slices

Regular refillable popcorn bucket is $10 with popcorn. Refills are $2, saving $3 on a serving of popcorn, which as Disney snack prices go isn't bad. Therefore if you get the bucket refilled twice, you have broken even. The question is do you want to pay the extra $8 for a special bucket, and how often are you going to get a new one. Then there's the people who buy new ones every time they come out , or even worse the ones that buy ten of them and sell them on ebay.

We had an early start the following morning, as we wanted to get over to Hollywood Studios for Extra Magic hours. We'd bought a large box of instant oatmeal cups and those made for a quick breakfast to get us going. Although it turns out the water from my coffee machine wasn't really hot enough for these. Will bring the kettle next time. This was the first time we've used morning extra magic hours, ended up taking a Minnie Van as we were a bit tired. Headed straight to Toy Story Land to get a DAS time for Slinky Dog, return time was 10:30am. Decided to try Woody's Lunch box for bre

Pretty sure this is the first time we've done a park on arrival day, normally we are lucky if we manage Disney Springs. He liked it, I think we all did other than my wife who doesn't do seafood. We pushed our selfs a bit this trip, the evening with my daughter was fun and it was a little easier with just the two of us. Think it was about 11pm by the time we got back to the site, which by this point was mostly set up.

We got to MK in good time. Did see the someone on our boat try to take a Radio Flyer pull wagon in! Headed to guest services to activate our new shiny Annual Passes. I got gold so we could get photos, but the rest of the family got silver. The first time we've done APs, normally we just spread out a FL resident 4 day ticket. This time we had a lot we wanted to do and figured since we were trying to do so much, long days would be unlikely making limited day tickets frustrating. Plus I liked the option to pay monthly. Straight to Tony's and were only a few minutes late f

Leading on nicely to my next update. Got to the Fort about 4pm, backing up didn't go well. Had one go at backing it, then gave up and pushed it in. Unfortunately, there were about 3 golf carts behind me at this point. Got it into the site, 2052 it did make me feel slightly better later when I checked the app and saw it was list as difficult. Who needs power jacks. When we first booked this we hadn't planned much for arrival day, but then changed our minds when we found out about the special meet and greets at MK. We had hoped to meet Phineas and Ferb, but my wife checked

I've seen those, my only concern is I'm not sure if this would make backing in the camper more difficult. I'm not very good at it anyway and wasn't sure if having the bike rack on the hitch would reduce clearance.

This might work thanks, no trips planned until October at the moment so I've got some time. Only the one bike for now, although will probably get my wife one once she finds one she likes.

Moving along, to getting ready for the last weekend of the three, the Fort. I'd taken the cushions out to clean after Lake Manatee and had stacked everything to go in the car up there. Including the child apparently. He had baseball again that morning, and was an 11:45 game so later start than I would have liked. I had the camper pulled out and hitched up ready to go as soon as he got back. Would have been quicker going straight from his game but he didn't want to deal with the camper and that parking lot. Can't really see it here but my bike is in the car,

When we were there they weren't doing it but had signs up saying it would be available later in the day.

A short update since the following weekend I stayed home. However, my daughter was the one camping for the second weekend in a row and deserves a mention. Last minute girl scout camping trip, at Camp Honi Hanta. After she packed like this, we discussed buying her a good size backpack for her birthday. My wife normally goes on these as a leader, but she was working on the Friday (kid's off school though), plus she had two cookie booths to run over the weekend. Last weekend of cookie season, so some of the girls left camp for a couple of hours to sell cookies at our local Pub

A couple of weeks ago as we were getting off the photo at Magic Kingdom, the captain pointed out to the family ahead of us that their Radio flyer wagon wouldn't be allowed past security unless they could somehow push it.

I went Labor Day weekend last year, and won't be doing that again this year. Way too busy.

So that's what they are doing with the props from Pixar play that just closed there.

I think the idea was to, split the banna insert the chocolate and marshmallows, the wrap it up in foil and bake.

Yes, would have been easier with foil. Yes, he liked it anyway. I actually had the foil packed, but it had been unpacked so it could be used for the candy clay portion of the birthday cake. When we got home we found the foil waiting for us on the kitchen table. Speaking of which, up early the next morning, check out wasn't until 1pm but we had other things to do. Not quite as nice as the Fort but not bad at all. New pan in action. March so lots of places I could buy Irish sausages. One mistake I made was that usually when tent camping I have lots

Busy morning so pulled the camper out of the garage while my wife was out delivering cookies. Checkin in Lake Manatee is 3pm, and they seemed fairly strict on that, but before that, we had my son's birthday party. I did suggest we had it at the state park, but he wasn't keen. Would have been more for us to do and wouldn't have worked with dropping off the girl scout cookies anyway. He picked a local trampoline place, fairly low turnout but we got to take the extra pizza home so not too bad! Those that like thrill rides might appreciate this. Quick stop hom

Up until now, the only place I've camped in the US is the Fort, so that's what I'm comparing to. From our initial outing to Lake Manatee the sites seemed very Fort like only no cable TV and they had fire rings. Plus this was only a one night trip, didn't bother with the TV. Also didn't bring the EZ up for the short trip and made do with the awning. My son asked for hot dogs, mac and cheese and a cooked breakfast. Normally I'd bring the Coleman road trip, but with the fire ring available I decided not to pack it. I did bring the instant pot to make Mac and Cheese though. Most o

Haven't done a trip report since last September year, now here's one covering three consecutive weekends, ending with the Fort. Shortly after our last tent trip, we purchased a small popup from fellow fiend BigTom( I think my last two trip reports may have caused a few to take pity on me!). We didn't have any trips booked for a while, so it's mostly been in the garage until this month. I had hoped to take it for a short trip before now, but between family visiting and my wife changing jobs twice, it didn't happen. We have had a spring break trip to the Fort booked for almos

I got the Discovery tickets two years ago. Nearly got them again this year, but ended up going for annual passes instead.

I wish they'd left the kids club at the Polynesian, that was all evening and they got fed. We tried the kids there once just before it got closed, and they loved it. Whereas this is only three hours and a lot more structured. Rumour is this one is replacing the Pixar play at the Contemporary that started last year, didn't try that partly because I was worried about how my son would cope with the structure, but also my wife didn't like the sound of any of the restaurants at the contemporary for dinner without the kids. This seems even more structured so probably won't be trying this.

Thinking about the rumour that the site levels at the Fort are going to be changed based on distance to the Meadow's when looking at this does make me wonder about losing the settlement as part of the Fort.

Makes me glad I have a trip planned this month to do Toy Story Land before Hollywood Studios gets more crowded than we can handle.

Makes some sense, I'm guessing this would be no more cutting through the group camping area from 2000 to get to the meadows though. Also wondering how this would impact the cabins, for $400ish a night high end moderates they always seemed rather lacking on amenities.

I'm in! I agree that they seem haphazard at best about enforcing the rules. Last time I saw there, there was a tent behind the 900 loop right by the fence opposite the trading post, ones like that it's even hard to say what site they belong to. Although I think my biggest observation from last September was the number of dogs in tents.

Festival of the Arts is the one Epcot festival we haven't made it to yet, hoping to next year so thanks for the photos.