Another July 4 at the Fort TCD TR 2015

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Well, we made it back to the Fort for the 4th of July.

 

If you've ever been, you know what that means.  Heat and rain.

 

Check and check.

 

If circumstances had been different, I may have sat this one out.

 

But do you know when our last camping trip to the Fort was?

 

Thanksgiving.

 

Like we hadn't camped for six months!

 

Yowsa.

 

So, no matter what, I had to go.

 

The TCD gang is all in Florida at the moment.  The twins are still at their respective colleges, but our oldest has been home for the summer waiting to begin the next chapter in her life on August 1.

 

One big problem-  I had no reservation.

 

I contacted my trusty travel agent just the week before this trip, and she was able to finagle us a reservation.  The only site level she could get was premium.  I took it.  And told her to request the 900 loop for me. I knew there was no chance of finding a third party golf cart at this late a date, but I asked any way.  I ended up hearing back that Kenny could hook me up.  So, I called him, and rented his last cart.  It was a six seater, and it was $40 a day, but that beat what I would have had to pay to Disney.  I did have to go off site to pick it up and bring it up, but that was worth the savings.

 

So, on Thursday, July 2, I hitched up the good old TCD pop-up, and headed east.  The original plan was for my oldest DD1 to ride over with me, but something came up, and she instead planned to drive over the next day.  Mrs. TCD and the TCD dog Rocky also planned to drive over at some point. Twin #1 planned to drive down from Gainesville on the 2nd, and Twin #2 would be driving from Tallahassee, but she wasn't sure if she'd be able to come on the 2nd.  You got all that?  That's how our lives are in this shining new era: complicated.

 

But, it's all good.

 

Of course, there were several last minute issues that had to be dealt with before I could finally hit the road, and my hope of getting to the Fort in the early afternoon flew out the window.  Instead, I didn't get away until after 3 pm, and didn't arrive at the Fort until around 5.  That messed up my planned meeting to get my cart, but I was able to reschedule that on the fly.

 

Check in was fine.  I had a nice and competent CM, and was elated to hear that I had been assigned to site 914.  I've stayed in that exact site a couple of times, and I like it.  One interesting thing happened near the end of the check in process.  Some guy in a shirt and tie walked in to the check-in booth and spoke to my CM.  A manager type.  He then addressed me and asked me if I would be willing to downgrade my reservation to a partial hook-up site, since I only had the pop-up.  This was after I had already checked in and paid, and been assigned my site. And, there were no partial sites available when I made my reservation in the first place. But, I wondered if there might be something in this deal for me, so I told the guy I might be interested, depending on what loop he was talking about.  He said it was the 2000 loop.  I stopped him there, and told him no thanks.  I didn't even want to hear what the offer was (if there was one),  no way was I going to stay on the 2000 loop on a holiday weekend.  That ended that discussion.  In hindsight, I should have heard the guy out.  But, the whole thing was such a surprise to me that I didn't really think about it until after the fact.  I wonder if they had overbooked the premiums sites?  And, now I'll always wonder what I could have gotten by agreeing to downgrade.

 

After that, I headed to the site.  I only had time to drop the trailer there, and then had to go and meet Kenny's man.  That whole thing worked fine, but with the trips back and forth, it took be a good hour.  Still, it was worth it.

 

While all that was going on, I had heard from Twin #1 and she and a friend were in the parks and having fun.  At one time, I thought I'd be set up and able to meet them somewhere for dinner, but that wasn't happening.  Instead, I stayed at the site and got everything set.  I had to scrounge up some dinner from what I had on hand in the trailer, and I didn't see Twin #1 and her friend until they arrived back from the Frozen fireworks at DHS.  After that, we did some looping, and called it a night.

 

And you know what?

 

I don't have a single photo from that first day.  Nothing really happened other than what I've said- I arrived at the Fort, got set up, and that was it.

 

So, my photos begin early in the morning on Friday, July 3.  Here's the Meadow Trading Post at 6:57 am.  You can see the lights are still on, and the sun is just coming up:

 

 

In our looping the night before, we had come across something interesting to see behind the 300 loop, but is was too dark for photos, so knew that I wanted to head there this morning.  On the way, looped around the 600 loop and saw this:

 

 

That guy brought his own white picket fence.

 

At the exit to 600, a guy in an interesting Star Wars decorated cart passed by.  I was slow on the draw for the photo, but no worries, I have some other photos of it for you to enjoy later:

 

 

All was quiet at the playground and dog park:

 

 

This new sign was posted at the back exit from the 300 loop.  I am not sure if it means you can't drive your cart to the right, or if it's OK if you're going to the left.  Since I always follow the rules, I parked my cart and continued on foot:

 

 

With the sun just rising, I almost couldn't see the towers on the Four Seasons resort ruin my view of the canal:

 

 

There's the BABH:

 

 

Everything looks the same here.  I was surprised that no one was fishing.  Maybe it's too hot and too buggy:

 

 

One of my favorite scenes at the Fort.  Of course, I was only able to photograph it by putting my camera lens through the chain link fence, but the photo came out good:

 

 

All of the locks on the gate were in place and locked, so I couldn't get any closer to the BABH than this, and I can't tell you whether or not it's occupied:

 

 

That last photo was also taken through the fence.  This one was taken over the fence, but I didn't hold the camera high enough.  But, you can still see the small bat house there on the left:

 

 

There was no water flowing either way through the dam- all was calm:

 

 

This is what I had come back here to see- there are picnic tables and a fire ring and some other stuff set up in that clearing over there:

 

 

Before checking on that, I headed along the canal and looked across at the old cabin. It's getting harder and harder to see, but it's still there:

 

 

I call this photo "Reflection of a Big A** Bat House in a Stagnant Drainage Canal at an Overpriced Campground- Another Nice View Ruined by Disney^TM."  It will be on sale in my gallery later this year:

 

 

One more look at the old cabin while it can still be seen/hasn't collapsed into a pile of dust:

 

 

The view of Bay Lake from here.  In this photo, you can barely see it, but I could see very clearly as I stood there, that the MK boats were heading across the lake to pick up the first batch of guests for what would surely be a busy day at the MK:

 

 

Now, let's take a look at the stuff that was set up in the clearing.  As you can see, there are a few picnic tables:

 

 

And some trash barrels and something else:

 

 

Now, what do you think this is?:

 

 

I really didn't know.

 

But I needed to.

 

Don't tell anyone, but I slid the black trash bag up a bit so I could see what was going on under there:

 

 

Now do you see what it is?

 

It's a handwashing sink.

 

Why?

 

The trash barrels were empty, and there was a table or something under that plastic:

 

 

Here's a look at the table.  It looks like it could be a bar, or maybe just a station from which to serve food and drinks:

 

 

That fire ring is like the ones used at the Meadow Campfire area:

 

 

It hadn't been used for a fire lately:

 

 

A look at the whole set-up:

 

 

This area is where the horse wagon stops when taking guests on a fireworks wagon ride.  The view of the MK fireworks from here is great:

 

 

My initial reaction to all of this was that it was set up for a private party to come out here by a horse wagon and have a private campfire while enjoying the fireworks.

 

And I wondered who those lucky guests would be.

 

Do you remember how last year there was a private party and a private fireworks show on Clementine's Beach on July 5?

 

Could those people be back?  Maybe this time, they would just watch the "free" 4th of July fireworks from here.  The 4th of July fireworks would be shot off both tonight (the 3rd) and on the 4th.  So maybe this was all set up for a private party tonight?

 

I wondered.

 

I would have to come back here later to check.

 

Because there was nothing else to see back here at the moment.

 

This survey marker is new, I think.  But it's the only one I saw back here, so it can't be for anything to big of a deal:

 

 

I then headed down the trail toward the Settlement.  They have finally replaced the missing sign at that end of the trail, and bicycles are once again banned from tearing up the dirt roads that the Fort Wilderness trucks and horse wagons have already torn up:

 

 

Speaking of incompetent managers, the covered wagon that is supposed to be in front of the Settlement Trading Post is still rotting away behind it.  I guess it's really hard to figure out how to get a new canvas top for one of those.  Too bad WDW isn't near an area where there are a lot of boats and businesses that sew canvas:

 

 

From here, the next thing we will take a look at is the big, brand-new, spacious, enhanced golf cart parking area across from Pioneer Hall.  I have photos of it from the ground, and then some from the second level of the Pioneer Hall porch (it was about time for me to get a shimmy in).  I'll have those for you in the next update.

 

First page bragging rights are officially up for grabs.

 

TCD

[The Troll 67]

Bam!

 

There's a first time for everything...even being first!

[FEARtheEERS 18]

I'm reading from the fort in the rain.

[wdisneynut 0]

First Page.

I love the Fort on the 4th

Been there many times

[jmaul 65]

F.P.B.R.

 

Everyone coming in separate vehicles? Sounds like a visit from the Ranger.....

 

I would have liked to know what would have been offered to downgrade. oh well.

 

Seems that The Troll is out from under the bridge.

[mmfancipher 31]

First Page for the very first time!!!!!  :siren: :parrot:

[Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119]

First page and ready for another TCD Trip Report

[The Troll 67]

Just a quick observation.

 

Is this a new survey marker in front of an elderly survey marker?

 

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

First page here too.

Just a question short of them paying for your site what would you consider a good deal for downgrading to the 2000 Loop on a holiday weekend?

[parrothead7368 aka Norm 101]

First page and on that very date I was in Hatteras celebrating my 47th birthday.

 

Best Regards,

Norm

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

Wow, did I make page one?

 

Heat and rain, yup that's what I remember about the Fourth at WDW.

 

That campfire area is a little better than I expected for that Fort Wilderness adventure thing.

 

Oh and I like the white picket fence, did that guy sit in a rocking chair by it and watch the world go by.

 

WBI

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

First page bragging rights!

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

In!

[ependydad...Doug 176]

Ugh, another TCD report.

I mean, yay!

Nah, who am I kidding- I love TCD reports.

[ependydad...Doug 176]

And now a question- what does TCD's camp setup look like? What are you camping in? And all that jazz?

[lightbikes 73]

" He said it was the 2000 loop.  I stopped him there, and told him no thanks.  I didn't even want to hear what the offer was (if there was one),  no way was I going to stay on the 2000 loop on a holiday weekend. "

 

 

I can't even begin to imagine how awful the 2000 loop would be on the July 4th long weekend. It's bad enough at Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years etc etc.

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

Yikes!  I almost missed being on page one.

[dieseldave 5]

I call this photo "Reflection of a Big A** Bat House in a Stagnant Drainage Canal at an Overpriced Campground- Another Nice View Ruined by Disney^TM."  It will be on sale in my gallery later this year:

 

 

  :laugh:

 

I'm in!

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

And now a question- what does TCD's camp setup look like? What are you camping in? And all that jazz?

http://imgur.com/gallery/b9Z5Q4N

[Memphis 105]

I'm in

[BigTom 76]

I would have had to listen to what was offered to trade sites. having been in 2000 loop for holidays and 1500 for holidays, there isn't a lot of difference anymore.

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

Well, we made it back to the Fort for the 4th of July.

 

If you've ever been, you know what that means.  Heat and rain.

 

 

TCD

That's why we stay North from April until Oct.

[ependydad...Doug 176]

http://imgur.com/gallery/b9Z5Q4N

I'll admit, I clicked that thinking you were serious and then giggled.

[Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119]

I'll admit, I clicked that thinking you were serious and then giggled.[/quote

Only if it were a nightmare lol.

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

Enjoying the read as usual. Thanks for the report!