Trip Report: Thanksgiving Week 2009

[bama_ed]

Wow! What a week at the Fort. Coming home was tough but it was a memorable trip.

It started out being memorable for the wrong reasons. We had a flat tire on the pop-up on the way down to Disney on Saturday 11/21. Putting on the spare and then stopping at a Camping World to buy another spare put us 2.5 hours behind schedule. I had reserved a golf cart from Tee Time and Kenny was there at 9:30 p.m. when we checked in; he was wonderful to work with. We got a "Giddyup & Go" from Trail's End takeout which was good before we set up for the night.

Sunday we hit the outlet Disney stores in the morning and the pool/hot tub that afternoon. The pickings were pretty slim at the outlet stores and the temps were about 80F so it was nice at the pool. Cowboy Mark led the campfire/singalong that night. Good guitar player but I missed Sundee.

Monday was Magic Kingdom day. Thank goodness I had copied the touring plan from Unofficial Guide - it kept us ahead of the crowd. We rode all the major rides plus our faves and didn't have a wait longer than 25 minutes. The longest time I saw posted was 110 minutes for Space Mountain.

Tuesday was a day at the Fort with the boys renting a Sea Raycer, taking a nap, and more time at the pool/slide/hottub.

Wednesday it was rainy all day. We went to the Gaylord Palms and saw the ICE exhibit which was really neat. I'm glad we did it. That night we went over to Port Orleans Riverside at the River Roost Lounge and caught Yeehaw Bob's show. I like live entertainment like that (I was a big fan of the Adventurer's Club at PI before it all closed).

Thursday we boated over and looked for Christmas Decorations at the monorail hotels. Only GF had any to speak of. In fact, folks have talked about the lack of FW-themed merchandise at the Trading Posts: when I was at the Contemp and Poly I looked in their gift shops and didn't see alot of their themed stuff either. It was all generic DW stuff. I also grocery shopped for our Thanksgiving which was the next day. Also on Thursday we went over to Wide World of Sports where the Alabama basketball team was playing in the Old Spice Classic tournament and we beat Baylor in the Milk House.

Friday was our Thanksgiving celebration. I had extended family staying at Pop Century (17 people in total) and I cooked a turkey in a table top roaster with all the trimmings at my campsite for lunch. It was sunny and cool (about 65F) and really good. We got cleaned up just in time to watch the Bama-Auburn football game (known as the Iron Bowl) which Bama won. Then went with the nieces and nephews to the campfire singalong again for some s'mores (Christmas decorations were up now).

Saturday was going home day. Dropped off the golf cart with Kenny then hit the road. The turnpike was backed up, I75 through to Ocala was backed up, I75 south of Atlanta was backed up; you get the picture.

I met another Dis poster "Disneyforus" (actually I think I met the DH) from Michigan - they were in our 1500 loop. Stacktester came by to say hello again - third time to see the Honorable Mayor at the Fort. Here was our site #1513 along the canal:

No next visits planned to the Fort. We will have to see what the future holds. A great visit, though, so a good trip .

Bama ED

 

[OK GRUMPY]

Looks Beautiful!!

 

[stacktester]

It was good seeing you again Ed. Good thing I left as Auburn was up 14-0 when I stopped by lol. Glad you guy's made it home safe.

 

[CampingBandit]

Well there's your sign plain as day. I don't know how I missed you!

Thanks for sharing. We forgot to make it over to GF to see their famous gingerbread house, did you get a chance?

I saw Wilderness Lodge's gift shop had a lot of themed wares...

 

[bama_ed]

As a matter of fact, we did make it over to the GF, Bandit. The gingerbread house was there in its full glory with the lovely smell filling the entire lobby. There was a huge Christmas tree set up on the ground floor of the lobby that probably was three stories high. When we were there in the afternoon there was also a six-piece band playing on the second level to add to the ambiance of the moment. We hung out there and listened.

So GF was ahead on the Christmas decore. I mean, Poly had a number of poinsettas and a small lighted tree by the front door on the ground and first levels but nothing special really.

Lil Lisa, ICE is a walk-through exhibit at the Gaylord Palms hotel just off property on Osceola Parkway across I-4. It has ice statues carved by Chinese worlkmen that are quite stunning. Everying is at nine degrees Farenheit (9F) and they give you parkas. It's about $20 per person with parking at $12 but it's a nice diversion from the theme parks. The DIS podcast did a review last year http://www.wdwinfo.com/Photos/ICE-gaylord/index.htm. I would recommend it.

Did anyone else listen to the Thanksgiving Week DIS podcast? Pete is turning over the reigns of the DIS to Cory Martin and taking a reduced role. He will still be on the podcasts but not as the host. He's had issues with alchohol so he probably needs to make some changes in his life and this is one of them. The work that he has done is remarkable and I hope the change benefits him as he hopes it will.

Bama ED

 

[AllenV]

Great report!