CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted December 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 Monday, November 3 -- Our Last Full Day at the Fort -- Part 3 We had a little time to spare before our next FP+, so we wandered around. And then it was time for another ride on 7DMT! The ride stopped twice. Here: And unfortunately here. Wish we'd stopped 20 feet up the track. I saw Snow in the cottage, but it was too quick to get a photo. And we never saw the witch. Although we didn't want to, it was time to go back to the Fort and start readying Dolly for travel. On the way out we encountered this resident in Uptown Jewelers: Anyone know who she is? Goodbye, Magic Kingdom! We'll be back tonight! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted December 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 Monday, November 3 -- Our Last Full Day at the Fort -- Part 4 I met Walker Mobility and gave my scooter back. Dottie had been a good one! We started breaking down and packing up. We went to the Settlement to refill our mugs. A couple more of my weird shots: Then after dinner it was time to return to MK! Our destination? I know this CM's face is totally out of focus, but for some reason I really like this picture: We went up to Tomorrowland Terrace to devour our ice cream and watch part of MSEP. Main Street was so crowded that CMs were ushering people backstage. Nearing photo limit ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799 Posted December 16, 2014 Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 Packing up is always sad, not matter how long you've been there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted December 16, 2014 Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 Monday, November 3 -- Our Last Full Day at the Fort -- Part 1 Upon exiting PPF, I encountered a newly-married couple being toured around by a PP photographer. Wow... can you get married inside the MK? Or maybe they were married at the chapel (where is that.. near the Grand Floridian I think?) and then came over to the MK for pictures? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted December 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 Packing up is always sad, not matter how long you've been there. Yes, it is! More on that later. Wow... can you get married inside the MK? Or maybe they were married at the chapel (where is that.. near the Grand Floridian I think?) and then came over to the MK for pictures? I think you can -- but only very early morning hours. Devores can tell us more about that. I took those pics at 11:45, so they must have been with the photographer for a good while. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted December 16, 2014 Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 Aw, man, it can't be time to pack up already. It seems like you just got there! I don't know who that citizen is that you saw in the jewelry store. I don't recall ever seeing her before. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted December 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 Aw, man, it can't be time to pack up already. It seems like you just got there! I don't know who that citizen is that you saw in the jewelry store. I don't recall ever seeing her before. TCD Three weeks passed all too quickly! I've seen that citizen a couple of times. Googled "citizens of Main Street," but I can't find anything about her. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted December 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2014 Monday, November 3 -- Our Last Full Day at the Fort -- Part 5 Continuing on toward the MK exit: One last look at the castle: Oh, how I wish this were true! Wishes started just as we were pulling away from the dock. And then we were back at the Fort. One last ride (the wrong way) down the Path of Awesomeness. My head was leaking. And I was in so much pain from all the walking that I could barely move. But it was okay. Tomorrow I would be sitting all day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Northerngirl--Lori 5 Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 I hate to see your trip report come to an end. Thank you for sharing your trip with us. I'm going to miss your wonderful pictures. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799 Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 Great fireworks pictures! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted December 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 I hate to see your trip report come to an end. Thank you for sharing your trip with us. I'm going to miss your wonderful pictures. Thank you, Lori! Great fireworks pictures! Thanks, Kelly! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted December 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 Much as I hate to revisit this part of the trip, it's time for me to start reporting on our trip home. Tuesday, November 4, and Wednesday, November 5 -- Going Home -- Part 1 Before packing it away I took a photo of the coaster set I bought for Dolly: Right before we left, Jean Ann and Kenny came by for a brief visit. We so wished we could have spent more time with them. Hopefully next year! Pulling off the site: Heading the wrong way: DeeDee had her hairnet on and was loaded up: While David was strapping her down Kassie and I walked around and snapped a few more pictures. See the abomination? Another shot with the abomination: And then it was time to go. We were in good company, traveling with two Prevosts. But shortly after we got onto I-4 they pulled over in the emergency lane. One last glimpse of EPCOT: Going through Orlando is such a pain, but at least it wasn't rush hour! We always enjoy seeing this unfinished building because it means we're almost out of Orlando! BTW, does anyone know anything about this building? We made it into Georgia. Smelly paper mills in Brunswick! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted December 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 Tuesday, November 4, and Wednesday, November 5 -- Going Home -- Part 2 Georgia is an easy state to get through, and we were shortly in SC! 95 in South Carolina is a long, boring road! We stopped for the evening at Cracker Barrel in Walterboro, SC. My dinner: Lots of love bug splats on the windshield: We left Walterboro around 5am the next morning. The sun was just beginning to come up as we arrived at our breakfast destination. And where did we stop? Yep, you guessed it. CB in Orangeburg, SC. My breakfast was something that isn't on the menu. It was offered during the summer months only. But because I wanted it without the flatbread, they were able to accommodate me. David's breakfast: Obviously I had the wrong lens on that morning! I really liked this sign: Seeing some hills and color in the leaves, so we're getting closer to home. We turned onto I-77. Stopped here in Rock Hill, SC, to refuel. Kassie trying to claim my seat: We made it back to NC. If you are ever driving through Charlotte, please take this inner loop! It's a few miles farther but so much quicker and so much less stressful. We were back on 77 and about a mile from our exit onto 40 when this happened. No, that's not slow traffic. It was a dead stop. We waited and waited. It turned out that there was accident right at our exit, and we had to wait for it to clear. Finally we turned onto 40, and in less than an hour we were home safe and sound. I have one last post coming up later with my final thoughts/wrap-up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 It's been great to follow you along on your journey. Thanks for all the pictures and great memories! Oh...and the coaster set? SUPER cute! :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Memphis 105 Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 So sorry to see this report come to an end. You showed me so much of the details that I take for granted. It felt like I was going for the first time again. Thank you for all the effort of sharing your trip. Great job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 I really hate to see this TR coming to an end. You did a fantastic job with it. And, thanks to you, I have a craving for Cracker Barrel now. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799 Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 Sorry this is ending. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted December 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 I figured out who this Main Street Citizen is! She is Victoria Trumpetto, the choir director. If you'd like links to all the citizens, check here: http://vacationearing.com/disney-world-street-theater/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted December 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2014 It's been great to follow you along on your journey. Thanks for all the pictures and great memories! Oh...and the coaster set? SUPER cute! :) Thank you, Nacole! So happy we got to meet on this trip! So sorry to see this report come to an end. You showed me so much of the details that I take for granted. It felt like I was going for the first time again. Thank you for all the effort of sharing your trip. Great job. Thank you too! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I think I could live there 100 years and still miss some of the details. I really hate to see this TR coming to an end. You did a fantastic job with it. And, thanks to you, I have a craving for Cracker Barrel now. TCD Thank you, TCD. Sorry you're craving CB. Their fried shrimp there is wonderful. Sorry this is ending. Me too, Kelly! Thank you for reading along and commenting! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jengarynew adventures 0 Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Thank you so much for all the great photos and stories of your trip. Your camera certainly takes great photos, but your eye for details and perspectives is incredible. We have enjoyed every page of this report and am sad to see it end. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CampMImi 22 Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 I enjoyed every moment of your trip through the greatest photos! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119 Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Aww man! The end has finally come. :'( :'( :'( Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted January 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 Thank you so much for all the great photos and stories of your trip. Your camera certainly takes great photos, but your eye for details and perspectives is incredible. We have enjoyed every page of this report and am sad to see it end. Thank you! I enjoyed every moment of your trip through the greatest photos! Thank you too, Missy! Aww man! The end has finally come. :'( :'( :'( Not quite ... time to wrap up this TR. Conclusions/final thoughts to be posted in just a minute. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted January 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 Conclusion/Final Thoughts/Wrap-up Our first trip to Florida included one day in MK. Our next trip included two days at WDW. Our next trip to WDW was for a week. Then years later our trips were for 14 days ... two days down and two days back, leaving 10 days of Fort time. Then finally we semi-retired, and our trips included 14 days a the fort. The time was never long enough. And finally this year we spent three weeks at the fort. David took four weeks off work. Was that enough time? No, no, NO! When will we be satisfied? Perhaps when we are snowbirders at or near the Fort. Maybe never until we live there full time. Time will tell. I only know that three weeks flew by way too fast. Photography Lessons Learned On dark rides, use my camera like a "point and shoot." My 18-300mm zoom has a huge "face." It uses a 77mm filter. It picks up a lot of dirt. I need to clean my camera lens often and carry a microfiber cloth in my camera bag at all times. I've spent countless hours in Photoshop removing the dust speckles from my photos. I should carry both lenses with me at all times. I missed out on some great shots because I didn't have the correct lens with me. Firsts No park on arrival dayLe CellierDesigned a car at TTFlame Tree BarbecueMacaws at AK7DMTFestival of Fantasy Parade No matter how many times we visit WDW, there are always firsts! It's Been a Very Long Time Cosmic Ray'sTiki BirdsDinner at TE Okay, some IBAVLTs should be laid to rest. And one other (dinner at TE) should be experienced more often. Captain EO. I'm gonna lay that one to rest too. What We Didn't Get to Do Star Tours -- we wanted to ride it, but I kept forgetting to get FP+. David rode it last year with Einstein, but it's been quite a few years since I experienced it. Visiting with Lou. He came by several times but didn't catch us at home. Hopefully next year. How I Felt About Using a Scooter It was a humbling experience, a necessary evil since my arthritis has become so painful. There's nothing like strolling around the parks on your own two feet! Without the scooter I couldn't have toured the parks. But, as I told Linda (Grandma), we never truly appreciate what we have until it's gone. I do believe Disney has done a good job handling wheelchairs and scooters, but at the same time I think they could do a little better. I encountered a few CMs who were downright rude. And scooter parking areas too far away from attractions. And bathroom stalls that were way too small, especially in MK. Etc., etc. Everything looks different from a scooter. It's like seeing Disney from a child's perspective. For an adult, that's not necessarily a good thing! I encountered many rude guests. I can't tell you how many guests cut in front of me too close while dragging their kids behind them dangerously close. But if I had hit one of those children, I would have been blamed. And the people who wouldn't move to let me board a bus first (people, it's for your own safety!). Never mind that I'm the last one off the bus. While riding a scooter isn't physically as tiring as walking, it's mentally exhausting. Constantly having to be aware of everyone around me. Constantly stopping and starting to let everyone else go ahead to safety. But, believe me, that baby would zoom! And when I found a clear path, that's what I did. Zoom zoom, just like my Miata. David had to trot to keep up with me. Meanwhile I am counting down the days to WWW 2015 and to our November trip when Einstein, Diva, Miracle, and Red will again join us. Thank you all for reading along and commenting! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 Great job on the final thoughts. I hope the time is not far off when you get to see if living at the Fort is too long! TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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