The DisFort's Chit Chat Cafe

[bama_ed]

Gulf State Park is adding 200 more sites (to the 500 that stay almost constantly full) due to an upcoming bond sale.

https://www.aldailynews.com/state-parks-ready-for-80m-bond-sale-with-list-of-improvements/

I'll ask when I'm down there next month where these new sites are planned for.

ED

PS - I know there had been talk in the past of building a group/rally RV area on the farthest end of Gator Rd where there is sufficient land space near the lake. Maybe they'll add that too.

PPS - and they are finally, FINALLY going to renovate the campground and bathhouses at Oak Mountain just south of Birmingham along I65. It is CRIMINAL how bad both currently are. Very few sites have all hookups. The (too few) bathhouses are cinderblock, non-airconditioned small buildings with rusty appliances and knobs/heads. OM is a fantastic state park for hiking and mountain biking too. Have done a LOT of hiking out there when I lived up that way.

 

[bama_ed]

Today was Dining ADR day for the November trip for our MK visit. Online reservations start at 6am Eastern which is 5am my time.

At 445am I was like:

At 501am I was like:

But something wasn't working right. No times were available for ANY restaurant at ANY time that day.

Then the Disney IT site crashed. I mean ALL of it. Dining, room reservations, Virtual Queue for GOTG, Disney Cruise lines, main DisneyWorld webbie, everything offline at 501am for nearly 2 hrs. I was like:

For solace, I turned to my DIS friends on the Dining Forum who started a thread about the crash and we commiserated together (while hitting refresh constantly). I was like:

At nearly 7am, the systems came back on line. I was like:

At 710am, I had completed my ADRs (one for lunch, one for dinner-will drop one eventually) and then I went back to being like:

THE. END.

ED

PS - honestly, I've had problems with Disney IT on Dining Reservations about 33-50% of the time.

 

[4077]

Today was Dining ADR day for the November trip for our MK visit. Online reservations start at 6am Eastern which is 5am my time.

At 445am I was like:

At 501am I was like:

But something wasn't working right. No times were available for ANY restaurant at ANY time that day.

Then the Disney IT site crashed. I mean ALL of it. Dining, room reservations, Virtual Queue for GOTG, Disney Cruise lines, main DisneyWorld webbie, everything offline at 501am for nearly 2 hrs. I was like:

For solace, I turned to my DIS friends on the Dining Forum who started a thread about the crash and we commiserated together (while hitting refresh constantly). I was like:

At nearly 7am, the systems came back on line. I was like:

At 710am, I had completed my ADRs (one for lunch, one for dinner-will drop one eventually) and then I went back to being like:

THE. END.

ED

PS - honestly, I've had problems with Disney IT on Dining Reservations about 33-50% of the time.

Great animated telling of the story!!! lol

 

[jbrostek]

@bama_ed for our June trip ADR did not open till 7:01 am, prior to that (everyone said 5am) we saw nothing or if we found a time we got an error booking, at 7:01am no problem booking and got most of the same times we where after. I believe they call that a feature.....

 

[bama_ed]

@bama_ed for our June trip ADR did not open till 7:01 am, prior to that (everyone said 5am) we saw nothing or if we found a time we got an error booking, at 7:01am no problem booking and got most of the same times we where after. I believe they call that a feature.....

Based on what I've read, James, the reason my ADR effort (and everyone else's) crashed that morning was that Disney implemented "poorly" an enhancement while I was trying to make my dining plans. Disney is so desperate for revenue, they are pushing cake now!

After the "enhancement", when you make ANY ADR, the FIRST screen you come to once you select a place/time/number of people is it asks you if you want to order any special Mickey Cakes for $39 each per CAKE.



After the cake option, THEN you can list the individual names on your reservation, the credit card number for the guarantee, and so on. But Cake Comes First Now. On every ADR. Long live cake.

It beats all I've ever seen.

I just hope I can get through my vacation this fall before Disney collapses in on itself. They're shilling for a cake here, a tour there, a Lightning Lane click on an off-chance. Sure does look like a house of cards. Somebody sounds desperate for incremental revenue.

Ed

PS - I've made more ADR's since then and the cake option still comes up first. My honest opinion of this "enhancement" would not make it past the FCC language enforcers. What's next? A $20 fee for a short shot of CO2 in my free glass of lemon ice water?

 

[garneska]

Someone had fun playing ball.





Unfortunately I think we need to go to the vet. She is having gastric issues and I am afraid she has Covid. She still was playing though.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

After the "enhancement", when you make ANY ADR, the FIRST screen you come to once you select a place/time/number of people is it asks you if you want to order any special Mickey Cakes for $39 each per CAKE.

For $39 that cake better feed 8 and walk the dogs.

I just hope I can get through my vacation this fall before Disney collapses in on itself. They're shilling for a cake here, a tour there, a Lightning Lane click on an off-chance. Sure does look like a house of cards. Somebody sounds desperate for incremental revenue.

Obviously this model works (see Six Flags, Universal, Silver Dollar City, etc) to churn revenue, but I always feel like it cheapens the experience.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Glad to hear Oak mountain is getting some work. The bathrooms really are a mess. Hopefully they have their power issues sorted out also. We had continuous outage in Feb when we were there. We have plans for this Jan and have stayed there every year since 2016.

 

[jbrostek]

@bama_ed That "enhancement" has been in the ADR since spring. And ADR did not open till 7am for us back as we got ready for the June trip. Your experience mimics everything we went through with noting but errors till 7AM and then boom we could book. DW and I tag teamed and we got most of what we want. We also learned that if you check the morning of as these places open for business that is whey you might be able to score a better time. We used that method the day of to move Beaches and Cream from a 9pm Dessert plan to a 1pm Ice cream for lunch plan.

Had the pleasure of trying to decide if it was time to delete the DEF system in my truck. I had a system failure message and with that prepared for a big bill. The cost to delete is about 1500-2000, the cost to replace the def injector and manual regen was under 1k. We decided to repair at this time because I just did not feel like spending that much right now. At least it did not leave me stranded like my 6.0 liked to do. In addition we found I had a locked caliper (seriously what is up with Ford trucks and locking calipers every 60-80k miles.) So new brakes (commercial grade pads) put on as well. I hope we are now looking at several trouble free years of towing. One winter investment will be in a CP4 DR kit to add that filter to avoid expensive fuel system repairs.

 

[jbrostek]

@Part-Time Paradise The cake is of a good size, it fed 5 of us with some left to take back to the the room (this past trip was DVC stay.) The birthday girls loved it!

 

[tetera]

.

 

[bama_ed]

@bama_ed That "enhancement" has been in the ADR since spring. And ADR did not open till 7am for us back as we got ready for the June trip. Your experience mimics everything we went through with noting but errors till 7AM and then boom we could book. DW and I tag teamed and we got most of what we want.

I guess they have different times for different restaurants then. Only a few days prior I had made my HDDR at 510am. Guess they don't get all loaded at the same time and don't tell anyone that.

 

[jbrostek]

I guess they have different times for different restaurants then. Only a few days prior I had made my HDDR at 510am. Guess they don't get all loaded at the same time and don't tell anyone that.

I wonder if a ticketed event opened earlier? We go back next in July 2023, can let you know since HDDR is on the list for that trip. We just booked our overnight stay in Savannah for the southbound run.

Still working on Northbound though. I find South of the Boarder is too long tow for departure day since we don't like to rush out at first light. Santee Lake is good for me, by our travel buddies want further north. Think we are going to test out Florence RV Park (former KOA) and see if its any worse then it was 7 years ago.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Had the pleasure of trying to decide if it was time to delete the DEF system in my truck. I had a system failure message and with that prepared for a big bill. The cost to delete is about 1500-2000, the cost to replace the def injector and manual regen was under 1k. We decided to repair at this time because I just did not feel like spending that much right now.

I've driven a deleted truck. It was quite nice. The efficiency was improved significantly. I think the owner did some math that the cost to recoup the parts and labor would take about 30k miles.

@Part-Time Paradise The cake is of a good size, it fed 5 of us with some left to take back to the the room (this past trip was DVC stay.) The birthday girls loved it!

That's actually pretty big. I still don't like the upsell, but at least it's not a horrible value.

 

[Teamubr]

A few of us on here need this.



j

 

[jbrostek]

@Part-Time Paradise I always said when Ford ESP and emissions warranty ran out any repair over 1500 I would just delete. Most of the bare bones deletes are 1500 and then install. Well this repair was 350 for the def injector, and 300 in labor. The remainder of my bill was front brakes and and misc items I approved since their cost wasn't much higher then me buying them myself. I think my next move on the truck will be the 400 dollar CP4 DR kit and likely the plastic boost line before that cracks.

I guess it was an upsell? It was never asked at the restaurant, this was an option to order early. We ordered one for our first dinner out at Skippers Canteen (with the happy birthday lettering) and thought it was nice since there where few options for that prior. The second one with the girls picture in California Grill was a gift from a friend we ran into heading to our reservation, they requested it after sitting.

@Teamubr hmmmmmm might have to get approval for that.

 

[bama_ed]

Gulf State Park is adding 200 more sites (to the 500 that stay almost constantly full) due to an upcoming bond sale.

https://www.aldailynews.com/state-parks-ready-for-80m-bond-sale-with-list-of-improvements/

I'll ask when I'm down there next month where these new sites are planned for.

ED

PS - I know there had been talk in the past of building a group/rally RV area on the farthest end of Gator Rd where there is sufficient land space near the lake. Maybe they'll add that too.

PPS - and they are finally, FINALLY going to renovate the campground and bathhouses at Oak Mountain just south of Birmingham along I65. It is CRIMINAL how bad both currently are. Very few sites have all hookups. The (too few) bathhouses are cinderblock, non-airconditioned small buildings with rusty appliances and knobs/heads. OM is a fantastic state park for hiking and mountain biking too. Have done a LOT of hiking out there when I lived up that way.

Recent article (posted yesterday) on the "Outdoor Alabama" website which is sort of an umbrella marketing designation in the state of Alabama for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (which includes the state parks). It features an interview with the new head of Gulf State Park, David Young.

https://www.outdooralabama.com/articles/young-gets-dream-job-alabama-state-parks

As related to my post above, the article says the 200 additional rv sites will be on the old golf course property which was just off the road near the camp office (on the Wal-Mart end of the park). I guess they will use the former pro shop building as the check-in/out location maybe. It also speaks about some new luxury cabins along Lake Shelby and continued efforts to repair the hurricane damage on the fishing pier.

Finally it mentions adding sites and cabins at Meaher SP on a slip of land in Mobile Bay along I-10/Hwy 90. I stayed there once and it was very nice but small and basic (60 sites-they are going to add 60 more). Convenient if you are travelling along the coast and also very close to some great seafood restaurants on the Causeway (Hwy 90).

The paved trail system that connects Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Gulf State Park runs next to the old golf course property so I'm sure they will build a branch to connect to the new rv sites. The new sites won't be as convenient a ride or walk to the beach but a 1.5 mile walk/ride to the camper beach down the old Campground Road #2 (closed to vehicular traffic a couple years ago and now for biking and walking/running).

Interdasting.

Bama Ed

PS - one possibility this opens up is to cut a back-door entrance to GSP off Canal Road (Hwy 180) which runs along the south side of the intracoastal waterway between Gulf Shores and where the toll bridge crosses over the ICW into Orange Beach at the big complex known as "The Wharf". It's a possibility I suppose.

 

[Sjm9911]

Ok so, the cruise wasn't that great. They kept a lot of reduced service stuff they implamented during covid. And we have all been sick since getting home. So for like 2 weeks. Some have covid, me I feel like I have it but the testing all comes back negative. So, maybe go camping instead of a cruise........

 

[tigger92662]

 

[Sjm9911]

Ok so higlights of the trip was the dolphin thing. $$$$ plus $$$$$$ for the pictures. But I figure it was a once in a lifetime thing. Disney may have been cheaper.