What went wrong?

So Disney's reservations system shows that we're booked on the midnight fireworks cruise, not the one for the 8:30 fireworks? Some people might like a late-night cruise better – and the boys and I could do it if we had to – but for all of us together, staying up another four-plus hours for a boat ride is a non-starter.

In a time like this you always replay in your head what might have happened to cause such a snafu, and I am resolute that it was not my fault. First, when I made the reservation, I was practically reading from a script, and I asked specifically for the early 8:30 cruise. Second, the reservations CM specifically asked if I meant the early fireworks cruise, not the midnight one, and I confirmed that to her. Third, she specifically told us to be at the marina at 7:30, with an 8:00 departure. She wouldn’t have done that for the later cruise. Fourth, she read back to me the details of the cruise we’d booked before I got off the phone with her, and I cross checked it with my notes. And finally, Brandon was with me at the time and heard everything I said. He agrees that I asked for and confirmed the early cruise, not the late one.

How it got changed, I do not know, but it was not our fault.

Well, we are at Disney, and they excel at trying to keep their guests happy. When Chris hears our protests about the cruise we booked and that we are not at all interested in staying up past twelve for the later cruise, even on New Year’s Eve, he says he’ll see what they can do. He does warn us that he thinks all the boats and drivers are out now, and there may not be any way for the early cruise to happen.

He leaves to work on it, and we’re left to stew. I’m steamed, yes, but mostly frustrated and disappointed. And we’ve been standing in one spot for almost 45 minutes – this cruise was supposed to keep us from having to do that! The only thing that could make it worse would be if it started to rain.

It starts to rain.

The recreation hut has an overhang, so we don’t get wet, at least. And shortly before eight, Chris returns. The news this time is a little better. They’ve found another boat and driver to put into service. The bad news is that it is leaving from the Wilderness Lodge and won’t be here for another twenty minutes. And it’s not a premium boat, so we won’t have music piped in. Rats.

The help that Chris (who, it turns out, is in charge of marina recreation at the Poly) is a model of what Disney calls guest recovery – helping to turn a guest’s negative experience into a positive one – at least within the limits of the resources available to him. He’s sympathetic and apologetic, and also only charges us for the cost of an off-season non-premium cruise, so the price is only about a third of what I was quoted when I set this up. That takes some of the sting away, but it’s still frustrating.

We’re sent down to the dock – the rain has stopped, at least – so we can load and go as soon as the boat arrives. Just before 8:15 it pulls in and we climb aboard. I try to let go of the frustration and enjoy myself, but it’s not happening easily.

Once again, we’ve stood around for an hour waiting on fireworks. From now on, I’m restricting my planning to daylight hours!