Pre-Halloween 2009 Trip Report!!!

[guardwife66]

And, now that you mention it, I just realized that I left my Gators shirt and plaid shorts out on the clothesline, and that rascal must have stolen my clothes off the line. The nerve! This guy doesn't want to just pick my pockets, he wants my pockets, too!

TCD

 

[campingdawgs]

Great review! I'm ready for Halloween after seeing all the decorations! Unfortunately, we won't get to see them in person. But, I did get some ideas for decorating my yard!

The Sum of All Thrills looks like so much fun! My kids can't wait to try it Thanksgiving week. We haven't been able to travel or even camp since June, so we are really looking forward to the trip.

Was that a birthday button your DD was wearing? If so, I hope they both had a wonderful birthday at WDW! (I love the dirty feet pic, my DD13 would look just like that!)

 

[DisneyBishops]

Well, thank you. I always wonder if anyone reads my witty comments. At least now I know one person did, so thanks.

When I posted that photo I thought my DD's feet looked a little dirty. And, they probably were. We have hillbillyish leanings in the TCD gang, so there are often a lot of bare feet around our campsite. And there is a lot of dirt around a campsite. So, what can you do?

TCD

Hey what was up with the waste management truck at SOAT.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Was that a birthday button your DD was wearing? If so, I hope they both had a wonderful birthday at WDW! (I love the dirty feet pic, my DD13 would look just like that!)

True confession time. My DD's birthday was back in May. We went to WDW for the afternoon so they could pick up their gift cards, and we were in Hollywood Studios for just a couple of hours. The castmembers all go out of their way to say Happy Birthday when you wear a birthday button. The girls loved it. But we were only there for a couple of hours, and they felt gypped.

So, they held on to their birthday buttons. And, on this trip, one of them would wear the button. They liked the attention they got. They were just celebrating their birthday a bit late.

The theme at WDW this year is What Will You Celebrate? We have been celebrating birthdays over the past few visits.

I think this is harmless fun. We don't get anything special. They enjoy the attention. But, maybe I will make them stop on the next visit.

TCD

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Hey what was up with the waste management truck at SOAT.

There has been a big exhibit there about recycling and waste disposal there that went in about a year ago. It is a fun activity, too. You push around a little cart, and dock it at various stopping points and get a lecture about how to be green and save the earth and such. The kids like it. But, I think they have heard enough of the recycle/save the planet message.

TCD

 

[campingdawgs]

I don't see anything wrong with celebrating a little late . My DD6 and DS11 wore their buttons all week for their birthday trips. DD13 wouldn't do it because she was embarrassed by all the attention. Unfortunately for us in 2007 when we did all the birthday trips, there were no gift cards, etc. Now with two kids in middle school, we can't really take them to WDW for their actual birthdays.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

After enjoying SOAT (thanks for the acronym DisneyBishops- WDW is like the military, everything has an acronym), we headed out to the Food and Wine Festival.

As we were entering Epcot, so were tons of other people. It was packed on this lovely Fall evening. The weather was perfect, maybe upper 60's, and breezy.

We began at Mexico, and started our way around. There are 27 International Marketplace stations this year, all of which are selling food, beer and wine. And, there were long lines at all of them!

It was in Mexico that we ran into our first drunken Vikings. But, they would be far from our last.

There were lots of boisterous groups enjoying the Food and Wine Festival. The people watching was great.

We got some of the Pork Potstickers from China, and some Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato Puree' and Mango Barbecue sauce in South Africa, and grabbed a table to enjoy our treats right before entering Germany. Here we are:

From here, the girls were interested in some items from Italy and also some sushi from Japan. I had to get something from Germany. There is one item there that is my absolute favorite: the Nuernberger sausage on a pretzel roll. So, I stood in line at Germany, with the understanding that I would meet the girls in Japan.

As I was standing in the Germany line, cheers erupted in the crowds. The Gators had just kicked a last second field goal to win over Arkansas! I was wearing a Gator shirt, so there were lots of fist bumps and high fives for me.
I got my sausage, and an order of Spaetzle as well, and went on to join the girls. Here I am with my Nuernberger sausage :

As we enjoyed our second round of treats, the crowds got bigger and bigger. Jon Secada was going to perform a concert at 7:45, and of course, folks were already staking out places for Illuminations.

We continued around the lake, and made a stop at the UK pavilion before deciding that we had had enough of the crowds.

We headed back to the Fort.

It was actually cold out! When we arrived on Thursday it was 94, and now it was about 30 degrees colder. Got to love Florida this time of year!

The girls bundled up:

And we headed out to see the Halloween decorations at night. We ran into these folks with a great illuminated golf cart:

And saw some more decorations:

Here is a site that was decorated with a pirate theme:

We enjoyed our first hot cocoa of the season, and looped long into the night.

And then, our last magical evening at the Fort came to an end. We turned in early- before midnight.

Next up, a cold morning at the Fort!

TCD

 

[DaveInTN]

Ok, people in my office now think I am weirder than they already did. When I saw that pic of you with the sausage I laughed out loud and snorted. Hilarious! Although a bit disturbing too....

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Ok, people in my office now think I am weirder than they already did. When I saw that pic of you with the sausage I laughed out loud and snorted. Hilarious! Although a bit disturbing too....

I also find that photo very disturbing, but at the same time too funny not to share. I just looked at it again. Disturbing. But, funny. For now, it stays. And, I'm not kidding that sausage and pretzel roll is the bomb. I am just now plotting how and when I will get back to Epcot before F & W ends so I can get another one. I won't take a photo the next time, and that will save me from the whole struggle about whether to post the photo or not.

TCD

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

Well, thank you. I always wonder if anyone reads my witty comments. At least now I know one person did, so thanks.

When I posted that photo I thought my DD's feet looked a little dirty. And, they probably were. We have hillbillyish leanings in the TCD gang, so there are often a lot of bare feet around our campsite. And there is a lot of dirt around a campsite. So, what can you do?

TCD

We go camping in my parents' RV every summer here. I will have to remember to take a pic of my son's feet sometime to share. Camping to him means no shoes ever and we make him wash his feet at night before going to bed to avoid him staining the sheets!!!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

I intended for this to be a short report.

A little preview of Halloween for the folks who are lucky enough to be really going. And, also to satisfy those who aren't going, but who are looking forward to hearing about it after the fact.

This report has gone on for a lot longer than I intended. Heck, it really will be Halloween in another week.

So, it's time to wrap it up.

These next photos were taken on Sunday morning, October 18th. It was 51 degrees when I rolled out of the rack that morning. 51! That is 40 degrees less than it was on that humid Thursday afternoon that we arrived just three days before.

I headed down to the Settlement for some coffee.

I was about the only one there.

People must have been sleeping in because of the cold.

This was the first cold weather we have had since probably March, so the water in Bay Lake was a lot warmer than the air, and we had a lot of mist and fog:

There was a question asked in a previous thread about the availability of lockers at the marina. There are lockers here:

More photos around the marina:

The Meadow Trading Post at sunrise:

I decided to head over to the pool to snap some mist rising from the water shots, and found a few brave souls were already swimming:

Some miscellaneous pool shots:

The companion restroom at the pool is new. And, I don't recall ever seeing any photos of it before, so here you go:

I then looped my last loop, and headed back to the site to get packed up.

Here's my last shot from the Fort. It's another bat house. Just in time for Halloween:

That is almost all.

I have a few last shots, and comments, and then this puppy is done.

TCD

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Since my last photos are uploaded, I will go ahead and finish this report.

Not to worry, if things go according to plan, it won't be long at all until my next visit to the Fort.

So, after getting everything packed, we reluctantly headed out of the Fort.

I did take the girls on one last golf cart ride before turning in the cart.

That is when we ran into Frank and Denise (Born 2 Fish and 2Goofycampers) and their dogs.

After leaving the Fort, we stopped at Wilderness Lodge for lunch. The scenery here is great, but the food is overpriced and below average in quality. It wasn't always like that. Such a shame.

It was a beautiful day, and we enjoyed one last mug of hot cocoa from one of the public balconies:

And, then it was time to leave:

That's all I have.

Another trip report finished.

Time to start planning the next.

Thanks for reading along.

TCD

 

[lklasing]

Another great report, TCD! Thanks!!

Leslie

 

[disney92]

Another outstanding trip report!!!!

Thanks for all the great photos... I rally appreciate them epically since I won't be there for Halloween..

Love how your DD not only let you post photos of them, but also pose for them!!!!

To everyone who will be there for the GG over Halloween... Have a safe and magical time!!!!

 

[DaveInTN]

Good read TCD! Great photos...can't wait for your next TR. And, I hope to see you in person over Thanksgiving time!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Good read TCD! Great photos...can't wait for your next TR. And, I hope to see you in person over Thanksgiving time!

Same here, Dave. But, you are not coming in until after Thanksgiving day, right? I have to be in Tallahassee on 11/21 to see FSU v. Maryland, and then I have to be in Gainesville on 11/28 to see Tim Tebow win his last game in the Swamp. In between, I have to visit my in-laws in Clearwater and eat some turkey. This is messing up my camping plans . But, I will figure something out.

TCD

 

[LuckyinGa]

TCD, What a wonderful TR and great photos. You really fill the void for those of us that can't be there. Great job.

 

[Whipperwhirl]

I applaud the perfect timing of this trip report - it made this week sooo much easier - thank you, thank you, thank you!!

 

[Donna]

Great report, as usual TCD! Thanks for photos too, you had me laughing with that sausage one. My husband was on the other end of the couch and said WHAT IS THAT! Love the candid people shots too, too funny! Don't have to worry about holding back on this board! can't wait for your next trip!

 

[DaveInTN]

Same here, Dave. But, you are not coming in until after Thanksgiving day, right?

As our plans stand now, we should be arriving on either Tues or Wed right before Thanksgiving, and staying until Saturday 12/5. It looks like now we will be spending turkey day itself visiting family in Palm City, but other than that should be at the Fort.