I'd love your opinion experts!!!

[Christymarie222]

Ok...so we are planning a trip to the fort at the end of August. Here are my plans so far...what do you think?

We will be camping in a pop up with my DH, DD11, DD4, DD2. We will be traveling from NY. Plan on making the drive in 2 days with a stopover at a motel not a campground so we don't have to set up and lose time.

Planning on requesting a site in the 1800 loop cause we love to be away from the hustle and bustle and main roads. Because 1800 is off the beaten path we are going to get a golf cart for the week and a half we are there.

What do you think???? Sound good? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[skyp4WDW]

You could save some money by requesting the 2000 Loop (Partial Level). It also is away from the main drag; and less expensive, if that matters to you. You can save another 15% if you have AAA. Have fun.

 

[Christymarie222]

Thanks Skyp We are going to go with a site with a sewer....the little ones use the portapotty quite frequently..so it will be convenient to have the sewer to dump it into! Hmmm..have to check into the AAA discount...THANKS!!!

 

[bama_ed]

Greetings fellow pop-up owner.

Good plan on stopping at a motel while travelling and not popping up. We do this too. There's no need to pop up and pop down. Better to have a soft bed before driving and the free breakfast (we like Hampton Inns).

1800 has some sites along the canal which are pretty and quiet. You might request a site on the canal if you want.

For a golf cart I would recommend renting from Kenny at Tee Time Golf Carts. http://www.****************.com/. His rate comes out to about $35/day for a weekly rental which is about half the cost of Disney's carts. Also, his carts come with rain panels to put down at night or while you're gone at the theme parks. You'll keep your seats nice and dry while all the Disney carts are puddled up giving people wet pants.

Also I would advise fellow pop-up owners to learn from my mistake. Heavily slant your awning to shed rain when set up. I had one gather rain and tear/split under the weight. It was in May and we were in the 900 loop at the Fort. Or better yet, take the upright poles out and let it hang down loose over the pup door and window (maybe hide anything you have under the awning under the bunk ends). The replacement awning is expensive.

The five of you will probably fit in a 4-seat golf cart of Kenny's but make sure everyone is seated. The rule is "butts in seats" and you'll be fine with the Fort Popo. Your DD2 can be in the lap of the non-driving adult as long as she is being held on to.

End of August is not busy - summer crowds have gone home. Enjoy the campfire/singalong and roast some marshmellows for me.

Bama ED

 

[North of Mouse]

Everything sounds great if you have AC. Frequent, short (usually) daily thunderstorms are very much the norm in the summer. If you don't have air, you WILL be hot, muggy and miserable, and hard to sleep - nuff said

 

[Christymarie222]

Bama Ed...thank you so much! I didn't know the 1800 loop had canal sites...I will definitely request that and maybe we will get lucky How fun...can we fish from our site??? How cool would that be!

Thanks for the tips about Kenny and the awning too...yeah, that would be horrible to lose the awning, the expense and then being awningless for the remainder of the trip...not fun

Not sure what it was about your post...but it made me wish august was tomorrow! Woo hoo...it can't come soon enought

 

[bama_ed]

Bama Ed...thank you so much! I didn't know the 1800 loop had canal sites...I will definitely request that and maybe we will get lucky How fun...can we fish from our site??? How cool would that be!

Thanks for the tips about Kenny and the awning too...yeah, that would be horrible to lose the awning, the expense and then being awningless for the remainder of the trip...not fun

Not sure what it was about your post...but it made me wish august was tomorrow! Woo hoo...it can't come soon enought

Sure the 1800 probably has the fewest sites on the canal but it can't hurt to ask (or you can be across the road from the canal). 1600 has a few more as does 1500 (same canal).

I had a site on the 1500 canal and I liked to pull my folding chair up close to the water away from the trailer to read the newspaper and feel like it was my own personal "back porch".

Also I forgot to add my three favorite quotes about opinions (the word "opinion" was in your thread title).

1. Opinions are like noses: everybody has one

2. Everyone is entitled to my opinion

and

3. When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you (my father).

Bama ED

 

[Christymarie222]

North of Mouse: Yes, thank goodness we have air. We bought the popup knowing we would be traveling to the Fort...so it was a major requirement. I do want to invest in those gizmo things though!

Bama Ed: Ha...too funny! Your father and my husband must be related Thanks again about the canal advice...never would have thought to ask about it!

 

[twoWDWfools]

Bama Ed: apparently line #3 is in the Dad's handbook because mine used it to.


We got very lucky with our awning during a storm years ago - big puddle but it held. Neighbors not so lucky. It was torn away from the pop up. From then on we always slanted the awning. Lots.

 

[KristinU]

Sounds great to me - we did the trip twice from CT in our A-frame pop-up (though we did pop up on the road, but that's the Aliner's forte)

I just wanted to comment on the 2 day trip and say that it is do-able, and to suggest our MO: leave on the first morning wicked early at "o'dark thirty" - let the kids go to sleep in their travel clothes the night before and carry them to the loaded and hitched car and off you go. That way they sleep through the first 3-4 hours or so and you get a jump on the day's driving. My DS loves being able to sleep in his clothes, somewhat of a novelty for him. And I'm an early riser, so I'd much rather get up wicked early than try to stay awake into the night - kinda fun to watch the world wake up!

Have fun!

 

[Christymarie222]

Kristen...I am trying to talk my DH into leaving "wicked early"....lol love the new england lingo! He is against it, but I will wear him down! I am much more comfortable driving when there isn't a ton of traffic and it would be ideal to get past DC/northern VA before rush hour. He can sleep on a picket fence, so I don't know why he would care anyway! Then he can pick up the rest of the driving for the remainder of the day.

 

[KristinU]

Kristen...I am trying to talk my DH into leaving "wicked early"....lol love the new england lingo! He is against it, but I will wear him down! I am much more comfortable driving when there isn't a ton of traffic and it would be ideal to get past DC/northern VA before rush hour. He can sleep on a picket fence, so I don't know why he would care anyway! Then he can pick up the rest of the driving for the remainder of the day.

LOL, I did drop a "wicked" or two on ya, didn't I?

 

[twoWDWfools]

We drive from Chicago and always leave at o'dark thirty. Used to frog march DS to the car in his jammies and just drop him into the back of the van. Always want to clear the city and "under the lake" before the traffic gets bad.

We stop in Macon on the way down. Hotel to avoid the set up thing.

 

[Christymarie222]

We are from NY...pretty close to NYC. So my sister grew up near NYC, went to school in Boston and now lives in Minnesota. It is very interesting to listen to her speak...lol! She still drops the wicked thing all the time....love it!

Ok...so sounds like we are on the right track with traveling then....good! Thanks everyone for the input...it is much appreciated. Just finalized ressies last night and booked Mickey's Backyard BBQ and cinderella's royal table. My credit card is still in shock over the cinderella thing

Woo hoo....so excited