An Open Pre-Trip Report: Who Will Be At The Fort The Last Week of March 2014?

[bama_ed]

Looking good Ed. What size globes did you end up going with?

Tiggerdad,

I'm still following CDNCruiser's instructions and the head is a 12-inch globe and the ears are each 6-inches.

Gonna try to wire the cord and work on the pole tomorrow. Saturday is a throw-away day dedicated to Dear Daughter so I feel like time is REALLY running out once we get a week inside of departure.

Been checking the accuweather.com forecast and it's showing sun on arrival next Saturday but chance of rain into the midweek following. Oh well - maybe rain will keep the crowds away.

Also been checking the entertainment schedules (they look current) at http://www.wdwent.com. Live entertainment is one of the things I love particularly at EPCOT and also at MK (My favorites are the Dapper Dan's Barbershop Quartet at MK).

Finally I've been reviewing the "cheat sheets" at http://www.easywdw.com which I think will help me know which rides to choose and which ones to wait for lower wait times later.

Bama ED

 

[fynook12]

10 days til WDW!!!! My kids cross off the days every morning before we leave for the bus stop! Can't wait to hopefully meet some you guys at the Fort!! I will be working on my lime green DISer Mickey head to post somewhere on my cabin property this week!!

 

[WECAMP2]

Time to start getting ready for the trip south to FW. Bama Ed the mickey light is coming along. Hope to see you at the fort.

 

[Amandas4]

We finally got an ice chest. I'm still debating on whether we should fill it at home or wait till we get there. We will be staying the night in Georgia probably so we'd have to do dry ice to keep things cold for that long. I just don't know if it would be worth it just to save use the trip to the store in FL.
I have finished two shirts and a dress, I'd post a picture but i have no idea how. I've still got three maybe four shirts to do. and only 2 days to do them in. I've also got a major project for school that requires group work (I hate group work).
I have five days to get all this done.
I was curious though, how do you wash dishes in the tent sites?

 

[bama_ed]

10 days til WDW!!!! My kids cross off the days every morning before we leave for the bus stop! Can't wait to hopefully meet some you guys at the Fort!! I will be working on my lime green DISer Mickey head to post somewhere on my cabin property this week!!

Nook,

That's cute. Kinda like when I was a kid I made a paper chain before Christmas and tore off one link each day. It helps build the excitement.

Time to start getting ready for the trip south to FW. Bama Ed the mickey light is coming along. Hope to see you at the fort.

I hope so. But I'm afraid I'm forgetting to pack something. Oh well, at least if I do then I know where the Camping World and Wal-Mart are nearest the Fort.

We finally got an ice chest. I'm still debating on whether we should fill it at home or wait till we get there. We will be staying the night in Georgia probably so we'd have to do dry ice to keep things cold for that long. I just don't know if it would be worth it just to save use the trip to the store in FL.
I have finished two shirts and a dress, I'd post a picture but i have no idea how. I've still got three maybe four shirts to do. and only 2 days to do them in. I've also got a major project for school that requires group work (I hate group work).
I have five days to get all this done.
I was curious though, how do you wash dishes in the tent sites?

Amanda,

If you stop by my site during our visit (I plan to do a live trip report so you should know where I am) I'll show you how to post pix on the DIS. It's not hard at all.

As for dishware in the Tent sites, there are three options:

1. Disposable plates, flatware (Ed's favorite)

2. Bring two tubs, one for wash water and one for rinse water. However, at the end, your tub water (both) should be taken to the Comfort Station and poured down a drain (easiest in the oversized sink in the Laundry Section in the middle of the CS). Toting is not easy so use as little water as needed during wash/rinse.

3. Clean plates etc with napkins to be as "clean" as possible. Stack/take them to the aforementioned oversized sink in laundry room at the CS with your dish liquid and wash them there. I did that when I cooked a 22# turkey with all the sides at Thanksgiving one trip (I was washing for quite a while but it was a great experience - the turkey dinner that is).

Please don't just wash dishes at the site and pour your water out on the ground afterwards. That's not good for the environment (and leaves food particles for critters to find - the armadillos and raccoons will convene an immediate quorum at your site and invite all their friends). With as much traffic as the Fort gets, that would be a problem.

Or you could do what I do and sneak over and pour the gray water out at a neighbor's site like I did last trip with retiredandhappy.

JUST KIDDING Ken Or maybe I'm not.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Progress crawls but time flies. I might crack under the pressure but nonetheless there is progress.



Tick tock.

Bama ED

PS - don't get to use that emoticon too often.

 

[libba]

Getting fired up here! Still not totally thrilled with our overnight on Saturday but will have to live with it. List of stuff to do getting down to the nitty gritty! probably gonna grill out our first night there so we may toodle around in the golf cart to visit!

 

[cousineddie]

We started packing the camper last week, I checked my tire pressures today, truck has a fresh service on it (I told them we were towing our camper to disney and I think they charged me disney prices....)

As if I'm going to be worth anything at all this week at work.....

 

[Jeepin Dad]

This will be a busy week getting ready. Didn't get anything done this weekend, had a cub scout camping trip Friday and Saturday and then had church commitments and had to get some sleep sunday before an 18 hour shift at work. I am taking Thursday off to finish loading up the camper and get any last minute things done. We will be heading out sometime early Friday morning.

 

[connor2002]

This will be a busy week getting ready. Didn't get anything done this weekend, had a cub scout camping trip Friday and Saturday and then had church commitments and had to get some sleep sunday before an 18 hour shift at work. I am taking Thursday off to finish loading up the camper and get any last minute things done. We will be heading out sometime early Friday morning.

Dedication!

 

[bama_ed]

Okay. I have the globe built with the green light bulb. I showed that picture.

I sprayed a 2" pvc coupling black and screwed it into the base of the globe light fixture per the instructions with longer 1" #10-32 screws.

I bought a length of 2" pvc for the post and cut it to a 5' length, sprayed it black, and it's drying now in my garage.

For the base, here was my quickie idea.

I noticed with all my frequent trips to Home Depot (the staff greets me by name now) that they sold 18" round flat wooden discs pretty cheap (about $5). So I got one, cut a hole in the center with a 2-3/4" hole thingie, got another 2" coupling and wrapped it a few times with duct tape and wedged it into the hole I had cut.



My plan is to spray this black, put little 1" cubes on the bottom as feet, and snake an orange extention cord up through the base to plug into the wire from the globe. I hope it holds together.

Bama ED

 

[JETS70]

Bama Ed,
You might want to drill some small holes, maybe 1/4 inch around the outside perimeter of the disk. Get some tent stakes to drive through the holes into the ground to help stabilize the light in case one of those sudden Florida rainstorms come calling with a little wind. A sand bag or a couple of bricks may also do the trick if you are setting it on the paved part of your site.
just a suggestion.
JETS70

 

[bama_ed]

Bama Ed,
You might want to drill some small holes, maybe 1/4 inch around the outside perimeter of the disk. Get some tent stakes to drive through the holes into the ground to help stabilize the light in case one of those sudden Florida rainstorms come calling with a little wind. A sand bag or a couple of bricks may also do the trick if you are setting it on the paved part of your site.
just a suggestion.
JETS70

Thanks for idea, Jets. I had already considered bricks, rocks, or other weights on the base. The big head globe is thin and light but the ears are thicker and heavier. I was thinking about putting it on the concrete drive next to the trailer.

Plus I will probably put it away at night and when we're in the parks, just to be safe since this will be my first trip with it.

Bama ED

 

[bama_ed]

A couple things I wanted to get "on the record".

I used to be a runner (to look at me now you wouldn't believe it) and once did marathons and half marathons. But even now when I go to the Fort, I love to lace 'em up while the darkness is just giving way to light and get out and about in the morning. I have two favorite loops each approximately a 5k (3.1 mile) and on this trip I'll probably do each one at least once. I use a tool called http://www.gmap-pedometer.com to lay these out.

The first one is good for several reasons. One, it's all inside the Fort. Two, there's not a bunch of overlap. Three, it's a great walking track as well given the sidewalks. You can start this at nearly any loop by going out to the main road and starting there. The idea is to do a big figure-8 with the cabin loop and the camping loop and then throw in the Tent loops 2000 and 1500 to get the distance right.



The second 5k loop is a little more adventurous in that it goes out towards Wilderness Lodge through the old TTC to the Magic Kingdom and ends at the Contemporary. Ride the boat from the Contemporary to the Fort dock during your cool down.



I started both of these from the 100 loop. Weather permitting next week, this is my plan. Even if you are walking, these are nice flat treks.

Bama ED

 

[grumpyaggie]

Bama ED,
Like JETS 70 said stabilize your Mickey lamp well as it is very top heavy. We were at the Fort in Feb. and ours blew over one afternoon. Mickey lost his ears. We had it weighted down with water bottles, which I thought was good enough. The stakes are not a bad idea. Ours stayed out for 15 days.

 

[cousineddie]

If I don't have it, I'll buy it when I get there!

We're loaded and ready to go. I guess technically I can say we've started our vacation since the truck and camper are in my office parking lot. We're traveling with neighbors and I work with her, so whenever the kids all make it home they'll come over with the spouses and we leave from here this afternoon!

We'll take a nice easy trip down and make it there early on Saturday.

 

[libba]

Just now packing although been working on food this week! Headed out Saturday with an overnight in Tallahassee at Big Oak RV park. Should arrive early Sunday afternoon!

 

[staceyrhood]

Ok, Ya'll are really making me regret not booking the week of spring break! Hope everyone has a great time, maybe we will stop over to Trails End for lunch and say hi one day!

 

[bama_ed]

Bama ED,
Like JETS 70 said stabilize your Mickey lamp well as it is very top heavy. We were at the Fort in Feb. and ours blew over one afternoon. Mickey lost his ears. We had it weighted down with water bottles, which I thought was good enough. The stakes are not a bad idea. Ours stayed out for 15 days.

Aggs,

Sorry to hear what happened and thanks for the warning. Like I said, I'm going to err on the side of caution this first time around. I agree with the ears it can be a little top-heavy.

BTW, only 160-some days till kickoff. Did you know Coach Sumlin grew up as a boy in Brewton, AL? Yep, he's a Bama Boy! (I thought he was a good coach )

I guess technically I can say we've started our vacation since the truck and camper are in my office parking lot. We're traveling with neighbors and I work with her, so whenever the kids all make it home they'll come over with the spouses and we leave from here this afternoon!

I've done the camper-at-the-office thing and it's hard to concentrate. Safe travels.

Just now packing although been working on food this week! Headed out Saturday with an overnight in Tallahassee at Big Oak RV park. Should arrive early Sunday afternoon!

Libba, we're leaving tomorrow - one day ahead of you - and also overnighting in Tallahassee (hotel ). Don't hit any deer like Randolph did!

Ok, Ya'll are really making me regret not booking the week of spring break! Hope everyone has a great time, maybe we will stop over to Trails End for lunch and say hi one day!

Stacey, please do stop by. We check in on Saturday and our Fort days are Sunday and Tuesday (at least that's the plan). Other than a trip to DTD on those down days, we should be around. Would enjoy meeting a local DISser.

I got my Mickey lamp done, got the car washed and cleaned, getting a haircut tomorrow while DW goes to work and brings home the bacon then we should be leaving after lunch.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Oh well - tomorrow I might post one more time then we will shut this thread down (it is a pre-trip thread after all) and then I'll crank up a live trip report.

Bama Ed

 

[North of Mouse]

Enjoy your trip and be safe Bama Ed and others that have posted they will be there. We enjoyed it there last April, guess we'll pass this spring. Very upset about all the changes at Disney, and haven't really decided when we'll be back. It will at least be after MK Fantasyland is finished. Now I see they are destroying the rose garden and Swan Landing there!

AWWWWWW! What else????? Thought taking away MSB was bad enough - they just won't stop!! Sorry, just a rant!