50 Years, 9 Nights, 5 Beds and 1 Big Fat Mistake

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Is page 4 the new page 1?

 

Great selfie of you and your father!  Can't wait to read more about your trip.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

 

I hope you didn't get a picture of that balloon.  Seriously, I REALLY hope you didn't. 

 

 

 

I absolutely do not have a photo of that Deck 11 balloon.  There was a special event going on at Key West when we visited, which kind of made things a little edgier than they already normally are.

 

I had Twin #1 and a couple of her cousins on the electric car we rented, and found part of Duval St. blocked off for the special event.  I saw the guy with the giant balloon just long enough for me to register what I was seeing, and quickly turned down a side street.  I think we all saw it, but nobody mentioned it.  Awkward.

 

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

Your dad looks great.

As for him having a smart phone, he probably has a life and friends, Bob and I don't.

I've heard nothing but good things about the Villages. I've never been there though.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

If age as well as your dad. INC will be happy.

Great photo of you two.

[alexwyattmommy 181]

I want to age as well as your Dad.  He looks amazing.  The pineapples are cool, I did not know how they grew in the real world.  The deck photo does not need anymore comments.  The goulash looked yummy.  I'm not into oatmeal.  I'm more of grits kinda girl.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I'm in on page 4. That's a thing, right?

 

comments...

1. Way to start of the TR, with a nice pic of Anna

2. Wow, that deck (double check spelling several times) is huge!  :rofl2:

3. I like the pineapple plant!

 

Thank you for checking your spelling. 

 

Great photo with your dad. I hope you both get many fathers days together! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Thanks Dan!  Me too.  We nearly lost him to cancer 16 years ago, so we don't take it for granted. 

 

Is page 4 the new page 1?

 

Great selfie of you and your father!  Can't wait to read more about your trip.

 

Page 4 is the new page 2.  Still, well done.  :rofl3:

 

I absolutely do not have a photo of that Deck 11 balloon.  There was a special event going on at Key West when we visited, which kind of made things a little edgier than they already normally are.

 

I had Twin #1 and a couple of her cousins on the electric car we rented, and found part of Duval St. blocked off for the special event.  I saw the guy with the giant balloon just long enough for me to register what I was seeing, and quickly turned down a side street.  I think we all saw it, but nobody mentioned it.  Awkward.

 

TCD

 

That does sound awkward.  There was a similar story my daughters told from the cruise when they were on a snorkeling excursion with my brother in law.  I'll try to remember to tell it when I get there. 

 

Your dad looks great.

As for him having a smart phone, he probably has a life and friends, Bob and I don't.

I've heard nothing but good things about the Villages. I've never been there though.

 

My parents have been in the Villages for 13 years and have really enjoyed it.  I think the active lifestyle there has been good for them. 

 

If age as well as your dad. INC will be happy.

Great photo of you two.

 

Thanks Ray.  But I have no hope of keeping INC happy so I don't try. 

 

 

I want to age as well as your Dad. He looks amazing. The pineapples are cool, I did not know how they grew in the real world. The deck photo does not need anymore comments. The goulash looked yummy. I'm not into oatmeal. I'm more of grits kinda girl.

 

Agreed.  No more Deck 11 comments.  Unless they are really funny ones.  :rofl2:

[Beckers 1,136]

When I worked at great adventure we had a lot of seniors that worked there (they could make enough to not mess with their ss and enought to collect unemployment when it closed) and we became very friendly with a couple who moved to the villages and one WDW trip we went to visit. I would move there now if I could! It was really nice

[jmaul 65]

My Dad has his first smart phone (and Lou and Bob, you should know that he is approaching 80.  He's rocking the iPhone and putting you to shame).  He wanted a Father/Son wallpaper pic, so I took a Father's Day selfie of us. 

 

I hope I age as well as my Dad. 

 

Good job on the selfie.  Your Dad looks great.  A very nice choice for his wallpaper.

 

My Dad will be celebrating his 80th this Sept.  He has yet to get a smart phone. Says he doesn't need it.

 

 

I absolutely do not have a photo of that Deck 11 balloon.  There was a special event going on at Key West when we visited, which kind of made things a little edgier than they already normally are.

 

I had Twin #1 and a couple of her cousins on the electric car we rented, and found part of Duval St. blocked off for the special event.  I saw the guy with the giant balloon just long enough for me to register what I was seeing, and quickly turned down a side street.  I think we all saw it, but nobody mentioned it.  Awkward.

 

TCD

 

OK, if it's just a risque balloon you saw the entire time, this could NOT have been fantasy fest.  My parents were there during that and Oh Boy!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

OK, if it's just a risque balloon you saw the entire time, this could NOT have been fantasy fest.  My parents were there during that and Oh Boy!

 

Nope, it wasn't Fantasy Fest.

 

It was an event similar to what takes place at WDW the first weekend of June each year.

 

It turned out to not be a very big deal at all.

 

TCD

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Nope, it wasn't Fantasy Fest.

It was an event similar to what takes place at WDW the first weekend of June each year.

It turned out to not be a very big deal at all.

TCD

I took the family to San Francisco about two years ago and ran into the same thing. My DS(26) was making fun of me because they were talking about "Pride Weekend" on the radio as we were driving there. And I had no idea what they were talking about. Then the next day we took the subway into downtown and walk right into the parade.

My DD(7) at the time. Loved all the people dressed up as female singers. Thankfully she thought all the rainbows were pretty. She even bought her big brother a rainbow boa. And yes I made him wear it. Lol.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Z wins.

 

Always.

 

Z always wins.

It's too bad his name isn't Zod.

Because you could kneel before him.

Ok, maybe it'd good his name isn't Zod.

 

You're right. He does. 

 

Yeah, a very good thing. 

 

You are killing it, Dave.

 

Good job!

 

Here's something strange:  When I was in Key West, on the very same day you were at The Villages, there was a guy walking down Duval St. with a giant balloon shaped exactly like Deck 11 on the Enhancement of the Seas.  I guess he had just gotten off that cruise?

 

TCD

 

Oh goodness!

 

 

Dave, you look so much like your dad!

[DaveInTN 3,247]

When I worked at great adventure we had a lot of seniors that worked there (they could make enough to not mess with their ss and enought to collect unemployment when it closed) and we became very friendly with a couple who moved to the villages and one WDW trip we went to visit. I would move there now if I could! It was really nice

 

They don't call it Florida's Friendliest Hometown for nothing.  

 

Good job on the selfie.  Your Dad looks great.  A very nice choice for his wallpaper.

 

My Dad will be celebrating his 80th this Sept.  He has yet to get a smart phone. Says he doesn't need it.

 

 

 

OK, if it's just a risque balloon you saw the entire time, this could NOT have been fantasy fest.  My parents were there during that and Oh Boy!

 

No one needs those darn things.  Good for your Dad.  

 

Nope, it wasn't Fantasy Fest.

 

It was an event similar to what takes place at WDW the first weekend of June each year.

 

It turned out to not be a very big deal at all.

 

TCD

 

I see where this is going.  

 

I took the family to San Francisco about two years ago and ran into the same thing. My DS(26) was making fun of me because they were talking about "Pride Weekend" on the radio as we were driving there. And I had no idea what they were talking about. Then the next day we took the subway into downtown and walk right into the parade.

My DD(7) at the time. Loved all the people dressed up as female singers. Thankfully she thought all the rainbows were pretty. She even bought her big brother a rainbow boa. And yes I made him wear it. Lol.

 

Boy, this trip report has taken an odd turn already.  

 

Not that there's anything wrong with that.  

 

Always.

 

 

You're right. He does. 

 

Yeah, a very good thing. 

 

 

Oh goodness!

 

 

Dave, you look so much like your dad!

 

I know.  At this point, I'm glad I look like him.  Finally confirms to me that he is indeed my Dad.  I grew up with an older brother and sister constantly telling me I was the spitting image of the milkman.  

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Was hoping to post an update during my flight that I just boarded, but they have informed us that this is not a wifi enabled plane. So...Hopefully I can post one later tonight when I get to the hotel.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Safe travels!

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

If age as well as your dad. INC will be happy.

Great photo of you two.

This.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Safe travels!

 

Thanks!  I'm safely here and ready to walk into a sh*t storm tomorrow.  Yay!  

 

This.

 

That.  

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Time for an update!  

 

When we last left off, we had left my parents house in the Villages around midday to make the drive over to Cocoa Beach, where we were meeting up with my inlaws to spend the night at the Courtyard hotel near Port Canaveral.  

 

Let me back up just a bit and tell you about the smartest decision I ever made in my entire life.  Several years ago, after getting sick of all the stupid toll booths in Florida, I got myself a Sun Pass.  I hate paying tolls, but you can't avoid them in Florida.  And the Sun Pass makes it so easy to just breeze through the toll booths and not have to stop and throw change into a basket or pay some clown a bunch of cash.  This is important for this trip, because if you've ever driven the Bee Line (or as they now call it...the Beechline) expressway you know there is a toll booth every 2 miles.  Thereabouts.  

 

Anyways, when we got to the end of the expressway near the Port, this came into view.  

 

 

 

 

That's the Dream!!  

 

The only cruise we've ever taken prior to this week, was on the Dream 2 years ago.  It was nice seeing it again, but also put all those doubts back into my mind about cruising on a Non-DCL ship.  Time would tell if those fears came to fruition.  

 

Anyways, we passed the port and continued on into Cocoa Beach to our hotel....the Marriott Courtyard.  And before too long, we had checked in and met up with my inlaws down at the pool.  

 

 

 

I went up to the room and looked down, and BAM there was INC.  

 

 

 

Here is the view from our balcony.  

 

 

 

 

You could watch the cruise ships leaving port from our room.  

 

 

 

We enjoyed using the pool at the hotel for the afternoon, and before long everyone was getting hungry for dinner.  No one really felt like going out, so my FIL and I went down the street to Publix and got some subs and sides for dinner, and also stopped at a local pizza place for a pie.  We all ate in the lobby area of the hotel.  

 

 

 

 

Dinner was relaxing.  And after eating, everyone was in the mood for a walk.  So we heading out to the boardwalk leading down the beach....coming up in the next update.  

[Beckers 1,136]

Toll booths SMB. If you don't have Ez pass and are driving to the shore you are crazy. The high speed ez pass lanes are sweet.

[Beckers 1,136]

Toll booths SMB. If you don't have Ez pass and are driving to the shore you are crazy. The high speed ez pass lanes are sweet.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

I know that you made the right decision going with RCCL.

We've cruised on several different cruise lines and I've found that the company you keep is more important than the ship your on. And Im Sure you had great company.

But I am curious to hear your opinion.

I love the pix of INC kissing on Anna.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Love the update! We also got the SunPass sticker for my truck, love it!!!

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Toll roads in FL SMB. 

 

Anna seems like the only one of your daughters who was amused by picture taking at dinner. 

 

Did any of your kids bust their teeth out in Cocoa Beach? That will forever be my memory there. 

[FunFinder265....Cody 36]

I'm way late, but I'm in. Awesome pictures! So cool to see pics of Port Canaveral and Cocoa Beach from another Fiend, as I look at those sites almost everyday. Looking forward to more updates!

 

Cody

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

FYI cool people call Publix Subs Pub Subs.  Also, do you know that they now have an app for you to order your Pub Subs?  We've used it a couple of times and it works great.

 

Also, is that a fried chicken box I see?:

 

 

And Shock Tops?

 

Y'all were living large.

 

TCD

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Chicken, Pizza, Subs, and Beer?

Nice!