November Trip Reports

[JP6972]

A knock at our door about two hours ago, telling us a mandatory evacuation by 3:00 tomorrow, Wednesday. You can leave your camper on your site, or relocate it to the Magic Kingdom parking lot. they assigned to Port Orleans Riverside for one night.

Just returned back to the camper and received our letter. Have to call to find out where we will stay yet.

 

[JP6972]

hey @JP6972,

I hope Tropical Storm Nicole lets you stay at the Fort.

But the question is does Fort Wilderness have any Christmas decorations up yet?

Not camper decorations. I mean like garland on the Trading Posts and Pioneer Hall/Trails End. Bus stops, the Settlement/Outpost Bus Depots, and the Check-in building. Is background Christmas music playing on the various porches and walkways?

May be too soon but wanted to check.

Thanks and stay dry!

Bama Ed

Only decorations at the entry way. None at the settlement this morning.

 

[friendofeeyore]

Praying all will be OK for everyone @ "The Fort"! Mother Nature needs to take a pill & chill out. Too many storms this year!

 

[JP6972]

Moved to the Caribbean Resort. all settled in. They hope to let us back in tomorrow. Said depending on if there is flooding in the campsite. They were hooking up pumps and hoses when we left at 2.

 

[JP6972]

Kicking back at the fort hurricane style

 

[bama_ed]

Kicking back at the fort hurricane styleView attachment 717667

Your pic needs to also be posted in the 'Kickin' It At The Fort' thread, @JP6972 . To keep all the DIS kicks together in one place, of course. If/when you find the time. Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Well, my pre-stay at Lake Louisa is wiped out. Got an email this afternoon that all stays there are cancelled until Sunday Nov 13 arrivals/overnights and I was going to be there the night of the 11th and 12th.

Here's hoping my backup plans don't get cancelled also.

 

[JP6972]

Vue from the fort dock and one from the boat of the beach on the way back to move camper. You have to look real close on the beach shot.

Wish I would have thought to take a picture on the way out. Only a few campers left in our loop. Never seen the Campgrounds so empty

 

[JP6972]

Did get my new 50th anniversary Fort cup. Told them I had been there 50 years ago myself but didn't get me any discount.

 

[JP6972]

Never received a notice my site was available back today. But just saw a notice that they had reopened the fort. Going to check in morning Hopefully can get back in for the morning. Hoping to do a little laundry and charge the batteries before heading home.

 

[Brocktoon]

We never got notice either ... called the reservation # we were given around noon yesterday from Art of Animation. We were told The Fort was opening to campers at 2PM and cabins at 4PM. Went down to the AoA lobby to confirm but they had heard nothing. A manager came by and said that was the second time they had heard that and called it in to confirm. Sure enough we could return at 2PM yesterday ... would have been nice if there was some sort of messaging going out, but we had to seek that info.

Then after we returned, we tried to head out to Epcot to catch a VQ for Guardians. No busses to the parks for ~ 2 hours as transportation was stuck due to an issue with the Fort entrance gate (I believe that's what they said). A big shout out to Marcus and Heather, Disney transportation leaders, who cleared up the situation and got some parks busses to us campers

In any event, the Brocktoon RV is back in site 215. Parents are finishing setting up the site now while I'm trying to catch up on work ... don't know who has the rougher task.

Plenty of open spots, and the place feels a bit empty

 

[bama_ed]

Well I've had an eventful day and will tomorrow also!

Daily I've checked the Florida state park web page and Lake Louisa SP (where we had planned a 2 night pre-stay) had been listed among the Nicole-caused park closures. I had received an email saying they would reopen on Sunday 11/13 (our Fort check-in day). So I made back up plans to stay at a CoE up near Tallahassee (it never closed or evacuated as it turned out).

That would put us about halfway to WDW. LLSP was on the list yesterday so no need to wake up too early today. We got up, loaded, and hitched and I checked the Florida State Park website again this morning and LLSP was still listed as closed for today 11/11. So I was cruising down the highway morning and decided to look at the closed list again. Maybe I could spend one night at the CoE and get in possibly the 2nd night at LLSP if they opened early.

LLSP was not on the closed list for today as of mid-morning.

Checked my email and I had no cancellation notice (you have to pre-pay for Florida SP). The early email I'd received said my reservation would be cancelled which should have generated an email confirmation.

No email.

So I called LLSP and asked and YES they were open today and they had not cancelled my reservation yet. So mid-ride I said I'm coming on in but that meant I would get in after the office closed since I had not left crack-of-dawn as i normally do for LLSP (10.5 hr drive plus an hour gained for going to Eastern so my 730am Central departure would put me at LLSP at 630pm Eastern (which it did).

Only one other family/site in our loop of 15 spots tonight at LLSP.

Will sleep like a stump again but now I have a project to work on tomorrow morning (which I will discuss later).

But for now, we are here and glad to be so.

Errands and friends to see on this trip, roll to the Fort with DW on Sunday.

You know my drill by now. I'm in a very wonderful RUT of repetition.

Bama Ed

 

[JP6972]

We did get in to the fort this morning from the motel abou 7.30 and was able to stay untill a little before noon. The official word was we had to be out by 11 but if we ran a little over they would be understanding. We were able to do some wash and dump the tanks and general get the rig ready for travel stuff. Put the Blackstone in winter storage mode and prepared what I could for winter storage. Have to winterize on the way home. Doing a one day layover in Nashville and will do there Saturday afternoon.

Just stopped for the night north of Adairsville Ga.

Sad veiw today. Back side of the entryway.

 

[bama_ed]

Update for today.

Got to sleep in this morning which was nice. Foggy (thus humid) this morning. But it's cleared off now with blue sky, puffy white clouds, and high today should be 83F. But yesterday's departure was uneventful.

We were ready to roll at 730am on Friday (yesterday).



We had stuffed a lot of gear for our kids (tents, cots, Blackstone, more) into the SUV and even in the Aliner to make the drive down here and we ALMOST made it to Lake Louisa SP with no issue. I said "almost".

To get to LLSP I got off the turnpike at the Hwy 27 exit and it's about a 15 mile roll into Clermont proper and LLSP is just out the other side south of town. While riding through town a low pressure light came on the dashboard but it held 25 psi to make it to our campsite (which was after sundown). Unhooked the trailer and popped the top and plugged in, then looked at the tire.

BACKSTORY: I worked out West this past summer in a mountain environment that was rough on any tires. I had 3 flats over the course of the summer.

One of the repaired/patched tires from that summer was the one leaking (could see the plug material on the outside of the tire tread and could hear the hissing. So I aired it up and went to sleep since it appeared to be leaking s-l-o-w-l-y.

This morning it was still at the pressure I left it at but lost pressure on the way to Wal Mart this morning. Got a Fix-a-Flat can and sprayed it in hoping to get it good enough to limp to FW tomorrow then visit the Car Care Center at the MK Parking Lot. (used them to replace a tire on a past trip and was satisfied). Didn't feel like messing with it today. So we shall see but I plan to replace it.

Fired up the ol' Dietz 76 lantern last night for a brief internet check. I like the Dietz lanterns.



It's an enclosed flame so Disney should allow it, right? They don't allow my Tiki God lanterns (open flame).

I like staying at Lake Louisa SP. Lots of Spanish Moss trees and lake views and only 30 minutes to Disney at $38 per night total (tax, utility fee, site). Only downside is (for me) comfort stations don't have AC.

Here is our site with the blue sky above.





Before the fog blew off completely and the humidity left, the moisture in the air did highlight some spider webs nearby.





Watching some ESPN Gameday currently, some college football this afternoon, an anticipatory church service, then back for a microwave burger from home and pack up for our routine early morning getaway in the morning to the Fort.

Bama Ed

 

[Jennybird61]

We did get in to the fort this morning from the motel abou 7.30 and was able to stay untill a little before noon. The official word was we had to be out by 11 but if we ran a little over they would be understanding. We were able to do some wash and dump the tanks and general get the rig ready for travel stuff. Put the Blackstone in winter storage mode and prepared what I could for winter storage. Have to winterize on the way home. Doing a one day layover in Nashville and will do there Saturday afternoon.

Just stopped for the night north of Adairsville Ga.

Sad veiw today. Back side of the entryway.
View attachment 718130
View attachment 718131

That is the saddest view in all of WDW!

 

[bama_ed]

 

[Teamubr]

View attachment 718375

Welcome Home!

j

 

[bama_ed]

Well DW has started a short nap so I have time to give the update for today.

We left out of Lake Louisa State Park and my leaking tire, which I had nursed along with the occasional air infusion from the pump I carry, decided to just open up and let all the air out on the way to WDW on Hwy 192 about 530am on the roll out this morning. I had no alternative but to put on the spare. which i had desperately been trying to avoid till I got to the Fort. But there was a TJ Maxx shopping center with an empty well lit parking lot on the way so I pulled in, dropped the trailer off, dropped the spare, put it on, threw the bad tire in the back of the Yukon, and got to the Fort at 7am.

Here is the bad patch on the tire that had worn slap out.



Got to the Fort and none of my three requested sites were going to be available today. So I took what I could get and made plans with the CM to transfer to one of my favorites a couple days out when the current occupant left. I needed a Preferred site that was long and normal width or medium length and open/wide.

During the wait for a site I admit I snuck down to 100 (a "few times" ) and circled slowly stalking those preparing to leave as I did not know the site I had been given. I also rolled over to the Disney Car Care Center next to the MK Parking Lot to line up a new tire to replace the flat which will happen tomorrow afternoon.

About 1130am the text came and it was an interior site in 100. Since DW and I will be the only ones here this week, we could do a minimal set up then when we move to the longer site (which had already been arranged, do the full set up (kid's tents, 2nd EZ up, etc.) but still, not looking forward to the move. Got down to our site and would have taken it ..... if I did not see two exterior sites across from me EMPTY and looking like they were calling my name.

So I called the Front Desk (actually back office of the Fort checkin office) and told the lady honestly where my head was. As it turned out, one of the empty ones I saw across the 100 road was available so I had her swap me over. It is medium length but cleared wide enough to suit our needs. She said I could just take it now so I looped around 100 one more time and backed into site 114.



That's me on the right side. Site 114 is on one side of the sidewalk that cuts through 100 to the Settlement Trading Post. Site 116 (empty) is on the other side of the sidewalk (a trailer's back faces the sidewalk) which we have stayed in on a past trip and loved the proximity to Trails End, the Settlement area, and the boat dock. But 114 has the trailer door side facing the sidewalk and the view of the circle where the food trucks post up, the playground, the music from the Trails End porch, and the mens/womens restrooms on my end of the Settlement Trading Post. Here is the view off the back of my site.



Here is the view from the back of my site on the sidewalk toward Bay Lake.



Turning around and looking back at my site, this is us.



And a little bit of a closeup.



After setup, we put the two EZ Ups in parallel with the Aliner and TV on the door side which is nice to aid in the people watching activities. It was a little humid with some clouds and scattered showers off and on but nothing too heavy. We are leaving the gravel tent pad empty for now but will set up the canvas wall tents for the kids later this week.



View off the back as the sun sets and kids play on the Settlement playground and I can hear the porch music and all the boat whistles coming and going. Can't wait for the EWP music tonight.



We walked around to 200 to find @Brocktoon but the site was empty so we looped back to our site when lo and behold @Brocktoon and family were coming up the sidewalk and saw my Aliner and Bama EZ ups and introduced themselves. Very nice people.

I ran the obligatory wifi speed test on "Guest Wifi (Disney)" and it is the same hum drum network speeds I wrote about in the October 2022 trip report. Not a whiff of the much faster public space network "Disney-Guest" from Settlement TP or Trails End at my campsite.



Gonna cook some Aldi steaks on the Blackstone for dinner with some microwaved mashed spuds, nuke some veggies, and a Cabernet to savor while we soak up the sights and sounds of Loop 100 and Site 114.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Supper is done (delicious).

Clean up has taken place.

DW has gone to the Comfort Station.

Let's continue, shall we?

The horse drawn carriage team of horse ("Prince") and humans came through for a practice run before starting their revenue engagement later in the evening. The humans told me that Prince would be working our street for the next few nights. I will do all I can to assist those earning their own way.







BTW, Prince has been by here in both directions at least 5 times now every half hour. Dat boy be workin!

Gave my Mickey Globe Light a festive appearance with DW's divine assistance.



That's a red Santa hat on his head and a red garland wrapped around the black pole (if it's too dark to see).

Not that many Christmas decorations up yet in camper sites - some but not many IMO (and they're mostly inflatables ....). No Christmas decorations yet anywhere that Disney put up yet around the Fort. Can hear the background music loops from Trails End/Settlement area and it's the same ol' background loops that I've had for years. No holiday music here yet. In the past, Disney Christmas stuff came out the day after Thanksgiving or the next (put up overnight). Like the Christmas Tree in front of the Trails End porch. So we shall see.

The Blackstone did the job on the steaks.



Can't complain since I was the cook (DW nuked the spuds and veg). Kris, I uncorked the vino and let it breathe. And as the head chef, I had to sample it to make sure it was good enough to serve to ..... me.



Gonna work up a grocery list for this week tonight and do the shopping tomorrow morning. Then tire time at the Car Care Center after lunch.

Bama Ed

PS - I've heard the HDDR entrance crowd (excitement, whoops, instructions from a megaphone) twice already (for the 4pm and 630pm show).

PPS - Prince still workin!

 

[garneska]

Glad to hear you needed to let that wine breathe. Can’t wait to hear how the rest goes.

we were supposed to go to gulf shores but had a completely flat tire so it was a big cancel.

good thing the storage place was able to fill it enough to move it inside. Good because it will freeze tonight an d also hopefully means only a valve stem.