Thank you all!

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Hey everyone!
I don't know if I'll get around to writing a trip report- I never seem to get around to doing that. LOL
But I wanted to make sure to say a big huge thank you to you all for all your help before our trip- in so many ways!

I made some ****oo's and forgot some important things (including passwords, which caused me to be unable to get on anywhere including email while on the trip- but then not getting online for 2wks didn't kill me either LOL) -and some really important things (like the "tips" I'd been writing down for months- from things mentioned on this board!) So I missed quite a few things I meant to make sure to do.... like electrical parade/etc. But some I remembered on my own (like the tire cover at the premium outlet store- and by jove I got one and it was on the trailer at the port and on the trip home... woohoo!).

We got the loop we requested (thanks for the tips on how to do that- our TA faxed it for us before our trip) 1400 and we received 1447. It was really perfect for us.. close enough to the comfort station, pool, campfire area, etc. but good that it wasn't RIGHT NEXT to the comfort station because lordy was it loud with frogs at that area at night! LOL I'm pretty sure we'd had trouble sleeping if we'd been at a site right there by the comfort station!

With the rain we weren't able to do all we wanted and had some inconveniences that only rain can do to ya- but we still had a fabulous time. Didn't too much fishing (oops!) but some.... we enjoyed staying at FW and staying in our trailer, cooking most of our meals, the pool with slide/etc. We really enjoyed HDDR....... boy now the kids are begging to do that again as soon as possible but it's so $$$$$. LOL we got exactly where we wanted with that too- we paid for group 2 seating but asked for the balcony so we'd be in the center and it worked out great- we could see it all. It was great!!!

Our trip there was rain all the way- thru 4 states.. but on the drive home after the cruise it was nice weather.

oh and thanks also for the tip about KOA's- that really worked out well to be able to map out where I thought we'd be about night-time and find a KOA close by, paid in advance so we just arrived, didn't even unhook just hooked up the electric/water/etc. and slept- then had breakfast and on the road again. We'd paid before we left but then they charged us .17 more later on my card -not sure why and it's only .17 but it's odd. Isn't it? Can't imagine what it was for..... maybe for use of water flushing during our short time there? (I'm kidding- I know they don't charge for how much water you use LOL)

Anyway, thanks again for all the tips... I'm sorry I forgot all my paperwork so I could take full advantage of all the tips you all gave but I'm thankful that I remembered some of them on my own! The rain was an annoyance at times- but we still had a FABULOUS time and I wish we could stay at FW more often- but DH is not fond of the drive there and back. Maybe we just need to move to Florida or something? Huge thank you to all of you who helped make our trip more wonderful!

 

[disney4dan]

Glad you had a great time - looking forward to the TR with photos! Did the rain keep the crowds down at all?

 

[SCCamper]

Welcome back. Hope you had a safe trip.

 

[DaveInTN]

Sounds like you had a GREAT time! Even with all the rain in the past month it seems people are making the best of it and having good trips. So happy for you!

 

[medic9016]

It was great to me you. Glad to see the trip got better after the first night. Our best days for weather was the day we arrived and the day we we home. Go figure. How was the cruise?

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Thanks for coming back to the camping boards and letting us know how things turned out. A lot of times folks come here and ask questions, and we never get to hear how things turned out. I am sorry that you had so much rain. The Fort is a lot more fun without the water, but it sound like you had a great time.

Did you ever visit the pool at midnight?

And, when is your next visit to the Fort?

TCD

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

WB glad to hear you had a good time with a problem free tow. Asking alot of questions before you go somewhere is always best.

 

[clkelley]

The big question is: How was the brake controller and mirrors???? How did the Expy tow????

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

It was great to me you. Glad to see the trip got better after the first night. Our best days for weather was the day we arrived and the day we we home. Go figure. How was the cruise?

I hear you!
Hearing on the news how the rain was supposed to let up on Saturday we checked out- yep, I thought that figures! Whether it really did let up on the weekend of the 30th or not, I don't know though. LOL
Sorry I didn't get to meet the whole fam but I am glad I "looked you up" on your last night.
The cruise was absolutely fantastic in every way! It always is though- which is why we're hooked on DCL. LOL

Thanks for coming back to the camping boards and letting us know how things turned out. A lot of times folks come here and ask questions, and we never get to hear how things turned out. I am sorry that you had so much rain. The Fort is a lot more fun without the water, but it sound like you had a great time.

Did you ever visit the pool at midnight?

And, when is your next visit to the Fort?

TCD

It was great! There were a few things that the rain messed up (minor things like everything wet all the time, couldn't dry out towels and clothes, the pool and/or slide closed temporarily a few times, couldn't do the hot air balloon due to weather, etc.) and I know that without the rain and all the water collecting everywhere it would have been even better- but it was still a great vacation and we really enjoyed it. I think we all enjoy it a lot more than staying in a resort hotel... even though it was a bit more work for mom (ie: me) LOL
We did visit the pool several times late at night but the kids preferred it when the slide was open ofcourse. The hot tub was divine though! (although I was almost always the only adult in it when I was in it- always filled with kids of various ages and seemed to be a "hang out and flirt" place for teens LOL)

I don't know when we'll be able to visit the fort again! very unfortunately. I wish it could be sooner but we're basically hooked on the cruises now (DH has never really liked the parks and only tolerated them for us- but he loves the cruises..) so now we kinda just attach on a visit to the parks before the cruise if we can. We don't really like the idea of doing the parks AFTER the relaxing cruise- yanno? So anyway our next big vacation planned is in Sept of 2010 and it's the transatlantic- which starts in Barcelona.. so there's no way to tack on a trip to WDW before that. And we're waitlisted (for when the dates come out) for the panama canal repo taking the Wonder to CA sometime in 2011. Again can't really tack on a visit to FW before that trip. We might can manage going to WDW before the trip but since it starts in Fl and ends in Ca I don't think we'd be able to drive taking the trailer to Fl and then leave it there while we take the cruise taking the ship to Ca. yanno?

So... it doesn't look like any definite plans anytime soon but I sure wish we could go sooner and who knows- maybe we'll manage another little trip somewhere in between there. We didn't think we'd go on this trip until bargain prices came out for the May 30th cruise and then I just added on the week before at FW/WDW..... so it could happen again. Who knows right? But I sure can't see us really staying at WDW anywhere BUT FW in the future. Even if we manage to add on WDW before the repo in 2011- we'll probably see if we can stay in the cabins since taking the trailer isn't really feasible since we'd end our vacation in Ca. Or maybe if it works out well in price we'll try renting that trailer that's always mentioned here, hehe. I just don't see us ever staying in the resort rooms ever again!

The big question is: How was the brake controller and mirrors???? How did the Expy tow????

they all worked perfectly - as expected!
The expy towed fine. I think DH wouldn't admit it but he had a bit of getting "used to" my vehicle I think. There was some sway those first few hours (on the way there) that nothing else but "not used to my vehicle" could explain really. He tried to explain it away as windy, when big trucks came by, etc. but I really think it had to do with him not being used to my vehicle being very touchy on the steering wheel (meaning only the silghtest movement would move the wheels- I think he was used to having to move the steering wheel a bit more with his vehicle). in other words I think he was moving the steering wheel just a bit much causing the swaying because after the first few hours (even though our entire trip there was rain the entire time) the slight swaying mysteriously stopped. LOL (and the drive home was fine too) Like I said- I think it just took him a bit to get used to my vehicle and how it drives compared to his older suburban. LOL But everything worked great!!! And the expy towed fine. Gas mileage was a little bit of a shock when towing the trailer, but really to be expected. Gas prices went up too (shortly before our trip) so needless to say gas cost was more than I'd anticipated. LOL
The trip home was a lot less stressful- DH was used to towing with my vehicle, no rain, etc. And he was ready to get home so he ended up driving all night instead of stopping somewhere to sleep at night! (which btw was a real shocker.... he is NOT one to stay up late at all. If he's up past 10pm it's shocking for him LOL)

anyway everything was great! thanks!