Coming out of lurkdom and heading to the Fort in November!

[photogal06]

Hi, All! I’m new to the disboards but not new to Ft Wilderness or to camping! We will be heading down from MI to the Fort after Thanksgiving, and that will make our 4th time camping there. Our last Fort trip was in 2008, and it was a complete disaster. Everything that could have gone wrong did, including dd (then 9) winding up in the hospital and nearly not coming home. Lotsa lessons learned on that trip! In 2009, we did our first non-camping Disney trip and stayed at Bay Lake Towers. It was practically perfect….except that we missed our dogs! So this fall we are attempting the Fort again, wiser and with more realistic expectations!

We’ve sold our travel trailer and purchased a “vintage” Class C motorhome, which is a much better fit for our family. I’m not sure whether it’s “vintage” or simply “old”, LOL!…..it’s a 1989 Travelcraft in great condition for its age. I’m trying to figure out how to decorate it since we’ll be down for the holidays, and I’ve gotten some great ideas here! I stopped in to Home Depot and picked up some Mickey heads in the paint department, though I haven’t quite decided what to do with them yet. I really wish I’d picked up more Fort specific souvenirs on past trips. I have a Musket Mickey fridge magnet, a FW license plate and a FW woven throw blanket, so those will have to do!

We are really looking forward to enjoying the Fort this trip! I’ll look for green ears in November and get busy making a set for us!

 

[Robert6401]

With a name like "photogal06," we are going to be expecting LOTS of pictures!

 

[mnsprk]

Since your going after Thanksgiving you should have a great time. Decorations are all up, the crowds are slim and weather is almost perfect.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Welcome, former lurker.

So you stayed at BLT?

Cool!

Did you get to see any fireworks from the roof?

I like the fact that you are now upgrading to the Fort.

In a new to you motorhome.

Right after Thanksgiving is a great time to visit!

TCD

 

[retired and happy]

Since you've been a lurker, you may already know they have discontinued resort-specific merchandise. So there will not be much opportunity to increase your Fort memorabilia, except maybe on eBay and flea markets. You will find stuff on the boards that people have made that might give you some decorating ideas. Of course green Mickey signs and Mickey lamps come to mind along with original t-shirts, etc. And a lot of Christmas decorations will show up by Thanksgiving.

Sorry we won't meet you Thanksgiving. We're coming closer to Christmas. So enjoy...the Fort and the forum.

 

[mikmouse]

Hi, All! I’m new to the disboards but not new to Ft Wilderness or to camping! We will be heading down from MI to the Fort after Thanksgiving, and that will make our 4th time camping there. Our last Fort trip was in 2008, and it was a complete disaster. Everything that could have gone wrong did, including dd (then 9) winding up in the hospital and nearly not coming home. Lotsa lessons learned on that trip! In 2009, we did our first non-camping Disney trip and stayed at Bay Lake Towers. It was practically perfect….except that we missed our dogs! So this fall we are attempting the Fort again, wiser and with more realistic expectations!

We’ve sold our travel trailer and purchased a “vintage” Class C motorhome, which is a much better fit for our family. I’m not sure whether it’s “vintage” or simply “old”, LOL!…..it’s a 1989 Travelcraft in great condition for its age. I’m trying to figure out how to decorate it since we’ll be down for the holidays, and I’ve gotten some great ideas here! I stopped in to Home Depot and picked up some Mickey heads in the paint department, though I haven’t quite decided what to do with them yet. I really wish I’d picked up more Fort specific souvenirs on past trips. I have a Musket Mickey fridge magnet, a FW license plate and a FW woven throw blanket, so those will have to do!

We are really looking forward to enjoying the Fort this trip! I’ll look for green ears in November and get busy making a set for us!

So happy you will be at the Fort!

We arrive on December 5. Maybe we can hook up with you. Looking forward to our annual trip to the Fort. Cannot wait

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Welcome aboard ! We've been waiting for you !

Sorry to hear bout the bad episode ,,but now that it's outta the way, ya'll should hava magical time this trip

Sounds like you already hava great start on your camper decor .
And I'm sure that our fur babies love the Fort as much as we do.

Ya'll are going at a great time.

 

[Lil' Lisa]

We're glad to have you on board. Now that you are more experienced campers, I'm sure that you will have a wonderful time.

 

[MomofSixinSC]

If you don't mind re-living bad memories, would you tell what mistakes you made, so i won't re-make them?

 

[lledman]

I hope this trip is better than your 2008 one. We'll be arriving at the Fort on Thanksgiving day - maybe I'll see you there.

 

[kampfirekim]

Yea! You're finally here! Glad you've forsaken your lurking ways and decided to join us! Welcome to the DisBoards!

 

[photogal06]

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone! I'm sorry it's taken me 5 days to get back here---so much fun summer stuff going on right now!

With a name like "photogal06," we are going to be expecting LOTS of pictures!

I am a bit shutter-happy, so I'll have lots to post once I find a new hosting site!

Welcome, former lurker.

So you stayed at BLT?

Cool!

Did you get to see any fireworks from the roof?

BLT was amazing, and we actually watched the fireworks in our jammies, sitting on our balcony!

If you don't mind re-living bad memories, would you tell what mistakes you made, so i won't re-make them?

Most of our mistakes fell under the heading of trying to do too much in too little time. We had a nightmare time just getting down to FL--tow vehicle broke down just before we left, trailer sprung a leak on the way down, spent 14 hours on the road the first day and 12 hours the next, went to MVMCP the night we arrived. Between the bus ride to the boat dock, the boat ride over to MK, the MVMCP and then the reverse back to camp, we didn't get back until after midnight, and we were all beyond exhausted. That night, dd came down with a flu, and she already had a cold to start with. But we were at Disney and on a schedule! We'd planned to have a "parks" vacation where we were in the parks every day, and it didn't work. I was stressed about how much time we were "losing" on Disney transportation, about having to go back to FW during the day to let the dogs out, about how we weren't accomplishing everything I wanted to accomplish on the trip. Then dd wound up in the PICU for 2 days, and I regained some perspective!

So last year we did the BLT trip, left the dogs at home with a fabulous sitter, and spent every day at the parks and got that out of our systems! It was a perfect trip, but it cost so darned much it will never be repeated, LOL! And we missed our dogs. So this year will be a "FW" trip....we're going to MK one day, Epcot one day, and spending the rest of our days in the campground, doing the activities there, hoping it's warm enough to swim, walking the dogs over and over and over around the loops, watching the movies and water parade, and just enjoying the Fort and our family time together.

 

[YodaGirl]

Most of our mistakes fell under the heading of trying to do too much in too little time. We had a nightmare time just getting down to FL--tow vehicle broke down just before we left, trailer sprung a leak on the way down, spent 14 hours on the road the first day and 12 hours the next, went to MVMCP the night we arrived. Between the bus ride to the boat dock, the boat ride over to MK, the MVMCP and then the reverse back to camp, we didn't get back until after midnight, and we were all beyond exhausted. That night, dd came down with a flu, and she already had a cold to start with. But we were at Disney and on a schedule! We'd planned to have a "parks" vacation where we were in the parks every day, and it didn't work. I was stressed about how much time we were "losing" on Disney transportation, about having to go back to FW during the day to let the dogs out, about how we weren't accomplishing everything I wanted to accomplish on the trip. Then dd wound up in the PICU for 2 days, and I regained some perspective!

So last year we did the BLT trip, left the dogs at home with a fabulous sitter, and spent every day at the parks and got that out of our systems! It was a perfect trip, but it cost so darned much it will never be repeated, LOL! And we missed our dogs. So this year will be a "FW" trip....we're going to MK one day, Epcot one day, and spending the rest of our days in the campground, doing the activities there, hoping it's warm enough to swim, walking the dogs over and over and over around the loops, watching the movies and water parade, and just enjoying the Fort and our family time together.

Oh, my!

We've always done park vacations. We're looking forward to our "Fort-focused" trip this October.

Hope that you a blast this trip!

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

So this year will be a "FW" trip....we're going to MK one day, Epcot one day, and spending the rest of our days in the campground, doing the activities there, hoping it's warm enough to swim, walking the dogs over and over and over around the loops, watching the movies and water parade, and just enjoying the Fort and our family time together.

Sounds like a perfect plan!