Who's going to be at the Fort in May 2017? TR thread

[peg110]

We will be there in 3 Days!! Our first time at the Ft. We are renting a camper this year. Maybe next time we will be in our own camper.

All our kids know is that we are going on a camping trip. Hehe

My DD12 would never fall for that (any more). She is a "Sharp Cookie" in that she knows the way (mostly) to Florida. Of course we only go to Florida for 1 thing (at least at this point).

We tried to sneak a trip in without telling the kids until the last minute, but she saw the "Mailings" and figured it out. Oh well... No surprising them.

 

[Hyperion611]

My DD12 would never fall for that (any more). She is a "Sharp Cookie" in that she knows the way (mostly) to Florida. Of course we only go to Florida for 1 thing (at least at this point).

We tried to sneak a trip in without telling the kids until the last minute, but she saw the "Mailings" and figured it out. Oh well... No surprising them.

We are lucky. My parents are going with us and all the mailings went to them.

Plus mine are 7,7,5, and 1. Thank goodness parents are coming too!

 

[peg110]

We are lucky. My parents are going with us and all the mailings went to them.

Plus mine are 7,7,5, and 1. Thank goodness parents are coming too!

I think you will have your hands full...

Hope you guys have an AWESOME time.

 

[tiggerdad]

We are lucky. My parents are going with us and all the mailings went to them.

Plus mine are 7,7,5, and 1. Thank goodness parents are coming too!

Yeah, I'll bet you're glad. That would be an adventure for sure.

 

[N365PA]

Just checked in for two nights on a last minute trip. 2039 over in Spanish Moss.

 

[KalamityJane]

Just checked in for two nights on a last minute trip. 2039 over in Spanish Moss.

We are just down the road from you in 2034

 

[Sunshine873]

Me! I'll be there May 29 - June 5th! I can't wait to spend some time at The Fort! I went as a kid, but this is my first visit as an adult, with our 8 year old daughter and 2 lazy labs! Everyone is going to have so much fun!

 

[Djt227]

We are on our way! Got on the road a little before 6am (in NJ about 20 mins from Philly) and planning to drive until about 7pm. It'll be interesting to see how far we get and how many stops DD4 and DD5 will need. They're usually great travelers so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it'll be a nice ride. Like @Hyperion611 our kids know we're camping but not where yet. Very excited for that surprise! Hoping to check in at 9am tomorrow. Can't wait to see the Fort!!

 

[lollipoplinds]

Going to be there May 21-25th with my parents in our RV! Leaving the 17th, though, and will be visiting family on the way down and hitting up all the East Coast Six Flags parks. We have season passes there and we also have the dining pass, so free dinner! We go to Florida quite often to visit my brother, but we don't really ever visit Orlando. We took my niece to Magic Kingdom in 2015, but it was just a day trip. First time on a full Disney vacation in 10 years so we're pretty excited!

 

[tiggerdad]

Going to be there May 21-25th with my parents in our RV! Leaving the 17th, though, and will be visiting family on the way down and hitting up all the East Coast Six Flags parks. We have season passes there and we also have the dining pass, so free dinner! We go to Florida quite often to visit my brother, but we don't really ever visit Orlando. We took my niece to Magic Kingdom in 2015, but it was just a day trip. First time on a full Disney vacation in 10 years so we're pretty excited!

Now that trip sounds like a blast the whole way down. Is it your first stay at Fort Wilderness?

 

[lollipoplinds]

Now that trip sounds like a blast the whole way down. Is it your first stay at Fort Wilderness?

It's our first time at the Fort! We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside during our last vacation. We've heard some really great things about Fort Wilderness!

 

[tiggerdad]

Funny that, our first trip to Disney we stayed at POR too, been at the Fort ever since. We did like POR however and would stay there again if the Fort wasn't an option.

 

[cu@theFort]

be there 20-26 but not sure where yet... with DW and DS13... have a red golf cart with UGA emblem on the front and maybe a CU Tiger tail on the rear....

 

[DKSABS]

Just checked in this afternoon! We got site 103, which is perfect. The entire 100 loop is full. I'm so thankful to have found this forum and learned so much useful information here. And glad I called again a few days ago to confirm our preferences were in the system. My ECV was here waiting for me when we checked in. We rode the boat over the Magic Kingdom and got approved for the DAS and got our magic bands all set up for that, so we won't have to spend any time in line at Guest Relations at rope drop tomorrow morning. That is such a huge relief. We went ahead and rode the monorail through all the resorts and my 4 year old granddaughter was thrilled with the boat ride and the monorail ride.

And they gave us the special "Celebration" pins at Fort Wilderness. They say "Happily Ever After" and the CM wrote "30 ears" on the pins since we're celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary. We have reservations at Trails End in 10 minutes. I can't wait to see all the good food and the special gluten free items they will have to offer. I've seen lots of good reviews on how well Trails End and Hoop Dee Doo handle food allergies/sensitivities.

We're going to try to make it to the camp fire singalong with the chipmonks after dinner and then make it back to the beach to watch the final "Wishes" show. Do we just go to the beach that is to the left of the boat dock? Or do we go to another beach area somewhere else for a better view? We're sooo excited!!!

 

[snowmedic]

Do we just go to the beach that is to the left of the boat dock? Or do we go to another beach area somewhere else for a better view? We're sooo excited!!!

That is correct. There are a few tables and chairs on the deck part of the boat dock or some lounge chairs on the beach. Stay for the electric water parade, it is pretty cool, even if you seen it a few dozen times.

 

[bama_ed]

Just checked in this afternoon! We got site 103, which is perfect. The entire 100 loop is full. I'm so thankful to have found this forum and learned so much useful information here. And glad I called again a few days ago to confirm our preferences were in the system.

Glad to hear you made it, DKSABS. IIRC 103 is the second site on the right (on the outside of the loop) and very close to the CS. I would love to get 102 across the street from it next trip. Has lots of open space. No surprise 100 is Full. Some of our fellow DISsers have stayed in 103 if memory serves.

We went ahead and rode the monorail through all the resorts and my 4 year old granddaughter was thrilled with the boat ride and the monorail ride.

Riding the boats and monorails is almost a ride in itself. I bet your Granddaughter thinks you're a hero for taking her on those. Our job here is to make you look good in her eyes (well, better than you do already - about FW I mean).

We're going to try to make it to the camp fire singalong with the chipmonks after dinner and then make it back to the beach to watch the final "Wishes" show. Do we just go to the beach that is to the left of the boat dock? Or do we go to another beach area somewhere else for a better view? We're sooo excited!!!

Tonight they're showing Lilo & Stitch huh? Hope the weather is good. Set a marshmallow on fire for me tonight.

For the beach shows it's the area to the left of the sidewalk mostly on the beach. People tend to take all the loungers and chairs/tables first. The music is piped in from the treeline behind you. You can see most fireworks over Discovery Island except for the very lowest ones which are blocked by the trees. One night you will want to be on the beach or out on the edge of the pier for the Electrical Water Parade which is at 945pm IIRC out in the lake in front of the Fort pier. It runs every night and is quite loud so you will hear it at your campsite easily. It's been running in one form or another since the Fort opened practically in the 70s.

When you get a chance, let me know if you would stay at O'Leno again and/or would you recommend it for a 1-night stopover on the way to the Fort? Don't need a whole lot of update, just would you recommend it or did you like it.

Bama Ed

PS - and thanks for the live, hey-I-am-here updates. I for one enjoy them immensely.

 

[Teamubr]

Just checked in this afternoon! We got site 103, which is perfect.

Some of our fellow DISsers have stayed in 103 if memory serves.

Congrats on getting into the 100 loop. It is my favorite and Ed is correct. Some of us have been in 103.

This is what it looked like in 2011.

j

 

[Djt227]

We just got back from our week at the Fort. It was wonderful!! After driving for 12 hrs we stopped overnight in St. Augustine so only had about a 2hr drive the next morning. Checked in on Sunday at 9am and were told we were in 1500 but our site wasn't ready yet. No problem! We spent the day at the pool and were so happy with our site when we were able to get in there later.

1510 is awesome!! It's in the back of the loop with the water behind it. I was able to sit out there in the morning with my coffee and watch the deer and turkey on the other side of the bank. I felt like we had a lot of privacy and extra space for the kids to play. Would recommend that site or 1511. The 1600 loop next to ours was empty for the majority of our stay so the CS was never crowded (until Friday afternoon when the 1600 loop filled up quick). The site next to the CS was set up with a large community grill because of the fire ban which was great. We used it for burgers one night.

We watched the fireworks from the beach two nights and the water parade. We also were able to see the new fireworks from the boat on our way back from Fort Wilderness. Very cool. The Chip and Dale sing along was also very cute and my kids liked it. The Hoop Dee Do Review was a highlight for my DD4 and DD5! They laughed the entire time and absolutely loved it. They wanted to go back the next night!

We had 4 park days during the week and took them at a relaxed pace. We went back to the pool most afternoons. Having a golf cart definitely made traveling around the Fort easier but it is doable without one.

Two mishaps...1-the mosquitos were pretty bad at night. We sat outside our tent on the second night and got eaten up. Lesson learned to put bug spray on BEFORE we sat out. 2-we had a little dorm fridge set up in our kitchen area. I woke up one night to a raccoon ransacking it! I think I scared him more than he scared me because he ran off never to be seen again.

The weather was great! Very hot but not too humid. A fan at night was all we needed. We lucked out and never saw a drop a rain.

All of the advice and tips I learned here definitely made our trip a fabulous one!! We look forward to going back to the Fort again!

 

[snowmedic]

-the mosquitos were pretty bad at night. We sat outside our tent on the second night and got eaten up.

That's the first I have heard of mosquitoes, not saying they aren't there, just the first I have heard of it. I sit outside every night at the picnic table doing updates on the Dis and have never been bothered.

Glad the weather cooperated, sounds like you had a wonderful time.

 

[Djt227]

That's the first I have heard of mosquitoes, not saying they aren't there, just the first I have heard of it. I sit outside every night at the picnic table doing updates on the Dis and have never been bothered.

Glad the weather cooperated, sounds like you had a wonderful time.

I was surprised too by the mosquitoes! They gave us a bag of Off wipes when we checked in but said we wouldn't need them. I wonder if it was because we were closer to the water...