August 2016 coming quickly....

[4077]

Okay... Crazy day today. Last day too. Breakfast at the Garden Grill at Epcot. Early arrival (8:15) before park opens. Never ate there before, it was definitely a new experience. Good food, and character interactions. (Chip-n-Dale, Pluto and Mickey). Couldn't finish the food (Par for the course I think). We got done in time to get on Soarin' right away. It's the new version too (on all of them). We were in row 1 (which ends up on top) but on concourse C on the last 2 seats (Closest to the outside edge). It was truly awesome and I loved it. My only real complaint was that being on the "Edge" the screen is concave and any tall structures were "Bent". Sitting on the FAR right, the Eiffel tower looked more like the leaning tower of Pisa (or rather the curved over and bent tower of Pisa). None-the-less, it was still pretty awesome.

We then did a few of the other attractions on that side of the park. Worked our way back to spaceship earth, some shops and eventually over to our Fast Pass of Frozen. Let me say this about the Frozen attraction. It was nice. The animatronics were great and overall it was nice attraction. I will say, though, that it was in NO way worth a 70 minute or even a 45 minute wait. That is, however, my opinion and others may disagree. I just didn't think it was all that stellar. They basically did a face lift on Norway to make it Frozen themed.

So we came back... took a break, then went to MK for 5 PM reservations at Tony's Town Square.

We decided not to spend the evening in the park like we had planned which upset our DD. We only had one fastpass left and it was for Space mountain at 9PM. I was just beat and wanted to get the camper ready to go for tomorrow morning's long drive after breakfast. Well, you know... best laid plans. Tinkerbell was right next to Tony's We were going to do the Character photo, but the wait went from 15 minutes before our meal to 35 minutes after. Oh well... we went in anyway. Well turns out after waiting another 10 - 15 minutes, Tink was ill (or something) and she wasn't coming out. So they gave us a fast pass to return ANY TIME WE WANTED up until 8/31/16. Great... We leave tomorrow. DW had the great idea to see if Guest relations would give us another one instead. After a 15 minute wait there... everyone in our group got one more "Any time" experience Fast Pass. So we ended up going to the 7DMT. Left there to do the requisite Small World..... Worked our way past the Ice Cream joint on main street, back to the boat, the bus, and the campsite....... DW and DD went swimming and I hooked up the camper and did as much as I could to get ready to go.

Long night.... Got my shower... spent some time here now I am going to bed. I'll check back in later.

Safe journey to you too...came down 95 after joining DC loop via 70/270, but going home western route (26, 77, etc)...I'll wave if I see you!

 

[peg110]

Safe journey to you too...came down 95 after joining DC loop via 70/270, but going home western route (26, 77, etc)...I'll wave if I see you!

Yeah, Same here. Came down through the DC loop area. Wasn't planning too, but google maps pulled me that way. (What was I thinking). This time I am going back north Via 95, 77, 81. We are spending a night at Mt Airy, NC as our halfway point. We have Chef Mickey for Breakfast and then we are on the road (again)

 

[FtW Mike]

For all heading home safe travels

 

[Teamubr]

Paul, Jimmy and everyone else heading back to reality, thank you for letting us join in through your TR and pics. Looks like it was a great week for everyone and the food pics still have Ed drooling.

Have a great, safe trip back home.

j

 

[4077]

Yeah, Same here. Came down through the DC loop area. Wasn't planning too, but google maps pulled me that way. (What was I thinking). This time I am going back north Via 95, 77, 81. We are spending a night at Mt Airy, NC as our halfway point. We have Chef Mickey for Breakfast and then we are on the road (again)

Saw you around 11:15 this morning at the back up from I-4 to I-95....rig looked good! Pulled in about 5-6 cars ahead (once I figured out it was only one lane to get on 95). Passed Mount Airy around 7:45...travel is fast without a trailer In Christiansburg, VA for night. Love the less traffic/more relaxed travel if this route!

 

[peg110]

Saw you around 11:15 this morning at the back up from I-4 to I-95....rig looked good! Pulled in about 5-6 cars ahead (once I figured out it was only one lane to get on 95). Passed Mount Airy around 7:45...travel is fast without a trailer In Christiansburg, VA for night. Love the less traffic/more relaxed travel if this route!

That back up was nuts. I merged over like I should but SOOOOOO many folks were just rushing the merge lane and forcing in at the front. So me and another guy started to block it. Me only partially. Other cars were going right around us too. Finally I just jumped full on in that lane. DW said that I wouldn't get back on ( being so long) I told here the other car that was also blocking would let me in. Sure enough he waved me up and told me that when I was ready to merge to just go in front of him.

I try to be a nice and courteous driver even when I am about 50+ feet total but people don't care. They are a gap and they jump.

We made it to My Airy about 930 pm. Got some thing to eat and got to bed by about 11pm. Apparently while we were thwre, someone whacked my truck and camper somehow. Don't know how but that seems to be the only location it could have happened. Didn't notice it until we got home though. Probably less then the deductible too. Ugh. What are ya going to do? Grin and bear it I guess.

Home safely now. Got here about 3pm today. Torrential rains too. Never a dull moment. Probably more to follow but for now it's time for a shower and relaxing be for business trip to St Louis tomorrow. (Another UGH)

 

[jeffrey1966]

Home safely now.

Glad to hear you made it home but not glad for you about the damage to the truck and camper. Really enjoyed your trip report!

 

[friendofeeyore]

Also glad you guys made it home & not thrilled you have hurt truck & camper. Loved reading all of your trip & the food looked great! Have a blessed rest of the year!

 

[WorldWacky]

Great trip reports everyone! I fell off the map for a bit because after we checked out of The Fort on August 13th, we made our way up to Assateague State Park in Maryland where we went from a Mouse to ponies.


Nothing compares to Disney though. I feel like I'm ruined for life with customer service! At Universal, the team members were nice, but certainly not as friendly as cast members. Just trying to get Dd an ICEE at the end of the evening was like trying to crack the code to one of Gringott's vaults. No one wanted to point us in the direction of a venue that might still be open. An hour before park closing, all the vendors were closing up shop and avoiding eye contact.
In Assateague, the check-in process was extremely abrupt and after coming from The Fort, really stood out.
We're finally home after our three week vacation extravaganza and we couldn't have asked for a better first time at Fort Wilderness. I know that this won't be our last!
Can't wait to continue reading the reports! Safe travels to all of those coming and going in the days and weeks to come.

 

[Teamubr]

Apparently while we were there, someone whacked my truck and camper somehow.

Sorry to hear about the damage. I hope I didn't start something with my incident in the Smokies.

j

 

[4077]

That back up was nuts. I merged over like I should but SOOOOOO many folks were just rushing the merge lane and forcing in at the front. So me and another guy started to block it. Me only partially. Other cars were going right around us too. Finally I just jumped full on in that lane. DW said that I wouldn't get back on ( being so long) I told here the other car that was also blocking would let me in. Sure enough he waved me up and told me that when I was ready to merge to just go in front of him.

I try to be a nice and courteous driver even when I am about 50+ feet total but people don't care. They are a gap and they jump.

We made it to My Airy about 930 pm. Got some thing to eat and got to bed by about 11pm. Apparently while we were thwre, someone whacked my truck and camper somehow. Don't know how but that seems to be the only location it could have happened. Didn't notice it until we got home though. Probably less then the deductible too. Ugh. What are ya going to do? Grin and bear it I guess.

Home safely now. Got here about 3pm today. Torrential rains too. Never a dull moment. Probably more to follow but for now it's time for a shower and relaxing be for business trip to St Louis tomorrow. (Another UGH)

Home safely at 8:30 PM today. That rain was crazy...not sure how you go, but for us, 78 from a little past The 81/78 split off until a bit into NJ was terrible today...probably about 2 hours with volume/rain/accidents. Saw a motorcycle wipe out just after it happened on 95 not far north of Daytona day 1, and then there was a line up of about 7 FL trooper cars (if you went 95 through Jacksonville) investigating a car that looked pretty destroyed and wrapped into trees off of road...it's a pretty crazy drive we make...gotta be careful and defensive at all times, that's for sure!

Sorry about the damage...that is a bummer....always happens with something new...I swear. Glad you home safe. Since I didn't have trailer in FL, gonna head out for local trip next weekend.

For those still having August fun at Disney...enjoy! Thanks all

 

[4077]

Few more fun pics from trip...

 

[4077]

 

[4077]

 

[4077]

And finally, my pictorial close of night last....(actually just before wake up for departure for home)

 

[tiggerdad]

Glad you guys are in safe despite the incidents along the way. Each trip is an adventure...

 

[peg110]

Sorry to hear about the damage. I hope I didn't start something with my incident in the Smokies.

j

Me too.

 

[jbrostek]

I apologize for my lack of trip updates. As I had posted the power in our loop went out and Disney installed a big (but Quite) generator to provide power to the loop again, it seemed to mess with the wifi around the camper since we where right there by the comfort station. Trying to get any reasonable signal on the laptop was useless and really working around the heat and the weather was when there was down time I spent it resting a little. But I have lots left to share and plan to post that tonight!

Peg - I did swing by your camper just after the hours of rain where done. Seems you had left as there was no truck there. I had planned to stop by again but never made it over as we tweaked our plans around the days.

All in all we had a blast, though an exhausting drive home (more on that later too.) But we are home safe and sound and already talking about our Feb 2017 trip, and what we want to do with the kids next summer.

 

[FtW Mike]

World Wackey Hope it was cooler on Ocean side of Va than it was across the way on the bay side where we were ( Tall Pines Harbor CG) we baked so badly events at CG barely worth going to and things only got worse at night when breeze died
Peg 101 srry to hear about camper and truck some people just cause a vacuum
4077 great shots with SW characters

 

[jeffrey1966]

Home safely at 8:30 PM today.

Good to hear that you and the family made it back without incident. looks as though you guys had a blast. You better get back to work so you can get some rest!