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

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

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

Did you freeze on the bus?

 

Yeah, standing under a tree during a lightning storm is a big no-no.  But, I was under the lowest trees I could find.

 

The bus felt great.  I actually didn't get too wet from the rain.

 

Here is the picture.  

 

 

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

 

That  is quite a first photo to post!

 

Great job!

 

That is awesome!

 

I see some of the River Country rocks there in the background, on the shore of Bay Lake.

 

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!

 

It is kind of amazing what kids were allowed to do back in the 70's compared to now.

 

I've seen photos of kids climbing all over the old River Country wagon, and I remember some of the dangerous play equipment they used to have on Tom Sawyer island.  We didn't wear helmets when we biked, there were no car seats for babies, and seat belts weren't always worn.  Ah, the good old days.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Since we have some newer Fiends participating in this thread, and we're talking about the Discovery Island shipwreck, I would like to share what may be my favorite YouTube video of all time.

 

It features the late great Pablo Cruise singing a song right on the Discovery Island shipwreck:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-C_kvDwqeY

 

TCD

[superloopers 2]

So much win in that video.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

So much win in that video.

 

Agreed.  There's no possible way for me to say what's my favorite part.  So, I just say it's my favorite YouTube video of all time.

 

And, while we're on the subject of Discovery Island, this is my favorite photo of it, taken way back during the construction of the Contemporary Resort. 

 

Looking at this photo always amazes me:

 

 

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

All that work to create those beautiful beaches, and they just let it go to hell. 

[Command Module...AKA-Brian 8]

It floors me that families used to live there, imagine what that was like! Oh and that video, WOW, catamarans and stand up jet skis, those were the days! Here is a paragraph from Wikipedia on the island.

 

From the early 1900s, the island was known as Raz Island, named after the family that lived there. In the late 1930s, it was purchased for $800 by a man named Delmar "Radio Nick" Nicholson, who renamed the island "Idle Bay Isle" and lived there for 20 years with his wife and pet crane. It was later sold, renamed "Riles Island," and used as a hunting retreat. Disney bought the island in 1965 as part of its secretive property acquisitions before building the Walt Disney World Resort.^[1]

The island opened as Treasure Island on April 8, 1974, as a place to observe wildlife, and was later renamed Discovery Island when it was recognized as a zoological park. It closed to the public on April 8, 1999, but continued to operate until July 9, 1999, at which point all of its animals had been relocated to new homes at Disney's Animal Kingdom (whose Safari Village hub area was renamed Discovery Island) and other zoos.

[FunFinder265....Cody 36]

Agreed.  There's no possible way for me to say what's my favorite part.  So, I just say it's my favorite YouTube video of all time.

 

And, while we're on the subject of Discovery Island, this is my favorite photo of it, taken way back during the construction of the Contemporary Resort. 

 

Looking at this photo always amazes me:

 

 

TCD

 

WOW! That is amazing. Pre water bridge, MK, monorail, everything basically.

 

Really cool picture.

 

And it sucks we missed each other on Sunday. 

 

I'll be back in January.

 

Cody

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

All that work to create those beautiful beaches, and they just let it go to hell. 

 

That's the way things go these days.

 

See River Country.

 

It floors me that families used to live there, imagine what that was like! Oh and that video, WOW, catamarans and stand up jet skis, those were the days! Here is a paragraph from Wikipedia on the island.

 

From the early 1900s, the island was known as Raz Island, named after the family that lived there. In the late 1930s, it was purchased for $800 by a man named Delmar "Radio Nick" Nicholson, who renamed the island "Idle Bay Isle" and lived there for 20 years with his wife and pet crane. It was later sold, renamed "Riles Island," and used as a hunting retreat. Disney bought the island in 1965 as part of its secretive property acquisitions before building the Walt Disney World Resort.^[1]

The island opened as Treasure Island on April 8, 1974, as a place to observe wildlife, and was later renamed Discovery Island when it was recognized as a zoological park. It closed to the public on April 8, 1999, but continued to operate until July 9, 1999, at which point all of its animals had been relocated to new homes at Disney's Animal Kingdom (whose Safari Village hub area was renamed Discovery Island) and other zoos.

 

It is amazing to think about.

 

We've discussed this on other threads, but the story has often been told how Walt himself spotted Bay Lake and what we know as Discovery Island while flying over Central Florida looking at land to purchase for the Florida Project.

 

There have also been stories told of Walt and Roy driving down a dirt road and ending up at an old hunting lodge on the banks of the lake.  It is likely that Walt himself visited Discovery Island.

 

It's a good thing his head is wrapped tightly in Reynolds Wrap and safely frozen in an undisclosed location.  If he ever saw what Discovery Island looks like now, a lot of idiot managers would be in trouble.

 

WOW! That is amazing. Pre water bridge, MK, monorail, everything basically.

 

Really cool picture.

 

And it sucks we missed each other on Sunday. 

 

I'll be back in January.

 

Cody

 

Yup, that's a cool picture all right.

 

You're not going to be back until January?

 

The best time of the year to visit the Fort is coming up.

 

You need to come back before January.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Well, I have a few more bonus photos last weekend, and maybe that will be it.

 

Probably not, as I have to go back some time this week to inspect Twin #2's car and pick up the car I rented for her.

 

But, we will have to see about that.

 

I left off with me catching the bus from the 300/500 bus stop.  I stayed on when I got to the Settlement, and we headed on to Wilderness Lodge.

 

I headed to the DVC lobby, and found a comfortable chair.

 

And I waited to hear from Twin #1.

 

It didn't take long.

 

She was done with work, and decided to meet me there.  We were going to go from there to dinner, but we got to talking ,and decided that we should go and visit the Castmember store.

 

I was hoping they would have those Pacific Lakeside Campground shirts for sale there for $5 like all the other reject t-shirts that end up there, but there weren't any.

 

In fact, the store was very picked over.  Maybe, they're getting everything cleared out and ready for the holidays.

 

I'm not sure if photos are allowed in there, but I guess they are. Next time I'm there, I'll take some.

 

After that, we headed to the Fort.

 

It was dead, and we had no problem just telling the guard we were heading to Trail's End for dinner and parking in the overflow lot.  Which is what we did.  Then we bussed it to the Settlement, and we ordered the chicken.

 

It was just the two of us, and this was left in our first bucket:

 

 

And there were 5 more pieces in the second bucket.

 

We got some more rain.

 

Which kept the crowds away:

 

 

The bushes near the picnic tables could use a trimming:

 

 

 

The playground was empty:

 

 

Oh, I forgot the best part.

 

When we ordered the chicken, Twin #1 asked if there was a CM discount for take out.

 

There is.

 

Winning:

 

 

That's better than a Tables In Wonderland card!

 

After dinner, we took the bus back up to the Outpost.

 

We had to wait there for my ride.

 

Mrs. TCD and Rocky came to pick me up.

 

While we waited under cover, this Real Man of Genius pulled up in the bus loop:

 

 

It wasn't long after that that Mrs. TCD showed up.

 

There was once a sort-of plan that we would take Rocky for a walk around the Fort when she got there, but it was still raining, so that plan was abandoned.

 

Instead, we visited with Twin #1, and then we headed home.

 

I will need to go back this week to get Twin #2's car out of the shop and pick-up the rental car I left with her.

 

Until then, that's all I have.

 

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

That discount is pretty sweet. 

 

I need to talk to my daughters. 

[alexwyattmommy 181]

Your daughters should do really well there Dave.  With all the knowledge of Disney and their customer service skills learned at Chic-fil-a, I see many magical days for visitors.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

That discount is pretty sweet. 

 

I need to talk to my daughters. 

 

 

Your daughters should do really well there Dave.  With all the knowledge of Disney and their customer service skills learned at Chic-fil-a, I see many magical days for visitors.

 

I agree.

 

And Dave ought to be able to space things out, so they're there one at a time. 

 

He'll be getting those discounts for years.

 

TCD

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Discount GAG! Now that's exciting.

[FunFinder265....Cody 36]

You're not going to be back until January?

 

The best time of the year to visit the Fort is coming up.

 

You need to come back before January.

 

TCD

 

Well, let me rephrase that. 

 

The next time I will be staying there with my camper is in January.

 

I'm sure I will visit before then.

 

Cody

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Your daughters should do really well there Dave.  With all the knowledge of Disney and their customer service skills learned at Chic-fil-a, I see many magical days for visitors.

 

 

I agree.

 

And Dave ought to be able to space things out, so they're there one at a time. 

 

He'll be getting those discounts for years.

 

TCD

 

Anna, INC and I could be living at the Fort for years to come!  

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Discount GAG! Now that's exciting.

 

True.  And, they get even bigger discounts at other food service locations.

 

Including the Hoop Dee Doo.  We've been trying to pick a date for that.  It must happen before they're done with the program.

 

Well, let me rephrase that. 

 

The next time I will be staying there with my camper is in January.

 

I'm sure I will visit before then.

 

Cody

 

It may take a while, but you will meet some more Fiends.

 

Anna, INC and I could be living at the Fort for years to come!  

 

Now, that would be awesome.

 

Maybe they could finally hire you as an Imagineer, and you could start getting things turned around.

 

TCD

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

Discount GAGs rock.

Rain storms while at the Fort do not.

Looking forward to the next set of bonus features!