I remember the first time I saw the Ramada Maingate.
It was also the night this first time solo traveler ever had her credit card denied and thought she’d end up sleeping on a park bench.
It started months earlier. I had won a free airline ticket from a running group I belonged to. At the time I was training for a 5k.
Feeling a bit overconfident, I thought how fun it would be to do a half marathon at Disneyland.
With the tie to running group for the airline tickets, my mind was made up. I convinced some friend and we signed up for the 2009 Disneyland Half Marathon.
And then everyone quit on me.
I had just moved out of my parents’ house. Had been on my own for only a few short months and now was faced with the idea of traveling cross country by myself.
Sure. Why not?
I knew nothing about the Ramada Maingate, other than it looked nice in pictures and that it was close to the park.
Sold.
The thing about traveling solo is you don’t realize how valuable it is to have someone there to remind you not to forget things. Like the credit card that is sitting on the desk in your apartment as the plane takes off.
I arrived late that Thursday night and wearily checked in. When the front desk person asked if I wanted to keep the reservation on my debit card, I declined as I dug through my bags to find my credit card.
That’s when I remembered leaving it at home.
Panicked, I checked the meager bank account of a recently graduated, underemployed, new renter. Of course my rent check had already been cashed and of course it would be another day before my paycheck was deposited.
I freaked. Tired, I started to cry.
Maybe the poor young woman at the front desk just wanted to get rid of me, but I would like to think it was more a sign of the great service I’d receive during my stay. She calmed me down, said I could split the stay so that she only needed to take one night out of my account and that in the morning, I could “check in” again once my paycheck had been deposited.
Disney Magic across the street from Disney. I could have cried.
The rest of the trip went much smoother. I had a wonderful stay at the Ramada. A great breakfast the morning of the race to fuel my first half marathon and an amazing view each night for the fireworks.
Pure Disney.
Pure Ramada.
Of course now, Ramada Maingate isn’t as much a secret. I’m just hoping there’s still some room when I return for the half marathon in September.
And this time I’ll bring my credit card.
Written by: Kate Hedlin
