FW frogs are happy frogs -or- Is it frog mating season? UPDATE-NEW PICS

[Nature Mom]

I am sitting in my canopy kitchen right now by the canal and for the 6th night in a row, the frogs are the loudest I have ever heard frogs be. Either amphibians are just really content in this World of Disney, or it is that time of year. Either way....it is pretty durn good (and the frogs agree).

Other random trip report popcorn thoughts:

The worse thing about camping; the late night walk to the bath-house. One of the best things about camping; that late night walk out of the bath-house back to your site and you look up....and the sky makes it all worth it.

Resort hopping is so much fun. Coming home to the Fort is even better. (I wish I could hop to PO for some beignets right now, though.)

MNSSHP was really good this year (but admittedly I only have last years to compare it too). I got some great pictures I think (rented a Sigma 1.4 from advice on Photography Board...love that lens!) I have so many to work with it is almost shameful to realize how many I have snapped since we arrived last Wednesday. I think my Headless Horseman shot is good though, can't wait to d/l and see it on the screen (and yes, I have too much adrenalin still to sleep....it was fun but I still am thinking of all I didn't get done and wondering if we should do one more party before we go? Who am I kidding...I will be so broke by then I would need to sell a kidney! )

DD11 is convinced one of the horses we have seen a few times riding around the fort with a CM only and not a tour kind of thing is the horse for ole Headless. I think she is right after seeing him tonight.

I will never ride a bus.

I love the boats. The monorail is like MARTA in Atlanta after a few trips on it. Not really fun but in the right mind set, can be very entertaining.

The walk was not bad between FW and Wilderness Lodge. Not much to see. Curious about some chickens though. If there really is a DVC property going there, I would hope it would not be a big sprawling place, but that section of property looks like prime building property if I was speculating on such, which I am.

Isn't looping fun? I wave to everyone...if you see some crazy lady smiling and waving and saying 'hey y'all' a lot (and no, it ain't Paula Dean-she doesn't have that trademarked, lol!)... say 'hey' back and wave...it is probably me, trying to drive and hang on to my hat.

Y.E.S. classes are a mix of great, good and so-so. Nothing has been bad, just some were better than others. We have our last in the morning (report at 7:45 ) so if you see the lady that looks like she needs some sleep, that will be me.

I hate that 11 year olds are considered adults when eating. She eats 3 things and I pay an adult price. I hate buffets....except Garden Grove at the Swan. That was a DELICIOUS seafood buffet and the character interaction was great. After dinner, we walked to the Boardwalk and then back to the Swan where I had gone ahead and drove and parked. We were pressed for time or I would have tried the transfers, but it could work with patience and time. Since I had no time, and my DD was out of patience...we drove.

I will have more food to discuss later: Chefs de France, Tusker House, Primetime Cafe, etc. ....but later, all in time....plus, it is making me hungry!

I really want some beignets.

Dang....those frogs are loud!

More to come...

 

[Born 2 Fish]

First, let me say, your post is wonderful,,thank you.
Second, your post makes me have a warm fuzzy homesick feel for the Fort. Wow, do I miss it.
And third, I think it's a combination for the frogs,,,just being at the Fort would make a frog ,uh,well, you know,
Soo looking forward to hearing more

 

[becky1960]

If you cut over to the dirt path FW - WL you will get to see deer, they are there all the time according to reports. We saw them last trip, you can almost touch them..

 

[2goofycampers]

Great TR, even without the pics. Do the frogs look like this?

 

[luckycharm19335]

First, let me say, your post is wonderful,,thank you.
Second, your post makes me have a warm fuzzy homesick feel for the Fort. Wow, do I miss it.
And third, I think it's a combination for the frogs,,,just being at the Fort would make a frog ,uh,well, you know,
Soo looking forward to hearing more

Just Frogs?

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Just Frogs?

 

[Nature Mom]

First, let me say, your post is wonderful,,thank you.
Second, your post makes me have a warm fuzzy homesick feel for the Fort. Wow, do I miss it.
And third, I think it's a combination for the frogs,,,just being at the Fort would make a frog ,uh,well, you know,
Soo looking forward to hearing more

Thank you.

If you cut over to the dirt path FW - WL you will get to see deer, they are there all the time according to reports. We saw them last trip, you can almost touch them..

We meandered all through some dirt and gravel paths back there and saw a few deer. Nice to see the Prince of the Forest being represented here at the Fort.

Great TR, even without the pics. Do the frogs look like this?

They do!

Just Frogs?

Today's report (I think you'll know the tune):

Raindrops keep falling on my tent.
I'm just hoping that my tent poles don't get bent.
Oh, crying is not for me,
Raindrops keep falling, oh they keep on falling.
But rain...it won't defeat me,
cause I'm still at Dis-ney.
Happiness (and pixie dust) jump up to greet me.
Ba da daa dum, ba da daa dum.....
Oh they're a fallin, just keep on fallin...


And on that last note (ba da bump... pun intended!), good night and pray I don't float away. Today was spent in dealing with rain more than enjoying the trip (Wal-Marts, traffic on 4 and tarps involved...yuck), except for the gumbo and beignets tonight at P.O. to warm us up (it was supposed to be a cooking night....that didn't happen at all). Tomorrow we dine with princesses for breakfast, even if I have to take an ark to get there. Only 2 more days left so going to make the most of it! As Dory says, "Just keep swimming!"

 

[mikron]

Their just talking about how much they like living at Disnay. It think they are trying to hook up also.

 

[Nature Mom]

Hello folks...back from the Fort and going through the WDW DTs right about now. After being in the WDW bubble for 2 weeks, it was surely hard to come home and deal with reality again. You know you spent too long at Disney World if you think something is wrong when the toilet doesn't auto flush behind you any longer and the sink doesn't turn on by itself. I'm in the post-Disney blues, where even bathrooms are magical.

Finally settled in at home again after bring the rain back from Orlando with us, and worked most of the day yesterday on the couch going through the 4,000 + photos I took. Dang, I took a lot of snaps!!! Nice to relive them though, helps me write a TR, if only in my head so far.

Came home to fall in GA...no sounds of frogs are greeting me at night, the cicadas all gone. First frost will be soon and it just makes me....want to go camping!! lol

I'm going to book a site for late January at the Fort next week; another Homeschool Day event, yay! I also think I am going to have my FIL who is now a FL resident buy an AP for me (still buy DDs tickets through Y.E.S. program)...I could come so much more and save some money! It is amazing to look back at my Passporter book and our days' schedules and realize there are still things we haven't done yet, even after 2 weeks! We are true Disney (and Fort Wilderness) converts now. I even recently thought to myself, if something ever happened to my life now and I needed something new, I would move to Orlando to work at WDW (preferably as a Photopass photog). Of course it isn't the most perfect place in the world, and if you are the kind of person who lets all the actual stress of that kind of vacation bother you, then it is not the right kind of place for you. But if you are a happy person, have a way about you that can make even a stressed mom and a screaming kid chill out, then I think it is a perfect place.

We decided early on in our trip that we would not let others' behavior and things we can't control ruin our fun, and it didn't. I also didn't stress about the 'getting my value for the money I spent' syndrome that seems to plague so many others. I have never seen so many parents nearly force their children into more food or sodas because they wanted to make sure they are getting their monies worth.

Lots more to add, day by day TR heavy with pics and more random popcorn thoughts to come...hope ya'll stick around.

First pic: View on way to FW first morning (I promise, not indicative of quality of pics to come--mobile pic on the highway):

 

[Nature Mom]

Hello FW campers and TR readers.

I haven't forgotten about you, and hope that you haven't forgotten me! Life has been busy since our return, and sadly I have lost several people in the past few weeks that has taken my time and focus. I have not felt much for writing a new edition to the TR, sad to say.

I'm doing better today, finally processing a few pics (none of these are edited though, you have to wait in the time-line of things for those, lol) and thought I would share a few from what is uploaded to Photobucket to keep your interests up.

Give me time and I will get back to the report, but here is a brief beginning.

Yay! We are here!! Arrival:

So, for the record of how things went if you are just tuning in: We arrived early Wednesday morning (9/27) and checked in. I had a credit card issue that was quickly resolved (amazing CMs, still working on writing that letter) and we were given our site in the 2000 loop. Off we go, DD and I to set up and get the show on the road! After nearly 5...yes I said FIVE...hours of set-up, we finally had a camp. What took so long in set up this go 'round was my kitchen canopy. I am so short, and could not get it to go up and lock into place so the rest of it would pop up, I struggled with it for hours! I had gotten the tent put up first, then the small pop-up canopy for the kid to sit under when I needed her out of the way (why is it kids go nuts when you first get to a campground?!). But I digress.... I had her set things up in the tent as much as possible while I continued to work on that dang-nabbit canopy frame. After what seemed like the longest time, and because DD kept telling me how long I had been at it ("Do you realize, Mom that it is now 3:00 and you started this at 11?" Yeah, those updates came often...grrrr... ), a family rolled up with their pop-up and set up next to us. In 15 minutes. (Which has prompted me to decide I am buying one for us). In between shouting at her kid, the DW finally shouted at me to ask if I needed help and then shouted at her DH to come help me. They walked over and pop! Up went the canopy! God, I hate being so short, sometimes. I thanked them profusely as they walked away, and then I finally got the canopy on and the kitchen was ready. The irony in all this is that we barely used it; we ate out more than we cooked; and the canopy frame refused to unlock which meant when we tore down I literally broke the thing and put it in the dumpster!!

Camp: I put the kitchen canopy nearest the canal, because I wanted to sit out there and listen to the creatures at night when kiddo went to bed, and because by the time I had it up and ready to secure, the aforementioned neighbors had moved in and I needed a barrier. Worked well, although I think I will just do tent to back of canal next time for more privacy and avoidance of the car lights (although across the canal at the cabins was very loud at times).

Welcome to our camp!

After the fiasco of set up, I was falling over exhausted. All night drive from Atlanta, check in and set up had left me about ready to collapse. DD was worried, because certain things can trigger seizures and while I didn't think I was in any danger, she had me convinced to go to the pool to 'cool off and rest'. Haha, smart girl, she was ready for the slide! Luckily for us, Kenny had our cart delivered to our site while we were setting up, so after a quick change, off we go!! The pool felt so good, the hot tub was a bit too warm still at that time of the day, but all in all, kiddo had the right idea!

I have photos of the pool trip, followed by what has been deemed our tradition for arrival night: Dinner at Trails End, but the next day my camera card freaks out at DTD, so all photos taken up until then are most likely in the great netherworld of lost data.

First full day after arrival, off to DTD. The camera has its episode almost right as we walk up so I take a few minutes to check my gear sitting on the rocks to T-Rex. Lens, good. Battery, full. Strange code keeps popping on screen so quick Google and text to DH who is stayed home this trip for work. He pulls up Nikon codes and relieves my "OMG, my camera is broke!" moment. I find out memory card is probably toast, so the following are all mobile pics (which kinda suck, sorry).

Waiting to pick up our tickets at GS. Long line but pleasant people to get to know and talk with. DD just wanted to A. go. B. text:

After our turn at GS, we are off again!

Walking around, hey Woody and Buzz!

T-Rex looks so cool!

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u286/DeltaDawn_photos/IMAG0053.jpg

I told DD we would eat here, but we never did. Oh well, another to look forward to when we go back.

After checking out DTD for a bit...we are hot, tired and my camera issues are weighing on my mind, so off to find a mall or other store to get a new HD card. I was going to be more than upset if the lens I rented for good night shots wasn't going to get used, so camera issues became an urgent problem for me. While I didn't get upset about it, I did want it resolved and quickly so we wouldn't waste any time when it came time for park days. Off we go, found a Wal-Mart which had something good enough, plus a few other things I needed. The McDonald's in the parking lot was screaming at me that it had good ice tea, lol, so I pulled in and grabbed us a quick bite and my tea before heading back to the Fort. Plus side, the drive-thru worker noticed my AAA card as I took my CC out of my wallet and gave me a discount! Nice! Didn't even ask and saved a few bucks...I like that!

Back to the Fort after a day of what seemed like a bunch of nothing but tired us out anyway. Change into our suits, hop in our cart and zoom over to the pool. As we pulled up, we noticed the Archery being put away for the day. Darn! We forgot about that today. Oh well, maybe later. Pool time, then steaks on the grill at the site followed by a little looping, the fireworks, water parade and then a movie in the tent as we get ready for our first Y.E.S. class the next day. And of course the first class is at the park ya gotta do first....THE MAGIC KINGDOM!!!

To be continued....

 

[Born 2 Fish]

very much loving it,

 

[Skyw]

I love the picture of your DD. LOL. Thanks for the trippie.

 

[Nature Mom]

very much loving it,

Thank you.

I love the picture of your DD. LOL. Thanks for the trippie.

Thanks! There will be many more rolled eyes pictures. Ahh, the joys of adolesence!

After jumping around and reading other TRs, I realize I didn't introduce the members of this trip. Some of you may have figured it out, lol, but this trip is just DD11 and I. DS has work/college/getting ready to join the Navy, DD17 is not homeschooled and is a Junior in HS. She is active in several things, plus it was Spirit Week one of the weeks we were gone and she didn't want to miss any of that. My husband is a non-believer in magic and doesn't 'do' Disney, (we haven't converted him yet..but he still hasn't been to the Fort. We'll get him eventually!) so he stayed home for work. Which is pretty much what he would do anyway. His trips are fishing trips. To Utah. Or Colorado. Montana. Luckily for me I fish too, so the Patagonia and Alaska trips...well, let's just say I claimed seniority over my son who usually goes with him and I will be doing those excursions instead.

So, this is the fam:

(sorry for the mess and icky photo. Camera phone in a dark sushi place with a messy table doesn't leave me a lot to work with. I'm just happy that we are all in one picture for once.)

And this is DD and I (and I don't always wear that shirt, lol, but like I have said in a previous post, there have been lots of people that have passed away these past few weeks so it has gotten worn often):

Small addition update to Arrival day and day 2:

Remember the lost camera card I spoke of? Well, lo and behold, I got it to upload and I am so glad I did, because without it I completely had forgotten what we did before we went to DTD on day 2! I also was able to recover a few of the pics of DD doing the slide at the pool, so am happy to add those in, too.

Line doesn't look too long for slide:

Here is DD enjoying the slide:

Ahh, yeah...now that feels good!

After a little swim time, we carted over to Trails End to fill up our mugs (yes, I did break down and buy them this time) and we paused to look around a few minutes. Because anything that blings, brings!

And for the 1st time, but definitely not the last, the words are uttered, "oooh, Mom, I want this!" lol

We walked over to the Tri Circle D to say hi to the horses but they were already put away. Still like the sign though.

Clouds started to roll in, so we decided to go get dressed so we can come back to TE for dinner.

But first a few pictures of the carriage carrying....CMS?

I love this so much, I gave it a pencil finish, too:

After a quick presto-chango, back to TE for dinner. DD waiting for our server to come.

A yummy, comfort food dinner after the day we had was just the ticket! Our waitress, Serena, was ever so pleasant.

She even took one (or two) of us.

This one I made antique, as if it was 1971 when we were visiting. I do this a lot so be warned. I just think it vibes with the 40th Birthday celebration.

Next post....what we did the next morning that I am so glad my camera made me remember....

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Very cool pics and report,

"next morning",,,?,,,

 

[Nature Mom]

Very cool pics and report,

"next morning",,,?,,

Thank you...you know I am enjoying your live report so much, it is making me more encouraged to do mine and not be in the post-Disney funk. Yes, yes...right away. Coming up right now!

So, the next morning, we wake up and get moving slowly. Thank God that was the plan, because after the previous day I was wiped out and was so thankful I wouldn't be having to schlep all over a park that day trying to keep up with Little Miss Energy. After goofing around the campsite a little having fruit and coffee, taking a few pictures of the inhabitants of our site,

and getting to know the neighbor on the other side (Hi, G from Toronto if you're reading!), we got ourselves ready because she was anstsy TO GO and I was ready to surprise her with a little food treat and check out somewhere new, so we are off..... to Port Orleans! Okay, it wasn't the Cinderella suite or anything like that, but I read that their CS has beignets and for some reason this child has missed the experience of Cafe du Monde (I MUST rectify that!) and beignets, coffee and a place to sit and watch the world go by in a place where we have never been seemed like a win. Plus, I just REALLY wanted some beignets. lol

This is the first time I have tried hopping around resorts to check them out, and even though I have seen hundreds of pictures here on the Dis, seeing really is believing. She didn't know where we were going and asked about a thousand times, but when we pulled up to the gate she stopped talking and started looking. Wow. Isn't it amazing how even the parking lots of Disney can inspire a hushed awe?! Nice. Real nice. The gate guard welcomed us and directed me to guest parking, then the doormen welcomed us in and hoped we enjoyed our visit enough to stay with them next time. With service like this, why wouldn't I? Oh...because I am a Fort junkie. That's why. lol

We walk in and both DD and I agree that food happens NOW! And so it did. These. OMG....I love these....

So did she:

Of course they aren't exactly what one would expect after original New Orleans' beignets, but these do the trick. And they will do their trick a few more times. Mmmm....the simple beignet. So good. I want one now. Must. Quit. Talking. About. Them.

Moving on..... (and getting away from the thought of beignets, lol) we go for a short walk.

Met up with a band. The bandleader looks as if he would lead me down the wrong alley.

This guy is just a lil trippy.

The cymbalist was going to clang on DD's head:

But he gave up when he realized her head was so hard. They just decided to have a nice portrait done to remember the occasion.

Came across a jester making jokes in the sun:

And then we spied the rest of the jazz band playing pool side:

Saw the King of the Seas:

Pool looks almost empty:

And then we kept walking a little more:

Well, we basically walked a circle. The sun was high. The day was hot. DTD was still calling our names, so our last picture before heading to DTD where the camera freaked out which leaves us with the end to this additional Arrival/1st full day update.

Last picture and then we are off again:

Next post....FINALLY, the first park day and first Y.E.S. class. No more interruptions. Haha...as if.

p.s. from now on, I am pretty sure new days will be in at least 2 installments. Trying to write a report without emoticons so I can fit all the pics into one posting is hard! lol Plus, I realize that this may be a little picture heavy, so I will break them down more as we move into park days. Thanks for reading! (and I would smile here, but I have ran out of image room, hahaha!)

 

[angelmom27]

Awesome pics and lovin the TR.

 

[Skyw]

The more pictures the better.....

Thanks for the report.

 

[queen95]

Thanks for the trip report....wanted to put the popcorn smile, but can't find it.
Looking forward to reading more.

 

[bigblock396]

Really have enjoyed reading your trip report. Sorry to hear about the losses you had in your family.

 

[Nature Mom]

Awesome pics and lovin the TR.

Thank you!

The more pictures the better.....

Thanks for the report.

Glad you like them! Thanks!

Thanks for the trip report....wanted to put the popcorn smile, but can't find it.
Looking forward to reading more.

Thank you...writing more TODAY!!!

Really have enjoyed reading your trip report. Sorry to hear about the losses you had in your family.

Thank you, for both the compliment and the condolences.

Holy cow...it has been nearly 2 months since I have posted on the board! Wow, I am so sorry...time really does slip away, especially when you have the post Disney blues coupled with life's troubles and multiply that with the holidays! It is amazing I can still string together a sentence after the last two months I have had! The good news for me is that things have settled down, a new year is upon us, and life is looking up (because it can't get any lower!). The good news for you...I will return to my TR, pictures and all the banter that goes along with it. Aren't you ever so lucky?!

So, stick with me if you can....I have to dust off the notes, but the TR continues this week!