Who Remembers FW of the Past?

[stillh2o]

I do miss FW of the past, remember make-your-own-pizza night, and the old steam train. I do like that you can take your pets to the loop now. So please tell your old time FW memory post.

 

[FWCamper]

The first Easter we spent there when our kids were little (under the age of 5) Was very fun. They use to have a huge egg hunt and tons of candy. Kids really wanted the eggs though. Inside some of the eggs were prize indicators. Then you went to a huge prize table to claim your prize. The kids were in Easter dresses and the photos i have are so cute. It was very fun. This year i went to watch since my kids are in the teens now, it just wasn't the same. Easter was always our favorite time at the Fort.

 

[CharlesTD]

My DW really misses River Country that was one of thier favourite places to hang out for a day but then Disney built Typhoon Lagoon and then Blizzard Beach and RC just didn't get used so they shut it for good. She also misses seeing the old little rental trailers that are pictured in the 10/15 and 20 years of magic books from Disney that used to be at FW.

 

[stillh2o]

Does anyone remember in the summertime the old Horse Drawn icecream cart. It was great in the afternoon the Horse Drawn icecream cart went from loop to loop selling icecream.

 

[susancl]

I miss swimming in the lake! Swimming just isn't what it used to be at FW.

 

[CharlesTD]

Why aren't you supposed to swim in the lake?

 

[JCTigger]

I miss discovery island i really loved going over there (im a huge animal lover) and i understand with DAK opening they didnt need it any more but its still more about going and seeing the birds and such then it would be about having an amusement park that has animals there as well....

is the lawn mower tree still there? i could sit in front of that thing for an hour intensly looking for the lawnmower my older brother use to tell me all the time that he knew where it was but wouldnt tell me cause thats just when older brothers would do...

i also miss having to make sure you got on the right bus with the right color flag painted on it before they got the busses with the electronic signs our folks use to make us watch intently for the what ever color flag for what ever park we wanted to go to....

 

[mrsgus06]

I miss going camping with my parents and having them foot the bill . I still go with my parents, but being a parent myself, they expect me to pay my own way! I liked it better the other way. The lawnmower tree is still there, but getting bigger. I miss the trams. I love being in the outdoors and a tram ride around the campground was wonderful.

 

[PenskeSth1]

I miss the open air trams too!

 

[wildernessfamily]

I miss Discovery Island too, it was like a true natural part of FL and we miss the old petting zoo. I wish Disney would realize it is some of those things that make that place, so special and sometimes it is those little things that hold the most memories for us.

 

[Gillian]

DH & I miss Discovery Island too! We went there on our first trip to WDW together and it was a special place for us. I sometimes make him watch the singalong video Campout at WDW to see the old stuff.

 

[Grendalynn]

I have visited Fort Wilderness a few times in my 28 years on the earth. Most recently in 2004... Not only had our motor home changed from that of the mid-80's, but the camp ground had too! ((As someone stated above, I also missed having my parenst footing the bill.)) But largly, River Country was a huge hit in our family. We went there when ever we visited WDW. Being from NH it was a familiar thing to be swimming in a lake and riding down a river on tubes. I looked forward to bringing my inlaws there this past trip but I missed the fact that it was no longer open! How did I miss that one? The electric light show parade was still exactly the same. Once I heard the quirky music and saw the sea creatures flashing their movements as they went by; I had childhood flash backs! It was nice to be back and share those memories and experineces with my DH and our 2 boys!But now I am looking forward the our upcoming Land & Sea trip! A first for me/us. We looked into the Fort Wilderness Lodge for our upcoming visit as well because we liked FW so much! But opted for the L&S instead! We will certainly go back again, when/if we invest in an RV of our own!

 

[Grendalynn]

I have visited Fort Wilderness a few times in my 28 years on the earth. Most recently in 2004... Not only had our motor home changed from that of the mid-80's, but the camp ground had too! ((As someone stated above, I also missed having my parenst footing the bill.)) But largly, River Country was a huge hit in our family. We went there when ever we visited WDW. Being from NH it was a familiar thing to be swimming in a lake and riding down a river on tubes. I looked forward to bringing my inlaws there this past trip but I missed the fact that it was no longer open! How did I miss that one? The electric light show parade was still exactly the same. Once I heard the quirky music and saw the sea creatures flashing their movements as they went by; I had childhood flash backs! It was nice to be back and share those memories and experineces with my DH and our 2 boys!But now I am looking forward the our upcoming Land & Sea trip! A first for me/us. We looked into the Fort Wilderness Lodge for our upcoming visit as well because we liked FW so much! But opted for the L&S instead! We will certainly go back again, when/if we invest in an RV of our own!

 

[DMRick]

I too miss the make your own pizza..where you would pick up the toppings (.75 each, I think) and make your own pizza, and they would cook it. It was a real bargain about 25 years ago, or more. They had the nice train you could ride, and instead of all the noisy smelly buses, they had the trams..easy on and off. I loved walking over to swim in River Country..those slides were just my style. I liked the stuff the stores used to have, and what were reasonable prices! And the kids playing on the beach and swimming in the lake..ah, those were the good old days

 

[MILO & CHIMMY]

The steam train was a great way to get around in original Disney tradition. I was a original opening cast member at the Poly (9/71)and we could not wait till River Country opened. It was our own Wet and Wild on property.
I would love to see it re-opened as a adult Spa type area. You know with hot tubs and whirlpool jets to sooth the aching feet. With the maturing of RVing and many a mouskateer it would be a hit.
I realy enjoyed walking around Discovery Island the birds of all types, the finchs where great.
Fort Wilderness opened as a standard for RV parks through out the rest of the nation. I know there are plans to keep it there.

 

[leprechaun]

Remember when Mickey used to hold a musket

 

[stillh2o]

I really miss River Country. When I was a kid, riding down a river on tubes was the greatest. We went there every summer, but I went there in the mid 80's as a teenager and it was not the same tube ride. It was not as fun as I remember and the park seemed dated. I sometimes wish I didn't go back. My childhood memories of River Country where great, But going there as teen changed my old time memories. We snuck in last month, and it was really sad to see that the park that I loved as a kid is so run down.