Letterboxing and Geocaching

[monkeybug]

Sorry about all the questions, but they seem to be the one thing I never run out of!
Is letterboxing or geocaching allowed at FW? Or the rest of Disney?
I'm guessing no because of security, but my family loves both, and it would be a cool souvenir (especially a letterbox, we would love to stamp our book with a stamp from Disney)

 

[Whipperwhirl]

Huh? I learn something new every day - what are you talking about?

 

[Shan-man]

I've never heard of letterboxing, but I see no reason FW would care about Geocaching. I use my laptop and GPS extensively while at FW (for an as yet undisclosed purpose!). I would think as long as the caches are not causing folks to traipse through other's sites or into dangerous areas there wouldn't be a problem.

 

[Skyw]

I haven't heard...but that would be fun. We do that here in Indiana. HAve you looked up Disney on the Geocache site?

For those of you who don't know...It is like a treasure hunt. The modern day version is GPS coordinates. At the coordinates is a box (ammo box) and you leave something in the box or sign a book. It is fun.

 

[Skyw]

Found some at MK and the other parks....Some were virtual (geocache web site). It would be fun to put one at the Fort.

 

[monkeybug]

Huh? I learn something new every day - what are you talking about?

Letterboxing and geocaching are basically treasure hunting, and a really fun way to get outside with your family!
We tell our kids we have been chosen for spy training, and finding these boxes are our training missions. (we're dorks) They buy it hook, line & sinker! One of the "rules" of both letterboxing and geocaching is to not let the "muggles" (people who are in the area and not letterboxing or geocaching) find out what you are doing. My kids love being sneaky, it's their favorite part!(I'm in for it when they're teens aren't I?)

You can find more about letterboxing here-
http://www.atlasquest.com/
and
http://www.letterboxing.org/

Geocaching requires a GPS (letter boxes are found using clues) but is fun because you find actual "treasure" in the boxes (letter boxes contain stamps and a book, you stamp your book with the stamp in the box, and then you stamp the book in the box with your stamp. The stamps are usually hand made and reflect the area you find them in) With Geocaching you take a treasure (could be something as simple as a sticker to something bigger like money or movie tickets) and you leave a treasure behind. You can find out more about Geocaching at-

http://www.geocaching.com/

 

[monkeybug]

Found some at MK and the other parks....Some were virtual (geocache web site). It would be fun to put one at the Fort.

OH! That is so cool! I never would have thought they would have them in the actual parks! I guess I just assumed that for security reasons they wouldn't allow it. I will go and check out the website! Finding ones in really crowded places is the best. Our hands down favorite finds were in an Ikea and on a river trolley in our old town.
We were thinking that if it was allowed we would leave one somewhere in FW!

 

[Shan-man]

I think one that involves the remains of the old railroad right-of-way, now quite hidden, would be very fun. Heck, just finding the old line is kinda a treasure hunt in itself even without a cache. I think the biggest problem you might encounter is having your caches discovered by the ever-vigilant landscape and maintenance 'muggles'! You'd really need some hidden or out-of-the-way spots.

 

[monkeybug]

Great, not that I needed one more thing to do in the park, but this one sounds super cool!!!
This is from the geocache website-

"This cache was put together with Disney items that are normally seen by guests, but are a bit uncommon! Being that I work at Disney, I personally chose interesting items, including pins, postcards, buttons, etc.

There are a lot of items, so please trade "one for one," and remember to trade for equal value or better value. Also, only Disney items will be allowed in this cache, so if you do not have items to trade, please just sign the log and come back another time.

This cache is very kid friendly, so by all means, bring the kids! As the title implies, this cache literally is in "Mickey's Backyard," behind the Magic Kingdom!

Please keep me posted as to the condition of the cache - I want to keep it well maintained! Make sure to re-hide well, as I want to make sure it does not get muggled again!

Good Luck ye landlubbers!"

 

[monkeybug]

I think one that involves the remains of the old railroad right-of-way, now quite hidden, would be very fun. Heck, just finding the old line is kinda a treasure hunt in itself even without a cache. I think the biggest problem you might encounter is having your caches discovered by the ever-vigilant landscape and maintenance 'muggles'! You'd really need some hidden or out-of-the-way spots.

Oh the railroad would be a great one! With letterboxing the boxes often include some educational info. about the spot, and I bet some people don't know that there was once a train running through (I wouldn't if not for this board)! We could make a train stamp and leave some info. about it's past in the log book! Awesome idea!! Thanks!!!

 

[vick]

I've never heard of letterboxing, but I see no reason FW would care about Geocaching. I use my laptop and GPS extensively while at FW (for an as yet undisclosed purpose!). I would think as long as the caches are not causing folks to traipse through other's sites or into dangerous areas there wouldn't be a problem.

When are you going to disclose your purpose?

 

[monkeybug]

It would also be fun to hide the clue for it in on the disboard, in the camping forum of course!
Something like go ask a beer drinking otter...

 

[carierraine]

I have found letterboxes on Disney property, fairly close to Fort Wilderness. I don't want to reveal where and spoil the fun for everyone else. The game takes you places you might never think of going, and there is always something interesting there. It it really hard to keep boxes in place because of how good Disney landscaping/cleaning is, but some are very ingenious. I like to take some of my down time out of the parks letterboxing. Such Fun!

Trail name: WOW
MOM

 

[monkeybug]

I have found letterboxes on Disney property, fairly close to Fort Wilderness. I don't want to reveal where and spoil the fun for everyone else. The game takes you places you might never think of going, and there is always something interesting there. It it really hard to keep boxes in place because of how good Disney landscaping/cleaning is, but some are very ingenious. I like to take some of my down time out of the parks letterboxing. Such Fun!

Trail name: WOW
MOM

Yay! I am pretty sure we have a stamp from every state we have visited, and it will be awesome to add a Disney on to our book!

Our trailname is The Monkey Bugs.

 

[monkeybug]

For those of you just now finding out what the heck we are talking about here is what is included in one of the caches currently hidden some where near Disney-

"The container is a clear plastic jar wrapped in a black plastic bag. The cache now contains: Mickey Animal Kingdom Watch, Cinderella Statue, Pink Trinket, Senor Donald Duck Travel Bug, Shutter Bug #4 Travel Bug, and Tin Pusher Travel Bug; a Mickey Mouse Autograph Book and pen are there for you to sign when you find the cache."

My kids would be over the moon to find something like that! It just makes it all the more fun to know that probably thousands of people walk by it everyday and don't know it's there! So fun!

I am not finding any listed in FW yet...maybe after April that will change...

 

[Skyw]

Ya know, I didn't even think about doing this at Disney. We always look up a few when we are on vacation. We were going to go to St Johns USVI and they have some there too.

I suppose I will have to add another day at the Fort now that we have something else to do.

I love the idea about making it a spy mission. The ones we have found are usually in the woods...no one around anyhow.

 

[BradyBz12]

I use my laptop and GPS extensively while at FW (for an as yet undisclosed purpose!).

[waiting patiently]

 

[Skyw]

There is a cache at the fort.....the hint "mickey's backyard". I can give you the coordinates if you want. Have something small to put in the box. Somepeople use coins, toys etc.

 

[Shan-man]

My undisclosed purpose is ....








Undisclosed! Just keep holding your breath. I go back to the Fort in 301 days, and then I can continue my work! I have enlisted the assistance of some operatives who are going in the meantime who will help move the project along, perhaps enough to reveal my secret purpose before my next trip. So, if anyone is going to the Fort, is planning to do some looping, and are interested in gathering some data for me... lemme know!

 

[monkeybug]

There is a cache at the fort.....the hint "mickey's backyard". I can give you the coordinates if you want. Have something small to put in the box. Somepeople use coins, toys etc.

I saw that one (actually posted clue on previous page) but had no idea it was in FW!! So awesome! I think there is one in DD too, and we are going to T-Rex one night, that would be some non-shopping type fun for the boys in our group!