December Trip reports

[tltay2005]

Thanks for the pictures, Terri. Everyone is walking around in short sleeves and it appears beautiful and sunny in Central FL.

BTW for those of you headed to the Fort in December, I am requesting some pix of the resort construction (and new TCD) down behind Pioneer Hall. Don't cross any construction lines for super close-ups but anything you can get holding a camera/phone up over a fence would be appreciated.

Bama Ed

Will do my best...but I am short, so don't get your hopes up that I can reach over the fence .

I did go over to the Disney Rumors and News forum and the Aerial Images thread to see if there were any over there, but no luck. Photos of every other construction, but not the Fort or Reflections. There is a link in that thread to bioreconstruct twitter page and they take some amazing photos of the construction. Some up close ones of everything going on at Epcot, Tron, Rivera Resort and more.

 

[WeLovePluto]

I couldn’t/didn’t get pictures because of trying to keep two kids out of the lake, but you can see a little bit of it from the boat too.

 

[WeLovePluto]

Following up on the trip report...after our TFP campfire night, we had a “free” morning around the campground. Which meant laundry, talking to a mobile RV repairman to try to find my propane leak (he couldn’t either), and a trip to the store to refill a propane bottle and get some cold weather gear.

That evening we went to the Christmas party and took the kids to Bippity Boppity Boutique. Our older DD is on the autism spectrum and we were unsure how she’d do getting hair and make up for that long. The cast members did an amazing job with her and she loved it. Then we took the girls around to meet princes and princesses. Younger DD had a blast (along with DW). Eventually older DD fell asleep so she was just along for the ride in her stroller. We ate lots of cookies and drank lots of hot chocolate.

The next morning was our 3rd consecutive MK day. We got off to a slow start when older DD found the opening she’d likely been looking for for day, and made a bee line to jump into the canal behind our campsite. At least the water was shallow enough that her hair stayed dry. And the alligators were sleeping/not around. But that was a fairly terrifying experience and she was freezing as soon as she hit the water. We may have to request an inner campsite next time. Also, we didn’t have extra shoes. Turns out they don’t sell much in the way of shoes in her size in MK (though again lots of CMs did their best to try to help us). So she got to spend the day in crocs. We did lots of rides in the morning then took the kids back to the camper for some naps. They didn’t nap. Went back in time to see the castle lighting, which was cool. Also got a decent spot for the fireworks that night. We were able to get fast passes for pictures with Mickey up front. I was disappointed that he didn’t talk any more. Then older DD went home with DW and I took younger DD on some rides during the late night extra magic hours.



PS-the Macaw show at AK was pretty cool

 

[bama_ed]

Anyone seen any info on the Christmas Eve activities at the Fort? I am told there is usually a pet parade, golf cart parade, and events down near Trails End (don't know if those will occur because of the construction).

There was nothing in the Recreation and Movie Calendar for this month as there usually is. Anyone seen a sign outside the Bike Barn with info? A separate flyer in the Welcome package or posted at the Comfort Stations?

Only nine more days to go.

Bama ed

 

[FtW Mike]

Just got it from the Crazy Kentucky Goat Lady as you were asking Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Just got it from the Crazy Kentucky Goat Lady as you were asking Ed

That's one heck of a nickname she's got there, Mike. And have a great trip yerself coming up.

I appreciate you passing on that info.

Bama Ed

 

[garneska]

have a safe trip @FtW Mike . Hopefully no issues and you arrive at the fort on Friday.

 

[mmluvr]

Thank you so much for posting this information FtW Mike!!!

Also, thanks again Bama Ed for directing me over to this forum.

 

[elaine amj]

Well...flying in with tent camping gear for 5 ppl turned out to be quite a bit crazy. I am hoping at the end of 2 weeks we will agree it was worth it

We arrived at 8:30pm on Dec 23 and it took us a day and half to get unpacked and settled down. The on and off drizzle all Christmas Eve didn't help. And now we can start having fun!


We had Christmas Day lunch at Homecomin and it was a fabulous kick off to our vacation


Had some trouble with my mother's wheelchair losing a bolt when we gate checked it on the airplane and a kind camper helped us "fix" it with cable ties. He is going to a hardware store to look for a bolt for us tomorrow. Disney campers are truly the kindest, friendliest we have met in any campground.

 

[Teamubr]

Great looking camp site. Hopefully the hassle of tents will pay off.

I love the chalk. If we were there, we would definitely come by and chalk you up. The Mickeys are great, but how did you get such perfect circles?

j

 

[bama_ed]

Did you bring all those lights on the flight with you, elaine emj?

1501 is right behind the bus stop and terribly convenient to go to the pool, movie/singalong, and Meadow TP. And you're only one site away from the Comfort Station.

In a two week stay you're going to encounter some wet/cold stretches but the Accuweather forecast doesn't look bad for the next two weeks.

I hope you hit the relaxation phase soon.

Bama Ed

 

[tltay2005]

Checked in Christmas Day around 2:30. Site 2114, first time in this loop and we like it. Sites are nice, large pad, plenty of space and level. We decorate the site and golf cart, then ordered food from the food truck and ate at our site. Did some looping then turned in early.

 

[tltay2005]

Woke up early today, Thursday, made coffee and took it looping hoping to watch the sunrise, but it was too foggy. Went down to the lake to check out the new dock they built, well actually only part is new most is the old dock that was at the end of Clementine beach that they moved. The new playground is open and they moved the sleigh rides to the Meadows Trading post.

 

[tltay2005]

After breakfast we did some fishing. Caught some bass in the canal behind the 300 loop and some in the new pond by the group area. At the pond is really the online place so far that the construction noise was very noticeable. We saw lots of deer this morning, including some nice bucks.

 

[tltay2005]

We headed over to Geyser Point for lunch and to look at the decorations and gingerbread log cabin at the WL. Then we headed to the CR and did all the monorail resorts. They all had nice decorations and gingerbread creations. Dinner was back at camp and now we are just sitting outside by the fire. The weather has been on and off. The temperature is perfect, but it has sprinkled a few times today.

 

[elaine amj]

Great looking camp site. Hopefully the hassle of tents will pay off.

I love the chalk. I we were there, we would definitely come by and chalk you up. The Mickeys are great, but how did you get such perfect circles?

j

My daughter is so awesome she freehands the circles! Would have been fun - we've had one person come by to chalk us so far. My DD was so excited she ran right over to chalk their site

1501 is very convenient but of course, not private and quite noisy. So far it has been tolerable though.

And yes, I brought ALL those lights with me on the plane haha! I said if necessary I would leave the tent behind to fit the lights lol!

It was a nice day yesterday although the teens and men were bored in the afternoon. I was too exhausted and sprawled out in a hammock and by the time I dragged myself out at 4:30pm, the Bike Barn was closing and we couldn't borrow any sports equipment *sigh*. Oh well - another time.

Took the crew on the monorail loop but I forgot the order of the loop. By the time we took the bus to Pioneer Hall, boat to MK, monorail to GF, toured GF, monorail to Poly where half of us had dinner at Ohana and the other half did a quick tour and headed back to camp...everyone was exhausted. I messed up the timing of this one

Starting to really enjoy the camping but the extended travel and having to switch buses so many times at the Fort is getting rather old pretty quickly. I should have just bitten the bullet and splurged on a golf cart. We are walkers and have had no issues staying in sprawling resorts like Saratoga Springs. But I think we are all getting a bit fed up about how long it is taking to get anywhere.

We left Poly after dinner at 10:10pm. Got a boat at the Contemporary at 11:10pm. When we got to the Fort, luckily we didn't have to wait for another bus. It was 11:30pm before we get back to our campsite. This is with no lines. I am used to allowing 1.5hrs between locations, but this is getting old fast. Even Saratoga Springs buses ran smoother than this.

Then this morning, we were at our bus stop at 5am - the yellow bus didn't come until 5:35am!!! I was so mad.

Today we got our rental car. We ended up using a $10 Lyft to pick up the rental from a Disney Springs resort. I was fed up with buses. We return our car Jan 3 and will rely again on buses from Jan 3-7.

 

[bama_ed]

Then this morning, we were at our bus stop at 5am - the yellow bus didn't come until 5:35am!!! I was so mad.

That's quick for an early morning bus. Seriously, they run more frequently in the main part of the day.

Part of me finds it strange that some people will resist walking a little bit in Fort Wilderness when they'll put tens of miles on their feet in the parks. We are walkers too, though, like you.

The other thing with getting back to the Fort at night via boat is if you are at the Contemp or MK docks when the Electric Water Parade is near WL, performing at FW, or in the area of FW as it leaves, the boats won't run (or will stop in the water because they aren't permitted to dock when the EWP is near). I've killed an hour on the dock that way and I learned my lesson after that.

Hope it gets better for you.

The new playground is open and they moved the sleigh rides to the Meadows Trading post.

Terri, where did they build the new playground?

Bama Ed

 

[elaine amj]

Next time I will walk from 1500 to the outpost haha!

 

[WeLovePluto]

We didn’t use the buses at all this trip. In the past, we’ve more frequently walked than waited for the internal bus. With a double stroller, I’d rather walk a little bit more than fold it up, wrangle kids, and set it back up on the internal bus. And as Ed mentioned, we were walking 10 miles anyway, what’s another mile...

Ed, the new playground at the settlement is between Trails End and the general store. They were working on it when we were there early in the month.

 

[bama_ed]

Ed, the new playground at the settlement is between Trails End and the general store. They were working on it when we were there early in the month.

Interesting, WeLovePluto.

I learned a lot about how the Fort works when I had site 116 in the 100 loop on a trip in the past. It is next to the two cabins in 100 loop but the back of it faced the Trails End Porch (you could hear the porch music at the back of the site ).

Anyway, at night Disney CM's pull the posts and delivery trucks drive down the pavement from the Settlement Depot in front of HDDR and TE and turn right to get to the Settlement Trading Post to make deliveries overnight. There was also a road behind the soon-to-be-former horse barn and pony corral to make truck deliveries to the kitchen for TE/HDDR. So if I understand you correctly, the old playground which is getting bumped by bungalows didn't get bumped very far. They may still have left enough room to run trucks down to the Settlement TP but now it's not as wide/open as it used to be.

Thanks for the update.

Bama Ed