Photos of Cabin Hot Tub, 2000 Loop, and Change in Giddyap and Go!
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des1954
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2007
- Messages
- 7,329
Yippity Yahoo!!! Mac & Cheese as a side option! And CORNBREAD!!!! Mmmmmmm!!!!
As to the GC parking....here's my devious thought process on that.
The "lot" by the marina & the "lot" by the pool are both IMHO difficult to navigate and can be REALLY difficult when they are full. It looks like they are doing likewise to the GC parking at the Outpost.
My take on Fort Management's subliminal message regarding golf cart parking......
"During your visit to the Walt Disney World Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, we encourage you to rent a golf cart in order to experience all the beauty Fort Wilderness offers. You will find a variety of wildlife, flora and fauna, and may make new friends while riding the camping loops. A golf cart will make your shopping experience at the Settlement and Meadow(s) Trading Posts more pleasurable than lugging bags on a bus. If however, you wish to visit one of the Walt Disney World Theme Parks, make use of the Fort Wilderness Pool, or have a hootin' hollerin' good time at our nightly Sing-A-Long and movie program, we ask that you take an internal bus to your destination and leave the $55.00/day golf cart at your site. We have golf cart parking available at these locations should you choose to ignore our request and drive your golf cart. However, these parking lots have been designed by Disney's Imagineer's to frustrate even the most patient golf cart driver. You will be guaranteed to have fun as you constantly switch from forward to reverse, inching your golf cart out of its parking space without hitting another cart. At the pool area, you'll be thrilled by the split-rail fence designed to keep you in the lot but will find difficult to avoid hitting when you leave. The magic of the Golf Cart Parking Experience will soon be extended to include the "You can get in but you can't get out" golf cart parking lot at the Outpost bus station. We hope you enjoy the full golf cart experience at the Walt Disney World Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgroud. We hope to scre...<uh> SEE you real soon!!"
I think the golf cart parking lots were designed with the bus driver's union in mind. If FtW keeps driving empty or near empty busses around the campgroud, they may cut them back to passenger vans instead, and just use the busses during the busier times of the year.
As to the GC parking....here's my devious thought process on that.
The "lot" by the marina & the "lot" by the pool are both IMHO difficult to navigate and can be REALLY difficult when they are full. It looks like they are doing likewise to the GC parking at the Outpost.
My take on Fort Management's subliminal message regarding golf cart parking......
"During your visit to the Walt Disney World Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, we encourage you to rent a golf cart in order to experience all the beauty Fort Wilderness offers. You will find a variety of wildlife, flora and fauna, and may make new friends while riding the camping loops. A golf cart will make your shopping experience at the Settlement and Meadow(s) Trading Posts more pleasurable than lugging bags on a bus. If however, you wish to visit one of the Walt Disney World Theme Parks, make use of the Fort Wilderness Pool, or have a hootin' hollerin' good time at our nightly Sing-A-Long and movie program, we ask that you take an internal bus to your destination and leave the $55.00/day golf cart at your site. We have golf cart parking available at these locations should you choose to ignore our request and drive your golf cart. However, these parking lots have been designed by Disney's Imagineer's to frustrate even the most patient golf cart driver. You will be guaranteed to have fun as you constantly switch from forward to reverse, inching your golf cart out of its parking space without hitting another cart. At the pool area, you'll be thrilled by the split-rail fence designed to keep you in the lot but will find difficult to avoid hitting when you leave. The magic of the Golf Cart Parking Experience will soon be extended to include the "You can get in but you can't get out" golf cart parking lot at the Outpost bus station. We hope you enjoy the full golf cart experience at the Walt Disney World Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgroud. We hope to scre...<uh> SEE you real soon!!"
I think the golf cart parking lots were designed with the bus driver's union in mind. If FtW keeps driving empty or near empty busses around the campgroud, they may cut them back to passenger vans instead, and just use the busses during the busier times of the year.
Tri-circle-D
<font color=peach>Throwing some love to TCD<br><fo
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2004
- Messages
- 4,937
Deb- Maybe you are on to something. The more I see some of the things that get changed at the Fort, the more I think that there is a real management problem there. We have already discussed the premium campsite fiasco on another thread.
But, the crazy golf cart parking areas are a good topic. Do you remember how they expanded the golf cart parking area at the Settlement bus stop? But, then they moved the bus stop for Hollywood Studios up to the Outpost Bus Stop? Why did they expand the Settlement bus stop parking area? There really is no reason for anyone to park a cart there now. We sometimes park there when catching a bus to WL, and there are never more than one or two carts in that big, expanded lot. The golf cart parking area in the Meadow area is also ill conceived. It is darned hard to get in and out of the fenced in area. And with the new barricades, there is only one way in and out of the area.
They are making the use of a golf cart a lot less convenient.
TCD
But, the crazy golf cart parking areas are a good topic. Do you remember how they expanded the golf cart parking area at the Settlement bus stop? But, then they moved the bus stop for Hollywood Studios up to the Outpost Bus Stop? Why did they expand the Settlement bus stop parking area? There really is no reason for anyone to park a cart there now. We sometimes park there when catching a bus to WL, and there are never more than one or two carts in that big, expanded lot. The golf cart parking area in the Meadow area is also ill conceived. It is darned hard to get in and out of the fenced in area. And with the new barricades, there is only one way in and out of the area.
They are making the use of a golf cart a lot less convenient.
TCD
Tri-circle-D
<font color=peach>Throwing some love to TCD<br><fo
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2004
- Messages
- 4,937
I do have some more pictures from my trip.
But, they are not Fort related.
I am going to share them anyway.
If you are looking for more photos of Golddigger, I don't have any.
But, I do have a very big tip to share with you.
You just have to promise to keep it a secret.
So, let's begin at the beginning.
What was the TCD gang doing at WDW on a random Tuesday?
Well, it wasn't a random Tuesday.
September 29th is TCD's birthday!
So, I had to go to WDW to get my free $75 gift card.
Originally, the plan was to pick up my youngest DD's from school that day, and just head over for the evening.
But, as we discussed it, a plan was hatched to make a day of it.
The girls are doing great in school.
And a mental health day would be good for all of us.
So, I let the girls ditch school, and we left home at 6:30 am to make it to AK for rope drop.
We are big believers in the rope drop.
It surprises me that a lot of folks don't know about rope drop.
Rope drop means getting to a park when it opens.
There is actually a rope.
They don't actually drop it.
They just kind of roll it up. I have a photo of that which I will share in just a bit.
We stopped for gas and breakfast on the way, but we pulled into the AK parking lot at 8:30 for the 9:00 opening.
Originally, I had planned to pick up my gift card and birthday button before entering the park, but we did not arrive as early as I thought we would, so I decided to take care of the details on the way out.
As we walked up to the turnstiles, folks were lined up about to the ticket booths. It was EMH at DHS that morning, so it was not as busy at AK at entry time as we have seen it at other times, but there were still a lot of folks already lined up.
Here's your free tip: At AK, the far right turnstiles are marked as the Castmembers Entrance. And, in the morning, before the park opens, this is also where people with early breakfast ADR's enter. There is a banner hanging over these turnstiles that indicates they are only for guests with ADR's. But, at about ten minutes before the park opens, the banner gets rolled up, and regular guests can use those turnstiles. Nobody seems to know this. But, it's true. We use them all the time. Usually that means that you kind of hang around the area until they roll up the banner, and then get in line. That's what we did. We were the first ones at our turnstile. And, therefore, among the first to enter the park.
At AK, once they open the turnstiles, you can enter the park, and walk over the bridge toward the Tree of Life. There is a rope at the end of this walkway, right by the tip board. This is where guests must wait until the park opens. We were among the first there, so we took our spots along the rope.
As we were waiting, a castmember came along, and noticed that one of my DD's was wearing her birthday button. It wasn't her birthday, but she wanted to wear the button, because we were there for just a short time on her birthday, and she felt gypped. The castmember asked my DD if she would like to help open the park, and, of course, she said yes.
So, the castmember brought my DD onto the other side of the rope, and took her over to the tip board. Her job would be to crank up the cover of the tip board to review the tip board. Here are some photos:
DD got a certificate:
Look at all the people who were behind us:
Once the tip board is uncovered, Minnie, Pluto, and Goofy drive up, and there is a little opening show that they do:
While the opening skit is being performed, the rope is taken down, but guests are asked to remain in place:
The skit continues on with an appearance by Mickey:
And, then the truck drives off . . .
And guests are then allowed to enter.
Guests going to Expedition Everest are led back by two castmembers holding another rope. We were right up at that rope, and got to see an empty AK as we walked back to EE:
We walked right into the line, and got on the first EE ride of the morning. We got to sit at the front of the train, too. We rode EE, exited, and walked back on for a second ride. I picked up fastpasses, and then we headed over to Dinosaur, which was also a walk on. This is why rope drop is great. It take a while for wait times to build up. We also rode Primeval Whirl. If you haven't been on this ride lately, it has changed. They have really slowed it down. It was kind of annoying. You could feel the car braking at various points on the track. I was never a big fan of this ride to begin with, but they have now made it worse.
When my DD was given her certificate, the castmember also offered us priority VIP seats for the Lion King show. I am not sure what these were, but we said sure. He asked us what show we would like to go to. We asked for the first show. So, he wrote a note on a post-it note that we were entitled to VIP seating at the 10:30 show. He said to show the note to a castmember when we got there, and he would know what to do.
At about 10:15 we headed over to the Festival of the Lion King. Where we found out that there was a 10 o'clock show, and an 11 o'clock show, but no 10:30 show. And, we were not on the VIP list for either of those shows. Whatever. We decided to skip it. We did see a couple of characters that we had never seen before:
These are the bears from the movie Brother Bear. I know one is named Koda. I can't recall the other's name.
We then went back and rode EE again, using our FP's.
And then it was time to move on.
We got a couple photopass photos:
And then we were on our way to the Poly for lunch, and then on to the MK.
TCD
But, they are not Fort related.
I am going to share them anyway.
If you are looking for more photos of Golddigger, I don't have any.
But, I do have a very big tip to share with you.
You just have to promise to keep it a secret.
So, let's begin at the beginning.
What was the TCD gang doing at WDW on a random Tuesday?
Well, it wasn't a random Tuesday.
September 29th is TCD's birthday!
So, I had to go to WDW to get my free $75 gift card.
Originally, the plan was to pick up my youngest DD's from school that day, and just head over for the evening.
But, as we discussed it, a plan was hatched to make a day of it.
The girls are doing great in school.
And a mental health day would be good for all of us.
So, I let the girls ditch school, and we left home at 6:30 am to make it to AK for rope drop.
We are big believers in the rope drop.
It surprises me that a lot of folks don't know about rope drop.
Rope drop means getting to a park when it opens.
There is actually a rope.
They don't actually drop it.
They just kind of roll it up. I have a photo of that which I will share in just a bit.
We stopped for gas and breakfast on the way, but we pulled into the AK parking lot at 8:30 for the 9:00 opening.
Originally, I had planned to pick up my gift card and birthday button before entering the park, but we did not arrive as early as I thought we would, so I decided to take care of the details on the way out.
As we walked up to the turnstiles, folks were lined up about to the ticket booths. It was EMH at DHS that morning, so it was not as busy at AK at entry time as we have seen it at other times, but there were still a lot of folks already lined up.
Here's your free tip: At AK, the far right turnstiles are marked as the Castmembers Entrance. And, in the morning, before the park opens, this is also where people with early breakfast ADR's enter. There is a banner hanging over these turnstiles that indicates they are only for guests with ADR's. But, at about ten minutes before the park opens, the banner gets rolled up, and regular guests can use those turnstiles. Nobody seems to know this. But, it's true. We use them all the time. Usually that means that you kind of hang around the area until they roll up the banner, and then get in line. That's what we did. We were the first ones at our turnstile. And, therefore, among the first to enter the park.
At AK, once they open the turnstiles, you can enter the park, and walk over the bridge toward the Tree of Life. There is a rope at the end of this walkway, right by the tip board. This is where guests must wait until the park opens. We were among the first there, so we took our spots along the rope.
As we were waiting, a castmember came along, and noticed that one of my DD's was wearing her birthday button. It wasn't her birthday, but she wanted to wear the button, because we were there for just a short time on her birthday, and she felt gypped. The castmember asked my DD if she would like to help open the park, and, of course, she said yes.
So, the castmember brought my DD onto the other side of the rope, and took her over to the tip board. Her job would be to crank up the cover of the tip board to review the tip board. Here are some photos:
DD got a certificate:
Look at all the people who were behind us:
Once the tip board is uncovered, Minnie, Pluto, and Goofy drive up, and there is a little opening show that they do:
While the opening skit is being performed, the rope is taken down, but guests are asked to remain in place:
The skit continues on with an appearance by Mickey:
And, then the truck drives off . . .
And guests are then allowed to enter.
Guests going to Expedition Everest are led back by two castmembers holding another rope. We were right up at that rope, and got to see an empty AK as we walked back to EE:
We walked right into the line, and got on the first EE ride of the morning. We got to sit at the front of the train, too. We rode EE, exited, and walked back on for a second ride. I picked up fastpasses, and then we headed over to Dinosaur, which was also a walk on. This is why rope drop is great. It take a while for wait times to build up. We also rode Primeval Whirl. If you haven't been on this ride lately, it has changed. They have really slowed it down. It was kind of annoying. You could feel the car braking at various points on the track. I was never a big fan of this ride to begin with, but they have now made it worse.
When my DD was given her certificate, the castmember also offered us priority VIP seats for the Lion King show. I am not sure what these were, but we said sure. He asked us what show we would like to go to. We asked for the first show. So, he wrote a note on a post-it note that we were entitled to VIP seating at the 10:30 show. He said to show the note to a castmember when we got there, and he would know what to do.
At about 10:15 we headed over to the Festival of the Lion King. Where we found out that there was a 10 o'clock show, and an 11 o'clock show, but no 10:30 show. And, we were not on the VIP list for either of those shows. Whatever. We decided to skip it. We did see a couple of characters that we had never seen before:
These are the bears from the movie Brother Bear. I know one is named Koda. I can't recall the other's name.
We then went back and rode EE again, using our FP's.
And then it was time to move on.
We got a couple photopass photos:
And then we were on our way to the Poly for lunch, and then on to the MK.
TCD
des1954
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2007
- Messages
- 7,329
It's all Donnie's fault!!!
With the GEM, we find it easier to use the "un-used" parking area by the Settlement bus stop or the lot by Pioneer Hall rather than the Marina parking lot. The pool parking lot is basically impossible for the GEM. The other question I have is....Why haven't they taken down the posts on the cart/walking path immediately behind the pool pavillion? You have to really creep to get between them. I've never understood that - unless it comes back to the "cart commando's" who are out for speed. That is why they cut off cart traffic to the bridge behind Meadow Trading Post. I've seen too many mishaps there. I still don't understand why they cut off cart traffic from the 1400 loop thru to the pool - unless there were problems after dark.
I really think all this is to encourage people to use the internal bus system to get to the activities within the Fort and to get to the transfer points for other destinations.
I still find it odd to find "dead" rental carts left in places off limits to GCs. I assume these carts are being abandoned by teens having some fun - but also could be juvenile adults mixing fun with alcohol. However, if I was a parent to one of these teens & woke up to find no GC at the site, there would be hell to pay. I haven't rented a cart since about 1994, so I have no idea if there is any clause in the rental agreement regarding an extra charge if a cart is not turned back in or found in an inappropriate location. If there isn't one, there should be - and a mighty big charge at that. Again...this is a case of Disney making rules, but as we all know, never enforcing their rules. Why risk the chance of offending the offender? Nevermind that the offender is putting other people at risk.
Oh well....thanks for the pictures and the update on the take-out menu.
BTW - Rick's eyes feel acid burns after seeing "Golddigger Girl" & "Porky Pocahantis"!!
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