disney4dan

Looks like it was a fantastic weekend and a great campground. Love the photos! Especially the food ;-)

At the Pop or the Fort? We're going with my brother and sister and law with their family, will be 10 of us in all. We'll leave the light on for ya!

Nice trip report! I hear ya on the cold weather and sleeping on the ground. I learned a few things about cold weather tent camping recently that has helped me out (scouts is a good thing for parents as well). 1. Don't trust the temperature rating on cheap sleeping bags - my sleeping bag rated for 15 below zero was no good at 15 degrees above zero! 2. Either put on all new dry clothes to wear inside the bag or (ahem) none at all. The moisture from walking around all day ruins the insulating properties of most bags. 3. The solid foam style sleeping pads are better than air mattresses for ins

Awesome! Another TCD trip report and I was here to see it! Did they update the televisions in the Pop yet? We are scheduled for a trip in August with the Disney Dining Plan, so I am really getting into the planning mode again.

Well, it's not the Fort, but the free dining option with three kids seemed like the best way to go. That, and the to youngest have not so fond memories of the drive home from Florida in 2008 (like child birth, I have forgotten how bad it was, but they reminded us!). So, Nancy managed to score two rooms at the Pop Century with the dining plan, upgraded to pay the extra for one sit down meal per day per person. All the ADRs were made for some of our favorite places, and we are travelling with Nancy's brother and family who joined us in 2005. It looks like it's going to be a great time and th

On Tuesday we explored some of the trails on the island and got to know a little bit more about the place. Apparently some developers had started to put in a road and get ready for several hundred houses on the island in the late 1950s and early 1960s. A nor'easter in 1962 destroyed the road and that was one of the factors in making the decision to limit development on the island which lead to it's incorporation into the National Seashore. One of the trails follows along the route that the old road took and you can see remnants of the paved road with the sand all eroded around it. These ph

OK - so it seems like the "Trip Reports" discussion area is all about the Fort (as it should be!) so I'll update here if any one wants to see it. We took off late Saturday after partying with friends the night before at this annual event put on by a local radio show, attended by 1600 people. Lucky for us, our oldest son Justin is now 19 and very responsible (those of you who know me from before are aware of how quickly he went through the difficult phase - but he's beyond that in a way that makes us proud), so he watched his brother and sister until we got home. Also, lucky for me, the crowd

I can't believe how long it took me to get back to update - been busy since we got back from vacation. Route 1 was fine, some bumps but not that noticeable problem on the Pennsylvania highways and I think the tolls were only $4 for the whole route. Assateague Island was fantastic, and we got to enjoy a little time in Ocean City before the summer crowds came. Never got a meal of local crabs, most of the restaurants indicated that the crab season started May 1? Maybe just at the tourist spots. I'll start a trip report in the proper thread and try to keep it as interesting as Dave and Christ

I'm enjoying working with Matt in his scouting as well. It's not easy, and there are some uncomfortable nights on the ground (next weekend is a camporee), but it gives me a chance to watch him grow through the tween to teen years and he seems willing to go for his Eagle! Working on learning how to tie 6 knots quickly for a team competition this weekend (taught line, bowline, clove hitch, two half hitch, sheet bend and square knots). He's also learning how to prepare menus and meals, work on camping essentials. I think I'm learning a little along the way also.

I meant to add, I am a huge fan of charcoal so we usually use either our Weber kettle grill or a Weber Smokey Joe (a smaller table top version). I found the secret to lighting the charcoal is to use the charcoal chimney with the newspaper underneath to get it started, but this does require a frosty adult beverage and a comfortable chair while supervising.

I tried that this last camping trip to Assateague Island, but the grill is on the fire ring near ground level. With all the high winds and nearby sand dunes I forgot about the way that would add a nice little layer of sand to the chicken :banana:

Nice truck! I'm jealous, but know I'll have one someday (if they still make diesel by the time I save enough $$)

No cans of MONSTER on the property either (at least not in 2008). Our son is a huge fan of that floursescent green, foul smelling beverage and could not find that or Mountain Dew. Also - could not find a condolence/sympathy card on property when we were there. Hopefully you never have the need for that at the Happiest Place in the World, but you never know.

Much appreciated. I'll let you all know how it goes at some point over the weekend, our plan is to get a late start on Saturday and will probably arrive in the rain late at night on Saturday. I've towed on some two lane roads before and don't mind it, but understand the whole stop light and traffic issues on those. I'd like to leave earlier, but Nancy and I won tickets to a function put on by a local radio station called an Awesome 80's Prom. A bunch of us have been doing that for years and it tends to leave us a little slower and dehydrated the following day ;D I'll see if I can post photo

We stayed in the French Quarter for one night before our Disney Cruise in November 2009. Nothing remarkably wrong with the room that I recall, and the food seemed OK. I was just in the mood to get to EPCOT for our one and only park day, so I don't remember much. Was a great time while we were there!

We just booked a 7 night stay at Pop Century for August using a PIN code that got us the free dining. We considered POR, but we were able to get two standard rooms at Pop Century, added cost of table service dining, still about $1,000 less than POR. And we now have two bathrooms and 4 beds instead of 2 beds and trundle bed. We were not planning the trip for this year, but my Brother in Law wanted to go with us again and his kids are 6 and 3. We of course got the "fever" and started pricing things out. Really wanted to go camping at the Fort, but I can't take a full two weeks off, and the c

I went on a similar trip when I was in HS, of course that was last century. We went to Spain with the Spanish class and we all had a blast. The memories will last a lifetime. Best of luck to both of you, and here's hoping your numbers come up in the lottery so you can afford to go as well. I was fortunate to have had some awesome grandparents who helped with the $$.

I have a great recommendation - TAKE ME! I can cook, tell jokes, and wouldn't drink all of the beer!

We really enjoyed Rte 89 between the Grand Tetons and Salt Lake City, includes Logan Canyon which was very scenic. Not very wide in spots, but the canyon has a web page for the scenic drive.

Thanks for all the replies - now we get to see if the place will even be open or if the Govt shut down will close the campground :-( Think they'd mind if I cut the lock and went in anyway? I'll try Rte 1 and see how it goes. I went back the map and I see that there is also a scenic route along the coast (Rte 9 maybe?) in addition to Rte 13 or Rte 113.

Trailer is beside the garage, batteries are back in place, and we've started to get the gear ready. Next weekend is the time to grease the wheel bearings, top off the propane and start packing the food and clothes for April vacation at the beach. I need to service the truck, too.

Thanks! We're headed to Assateague for mid April, any route suggestions?

We just booked a stay at Pop Century in August to get the free dining plan and to get back to our favorite vacation spot. For us, the long drive and shortage of vacation days was a big factor. Got airfare for under $200 each RT, plus the dining, so it made sense. Plus, now I get to use my black light to gross out the kids! We opened a pack and play porta crib that All Stars Music left for us in our room back when Matt was little. The previous occupant had barfed in the thing and they just folded it up and stored it that way. When we got it open I just headed for the door and left that outs

We don't usually watch much TV when camping but the boys do bring the TV and Playstation if there is electricity. We usually play games or chill out with a book ( or eat continuously) when camping Just got an iPhone in December and I'm hooked on it, using it right now.

We are headed out to the national seashore campground in mid April and just read that Route 1 in Delaware is concrete with expansion joints. The last time we tried highway speed on that type of surface in PA, the expansion joints were the perfect distance apart to start a wave like bounce between the trailer and truck. It got to be pretty annoying and probably not good for safe driving. Would coastal route 13 be a better choice? We plan on traveling that way Saturday afternoon.