Goodbyes

I know we’re about to leave for Port Canaveral, but I have the last-minute idea to trot downstairs Captain Cook’s for one last soda refill in my unlimited refill mug. That’ll be nice to have on our bus ride.

At 11:25, DCL rep John stands at the top of the stairs and announces that the buses to Port Canaveral are here, and would we all follow him downstairs. Our lobby seats, where we’ve been waiting, are right by the stairs, so we are among the ones following John. Hey, maybe we’ll get on the first bus to Port Canaveral this time, and get to sit together!

On our first trip, we were the last six on the first bus, but had to take whichever seats we could find, so we were scattered all over the bus. On the 2005 trip, we were on the second bus, which not only left a few minutes later, but we then had to go to another resort to pick up cruisers there.

Once downstairs, our line of cruisers parades past the front desk and out the front entrance. A Disney Cruise Line bus is right there waiting on us. There’s only about ten other cruisers ahead of us, so we’ll definitely be on this bus.

There’s a delay of a few minutes while a wheelchair is loaded, and then we are able to board the bus. We claim seats on either side of the aisle, about a third of the way back -- Benjamin and I sitting together -- and settle in for the hour-long ride to the Port.

The bus fills quickly and we pull away from the resort. Bye, Polynesian. You were awesome.

We turn south onto Floridian Way, and the bus driver comes over the PA with some good news: “We’re full so we have no other stops to make. We’ve been cleared to go straight to Port Canaveral!” Yay.

Walt Disney World rolls past our windows, and I become wistful as it slips by, committing as much of it to memory as I can, knowing it will likely be a few years at the earliest before I’m here again. I see the turnoff to FIW that was pointed out to us last night by Wallaby (Fuel, Inspection, Wash, where over 300 buses are serviced every night) and think of him and all of the other cast members we met. A monorail passes on our left, the last we’ll see for who knows how long. Then we’re passing Epcot, and finally the “welcome” archway on the opposite side of the road marks our exit from the property.

Too soon. Always over too soon. Goodbye, Walt Disney World.