Just want to introduce myself.

[momto4girlz 0]

 

Hi! I recently made a reservation at the fort for November 2018. It will be our first time at the fort--and first time staying on Disney property. I'm very excited!

I have 4 daughters. My twins will be 20 this month. They will be sophomores at Auburn University. My middle daughter is 16--homeschooled. And my youngest is 11--also homeschooled. She was diagnosed with Asperger's early this year. I've known something was not right since she was 2, but it took THAT many years to figure it out. She's smart, but she also has a couple of learning disabilities. I say she was diagnosed with Asperger's, but that's not entirely accurate. Asperger's is not an official diagnosis anymore, so she's Autism, mild, requiring support. 

I'm glad there's a spot on the forum for special needs people. 

My Aspie daughter is not new to camping. She loves it. We started out tent camping when she was a preschooler. Now we have a small travel trailer (Trailmanor) She is fascinated by all things wildlife related. Sometimes I make a wildlife scavenger hunt for her when we go camping. What kind of interesting wildlife can we expect to see at the fort? She is an avid bird watcher, so she'll have her binoculars and camera on our trip for sure. 

My biggest worry for her coming to the fort is mosquitoes. She has what is known as "body focused repetitive behavior"--specifically skin picking. Any bite she gets turns into a battle for healing. She just can't leave the bites alone. The last time we were at disney, half the week I was stressed because she had an infected bite that required "the protocol"--3-4 times a day wash with soap, rinse with peroxide let air dry, then rinse with betadine. And always the quandary of cover the wound or let it get air? Her leg looked awful, and more than once I had to take her to a first aid station in one of the parks to change her yucky bandage. The nurses were very helpful--so glad they are there. (((Sigh.))) Thankfully, now that she's a little older, she seems to have a little more control. I haven't had to do "the protocol" even once this summer--and that's a first!. She has several raw spots right now, but none are infected. Just how bad are the mosqutoes in early November? How likely is it that I will be able to request a campsite away from a canal?

Any other advice or recommendations is appreciated. 

[kadancer 82]

Hello and welcome:

We have been to the Fort in the fall a few times and we have not experienced a huge problem with mosquitoes.  Many others are there more frequently during that time period and will have better advise.  My son is on the severe end of the spectrum and also has skin issues - he has a rare form of psoriasis - which flares when his body undergoes any kind of abnormal physical stress (including mosquito bites).  We use sunscreen with a mosquito repellent and that seems to keep the pests away from him.  

We have seen deer, wild turkeys, armadillos, squirrels, lizards, and bunnies in the Fort.  One June we had a pair of woodpeckers nesting on our site - it was so amazing.

Hope that helps a bit.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

 

Welcome! I hope you enjoy your trip. Our youngest is also a picker. She has Down syndrome and also exhibits signs of fetal alcohol and/or drug exposure. We try to keep her in gloves but you know how that goes. We have considered using tape to secure better as we know other parents who've done this. Always an adventure! Anyways, when we've visited the Fort in November I don't recall any serious issues with mosquitos. Hopefully they are not a problem when you visit. Also, if you request a site away from water, they will most likely be able to accommodate. When you check in, if you're not pleased with the site location ask to be moved.

 

 

Sent from my handheld doohickie

 

 

 

 

[momto4girlz 0]

Thank you, both. This is very helpful and encouraging!

[AuburnJen 777]

War Eagle!  and welcome to our funny bunch.  I have a teenager who is bipolar and on the spectrum.  He has other things too like OCD and ADHD, but all in all, they run together, lol.  In any sense, please ask away here and we like to listen, offer advise if we have it or steer you in a direction that can be useful.  We also love to meet up in person, so I hope you are not shy and like to stay on the internet and just talk like other forums do.  We love to have actual real-life, in-person gatherings.  I am one of the idiots supposedly in charge, but only to pay the bills.  We have an open concept here on the forums.  We moderate ourselves.  It is a cool concept and it has seemed to work now for 6 years now.  We welcome you and hope you will stick around and contribute to our crazy and snarky band.  If you need anything, just ask.  If you can't get a hold of me for some reason, just ask one of the regulars and one of them will have my cell number and text me if I am away from the computer for an extended time.

We are at your service!

Snarky Rules!

ETA: If you don't already have it, there is a cool app that we have for free on the google store and apple store called fort wilderness sites...it will help you with the dimensions of all (except the brand new one, supergeek is working on that one right now in the update) the loops

[momto4girlz 0]

On 7/6/2017 at 9:43 PM, AuburnJen said:

War Eagle!  and welcome to our funny bunch.  I have a teenager who is bipolar and on the spectrum.  He has other things too like OCD and ADHD, but all in all, they run together, lol.  In any sense, please ask away here and we like to listen, offer advise if we have it or steer you in a direction that can be useful.  We also love to meet up in person, so I hope you are not shy and like to stay on the internet and just talk like other forums do.  We love to have actual real-life, in-person gatherings.  I am one of the idiots supposedly in charge, but only to pay the bills.  We have an open concept here on the forums.  We moderate ourselves.  It is a cool concept and it has seemed to work now for 6 years now.  We welcome you and hope you will stick around and contribute to our crazy and snarky band.  If you need anything, just ask.  If you can't get a hold of me for some reason, just ask one of the regulars and one of them will have my cell number and text me if I am away from the computer for an extended time.

We are at your service!

Snarky Rules!

ETA: If you don't already have it, there is a cool app that we have for free on the google store and apple store called fort wilderness sites...it will help you with the dimensions of all (except the brand new one, supergeek is working on that one right now in the update) the loop

Thanks and War Eagle! I appreciate all of you. I have definitely picked up on the snark lol. I can tell this is a close knit community. That's great. Thank you all for just being available. Jen, I appreciate that you don't mind being contacted. Thanks, all!

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I can tell this is a close knit community.

 

Not really. I can't stand any of these people.

 

Sent from my handheld doohickie

 

 

[ftwildernessguy 778]

Larry wannabe.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Larry wannabe.

 

You know I sold the van and got an F150 right? I'm now a FWG wannabe. Deal with THAT.

 

Sent from my handheld doohickie

 

 

[ftwildernessguy 778]

It's tough to be idolized.  So much responsibility.

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

2 hours ago, DaveInTN said:

 

Not really. I can't stand any of these people.

 

Sent from my handheld doohickie

 

 

Who said we like you?....

[DaveInTN 3,247]

37 minutes ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

Who said we like you?....

 Why would you?  Everything is apparently my fault.  

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

49 minutes ago, DaveInTN said:

 Why would you?  Everything is apparently my fault.  

[AuburnJen 777]

I heard Dave got two obnoxious barky dogs that he keeps cooped up in his camper all day and night just to annoy FWG.

[Roberta 42]

Welcome! I also have a child (young adult) with, what used to be called Asperger's, as well as OCD and bipolar. I also have a brain injured adult son. I jokingly say my son doesn't have Asperger's anymore since it no longer exists. Well, that pesky condition was sure easy to eliminate, by the medical community, anyway. 

As far as mosquitoes, they are not usually out in November. I live not too far from the Fort, and I think early October is about as late in the year as we see them. Even in the summer, they tend to keep them well under control at the Fort, and hand out free repellent. 

I have only met one person here face to face, when he brought me my sweet baby girl, a German Shepherd that we dearly love. I hope to meet at least one more, since we will be at the Fort for Halloween. I know our TA, Jason Adams will be there that week, not sure who else. Hope to meet you, too, one day. November is the time of year we tend to spend lot of time at Disney. You never know what next year will bring. 

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

Just wanted to say WELCOME! 

 

Usually they keep the Fort sprayed for mosquitoes, we have only had a few times were it was bad at our site and that was after days of heavy rain and standing water. If you get off the beaten path or down by the beach sometimes they can get bad. We have a few of the Thermacell things and they seem to work great for us. I also put up a bug zapper most places we go, not sure how much it helps but if you have one at home and can bring it along.

[Retired and Happy (Ken) 101]

Welcome.  We usually travel with three "kids" in wheelchairs and a dog.  We spend Decembers at the Fort except for this past December (our first miss in 16 years), but will be back this year.  I haven't been on the forum much this past year, but we do have some experience.  So if we can answer any questions, give us a holler.  There are others who know more than I do, but Dave and FWG are both very knowledgeable and the SNARKYest.  I noticed you War Eagled back to Jen.  Do you have an Auburn connection?  We are a house divided with a War Eagle and a Roll Tide.

[Crockett & Boone 0]

My son is on the spectrum (Asperger's )with ADHD & Anxiety. He loves Fort Wilderness and the outdoors in general. One year he was on a mission to trace the train route through the campgrounds. He was so excited when we found evidence of it back in the woods. Anybody going to be at the Fort in the beginning of February? Anybody have experience with POTS and Fort Wilderness/Disney? My daughter has that diagnosis, and we are exploring the possibility of getting her a service dog.