Hot, Hot, Hot, a sweltering visit 6/28 thru 7/6

[Travisma 1,317]

So lets get this report back on track.

This is why it's been a while for an update...

We took my granddaughter and made a semi last minute trip to see my oldest daughter in Minneapolis.  My younger daughter and other granddaughter were already up there on a visit.  More about this trip in another report.

So now it's the Fourth of July.  Another hot day.  People were coming in via bus and heading to the ol swimming hole and into the 1500 loop loaded down with swimming gear and covered dishes.

We headed to the pool for awhile. The cart parade was now scheduled for later in the day.  They had the pet parade, but by the time we got there it was over. it turned out to be a kind of laid back day. We hung out at the pool most of the day, then went to the cart parade.

There were quite a few carts in the parade, but like someone had said in another post, they aren't nearly as fun or imaginative as Halloween.  There's just so much you can do with red, white, and blue.

Later we headed down to the beach for the EWP and fireworks.

So mister blue shirt decided to stand up as soon as the second rocket went up, ruining all of my shots.

I didn't want to stand up, because I didn't want to block the view of the people behind me.

My chili pepper lights

My laser Fairy Lights.  They look better in person.

This is what I used.  The lights were about $15 from Amazon.  I mounted them in the sealed plastic boxes, cut a hole in the bottom for the power cord and drilled a few drain holes in the bottom in case water leaked in.  So far so good.

While trying to put the stakes into the dirt I found there is a nice thick layer of clay just below the sand.

Will post later about our last full day on the fifth.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Mr. Blue Shirt strikes again!

You got some good photos of his back.

That's a cool set up for your lights.

TCD

[Travisma 1,317]

Well lets get this report finished up.

Tuesday July 5.  My oldest daughter was catching and early flight back to Minneapolis.  My other daughter and granddaughter took her to the airport and then headed home.  They left the Fort around 6:00 a.m.

After breakfast, my wife, other granddaughter and I started packing up items we no longer needed, the tent, screen room, cots, etc.  That way we wouldn't need to rush on Wednesday morning.

After we finished packing we had lunch and headed to the pool and spent a good part of the afternoon there relaxing and trying to stay cool.  My granddaughter did the hula hoop contest and was the winner.  Now this is where I think Disney cheaps out.  After they declared her the winner, they told her to come back after the pool party was over, and everyone was getting a prize.  Now I know they don't have to give out anything, but c'mon, she won a contest of skill, and they can't afford to give her an extra trinket or two and show that she's a winner?  Same thing at Wilderness Lodge.  A while back they gave out pins when you finished the hidden Mickey search, now you get a sticker.

So after our pool party it was back to camp for dinner and finishing up leftovers so we didn't have to haul them back home.  After we cleaned up we decided to head to the Poly and treat ourselves to a Dole Whip!

On the way to the boat, we ran into some friends from Tampa at the beach.  They had spent the entire day on the 4th at the beachside activities.  They even took a grill and ez-up with them.

Well it paid off for them.  The husband and son won the hot dog eating contest, and the wife and daughter won the watermelon contest.  Each contest awarded them two tickets to the HDDR and an hour pontoon boat rental.

So, off to the Poly!

We got out at the Contemporary, and found this at the back entry into the lobby.  Must've taken someone a while to sketch it.

 

We got to the Poly, and they had just announced that it was time for the torch lighting ceremony.

This was the same performer from the Luau and he put on a short fire dance show.

It was a nice bonus.  I imagine the entire ceremony would've been a little more impressive if it was darker.

Afterwards we had our Dole Whips, the we did a little exploring and headed back to the Fort. 

This picture is for TCD of his favorite view at WDW.  This is from the Contemporary dock.  I was shocked how clearly you could see it from the monorail between the GF and the MK station

We stayed down at the beach area and caught the EWP and Wishes. 

But something was broken and there was no music or narration for the fireworks.  On the 4th, we could barely hear the narration, and the music was even worse.

Wednesday we slept in a little got up had breakfast and finished up packing a policing the grounds.

Took a final picture of the native FL wildlife.

I had meant to post this earlier in the report, but just now found the picture.

We all complain about the Fort cutting/trimming trees, but this is a good example of why they have to.

This was the canal that runs alongside of the 1500 Loop coming from the meadow.  Imagine if this was next to a site and it had come down on a PUP or a tent.

So, that's the report of our big stay over the 4th, and how we survived the heat and feel like 102 degree temps in a tent and PUP without A/C!

One last thing, I've said it before and I'll mention it again, Coleman Extreme Ice Chests are fantastic for keeping food cold for a long time.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

A hot dog eating contest?

That's the first time I've heard of that!

Tickets to the HDDR ain't cheap.  That's a nice prize.

Great job on this report!

Will you be doing it again next year?

TCD

[Seals 111]

Wow -- so the skill and athleticism needed to win the hula hoop contest gets you nothing extra, but the physical capacity to ingest large quantities of food in a short amount of time gets you over $100 of prizes. Nice lesson, WDW!  

Nice trip report. Sounds like you had a great family time. 

[Travisma 1,317]

Just now, Tri-Circle-D said:

A hot dog eating contest?

That's the first time I've heard of that!

Tickets to the HDDR ain't cheap.  That's a nice prize.

Great job on this report!

Will you be doing it again next year?

TCD

So far no plans. 

We usually go that time when the relatives come down, and since they spend the big bucks on tickets and premium resorts, that's an every other year deal for them.

I know, those were nice prizes, made me even madder about the lack of cheapie prizes at the pool party!

As of now, it looks like we will be cancelling our Halloween trip. 

Since the time we booked it, my granddaughter was accepted into the STEM program in her first year of Middle School, and they are a little less forgiving taking days off.

She would end up missing almost 3 days because we had booked Friday thru Tuesday.

We are probably going to try to just get a weekend trip in sometime between September and December instead.

 

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

We were on a 3 week camping trip to VA and PA while you enjoyed the Florida temps.  All the relatives in VA and PA complained about how hot it was this summer.  It felt like a normal FL summer to me, then we came home to find it was hotter and dryer than usual this year.  Not sorry to have missed them.  It was our last trip in the hybrid, now we are glampers too though I try to stay outside as much as possible.

Good for you guys camping without the AC in the pup.  The grandgirls will have such memories about camping with you.  What a nice thing to give them. 

Sorry you will not be camping for Halloween, but the STEM program comes first.