Fireworks cruise (at last!)

Our driver for the fireworks cruise is Alex. He seems nice enough, but doesn’t say a whole lot. Since the rain has let up, we all take seats on the uncovered front of the boat. The seats are covered with towels, a nice touch.

Brandon and Benjamin plop down on the port side of the boat, and Bob, Linda, Becky and I all sit on the starboard side. That’s poor planning, especially since Alex the driver is also on the starboard side. The boat lists noticeably to starboard, as you’d expect with five adults on one side and two kids on the other.

Brandon’s a little worried about that and asks if any of us wants to switch. Normally some of us would have, but (a) we’ve just been standing for an hour and (b) Alex doesn’t seem all that concerned, so no one hops up. Brandon goes to fetch drinks and chips for anyone who wants them from the stash Alex points out, and then takes his seat again.

Because of our late start, we were told that we’d head straight out for the Magic Kingdom, watch the fireworks, and then do the tour of the lagoon afterwards. Alex motors us pretty fast past the Grand Floridian and then turns right. There are already a dozen or so other pontoon boats lining up in the water, facing the ferry dock near the entrance to the Magic Kingdom.

It’s pretty good timing, actually, because the fireworks start just two minutes after Alex kills the engine.

What can I say? The fireworks are every bit as spectacular from the water as we expected. This is the same show the boys and I watched from the Polynesian beach last night, and it is even more amazing from closer in.

The big disappointment is the lack of music. It fades in and out as we drift around some of the boats that have it, but it’s faint and not consistent. Frankly, we could hear it better last night on the beach, and that was pretty quiet. Having just the sound of the shells exploding, along with the serenity of floating on our own private boat, is kind of surreal and peaceful, but it’s just not what we wanted. I stifle a sigh and try to enjoy it.

After the big finish, Alex turns and heads back the way we came. I think he’s going to start talking about the sights we are passing, but he’s not. The Grand Floridian comes and goes again. We’re headed right towards the Polynesian marina.

I’m kind of torn, sad to say. Part of me actually just wants the cruise to be over so we can put the disappointment behind us. But the cheap side of me – which is usually predominant side – want us to get our money’s worth, so I ask the quiet Alex, “Are we just going back?”

“No,” Alex says. “We’re going to watch the Electric Water Pageant.”

Hey, cool! We’ve wanted to see that but never have before, and now we’ll have a front row seat, on the water!

This sudden prospect of having something new and unexpected brightens our mood considerably.