Halloween 2009 at the Fort!

[Tri-circle-D]

The TCD gang made it to the Fort for Halloween 2009.

It was bigger and better than 2008.

And hotter. And a lot more crowded.

But, it was a blast!

This will be kind of a different TCD trip report. I don't think I have a single behind the scenes photo. I didn't have much time for snooping around the Fort on this visit.

But, one good thing that was different about this visit is that there were a ton of Disboard folks at the Fort for Halloween. And, I mean a ton! I hesitated to try to name all of the Disboarders I met, because I didn't want to exclude anyone, but I think it is worth noting how many I did meet. If I don't mention you, it isn't that you didn't make a good impression. I didn't make any notes, and I am going by memory. So, here's the list. I will list the names alphabetically:

4Mickey2
AuburnJen
Big Daddy Rog
Born2Fish/2Goofy Campers
Clkelley
des1954
Gatordad
Lone Star
Mickey Mobile
Musikfans
Ntsammy5
Pirate-Jeff
RVUSA
Stacktester
TiggnTaz
Tungpo1
We3peas
Whipperwill
We4Mickey

That is a lot of Disboarders. Again, if your name was omitted, don't take it personally. I am sure you made a good impression on me, it is just that my mind is slipping, that's all.

And, I know that there were a lot more there that I didn't get a chance to meet.

We started our visit on 10/29. We attended Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party that night. It was way more hot and crowded than it was last year. We had a great time, but we would have enjoyed it a lot more if it had been a little cooler. I have a few photos from the MNSSHP that I will share, and then we will be back at the Fort:

Hallowishes is great to watch from the beach at the Fort, but it is really special from in front of the castle:



The Halloween parade is the best parade at WDW all year. It begins with the Headless Horseman:







On Friday morning, I noticed these pumpkins in the Meadow Trading Post. The castmembers were having a pumpkin decorating contest. I don't recall this occurring last year:









Here are a few shots of the TCD campsite. I had reserved a premium site. I asked for the 800 loop as my first choice, as we were there last Halloween, and it seemed to be the center of all the fun. I asked for 900 as my second choice. I got my second choice. Which is fine, as I prefer the 900 loop anyway. I just thought 800 would be more fun for Halloween. We were assigned to site 932- the last site on the loop. It is also right next door to the comfort station. And, when I say right next door, I mean like maybe 20 feet away. It all seemed too crowded. I didn't like it. When we drove around the loop, I noticed a couple of other open sites. So, I did something that I have often heard about, but never done. I went to the house phone at the comfort station (which was very convenient from site 932), and I called the front desk. I said I didn't like my site very much, and would rather have site 904, which was open. I was put on hold for about two minutes, and the castmember said go ahead and set up on 904. It was that easy. 904 has a huge slab, as you can see in these photos:












I love how much space is behind the sites on 900. That is the TCD hammock you see back there in the trees it this photo. If I was on the 600 loop, I wouldn't have that kind of space behind my site:



This next photo is out of order, as I wanted to share this before I begin to post photos of some of the Halloween decorations. Here is the list of this year's Halloween activities winners, which was posted at the Bike Barn:



As you can see, the winner of the campsite decorating contest was site 802. This is the same camper who won last year. He was set up in 802 in 2007, but was in 1701 last year because the 800 loop was closed for renovations until 10/30 last year. These next photos are from the winning site:



















These are of a couple of other sites in the 800 loop:





Coming up . . .

More Halloween decoration photos.

TCD

[DisneyBishops]

We were right accross the streat from the stie winner. 805. They do a great job and are nice people. It was also their anniversary on Halloween.

Halloween was great at the fort. Could have been a few degrees cooler though. I think my grandkids must have scored 5lbs of candy. We gave out 4 lbs and ran out. Next year we have to take more. LoL

The headless horseman was busy he also lead the golf cart parade. It was fun and we participated in it.

Already made ressies for next year halloween. Since it will be on Sunday wonder if they will trick or treet on Sunday. lot of kids have school on Monday.

[Tri-circle-D]

Originally Posted by DisneyBishops

We were right accross the streat from the stie winner. 805. They do a great job and are nice people. It was also their anniversary on Halloween.

Halloween was great at the fort. Could have been a few degrees cooler though. I think my grandkids must have scored 5lbs of candy. We gave out 4 lbs and ran out. Next year we have to take more. LoL

The headless horseman was busy he also lead the golf cart parade. It was fun and we participated in it.

Already made ressies for next year halloween. Since it will be on Sunday wonder if they will trick or treet on Sunday. lot of kids have school on Monday.

Dan- I would have liked to meet up with you. Maybe next time. I am going to post some photos from the golf cart parade- maybe you will be in one of them. I have some good shots of the Headless Horseman. That was a neat surprise!

As I already said, we were on the 900 loop, and it was definitely not as busy with the trick-or-treaters over there as it was on the 800 loop. People were coming by our site saying that for a while, you couldn't even get in to the 800 loop.

TCD

[reginaastralis]

I agree with you. We got completely stuck in the 800 loop when some poor soul arrived in his rv in the middle of the Halloween activities. Oi!

[3gr8kids]

[Mickey Mobile]

TCD, it was great to finally meet you in person! This was our first time at the Fort for Halloween, but it won't be our last! Already have reservations for next year!

[LORNADUCK]

TCD, I would have loved to meet you, I knew you were there because I reconized your daughter trick or treating. We we in 402 and I can't believe how busy it was. I have already tried to make reservations for next year, but so far no luck. We have been there for the last 5 years.
Dan I didn't even run into you this time, would have liked to say hi.

[DisneyBishops]

Originally Posted by LORNADUCK

TCD, I would have loved to meet you, I knew you were there because I reconized your daughter trick or treating. We we in 402 and I can't believe how busy it was. I have already tried to make reservations for next year, but so far no luck. We have been there for the last 5 years.
Dan I didn't even run into you this time, would have liked to say hi.

Hey Lorna, we had our grandkids with us. so not as much looping around. I didn;'t know that was you guys in 402 or we would have stopped by.

we will be there again for christmas, rather right after christmas through new years, if you are there maybe we can run into your guys again.

[Born 2 Fish]

Great stuff TCD,,and if I havnt already said so, is was great to meet you.

[Lil' Lisa]

Great pics as usual! Keep 'em coming!

[lklasing]

I was hoping to find a good TCD trip report and that's just what I did. Looking forward to lots of pictures and stories!

Leslie

[LONE-STAR]

tcd I hope you didn't think I was nuts when I met you I hadent slept in over 36 hrs when we met. I had hoped to see you again but never did.

[Tri-circle-D]

Originally Posted by Mickey Mobile

TCD, it was great to finally meet you in person! This was our first time at the Fort for Halloween, but it won't be our last! Already have reservations for next year!

I haven't made my reservations yet for next year, but I am definitely thinking about it. Since Halloween is on a Sunday, the kids might have to miss school on Monday.

Originally Posted by LORNADUCK

TCD, I would have loved to meet you, I knew you were there because I reconized your daughter trick or treating. We we in 402 and I can't believe how busy it was. I have already tried to make reservations for next year, but so far no luck. We have been there for the last 5 years.
Dan I didn't even run into you this time, would have liked to say hi.

Sorry. Were you dressed as a nun? Or, are you a nun? If so, I was at my site when you came by. DD was so startled to be asked if she was TCD's daughter by a nun that she was evasive with her response. I went to Catholic school back in the day, and the TCD gang is scared of nuns. We will definitely meet up some time! (but don't wear your nun outfit).

Originally Posted by Born 2 Fish

Great stuff TCD,,and if I havnt already said so, is was great to meet you.

Right back at you. I think it was neat that I saw y'all on your first and last day at the Fort.

Originally Posted by Lil' Lisa

Great pics as usual! Keep 'em coming!

Yes, ma'am, will do!

Originally Posted by lklasing

I was hoping to find a good TCD trip report and that's just what I did. Looking forward to lots of pictures and stories!

Leslie

Pictures, check.

Stories, check.

More will be coming right up.

Originally Posted by LONE-STAR

tcd I hope you didn't think I was nuts when I met you I hadent slept in over 36 hrs when we met. I had hoped to see you again but never did.

Michael. You were doing fine for someone who hadn't slept in 36 hours! If I recall correctly, we met you when we were out on patrol after the MNSSHP on Thursday night, so it was probably after 1 AM as it was. You were doing better than most of the others who were out prowling around that late in the evening. I am sorry that we never met up again. Did you end up moving from the 100 loop? If so, to where? I know you were concerned about space, I would be interested to hear if you found a good site. You are still at the Fort, right? The weather has been perfect for the past couple of days, and looks to stay that way for the rest of this week. So, enjoy!

TCD

[2goofycampers]

Yep, TCD was the first and last Diser we met at The Fort.

Did you happen to get a pic of that ghost in 300 loop? To me that one thing was creepier than all the other decorations put together. The movement was weird, wish I took our video camera.

[Tri-circle-D]

It's time for our next installment.

In the last installment, we were looking at decorations in the 800 loop. I believe these photos were taken in the morning of October 30. Here are some more decorated sites on 800:



The mad scientist in this next photo was great. He operated on a motion sensor, and said a bunch of creepy sayings every time we passed by:



These campers set up their site like a haunted house:





Here are three more shots of site 802, as seen when exiting the 800 loop. Obviously, these are day-time shots. The decorations looked 100% better at night. I think I will have some night photos of this site to post later, but it was hard to get any good shots at night, as there was always a big crowd enjoying the decorations:







Here are a couple of campsites on the 700 loop:





We spent the early afternoon on Friday at Epcot enjoying the Sum of All Thrills, and then the Food and Wine Festival. It is really fun to go around and sample the foods offered at the different stations. The girls tried things that they never would have anywhere else, and ended up liking just about everything we sampled. But, it was too hot, and we needed to get back to the Fort to watch the golf cart parade. So, our visit to Epcot was short and sweet.

We made it back in plenty of time for the golf cart parade, which was set to begin at 6 pm. At one time, we toyed with the idea of entering the parade, but after seeing a few of the carts that were already decorated, we knew that there was no way we could compete, so we decided to find a good spot and watch the festivities. We wanted to be up near the beginning of the parade, so we found a spot just past the entrance to the 1100 loop, and waited.

There were a lot more spectators for the parade this year than there were last year:





Somewhere in our travels, we heard that there was going to be a special appearance at the parade. We weren't sure if it was going to be a Disney character, or what. But, as you may have already heard, it was none other than the Headless Horseman himself:













Truthfully, this was cool, but it was rather under-whelming. The Headless Horseman did not carry a pumpkin, and the horse just walked. As you may know, when he appears at the Not So Scary Halloween Party, the horse gallops through the Magic Kingdom, in dim lighting, with a glowing jack-o-lantern in his hand. That is impressive. This was not.

But, I still appreciate that FW tried to do something different.

And, then, right on the horse's heels, the golf carts came:

















There were way more carts in this year's parade!

I will post more golf cart parade photos next.

TCD