November Trip Reports

[bama_ed]

Pony ride info and pic there at the TCD Barn.





Note again the parent leads the pony as fyi (trust me the pony knows where he's going so it's not hard).

And out the door to nose around elsewhere.



Up on the corner past the Settlement Bus Depot, I noticed two reels of duct on a flat bed trailer so I went to investigate.



This is something I know a little something about. The inner duct runs I showed earlier (that I said we would come back to) and the fiber handhole I posted a pic of at Halloween turn out to be part of a communications upgrade at the Fort. I talked with the construction guys and the Fort recently installed many small cell towers for better cell phone connectivity (and it is good). But this is part of an effort to bring faster communications (now it's wifi's turn) to the campers (needed badly) and they are placing these ducts to pull fiber optic cable through to carry the backhaul from the wireless access points (wifi antennas up on poles).

They had a directional boring machine at the corner of the 3-way stop by 100 entrance to pull two 2-inch ducts down under the golf carts and walking paths headed towards the Settlement Trading Post.



They fired up the machine and started to bore.



The workers had a spot hole to check for direction.



The pipe drill tip keeps turning as it is pushed into the ground. When they've gone as far as the piece of pipe, another piece drops into the loader behind the operator and they extend it that much further. Wash-rinse-repeat until the drill tip reaches its destination along the walkway by one of the golf cart exit paths across from HDDR.



I'm going to follow their progress.

One last brief post next.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

During the morning I also visited two special sites.

The first is my name which is in a sidewalk somewhere in Fort Wilderness. I have to brush the dirt off it because it is on the side against grass/dirt but it is still visible.



I also visited the last section of remaining rail from the Fort Wilderness Railroad that ran during the 1970s. This is not the old wooden cross ties between 700 and 800 but real iron rails. A little hard to get to but worth the effort.





Finally as a souvenir back at the rails I picked up these 2 black/white stones. This was the original ballast used on the FWRR (the stone between the wooden ties). It is a stone type not native to Florida. Many of the sidewalks now in the Fort run on the old FWRR right-of-way. So you will often see these black/white stones to the sides of the sidewalk and now you know their past.



Time for lunch then tent setup. Hope to attend the campfire singalong tonight (not the movie) and take night pix of the garland decorations around the Settlement area.

Bama Ed

 

[serenitygr]

Love following along with you- beautiful pictures! Thank you for sharing your trip with all of us! We’re sitting here in very winter like weather so definitely missing the Fort!


After the hurricane (Ian) we were the first camper back into the Fort and the only obvious damage was the bus stop and our sign for 1400 was missing. We aren’t exactly sure what happened to the bus stop but I believe a tree fell on it.

 

[Teamubr]

Fantastic TR, Ed.

I'm even more excited about November 2024. I'll watch to see what dates things go out next year, but I will definitely have an extended trip to make sure I can see the Christmas decorations when they are up.

Your name is definitely starting to fade. I'll have to make a more concerted effort to find it next trip.

j

 

[Love Ft Wilderness]

Truly enjoying your report and it's making me excited for our upcoming trip.

We too take a hike to find the rails. It's fun to explore them.

 

[Brocktoon]

Today was a full day with a new tire! Yea!

This morning there were more canoe races down at the beach. Looked like same team names on the schedule so I don't know the format of the event. But they are all up early.





I didn't hang around for long.

The trees with the Spanish Moss are impressive this morning down by the Settlement TP.





This morning we went to a church service then came back and worked the puzzle some more before lunch. DW was a BIG help. Here was the progress after about an hour.



Today I did one thing I learned from @tiggerdad after watching him camp at Gulf State Park for our DISMeets. He always carried a blower and blew his campsite/pad clean just about every day. I brought my blower and there was DEFINITELY a need so I plugged in:



And went to work. Here is the "Before" pic:



And here is the "After" pic:



After lunch it was time to set off on our little journey around property using Disney transportation. We left out from the Settlement Bus Depot to ride up to the Outpost Bus Depot.





Rolling to the next post.

Bama Ed

Was wondering what was up with all the morning noise around the Settlement and the VIP cast member busses.

Ran into a HS cast member and her mother while waiting in line at Gideon's yesterday and she mentioned the cast member canoe racing ... all makes sense now! Wed. seems to be the best day to hit Gideon's as we only had a 30 minute wait around 11AM. Their cookies are the real deal, but the Peanut Butter Cold Brew was amazing!

Already packing up this afternoon as we leave tomorrow, but we've still got dinner at Steakhouse 71 to look forward to.

 

[bama_ed]

I like the tire cover but I imagine it’s ridiculously overpriced

It's $80 and comes in two different sizes, Small and Large (same price for both).



The small fits tires with diameters from 26.75 to 29.75 inches.

The large fits tires with diameters from 30.00 to 33.00 inches.

Only the Small covers were out on display. Don't know if they were out of larges. Point is if you want a large and it's out on the table, better get it right then.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Later this afternoon as I was posting following lunch, the duct truck came down the golf cart path to position the ducts for the pull back to the boring machine.



The ducts had been pulled off the reels and positioned near the access hole in the growth between the golf and walking paths.







Finally it was time to pitch two canvas wall tents for the adult children to sleep in. One kid is arriving tomorrow (Friday) afternoon and the rest early Saturday morning. For both I have what's referred to as an "angle kit" to build a frame (skeleton) to stretch the tent over. The lengths are simple one inch steel conduit. The big tent is 10'x12' and the small tent is 7'x9'.

Starting with the big tent, I have two bags of conduit pieces, a bag with the angles in it, and a storage tub for the tent. First step is to lay out the conduit and the angles in their proper position.







My color coding on the conduit is simple. Blue is parallel to the ground (sky is blue). Yellow is angled. Green tipped conduit are the vertical legs that touch the green grass on the ground.

We assembled the shoulder and ridge sections. The manufacturer of the angle kit, after being told the dimensions of the tent it is intended for, tells you how many and to what length conduits to cut when you order the angle kit.



Closeups of the ridge pole connection and shoulder pieces.





Let's continue in the next post.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

There is enough slack in the connections to have it hold together while you assemble it.

Next we slid the canvas over this roof piece we'd built.





Next I covered the roof sides with clear drop clothes and secured them with binder clips to prevent water leakage. These were surplus tents when I bought them, aged and worn out, and I've had them for 12 years. They've been waterproofed but for a Disney vacation I wanted to be double sure of no leaks - hence the plastic.





With the top secured, we inserted the vertical (green legs) and stood the tent up.



Using a blue tarp as a floor to keep feet dry when rain water flows underneath it.



The small tent was assembled, covered, and stood up the same way. Both tents are on the gravel tent pad behind the Aliner which is on the pavement. And both took two pieces of plastic each to cover the tops.





Returning to my ducts all lined up in a row, the two ends had been attached to the drill bit and they were being pulled through the hold that had been drilled back to the drill.



Later the hole was filled in with the duct tips sticking out of the dirt about 4 feet for a future connection.



This hole is in the middle of nowhere, so to speak, so they will likely be boring starting right here further down somewhere towards the Settlement area. I'll continue to bird dog this project. If it means faster wifi in the future, I'm all for it.

Let's move to the next post.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Speaking again about the wifi, the WAP for 100 loop is 4 sites away in the interior section between sites 121 and 126 (the two are adjacent sites).



My WAP up close.



This afternoon when I took these pix, I was connecting at 14Mbps download. Now at 930pm at night, I'm getting 4-5Mbps and dropping often so I flipped to my hotspot.

As the sun went down toward MK, it cast a red glow that I had to hustle past the Settlement area to get a pic of before it sank below the horizon. The side porch of Trails End is on the right with the Arcade room at the end.



And a bit of a closeup.



The lights had already come on the tree in front of Trails End.



After supper we headed to the Campfire Singalong with Chip & Dale. We cut across the bridge from 600 and looking back at 600 some campsite lights reflected on the dark water.



As did the backside of the Meadow Trading Post.



Marshmallows were being roasted in both fire pits tonight. The food truck there still sells sticks for 50 cents and a Smores pack for $10.







Okay take your places, everyone. The show is about to start.

In the next post.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Cowboy John comes up to warm up the crowd. He is a strong performer (guitar player, singer, and joke teller all).



Our heroes finally arrive on stage.





After the usual chipmunk banter and jokes, there was a change in the show.

Chip and Dale did NOT mix among the crowd signing autographs and posing for pictures. They returned to the back and would come out for their final appearance before the end. So Cowboy John led some more songs with audience participation and one young fella caught the spirit.



Then the boys came back out for the Hokey Pokey song. They were in the center and interested guests could participate in the circle around them.



At the conclusion a few lucky kids got hugs from them and then their handlers led the characters to the back and off-stage.

I can't remember if we sang the Mickey Mouse Club song at the end or not, to tell the truth. I was still processing not having Chip and Dale come around for pics and hellos. I wonder if management thinks that kind of close interaction should not be given away for free at a campfire event. In the end I was disappointed.

We didn't stay for the movie but returned to get some night pics around Pioneer Hall and the Settlement Area where I was disappointed again. On the way, the Bike Barn reflected its lights on the dark water.



Pioneer Hall was nicely lit as the 830pm show guests were lined up outside still checking in before the start.



I'll try to get a better picture of Pioneer Hall at night because it is pretty all lit up.

Crockett's Tavern looked nice as does the tree in the corner of the porch.



The main tree looked nice again.



But in places there were disappointments. The two posts holding the Settlement Trading Post sign - one was lit and one was not.



Many of the lamp posts had garland on them that contained lights on posts with a power outlet at the base. And the garland was not lit up.

The garland on the Meadow Trading Post porch roof was so dimly colored with its lights that I didn't think it was worth taking a picture.

The garland on the Settlement Trading Post porch was not lit despite access to plugs and colored lights on the garland.

Honestly, it felt like stuff was put out and if it worked, it worked; if it didn't, it didn't.

Ryder was the horse working the carriage rides tonight.

Tomorrow is a run to the grocery store for more food and setting up cots and lights in the tents. I'm sure I've forgotten something but it's about to get busy.

Bama Ed

PS - more train whistles today. Wonder if they will be running when we visit MK next week?

 

[Sj disney]

It's $80 and comes in two different sizes, Small and Large (same price for both).



The small fits tires with diameters from 26.75 to 29.75 inches.

The large fits tires with diameters from 30.00 to 33.00 inches.

Only the Small covers were out on display. Don't know if they were out of larges. Point is if you want a large and it's out on the table, better get it right then.

Bama Ed

Thanks bama ed I might have to grab one of those

 

[bama_ed]

We are poised for arrivals this afternoon.

This morning we left out early for the grocery store and $200 of food for us and stuff which will last till Tuesday.

Came back, put them away, and set up the cots/beds and lights in the tents. A cot and an airbed in each tent and some string lights.

Small tent for the guys:



Big tent for the girls:



It was a cool clear morning but now sunny and warmer. The steam train whistle keeps a blowing! Seven sites were empty at mid-day out of 27 and I bet they will all be full by tonight. Today was supposedly the last morning of canoe races.

There is one campsite nearby with a yuge display of Disney Christmas blowups. It's on the corner of the entrance to 400 loop (first site on right-guess that makes it 401) with stuff down the sidewalk to the 3way stop and wrapped around that corner as well. Although it's blowups which I don't favor, the sheer scale of this setup merits a mention.

Here is a location picture for you from the 3way stop (that is a surveyor's company truck on the shoulder).



Now I'll start with pix on the rear corner then we'll wrap around along the sidewalk to the 400 entrance.







Looking at the corner of the entrance to 400.





Note, however, in the last picture on the far left, the blowup is a "Bucc-ee's" Beaver and not Christma/Disney related. I may have to file an official inquiry with the Scoring Committee to see if that should be allowed. I'll get some night pix of this later.

Got to leave for the airport in two hours to pick up DS#2.

Weather forecast keeps changing but even on the days with a 90%+ chance of rain, the amount of precip shows as really small (like 0.09 inches) some of those days. So we will just go with the flow.

Bama Ed

 

[Teamubr]

Looks like the same people in 401 as last year. I was talking to them in January. They bring down multiple trailers with all their stuff. They even had a train setup in front of their rig.







Looks like Buc-ee is new.

j

 

[bama_ed]

So we went to MCO Friday afternoon and got DS2. Toll Road 417 has some construction expansion that slowed us down. But we got him and went to dinner at Geyser Point. A little cool with the breeze off the lake but my Bison Cheeseburger with Bacon was good. On the way back, got a decent pic of the Christmas tree on the TE porch:



DS1, his GF, and DD arrived 315am this morning and still were up at 7am. (But their all napping now after lunch). But remember in a previous post I was bemoaning the fact that lots of the garland had lights but were not lit up at night? After welcoming the early morning arrivers, I slipped down to the Settlement TP to use the facilities and WOULDN'T you know the garland was lit up? There were 2 CM's working with ladders and small extension cords to "plug the gap" between the garland and the socket. See the ladder in the center left of the pic being carried by a CM?



I got close ups of the gap cords this morning. They obviously weren't there the last couple days.





See the cords running down the chain to the wreath?



It was a step forward but their work in the Settlement area is not complete. Come back tonight fellas and finish the job.

This morning I Blackstoned some biscuits, scrambled eggs, and bacon. And 3 of the kids got refill mugs. Then the kids set off for Wal Mart to get things they needed this week and me and DW slipped over to Winn Dixie. It is another beautiful day at Fort Wilderness.



As we went to the Settlement Bus Depot to get to my car which had been moved to the front parking lot last night so our late arrivers could park at the site to unload this morning, I saw the next place the directional boring machine will be headed. Remember they came down the middle of the golf cart/walk path between the 3way stop and the Settlement play ground but only about halfway. But they look like they will hang a 90 degree turn towards Pioneer Hall and dig in the golf cart parking lot behind the HDDR checkin/DVC hut.



Ground is not disturbed yet but it's ready.



Before lunch I scanned tv channels off the utility post so I could located channels to watch some football. Found 80 channels.



Went through the list and could identify several but no stupid program guide channel. So bussed to checkin building and asked for a paper list. They have one for cabins and one for sites (not the same). The site list is junk - literally not worth the paper it's printed on. Many Disney channels of course and other cable types have a logo on the screen (examples like CNN, AMC, CMT) so I noted those and the sports channels with their current games and/or logos. Gonna keep working on the list for a day or two.

Dinner on the Blackstone and no plans tonight. We pick up our Disney golf cart tomorrow (splurge). Weather forecast showing a half inch of rain supposedly tomorrow. HDDR tomorrow night.

Still chillaxed.

Bama Ed

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Great pics so far, Ed. Getting me all excited again.

I'm already working to get spun back up with WDW happenings and (Joe will be happy) my spread sheet is already filling in with plans for 2024. I already got the eye roll from DW.

 

[bama_ed]

I already got the eye roll from DW.

I interpret that as a passive-aggressive confirmation to proceed in my book, Jack.

She did NOT say NO.

So I think that means YES.

Of course, if I'm wrong, you're on your own.

Ed

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

I interpret that as a passive-aggressive confirmation to proceed in my book, Jack.

She did NOT say NO.

So I think that means YES.

Of course, if I'm wrong, you're on your own.

Ed

I think it's more of her acknowledging that she created a monster and has to deal with the fall out now. She was intrigued by the Youtuber we watched that went to the MK Christmas Party.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Getting everything ready for our trip to the Fort for the first full week on November. Will be the 50th anniversary of my first trip. Cheating a little bit as it should be the week before Christmas but not wanting to chance the weather of northern Indiana like my parents did. When making our plans we drug out my mom's scrap book from our first trip and she had noted that within a mile from home dad had to put on the snow tires to get up the grade to the main road.

Also hoping for a smaller crowd than Christmas time will bring. Have done that few times and while in was nice Hopefully as the Mickey Christmas party will have started they should already at least started putting up decorations before we get there.

My mother was quite the scrap book person and kept detailed notes and a lot brochures, pamphlets and Campground guides from our trip down to their receipt from fort. Sure wish I was paying the rates they did. Can share some pictures of the info if you would like to see them.

Bearings are packed and the trailer is washed.

Did receive our 50th anniversary luggage tags to day so figured I should tag our luggage

Sorry to hear darn Nicole interfered with your week at the Fort!
It's so very interesting to read and realize all the changes at Disney first opened!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

@bama_ed loving your report!
& with @JP6972 , tell us (me) a bit more of the temps since arrival at the Fort!

Sweater weather in the am, pm, all the time, some of the time?
Hot hot hot?

My current plan is Florida roughly Oct 28 to Nov 17 2023, staying at the Fort roughly Nov 1-17, so same timeframe!
('course we all know how weather can vary!)