The October 2015 Live Trip Reports!

[Goofy14sure]

I'm lovin all these pictures, they are wonderful!

 

[bama_ed]

Our trip isn't even over with and we have decided to make our next reservation for the Fort. The original plan was to come down twice next year, the month of March and then two weeks again in Oct. After talking at the campsite we decided on one trip. Our new reservation for next year are: Oct. 24 - Nov. 5 in a full hookup site again. DW and I love the 1600 loop. This will also be "little Medic's" first T-O-T at the Fort.

Smart move, snowmedic, to get your Halloween reservation in at least a year early. For people reading this trip report, you would be wise to book a reservation NOW if you have the slightest possibility of coming next year to ToT.

If you wait till the hype builds up to 10/31 and then consider it, it won't be soon after that things get filled up. No kidding. Better safe than sorry.

"Little Medic". That makes me laugh.



Bama ED

 

[nabi]

You know it is bad when you are dodging crowds and heat when you duck in the Country Bears. lol

We make a point of going there!

 

[tiggerdad]

Had a good day around the Fort yesterday. Got some pics uploaded, time at the pool, some more exploring done, then met up with Snowmedic and family (including Little Medic) and grilled some burgers. These burgers and charcoal were courtesy of Serenitygr who "passed them on" to us.

Heading to HS today

 

[snowmedic]

Tiggerdad, thanks for hosting again last night. Little Medic really enjoys spending time with your girls.

Today has us staying close to "Home", getting as much done as we can to get ready for our trip back home. My mother will be joining us for the rest of the stay, she is from Destin, so she can spend some time with the girls before her visit up north for Thanksgiving. (Hope she got her flu shot). Will be enjoying the pool and hot tub a few more times, then going to DTD tonight to get LM's Lego set that she has been wanting since she got here. Her Disney gift cards are burning a hole in her little pocket.

I have more pictures to post as the day goes on. More later.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I liked your pictures of decorated sites.
. . . it was also nice to see that you do not hold an individual's beliefs or allegiances against them
. . . there was a photo of a Georgia Bulldogs camper
. . . as we get older, we get more accepting and tolerant of others *

* Even when the wife's alma mater defeats your alma mater . . . and she doesn't rub it in (but YOU KNOW she wants to)

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Today has us staying close to "Home"

1) Isn't it comforting to refer to The Fort as "Home" ?
2) At other resorts, CM's are told to greet guests at check-in with, 'Welcome Home".
3) But, when working at The Fort, we TRULY mean it.

 

[2SillyBirds]

Thank you all for this great thread with all the pictures. My heart doesn't know what to do. It sees one picture and beats with crazy excitement and then it sees another and just goes - ahh.
Someday my husband and I would love to camp there but it is a long trip from Colorado so the best we can do is stay in the cabins.

It is just a total fluke that we found the campground. A few years ago, we had gone to WL for lunch and I told my DH that I had read about a walking path from WL to the campground. He is a lot more adventurous than I am, so he said why don't we burn off some of our lunch and walk over. This was in early January so the campground was very quiet but we just couldn't believe such a place existed at WDW. We saw on of the what 2 or 3 cabins in that area of the Resort and immediately, DH wanted to stay there our next visit. I hate to admit is, but I was a bit of a hotel snob, so I just said "We'll see". He is a very persistent man, so the following fall, I said no to staying at the Fort but yes to the Segway Tour at the Fort. That tour opened the door just a little bit to my willingness to try it out.

The following fall, I finally agreed to just a couple of nights at the Fort with the rest of the trip staying the Yacht Club. After two nights I totally did not want to leave, I was hooked. The rest of the trip every time we got back to the room, we would both say, "I wish we were back at the cabin."

That was 3 years ago. We have been very fortunate to visit The Fort each year and wouldn't even consider staying anywhere else. We have stayed at the Grand Floridian, Yacht Club and Wilderness Lodge and they can't hold a candle to The Fort. To us The Fort is so much more than a resort, it is a community. All the CM's are so friendly. We go to Trail's End several time while we are there and we like to think that the CM's there remember us - they probably don't but they sure do act like it. One year Housekeeping "played" with us leaving us fun towel animals. She left us an "alligator" in the bath tub and the next day created a little family on the bed wearing our hats and sunglasses, remote in hand, watching TV. I always get the feeling like the CM's there really love what they do. They must because we see many of the same ones each year.

Anyway, I could go on forever. Thanks again for all your pictures and posts. We are looking forward to being there looping in just another week.

 

[bama_ed]

We have been very fortunate to visit The Fort each year and wouldn't even consider staying anywhere else. We have stayed at the Grand Floridian, Yacht Club and Wilderness Lodge and they can't hold a candle to The Fort. To us The Fort is so much more than a resort, it is a community. All the CM's are so friendly. We go to Trail's End several time while we are there and we like to think that the CM's there remember us - they probably don't but they sure do act like it. One year Housekeeping "played" with us leaving us fun towel animals. She left us an "alligator" in the bath tub and the next day created a little family on the bed wearing our hats and sunglasses, remote in hand, watching TV. I always get the feeling like the CM's there really love what they do. They must because we see many of the same ones each year.

Anyway, I could go on forever. Thanks again for all your pictures and posts. We are looking forward to being there looping in just another week.

2Silly,

Thanks for the kind words. You seem to understand the appeal of the Fort. Let's keep that amongst ourselves, shall we? We don't need more competition for campsites or cabins!

I read the Resort/Hotel boards and I know that people there tend to look down on the campground and campers in a general sense.

They think we can't afford the GF....

FW is SO FAR AWAY from everything...

There are few dining options because we all eat tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches and Campbell's chicken soup because we can't afford crappy counter service (at a minimum).

They think the campground is just a place for people to steal a one night reservation to get free Magic Bands, avoid the daily parking fee, and make early ADR's and FP+.

But you and I know the REAL story -

We get to sleep in our own bed at Disney World. How many people can say that? Some of our campers cost more than the hotels' peoples' houses. My trailer is my cabin in the woods, my condo at the beach, and my own little DVC. I take it with me everywhere I go.

Campers are mostly outdoor, friendly folks. They love to talk (and talk and talk..). They are outside and accessible (and friendly). When did you last talk to the family in the room next you at CBR? Find out where they're from?

My "resort" room is as big as the all outdoors. I awake to the mist hanging over the Spanish Moss, the deer by the canals, the turkeys walking through the campsites like they own the place, the squirrels shaking down campers for hush peanuts, not to mention the toots of the boats, the thunder of the fireworks, a relaxing boat ride to the MK, and horses clip clopping through my loop. It's RELAXING.

We bring our kitchens with us. I can eat out, eat in, eat fat, eat thin. Counter and Table Service has declined so much I'm happy to eat a sandwich with my chips and cinnamon applesauce (chilled, thank you). In the last year I've been in London, Paris, Monaco, and the Riviera and the BEST MEAL I had in those 12 months was the Trails End buffet breakfast in January. (although the cider I had at the pub outside London's St. Pancras Station rates up there....)

And the Fort Cast Members? Well there are a few (one) that like to talk about themselves in the 3rd person but they like to work at the Fort for the same reasons we do. It's a hot, sweaty, outdoor job for many CM but I appreciate all of them. The Fort Campfire with Chip & Dale is a hidden gem. I remember the CM Miss Sundee playing guitar leading a song with Chip & Dale leading a conga line around the benches (okay, it was off season).

Have you seen it change over the decades? Yes. Have I? Uh huh. But it still beats those pretty, cold, sterile hotels.

So 2SillyBirds, come back to the Camping Board whenever the mood strikes you. We will be here. Let's just keep this little secret amongst us, shall we?

Bama Ed

 

[tiggerdad]

Actually was a very good day at Hollywood Studios. I usually don't report on park visits, but a couple of things happened today that I was glad I got to do and see.

1. I had seen posted that One Man's Dream was going to be either closing, or at least the movie that told the story behind Walt Disney was going to stop running and I was told it would happen before I arrived. Well, I went by it and it seemed open as usual, so I ducked in and made the kids read all the facts and see all the pictures so they would know where all this greatness had come from. When I ran across a CM inside I asked him about the movie and he told me I was in luck. Today was the last day for several months that the original movie about Walt Disney was going to be playing. Starting tomorrow it will be a 10 minute blah blah about the next upcoming Disney movie The Good Dinosaur. This marketing crap from Iger's "generation" is really getting under my skin. However, I was glad myself and my kids got to see it so they could learn how it all happened.

2. I went to Muppets 3D and during the show I saw two guys I didn't expect to see. I mean, I knew Rusty Skupper was in the neighborhood but BamaEd, when did you get down here? Don't try and deny it, I got a slightly blurry picture to prove it...


Oh it's them all right...

3. Since the announcement about the Star Wars and Toy Story expansions at Hollywood Studios the rumors have been getting bigger and bigger about the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular being closed to help make room for the expansion. I for one am a big Indiana Jones fan, and can remember seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark at the movie theater as a kid. For those of you who followed my 2012 trip report you know I had my older niece with us and she got picked to be one of the extras on the set. It was a big deal for me to get to see her do that. So I made it a point today to go and see the show and takes lots of pictures in case it was gone before I got back. You know what, I got in to see it. I usually don't post pictures of myself on the Board, but this was a HUGE thing for me...

That's me with the "what are you doing?" look there in the middle


As I was acting I noticed a squirrel on the set...



I'll have that memory forever.

4. While we ate lunch at Studio Catering Company my wife and I were standing at the counter to get the food and drinks when all of a sudden all the CMs behind the counter come over to us (and I mean all of them) with the one in the middle holding our tray (a red one) and singing about us getting the red tray instead of the usual brown tray. Turns out it's kinda a luck of the draw and if you get a red tray you get free dessert. SWEET!

5. We finally got to see Fantasmic! for the first time since 2009. If you followed my report in 2012 and 2014 you might remember we got rained out of it both events. The storm from 2012 that rained us out is the same one that did the $2000 damage to my camper while it was at the Fort. Tonight the weather was great, we sat center stage on the first row. The girls enjoyed the fact that they got a little wet during the show.

Well, tomorrow morning I'm returning the speed demon golf cart to Kenny. Just an FYI, I got it to show 21 mph on the sign (I had a not-to-be-named witness on the cart at the time of this as proof I pulled it off). Tomorrow is a down day as well. We need to go over to Disney Springs so the girls can get their shopping done and we are planning on doing the carriage ride and outdoor movie as well.

See you guys then...

P.S.
Today's field inspection bribery...

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) You spent time hunting down FW Train Tracks.
2) Here is a route map for the FW Train, including the tracks to River Country (Circa Late 1970's).

 

[sirenia88]

Tiggerdad, i am glad you are having fun. I have not been making any rounds since everything has been going by as a blur. I will probably post up more when we get home in a few, short days at this point. However, it has been a total blast. We too are thinking about the next vacation...

 

[SamRoc]

and some decorated sites for you as well...
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I love the pirate decortations! It was in the 800 loop last year, is it in the same one this year?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

We too are thinking about the next vacation...

1) Now, THIS sounds like a Fort camper.
2) Like potato chips, once is NEVER enough.

 

[tiggerdad]

I love the pirate decortations! It was in the 800 loop last year, is it in the same one this year?

Yep, it's the same ones.

 

[tiggerdad]

Mission Impossible music playing in the background...

 

[tiggerdad]

OK, I got a serious question for any of you that know the answer. Along the paved walking path between the Outpost Depot and Big Pine Drive, behind 1700 loop, there is a location that looks like this...
First pick is looking toward Outpost Depot


This picture is looking back toward the campground with 1700 loop being to the right about 20 yards.


Anybody got an answer?

 

[tiggerdad]

Yes! Trail's End for dinner again!

This evenings entertainment

 

[tiggerdad]

Appetizer...

 

[tiggerdad]

Round 2