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

[fowlandfishmommy 10]

The cabins are pretty expensive and again we don't need a kitchen.  I refuse to cook at Disney.  We are just spoiled because we go during free dining, no park hopper, stay at Pop (once at French Quarter), and stay 7 nights.  -- $1800 (food, room, tickets, 4 people)  Hard to beat that!  

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

The cabins are pretty expensive and again we don't need a kitchen.  I refuse to cook at Disney.  We are just spoiled because we go during free dining, no park hopper, stay at Pop (once at French Quarter), and stay 7 nights.  -- $1800 (food, room, tickets, 4 people)  Hard to beat that!  

You might try two connecting rooms at a value. Book one room with free dining for four of you, book the 2nd room at AAA discount, get a discount ticket from one of the resellers for the kids in the 2nd room and pay out of pocket for some of their meals. You may find that the younger ones can still share meals with you and you won't need the full complement of dining credits for everyone. I've found that two value rooms are usually less than the value suites at Music, and definitely less than the value suites at Art of Animation.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

We have 4 kids, ages range from elementary to HS. The cabins at FW seem to work the best for us; the kids sleep in the bedroom (queen size bed and a bunk bed) and we sleep on the murphy bed; it's enabled us to really enjoy the fort and we've become huge fans. Saves on meals too, as there's a kitchen, but we mostly use it for breakfast and the occasional lunch and dinner.

 

I agree with you- if I needed to book a hotel for a party of 6, I would definitely consider the cabins over the other choices.  It sounds like a perfect choice for your family.

 

ROFL

 

CNR was the best.  RIP

 

Gene, I'm gonna say..... The old splinter in the tuchas  :rofl2: 

 

LOL.

 

The tuchas is always a safe bet.

 

Hey look at that, 2 more posts to 100! :banana:

 

Way to go!

 

Wait 1 more post to 100!  No no no, I'm at 100, yes 100 :jumpforjoy , now what do I do? :doublebeer:

 

Yay!

 

You did it.

 

Now, it's on to 200!

 

Get with it.

 

Get up off of that tuchas and post!

 

Leave it to old CNR to bring the cinnamon buns into this discussion . :rofl3:

 

He was like the ACinA2 of his day.

 

I just laughed so hard I snorted.

 

I know.  That Brett was such a naughty girl.

 

Who the heck was she, anyway?

 

I wonder if they're landing the kid's pirate cruise there? How big is the sandy area? I know from Z that they went to several places, including islands. Maybe they're going there now for a clue? 

 

 

Discovery Island is an overgrown jungle. There is no beach or sandy area anymore- the vegetation has grown right up to the water edge.  The big dock they used to use on the east side of the island has been removed.  There's just a small dock there now.  No way are they going to let a bunch of kids off on that island.

 

Post more :clint:  200 is so close :rofl2:

 

That's right!

 

Let's go!

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

The cabins are pretty expensive and again we don't need a kitchen.  I refuse to cook at Disney.  We are just spoiled because we go during free dining, no park hopper, stay at Pop (once at French Quarter), and stay 7 nights.  -- $1800 (food, room, tickets, 4 people)  Hard to beat that!  

 

That is hard to beat.  If you can go during free dining, and have a party of four, that works pretty well.

 

But, you're going to be a party of five now.  It starts getting complicated after that.

 

You might try two connecting rooms at a value. Book one room with free dining for four of you, book the 2nd room at AAA discount, get a discount ticket from one of the resellers for the kids in the 2nd room and pay out of pocket for some of their meals. You may find that the younger ones can still share meals with you and you won't need the full complement of dining credits for everyone. I've found that two value rooms are usually less than the value suites at Music, and definitely less than the value suites at Art of Animation.

 

Brilliant.

 

When you start getting up into the prices for two rooms and suites, renting a camper starts to make much more sense.

 

I hear what FFM says about not wanting to cook on vacation, but no one says you have to cook in the camper.  You can still eat out, if that's what you want to do.  With the money saved on accommodations, the food budget can be increased.

 

TCD

[fowlandfishmommy 10]

I think we will just stick to my plan to get my husband to camp.  Because of our adoption I have no idea when we can afford a little bit nicer camper and as long as we go next time before the little on turns 3 we are still good on a value room.  (I'd love to go before then, see all of our boys birthday's are in July so if the little guy turns 3 then my biggest boy will be 9 - AHHHHHHH!!!)  After that, hopefully little nicer camper and a Fort trip is what we'll have to do.  Or rent one.  That might be a good option too.  

 

Who knows we may not be able to afford the World again for a long long time!  :)  But I can dream right?  

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I think we will just stick to my plan to get my husband to camp.  Because of our adoption I have no idea when we can afford a little bit nicer camper and as long as we go next time before the little on turns 3 we are still good on a value room.  (I'd love to go before then, see all of our boys birthday's are in July so if the little guy turns 3 then my biggest boy will be 9 - AHHHHHHH!!!)  After that, hopefully little nicer camper and a Fort trip is what we'll have to do.  Or rent one.  That might be a good option too.  

 

Who knows we may not be able to afford the World again for a long long time!   :)  But I can dream right?

 

Of course.  There are lots of ways to get there.  I hope something works out for you!

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Here comes some more bonus content!

 

We left off heading to the Settlement bus stop.

 

A bus was waiting for me, and it just so happened to be an Outpost Orange bus.  Just what I needed.  The driver was standing there with nothing to do.  He asked where I was heading, and I told him the Meadow Trading Post, and he said hop on.

 

So, I did.  Here we go:

 

 

For the second time today, I had the whole bus to myself:

 

 

 

The driver took off.  No one was at the 800 loop bus stop, so we kept right on going, and stopped across from the Meadow Trading Post at the 900/1000 bus stop.  It was starting to drizzle now.  But, not even enough to bother with a poncho:

 

 

Remember all those dark clouds we saw?  It looked like they were going to dump some rain on us.  Some guests who were about to leave the trading post saw that too, so the rocking chairs out front were all occupied by guests who decided to wait out the storm there.  Darn it.  That was my idea too.

 

Oh well, maybe the back porch?

 

I went in the trading post first.  To see what I could see.  Most of the photos I took in there are on that new merchandise thread I posted the link to earlier.  But, there were some other things I photographed while I was in there.

 

Like, Mickey's fall garb:

 

 

 

It was September 7th.  Better hurry and get your Halloween merchandise before it's too late:

 

 

The last time I was here (which is many posts up in this very same TR),  the ice cream freezer was busted, and they had this sign posted:

 

 

I guess that old freezer was beyond repair, because they have this new floor model in here now:

 

 

Hey, let's take a look at some of the groceries.  There's always something interesting to see in that case:

 

 

I know very well how much they charge for one beer here.  But, it still shocks me every time I see it:

 

 

Compared to $6/beer, the six packs are a bargain:

 

 

I guess there are a lot of decaf drinkers at the Fort.  That seems odd to me, but they have their own coffee station:

 

 

Now we're out back.  And, we're not alone, as you will soon see.

 

Those clouds look threatening:

 

 

In fact, the clouds were threatening enough to warrant closing the pool.   If you're a Fort guest, that means you head back to your site and wait it out. But, what do freeloaders do?  Go back to their illegally parked cars in the overflow lot?  Don't be silly.  They just grab their coolers and picnic lunches, and take over the back porch of the Meadow Trading Post.  Excelente!  The whole gran familia is here!

 

 

So, the rocking chairs out front were occupied, and the back porch was full of freeloaders.  I had no refuge from the storm.  The storm had not yet arrived though, so I had time to move on before it got here.

 

First, I had to check on something on Bob's dock.  There's a weird looking bird there, and something on the picnic table:

 

 

Poor Bear Rock is barely above water.  We've had a lot of rain this summer:

 

 

The gum trees behind Bob's site are still nice and green. It will be at least another month and maybe two before they drop their leaves:

 

 

Sometimes Bear Rock is completely out of the water. Today, it's surrounded by water.  Those clouds are still looking bad:

 

 

Since I was here, I needed a Bike Barn photo.  That weird bird didn't fly off:

 

 

This bird is weird.  I can't recall seeing one that looked like this one around here before.  And, it seems to not be afraid of humans, because it still hadn't flown off:

 

 

Wait, that poor bird is missing a foot.  Look:

 

 

 

That looks like a bread bag sitting there on the table.  That rectangular thing on the top left side of the table is a sign saying not to feed the wildlife.  I guess some ding dong brought the bread down here and left it.  And I guess that poor bird with only one foot wants some.  This whole scene made me sad.  Poor bird.

 

The fiesta on the porch was just starting to get cranked up. Time for me to go:

 

 

The big sycamore tree behind the trading post is in its summer glory:

 

 

The canal that separates the 1300 loop from the Meadow Recreation Area was about as full as I've seen it in a long while:

 

 

As I approached the pool, I could hear that the children's activities CM's had moved the afternoon pool party under the porch, and it was crowded:

 

 

I guess the freeloaders on the back porch of the trading post were afraid they'd check MagicBands or something, so they didn't stay for the party.

 

But, it looked to me like this crowd here was full of freeloaders too:

 

 

The pool was evacuated:

 

 

Call me crazy, but does that guy with the shaved head, gold chain and tattoos look like a guy who owns a camper?:

 

 

And if he does own a camper, and it was parked at the Fort, why is he hanging out here?

 

It was too noisy and there were too many freeloaders here for me to stay.

 

I could hear thunder rumbling, but the rain had not started.

 

I had time to move on.

 

Maybe even to the 1400 bus stop.

 

I decided to head that way.

 

TCD

[dvccamper 32]

I know. That Brett was such a naughty girl.

Who the heck was she, anyway?

TCD

I think she was married to Jack Klugman. That must have been enough to get her on Match Game.

[lklasing 16]

Call me crazy, but does that guy with the shaved head, gold chain and tattoos look like a guy who owns a camper?:

 

 

 

Nope.  I think he looks like the guy from Scrubs.  But maybe after a few too many of those overpriced six-packs.

 

Love the Matchgame memories.  That show seemed so racy back then - I don't think I was actually allowed to watch it.

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

Caught up!

Great TR as normal.

Freeloaders suck.

The sign on the Walrus also sucks.

The torn canvas being too big of a problem to fix also sucks.

The changes to Pioneer Hall suck.

Who is in charge? What is going on?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I think she was married to Jack Klugman. That must have been enough to get her on Match Game.

 

I just looked her up on Wikipedia, and you're right.  In fact, they were still married when she died.  I guess she appeared as his ex-wife on the Odd Couple.  I sure don't remember her.

 

Nope.  I think he looks like the guy from Scrubs.  But maybe after a few too many of those overpriced six-packs.

 

Love the Matchgame memories.  That show seemed so racy back then - I don't think I was actually allowed to watch it.

 

I don't know who the guy is from Scrubs, but LOL at the six packs comment.

 

I remember watching the Match Game with my siblings- I don't think my parents knew how "racy" it was.  In retrospect, it wasn't.

 

BTW-good to see a post from you.  I imagine you have deposited daughter #1 in Wyoming?  Hope you're both doing well.

 

Caught up!

Great TR as normal.

Freeloaders suck.

The sign on the Walrus also sucks.

The torn canvas being too big of a problem to fix also sucks.

The changes to Pioneer Hall suck.

Who is in charge? What is going on?

 

Great post, Aaron.

 

Who is in charge?

 

We know that.

 

The Idiot Managers.

 

Like always.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I have a bit more bonus content, if you don't mind.

 

We left off with mi amigos at the pool.

 

That was not my scene.

 

And, despite all the rumbling, the rain had not yet begun to fall.

 

I had time to get someplace else.

 

So, adios.

 

Although there was a good crowd at the pool, there were no golf carts parked in the small golf cart parking area adjacent to the shuffleboard courts:

 

 

And there were only two carts parked in the entire area:

 

 

That means all those people hanging out at the pool arrived by foot, or bus, or were dropped off by their friends across from the 1500 loop bus stop before parking their cars in the overflow lot for the day.  I wonder which it is?

 

Just in case anyone wants confirmation of what movies are on the schedule for September 8 and 22, after that typo on the original schedule, here's what's posted at the campfire area:

 

 

 

The Great Mouse Detective?

 

Who the heck is in charge of picking the movies?

 

That's the best they could do?

 

And here are the official times:

 

 

It seems like every Disney resort has an outdoor movie now, but only the Fort has The Theater Under the Stars:

 

 

And only the Fort has a real live projection building:

 

 

Man, that approaching storm looks nasty.  You would think I would have enough sense to realize that and move a bit quicker:

 

 

 

The Chuckwagon.  Love it. But I sure hope the roof never gets a rip in it:

 

 

I headed out through the 1400 loop.  There were more empty sites than occupied ones:

 

 

 

There was a lot of standing water around.  That means we've had a rainy summer.  You winter Fiends probably haven't seen standing water around the loops:

 

 

There were some people waiting at the 1400 loop bus stop.  Under cover.  Smart.  But, the rain hadn't started.  I was going to try to make it to the 500 loop to visit a new Fiend, so I kept going.

 

I noticed this new stake in the ground:

 

 

I pay attention to stakes in the ground.  They usually are there for a reason. 

 

Let's see what's written on this one:

 

 

It says:  "Sign 2 Do Not Pass." 

 

And, it is just a few feet away from this sign:

 

 

I think that means we're getting some new signs at the Fort.  Thank goodness.  That's exactly what we need.

 

All that rain we've had has flushed all of the green slime right out of the canal between the 1400 loop (on the left) and the 500 loop (on the right) :

 

 

Did you notice the rings made by a few raindrops in the canal water in that last photo?

 

No big deal.

 

Just a few raindrops.

 

I could have walked back to the 1400 loop bus stop had I wanted to.

 

But, I kept going.

 

There's the dog park and playground. Everyone else has the good sense to be under cover as the big storm approaches:

 

 

Some of the outside sites on the 500 loop came up on my left as I walked.  They were empty.  I could cut through them to get to where I wanted to go.  So, I started to.  And, then it started to rain.  I stopped to get a poncho out of my backpack.  And then all heck broke loose. Lightning.  Thunder.  A waterfall of rain falling out of the sky.  I stood under a couple of low palm trees at the back of the empty sites, and waited for the storm to let up.  I was stuck:

 

 

 

The really heavy rain lasted for only about 10 minutes.

 

Then I walked around the loop to find FunFinder265 . . . Cody.  But, luckily for him, he was away from his site:

 

 

Oh well.

 

It was still raining a bit, and more could have been on the way, so I headed to the 300/500 bus stop and waited for a bus.

 

This sign is right across from the bus stop, just past the exit for the 300 loop:

 

 

This is what that sign says:

 

 

Why is that sign there?

 

How are guests with pets in the 400 or 700 loop supposed to get back to their sites after visiting the dog park?

 

What about guests looping on golf carts with their dogs?  Are they not allowed to drive past that sign?

 

And don't tell me that it's a mistake and that nobody in Fort management pays attention to signs, because looks what's going on here right next to the bus stop.  More stakes:

 

 

Does that mean more signs?

 

Aren't there already enough here?:

 

 

 

Did you ever notice that the soda vending machines in the bus stops aren't even owned by Disney?  See all of those little signs?  They say the name of the outside company you need to call when the machine steals your money:

 

 

Look at this- two grown people on kids' three-wheel scooters:

 

 

Wonder where they're going?

 

And what they're doing with those things?

 

I feel sorry for anyone who tries to share the sidewalk with them.

 

It wasn't long until a bus came to my rescue.  I managed not to slip on the wet floor:

 

 

Next stop-Wilderness Lodge, where I will be waiting for Twin #1 to meet me after she gets done with work.

 

TCD

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

Hey, I have an idea. Instead of paying for new signs......pay for canvas patch for the wagon.

[lklasing 16]

BTW-good to see a post from you.  I imagine you have deposited daughter #1 in Wyoming?  Hope you're both doing well.

 

Thanks!  We had an absolutely wonderful trip to Wyoming - all 4 of us and we didn't even have any extra friends/boyfriends/etc. this time.  It's so beautiful out there.  And the best part is that Danielle, who had gotten exceptionally nervous about going so far from home, really seems to be loving it out there.  Ray and I are thrilled and so very grateful. 

 

And happily, now that she's there and doing well, I now have time to catch back up on TRs!

[Seals 111]

 

 

 

If I had the computer skills, I would draw a thought bubble coming out of that kid's head that says "I think I'm going to be in a TCD trip report!"

[fowlandfishmommy 10]

Sorry for the hijack!!  Did y'all see this?

 

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/09/frozen-attraction-coming-to-epcot/

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Hey, I have an idea. Instead of paying for new signs......pay for canvas patch for the wagon.

 

Come on now, Aaron, you know that's not how things work at the Fort.

 

We need those new signs.

 

I'm sure most of us have never seen a crosswalk before, and have no idea what it is.

 

Thanks!  We had an absolutely wonderful trip to Wyoming - all 4 of us and we didn't even have any extra friends/boyfriends/etc. this time.  It's so beautiful out there.  And the best part is that Danielle, who had gotten exceptionally nervous about going so far from home, really seems to be loving it out there.  Ray and I are thrilled and so very grateful. 

 

And happily, now that she's there and doing well, I now have time to catch back up on TRs!

 

Good to hear!

 

If your experience is anything like ours, you're going to miss her more than she's going to miss you.  I am glad to hear it's all going well so far.

 

If I had the computer skills, I would draw a thought bubble coming out of that kid's head that says "I think I'm going to be in a TCD trip report!"

 

Well, it still made me laugh.

 

Good job.

 

Sorry for the hijack!!  Did y'all see this?

 

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/09/frozen-attraction-coming-to-epcot/

 

That news just was broken by Jason on this thread: http://www.fortfiends.net/forum/topic/13407-rumor-maelstrom-closing-sept-27/?p=392376

 

There's a bit of discussion going on there about it.

 

TCD

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

Glad you had a poncho and didn't get zapped by lightning!

Did you freeze on the bus?

[Wilderness Camper 4]

It's so sad to see this everytime we pass by, and think how many times I stood on Cap'n Flint's Walrus shipwreck and walked on Treasure Island beach, I actually visited there more than RC, but as excited as we are to be on the boat on our way to the MK, this is still a sad stretch of the lake... :'( 

 In it's heyday, The Walrus

 

My DH has a picture of him and his older brother from Discovery Island.  It is from the late 70's.  I will try to take a picture of it and post it later.  

[Wilderness Camper 4]

Here is the picture.  

 

 

This is my first time posting a picture, so hope it worked. 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Here is the picture.  

 

 

This is my first time posting a picture, so hope it worked. 

 

It worked!  Cool pic.  

[Wilderness Camper 4]

It worked!  Cool pic.

[Wilderness Camper 4]

It worked! Cool pic.

Thank you. Now I know the pics work.

Sorry for the double post

[Command Module...AKA-Brian 8]

Here is the picture.

This is my first time posting a picture, so hope it worked.

[Command Module...AKA-Brian 8]

Wow, that is an awesome pic! It's amazing to me now that Disney let us walk around on that thing, I think buried deep in my hand is a splinter from that ship, I know I had plenty of them over the years, so much so my Mom always brought tweezers!