I'm new here...

[Susiequsie60]

Thanks to Bama Ed for pointing me in the right direction to this "Camping at Disney World" board. Yay! I posted on the Resorts page with a little intro, but I'm going to put it here again:

OK - I've been away for awhile. It's just about time for me to start withdrawal since this is the first year in 3 that we will not be going to WDW and staying at the Boardwalk Inn to celebrate our wedding anniversary in early February. Two things have changed our plans:

1. That always present always pesky WORK

2. The purchase this past summer of a beautiful travel trailer!!

So, now that we have that baby, we're going to use her! I just booked 8 nights at Ft. Wilderness, arriving on Monday, August 22, and checking out on Tuesday, August 30. As always, we'll be driving down from NJ, except this time we'll be pulling our "hotel room" behind us!

I'm stupendously excited. Really cannot wait. I'm sure I'll be here to ask lots of questions.

Bama Ed also suggested I post a picture of our TT, so here goes:



That's our girl! Other than 2 or 3 weekend trips this past summer upstate New York to a family place, we haven't really even used it yet. Hope to have a few trips under our belt this spring and summer before we head to Disney at the end of August. Really looking forward to reading on this board!!!

 

[Teamubr]

SQ!

This is a slightly strange group... campers and all. (At least if you read about us on the other DIS forums), but you already know that if you're friends of Ed's.

Don't feel too bad, many of us are.

Congrats on the new TT. You are going to love the Fort. It is a whole different side of Disney that people at the resorts never get to experience. If there is anything you wnat to know, just ask. Someone will be along to help... or at least make something up that sounds really good.

j

 

[Bishoparc]

Welcome!

 

[bama_ed]

Folks, I found SusieQ over on the Resorts board asking questions about camping at the Fort with her trailer (which she was so excited about). No one had responded to her thread and I felt that she needed to be redirected to where folks would appreciate what she had to say and could share in her excitement. Naturally I said there are folks on the Camping Board who feel like you do and would like to see your trailer (and the truck looks good too).

Don't tell her about the drive down I95 (the Baltimore detour) just yet with a trailer but let's welcome her.

Bama Ed

 

[PaHunter]

Welcome to the camping board. Glad to have you aboard.

 

[PaHunter]

Ed, she said she camps in New York, so she already knows that NJ has a "leaving the state fee". And depending on where in Jersey it wouldn't be too far to hit 80 to 81 to avoid 95 traffic.

 

[lodge]

Beautiful combo you have there! Welcome to this awesome community of campers!

 

[sirenia88]

First off, you listened to bama ed? At least it was better than listening to tiggerdad! LOL Welcome to camping forum. Once you enter, you never leave. Really you just don't.

 

[Disneypeach]

Welcome! You'll love camping at the Fort!

 

[tiggerdad]

Yeah, I'm the village idiot.

 

[4077]

Welcome and have a great time!

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

Welcome, after one trip to the Fort you'll be hooked!

 

[2goofycampers]

Welcome!

 

[Chkysbak]

First and foremost... Welcome

I have to admit, I currently don't own a TT, as I have a MH, but I had a TT for 6 years prior and traveled down to FW from NC. While I don't know about the I95 in NY, I do know about I95 from NC to FL. Only issue I ever had was in Jacksonville, FL. Traffic was always a pain, and I loved that long high bridge. You will be fine, as you just take your time as it isn't a race. From looking at your picture I have a few questions. First the assumptions: 1/2 ton Lincoln Truck (V8), ~26 to 30 ft TT, looks like your parked on a hill. Do you have a weight distribution hitch? I ask this as it looks like the rear of the truck is too low. Just a friendly suggestion, if you park on a hill, especially with a TT I would cut your wheels hard left. This way if something happens you will only roll about 3 feet or so. Don't ask me how I know that....lol

Fort Wilderness is a great place, and as everyone has stated above once you go to FW you will probably never go anywhere else. Nice looking TT & Truck

 

[rajak73]

This is a slightly strange group

What do you mean "slightly"?

Just a friendly suggestion, if you park on a hill, especially with a TT I would cut your wheels hard left. This way if something happens you will only roll about 3 feet or so. Don't ask me how I know that....lol

How do you know that? I think we all know "how" you know that!

 

[peg110]

Another to the Camping Boards.

We have a 27' TT that I used to tow with an F150, but after one trip to Fort Wilderness, the DW allowed (and even encouraged) me to get a larger one. We now have the F250 and it does much better. (Gas mileage is still horibble but better than the 150 was).

I think you will love the fort, especially if you love camping. The Fort is an AWESOME campground with much to offer.

As others have said, this forum is a (mostly) friendly (but defensive) forum. Biggest thing to watch out about with Tiggerdad is not to say anything bad about the squirrels. You've heard of the Ghost Whisperer? The Dog Whisperer? I think Tiggerdad is the Squirrel Whisperer! (I guess that qualifies as slightly strange, right?)

In all seriousness, nice setup you have there. I am sure you will enjoy it.

 

[KristinU]

Welcome!!! Nice looking rig!

And depending on where in Jersey it wouldn't be too far to hit 80 to 81 to avoid 95 traffic.

This, this, this! Once we found the 81 route, we haven't been on 95 north of Richmond

 

[peg110]

I have found that going on I-95 can make a difference depending on the time of day you pass through the DC (and surrounding) area.

We typically don't leave from the Wilkes-Barre PA (NE PA) area until about 5 or 6 PM (on a weekday) and we are getting into the DC area as things are dying down, so it's not so bad. Unfortunately our luck coming home and timing it is much harder (for us). I let my google maps guide me and it has been pretty reliable.

 

[jbrostek]

Nice rig and Welcome! I never had a TT, I went from a C to a diesel A, and now a monster of a 5th wheel (specially compared to Ed's A liner at 40'.) I been going to the fort annually for over 7 years now!!! I love the trip and the Disney bubble that takes me away from the real world even for a short time.

As for roads and routes, I would avoid I95 north of Richmond if you can. Being a NoVA local I do hit 95 north of Richmond but south of DC on purpose to avoid most of the hell and traffic involved.

We leave for our trip in under 2 weeks and are in final prep mode now!

 

[Susiequsie60]

Oh my goodness. I think I'm going to like this group!!! (Don't tell anyone I said this, but for some reason it seems to me that campers are just a little bit more "chill" than some other groups I've run in to.)

And Chkysbak - if you have any advice at all for me, BRING IT ON! My husband and I are very very new at this. And my hubby is a very capable guy. He just retired from 29 years as a police officer. (Don't worry - I'm sending him back to work at another job.) But I have to say, hitching and driving that truck/trailer is something that really makes him slightly nervous. I know we need lots of practice.

As far as the hitch itself, we just purchased a Hensley Hitch, but have yet to put on. (Our camper is sleeping undercover for the winter.) I think the purpose of the new hitch was weight distribution? Am I making sense? I feel like I might be speaking a foreign language here. I'm not terribly knowledgable. There are quite a few guys (longtime TT campers) that worked with my husband who have been trying to help us. But again, I am not the type of person to be offended by any advice or suggestions that anyone wants to provide.

We have driven to WDW many times in the past. Tell me more about avoiding I95 on the drive south...

Thanks for the nice welcome!