Who Wants To Try a DIS-Meet At Gulf State Park In May-June 2016?

[bama_ed]

Yea Kris and Bert are coming.

I will try to keep my "fan boy" antics over the rock stars to the minimum as well. I will get the table in post #1 updated once I move off the tablet and onto the laptop.

Bama Ed

PS - and I like Jimmy but I don't LOVE Jimmy. But at the beach his music fits into my PLAY list.

PPS - and if there is something scheduled that absolutely REQUIRES a broadband connection, the Gulf Shores Public Library has strong wifi and they are used to out-of-towners coming in for it. Part of what makes them a great beach town - they understand the needs of their guests/customers.

 

[tiggerdad]

Yes! I think I might keep it to myself and let the girls be surprised.

Where are you coming from specifically and we'll see if we can help you out.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

I gotcha added to my list garneska, glad you can make it. This is one camping trip I'm looking forward to!

Just like Michael said, let us know where your coming from and we will help with the directions. I know we can get Michael to stand along side the highway in his white Elvis jumpsuit help you find your way down from I10. (I heard through the grapevine the he as been heard practicing he's playlist in the shower, and in the ER while he's working.)

 

[Teamubr]

Congrats garneska.

This is turning into quite the gathering. I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone.

j

 

[garneska]

Can't wait to see Tiggerdad in an Elvis suit, I did see a guy in an Elvis suit running the marathon with me. We normally go on a vacation in May I just usually avoid the holiday weekend, I go before, but we have been thinking about it since the thread was posted. The main concern is work as it is at the end of the month so I had to check my schedule which can change since it is so far out. Then I did not want to say anything till we actually had the site reserved because I was afraid it was all sold out.

We will be heading from the west side of Atlanta, I know dropping down 85 South to 65 south, then I guess on 10. I just remember you saying there is a good way and definitely not good way to get there.

Ed thanks for the tip on the library. I am hoping I don't need it but good to know I can go somewhere and get wifi. I know we will bring our bikes. After looking at the trails we are thinking the mountain bikes, even though the roads look good for the road bikes.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

Garneska, if your headed South on I65, south of Atmore, Al., you'll see a exit for Bay Minette, and Gulf Shores / Beaches. I'm not sure of the exit number but it's Hwy 287, you can take that exit to bypass Mobile altogether. Hwy 287 south through Bay Minette turns into Hwy 59 it's 4 lane with 55mph speed limit, take it all the way to I10, get on I10 East Bound, in about 8 miles or so, it's the next exit (exit 48) that is the new Beach Express that bypasses every little town on Hwy 59. The Beach Express only has about 6 red lights and it's 4 lane with 55mph speed limit as well, you'll cross a toll bridge at the end of the Express, take a right onto Canal rd., you'll come to a Tacky Jacks restaurant at a stop sign, turn left and stay on Canal rd, you'll see the GSP signs, the entrance will be a left turn across from Wal Mart. You'll want avoid Hwy 59 south of I10 if at all possible. Hope this helps. Ed is coming from B'ham, he might know a better route.

 

[bama_ed]

Randy, that's the route I take. Kris will make her way to I85 to Montgomery and then merge into I65 South. Get off for Bay Minette at Exit 37. As Randy said, that's Hwy 287 which you follow around. It merges with Hwy 31 and when you get to the little town of Stapleton where 31 and 59 split, bear left and take it down to I10.

Hwy 59 goes all the way to the beach south of I10 and was the traditional route as we checked off all the little town names as we got closer to Gulf Shores. But now it's grown up with lots of red lights. So like above, hop up on I10 towards Pensacola and go up one exit then get off on the Baldwin Beach Express (only open about a year thus far). It's smooth sailing to the Foley Beach Express which ends in the toll bridge into Orange Beach. It intersects with Canal Road south of the Intracoastal Waterway. Turn right and follow it into Gulf Shores to GSP.

Like I said, Hwy 59 was the old north-south route to the beach but all these hurricanes over the decades coupled with the growth along the beach and South Baldwin County made it too congested when evacuations were ordered. That's why the various "Beach Express" routes are being developed. The Foley Express got traffic up above the worst congestion on Hwy 59. The Baldwin Express gets traffic up to I10. Future plans are to take it up to I65.

Cheapest gas along this route are the stations just south of Bay Minette (over the railroad tracks) or at the I10 interchange. Gas in Gulf Shores is higher priced and the prices are raised even more Friday-Sunday to snag the last dollar of the folks heading home and then lowered Monday-Thursday for the locals. Usually I stop at the I10 stations to top off.

Bama Ed

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

Also there is a Wal-Mart supercenter in Bay Minette with easy access incase you forgot anything.

 

[tiggerdad]

The convenience of the Wal Mart at the back entrance of GSP is one of the great things about staying there. Also, last year we came in on the Thursday before memorial day weekend and diesel was the cheapest I have seen anywhere. That friday night the price per gallon went up $.30. It did trickle back down that following tuesday but not back to the pre holiday weekend cost.

 

[Flametamr]

I'm working on my routine. My instructor says I'm probably his most difficult student yet but most of the wounds should be healed in time for the show. Here he is trying to teach me my routine.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

I'm sure everyone's camper has a fire extinguisher, we'll be sure to bring them to your show.

 

[tiggerdad]

Think we should move his show to the beach for fire safety. Of course he does have a site close to the lake so I guess we could just throw him in the water. Maybe tie it in with Randy's show using Flametamr as bait to lure in the gators for the wrestling performance.

Flame gave me an idea to study up on my moves for Elvis. I decided I should skip any videos by Vegas people and follow the examples of the old pros.

 

[Bishoparc]

I've got lights and a sound system if you guys need it lol I also am experienced in pyro lol @bama_ed & @tiggerdad

PS...I hope y'all don't get bit by this Disney Cruise bug like we did lol Our second cruise we just got off of was even better than our first one. The crew are absolutely amazing. It's like old school Disney World service used to be. We have totally gotten spoiled. I'll post a trip report later.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

Tiggerdad.... Your killing me!

 

[Flametamr]

We would love to cruise on Disney but unfortunately the financial strain would be too much to bear. Maybe some day when the kids are all grown.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

My wife has been on a Disney Cruise, I've only done Carnival. She says it's a night and day difference between Thema and it's worth the difference in the price, I want to do a Disney Cruise, it's on the bucket list.

 

[Bishoparc]

Off topic again I know but here's my trip report from our cruise in case anyone is bored lol http://www.disboards.com/threads/surprise-birthday-cruise-jan-16.3481609/

 

[tiggerdad]

Hey, great pics Bishop and liked the report. We debate on going on a cruise each year, but talk ourselves out of it in favor of going to the Fort for a longer stay. Maybe one of these years we'll opt to do both and just use the cruise as our "park days".

I hear that the cruises are a good source of "old Disney" hospitality such as the towel animals and guest treatment that a lot of us talk about missing recently at WDW.

Thanks man.

 

[Bishoparc]

I hear that the cruises are a good source of "old Disney" hospitality

They absolutely are! You just feel like you're amongst family. I never imagined I would like cruising but I'm going to tell you the hype about Disney cruises is absolutely true. That's not to say you're never going to have a bad experience but we've just absolutely fallen in love with them (we've already got 2 more booked this year lol.) It's the best of both worlds, cruising and Disney without the crazy crowds. We've almost decided to skip the parks and just cruise. The cruise feels very relaxed to me like the Fort does and you find the same kind of happy, friendly people on board.

So far we've only done the 3 day cruises but that makes it nice and easy to tie in to a trip to the Fort. We did that for our anniversary last year, stayed at the Fort one night, did the 3 night cruise, and then did Mon-Fri at the Fort.

We'll definitely bring the rest of our pictures to the DIS meet if anyone wants to take a look.

 

[tiggerdad]

I just had a brainstorm here (dangerous, I know). What we should implement is a cruise for campers. I mean a ship you can load campers on, lock em down and cruise say the Caribbean or Alaska. Maybe a great big barge and float the rivers. I mean, float the Tombigbee river all the way to Mobile and on to Gulf Shores.

Randy could pilot the ship / tug. We could make a fortune!