Finally Home from the Fort: Trip Report to Follow

[Lil' Lisa]

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[Bdawgsc]

I'm so glad you came back to finish! We were starting to worry.

You can definitely fall asleep anywhere at the drop of a hat! You don't do that while you are driving, do you?

HA! It's one of those things that seems to happen more frequently the older i get. In general, this was supposed to be a relaxing vacation, but seemed to be anything but by the time I drove home.

Thanks for reading along!

 

[DaveInTN]

Just getting caught up with some TR's after being away from the DIS for a bit. Really enjoying your report and looking forward to more.

 

[testtubes]

Really enjoying your TR.

 

[Bdawgsc]

OK, I'm a slacker. I know it. So since TCD and everyone else is getting ahead of me, I better get to movin'.


Day 4
Wednesday, November 17

I woke up much later than normal, but decided that was reason enough to make cinnamon rolls. I'm easily convinced. It seemed like a big check out day, so there was a lot of activity. I lounged the morning away. The plan was DAK for EMH. I've always wanted to see the park in the dark, so this was my chance. Unfortunately, since my friends are locals, I knew I'd be going alone. More about that later.

Reality was also setting in that this was the half way point of a much-needed vacation. I considered calling and extending or maybe hitting a resort for a few nights, but decided I should just go home and mentally prepare myself for the holiday with the Family. And plan a return trip ASAP while the AP was still valid.

I cooked some lunch and did some dishes. I dislike that as much on vacation as much as I do at home.

I decided to head over to Epcot to see what crowds were like. When I got there, it was empty. EVERYTHING was a walk on except Soarin', and that only had a 25 min wait.

I grabbed a shot of the defunct Wonders of Life Pavilion... which I miss.

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And Mission: Space - which I hadn't ridden since opening weekend in 2003 (I think). I actually enjoyed the less-intense side.

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So, I did all of future world and headed over to DAK about 5:30.


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(Yes, I know it's a terrible photo, but I just wanted to prove I was there)


It was even emptier in DAK. At one point between Asia and Africa I was the only person around. Everest was walk on, which was nice, so I rode a few times with a new friend I made there. She was about the age of my grandmother. And talked on her phone at first (odd), but she ended up being really fun and was doing just what I was - seeing the park in the dark (I made a rhyme). It's a totally different experience at night. Everest is a MUST DO at night.

About 7:30, I'd had enough so I made my way back to the Fort and to the beach to see Wishes!. The bus was the oldest WDW bus I've ever been on. The music was playing, though, which I noticed was rare.

There weren't many people at all on the beach. I had no trouble grabbing a beer and a lounge chair in time. Afterwards, I headed back to the 2000 loop, had another beer and did some reading. TV and bed.

See, nice and boring.

 

[Bdawgsc]

OK, moving right along!

Day 5
Thursday, November 18

I was up pretty early. More people were leaving and it was starting to get a little lonely in the 2000 loop. Haha. There was a couple two sites down who were easily in their 80's. Great people and TENT CAMPING. I just hope to make it to 80… I can't imagine camping when I'm that age. Also, my cool, funny and cheery next-door neighbors were breaking down camp. They'd had an incident with their air mattress in the middle of the night (which I'd heard) and were laughing as they hauled it to the curb. Folks, LISTEN when I tell you that you shouldn't over-inflate your air mattresses. I was a little sad to see them go. It's hard to have good people around you.

The plan for the day was to make it a total Fort day. Rent a golf cart and just be lazy. Now, let me just say, lazy is my middle name, so I didn't see that being a problem. In fact, I'm so good at it, I sat around drinking coffee and writing the TR for a couple of hours.

Until I smelled the burning.

I dismissed it as a bug in my heater or something. Well… turns out I should have listened to myself and used a separate extension cord just for the heater. I melted my surge strip.

I know. I know. Stop judging now. I really did know better. It was vacation-itis. I had my "common sense" blinders on. Plus, it was a heavy duty strip, so I figured my little heater on low wouldn't be a big deal. Oops.

Well, I did my thing and went and rented a golf cart. I should probably preface this by explaining that golf carts don't excite me. They're not even novel! I actually drive one nearly identical to the Fort carts everyday for my job. For that reason, I didn't plan on renting one while on vacation, but I did and I'm glad.

Renting the cart wasn't all that different from renting a car! I signed my life away and said goodbye to my neighbors and did some looping.

Here she is:


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I have to say, this is the way to see the Fort! Wow. There was so much I hadn't seen and I tried to cram it all in. I later realized how much I would have missed if I hadn't rented the cart. I had some lunch and hit the pool. And by pool I mean hot tub. Wow. Yeah. No way I can handle the pool this time of year.

Some photos I took:

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Notice the fish actually come to me. Just sayin'.

I had gotten a little hungry and wanted something different so I decided to head over to the Lodge and snack some, then MK to see some friends. And the best part? On the way back I stopped for a sweet treat!


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Now, let's be fair. I know this isn't the most I could cram into that bowl, but I could feel the diabetes setting in as I ate this much. And what a value! It was about $4. That's gotta be the cheapest dessert on property.

I headed back on the boat with a lot of confused families going to the HDDR. It had gotten COLD out. But my cart was waiting for me at the marina!

So, after I got back I lounged some and decided to go looping. I mean, how could I not?!? When in Rome….

It was pretty cold out on the cart, but I bundled up. I drove down and caught the fireworks - another MNSSHP night - and then started looping. I made it a point to hit every loop at least once. I had a great time just checking out everyone's different setups. I'm gathering ideas for if I ever do get the small TT or PUP that I've had my eye on for a long time now. I also talked to quite a few families. I looked from BradyBz, but they weren't around.

The decorations were out, but not all that many and it was too cold to fumble with the camera a lot, so sorry, no photos.

It was late and I called it a night. I bundled up in all sorts of warm clothes and climbed in a cold sleeping bag. Why didn't I think to at least start the car to warm the bag up a little? I stayed pretty warm that night, but not as comfortable as I would have liked. Go figure, this was the coldest night of the trip!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

OK, I'm a slacker. I know it. So since TCD and everyone else is getting ahead of me, I better get to movin'.

Nothing like a little pressure from a TCD trip report, eh?

I'm glad you got movin' again.

You have posted some great photos.

Good job on renting the cart for one night. I think that's a great idea- there is nothing like looping- especially when there are decorations to be seen!

Looking forward to more!

TCD

 

[storyteller]

very good.

 

[ambertides]

 

[Bdawgsc]

I've been negligent in finishing this up. I do apologize!

Day 6
Friday, November 19

This was supposed to be my last full day, so I wanted to do a few things I hadn't done yet. I also didn't have anything else to cook, so that meant I got to eat out.

I returned the cart and went back to get the car. I drove over to DAK. There were cops EVERYWHERE running radar. Luckily, I just happened to slow down when the speed limit dropped on Osceola. They were pulling people left and right near DAK. I remember a time when speed limits were just a "suggestion" at WDW and no cops were ever around.

DAK wasn't very crowded, so I did all of the old favorites and even grabbed a quick lunch at Pizzafari. Lion King was on the list and then I wandered the Jungle Trek and Pangani trail. I haven't done that in years. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed everything, except the bats. I know for a fact I took tons of photos, but they seem to be missing.

After I left DAK, I headed over to Kissimmee to meet some friends for coffee. Then I drove over to a Super Target I've seen out on 192 before and bought some snacks and a heater. Of course, this meant that it wasn't going to get below 70 the rest of the trip, but I was willing to take that chance.

I headed back to the Fort and actually took a nap after I packed a few things up. It was about that time that a friend of mine started asking a lot of questions about why I wasn't staying the weekend and how great it would be if all of us actually got to spend time just hanging out. Needless to say, my arm was twisted.

This is when I started noticing people arriving - a LOT of people. The 2000 loop went from 30% occupancy to 100% in that day. And with the added people came the added pains in the rear ends. No really. I'm serious. PAINS. I think stacktester said it best in his description, but I won't pass that on. There was a LOT of noise. Kids out of control. Teenagers driving golf carts unsafely. Slamming on the brakes and sliding down the road. Lights shining into the side of my tent at night. People cutting across my site to get to theirs. And the comfort station was constantly being trashed. The loop attendants would clean it and 30 minutes later it'd be trashed again. This wasn't how I planned to end my trip! end rant.

After my nap, it was Epcot for dinner time. I planned to get there early to see what I wanted to see and not hang around after Illuminations. I also had to go to the Outpost to check and see if I could actually extend a day. As luck would have it I could. I made my way to Epcot (on bus) and had a few drinks, dinner, The American Adventure, Illuminations and then realized how exhausted I was. I was so tired my eyes hurt! I made my way back and crashed.

I always love the flags on the way to the hall of mirrors...

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The China Pavilion is one of my favorites at night.


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[Bdawgsc]

OK, the real final full day. I have to make this one up as I go along. It looks like I never took time to write it up.

Well, I bought a heater on Friday which means the low that night was about 70. haha. No heat needed. So be it. I woke up around 8 and it was nice out.


From Front of Site

I had plans for breakfast this morning with my friends who work for the Mouse, so I got my act together and braved the packed comfort station at prime shower time. Never have I been so glad to have my shower shoes. The scene in there was a definite reminder that I'm glad I planned this out. So many guys were carrying their toiletries around in grocery bags. I can't think of anywhere else I'd want to put my toothbrush... and other wet things... than in a grocery sack. Obviously no photos of that, but I admit I did feel a little superior.

So the plan was to meet at TE for breakfast. Which fell apart since everyone was running late. It ended up being an early lunch, but that's ok. I'd been waiting for an excuse to try their lunch menu. We all laughed a lot and told stories from when we were younger, less-wise, and probably had one-too-many kungalooshes. The food was perfectly fine, but nothing special.

They had to go to work, but begged me to come see their parts in the parade at DHS. I agreed with the understanding that I wasn't to be included in any way, shape or form. They agreed. I have a feeling their fingers were crossed behind their backs...

So I got myself together, drove out to fill the car up and hit DHS, again. I got the spot I was told to get to see everyone best about 10 minutes before the parade (coincidentally, the longest I've probably ever stood for a parade, or watched a parade, or... you get the picture).

I was waiting patiently for everything to get going when a larger lady walked up and stood DIRECTLY beside me. Now, there was plenty of space to stand. Was I being punked? hidden camera? Mocked by her family? Nope. She just stood RIGHT THERE. And then her elbow started touching me. First just a bump (no apology) and then BAM. She almost knocked me down. Now, I'm not a little guy. I'm 6'1 and over 200lbs so imagine how hard she had to push me. Well, as I was catching myself and not getting an apology, she moved RIGHT INTO THE SPOT WHERE I WAS STANDING. I had chosen a fairly tight spot that was near a pole or tree or something. It's not like she could have fit 10 more kids in my spot. It was just rude and after 7 days of vacation, I said some not-so-gentlemanly things to her that would have offended even the most rugged, seasoned Marines. OK, maybe it would have impressed them if not offended them. She, honestly, looked at me and said "You're rude." Ladies and gentlemen, it took every ounce of self respect, dignity, manners and lessons my mama taught me to not knock that woman on her sorry behind right in front of her kids. Instead, I did the only thing I could and pushed her right back out of my spot in front of every guest standing around us while firmly saying, "I would have given it to you had you just asked you rude **expletive**. Not saying I was any sort of hero, but there may have been a clap or three. And that, readers, was how my day at DHS started. I also got a sticker from the cast member who witnessed all of it. The lady didn't move again, btw.

So, after that I was pretty wound up, but here comes the parade. I was looking for my friends, but I just couldn't spot them. It didn't make any sense. Then the parade stops and they just kinda appear from somewhere else. I didn't take any photos, I'm sorry to say. I was just trying to enjoy it and not make them nervous. Well, I guess they'd told every performer who I was, what I was wearing and where I'd be standing. I hate attention. No really. I mean, whatever, but I typically prefer they give it to kids and families. It might be the only trip to WDW they'll ever take. I can go anytime. Well, I danced a little and embarrassed myself a lot. That's all I'll say. All I got for my mad performance skillz was this little ball...




That really made my day after the crazy lady. I gave her a smile that said all I wanted to say as I walked back over to the curb and stood in my spot.

Afterwards, I headed and grabbed some lunch while I waited on the parade to finish. That was uneventful....

So I met up with one of my friends. We'll just call her.... Jasmine. Gotta protect the innocent. She said that our other friend, we'll call him Larry, wasn't off and would be doing some sort of character for an hour. Well... turns out he was one of my favorites...

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlefatty/5197215344/]
untiltled

We weren't sure which one of these guys Larry was until we heard flopping plastic RUNNING towards us and then stopping and standing like a statue, or plastic action figure, right behind us. Good laughs. Great times. And a photo. The one and only photo of me the whole trip.

After that he did some more ridiculous stuff with his handler and to entertain the kids.

I was about done by this point, but I wanted to snap a few more photos and have a chance to say goodbye to everyone.


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I didn't feel up for waiting for the lighting of the Osborne Lights, so I said my goodbyes and headed back to the Fort. I did stop for an adult beverage for later along the way, though.

I got back and really made a concerted effort to get things together. It had gotten later than I'd planned, so I decided to go get something to eat. I thought about a GYAG, but that was too much food, so I headed to the boat. I should have just hopped on and ridden to the lodge, but I waited on the MK boat. It took forever. No really... about 30 minutes. So I was really hungry. Then I had to make my way to food. By the time I got there, everything was pretty close to closing. All of that and I got a burger. haha. So I ducked through the blow out exit and went to wait on the boat. And waited. And waited. And waited. And watched Wishes and waited. AND WAITED. Finally a boat arrived and i was able to squeeze on. I got back and finished putting things away. It was pretty sad, actually. Knowing the end was near. I was out pretty early. I planned on being up and at 'em early Sunday.