RENDEZVOUS AT THE FORT - The Fort Wilderness DISMeet Trip Report October 2020

[DL1WDW2]

Better get the recommended flu shot before your trip is good advice.

 

[tiggerdad]

Those dang Mississippi fans. What were they driving that they hit they light and squashed the punkin'?

Mississippi State and Mississippi fans are different. Believe me, I'm around a bunch of them. DW is a Mississippi fan, they are at least tolerable though they blame the refs for ALL losses to Alabama, no matter how much the point difference. The Mississippi State fans are known for one thing, and it isn't being proud of wins. Nope, it's cowbells. Their mascot however is not the cow, nope it's a bulldog. Confusing? Yes, I know. They will claim it's because they were / are an agricultural school. The rest of us know the truth, it's louder to ring the cowbell to make up for the low attendance at games.

My theory on why this particular MSU fan ran over the pumpkin is obvious.

He was jealous of both the intelligence and good looks of the Jack-O-Lantern.

 

[bama_ed]

Those dang Mississippi fans. What were they driving that they hit they light and squashed the punkin'?

Well they were backing up a Coleman travel trailer with a Ford 150 with big gumbo tires.

tigger92662, you're from the big city area of the Great Midwest. But even down in Mississippi, there are different stratum of society. Where Ole Miss, Southern Miss, Miss State, and the rest fall relative to each other, I can only hazard a guess. The driver was a State fan (the state agricultural college) so I can only relate it to Auburn (The Barn) in my home state of Alabama. So I understood immediately.

Ed

 

[tiggerdad]

Did I mention when I opened the camper door when I got home there was a big frog just sitting in the middle of the doorway looking at me? He jumped out, and the expression on his face was priceless. I felt so sorry for him. He hopped into the monkey grass which borders my driveway and I can only imagine he's still there trying to figure out how he ended up in the Twilight Zone.

 

[tigger92662]

Well the 2020 Rendezvous at the Fort is in the books. Kinda weird vibe for this trip with mask regulations, low people volume and not all shops and what not open.
Overall it was a great time as we Dis'ers always make the best of it.
Was fortunate to get my neighbor to come along with his Airstream. He had never been to WDW or The Fort. He was blown away.
My kids enjoyed watching him enjoy himself and act like a kid and laugh on the rides.
This trip was a 1st as both my kids, DD boyfriend and neighbor got to ride Flights of Passage.
DD & boyfriend only had couple days so they didn't get to do Rise of the Resistance (they did get to pet A Rock Star though).
My wife thought I was crazy 18 months ago when I told her I wanted to do this trip, she obviously liked it enough cuz we booked next year for the Oct 1st for the 50th.
I am extremely pleased to have had the opportunity to meet everyone that I have been "talking" to on The Camping Boards over the past couple years.
I think it goes without saying that we are all eternally grateful to @bama_ed for taking the time to put this together.
Puzzles in the morning and talking and laughing in the evening.
Truly an honor for us all to be in the presence of @TheRustyScupper, so glad that he and Mrs. Scupper could come and enjoy the evening with us.
The food was plentiful and all had a great time.
Thanks to @Bishoparc and DW for the 1) Smores Martinis, 2) Apple Cider & Fireball, and 3) Conc Cooler (from the Disney Cruise Line) in a commemorative coconut glass
I wish the whole thing coulda lasted a lot longer and more people coulda came to enjoy this event.
I'm sure most of us will keep posting pics as we can and are sad that others couldn't come, but are glad you all were able to ride along with us albeit virtually.

Gonna throw it out there, as of right now we and @Bishoparc are booked for next year for the 50th on October 1st and are planning on more decorations.
Gonna go for epic next year

 

[DL1WDW2]

Try not to get lost...Epic is being built at Universal Orlando but has been Covid delayed.

 

[friendofeeyore]

All Dismeet friends/family, I have enjoyed so much following y'all on your adventures. I felt like I was there. Glad all made it home OK. Bishoparc, hope you are feeling better & so sorry you lost things off your rig PaHunter.
May y'all have a very blessed year. If God's will, I am planning the next Dismeet in June. My sister from another Mother said she will come with me. God Bless y'all!!

 

[LovesTimone]

Hi everyone...

I have been following along and wishing we were able to join in. Maybe 2022 for us to join in... That's kinda our goal for a new truck and RV.. leaning toward a 5th wheel... hoping we will be up and running for sure...

Some of the decorations were just amazing, the thought and work that goes into it... Just so cool...

What happens to the puzzles after they are finished?

 

[bama_ed]

What happens to the puzzles after they are finished?

We take them apart so that they can be reassembled in the future some time. I take a puzzle with me just about every time I camp anywhere so they eventually get reused.

Saturday night at the campground was nearly full again (except Teamubr's site) with me and Arc still there (and Stratman50th in a different loop). I sat outside in the dark with my minimal set-up of a chair, one table, and the tv to watch Bama-Georgia. But we had a rain cloud come almost right at half time and I had to hustle to get the tv in the box and in the car quickly. I thought I would watch the second half inside on the computer but sleep overtook me. Didn't learn the outcome till Sunday morning. And it rained pretty good overnight.

Yesterday (Sunday) we came home via Atlanta and were very fortunate NOT to have any traffic issues. The Saturday going-home pictures from the folks going up through Atlanta had made me a little nervous but I felt if I could leave early enough I might get in front of the wave of traffic issues. So I left out at 615am (still dark for another hour in Orlando) and rolled with no issues up above Macon.

Around Atlanta we saw three problem areas but they were all on the OTHER side of the interstate (I75S, I285W, I20E) so we were very lucky indeed. Got back home in a smidge over 11 hrs then had to get over to my Dad's birthday celebration last night. (He got the golf shirt I'd hunted for while at WDW). Got a Domino's pizza and a Cabernet and slept like a king last night.

The Rendezvous is over and it was a wonderful experience. I mentioned in my BRIEF remarks at the Monday dinner that with all the technology we have (video calls, instant messaging) it's still great to meet, talk face to face, and puzzle together in person. We had some attendees who I met for the first time and others who are like family cousins to me by now. And I am pleased that so many people chipped into the trip report with updates on their activities and pictures (we love food pix). I tried to show the Fort as it looks now because it was different than the last time I'd seen it.

My DD had asked me via text while I was with you all if the Fort still had "it". And my answer is Yes, it still does.

So in my final action as "Rendezvous at the Fort" DISMeet Chairman I would like to thank all of you who contributed to making this event happen in such a special way. I declare our meeting adjourned, our business concluded, and I <BANG> the gavel and declare this DISMeet over. And I pass the gavel to @tiggerdad. Hopefully I will see many of you at the next DISMeet in Pigeon Forge in June 2021.

Bama Ed

PS - and we'll be back to the Fort in February 2021 with DD to honor a previously planned trip commitment with 3 park days. But after that, who knows?

PPS - I'm going to take my sweet time unloading the car and the camper today.

 

[rocketmom]

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful trip reports from the Fort. I have enjoyed following along with you. The pictures and the updates were a bright spot in an otherwise dismal camping year for me. I hope to meet everyone at the 2021 Pigeon Forge DisMeet! I am heading to Pigeon Forge next week for a last minute camping trip after my reservations at Gulf State Park and Fort Pickens in Pensacola were cancelled. 2020 is the gift that keeps on giving.

 

[FtW Mike]

Better get the recommended flu shot before your trip is good advice.

Not only did I get the FLU shot but BOTH PNEUMONIA vaccines for this years trip. Now to convince wife to do Pneumonia as well.

 

[Stratman50th]

Yesterday we went over to the TCD barn to check it out as well as pick up some pins. Came back and hung around the site for awhile. Placed our order at P&Js through the app and looped around till time to pick up dinner. Rode around the cabin loops this time to see what folks had done with them. Had dinner and watched a movie till we conked out.
Started breaking stuff down around 8:30 the next morning. I wasn't in a big hurry since the coach across from us was having some repair work done and the service truck was blocking us from getting out. Pulled out of the site around 10;30. Stopped at the hook/unhook bypass area to load the cart on the trailer. Drive home took us 32 minutes according to the GPS.
Unloaded the cart and put the trailer in the storage lot. That took about 30 minutes.
Home now and we're unloaded. Tess is all tucked away in her spot ready for the next trip.


We have a bunch of site decoration pics that I'll post up later, especially for the folks who weren't able to come.
I'm so glad we were able to participate and meet most of you! To those we missed, I'm sorry and we'll try again. Glad everyone made it home safe and sound.

 

[Stratman50th]

Just a quick note. The weather was just about perfect. Everyone got out just in time. The sky just opened up and it is rocking out there! Thunder and lightening with torrential rains!

 

[bama_ed]

Now that I am back home I can show the following pics.

Disney has a campaign of seasonal, temporary sippers (plastic kooky cups with a permanent straw attached. I bought one a few months ago that was shown as temporary for Mickey's 90th anniversary and had previously shared this photo:

I had put the 2 liter bottle beside him to judge how big the Mickey sipper was.

On this trip Disney was offering several other sippers but there was one that I wanted: the Madame Leota (she of the crystal ball in the Haunted Mansion). Here she is with the top popped to show the straw in daytime (the top screws off to pour your beverage in).

However, there is a little button on the bottom to light the good Madame up which is best seen in the dark (with the top closed).

These were for sale for $15.99 (comes with a drink in a disposable cup) at the Sleepy Hollow counter in Liberty Square. Others in our DISMeet group got one as well. Or the Liberty Square Ticket office (the building the Muppets show used to be in) during the peak hours of the park (starting about 1030am for example) if you want to buy the sipper only. On my receipt it actually breaks out the sipper for $12.00 and the beverage for $3.99.

Other sippers currently available supposedly that I did not investigate are the Jack Skellington sipper at Cosmic Ray's, one of the hitchhiking ghosts at Peco Bill's, and Dumbo in his rail car at Pinochio Haus (all for the same price I think). Dumbo pairs nicely with the Casey Jr popcorn bucket.

I had to wait to show these pictures because I also bought one for my mom and didn't give it to her until last night (she has been following our trip report).

As a Haunted Mansion fan it struck me as pretty cool. Apparently there is a whole FB page on these Disney sippers but I think they're a neat souvenir and I've got the two that struck me the most. That way I have a memory of my covid park day every time I use Leota. So check out the sippers if you are interested.

Bama Ed

PS - of course with the little battery in the bottom of Leota and the light, this should be hand washed carefully.

 

[Boomer1]

Thanks for all the wonderful photos and trip reports. You warmed this Canadian’s heart. Glad to hear you all had safe journeys home. We still have reservations for Jan./Feb 2021 but are not optimistic. Regardless, when the border reopens for non-essential travel we will be beating a trail south to FW and WDW.

 

[PaHunter]

Well we have finally arrived home and the trailer is unhooked out front. We will unload most of the stuff tomorrow or later tonight. Then I need to winterize the camper and get some maintenance work done. Was a great time, and well, at least it was a small truck that took out the light post and pumpkin.....

 

[PaHunter]

So last night was our final night on the road for the season. Oh and we had the heat on the last two nights, after running the AC for a week in FL.









So we pulled in to Ft Chiswell in Virginia, rolled in to our campsite and got setup. The aliner was headed to FL, as were most of the folks we talked to. Sunset was nice, and it got chilly quickly.
I believe you all broke my dog, or spoiled her rotten. It may have been the snacks, all the love and attention, all the hugs, well whatever it was, she is wiped out. Today on the ride home she was sleeping at my feet with her back up against the doghouse. She even hopped up on the bench seat to nap for awhile. Somethings she rarely does as she does not like to miss anything when we travel.

 

[tigger92662]

Well we dodged a bullet this trip. On the way down I noticed a slight exhaust leak noise. Checked under rig while there but found nothing obvious.
Got a little worse on the way home, slight loss of power.
Got cover off engine today and found 2 bolts broke off exhaust manifold.
She's parked where she needs to be and we're done for the year so it'll be a spring time project.
Just glad we made it home

 

[bama_ed]

I believe you all broke my dog, or spoiled her rotten. It may have been the snacks, all the love and attention, all the hugs, well whatever it was, she is wiped out. Today on the ride home she was sleeping at my feet with her back up against the doghouse. She even hopped up on the bench seat to nap for awhile. Somethings she rarely does as she does not like to miss anything when we travel.

Mr. Ed's not there to slip her more bits of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.

Plus she was up early puzzling with us after DW walked her after waking up.

All that Florida fresh air finally caught up with Reba.

Ed

 

[tiggerdad]

Mr. Ed's not there to slip her more bits of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.

Plus she was up early puzzling with us after DW walked her after waking up.

All that Florida fresh air finally caught up with Reba.

Ed

And the hamburger patties...she really liked those.