Nothing Fancy-Just a Good Old 4th of July at the Fort TCD TR

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

The pork shank I had in Germany was as big as a turkey leg. They look like the same thing. They just call them pork knuckles. I didn't know they had different sizes. I figured they were all the same.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

I keep hoping one of these days, you're going to report that you went for a walk one morning and the wagons were back in their rightful places.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

The pork shank I had in Germany was as big as a turkey leg. They look like the same thing. They just call them pork knuckles. I didn't know they had different sizes. I figured they were all the same.

 

The pig wings from the food truck were way smaller than the Gaston's pork shank.  There are two in this basket along with the coleslaw.  That's the same size basket that the Gaston's pork shank was served in:

 

 

Did they call them pig knuckles in Germany, or was there a German word for them?  Because, they are not knuckles.  And they're not wings either.

 

I keep hoping one of these days, you're going to report that you went for a walk one morning and the wagons were back in their rightful places.

 

Me too.

 

I don't think that's going to happen, though.

 

Tell me how they can load and unload stages, sounds systems, fireworks barges, trucks and furniture all in just over a 24 hour period, but they can't put a new canvas roof on that stupid wagon rotting behind the Settlement Trading post now for almost a year?

 

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

 

Tell me how they can load and unload stages, sounds systems, fireworks barges, trucks and furniture all in just over a 24 hour period, but they can't put a new canvas roof on that stupid wagon rotting behind the Settlement Trading post now for almost a year?

 

TCD

 

I think you know the answer to that.  $$$  No one is writing big checks to have the wagons refurbished.  And unless all of us band together and come up with "Luckow money", there's no reason for management to do anything about it. 

[wendinator 109]

Did they call them pig knuckles in Germany, or was there a German word for them?  Because, they are not knuckles.  And they're not wings either.

 

I fell in love with schweinshaxen (pork hock, pig's knuckle) when I was in Germany. Here's one I had in Frankfurt:

 

 

In Toronto, you can get an excellent one at The Musket, and they also have my favorite German beer on tap.  :beer:

[Helmsey......Todd 134]

Wow, nice updates.
I can't believe they got all that mess cleaned up and back to business as usual so fast. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I think you know the answer to that.  $$$  No one is writing big checks to have the wagons refurbished.  And unless all of us band together and come up with "Luckow money", there's no reason for management to do anything about it. 

 

When you're right, you're right.  That's the answer.  And it's the same reason the old River Country wagon remains MIA, and why River Country sits there rotting away.  They ain't spending money on anything that isn't going to bring them a return.

 

I fell in love with schweinshaxen (pork hock, pig's knuckle) when I was in Germany. Here's one I had in Frankfurt:

 

 

In Toronto, you can get an excellent one at The Musket, and they also have my favorite German beer on tap.  :beer:

 

Oh, boy that looks good.

 

Unfortunately, The Musket is a little far for me to drive.

 

I know "schwein" means pig. "Haxen" sounds like the English word hock.  I think pork hock is a more accurate translation than pig knuckle.  Plus, pig knuckle makes me think of a term I regrettably learned here on ff.net- moose knuckle.  And that's not something that I even want to see, and certainly not eat.

 

Wow, nice updates.

I can't believe they got all that mess cleaned up and back to business as usual so fast. 

 

I guess all it takes is money.  They must have had a small army set up and break down.

 

TCD

[wendinator 109]

Oh, boy that looks good.

 

Unfortunately, The Musket is a little far for me to drive.

 

I know "schwein" means pig. "Haxen" sounds like the English word hock.  I think pork hock is a more accurate translation than pig knuckle.  Plus, pig knuckle makes me think of a term I regrettably learned here on ff.net- moose knuckle.  And that's not something that I even want to see, and certainly not eat.

 

If my memory serves me, I do believe I'm the one who takes the blame for introducing you to the term "moose knuckle". Sorry about that.

 

And although the Musket is a heck of a drive, it looks like the aptly named "The German Restaurant" in Holiday is much closer to you and might have it. (I've seen conflicting menus online - one lists it, another doesn't.) They're closed until August 28 though. Closer than Frankfurt too!

[Lou... 3,118]

They must have had a small army set up and break down.

 

Yes they do.

There are thousands of simple and elaborate special events that take place throughout the year at WDW. The department responsible for producing those has it down to a science.

Being in that department now, I get to participate at the pre-event briefing for all events taking place on the days I work. I get to see the pre and post event plans and nothing is left to chance. Events are over staffed and contingency arrangements are made in case it rains for every outdoor event.

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

 

But the buoys were still there:

 

 

 

 

Buoys will be buoys!

[Lou... 3,118]

Buoys will be buoys!

 

Good one Marty.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

If my memory serves me, I do believe I'm the one who takes the blame for introducing you to the term "moose knuckle". Sorry about that.

 

And although the Musket is a heck of a drive, it looks like the aptly named "The German Restaurant" in Holiday is much closer to you and might have it. (I've seen conflicting menus online - one lists it, another doesn't.) They're closed until August 28 though. Closer than Frankfurt too!

 

You should not have reminded me- I didn't remember who introduced that term. 

 

It's funny you should mention the German Restaurant.  We drive by that quite frequently, and the girls have commented that we ought to go ever since our visit to Biergarten at Epcot earlier this year.  The place doesn't look so nice from the outside, and Mrs. TCD has made it clear she has no interest in going there.  Maybe sometime when a couple of the girls are in town we will check it out.  I'll let you know if they have pig knuckles.

 

Yes they do.

There are thousands of simple and elaborate special events that take place throughout the year at WDW. The department responsible for producing those has it down to a science.

Being in that department now, I get to participate at the pre-event briefing for all events taking place on the days I work. I get to see the pre and post event plans and nothing is left to chance. Events are over staffed and contingency arrangements are made in case it rains for every outdoor event.

 

From what I've seen, this appears to be a very well run department at WDW.  I guess they have plenty of revenue coming in, so they can afford to do things right.

 

I would love to know what the contingency plan was for all those fireworks on July 5th if rain prevented them from shooting them off.

 

Buoys will be buoys!

 

 

Good one Marty.

 

Agreed.

 

Marty is punny.

 

TCD

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

In Munich Germany they called it knuckle at both places we ate.

Just looked online at Hofbraeu Haus's menu and they call it "a whole roasted knuckle of pork".

Haxen translate to shank.

I'm not sure what the difference between a hock and a shank is.

I want to try those pig wings and the pork stank at Gaston's. They both look good.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

In Munich Germany they called it knuckle at both places we ate.

Just looked online at Hofbraeu Haus's menu and they call it "a whole roasted knuckle of pork".

Haxen translate to shank.

I'm not sure what the difference between a hock and a shank is.

I want to try those pig wings and the pork stank at Gaston's. They both look good.

 

Knuckle must mean something different in Germany than it does here, because that is not a knuckle.

 

I also don't know what the difference between a hock and a shank is.  I'm not even going to worry about it.

 

That food truck was called the Superstar Catering food truck.  From what I've been able to find about it on-line, pig wings are not normally what they serve: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/downtown-disney/food-truck-superstar-catering/menus/

 

The Disney Food Blog tells us that this was the first official Disney food truck: http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2013/11/11/news-and-review-downtown-disneys-superstar-catering-food-truck/

 

It is supposed to serve the "Best of Hollywood Studios."  I never saw pig wings on any menu in Hollywood Studios.

 

The Gaston's pork shanks are good.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

We left off with me snooping around the pavilion in search of something from the big party the night before.

 

But there was nothing.  It was all gone.

 

Except for the buoys and the trucks.

 

Since no one was around, I took a peek behind the barn.

 

All the trailers and tour buses were gone too.

 

Except for one:

 

 

That's a nice one and the generator was running:

 

 

I'm not sure if you can read it, but that green sign in the windshield says Muckalee Creek Rd.

 

Luke Bryan has a song about Muckalee Creek.

 

You don't think?

 

I was going to look around some more, but this guy in the SUV chased me off:

 

 

He asked where I came from.

 

I asked what he meant by that question.

 

Then he said was I from the campground.

 

And I said yes.

 

And he said go back there.

 

So, I did.

 

Here we go:

 

 

There, we're back:

 

 

So, do you think Luke slept in his tour bus?

 

Wouldn't he get to stay in the castle suite like Katy Perry did the night before?

 

I don't know.

 

But, there were reports and photos showing that Luke was in AK on later this day.

 

So, he was around.

 

But, I got chased away.

 

That army who moved the party stuff left some big ruts in the mulch road by the barn:

 

 

It's pretty quiet in front of Pioneer Hall at a little past 7 on a Sunday morning:

 

 

The crepe myrtles here in front of Crockett's don't look so good this year:

 

 

This scene would look a lot better if there was an old metal wagon siting in that fenced in area there in the background:

 

 

Sunrise over the Settlement Trading Post:

 

 

I made it 3 for 3 for morning visits to my favorite spot this trip:

 

 

 

This is the last BABH photo I have for you in this TR.  So enjoy it:

 

 

The canal behind the 300 loop. There are some early bird dog walkers out there:

 

 

I took that shot so you can't see the Four Seasons building looming over the canal. This was my last trip I would be at the Fort before the hotel would open.  I thought about making a final trip out there, but I never did.  The next time I stay at the Fort, it will be open.  I'm going to have to stroll over there and see if I can visit.

 

it was time for me to get a shower.

 

The 100/200 comfort station was still hot and humid.  Bad show there, Disney.

 

I took the cart to the 1100 loop.  On the way there, I realized that it felt really cool this morning.

 

You know how people say that it's crazy to camp at the Fort in July?

 

Well, here's the temperature as of 7:30 am:

 

 

What's wrong with that?

 

After my shower, I took a loop around the 2000 loop, and then headed back to 100.

 

As I drove toward the Four Way, I noticed how there was mist or fog blowing across the road. That's odd, I thought:

 

 

Well, that wasn't fog or mist.  It was smoke.  Two geniuses on the 2200 cabin loop were lighting up their grill.  At 8:03 am.  Too bad I didn't have time to stop and watch.

 

I forgot to mention that Twin #2 had decided to sleep at her apartment after the fireworks last night.  She tried to get someone to take her shift, but for some reason nobody wanted the opening Sunday morning shift.  So, she had to go in early. That was easier to do at her apartment.

 

So, when I got back to the camper, it was just Twin #1 left.  And she was asleep.  She was going to take off soon after she got up, so I decided I had time for a take-out breakfast at Trail's End.

 

I wanted to see if they still had the secret menu.

 

They do.

 

This is what I got- an egg, bacon and cheese sandwich on a bagel.  Good stuff:

 

 

Man, those are good!

 

I ate it there at a picnic table on the porch.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention that while I was waiting for my sandwich, I spoke to a guy there in Trail's End about what had gone on the night before.  He asked me if I knew anything about it.  I said I was here.  He said he and his family were over at the MK, and were trying to get back, and that they waited an hour and a half for the boat.  I asked him if they had buses for the Fort there since the boat traffic was suspended.  He said not that anyone told him.  That's pretty bad.  The poor guy is over there waiting for a boat, and we were all over here enjoying the best fireworks any of us had ever seen.

 

When I finished my sandwich, took a  quick final look around the Settlement area, as I needed to get back to my campsite and start packing up.

 

I parked the cart at the end of the sidewalk at the beach, and looked at Bay Lake for a while.  A nice breeze was blowing off the lake, and they were bringing the rental boats back in.  I think they had moved them out for the fireworks:

 

 

As I sat there, another golf cart pulled up right next to me.  It was a guy with his dog. The dog was a beautiful boxer.  I have a boxer, I told the guy.  And we talked dogs for a while. Then we talked about the party and the fireworks.

 

Then the guy told me he recognized me.

 

He was a Fiend.

 

This was gooftroupe5, who has a grand total of 8 posts here.

 

His real name is Jason.

 

Nice to meet you Jason.

 

I told Jason that if he would stop by my campsite when he headed out of the Settlement, I would spike him. 

 

He did stop by and get spiked.

 

I wonder if Jason's being mentioned here might prompt a 9th post?

 

I got busy packing.

 

After a bit, I woke Twin #1 up so she could get packed up and on her way.

 

We took a quick loop around the Settlement on the cart- and this time I noticed something they had left from the party- this big backdrop which was hiding the serving area at the pavilion:

 

 

Twin #1 left shortly after that.

 

And I was all alone.

 

Then I packed.

 

And packed some more.

 

The weather was cooperating.

 

As soon as I was done, it rained.

 

But, I was ready to go.  In these photos, you can see that the old TCD Excursion is still missing that small grill in the front from that buzzard we killed in the Everglades.  May he rest in peace:

 

 

 

I took off right after this. Drove through some really heavy rain between Lakeland and Tampa, but when I got home the sun was shining, and it hadn't even rained.  I got everything dried off and put away.

 

And that was that.

 

Another trip has ended.

 

I guess this is the official end of this TR.

 

But there will be some bonus features.

 

So don't leave just yet.

 

TCD

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Long live bonus features!

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Oh, you should have told evil Luke Bryan bus protector guy that he was keeping you from having the magical experience you expected.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

I can't believe they cleaned up the party so fast. They need to come to my house!

I wonder if Luke slept there. I guess we'll never know.

If Frozen summer hadn't come along, we would have been at AK with him.

Yay for bonus features!

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

My guess is that Luke slept somewhere fancier but maybe the band slept on the bus.

 

But we will never know.

 

Looking forward to bonus features!

[clakey 9]

LOL.  That sounds about right.

 

 

Sadly, that could be true as well.

 

Since this is listed as the address of their "Family Foundation" I wonder if it's owned by the so-called not-for-profit company that they operate?  I sure hope that the Foundation didn't pay for this trip.  But, I wonder.

 

 

Thanks, I appreciate that.  There are a lot of dumb rules at Disney, but I still try to follow them, whether I personally agree with them or not.  Most of the time, it's easier to just go along rather than make a stink.

 

 

It truly was a fun night.  I am not aware of anything of this magnitude having happened at the Fort before.  There was the Sweet 16 party for the daughter of the man who owns the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team a couple of years ago, which also had a private party on the beach and a fireworks show.  But, they didn't have a private concert beforehand.

 

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

Hula Queen?  Did you help her pick that name?

 

Before I forget- make sure that you watch the Luke Bryan Roller Coaster video- it was shot along 30A, and you will surely recognize where some of the scenes were shot.

 

 

 

I remember you making a comment about the song on the thread that night.  I was just on my phone, and the posts were going so fast that I never got a chance to reply to you. 

 

I hear the song all the time now, and I like it as well.  But, I liked it from the start because of the video.

 

 

I agree.  Had I known that I was going to be asked three times to move, I would have pushed back at the beginning.  In the end, though, it didn't matter.  None of the spots allowed me to see into the pavilion, and I could hear fine from all three spots. 

 

 

Great job!

 

That's a very good 15th post.

 

This is the great thing about FF.net.  It attracts great people, and we all have an instant common bond from our love of the Fort. 

 

I didn't realize you were on a 15 night trip.  Lucky!

 

Was Maximus with you on this trip?  I wish I could have met him.

 

 

And so it starts . . .

 

TCD

Maximus was with us on the trip!  He stayed in the trailer most of the time.  He does not like the heat!  We were very blessed to be at the Fort for 15 nights.  I only wish we lived closer.  Our five year old loves Disney and we sure have a great time watching her.  I know that our second daughter will love it just as much.  From reading your trip reports I know that you have made a lot of special memories with your girls at Disney.

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

What an EXCITING night at the Fort!!! Thanks for sharing all of the action with us and of course thanks for the great photos!!

 

All ready for some bonus features!

 

Heidi

[LONE-STAR 370]

That did get cleaned up fast

[lklasing 16]

Awesome report, as always! And can't wait for the bonus features! :)

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

What a great TR!  As always, I don't want yours to end.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

That's great that you got to meet and spike so many fiends. Thanks for another great TR.