What a disaster!!

[topdog]

No fare leaving us hanging!!! We will be imagining all sorts of terrible things that happened to you!

About your 1995 trip - that was also our first trip to Disney and WL - for our second Anniversary!! We were there in May and also ate with Chip, Dale and Goofy at AP!!! But we did 4 days of Disney and a 3 day Carnival Cruise. The cruise was a let down after Disney - but we did get to see the Disney cruise ship in dock. It was scheduled to make it's first voyage later that year!

That's the purpose. A cliffhanger for you to keep coming back and find out what happened.

What a coincident! You second anniversay too?!? Wasn't AP cool? I forgot they even serve breakfast then. My DW insist that was WCC and not AP. I point out the light fixture. Only AP had those light fixture. WCC has different kind. Ask me how I know.

When you come to Asheville, we'll have to make plans. I work at Biltmore and would love to show someone around who would truly appreciate it.

And you have to bring Ted. Our local baseball team's mascot is Ted E. Tourist, and he's a big bear! I wasn't afraid of looking silly carrying my stuffed animal around and posing him for photos...I love the opportunity to talk with new people and he's a great conversation starter. We have a saying in our family, 'never met a stranger,' and we're all like that...outgoing, talkative, friendly, and we love to meet new people from other places.

We are actually brand-new DVC owners, this year we're annual passholders at WDW, and twice in one year is super exciting! But you keep up with your TR because it's making us really look forward to June, and we'll return the favor when we get home of course!

You work at Biltmore. Great! Now I got the in. I've wanted to see that house for a very long time.

Ha! Ha! Another coincident!! Our Ted's full name is Ted E bear. DW name him after she joined the Cherished Teddy Bear Collectors Club. The first edition piece we got was named "Cub E Bear". So DW name the Xmas bear "Ted E Bear". I am sure we can bring Ted along when we do visit Ashville. At least we don't feel so outcast.

We thought about DVC, actually DW want to be DVC owner. However, we don't really vacation much. Our 2005 Disney trip was the first since 1995 trip. If we do vacation more often then maybe I will reconsider.

I can't wait to read your TR. Figgy better come back with a lot of pictures.

WOW!!!! The pictures with the fireworks are some of the most incredible pictures I have ever seen of the castle.

Thank you. Glad you like them.

Urg, you left us all hanging for the night!! Seriously thats not fair. Can't wait for the rest of the story. I hope it wasn't really that bad for you though. I wanted to ask you too, do you shoot in Raw? What photo editing software are you using? I have PS Elements 4.0 and really haven't figured it out yet. I guess I need a dumbed down version for me

Don't you just love the cliffhanger??
Yes. RAW is the only way I shoot these days. It give me a lot of flexibility when I PP. I even bought 2 8GB CF for the trip so I don't have to swap the memory that often since RAW takes up so much space per file. However, the Nikon P80 can shoot JPG only. As for photo editing software, I use combination of Nikon Capture NX + Photoshop CS4. It took me a few years to learn the software. Luckily, photo and graphics are my speciality at work so I got a little advantage there but I still learn something new every day. It does take a lot of patience. For the record, every picture you see here, other than some lighting adjustment, I don't do much with the picture. I don't like to crop any of my pictures. What I see or shoot is what you get. The only picture that was cropped was the room number picture. I can't get a close up with the P&S.

 

[topdog]

Awesome color!!

Thanks. That was the best castle picture I have taken.

Hi TopDog

Hope you and DW are having a great weekend. I live outside of Atlanta and it has rained and rained here. We needed it really badly but I must say I am tired of the rain. Is it making its way up north toward you?

Love your older pictures. My son loves Goofy too. I also just loved the story about Ted. So sweet.

As far as the TR goes I am anxious to know what happens next...
Looking forward to your next installment

It just started to rain this morning. We need it anyway. I was hoping to built a camp fire this morning. There goes my plan.

Glad you like the Ted story. I was afraid you all think I am a loon for travelling with a stuff Xmas bear.

Anxiously awaiting the next installment!!

Love, love , love the Ted story!!

Thanks. Glad you like the Ted story. Now he became a celebrity.

You sound exhausted

I'm not sure I understand about the promotion that you talked about. I will wait for more.

I was thinking about trying TE for breakfast this next trip. Maybe I won't.

Yes. I was very tired indeed. By-product of Power Disney.

The promotion were all over WDW. However, there were some difference between the parks and resort. At the park's gift shop, if you purchase $35 worth of sourvenir, you can buy a Mickey watch for only $15. If you purchase $50 and more, then you can buy a Mickey & Minnie quilt for $20.

Then at the resort gift shop, if you spend $35 and more, you can get a Disney tote bag for $10 or $15. If you spend $50 or more, you can get a rolling luggage bag for $20 or $25. I do remember there was a third promo too but I can't remember what merchandise they were pushing. It had something to do with small electronics. A computer mouse and something else.

From what I understand, WDW change those promo every once in a while. So by the time you go there, the promo might be change already. When I have time next week, I will take some picture of the promo stuff we bought so you know what they look like.

TE was a real let down for us. I can eat pretty much everything in sight. Even I thought that wasn't good. My rules of thumb to evaluate a restaurant. If the dinning room is pack then you know the restaurant is good. If the dinning room is empty during rush hour, stay away. I am cool with waiting in line unless if it takes an hour. Then I will pass out by the time the wait is over.

 

[WillowBelle]

Thanks for updating your TR. Pretty funny how your body felt. Ours feel the same way by about day #4. We do parks from rope drop to a bit after close (I stay behind to get "empty park" pictures). Makes for a very long day.

Reads like the gray day was an indicator of things to come. Shame your breakfast was not what you were expecting. I wonder if Disney cuts back a bit on quality since this restaurant is in the middle of the camping section - maybe they figure most people will eat at their own "homes."

Can't wait to read more!!!

 

[Planning fanatic mom]

Only AP had those light fixture. WCC has different kind. Ask me how I know.

Ok I'll bite, How do you know?? May I guess? Do you have pics??

 

[GoofyFairie]

From your pics I'd have to agree that the buffet at TE doesn't look too tempting. So what happens next?

 

[MadiMouse]

Oh, this is getting good!

 

[topdog]

Thanks for updating your TR. Pretty funny how your body felt. Ours feel the same way by about day #4. We do parks from rope drop to a bit after close (I stay behind to get "empty park" pictures). Makes for a very long day.

Reads like the gray day was an indicator of things to come. Shame your breakfast was not what you were expecting. I wonder if Disney cuts back a bit on quality since this restaurant is in the middle of the camping section - maybe they figure most people will eat at their own "homes."

Can't wait to read more!!!

My legs were very sore that morning. But after a short walk around FW & WL, it got loosen up a little. But the "empty park" picture definitely worth the effort.

If TE can keep the food hotter then it wasn't that bad.

Ok I'll bite, How do you know?? May I guess? Do you have pics??

This should answer your question.

From your pics I'd have to agree that the buffet at TE doesn't look too tempting. So what happens next?

He! He! Won't you like to know? I will try to get the next update ready ASAP.

Oh, this is getting good!

Make sure you have a lot of popcorn.

 

[mkandjpsmom]

I love your TR! Your pictures are wonderful. The night time pictures with the castle are unbeliveable. Thanks for the entertainment!

 

[KeepSwimmingDory]

Great update! Love the pictures as usual. Love Ted!

Agree about Trail's End. We have stayed at Fort Wilderness many times but always cooked breakfast in the cabin. Finally a few years ago tried the Trail's End and it was very good. This March we tried it again and it was just not the same. They have taken away many of the choices and raised the price. Don't think we'll be back.

I'll be sad when this trip report ends. I'm popping more popcorn and passing it out to anybody who needs a refill.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

So are you saying that you got the watch without spending the $35 first?

 

[topdog]

I love your TR! Your pictures are wonderful. The night time pictures with the castle are unbeliveable. Thanks for the entertainment!

A new reader. Welcome to join in for the ride. Glad you like the pictures.

Great update! Love the pictures as usual. Love Ted!

Agree about Trail's End. We have stayed at Fort Wilderness many times but always cooked breakfast in the cabin. Finally a few years ago tried the Trail's End and it was very good. This March we tried it again and it was just not the same. They have taken away many of the choices and raised the price. Don't think we'll be back.

I'll be sad when this trip report ends. I'm popping more popcorn and passing it out to anybody who needs a refill.

So glad we are not the only one who felt that way about TE. It's too bad TE change to the worse. I really want to like that restaurant.

So are you saying that you got the watch without spending the $35 first?

No no...We did spend $35 for some souvenir plus another $15 for the watch at MK on Day#2. But when we paid for our stuff, the CM volunteer to tell us we don't have to buy every thing at once for the promo. She told use all we need was to bring our receipts to proof how much we have purchase. As long as the receipts adds up to the amount even from different days and it doesn't matter the receipts was from which gift shop, which resort or which park, then we can take advantage on the promo. But the CM for the WL gift shop told us that's wrong. She said the receipts must be came from the same resort or same park. Hope this clear things up.

 

[william4192]

Yes. That Goofy picture was my favorite. I have not seen any of the character dress like that at EPCOT at our last 2 trip.

Glad you like the hair. It used to be longer.

I wasn't going to tell the "Ted" story because I thought it was kind of silly. How do I explain to people when they see a middle age Asian carrying a stuff bear walking around the resort. So I always hide me inside my bag or take him out for photo shoot at early in the morning when no one is around.

1. I'm not a long hair type of guy (even though I also had longer hair in the 90's LOL). People would think that was so funny to know about me

2. I am a 30 year old white guy. I was the same way you were for a long time. Then something snapped and I just quit worrying. So, I look silly for 30 seconds around people I"ll never see again. But that funny picture will last forever! Even though I'm a local, I love to go around the parks and snap "silly" pictures. As long as I don't run into my boss, I'm okay. My boss can't find me crazy

 

[loopymommy]

Oh, PLEASE update your report soon! I'm so anxious to see what happened!

p.s. I love the pictures of you with long hair! My 11-year old son's hair is down to his shoulders and my husband's is halfway down his back, so I guess I'm used to it! They're both musicians and refuse to cut it any shorter. What made you cut your hair short? Maybe I could use the reason to influence them.

 

[saralexander97]

I was surprise no one pick this up.

Did anyone notice the "brick" I was carrying on my waist in the Goofy picture. It was the state of the art cell phone at the time. What a difference and how technology has changed in 14 years.

OMG, thats a cell phone. It looks like a fanny pack, how did you manage to carry it around the parks all day, I bet it built up your leg muscles. Lovin the long hair, it looks great on you. Ted is sooo cute, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that has a stuffed animal that I have with me frequently. After I graduated nursing school we were pretty poor so for my birthday my husband got me a stuffed fox dressed in a nurses outfit he had the kids put kisses inside it. That was the best present I have ever gotten, I just love it, she sits on my bed.

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Thanks for the film tips and awesome update! Loved the retro photos as well. Sounds like Trail's End was a bust - sorry it didn't turn out well...looking forward to seeing what happend the rest of the day!

 

[PrincessBrideJo]

Confession - I have a "Henry" turtle that my hubby got me when I was very sick one time. It was the sweetest thing I think he has ever done (still to this day!). Although I love him, he often gets lost behind the bed as I put him on our headboard and he gets pushed off often. At least he is in a safe place, haha!

 

[scottny]

great update and pics

Trail's End sounds like something I do not want to try.

Ooh can't wait to hear what happened.

 

[AnnaLeeB]

This is an amazing trip report, with all of the incredible photography and details. Thanks very much for taking the time to post all of this. We'll be staying at the Wilderness Lodge in a couple of weeks for the first time and I'm really glad we are after seeing the beautiful pictures you took around the resort.

 

[GeminiAngel]

Can't wait for more visuals!

 

[DisneyTinkerbell]

Sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for more!!