Spring Break 2009 at the Fort with TCD!

[Mmketeer]

LOL! The muckety mucks must have heard I'll be coming shortly and I did not receive the letter about the pool being under renovation, so I guess they are having their lackeys step it up a notch faster after noticing how mauch has been done yet. <BG> Little do they know this time I'll be at MK and won't even be at the pool. LOL!

Great report keep'em coming!

PS
I am not liking the look of no trees at the 600 loop either. Now it looks like every other campground. Not Fort Wildernessy at all. ;(

 

[Comptech]

TCD,
We are planning on staying in the 800 loop come May. Do you have any pictures of the sites in the 800 loop? Or maybe you could point me to a post that already has them posted? I tried searching for 800 loop pictures and got back about a million possibitities...

 

[Tri-circle-D]

TCD,
We are planning on staying in the 800 loop come May. Do you have any pictures of the sites in the 800 loop? Or maybe you could point me to a post that already has them posted? I tried searching for 800 loop pictures and got back about a million possibitities...

I was the second camper on the 800 loop when it re-opened in October, 2008. There is a brief trip report that has some photos of the 800 loop here:

TCD's Halloween 2008 Trip Report

and there are photos of the 800 loop during the renovation on this trip report:

An update on the updates

I like the 800 loop. Great location. Most of the sites are spacious. I would take a site there any day.

TCD

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Here are some more photos from the morning of 4/1.

While an army of workers were busy plastering the pool with its new surface, another crew is working on the splash zone area.

There is a lot of interesting stuff going on over here:

This pretty much looks like it is going to be a wall, right?:

They were digging a giant hole next to this new piece of equipment:

Here are the plaster guys at work:

I already posted these photos on the prank thread. Someone googled the name of the manufacturer, and speculated that the item in the box was a drinking fountain. I think it might have been one of the stainless steel pool showers:

Next up . . .

even more pool pics.

And, mysterious black limos invade the Fort.

TCD

 

[Tri-circle-D]

There was some work being done on the roof above the restroom area:

This sign was posted along the driveway leading to the golf cart parking area for the Meadow Trading Post:

Did you notice the guy with the Gators hard hat in some of the earlier photos. Here is his golf cart. I thought about borrowing his hat and walking onto the job site, but I figured he was somewhere near by, so I didn't:

So here are some shots of the limos that were driving around all day:

The limos were shuttling people back to the Fort Wilderness Pavilion where a big party was going on! :

A little later in the morning, I checked back at the pool. It looked like they were about done with the new surface, but they were still working hard on the splash zone:

Next up . . .

Even more pool photos.

(Aren't you glad the pool is almost done )

TCD

 

[Dissyblonde]

(Aren't you glad the pool is almost done )

TCD

TCD-
Glad is not the word.... more like spastic excitement. Today is my son's 10th birthday and he will get to unwrap his WDW Gift tonight. When I booked this trip I had no idea there would be a new pool. I just picked FW because I remember it from my first trip to WDW as a kid (when MK was the only park) and I did not get to stay "AT DISNEY" Then I found the camping board and saw the "pool watch" threads, not to mention the other HYSTERICAL yet enlightning threads. I not only get to go to a great resort in less than a month but I get to laugh my @** off until then!
Thanks so much for the updates!
Life is good!

 

[loveDmouse]

Glad you asked. I do like the lakefront sites. But, overall, I do not like what they did. And, I would hate to have one of the sites that backs up to the main road. I also feel like these sites are way too out in the open, and will be hot when summer gets here and there is no shade. They really messed up the look of this area for a measly 15 additional campsites, about half of which back up right onto the main road. But 15 sites at 100 bucks a night for 365 nights a year is over a half million dollars of extra revenue a year. So there is a WDW bean-counter somewhere breaking his arm patting himself on the back.
TCD

I think it would be nice to be on the lake but it is a shame what they did. I would also hate to be backed up to the road like that.

Thanks for your insight.

 

[dwluvsdh]

Hey, how cool is that? You all were the first ones in that site! Did you have a Tampa Bay Buccaneers gazebo? I remember someone right about there on the loop did.

601 is the first site on the loop, right? There is no 600 is there?

You have brought up a very good point that I overlooked about the new sites on the 600 loop. They might be a bit sparse tree-wise, but you cannot beat the location. You are right in the middle of everything. Close to the trading post, fishing pond, campfire and pool. And, you have a bus stop right there, too. The big thing missing is a comfort station. That is kind of a deal breaker for me.

TCD

Yes we were one of the first and had a buccaneer tent. I'm not sure about site 600???? I don't think it was there. You are right about the comfort station. You have to go to the 900 loop which could be a walk if you are in the other end of the 600 loop.

 

[Pirate-Jeff]

Could it be a water pressure regulator ? Disney has the best water pressure of any campground anywhere, well over 90 psi. The pressure will blow your garden hose apart in the 700 loop. The first time at the Fort I placed the regulator at the camper water inlet after the hose--the next morning the 5/8" water hose was swollen to over 3" in size.

Note to self: install regulator between the outlet and your hose.

 

[Shan-man]

No, it's a backflow preventer (think "one-way valve"). It's required to isolate landscape irrigation systems from the "city" water supply. There will be drip irrigation lines installed for the new plants just like we had in 500 on our last stay. Presumably, the lines are just temporary, until the plants are well established, and then the lines and the regulator will be removed.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Pressing on . . .

As I am looking at these photos, it looks like a few of these somehow uploaded out of order. I believe these next pool photos were taken on Tuesday afternoon, not Wednesday morning. Sorry for any confusion.

These big cardboard tubes have been interesting to me. I thought maybe there was going to be a big cylinder of concrete standing up where they were placed. But, as they have been moved around, it looks like they were just used as forms to pour a circular base for what will probably be large light poles:

You might be wondering what the 600 loop extension looks like when viewed from the Meadow Trading Post. It looks something like this:

Here is a shot of the sidewalk that used to lead away from the Trading Post that was torn up. This side walk was special, because it followed the old train route. I am surprised that they didn't sod it. I guess they are just planning to let the grass grow in by itself. Seems kind of weird to me that they didn't design a sidewalk from the loop to the Trading Post, as the proximity to the Trading Post is one of the perks of staying on this loop. On the other hand, maybe they didn't want people to use this as a shortcut through the loop. In any event, I don't think it looks very good:

Here is last week's movie schedule:

Here are some photos of the site that won the TCD award for best Spring decorations. These campers are ringers, though. They were here on this same site (114) for Thanksgiving and Christmas this past year. Stacktester has met the lady and her son (who hasn't he met?) (and as far as I can tell there is no DH on this site ). I think he told me that he partied with them on this past NYE:

For those of you worrying about Spring decorations for your campsites, stop worrying. Folks do not decorate their sites in the Spring anywhere near like they do for Halloween and Christmas. There were very few sites with decorations on this visit.

Here is another shot of some of the gizmos found on the 600 loop. It looks like drip irrigation lines will be attached to the brass thingy. I don't know what the other thing is, but I am thinking that it might be a rain detector. Kind of a lot of fancy equipment to water a few plants if you ask me:

TCD

 

[clkelley]

Pressing on . . .

TCD

When we were wandering around Sunday, Rick saw this site from the Trading Post and said "Oooh, lets go look at the yard sale"

 

[Tri-circle-D]

When we were wandering around Sunday, Rick saw this site from the Trading Post and said "Oooh, lets go look at the yard sale"

That there is funny- I don't care who you are!

TCD

 

[kc5grw]

Pressing on . . .



Here is another shot of some of the gizmos found on the 600 loop. It looks like drip irrigation lines will be attached to the brass thingy. I don't know what the other thing is, but I am thinking that it might be a rain detector. Kind of a lot of fancy equipment to water a few plants if you ask me:

TCD

The ports on the valve are test ports. You can read the specs for this device here: http://www.watts.com/pdf/ES-909S.pdf. The irrigation system would connect to the vacuum breaker on the other side of the post.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

As those of you who have suffered though my previous trip reports know, in addition to posting spy photos ad nauseum, I also try to give helpful tips to my fellow campers.

Well, I made a huge discovery on this visit.

I alluded to this earlier.

I have driven by this place on WDW property, but never stopped before.

Well, as luck would have it, on this visit, I did not fill by gas tank before leaving home, and needed to stop for gas at the Car Care Center located near the exit for the MK/Transportation and Ticket Center parking lot. This used to be an Exxon station, but now is operated by Hess.

After pumping the gas, the DD's and I popped into the Hess Express convenience store to see what they had. I was expecting outrageous Disney prices. But, instead, I found prices comparable to what they charge at their regular convenience stores throughout the state. Which are pretty reasonable, and downright cheap compared to what the Mouse tries to take you for.

Check this out:

Do you see that you can buy three twenty four ounce beers for $5? Do you know how much one sixteen ounce beer costs at the Meadow Trading Post? I believe it is $6.25. They also had 24 bottle cases of Dasani water (.5 liter size) for $5.99. I think you pay $2.00 a bottle at the Fort. And, they were selling large cheese pizzas for $6! We tried one. Not great, but better than the pizza from Trail's End, and less than half the price!

You can get to this Hess station in about 10 minutes from the Fort entrance. Here is a little map for you:

When you head out of the Fort, hang a right. When you come to the stop sign for World Drive, if you look across, you will see the Hess station. Unfortunately, you can't go straight across, you have to turn right, and loop around the MK parking lot, past the Polynesian, and then to the Hess station. On the way back, if you are feeling lucky, you can cut across the 8 (?) lanes of traffic into the MK parking lot, and go directly to Vista Dr. If you are not feeling lucky, then you will need to drive up the road a bit, do a u-turn (there is a legal place to do that), and then come back through the parking lot booths. It is about 5 miles from the 900 loop to the Hess station going the circuitous route, and 2.5 miles going the dangerous route. I am willing to bet that Donnie could get there and back on his golf cart.

And, the best news by far is that the Hess station is open 24/7.

Can anyone say beer run?!!!

TCD

 

[DaveInTN]

The Car Care Center is also the site of Alamo and National Car Rental. I rented a car from there last week, and they have a shuttle that will pick you up at the Outpost to go get your car and drop you back off when you return the car. I don't know that you need to prove you are renting a car. Now, I'm not sayin' that you should call for this shuttle just to run over there for beer. That would be wrong. Very, very wrong...

 

[Tri-circle-D]

The Car Care Center is also the site of Alamo and National Car Rental. I rented a car from there last week, and they have a shuttle that will pick you up at the Outpost to go get your car and drop you back off when you return the car. I don't know that you need to prove you are renting a car. Now, I'm not sayin' that you should call for this shuttle just to run over there for beer. That would be wrong. Very, very wrong...

Son, it is thinking like that that is going to get you promoted!

You are no longer a TCD Junior Deputy. You are hereby promoted to Sergeant. Next thing you know, you'll be an officer!

Now, we just need someone to field test your theory.

Hmmmm .....

Donnie, aren't you going to be back at the Fort this week?

TCD

 

[RvUsa]

TCD great report as usual! We love the Hess, we go there all the time, it is not much more than going to publix etc, if you factor in the extra travel time, it really isn't that bad. And don't forget, their gas is usually the cheapest around!

 

[Live4FW]

They also have one of these stores across from Downtown Disney. This one has pizza available for takeout and it was pretty decent and reasonable as I recall. We have their phone # magnet in the trailer so we can call ahead.

This is also where I resupply the beer. Even cheaper than the Goodings just off property.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Looks like I have time to squeeze in another installment. . .

Here is yet another photo of site 617. You can see that the 800 loop bus stop is still fenced off. The fence came down later in the day. They were just replacing some of the wood. The benches remained missing for the rest of my stay:

This is a photo of the site next to 617. This may explain why the sidewalk is right up against 617. If you got this site, you would have this little retention area to contend with. In the summer months, this thing could have standing water in it. No thanks!:

Here is another look at the new inside sites on the 600 loop. I do not like how close these ended up being to the main road:

Over at the pool, they were sprucing up the landscaping outside. This is a sign that they are getting ready to re-open!:

Here are a couple shots of the 600 loop from across the pond:

Here are some more workers at the pool. Notice how badly the grass between the canal and tennis courts has been torn up. Lots of traffic going back and forth these days!:

Some shots from the bridge behind the Meadow Trading Post:

In the late morning on 4/1, we notice that a fire hose has been connected to the hydrant outside of the Meadow Pool porch!:

Here we see that the pool interior looks to be about done!:

But the splash zone area still has a long way to go:

This appears to be an electrician working on lighting for the restrooms. I suspect that they have added a companion restroom over here, as previously announced. There has been a lot of work going on over here, but the restrooms themselves had already been updated before the pool was closed for the current renovations:

TCD