What path brought you to the "Fort"?

[caveat lector]

My personal journey plots out like this:

11 to early 20's - Kid to newlyweds - Contemp,All stars, GF, BC, BW

Mid20's to 40ish - Parents - DVC-OKW, BC, BW, SS

40ish - Puppy owner - Fort Wilderness

Each phase has brought a new type of fun. One thing has stayed constant. That first walk down Main Street on each trip, always brings a smile. Although, sneaking out of the park and heading back to my Cougar at lunch to see my dog with his nosed pressed on the window, is by far my favorite.

What's phase does Disney have in store for me next? Maybe DVC will start selling plots outside of the Haunted Mansion.

 

[Judy in Texas]

Maybe DVC will start selling plots outside of the Haunted Mansion.

Oh! Tell us about your tombstone! Will it have a propane tank to keep the eternal flame in the Coleman Lantern lit?

 

[jsmla]

Let's see:

1974-Days Inn in Kissimmee. I was 14, took one look at the Contemporary and decided that my parents had to be the cheapest and meanest people in the world.

1989-1998-Somehow acquired kids and a mortgage while simultaneously quitting job. Am now a bit more understanding re the Days Inn situation but not willing to go that far. Ft. Wilderness and our ancient Airstream was a wonderful compromise.

1999-2010-Not quite a broke as above and hubby now sick of Disney (How is that possible?) so kids and I moved on to the resorts. Now we've stayed everywhere but Old Key West.

Which brings us to October 2010. Hubby has agreed to a week of camping at Ft. Wilderness but it must be camping. I think the 10+ year Fort hiatus has gotten him missing it


Jennifer

 

[CooperPrincesses]

My path is not quite as interesting but still fun...

3 (first visit) - 18; lots of fun family visits but since we lived an hour or so from WDW no stays onsite. I was lucky enough to spend my 16th birthday with Mickey during MVMCP and sang in the candle light procession for two years during high school, so definately lots of fun without the stays.

19-21; Was college and fun trips with now hubby and my girlfriends from college. Many visits to MK, Pleasure Island where a revolving dance floor did me in one night, and Hollywood Studios, but still no stay at the World.

21 - 33 ; Married my High School sweetheart, who does not simply adore the world like I do and so in the interest of marital bliss, we have not visited since we got married. It was a dark time. During this time we also welcomed DD #1 (2006) and DD #2 (2010).

However DD#1 turns 4 in October and since I made my first trip to Disney in 1981 at age 3, I convinced (put my foot down) DH that is was high time that she visited The Big Cheese. Plus all 5 of her cousins, 4 of which are younger then her, have already been. So after a bit of huffing on hubbies part and planning and saving on my part we are booked into a Cabin at the Fort for our very first stay at WDW. It will be my first trip back in 12 years, and I am beyond excited. It will be both DD's first visits, and my parents first time back in 15 years, even though they still live about an hour away. DH is slowly getting on board but I think that when he sees how excited and happy his little princess is he'll be a 6'3" blubbering Disney World convert.

See you all in October!!

 

[Nature Mom]

The Fort had me at 'Hello' (or should I say 'Howdy'). LOL

I am a VERY FIRST TIME WDW goer in just 9 short days and because I: 1. would rather be outside hearing crickets and seeing birds than in a hotel listening to people in the other rooms; 2. want more bang for my buck; and 3. know for a fact that some our best family moments have been while camping, even in freezing rain or torrential winds, and some of the WORSE times we have ever had was in a beautiful condo by the sea or other like hotels that made us all feel 'trapped.' So, in short, the Fort had me from the very beginning.

I hope it will be just the start of a beautiful friendship.

 

[figmentfan1]

Hmmm..

First Disney trip in high school stayed in DTD hotel 1989
2001- Day trip to Epcot (while at the beach in St. Augustine)
2003- stayed in Marriott time share with sister's family (DS first trip)
2004- stayed with parents in time share (DD first trip) (no DH)
2005- first full family trip- traded Dad's timeshare for SSR... fell in love with the mouse
May 2006- used sister's timeshare Marriott timeshare
Dec. 2006- quick Poly trip
Feb. 2007- only DH and I- his conference- Grovesnor (EWWWWW)
Dec. 2007- traded Dad's time share for SSR, left after 17 hours due to death in family (sister's big family at FW in their RV)
April 2008- used our "stimulus" money to buy our first RV- a 26' Travel Trailor
Dec. 2008- time share trade again SSR (sister's big family at FW in their RV)
Oct. 2009- DH and I only, another conference- Coronado
Dec. 2009- FINALLY stay at the Fort... and fell in love
Dec. 2010-- 2nd Fort trip on DECK!

We love Disney and hotels and DVC are fine- but we have a DS (age 9) with Asperger's and he does so much better at FW. He comes home to HIS bed, HIS stuff, HIS computer. So much better for his well-being and attitude. We will never do Disney any other way as a family! We camp with my sister's large family as well (5 kids, one of them autistic) too.

I like MY BED, MY SHOWER, MY STUFF too. LOL.

FW is the BOMB-DIGITY!

 

[freshlybarked]

Visited the first year WDW opened, I think I was 9 years old. I went a few more times as a teen and young adult. DH, was never a great fan but we went for a few days trips, one during our honeymoon since we only live 90 minutes away.

Spring forward to 2007 and we start a new business requiring travel and an RV so we can take the dogs. Where better to vacation than FW. DH loves FW and being able to take the dogs. He is a Type A kind of guy who can’t sit down so he has discovered there is lots to keep us busy between FW and the parks we can go as much as he wants or spend time at the campsite with the dogs and do stuff at the Fort. We love it. We have annual passes so we try to go 3 to 4 times a year, even if it is only for a few days. Next stop Thanksgiving week at FW.

 

[TheLug]

It was my grandparents. We would go 3-4 times a year in their older class A RV. That was from say 2 or 3 to 14ish. Then Grandpa passed on. Me and G-ma went for one last farwell to the fort.

Then we started going to all star resorts till i was about 18.

Late Teen age years i rediscovered FTW by me and the friends renting the cabin and having good party times w/ the Golfcarts.

Now the last 3 years me and the DGF have been goign to DTD properties, WL, POLFQ, CBR.

This summer we got a travel trailer and truck and now have been to the fort 2 tiems and a 3rd time next week.

 

[clkelley]

1997 - Our family's VERY first trip to Disney World. Myself, DH, and my two son's. Stayed at All-Star Sports, had a blast, made many resort trips after that.

1997 Found a little online source called www.wdwig.com (Deb Wills original site).

Late 1997 - Joined a group called rec.arts.disney.parks - Usenet discussion group. (How Disney geeks talked before the DIS and other web-based discussion groups).

December 1998 Started attending the annual RADP December meets organized by Deb Wills.

Met someone named Randy Berbaum who tent camped at Fort Wilderness every year and brought this awesome monorail set to the Fort.

Still went to hotels for my Disney visits.

August 2000. My boys changed Scout troops. Our former troop was very small, but very old, and had some Moose Lodge funding so the troop provided tents.

The new troop we joined was larger and more dynamic and fit our needs better, but the troop did not provide tents. So myself and my boys had to purchase some "stuff".

Wow, now I had camping "stuff" so then started looking at Fort Wilderness. Randy did it every year, so why not.

Joined the DIS in March 2001.

December 2001, my first tent camping trip at Ft. Wilderness. Did this annually until June 2007 when I got the I want a camper bug hit and I bought the "Mouse-ke-T@B". Also about this time is when Fort "Fiendom" kindof took off on the DIS.

2007 was still 1 annual visit to the Fort.
2008 turned into 2 visits to the Fort.
October 2008, Rick retired - we now have more disposable time
2009 - FIVE visits to the Fort.
2010 - Two visits to the Fort so far and two more planned.
2011 - Who knows?? We keep saying we need to cut back, but never do.

Then again, our youngest should be totally on his own in less than a year (meaning no more paying for family health insurance!!!!)

 

[MomofSixinSC]

Hmm... in high school, I traveled with our church youth group to from NJ to Daytona and we all took a day trip to WDW. I had a blast, but lacked the funds to make another visit for quite a while.

8 years ago, my sil was living in FL, so we took a trip to visit her with 3 of our children. We surprised them with a trip to MK one day.

Sil has moved to MD, so I thought our WDW days were over. However, when Disney announced GAD, I decided to see if we could swing it. I was planning to camp just to keep the expenses down. I thought by camping at FW we could pool hop at other resorts.

I now realize that FW is going to be a great place to stay. We are counting down the days until our big trip. My 3yo keeps telling me that when we go to Disney, she is going to _____ (fill in the blank - she just wants to be there!). (Okay, me too!)

 

[Lil' Lisa]

When I was a child, my family made a few trips but we always stayed off site.

When I was a teenager, my parents bought their first MH and we started staying at the Fort.

The folks sold the MH, I went away to college and then adult life happened. I haven't been back in over 20 years (stop counting - you don't need to know how old I am )

The hubbs lived in Florida back in the 80's and visited WDW many times, but he never stayed at the Fort. I have tried to explain to him what it is like there, but it is something he will have to experience on his own to understand it.

Last year we bought a new truck camper and this one has AC, so we can bring the fur babies (won't leave home without 'em). We leave a week from Friday and I am so excited that I have already started getting everything in the camper ready!!!!! Yes, we are doing the single digit dance!!!

 

[BradyBz12]

First trip to WDW with my parents at age 14. We rented a MH for the trip, but didn't stay at the Fort.

Next trip to WDW with my parents the year the Grand Floridian opened. That was before it was a "spa" and you could actually get a room for about $300/night.

My first adult trip was with DH in 2000. We booked a 7 night land/sea package and stayed at the Beach Club. We had an awesome time (the cruise ship was phenomenal) but crammed a TON of park time into those 3 days - open to close, speed walking dozens of miles per day.

At that point we said, "ok, done Disney for a while"

We went back 2 years later and stayed off-site at the Country Inn & Suites near DTD.

Much more leisurely trip and we had fun, but again thought "ok, enough Disney for a while"

In 2004 we had bought a 28' TT with the intent of plunking it on a piece of land in ME as a camp. Well we ended up finding a chunk of land with a cabin already on it, but before we sold the TT we thought we'd take it to Disney.

We now had 2 dogs (Brady and our first BC Maggie) and stayed in 300 and LOVED it. We worked the old DDP for all it was worth and generally had a fantastic time, and the end result was that we decided we LOVED camping and LOVED the fort, and maybe after we sold this TT we'd look for another smaller, more manageable one some day and come back.

We got home and sold the TT, but then DH stumbled upon a van camper that spring. We camped locally with it for the summer and by now we were completely hooked on camping. (yes, 2 adults and 2 40+ lb border collies camping in a van!)

The following year (2006) we bought our hybrid and made it back to the Fort for 2 weeks. We'd just lost Maggie, so only had Brady with us, and we stayed in 500. I think we were the only hybrid at the Fort that year and people in the big MHs next to us thought it was the cutest thing. I think DH gave "tours" to at least 10 people.

When we'd planned that trip we figured we were on the 2 year plan where WDW was concerned. But before we'd left we were already planning a return trip in '07.

2007 saw us returning to the Fort in our hybrid with Brady and our new pup Blizzard. We were back in 300 and by the time we were wrapping up that 2 week trip we were already trying to figure ways to pull off 3 weeks the following years (with DH leading the charge!)

2008 was our first 3 week trip (same cast of characters and in 300 again) and we really wondered if 3 weeks was going to be "too much."

No way!!! We rented a golf cart this time and found a whole new list of fun things to do right at the Fort. DH complained we were spending too much time in the parks and not enough in the campground.

Cut to today... we added one more little border collie to the pack before last year's trip (Li'l Lyn) and have moved up to a bigger TT, which will be making it's inaugural voyage to the Fort in just over 2 months.

We're gearing up for our 3rd consecutive, 3 week, annual pilgrimage back to the Fort. It's become our one vacation all year, and we scrimp and save time/money all year just to do it.

If we didn't have dogs we'd probably take a cruise every year, but it's hardly been a sacrifice for us to pack up the mutts and the TT and head south each fall.

In fact DH is continuing to try and find a way to add on another week (or 2). I won't be surprised if he finds a way soon....

 

[caveat lector]

Oh! Tell us about your tombstone! Will it have a propane tank to keep the eternal flame in the Coleman Lantern lit?

My initial focus will guarantee cable hook up.

 

[indimom3]

Cooperprincess - you sang in the Processional! That's amazing. I love the CP. We saw it for the first time last year, what a great, great show!


I grew up in Jacksonville, FL and we visited FW and WDW several times a year in my Grandparent's RV. My Grandfather's plan was to eventually get a job at Disney and move down there, but he passed away in 1979 before he could make that happen. That was the year of our last family trip to FW.
We moved out of FL to CA in 1980 so our Disney trips changed to Disneyland.
I started going back to WDW at least once a year for conferences in 1995. The company always stayed at the Dolphin or Swan or that huge Marriott offsite. I was a tradeshow manager and got really sick of hotels during those years.
8 years ago yesterday (happy anniversary to me!) I got married and quit my job to have kids. Now we have 3 and we took them back to the Fort for their first trip to Disneyworld in Feb 2009.
We won't stay anywhere else with them. It's the best place for my oldest, who has some sensory issues like me, and doesn't do well in hotels, and it brings back too many good memories for me to want to be anywhere else.

 

[CooperPrincesses]

Cooperprincess - you sang in the Processional! That's amazing. I love the CP. We saw it for the first time last year, what a great, great show!


I did and it was amazing from a performer stand point as well, very moving and beautiful. I have been so lucky to sing in some fantastic places, even went to college for it, but Disney was my first really large public experience so it holds a special place in my heart. Nothing in the world like the magic of Disney.

 

[mnsprk]

Our "DISNEY" addiction began in California when we lived San Diego. Went to Disneyland (numerous trips) 69,70,71,72. Went back out in 77.

Then the perfect camping trip occured in 1979. We had a Club Rally in Kissimmee so what better place to go afterwards than WDW and the FORT.

Due to time and vacation restraints we made numerous other visits, but had to "hotel" it, PO, ASM and WL. Of course once you stay at WL, to us the other resorts are "ho-hum". Now that we are both retired and we can do as we want we will always return to our "1st Love" the FORT with an occasional "quick trip" to WL.

Then we heard about the BOARDS and the FrIENDS and what could be better?

 

[clkelley]

Vista Boulevard

This is the Fort Fiends, so there must be some "snarkiness" in this thread.

 

[CoolMom2112]

1971! Yep, I was there when WDW was brand new... now, as a child we NEVER stayed on property, and yes, I too thought my parents were the cheapest, meanest people on earth, but now that I have 3 kids at home, I understand! BUT my folks did spring for an annual trip to see the Mouse. After I 'grew up' I wasn't able to get back for 5 years!
But I couldn't stay away forever! So we started going again, but since I no longer lived in FL, 'day-tripping' wasn't an option anymore. So we stayed at the Contemporary, and Poly, but after the arrival of kid #4, discovered the wonder that is the Cabins at the Fort.
Now, you couldn't pay me to stay anywhere else. (love the 'separate room')

Renting a golf cart is just TOO MUCH FUN!!!

Can't wait!! I'm working on my green ears for our cabin, arriving Sept 24th!!

CoolMom2112

 

[cyberdeb]

Let's see:

1974-Days Inn in Kissimmee. I was 14, took one look at the Contemporary and decided that my parents had to be the cheapest and meanest people in the world.

Hey I might have been at the same Days Inn around that time and was probably around 13.

 

[cyberdeb]

My first trip sometime in the early to mid 70s was at a Days Inn. I too thought my parents were cheap and mean. The next trip was in 1977, i was 16 years old and had come down from PA with a camping club and spent a week at the Fort. At that time there was only the Magic Kingdom. I have to say that was one of the happiest trips of my childhood. We had an absolute blast. After i married and moved to Florida - only an hour away, I made many day trips but frankly was bored with Disney. I can remember sitting on a park bench on main street bored out of my mind. What was I thinking? Anyway it wasnt until I remarried and had my third child that i wanted to give my kids and spouse those same happy memories. So it was back to the Fort. I have loved it ever since and honestly would not want to stay anywhere else. Next year we are doing a GIRLS only trip to the Fort and then a cruise on the Disney Dream.