shawn mazzerle
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2017
I don't do these often, so forgive if I do not follow a format.
Wife made a comment that she missed Disney. I slunk onto the computer and found Florida resident discount 30% off campsite plus 4 day $58 per day park tix. Whole trip under $900, August 24-28 (Thurs-Mon). Preferred loop (got 200.) We usually ask for loop 100, but we arrived so early and had a golf cart reserved, did not care. Upon arrival, the campground was empty. No golf carts buzzing, no campers, no bikes, nothing. I know it was hot, but I have been there a bunch and never seen this. We bought Epcot After Hour party for the first night.
Set the camper up, relaxed and took our FIRST EMPTY BUS of the trip. Empty bus, people...Driver, Me, Wife. Did Epcot party, left around 12am to SECOND empty bus. Driver was standing there, seemingly, waiting just for us.
Next day was Animal Kingdom. Hung out at the pool for the first part of the day. Planned for later arrival because of the previous late night. Normally, we are the early Rope Drop Clan. We, surgically, enter early, avoid the crowds, do a few rides, eat and head back to the camper to check on the kids (kitties.) Bought LL for Flight of Passage just before park close. Another empty bus to the park. Wife. Driver. Me. Did Yeti coaster, had some fried rice and Pandora. Heading back, bus was waiting again. Empty bus. Crazy, right?
Magic Kingdom. Boat was at the dock when I parked the cart. No wait. Walked on... Pirates, Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Little Mermaid. Bought LL for Tron. We sat in the back because I am 6'4 300lbs (thought it safer to not try the bikes.) Reservations for Liberty Tree tavern. Whoa. Go eat here. Shut us down, though. Back to camper for naps. Evening we checked out the new Trails End and Lounge. We are old school and did the Trails End buffet way back, so this is bittersweet. Fireworks on the beach never get old.
Hollywood Studios. Rope Drop Clan started early. Another family (4 people) on the bus...gonna have to start filing complaints about how crowded these busses are.
Bought LL for Rise of Resistance. Reservations for Olga's (never been,) waited for Millenium Falcon (first time.) Had a 6yr and a 8yr for pilots.
Did Muppet's. Our Rise of Resistance was weird... ride worked but there wasn't any sound. The animatronics didn't move. Video screens didn't play. Gave us free LL for anything. Did Raider's show and surprise LL for Mickey and Minnie railroad. Bus back to Fort Wilderness...wait for it... Wife, Driver, Me. Definitely a rare and unexpected theme.
Final thoughts. ANY day with our camper is amazing. Being at the Fort is, undeniably, our favorite. To see, empty busses, sites, no lines, crazy. Our camper's 15k air conditioner can keep things chilly. Days are hot, in the parks. But, 4 of 5 EMPTY bus rides made it look like private limo service. Still looking for that family of 4.
Wife made a comment that she missed Disney. I slunk onto the computer and found Florida resident discount 30% off campsite plus 4 day $58 per day park tix. Whole trip under $900, August 24-28 (Thurs-Mon). Preferred loop (got 200.) We usually ask for loop 100, but we arrived so early and had a golf cart reserved, did not care. Upon arrival, the campground was empty. No golf carts buzzing, no campers, no bikes, nothing. I know it was hot, but I have been there a bunch and never seen this. We bought Epcot After Hour party for the first night.
Set the camper up, relaxed and took our FIRST EMPTY BUS of the trip. Empty bus, people...Driver, Me, Wife. Did Epcot party, left around 12am to SECOND empty bus. Driver was standing there, seemingly, waiting just for us.
Next day was Animal Kingdom. Hung out at the pool for the first part of the day. Planned for later arrival because of the previous late night. Normally, we are the early Rope Drop Clan. We, surgically, enter early, avoid the crowds, do a few rides, eat and head back to the camper to check on the kids (kitties.) Bought LL for Flight of Passage just before park close. Another empty bus to the park. Wife. Driver. Me. Did Yeti coaster, had some fried rice and Pandora. Heading back, bus was waiting again. Empty bus. Crazy, right?
Magic Kingdom. Boat was at the dock when I parked the cart. No wait. Walked on... Pirates, Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Little Mermaid. Bought LL for Tron. We sat in the back because I am 6'4 300lbs (thought it safer to not try the bikes.) Reservations for Liberty Tree tavern. Whoa. Go eat here. Shut us down, though. Back to camper for naps. Evening we checked out the new Trails End and Lounge. We are old school and did the Trails End buffet way back, so this is bittersweet. Fireworks on the beach never get old.
Hollywood Studios. Rope Drop Clan started early. Another family (4 people) on the bus...gonna have to start filing complaints about how crowded these busses are.
Bought LL for Rise of Resistance. Reservations for Olga's (never been,) waited for Millenium Falcon (first time.) Had a 6yr and a 8yr for pilots.
Did Muppet's. Our Rise of Resistance was weird... ride worked but there wasn't any sound. The animatronics didn't move. Video screens didn't play. Gave us free LL for anything. Did Raider's show and surprise LL for Mickey and Minnie railroad. Bus back to Fort Wilderness...wait for it... Wife, Driver, Me. Definitely a rare and unexpected theme.Final thoughts. ANY day with our camper is amazing. Being at the Fort is, undeniably, our favorite. To see, empty busses, sites, no lines, crazy. Our camper's 15k air conditioner can keep things chilly. Days are hot, in the parks. But, 4 of 5 EMPTY bus rides made it look like private limo service. Still looking for that family of 4.
