How I ended up on the camping board - How did you get here?

[Whipperwhirl]

I used to hang out on the Podcast forum alot - I loved that show - I was such a fan I happened to be in Florida during one of their live podcast shows and I went out of my way to meet them. I dragged my husband there and everything. Go back and listen to the first live podcast show - you will hear my little voice. I would go online during the chat times and try to make connections with people. I did not make one lifelong friend on that forum. If you couldn’t afford a cruise, an extended stay at the GF, or a DVC membership - no one cared who you were or what your opinion was about anything. I felt about as welcome there as a skunk at Thanksgiving dinner. Chats moved so fast you couldnt keep up with any conversation. Talk about inside jokes - they have an inside language over there.

We planned our first trip to disney with the kids with the "assistance" of the podcast board - it was successful. But it was way to stressed - we came home - EXHAUSTED. We decided we needed a way to make our next vacation much more relaxed. We knew we would be back in the next ten months or so because we had bought season passes. One day I read on some post that one day the TAG fairy had visited the camping forum - thats the first time I even realized there was a place to camp at WDW. The mind started clicking and I realized - we could camp - why not? Sure - we didnt even own a tent - but we could do it - how hard could it be?

From day one at this Camping forum I have felt nothing but warmth. I never had to ask to join a "secret" club - I just opened the door and walked right in. I asked questions here - got honest answers - sometimes with silly punch lines that I enjoyed - laughing is good for the soul. If I had a question that was off topic - I went to the community forum - simple as that. After months of planning with the assistance of this board - I showed up at my campsite - put up some green Mickey mouse ears - people came up and shook my hand and said welcome. I don't even like camping that much - I am much more a hotel person - take me out to eat - but now that we have experienced Fort Wilderness - its community - I can't see us going to Disney any other way. We are even looking into buying a camper.

This board has changed our families lives for the better. I dare anyone to say that about any other group of people on this forum. I have never properly said thank you to any one of you so before anyone else gets poofed - now is my opportunity - So Thank you.

 

[SCtigercock]

I got here by searching the web about RC. TCD's epic is footnoted on the RC Wikipedia site. Not to be confused with Wikileak site. After killing a night reading the epic tale, beats the snot out of War and Peace, I was hooked on this forum.
I first got on to inquire about some things since my hubby and I were going down for our first trip in our RV. it had been ~10 years since i had been to the Fort. Everyone was quick with a response. And I realized there are Fort nuts (Fiends, the PC name) like myself. I'm not warped afterall. Well not warped about the Fort at least.
I've stayed around because I am dealing with ALOT of stuff now in one walk of life. So I can count on many laughs here. Even though I have not met anyone in person, I hope to share an adult beverage one day. I'm buying.
And they even let my horrible spelling, fat finger, get ahead of myself, smartphone ramblings go without to much censure.
So Fiends thanks and I really hope things return to the crazed norm this place was.

 

[anolefan]

We bought our first camper in July 2009. Shortly after our purchase we were invited to stay at the Fort with my wife's uncle. He graciously paid for our first trip. In the weeks leading up to our visit I stumbled upon the DIS while researching the Fort online. I was hooked at once and became a serious lurker. I found so much information that when we arrived, I already felt like I knew where to go even though I had never been there in the past (except for a quick RC visit back in 97).

After that initial visit, I continued to lurk and lurk. I didn't register until about 8 months later. I ended up making my first post live from the Fort in May 2010 during my wife and I's anniversary weekend. I received a very nice welcome from several members and since then I have been posting more.

I still consider myself more of a lurker, since my post count is pretty humble, but I enjoy writing trip reports now and sharing our visits with the board. I think the camping board directly reflects what you experience when you are actually camping. Friendly people that are quick to engage in conversation and if needed, help on pretty much anything that comes up.

 

[ftwildernessrick]

Well, I guess it all started many years ago, even pre-Windows computer era when you basically had chat rooms & threads. There were a few threads about Disney, people with questions about the park, resorts, etc. and I tried to help them with giving out information. Well, these threads went by the wayside with Windows, so I was in limbo and only could help those people I knew from family & work.

WDW, to someone who has never been, then just goes down & shows up without a plan or a clue, usually winds up with a bad vacation. I would hear coments like, "Well, at least I did it once for my kids , but I won't be back." and similiar coments. Then when I asked what happened, it all boiled down to not properly planning and not knowing what to expect.

When I ran across the Disboards camping forum several months ago and read as a lurker for a while, I decided this is the place I need to be. There are very many knowledgeable people in this forum, who are willing to be pass on their experiences, opinions, & facts for the betterment of others, along with a few well meaning jibes to keep it light.

Hopefully, I am able to contribute to this.

 

[mgsmom]

I agree - the planning will make or break your vacation.

DH and I decided to plan a trip to WDW in July 2009 (started planning fall 2008). We wanted to stay onsite, so I started at the Disney website and QUICKLY got overwhelmed with all the choices. I had a great interest in the Fort - on our previous trip to Disney, DH told me there was a campground. Seeing as the Disney site didn't have much info, I started to do some searching on my own. I ended up at allears and mouseplanet and finally found this place! I was SO happy to find such friendly and helpful people. It made my trip so much fun to plan - and fun to report on!

It has been fun making friends and hearing all the different stories from the Fort - can't wait to go back!

 

[des1954]

I blame NTSammy5.

 

[mnsprk]

Belong to two other camping clubs. One day talked about how we love coming to WDW, WL and the FORT and someone said, "Are you on the DisBoards"? The rest is history....

 

[GOBA Mom Lynn]

Somehow I found the DISboards before our 2003 vacation at CSR, and mostly read on the resorts and theme park boards. Stuck around planning our 2004 trip, all the while not realizing there was a camping board. We are campers, but never thought about doing it for a trip to WDW. Well, one day I guess I found the camping board and started reading. ( and really haven't had the desire to go back to the resorts board.) Next thing you know I was convincing my DH that the next time we go to WDW we should camp at FW. He agreed, and we did our FW trip in 2009. All the advice I got from those here helped make it the best trip yet. Even though we don't have another trip planned, I come here almost every day to keep up to date, and follow along with all the fun! Hopefully, someday we'll be back to the Fort and we'll get to meet some of the fiends.

I hope the regular posters don't feel the need to leave, as there will be lots of people lost in "cyberspace" without things to read, laugh and dream about future trips.

 

[Pinkee77]

I found the Dis because of the Camping Board. I had searched the internet for information on camping at Fort Wilderness.

I had been wanting to take my kids camping. They, nor I had ever been camping before. We (my ex and I) had talked about camping ....well, mostly I talked about it.....but it never happened. After he and I separated, it was evident that if my children were going to experience things in life (camping among those things), it was up to me.

My idea was make our first camping trip somewhere not too far from home, and within close proximity to a hotel in case something went wrong. Voila! Fort Wilderness. We love Disney. My sister and her husband use to take their kids and they always loved it. So I booked my first trip.

My friends and family all thought I was nuts for taking two kids tent camping by myself. Because of all the help and information I received, I was well prepared for that first trip. Not only for Fort Wilderness, but, camping in general. And I felt like I had a “safety net”. Because of the warmth and friendliness of the folks around here, I knew that help would be there if I needed it - all I had to do was go knock on their door. Shoot, at one point stacktester even offered me the coquina pad at his site.

The kids and I were hooked after that first trip and we made some fantastic memories that they will never forget. (Something that never would have happened without the confidence boost I received here.) Our camping trips to the Fort have been the subject of many writing projects in school. All their teachers and friends now know all about the Fort. And I have instilled in them a love for camping - they are the next generation of Fort Fiends!

 

[campingdawgs]

I found the Disboards through the Passporter guide book for Disney. I lurked on all the boards for a long time, but got really interested in the camping boards in 2006 when we bought our camper.

I didn't join and start posting until I had surgery and was at home on lots of drugs. It seemed like a good idea at the time!

The trip reports (especially TCD's) are always fun to read and the threads can be hilarious! I read them aloud to DH. I have really learned a lot here and I can even post some tips now. I had the pleasure of meeting TCD on my most recent trip, and I hope to meet more Fiends on our future trips!

 

[AnotherAlice]

I found this forum while searching for info on what to expect for our first family trip to FW. There is sooooooo much more info here (along with helpful photos) than on the official WDW site!!!

I would have just passed on through except that the posters in this forum seemed like such real, genuine, down-to-earth people that I took a chance and joined in.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

I did a search on golf carts at Fort Wilderness, it brought me here.

 

[graciejane]

I was posting on a different board but quickly figured out that the only people there (while they were very nice) stayed at the resorts...there were no campers So I did some searching for a place that was a little more me and found the Dis camping boards. I may not post often, but the camping boards are my favorite evening reading

 

[momoffive]

Belong to two other camping clubs. One day talked about how we love coming to WDW, WL and the FORT and someone said, "Are you on the DisBoards"? The rest is history....

Ditto!

 

[ntsammy5]

The otters told me while we were drinking beer

 

[kampfirekim]

My husband used to lurk and print out the highlights for me to read. When we finally replaced our computer after the "crash" several years ago, he urged me to sign up. A monster was created. Muuuuuuaahhhaaahahahahahaha!!!!!

Ironically, I had to talk HIM into signing up later.

 

[beccaewert]

Our 1 year anniversary in 2005, I told my dh that I wanted to go to disney, I had camped several years earlier with some friends family from highschool. At first he was reluctant, thinking it was a kids vacation. I was bound and determined to make sure this was an awesome vacation for the both of us before our children had entered the picture. Because of this boards help, I was able to create an amazing vacation for the both of us, and we have been back several times since...with our 2 boys! SO DIS camping boards have been there for me the past 6 years...and its been a great relationship so far....PLEASE everyone don't leave....if your not here, how will I find out about the updates/constructions/news/and plain silliness thats happening at the fort?

 

[mrsgus06]

I've stayed around because I am dealing with ALOT of stuff now in one walk of life. So I can count on many laughs here. Even though I have not met anyone in person, I hope to share an adult beverage one day. I'm buying.


Just saying, if you are buying I probably live right around the corner! Some times I consider myself an adult.

 

[retired and happy]

Our story is similar to KFK's. DW was registered some time back and I occasionally looked at some posts as a curiosity. When our computer crashed we had to rebuild everything and I registered on my own in a similar interest to our involvement with iRV2.com.

We have met a few campers in our 12 years or so of visiting the Fort, but we met several fiends this past Christmas as a result of DW's accident wherein she broke her arm and was hospitalized for 6 days. With our three special needs kids, I couldn't go to the hospital with her, so she and I communicated by cell phone and with fellow fiends by DisBoards Camping Forum. We were comforted by the warmth of the fiends who brought us food, offered comments on the forum, and even went to the hospital to bring DW back to the Fort when she was discharged. What a group of fiends and friends.

I have "virtually" met one fiend who, it turns out, went to school with my oldest son. War Eagle! We met one who entertains visitors with a magnificant castle display around Christmas. We received many words of comfort when we lost two children: one in 2006 on the way to the Fort, and one in 2008 while we were at the Fort.

Thanks every one. We will be back for Christmas/New years and maybe for a week in the summer. Keep the green ears flying.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Whipperwhirl]

Retired and Happy - I frequently read your posts with tears in my eyes - you and your wife have such strength and compassion. We hope to be at the Fort this Christmas as well - I'm not sure we will be flying green Mickey ears - but I hope to see you there - just look for my duck tape art in loop 1500.