinner, it's time for bingo. Clara takes it a little more seriously than Emily. Emily just plain knows how to have fun.



Parrot Cay, our first dining stop:



When, oh when will the food get here?



Rachel and I can wait a little more patiently for our food, thank you very much:



Wait, what's that? Dinner's coming? Yay!

What better way to document what you had to eat than to take a picture of it? (How about some hand written notes because I no longer have any idea what my appetizer was.)



For my main course, the bloody hunk of meat. With onion rings.



End of the day, with the mandatory towel sculpture on the bed:



Rachel's with the youth club and will be until 2:00. Time for the rest of us to call it a day and turn in.