SSSHH!! "Inside info from chatty driver"!!

[always quiet]

While in FW last week, it was a rainy day and we decided to head over to the GF to check out the gingerbread house. According to the map the front desk gives you, we would of needed to take a bus to the outpost, then board a bus to the TTC, then onto the GF. As we were standing there, a van pulled up (Disney-owned) and the man offered us a ride. We tell him where we are going and he tells us that the bus to the TTC has been gone for months. He will drive us over there himself. While we are driving, we start chatting to the man. According to him, they are going to be combining FW and WL as ONE resort. Also, they will be expanding FW! He couldn't go into too much detail, but he even showed us where this will be (if you are on the buses heading out of FW, you will notice that you enter an area that says "Do Not Enter" - it's for Disney employees only). This is a large wooded area. He said there is talk of maybe a "honeymoon" themed area and possibly a pet area as well (he even discussed that the pets would need to be kenneled if the guests are not there with them for mousekeeping to clean and that these would be very specifically labeled as "pet" areas as it costs Disney over $400 to clean a room after a pet leaves if the next guest coming in has allergies). He then discussed River Country, why it closed and said that it WILL be reopening in the future but not as "River Country". They can not make it a chlorinated water park as Florida law prohibits changing the "shore lines of natural lakes"....Bay Lake is a natural lake.

Thought I'd share this info!!

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

That story has been around for years.
I only wish that it were true.

Now... If I had a dollar for every silly story I heard from a driver CM I would be getting a bigger Christmas gift.

 

[always quiet]

I had heard the story about River Country, but this was the first time I heard about the expansion. Seeing how he even pointed out the area where they would be building, I wonder if that part of it is true.

 

[tim5055]

I had heard the story about River Country, but this was the first time I heard about the expansion. Seeing how he even pointed out the area where they would be building, I wonder if that part of it is true.

A second one to say I wish it were true. Folks have been "pointing out" the wooded area as expansion for many years.......

 

[ftwildernessguy]

There were actually plans on the boards many years ago to put a western town themed resort in that area, sort of an intermediate resort. You can check the archives of Jim Hill Media to see a recent article on this resort plan. It was forgotten, as many plans are at Disney, and they concentrated on DVC resorts and lower end resorts like pop and all stars.

Interestingly enough, I have found that CM's have some of the least reliable rumors. I don't want to imply that I read other boards and web sites, but there are a couple that have some pretty accurate information - rumors that come to be down to the last detail.

I think most of us wish RC would be resurrected, but that dream died with me when Disney removed all references to RC from signs and brochures. Jim Hill also had an article on a Pirates of the Carribean themed water park that had an amazing resemblance to parts of RC.

So while the rumors are interesting and worth keeping an eye on, I try to keep in mind that the reality is, much if not most of Disney's plans never come to be. That is part of the creative process - lots of ideas to come up with one really good plan.

 

[stillh2o]

Where has been some talk about moving FW to a new site and build DVC on the FW site. The new FW would in thinking would be better designed for the newer RV’s.

 

[Gillian]

Although I haven't heard the expansion rumor, I have also heard over and over again that CMs are not a good info source.

I think it would be fun to go through all the proposals that didn't make it!

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Once in a while an old plan is resurrected. Case in point is Splash Mountain, an old plan imagineering had mothballed and then pulled out after Eisner came on board. Supposedly Eisner's son saw the model and liked it, and the rest is history.

 

[DURANFAN2]

I wouldn't be surprised if they add more sites. I have heard through a very reliable long time employee that they realize there is a need for longer sites for some of these super sized RVs and also that there is a problem with many of these long RVs being able to miss trees when they try to back in. However, this was about adding a few new loops not redoing the entire campground.

As far as the river county/lake water issue I kind of have a feeling thats not true coz it seems like when DISNEY bought the land it was with the understanding with the state of FL they can kind of do what they want. Those lakes aren't natural they were dug out. So that could be a loop hole too. I don't see RC ever becoming a major water park its SO small and really it was pretty dangerous accident wise. They come along way with safety design since they built RC.
Theres always been rumours of an adult only resort, a few years back there was speculation that the old Discovery Island might be turned into a VERY pricey adult only very romantic getaway.
Really the idea of an adults only pool even in FT W is very appealing to people who don't have kids with them. Theres LOTS of people who go to disney without kids and honestly some times its hard to even read/relax by the pool when the kids are screaming MARCO POLO non stop for hours at a time.

 

[tim5055]

As far as the river county/lake water issue I kind of have a feeling thats not true coz it seems like when DISNEY bought the land it was with the understanding with the state of FL they can kind of do what they want. Those lakes aren't natural they were dug out. So that could be a loop hole too.

First of all, Bay Lake was not just "dug out", it was there when Disney bought the porperty.

Things change through the years...

Yes, the Florida legislature was willing to give Disney just about anything when he proposed the complex. But, environmental law have changed a lot in the last 30 years. Disney was given the same powers as a city in the laws that created the Reedy Creek district, but even citys must abide by the environmental laws...

Hers is the purpose of the Reedy Creek Improvement District

The Reedy Creek Improvement District, in accord with its enabling legislation, is responsible to the owners of land within the District and the public to provide for surface water control and drainage, utilities and mosquito control; roads and bridges; land use regulation and planning; fire protection; emergency medical services; environmental services; data collection and evaluation; building and other construction codes enforcement and inspections; and interface with local, regional, state and federal regulatory agencies.

For more information, check out their web site:

Reedy Creek Improvement District

 

[always quiet]

I have a book I purchased way back in the early 80's about WDW. They were discussing FW and mentioned that before they built the campground, Bay Lake was kind of nasty...they drained it and cleaned out all the debris...and found a wonderful suprise. Beautiful white sand. All the sand that is on the shore of Bay Lake, as well as the Grand Floridan and the Poly came from the bottom of Bay Lake.

 

[DURANFAN2]

well that would make sense then if they kind of renovated the lake coz I had seen pixs of Bay Lake being 'built", I guess those photos were actually the clean out.

 

[stillh2o]

When Walt Disney surveyed central Florida seeking a location for his "new world," he flew over Bay Lake and spotted the 14 acre island near its center. Those who accompanied him that day say that Walt decided then and there that this -- among all locations studied -- was the ideal choice. (The Story of Walt Disney World 1971 edition p18.)

 

[salmoneous]

well that would make sense then if they kind of renovated the lake coz I had seen pixs of Bay Lake being 'built", I guess those photos were actually the clean out.

Note that Seven Seas Lagon *was* "built" at the same time they were cleaning Bay Lake, and that might be what was in those pictures you are thinking of

 

[bicker]

Where has been some talk about moving FW to a new site and build DVC on the FW site. The new FW would in thinking would be better designed for the newer RV’s.

This seems the most viable and likely of all the tall-tales told by CMs. The "new Fort Wilderness" would be located in the Animal Kingdom area.

Although I haven't heard the expansion rumor, I have also heard over and over again that CMs are not a good info source.

It seems to me that they are in a constant competition with each other to come up with the most outlandish and unlikely rumors -- the challenge being telling the stories with such sincerity to convince as many wide-eyed guests as possible. It seems that this works especially well when the CM is in the process of transporting the guests, so the bus drivers seem to be the big winners in this competition, but all the "transporting" CMs seem to get in on the game.

 

[Gillian]

Really the idea of an adults only pool even in FT W is very appealing to people who don't have kids with them. Theres LOTS of people who go to disney without kids and honestly some times its hard to even read/relax by the pool when the kids are screaming MARCO POLO non stop for hours at a time.

An adults only area would be appreciated by a lot of people, even (especially!) those of us with kids. IMO, adults-only areas are the best thing about the Disney Cruise Line. The adults only beach at castaway cay is awesome! And when we cruised on the Wonder, the no kids in the adults pool rule was enforced.

We travelled on Carnival cruises 2 weeks ago and there were a zillion kids (including my son who was being watched by my parents) in the pool that was supposed to be for adults.

An adults only pool at FW or the other resorts would be nice. If our children were at the kids club or an activity, it would be great to have a place to enjoy adult company without other people's kids disturbing us.

 

[bicker]

We travelled on Carnival cruises 2 weeks ago and there were a zillion kids (including my son who was being watched by my parents) in the pool that was supposed to be for adults.

That's one thing I really appreciated about Royal Caribbean. The adult (Solarium) pool was conscientiously monitored, and children were ushered efficiently to the main pool.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

There are two problems I see with an adults only pool. One is the total lack of compliance by some campers. For instance, on our last trip I saw someone with a dog at the children's playground next to the Meadows pool, clearly out of the dog loop areas. The other is the resistance by Disney to enforce rules unless people complain. Another example - there were clearly people camping out in the overflow lot by the kennels on our last trip, but Disney did nothing until I "brought it to their attention" and told them I felt pretty strongly that it was unfair to those of us who paid our camping fees. Personally, I'd like an adults only pool, but I would probably be frustrated.

 

[loriandmatt]

i have to say that everytime one of these rumors or insider info or what ever you want to call it comes around it generally mentions either a completely new campground or upgrades to FW that would make way for large RV's.


a little antsy here....here's to hoping they don't make getting a campsite even harder (or impossible - by making the campgrounds for large rigs or cabins only) for those of us who prefer a smaller camper, a more rustic site or a tent. We graduated from a tent to a pop up a while back and can see a day where we might want to graduate up to a hybrid (totally lovin ftwildernessguy's kiwi) but don't ever want to be without those tent like bunk ends. without those, it just would not be camping for us.

us low tech/low hook up folks don't bring in the big bucks for a campsite, so i could see them wanting to cut down on the "cheap sites", but it would be a sad turn of events for us minimalistic campers.

- lori

 

[Rhonda]

i have to say that everytime one of these rumors or insider info or what ever you want to call it comes around it generally mentions either a completely new campground or upgrades to FW that would make way for large RV's.


a little antsy here....here's to hoping they don't make getting a campsite even harder (or impossible - by making the campgrounds for large rigs or cabins only) for those of us who prefer a smaller camper, a more rustic site or a tent.

I totally agree! We love tent camping, and I worry about FW making too many "improvements" and squeezing out the beautiful regular campsites!