Trip Report | All work and no play…

[ilovedisneymm]

We were up and out the door extra early Saturday morning and stayed the course. We stopped in Jacksonville to see some landlords we farm for and bring them a quarter beef from home. After a nice visit, we made our way straight to St. Augustine. The plan was to get there by 5 pm and visit the beach, but it was after sunset once we arrived at a place to stay. I didn’t have any time to book in advance, but hubby had two spots in mind - St. Augustine’s State Park or the KOA down the road. We’ve never been to St. Augustine, so it was neat driving thru the scenic down town area. The stone fort was pretty interesting and I sure wish we had more time in our travels to allow for more time spent there. The landlords we farm for said twice “next year when you’re back down here.” Twice they said that. Hey, Danny, did you hear that? If you want to keep good relations with the landlords, perhaps we should come down next year, too. Like they said…twice. Hahahaha. And that’s how I’ll trap, sweet talk, remind, whatever you want to call it…get another trip to Disney! Wooohoo!

The state park was full so we ventured down to the KOA. We went to the beach that next morning at sunrise. Little did we know, there are plug ins at the parking lot. If I would have known that, we would have stayed right at the beach parking area and saved $100.

Beautiful beach.

More time allocated to St. Augustine’s area for sure for next year.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

After a few hours of watching the waves and the kids running around, it was time to make that two hour drive south to Fort Wilderness.

We checked in around 11 am without fail. Yeah right. There is drama with every check in and why would this be any different.

What a mess. I loathe stay in your camper check in. No. I’m not doing that ever again. We had the insurance card and all that for the golf cart, but that wasn’t good enough. They wanted full outline with details. Itemized line by line breakdown. What? You don’t want that info for our ton and a half truck. You don’t ask that for my camper. Did you ask that guy with his 46 foot Tiffen over there? No. So why you want that for my golf cart? What a rack it! So I had to call our insurance guy, on a Sunday morning at his home, and make him push some buttons and email me more details. We sat there for 40 minutes getting this thing lined out. All the while dangling some useless sticker of approval over our heads. As if that sticker had some kind of magical powers to make our cart go or something. Those gatekeepers of the Outpost sure take their ounce of authority to a new level. It would be one thing if she was helpful, but young attitude and my premenopausal attitude don’t mix well.

And if it’s really about safety don’t you think Disney would spring for the $68 add on accessory turn single kit for their rentals? Please take my $600 you charged me for my six seater cart this past week and buy eight kits. Cause honestly, the lack of those turn singles is a bit dangerous. And that’s wild coming from me. I never advocated for more structure, but turn singles would be a good idea for those carts.

I’m not even going to get into the next level round we went over my second site.

Oh, ok. What’s that you say? You do want to hear more? Of course you do. We all do.

 

[bama_ed]

One thing I would offer, @ilovedisneymm, is that if you and DH return with kids to FL as soon as next year (to the J'ville area), check out the following:

About 5 years ago my DW and I decided to visit as many Florida lighthouses as we could as an adjunct objective (WDW was always the PRIMARY objective). But including the LH we visited decades ago in Key West and Fort Jefferson, we hit 15 LH (most of which were on the northern Gulf coast of Florida or the Atlantic side) in the span of 4 years.

The Atlantic side for you has 3 LH within easy reach: Amelia Island (NE of J'ville), St. Augustine (very close to the entrance to Anastasia SP), and Ponce de Leon (down near Daytona where I4 pulls off from I95). You and the family would enjoy visiting each one of those on a future trip (or maybe some on the SB travel and other on the NB travel).

You might think 'if I visit one LH I've seen them all' but that's not true. Proximity to the ocean, immediate surroundings, height (Ponce is SO tall), LH Keeper houses (chief and assistant), and the gift shops/museums. To me they are fascinating and I am glad so many volunteers have stepped up to preserve these monuments to navigation.

I will get some more popcorn to follow your trip report updates now that you are home-bound.



Bama Ed

PS - Me and DW made the decision to do the LH pursuit because our knees are getting any younger! As I said, PdL is probably the tallest IMO that we climbed (interior circular stairs). We climbed to the top of all of them - glad we did it while we were still "young".

PPS - and although I have not BEEN to the Amelia Island LH (tucked up in the NE corner of the state thus requiring the most commitment to go out of our way to visit it), I did go to Amelia Island (The Ritz-Carleton Hotel) for a corporate shin-dig [hey, I didn't pay for it]. But the former QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Terry Bradshaw, was brought in as the main speaker and he was actually quite good. Serious, not goofy like he is on Sunday afternoons on fall TV. I gained some new-found respect for him.

PPPS - oh and hey, if you rolled up to Anastasia SP hoping to find an available campsite, I'm not surprised there were none. FL state parks in tourist areas in winter are nearly always full (snow birds escaping the winter weather try to grab their two weeks at a time) and Anastasia in general being close to a tourist area is always in demand (small (short) campsites, stayed there twice). But St.A as a whole is worth building an entire day to tour the historic downtown area (and LH nearby). It's severely underrated, IMO. Oh, don't try to drag the trailer to park downtown or at the LH.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Thanks for all the travel tips, Ed. That would be neat to visit a few lighthouses on the way down next year.

We visited some beautiful lighthouses along the coastline of Oregon in 2024 and plan to visit more along the Pacific Coast this summer.

 

[team bradfield]

And if it’s really about safety don’t you think Disney would spring for the $68 add on accessory turn single kit for their rentals? Please take my $600 you charged me for my six seater cart this past week and buy eight kits. Cause honestly, the lack of those turn singles is a bit dangerous. And that’s wild coming from me. I never advocated for more structure, but turn singles would be a good idea for those carts.

Last 3 years my GC Disney rentals had turn signals

 

[ilovedisneymm]

The second issue was my second site. I booked a full hookup site for us (cause I love the 1800 loop) and a tent site for diesel mechanic. I booked everything under my lovely Disney experience account. I paid for both with my credit card and both are linked to my address. I was able to get my second choice site for full hook-up and was happy with that. The tent site however could not be released until diesel mechanic arrived. Well we flew the boy in and he’s not scheduled to land until much later that day. My plan was for the kids to set his site up and Daniel and I would get ours set up. Then we all could go to Disney Springs for dinner. Well, without them releasing the site to me, I couldn’t get him set up and that would delay our day by hours. They wouldn’t release the site until the boy listed on that reservation was there in person. No, no they wouldn’t reassign it, add me or another guest member of my party. None of that common sense. Gatekeeper told me I had to call guest services to get it resolved even though I asked for a manger and explained three times about how every little bit of information was linked to me on that second site but the name occupying it. Still not good enough. Would not get a manager for me. I had to call guest relations and was on the phone with them for 43 minutes. This is after the 40 minute go around with the insurance. I kid you not, we were in check-in mode for almost two hours. Momma needs a drink at this point! Three. I don’t even care if it’s 12:30. Guest relations is telling me to get a manager and that they would be able to check me in and they (guest relations) could do little. Gatekeeper disagrees. We’re are having a three way conversation going nowhere fast…but it was like turtle mode.

We’re done here.
Danny, pull this over and lets go in.

Now, folks. Now is where the cellphone dings start to flow like dominoes followed by a couple phone calls.

Hahaha.
I’m kidding.
A little.

And so I went inside and five minutes later we had our second tent site number assigned.

Imagine that.

Folks, all is blue skies and sunshine from here on out…

 

[ilovedisneymm]

@team bradfield well that is good to hear. At first I was wondering if our cart was the only one, but I noticed many many other rentals doing to left arm out to turn gesture. I didn’t notice any rentals ahead of me utilizing theirs either, which makes me believe theirs, too, did not have them.

Glad to hear some do.

We brought our golf cart down.
After new bushings were put in the front.
After four new batteries.
After one new solenoid.
After a trip to buy new heavy duty ramps cause our old ramps were too short for this truck.
After adding new insurance to make it Disney legal.
After 40 minutes go round with gatekeeper to prove our worthiness.

After all that, the darn thing goes and then just stops all of a sudden. That was discovered on our way from the overflow to our site. Darn.

Well, we can’t be having it just stop suddenly. That would be extra dangerous. So off to golf cart rental we go.

I’m not mad at this. Bummed we went through all that just to have speed control go out, but things breaking is nothing new here. That’s how it goes sometimes. We will get that fixed before it’s time to haul garden goods this summer.

Also, I’m not sure how I feel about this new modern-design-to-look-vintage remodel of the lobby.

Here is the photo they had displayed in 2022 and the newly remodeled one.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

And so after a few obstacles we managed to get both sites all set up.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

The best showers are the showers after a long travel with the campsite all set up ready to start the holiday.

Disney Springs.
On the people level scale it’s a 10. Solid 10.

Deluxe Burger was awesome! It also gets a 10. Although, I feel they’ve adapted McDonald’s policy on fries. Fluff don’t stuff. That was the first red meat Danny and I’ve had in like three years from a restaurant, but I’ll take a Deluxe Burger, please! Yumm.

Amaretto’s Bakery
Lego Store
Sleep

We are almost to the Gulf of America. Headed to the beach to watch the waves and grill out some salmon on the Blackstone. And have ourselves one more evening before returning home.

I’ll update more when we’re on the road tomorrow.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

We made it up to St. Andrew’s around 4pm and checked it to shanty spot next to the beach. We enjoyed the waves, soft sand under our feet, and a beautiful sunset.

After six hours of driving it was nice to stretch and adjust to life outside of the bubble. You’ve got to enter the real world slowly. Not all at once.

Danny grilled salmon for dinner and I burnt some garlic bread in the camper oven.

Currently sipping coffee and waiting for the kids to wake. Danny is cooking up some bacon and eggs. It will be a good 800 mile day today.

Grace has a college class 8am on Monday we’ve got to make it back for. They’re calling for snow at home starting this evening.

And the camp store has these Yeti coolers in all colors. I want the robin egg blue 45 & 65 qt set in a serious way. I told Danny to consider these coolers my designer purse I’ve never bought.

4 weeks of meals to the fields during planting season
6 weeks of meals to the fields during straw season
7-8 weeks of meals to the fields at harvest

Yeah, they’re the closest thing to a farmer’s wife designer bag. Want.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

We did 4 day park hopper tickets. The plan was two big days in the parks (Monday & Tuesday) followed by a Fort Day (Wednesday) and then two more big park days (Thursday & Friday). I had tears scheduled for 8pm Friday. They’ve always worked on the last day. A few tears and my confession of love and devotion to the Fort, has always, without fail, worked to “add a day” or two and extend the trip. However this time, we’ve got to be back for 8am class, so I didn’t even try. That’s ok, this trip was surprisingly satisfying. I felt like we did a great job with each day and ready for homeward bound.

Monday | MK Day

It was early entry day and we were there 15 minutes prior to early entry and the gates were open and people flowing. It was the least populated I’ve ever seen. We walked on Tron and then did it again - no wait. Great first attraction right off the bat. Diesel mechanic has never even been on a ride, not even at his local fair. The boy had a smile on his face that did not waiver all week long!

Big kids had a smile that did not waiver all week long.
Charlotte has a smile that did not waiver all week long.
That made hubby and I smile, too, all week long.

MK was cake to navigate. We did everything with hardly much wait. I feel anything under 25 minutes is simply part of the process. Most attractions were within reason.

This is our #11 trip with kids to Disney and the least crowds we have ever experienced- all week! We typically travel in January, but if we’re back next year, and likely will, the last week in February was just perfect. Excellent weather, too.

I got some pink Mickey crocks on Main Street. These will be my garden shoes this spring/summer.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

And so somewhere around 2 pm the crowd level was rising and time to go back to the Fort for a little rest. Danny grilled up some filet mignons and all energy levels were restored.

After that we went over to Hollywood Studios. I could go back and forth between Tower of Terror and Rocking Roller Coaster all day long. Changing RR over to a Muppets theme should be criminal. They took out the Aerosmith intro so they could get to work on the switch over. We did RRx2 and then TTx2 and then went over to the new StarWars Land. I’m not a StarWars person, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of the movies in its entirety. I watched the one with the little Ewalks when I was ten. That’s all my StarWars knowledge. I imagine if I was a StarWars fan, I’d be giddy like a child walking thru this land. The coolest, friends. I loved it!

Smugglers Run
I’ve got clue here. None. But Charlotte does. She knows she’s going to be the gunner and hubby and I are to be the pilots. Ok…and now all of a sudden I have jobs assigned. What? I’ve got to drive? Pull up to go up and down to go down was my job. Hubby got assigned left or right maneuvering.

Well ok.

And that’s when things came alive! Oh my goodness. The spaceship takes off and I’m trying to steer and crashing into absolutely everything and laughing like I’ve never laughed before. What the heck! I try. I crash. I can’t stop laughing. And just as I can’t even breathe from laughing so hard, I look back at gunner row to see my nine year old has turned rabid. She is levitating out of her seat, fingers slamming that gunner button as fast as her little fingers could go. She’s got teeth out like a coyote ready for attack screaming at hubby and I to drive the ship! That’s when I truly loose it. Funniest moment of my life. Pics below from our second time on that attraction when hubby and I were on repair duty. Oh the theming they did on the land is a perfect 10.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Tuesday we started in Animal Kingdom and rode Avatar x2 and then moved over to the Safari and then Mt. Everest x2.

I’m old.
I’m done.
Charlotte wants to go to the pool.
Charlotte learned to swim in the same place her siblings learned.

Grace & not so little Daniel want to stay and show diesel mechanic the rest of the park and then go over to Epcot.

Fine by me.
And that’s another reason why Disney does it better than anywhere else. Safety. I can safely assume that my big kids can manage their way around the parks and transportation system. Why? Cause I trust they can conduct themselves appropriately and I know that if they get out of line, Disney level one secret service will escort them right over there. The last half of that sentence was a joke! Disney Is the ultimate big kid babysitter. Lol. No, Disney is not a babysitter.

Disney does it better on the theming, the entertainment variety, safety, and happiness to all ages.

Joy! This trip is our first trip with “big kids” and “little kids” and yet everyone, at all age levels, had a wonderful time. I can’t think of another vacation that appeals to that many levels.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Wednesday | Fort Day

Ah. Yes. A Fort Day.

The construction around the Meadows is a giant pain in the butt. I didn’t hear any construction noise, but the perfect path (you know the one from the 1500 loop to the pool) well that is blocked off. You have to drive down to 1400 loop, Little Bear, I think, and go around that loop 3/4 the way, then travel around the back side of the sing along (so fun when you’re making that route at night with people everywhere - satire here) and then to the cart parking area. The front entrance has work currently being done there, too, so you have to zigzag around that as well. I can’t believe they have golf carts wizzing around by the little kids at the nightly movies. As a mom, that worries me. People are idiot drivers.

The wall next to the pool is not that big of a deal. It didn’t bother us any. The barrel slide is still there. Danny and I climbed up to see the progress on the new pool area. Yeah. Yeah Danny, we have to come back next year cause this area will be done & filled with people and then we can have the cabin pool all to ourselves! This is going to be a nice area. I love that they saved the tree. Take a look at the horseshoe imprints on the sidewalk. Well done, Disney.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

More Fort…

We had Trails End for dinner the last two nights. Not going to lie, I miss the old Trail’s End buffet. We would look forward to eating there all year. Usually we would eat our first and last night’s meal there. In 2022 we visited and did not like the quick serve, limited menu, and no sit down option. That was such a huge bummer to see your favorite restaurant turned terrible. I was expecting pretty much nothing out of Trails End this time and really didn’t think about it or factor it into our trip. We went in and was much surprised they had sit down. I looked the menu and we got the fried chicken meal, fries, mash potatoes, Mac n cheese, corn bread and strawberry short cake.

It was a feast of all feasts. I’m sorry, I have zero pictures of our meal cause we inhaled it all. Do they just fry that chicken in pure butter or what? Good Lord I love that chicken. I could eat it every single day from Trails End. Glad they changed the name back, too. And so it wasn’t what it used to be. I prefer my shortcake warm. I miss the potato bar. But….it was MUCH better than in 2022. The food quality was restored. I got everything I wanted with the choose and take method that I would have selected from the Trail’s End old buffet. Only now, it’s you self serve, it comes served in plastic instead of plates, and you get your own refills and butter packets. It’s not stellar like it used to be, but it’s good. It was great. And for the price…

Tip | get a kids drink $1.99 and free refills.

It would cost us $100 in 2020 for a family of four to eat Trail’s End buffet. Factor in when it was served to your table, add $20 - $25 tip. Well do the math. Now, that same meal (minus the salad and potato bar) was less than $50. Less than 1/2. Same quality food, just less in the service and more paper and plastic.

You can’t get a better price point for a full meal here. The second time we ate there, little Daniel is adding up the cost and comparing our food and saying the same thing hubby said, “you can’t even get this much food at home for this price” and they are not wrong. Yumm.

Now I want chicken.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Thursday | Hollywood Studios

This is my new favorite park!

Toy Story Land looks fabulous! We didn’t do the spinning saucers, just Slinky Dog & Toy Mania. Ah, all those parents in line for hours to meet Buzz & Woody. I remember those waits. Don’t miss that! After the Toy Mania ride they have cute little store, like all well themed attractions, and it did not disappoint.

When lil Daniel was little he had plenty of Toy Story toys. He played with the pull string Woody and movable Buzz for years. They were so well loved there wasn’t much to save of them once he outgrew them. I miss those toys and wish I could have saved them for his kids. I’ve often recalled them. I haven’t seen them available for purchase in a decade. Well, there they were! Woody & Buzz and the theme music was playing, too. Oh my watery eyes. I don’t even care if the boy is 15, I’m getting them. And when he came back to the camper that night, I had a surprise for him. He was happy. I was happy. Ugly tears.
They grow so fast!

Charlotte took them over soon after. She can keep the little figurines and small buzz and woody. The big set is for Daniel to keep.

There’s a snake in my boot.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Friday

MK | AK | HS make it count cause tomorrow we leave for home.

All the days run together at this point. What happened earlier in the day feels like two days ago. We managed to do all four parks twice (except Epcot we did once) with the 4 day park hopper and that was enough. I don’t remember when we did Epcot, but I do know we did. I have pics to prove it. I think Tuesday evening.

Living with the Land is a classic. I always get new ideas. I’m going home and Danny is going to build me a fourth greenhouse and we’re going to grow bananas! Joke. But totally that level of enthusiasm.

 

[bama_ed]

Melissa, I'm afraid to say that I have to disagree with you about Rockin' Roller Coaster at DHS.

It was time to retire Aerosmith. It really was.

I grew up in the age of Aerosmith and Classic Rock n Roll from the mid 1970s thru the 1980s. Oddly, living in a college town, when I am out on my walks I hear a lot of the music from that age in the area of the student apartments. Not newer stuff - whatever that is. So while I loved the music, it had aged.

And I am fiercely loyal to the Muppets. Not necessarily the Muppet show at DHS because (along the same lines) it was time for that show to be retired. They COULD have come up with a new, engaging Muppet show for that space but chose not to. And they retired the Muppets from Liberty Square at MK which I really enjoyed.

I will admit that the music angle for the Muppets DOES exist (Dr. Teeth, Janice, Animal, and the rest) and while not the strongest aspect of Muppet-dom (is that a word?), RNR is a vehicle to link in the music angle and bring the other beloved Muppet characters along for the ride somehow.

Can't wait to ride it once the Muppets take the lease on the building and open up to us fans.

Lovin' your pics and stories.

Bama Ed

PS - and I hope they find a place for Waldorf and Statler. I can relate to those guys.