Who will join us Late December - January, Trip Reports

[bama_ed]

Went for a walk this afternoon. That means a Meadow Trading Post beer prices update:

Your domestic 6-pack will set you back $16.



Those who prefer various premium draft singles will have to pony up dearly.



The squirrels drink the water for free wherever they can find it.



The Bike Barn is decorated with garland.



The gates and fence around the pool are new for me since I was here in March 2016. This is walking in the entrance from the Bike Barn direction.



This lifejacket stand is new to me also (or maybe I just missed them).



A warm day means lots of action at the pool.



More of the pool fence.



Lots of kids at the pool. Good to see so many pedaled there.



The turkeys were out in loop 900.



Bama Ed

 

[2goofycampers]

We arrived at 9:30am, hung out in overflow for a while. Then we got the cart off the truck started looping, ran into Ed, got our text. Set up, then went for some pizza off site. This is Frank's favorite site ever! We are right next to the canal.

 

[bama_ed]

Jim, I think you and your truck/trailer combo would have trouble just driving through loop 100 now. It does get kinda tight down in this corner where I am and where you've stayed before.

Terri, Lake Louisa is a "nice" state park. My four experiences have all been 1-nighters but the sites are laid out well, the bathhouses are clean (not a/c'd), and it is close to WDW. I don't know what there is to do there. I bet it's brutal in July because most sites are in the open although there are some trees (tall ones) down around the lake near the campsite. (Loop C where I was this time had more tall trees among the sites than A or B loops). Can't beat the price.

Went out and about tonight looking for Christmas decorations on campsites before more people go home. But first the front entrance sign had the rays of God thing going for it.



Some sites.













Even the bike barn was lit up with the reflection on the water.



Fireworks from MK about to start. Boat whistles blowing too. The horse drawn wagon and carriage have been by tonight.

Bama Ed

 

[amcc]

We got here around 4:30 and are in 2061 right next to the bathroom. All the times we've stayed in the tent loops we've been put in 2000 so my son was hoping for 1500 but we were told it was closing Thursday for maintenance. Wonder what that means? Our neighbors came to check out our backing up skills but we avoided that spectacle by unhitching and pushing it into place We've learned our lesson.

The new loop next door is looking great. I counted only 4 open sites in our loop but I'm hoping it clears out a bit. No going out tonight, our setup takes a while and we hadn't fed the kids all day in our rush to get here (parents of the year) so got the fire going and heated up leftover New Years beef tenderloin - it was even better under the stars

 

[bama_ed]

amcc, glad to hear you made it.

Well I went out this morning for my favorite 5k run here at WDW. We've had breakfast so the cleanup is done so I will share some pictures. Jog along with me, won't you?

Headed out at 630am from 100 loop down the exercise trail towards Wilderness Lodge. Dark still, of course, but the sky had a dim glow from the bright lights of the Lodge and the TTC beyond. It makes for some great silhouettes.





At WL I veered left and ran out the entrance gate. There was lots of traffic entering - cast members and vendors primarily. Traffic leaving too so I had to be careful. Also lots of cast member traffic on World Drive at the WL red light. Adrenaline kicked in as I made it across and went straight down to the TTC. A monorail was lit up in the station as I went out the back of TTC through the bus parking lot down the connector towards the Contemporary.



The stretch from here to the underpass was a little noisy and running on the grass but as you approach the underpass a sidewalk is on the left which makes it safer. Sorry for the fuzzy pictures but it was still low light conditions. The Christmas tree in front of the Contemporary is tall and pretty all lit up.





It was 720am when I made it to the MK entrance. Yes people were already lined up. It opens at 9 this morning but these folks are probably there for the pre-park opening breakfast at BOG.





The castle lights were still twinkling.



The finish line for this is back at the Contemporary about where the BLT walkway is. So I headed over that way.



The cool down is the walk behind the Contemp (water fountain there at their locker/snack building) and the prize is the boat ride back to the Fort.



Wrap up in the next post.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

I was the only person waiting on the Contemporary pier waiting for the boat to the Fort. Well, I was the only PERSON but all the birds from Discovery Island were posted up around me. What kind are they?



My chariot arrives.



I had my own private ride back to the Fort. Almost home!



Finally as a PSA, yesterday I ran a WIFI speed test in the afternoon and then after supper for comparison. I was here in March when they cut the WIFI on here at the Fort. I had checked in and gotten the old modem kit and used it until the day they cut the WIFI over. Note the time of day/night on the screen grabs.





The guy across from me in #117 is packing up this morning. Maybe we'll get to watch someone back in this afternoon who's not as smart as amcc was.

Bama Ed

 

[2goofycampers]

We got here around 4:30 and are in 2061 right next to the bathroom. All the times we've stayed in the tent loops we've been put in 2000 so my son was hoping for 1500 but we were told it was closing Thursday for maintenance. Wonder what that means? Our neighbors came to check out our backing up skills but we avoided that spectacle by unhitching and pushing it into place We've learned our lesson.

The new loop next door is looking great. I counted only 4 open sites in our loop but I'm hoping it clears out a bit. No going out tonight, our setup takes a while and we hadn't fed the kids all day in our rush to get here (parents of the year) so got the fire going and heated up leftover New Years beef tenderloin - it was even better under the stars

I'm pretty sure you broke the #1 rule of camping!

 

[tiggerdad]

That's funny Ed. Next time you make fun of my blurry pictures and say it was because of my fast driving I'll have to remember to say it was due to "low light".

Seriously, thanks for the tag along there.

 

[garneska]

Ed, we did 5 miles this morning. Started at 6 and hit the exercise trail first. I recently bought a good headlamp for running and dogs. It is a black diamond sprinter. It was awesome for the dark trail this morning. I have been loving it, plus it charges via USB.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Oh Ed. Your trip report is making me all kinds of emotional. I have a lump in my throat, a tear in my eye (no joke), and my heart has skipped a beat. Your detailed report is putting me right there with you.

I booked a water park hotel yesterday for the end of February and now I just can't. I have to cancel. In my toddler like tantrum...I don't want to go, I don't want to go too that cheesy wolfy water park for a few nights cause it is easy and not to far from home.......I WANT TO GO TO FORT WILDERNESS!!!!

I can't help but think the eyes and ears of Disney have been watching this forum, and have assigned you the best possible spot.

What a great set up you have.

Hubby is trenching in the water line to the house today. Later, we are going to the furniture store to order the new furniture.......I will be talking his ear off the whole way and reading him your trip report, by the end of the evening I hope to be purchasing some airline tickets.

Bless you!! Keep the report coming (tear, sniff).

 

[Boomer1]

We have arrived, assigned site 813. Just waiting for Tiny (our 5th wheel) to arrive. Glad to be off the road.
Looking forward to seeing some of you soon.

 

[amcc]

Overcast but warm, perfect for the pool. The concierge was able to adjust our reservation to leave Friday instead of Saturday. The check in building is still looking festive.


I noticed a sign at the pool that says they open at 10am now. I imagine it's to limit swimming during lifeguard hours but we really used to enjoy early morning swims. 10am is late for a campground!

 

[tltay2005]

I saw that too, Kris. The old recycling receptacles are gone and the half-buried trash cans are covered over. I wondered the same thing about plastic.











Believe it or not, tiggerdad, I like the taste of diet Coke best. But I did have whole chocolate milk (no 2% stuff).

Bama Ed

We had to ask about the plastic. Was told to put in with the aluminum.

 

[tltay2005]

The 700 loop now has new recycling bins similar to the locking trash cans to keep raccoons out. The only issue is they have them labeled "glass, paper, and aluminum" no plastic, what is going on? Throw plastic in the trash?

We had to call and ask. They said to put it in with the aluminum, that it goes to the same place.

 

[bama_ed]

Well Melissa, let me say this about my spot.

It is great.

It is close.

It is also near enough to the public area of TE and the Settlement TP that the delivery trucks are loud at 5am, the gas powered back pack blower cleaning the golf cart path down to the marina at 6am is loud, and the drunks on their golf carts at midnight are loud.

All that being said, I slept fine in the trailer!

I'm just paying forward a few things.

Gonna work on a new puzzle this afternoon and chill here with some beer and peanuts.

Bama Ed

 

[amcc]

Anyone know if there is a lending library kind of thing at the Fort? I left all my reading materials

 

[tltay2005]

Terri, Lake Louisa is a "nice" state park. My four experiences have all been 1-nighters but the sites are laid out well, the bathhouses are clean (not a/c'd), and it is close to WDW. I don't know what there is to do there. I bet it's brutal in July because most sites are in the open although there are some trees (tall ones) down around the lake near the campsite. (Loop C where I was this time had more tall trees among the sites than A or B loops). Can't beat the price.

Thanks Ed. I booked this park for January, one of our cooler months, knowing there was not much shade on any of the sites. We only plan two nights, so really just one full day. We just plan to hike and bike ride some of the nature trails and fish. We try to do a different state park each month we are not at the Fort and the weather is not too hot (so no May thru Sept dates, lol).

 

[garneska]

We ran, then we worked. Next bert cooked. Denise and Frank came looping by, after that was s'mores. Next walk dogs and head to bed. It's a good day, work not so much but you have to take the good with the bad. Weather is pretty nice, though a bit warm for the run this morning.

I guess they never move



A good one of my old yeti.



Mallory had a cyst burst today, she had it for almost two years. Of course it finally goes when we are at Disney. She looks a little sad but it's not bothering her. Plus she was very happy to have Denise pet her.

 

[bama_ed]

A few more Christmas decoration updates.

Long time visitors have known about the big walk-through decorations in loop 1600. However, I was not aware of the spots just past it that back up to the side road off Big Pine Trail that go back to all four Full loops. The 1600 sites on the left side of the side road had a long display set out as well. Here it was:



So here are the pix from the big walk-through site in 1640. It's been in the same spot for a couple years every Christmas. It's decorated to walk down one side of the RV/site, along the back, then up the other side with decorations on both sides all around.

Here is the driver's side decorations all down the side:



Here are the decorations in front of the rv's nose with the Contemporary monorail (train) set up as the primary piece:



Here are the decorations along the back of the rv:



Here are the decorations looking toward the front on the passenger's side of the rv. Note the decorations on both sides.



Finally the decorations on the passenger's front corner with the monorail/Contemp setup just to the right on the ground:



I'll move to a new post to discuss today's daytime activities.

Bama Ed

PS - tiggerdad, my blurry pictures happened while I was moving on my own two feet at a peak speed of maybe 4 miles an hour. If you would just climb down out of that awesome Ford truck you have and join us little people on the ground, then you can use that excuse.

 

[bama_ed]

Today was mostly a day to relax for us after setting up yesterday.

We made a trip to the Vineland Outlet Stores (yes, the gas station with the rip-off prices is still there selling gas to confused foreigners at $5.99 a gallon - and there were several cars at the pumps). Then time for a grocery run to set us up for a couple more days. This afternoon I started a new puzzle:



I'm having to beat DD18 off with a stick to minimize her "helping" (she's very Type A/compulsive when it comes to puzzles). Here is my progress so far (got the bottom edge set and a little of the left side):



After the fun we had at Gulf working the Disney puzzle I brought, I was looking for my puzzle buddies from there to come walking up here at the Fort. Wish you guys were here Michael/tiggerdad, Randy/SouthAlabama5er, and Joe/Flametamr. And I will say we welcome new puzzle people when one gets started.

My folks have arrived today and dropped by later this afternoon. They are staying at a very comfortable on-property resort until Sunday. Also poster amcc and family came by on their bikes and we chatted (met each other back in March last year). And spoke briefly with Frank and Denise but I was in the Suburban and THEY were in the golf cart and WE both were stopped in the middle of Big Pine Trail headed in opposite directions. (Electric Water Parade music is coming up from the FW beach now. You could hear it a few minutes ago when it was doing the Wilderness Lodge show).

We had dinner plans over at Beaches & Cream at the Yacht Club so we went over a few hours early to explore the Epcot area resorts and Boardwalk area. Really we hadn't been over there at all with the kids so it was all new to them. We rode the boat to DHS and then me and DD18 walked back on the paved walkway from the DHS entrance to the Beach/Yacht Club area because that piece is near the end of the Marathon race (mile 23-24ish).

Yacht Club had a gingerbread house set up in the lobby:



I preferred the train set-up in the Beach Club lobby:



The Christmas tree in front of DHS made pretty decorative piece to the DHS entrance:



Walking down the paved sidewalk and looking back at DHS, Tower of Terror was bathed in a purple light with our boat all lit up at the dock still while it loaded up departing guests:



Beaches & Cream did not disappoint. No, we didn't get the Kitchen Sink. But we did see/hear four or five of them being served. But my Reuben (on the right) was delicious and DW's chicken sandwich with cheese and bacon (and a healthy side of watermelon) got a thumb's up. The kids liked what they got as well.



For dessert I did get a chocolate sundae with peanut butter sauce (a winning combo).



Tomorrow is MK day till midnight. Kids are psyched. Me, eh....

Bama Ed

PS - supposed to be cooler tomorrow with highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s. I will enjoy that for sure.