It's Hot, Hot, HOT!

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't d a formal trip report for this visit.  Our trip would be too long, and you all have seen hundreds (if not thousands) of my photos.

But I'll catch us up now and hopefully will be able to keep up as our trip progresses.

Many of you know that our dear Mini Schnauzer, Kassie, passed away on Father's Day.  We knew this trip would be difficult without her.  She loved camping, looping, etc.

We spent a few days packing the moho and kept feeling her absence.  She wasn't there running up and down the hall in excitement.  We fired up the moho and she wasn't there jumping up and down saying "take me, take me!"  Life was different.

We left home on Saturday, September 3, as soon as we were sure Hurricane Hermine had passed through our travel area   Due to the DVTs I developed on our last trip we decided to spend two nights on the road.  My doctor put me back on Xarelto and gave me strict orders to stop every hour or two to walk around.

So we drove 260 miles the first day and stopped at Cracker Barrel in Walterboro, SC, for the night.  The next day we drove about 250 miles and overnighted at Flying J in St. Augustine.  

We arrived at the Fort on Monday morning (Labor Day) and were assigned to site 703.

TCD, guess who was parked right across the street from us.  We've avoided long conversations with him.

 

 

 

 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Happy to read along...especially since we plan on being part of your report?  Can't wait to see you!

I know your hearts are healing and I pray this trip will help that.  Glad you stopped the two nights on the way down.  Please don't overdo.

For the record, I LOVE your photos and am actually hoping you'll take a few family shots of us at The Fort ❤️

[caveat lector 181]

Looks like an awesome start to a beautiful trip

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

I'm in.

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[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

I'm in.

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[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

7 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Happy to read along...especially since we plan on being part of your report?  Can't wait to see you!

I know your hearts are healing and I pray this trip will help that.  Glad you stopped the two nights on the way down.  Please don't overdo.

For the record, I LOVE your photos and am actually hoping you'll take a few family shots of us at The Fort ❤️

NaCole, I'll be very happy to take family shots for you!  All you want!

6 hours ago, caveat lector said:

Looks like an awesome start to a beautiful trip

Thank you.

5 hours ago, Cortezcapt (Derek) said:

I'm in.

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Great!

4 hours ago, momof3kids-Yvonne said:

I'm in.

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Thanks for being here.

Hopefully tonight I'll be able to catch up a little on reporting the last week.

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

I want to see you. We are testing the next 2 weeks so I'm glad you're here for a while!

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[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Quote

1 hour ago, PureTcrazy...rita said:

I want to see you. We are testing the next 2 weeks so I'm glad you're here for a while!

 

 

Rita, I'd like to see you too.  Text me when you want to come over.  Do you have my number?  If not, I'll message you with it.

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

Yay A Gwen TR.

Do you still wake early and sit outside with your coffee?

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

2 minutes ago, fladogfan aka Gretchen said:

Yay A Gwen TR.

Do you still wake early and sit outside with your coffee?

I still wake early, but I can't see the sun rise on our current site.  So I usually stay indoors.  I miss seeing the sun come up.

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

Some of the sun rises are real pretty, but if you can't see them, no sense sitting in the muggy heat.  I will be glad if we get some fall weather this year....SOON would be nice.

Been trying to get to the fort and life keeps getting in the way. But I will see you this year.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

6 minutes ago, fladogfan aka Gretchen said:

Been trying to get to the fort and life keeps getting in the way. But I will see you this year.

I hope so!

 

 

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

So anyway, we arrived at the Fort on Monday morning.  When we checked in, we were given a choice of sites -- that's a first!

Went to the overflow lot and unloaded the golf cart (DeeDee).  Then we went to Trail's End.  Finally got on our site about 11:30 after the massive holiday exit.

We had planned to go to the Magic Kingdom that afternoon, but it kept raining off and on.  Went looping for awhile, bought our handleless refillable mugs, had an early dinner, and crashed early.

On Tuesday morning we picked up our rental car, went out to breakfast, made a quick stop at Publix, and finally made it to MK in time to use our first FP+ -- Peter Pan's Flight.  Then we had lunch at the Plaza Restaurant.  I love to eat there each trip because I get my yearly no sugar added milkshake:

I was in heaven.

After a few more attractions, we stopped to enjoy the piano player for awhile.

Went back to the Fort and of course looped for awhile.  Lots and lots of empty sites!  And we talked for the umpteenth time about how this trip just doesn't feel right without Kassie.

 

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Wednesday, 9/7, wa an EPCOT day.  After riding Test Track, we went to a new-to-us attraction.  Didn't expect to enjoy it, but it ended up being fun!  Turtle Talk with Crush!

We stopped at the CS in Mexico for nachos and then went back to the Fort.  Our cable TV hadn't worked since we arrived, and we had an appointment with a repairman to try and get it going.  David was having withdrawal pains from no Fox News and no Golf Channel, so I was really hoping it would be repaired.

Rick, an Engineering Department supervisor, arrived right on time.  The signal at our pole was fine.  Obviously something was wrong inside Dolly.  I expected him to leave since it wasn't the Fort's problem, but no!  He came in, checked out our setup, and discovered that the person who installed our new mount and TV had attached a cable booster to the TV.  This booster was blocking our digital signal.  So he took it off and we were fixed! Kudos to Rick!  We later turned in a Four Keys Guest Fanatic card for him.

[caveat lector 181]

Whoa, the rare Sunday evening Update! The perfect distraction from the impending doom of the upcoming work week.  Thanks for the pics!

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

2 minutes ago, caveat lector said:

Whoa, the rare Sunday evening Update! The perfect distraction from the impending doom of the upcoming work week.  Thanks for the pics!

Thanks.  I'll try to include more pictures in future updates.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

A side note here.  We are driving to all parks except MK.  This is a first for us.  If I didn't have to use an ECV, I wouldn't do it.  Parking and walking to the tram stop and having to ride it in isn't fun.

But last year we had a hard time finding space on the buses for me.  One day we waited 1.5 hours for an EPCOT bus.

I got a disability tag from my doctor for this trip.  We are able to park in the disability lot which is just a few rows from the entrance.  

Every morning I take a pain pill and apply a lidocaine patch to my lower back.  I'm able to make it through the day, but by dinnertime I'm in a lot of pain and can barely walk.  And I crash shortly after because I'm just not up to evening activities.

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

" Kudos to Rick!  We later turned in a Four Keys Guest Fanatic card for him. "

Kudos to you too for recognizing the extra help Rick gave you.

10 hours ago, CCIntrigue...aka Gwen said:

A side note here.  We are driving to all parks except MK.  This is a first for us.  If I didn't have to use an ECV, I wouldn't do it.  Parking and walking to the tram stop and having to ride it in isn't fun.

But last year we had a hard time finding space on the buses for me.  One day we waited 1.5 hours for an EPCOT bus.

I got a disability tag from my doctor for this trip.  We are able to park in the disability lot which is just a few rows from the entrance.  

Every morning I take a pain pill and apply a lidocaine patch to my lower back.  I'm able to make it through the day, but by dinnertime I'm in a lot of pain and can barely walk.  And I crash shortly after because I'm just not up to evening activities.

Smart to adjust with the rental car.  No sense waiting on busses when you can be in a park having fun!

[Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119]

That first trip without your furry loved ones is so hard, everything seems off. Have you considered a new puppy? 

Turtle Talk with Crush is super cute, my family really enjoyed it as well.

On our last trip we drove to all the parks but MK. There are pros and cons I suppose to both. I wish there were better ways of transporting those with physical needs that require wheel chairs or ECV's. Glad you were able to get a handicap tag and at least park closer.

The sugarless shake looks yummy, I will have to try it on our next visit. DiD you have any problems getting into the Plaza?

Hope you are relaxing and letting the stress of your thorn fade from your mind.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Kristi, we won't be getting another puppy,  David still works part-time, and my arthritis is so bad that I can't take a puppy out.

No, we didn't have any trouble getting into the Plaza.  We had an ADR.  That shake is delicious!

My thorn called once during the first few days of our trip.   I didn't answer the phone, and she didn't leave a message, so I didn't call back.  David called her the next day.  We haven't heard from her since.

 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Thanks for doing a live trip report!  Like everyone else, I always enjoy your photos, and it's nice to not have to wait until you get back to see them.

That's funny that you have one of the same neighbors this year.  That guy is becoming a regular.

I was actually at the Fort on Saturday of this past weekend.  Just a quick visit, around noon.  It was too hot for me to spend much time looking around.  Hopefully, I can get by there again before y'all leave.

We spent some time in Epcot on Saturday afternoon, and I was pleasantly surprised by the low wait times.  I imagine that the crowds at the parks are much lower than they have been for your recent previous visits.

TCD

[Helmsey......Todd 134]

Please post lots of pics :)

Question - after doing the drive down in 2 nights this time, what are your thoughts on that vs 1 night?

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

6 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Thanks for doing a live trip report!  Like everyone else, I always enjoy your photos, and it's nice to not have to wait until you get back to see them.

That's funny that you have one of the same neighbors this year.  That guy is becoming a regular.

I was actually at the Fort on Saturday of this past weekend.  Just a quick visit, around noon.  It was too hot for me to spend much time looking around.  Hopefully, I can get by there again before y'all leave.

We spent some time in Epcot on Saturday afternoon, and I was pleasantly surprised by the low wait times.  I imagine that the crowds at the parks are much lower than they have been for your recent previous visits.

TCD

My problem is that it takes hours and hours to edit my photos, and I can't get through all of them while at the Fort.  So I will post the highlights and probably add more once we get home.

Re the neighbors.  That guy told us he comes to the Fort for a couple of weeks several times every year.  But once he's here a few days, he wants to go home.  He's thinking about quitting camping.

Crowds in the parks are much more than we anticipated.  World Showcase was pretty empty yesterday afternoon, but the rest of the parks have been busy.

Hope we get to see you before we leave!  Do you have my cell phone number?  If not, I'll message you with it.

6 hours ago, Helmsey......Todd said:

Please post lots of pics :)

Question - after doing the drive down in 2 nights this time, what are your thoughts on that vs 1 night?

My opinion on that is different from David's!  I was very happy with two nights.  I am not a good rider.  Can't stand sitting still for that long.  We used to drive 500+ miles the first day.  It was awful.  

But David wants to get to the Fort as soon as possible and would happily drive 500 miles.  The only reason he agreed to two nights on the road this time was that my doctor gave him ultimatums.

On the way home we will only spend one night on the road.  But we will travel only a little over 300 miles each day.  My 500 mile days are over.

Either way we do the trip, we always overnight in St. Augustine and arrive at the Fort around 7am.  I think that gives us a leg up on getting the site we want.  

 

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

The 200 loop has been emptied out.  We heard chain saws running there this morning.  Lots of shrubs have been cut back, and a few trees have been removed.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Thursday, 9/8:

After I cooked breakfast, we headed to DHS.  TSMM, One Man's Dream, and then another first for us ... the Frozen Sing-Along.  Whoever here told me (maybe Kelly) that I'd enjoy the sing-along even though I'm not a Frozen fan, was right!  It was so much fun!  The actors were great!  

After the sing-along we visited Star Tours.  Then we went to Bill 'n Min's to split a hot dog.  Wow.  One hot dog and two drinks was nearly $20.

We came back to the Fort, went looping awhile, and I cooked dinner.  I collapsed shortly after because I was hurting really bad.