A couple old pics from the Fort

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

More great photos, folks.  Keep 'em coming!

 

 

 

Oh and I miss the peacocks.

:peacock:

 

I miss the peacocks, too.

 

Time to revise the Official Fort Wilderness List of Missing Magic:

 

1.  Wilderness (meaning the trees and brush that provided privacy in the camping loops)

2. Swimming beach at Bay Lake

3. Musket Mickey

4. Fort Wilderness Railroad

5. The giant log slice at the entrance

6. Discovery Island

7. Wilderness Swamp Trail

8. Marshmallow Marsh.

9. Trams

10. River Country Wagon

11. Cannons

12. Covered wagons and other unique theming at the playgrounds (e.g. the tee-pees at the 300 loop playground).

13. River Country

14. American Flags

15. Totem Poles

16. Hammocks on the Beach

17. The tower on top of Pioneer Hall and the American flag on top of it.

18. Surrey rentals at the Bike Barn.

19. A reasonably priced family breakfast show

20. The petting zoo

21.  Real log benches.

22. The old fashioned food delivery truck.

23.  The Ice Cream Wagon

24. The Lawnmower Tree

25. The Double Feature movies at the campfire.

26. The peacocks

 

TCD

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

The first time we stayed in 300 back in 2004, we didn't have a cart and usually walked the trail back near the lake to get to the Settlement.

 

We had many a peacock "escort" along the trail.

 

The only downside was at night they'd perch where you couldn't really see them and then scream and scare the beejezus out of you.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

TCD, you commented on how the sing along stage looks different now from this photo below....

 

 

 

 

And not sure where this was at in the Fort but it was a sleigh.  We just wanted all the kids together for a photo.  It was like writing Congress.

 

 

 

 

 

I assume the first one is from the Campfire sing-a-long.  Those signs behind the singer aren't there anymore.  The whole stage looks different.  I know that it has changed somewhat, because I remember there being more barrels and props around it- but I don't remember it looking like this.  And that singer looks weird- he doesn't even have a costume on.

 

TCD

 

 

And then stryke-force posts proof positive that the above photo was indeed taken of the sing along.....take a look at the "Wonder Heart" sign between the singer and Dale in the photo below.  It's the same as in the picture above!

 

Here are a few of my campfire sing-alongs in 1987

[CampMImi 22]

Here is a full picture.  This is the last one that I was able to salvage out of the sticky pile of photos.  The first photo was just a partial.  I did not want to get my ex-SIL for...well for obvious reasons but somehow the care went right out of me and here is a full photo:

 

[CampMImi 22]

Well it is still hard to tell what the stage looks like, but you can see the roll-up cover. 

[stryke-force 51]

did someone say peacocks

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

:D

[CitaPita...Carmen 59]

Just stumbled across this video of the FWR on YouTube. Pretty neat to see it in action!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_qWTfcclkE

 

 

[dieseldave 5]

Cool video.  Wish I would have gotten the chance to ride it.

[The Troll 67]

I'm joining this party very late, but better late than never.

 

Some more things to add to the "Missing Fort Magic" list:

 

- Rocking chairs at the Trail's End

- Moose topiary

- Late night DIY pizza buffet at the Trail's End

- Full featured arcade at Trail's End

- Campground "feel" rather than trailer park "feel"

 

Seriously, that last one. Just got home from our most recent trip two weeks ago. While looping with Mrs. Troll, I got thinking, "I might as well just loop the overflow parking lot."

 

Two, three, and sometimes four vehicles parked at each site; Aerosmith-caliber touring busses; work trailers; diesel powered golf cart with monster truck tires; semi trucks to pull mondo fifth wheel trailers; covered work trailers advertising roofing, pressure washing, and landscaping businesses; rumbling Ford F350 pickup trucks; semi truck trailers converted into fifth wheels; golf carts with "La Cucaracha" horns; plastic fences to fence in 10 dogs; and tacky blowups depicting Santa Claus taking a dump.

 

Sucks.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

golf carts with "La Cucaracha" horns;

 

Ay carumba.

[dvccamper 32]

I just came across this thread and it brings back a lot of memories.

Another thing that's gone from the Fort are the slides made from the rollers (does anyone know what I'm talking about?). I always felt like it was an invitation to get little fingers pinched but my kids always liked playing on them.

I have video from our trip in the late eighties and there are roosters or chickens at the side of the road. So whatever they were, they're gone too.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I'm joining this party very late, but better late than never.

 

Some more things to add to the "Missing Fort Magic" list:

 

- Rocking chairs at the Trail's End

 

There are still a few, but nowhere near as many as before. 

 

I don't like it.

 

 

 

As for horns...

 

I don't know if it's all of them, but at least some Disney carts have horns on them. 

 

Loud horns. 

 

They don't play catchy tunes, they're just loud and obnoxious. 

 

Especially when people drive down the road "talking" to each other because they think it's funny.

 

It's not.

[The Troll 67]

 

They don't play catchy tunes, they're just loud and obnoxious. 

 

Especially when people drive down the road "talking" to each other because they think it's funny.

 

 

Amen.

 

Preach on.

 

What is wrong with people?

 

The bizarre flurry of horn blowing as you loop the park...? Bomp...ba...ba...ba...bomp...ba...ba...ba..ba...ba...

 

WTF?

 

They need to disconnect the horns on those things.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I remember on New Years Eve at the Fort two years ago.....after the fireworks on the beach, there were hundreds (it seems) of carts leaving the Settlement area honking their stupid horns.  It went on for 20 minutes or so.  Who cares that parents of little ones are trying to get some sleep and aren't drunk and finding this all funny? 

 

I think this year, I'm teaming up with all the parents and initiating a new Fort Wilderness tradition.....the New Year's Day Looping Horn Armada.  It begins at 6am. 

[smf 9]

 

 

 

As for horns...

 

I don't know if it's all of them, but at least some Disney carts have horns on them. 

 

Loud horns. 

 

They don't play catchy tunes, they're just loud and obnoxious. 

 

Especially when people drive down the road "talking" to each other because they think it's funny.

 

It's not.

Why is it people turn stupid when they get in a golf cart.

[smf 9]

Why is it people turn stupid when they get on a golf cart???

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Why is it some people turn stupid when they get on a golf cart???

 

I fixed that for you.

[smf 9]

Yes absolutely! Lol

[FW Rendezvous 5]

I try to be a "the glass is half full" kind of person, but seeing all of these photos got me to thinking of how much has disappeared from Fort Wilderness in the past 15 years or so.

 

It's a lot:

 

1.  Wilderness (meaning the trees and brush that provided privacy in the camping loops)

2. Swimming beach at Bay Lake

3. Musket Mickey

4. Fort Wilderness Railroad

5. The giant log slice at the entrance

6. Discovery Island

7. Wilderness Swamp Trail

8. Marshmallow Marsh.

9. Trams

10. River Country Wagon

11. Cannons

12. Covered wagons and other unique theming at the playgrounds (e.g. the tee-pees at the 300 loop playground).

13. River Country

14. American Flags

15. Totem Poles

16. Hammocks on the Beach

17. The tower on top of Pioneer Hall and the American flag on top of it.

18. Surrey rentals at the Bike Barn.

19. A reasonably priced family breakfast show

20. The petting zoo

 

And I'm sure there's more.

 

I know that times change, but look at all that has disappeared. A lot of it from neglect and mismanagement.  And the thing is that these things haven't been replaced.  They're just gone and replaced with nothing.  There used to be a lot more magic at the Fort.

 

Sad.

 

TCD

 

TCD,

I feel the exact same way that you do, try to stay "glass is half full" but at the same time, lamenting what once was. haha

​Those old guys from the 60s really had some vision to put all this greatness into reality, while here in the 21st century, we struggle to even maintain what they built.

 

A buddy of mine is a FWRR historian, and he put it in some very "Disney" terms.

To quote Capt Jack Sparrow;

"Take whatcha can, give nothin back!"

[stryke-force 51]

almost forgot how to post pics... here is some of my family back in 1987.  That's me in the bright pink shirt and yellow shorts.

[Starbuc71 162]

I'm joining this party very late, but better late than never.

Some more things to add to the "Missing Fort Magic" list:

- Rocking chairs at the Trail's End

- Moose topiary

- Late night DIY pizza buffet at the Trail's End

- Full featured arcade at Trail's End

- Campground "feel" rather than trailer park "feel"

Seriously, that last one. Just got home from our most recent trip two weeks ago. While looping with Mrs. Troll, I got thinking, "I might as well just loop the overflow parking lot."

Two, three, and sometimes four vehicles parked at each site; Aerosmith-caliber touring busses; work trailers; diesel powered golf cart with monster truck tires; semi trucks to pull mondo fifth wheel trailers; covered work trailers advertising roofing, pressure washing, and landscaping businesses; rumbling Ford F350 pickup trucks; semi truck trailers converted into fifth wheels; golf carts with "La Cucaracha" horns; plastic fences to fence in 10 dogs; and tacky blowups depicting Santa Claus taking a dump.

Sucks.

I hear ya. We have been camping strictly at the fort for the past two years mostly because we are only an hour and a half away. We just got back from camping in the smoky mountains and now I really don't have a desire like before to camp at the fort. It was so nice to actually be in "real" woods and enjoy watching the kids do what kids should be doing like climbing rocks, playing in the river and hiking in the woods vs. dealing with crowds, mobs of people, sweat, filth, over priced dinners and chaos.

Sorry for piggybacking on a year old post

[LONE-STAR 370]

I hear ya. We have been camping strictly at the fort for the past two years mostly because we are only an hour and a half away. We just got back from camping in the smoky mountains and now I really don't have a desire like before to camp at the fort. It was so nice to actually be in "real" woods and enjoy watching the kids do what kids should be doing like climbing rocks, playing in the river and hiking in the woods vs. dealing with crowds, mobs of people, sweat, filth, over priced dinners and chaos.

Sorry for piggybacking on a year old post

I hope you do a report on it because I am thinking about going up there next summer.

[rtguy007 74]

If he doesnt, I will. Will be at Elkmont next week. Can't wait.

[LONE-STAR 370]

If he doesnt, I will. Will be at Elkmont next week. Can't wait.

Cool I will read it.