Not really a trip report just a few thoughts on a recent trip

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

So before we left I had all intentions of taking lots of pictures and writing a trip report. Well that didn't happen, my phone didn't want to stay charged, and the memory card was full in the camera. So I just decided to write a little about our trip. 

 

In October 2017 my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, scheduled for surgery. Well the day before surgery the Drs decided to postpone surgery and do chemo first for 8 doses over a 16 week period followed by surgery. 

 

Fast forward to her last chemo day where I thought we need a break, Fort wilderness is her happy place let's see if I can get a reservation. We have friends who have blackout dates so I called to make reservations for the day after blackout lifted. Woohoo we got Monday-Friday at the Fort. Let my friends know and they called and booked Wednesday-Sunday, well looks like I need to add Saturday, no problem all booked and ready to go. 

 

The time before the trip was filled with her recovering from chemo, slowly getting a little stronger everyday, Drs appointments to get everything set up for surgery and me trying to get the trailer that's sat since October ready to go between taking care of her, my grandfather and work. Needless to say I forgot to do online check-in this was probably my first fail. Had a Drs appointment that couldn't be changed that was scheduled for Wednesday, well we tossed around the idea of cancelling Monday and Tuesday, or just cancelling Monday, her riding up with our friends on Wednesday but that through a whole nother issue in that she hasn't driven since she started chemo. Well we decided to just go up on Monday and drive home Wednesday for the appointment, it's roughly a 2 hour drive give or take. 

 

So off we went to the Fort. Got up the day we were leaving had everything packed, some meals pre made and my grandfather calls wants me to go to a store with him. Ok it's still earlier than we had planned to leave. So I go get him and he directs me to a mobility store, (we have a small scooter that my mom previously used to get around the parks or places she'd be doing a lot of walking because of bad knees, but it was very old, needed new batteries and wasn't overly comfortable for her) well he decided she needed a new scooter since she's having even more trouble getting around right now and severe neuropathy from one of the chemo drugs. An hour later I'm packing a new little bit bigger but still collapsible scooter into the trailer. Thank you grandpa! Of we go still on our original schedule. Look out Fort Wilderness we're coming!

Edited April 26, 2018 by Cortezcapt (Derek)
Edited to add, this may not be as short as I first thought. Just no pictures.

[Travisma 1,317]

Any trip report is good, with or without pictures.

Just think all of the things you got to see in person and not thru a viewfinder!

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

We got about 15 miles from home and a tire pressure light came on in the truck followed by some beeping. Got off on the next exit and pulled into a plaza. Let's get to book out and see, well it appeared to be a tire pressure sensor malfunction light. Checked the pressure in all the truck tires everything was good looked again lights gone. I thought well the truck is probably made is been ignored since October, went from a daily driver down to being periodically started and driven a few blocks a month. So back on the road. Made it to the Fort with no other problems and got to experience the new bypass/road, so much easier than having to go through the booths. Got to the guard shack at the Fort, "welcome home, go right up to one of the check in lines". This is where it all started to go down hill. We have stayed at the Fort many times not as many as a lot of people on here but this definitely wasn't our first Fort trip. Pull up and right into a open lane, turn the truck off and I excitedly greated the CM (it's been a hard few months, we're at Disney/Fort Wilderness, our happy place I'm excited) in return I got a very flat welcome to fort wilderness. Hmm ok people have bad days, even at Disney.  Gave her my information, and explained I had forgot to do the online check-in, which has never been a problem before, and that it should be marked on our reservation that we were traveling with another group who would be checking in on Wednesday. Her response "that's nice but I don't see anything about that, if they have a reservation they'll get a site". I'm then told we hadn't been assigned a site yet and asked if I had a preference, well 900 is my favorite loop right now so that what I asked for. She grumbled out a few site numbers and asked which one I wanted, none were near each other so I asked if there would be one close by any of those for our friends. She huffed and puffed and finally said she'd call and find out where to put us. Next she hands me the book and starts listing off site numbers like an auctioneer. This is were I'll admit at this point there was no one in line behind us or behind any of the others in line. After another phone call some very rude comments that I'm not sure if I was supposed to hear or not and a "ya know I don't have all day here" I just picked a random site and said I'd take it.  We had added a couple people to the reservation after our MBs had been sent, oh so these bands weren't ready and she couldn't get her thing to work, she'll have them sent to our site. Gave her the credit card, and off we went. Now all of this took about 20 mins. Long by not nearly as long as I have had to wait before. I was so annoyed at this point by her attitude that all I wanted to do was get away from her. 

 

So off we went to a site in the 800 loop, this is new never stayed in 800 before. Drove around the loop and saw lots of open sites, unfortunately weren't thrilled with the one we picked so after towing the trailer through the loop twice I found 2 empty sites I though would be perfect for us and our friends. Back up to the Outpost parked the truck and trailer and went inside this is what saved the day! Walked in and a CM I believe his name was Adam (have it written down so I can write giving him kuddos) called me up to his area and asked how he could help, so I explained I didn't care for the site we were assigned and asked if the sites we liked would be available, sure enough he looked, showed me in the book, offered a couple other sites that might work as well and boom we were done, sites changed, site next to us added to our friends reservation. Simple, easy, happy, what you expect at Disney! So happy again and full of Disney spirit we headed back to our site to set up.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Sounds like Adam needs to blow some pixie dust up the first idiot's butt.  What was her name?  I'm picturing Large Marge.  

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

14 minutes ago, DaveInTN said:

Sounds like Adam needs to blow some pixie dust up the first idiot's butt.  What was her name?  I'm picturing Large Marge.  

Unfortunately I was so annoyed and frustrated I didn't write her name down and can't remember it.  Had a CM say they should be able to look it up. 

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

Had a nice gentleman come over to help guide me into the site, that's  one thing I like about camping is how friendly a lot of other campers can be. Got set up in record time especially since I was setting up alone, relaxed for a little bit then realized the morning trip to the scooter store had taken the place of grocery shopping. The only food we had was the premade dinners that were planned for other nights. Well I didn't feel like going to Publix and cooking so we headed off to Port Orleans Riverside for CS build your own salad, we love these and can usually make a meal and a snack out of them. On the way back to the Fort a check engine light came on. Dinner, a quick glance through the trucks manual then off to bed. 

 

Woke up to rain on Tuesday that ok, only thing we had planned was to relax, make salsa and a trip to the grocery store. Then I remembered the check engine light, well I wanted to get a tarp to cover the scooter since I had forgot the cover and didn't want to keep having to take it apart and put it the trailer. So found an advanced Auto parts, Walmart and Publix all close to each other and headed out. This is where I forgot about the handy car care center! Well got the code read p203c Reductant Level Sensor Circuit Low. Called Gator Ford our dealer and ask what it was, "you can bring it in" ok but I'm in Orlando. So I start try to find dealerships in the area that can look at it. No place would look at it tell Friday at the earliest. Hit Walmart, then dawned on me car care, so gave them a call, sure they'd read the code again, see if there was anything they could do or refer us someplace else. Now I'm panicking, we have to be back home by 1 the next day for an appointment that can't be missed or changed. Start the truck, check engine lights gone, hmm drive to car care center thought there was another entrance missed it had to go around again. Ugh a great day! Anyway get there the hook everything up, um no codes showing up. Great, I give up. Headed off to Publix get stocked get back to the Fort and realized I forgot tonic water. Oh well no gin tonight. 

After a sandwich and a short nap decided to go to the Contemporary and watch the fireworks. First time see the new ones from anywhere other then the Fort, met a nice older couple and watched the fireworks with them. On the way back to the Fort there were 10 people including our captain on the boat (I think may have been 1 or 2 +/-) well everyone was from Florida and 6 of us from the same area including the captain, 4 of us went to the same highschool just not at the same time, weird! Was time for bed wanted to leave early in case anything happened to the truck on the way to the appointment in the morning.  Made it safe and sound no lights, warnings, everything was working perfectly, picked up some thing from the house made the appointment and we were on our way back to the Fort. Called our friends to find out where they were and they were just pulling in. 

 

Got back to the Fort and heated up one of our premade dinners for us and our friends. He had to go back home to work and planned to come back up on Friday, she would stay the rest of the week and had her son and DIL coming up the next day for a night.

Well after dinner we check the time and figured we could make it to the MK in time for the fireworks, which we did and got right up in front of the castle. Well this was great till some ladies decided to come stand right in front of my mom in her scooter and put kids on there shoulders, several people around us made comments to them so they sat the kids on garbage cans off to the side so my mom had a little better view. Now I know many people loved wishes and so did I but I have to say I actually liked the new show from inside the MK. I don't like it as much from the Fort but I think that because I knew wishes so well I knew what was going on even if I couldn't see it and I'm no where near that point with this new show. After the fireworks we hit the Tiki room, followed by the jungle cruise with a great CM. Now I love the jungle cruise, the corny jokes and all and you can have really good captains, this one was. Unfortunately later in the trip the one we got just fell flat really flat!   Then they wanted to go to the hall of president, after some stalling and whining from me and another stall by buying a popcorn bucket we got to the hall of presidents and something went right for me on this trip, it was closed! Oh darn guess we'll have to hit the haunted Mansion. Well my mom decided to forgo the ride so we left her with the popcorn bucket, ooops we left her with an empty one, somehow we 2 of us scarfed down the whole bucket in the short walk to the haunted Mansion. Well a quick walk on to the haunted Mansion a refill of popcorn and we were back of to the Fort, but not before stopping and getting some freshly made cotton candy. For the dog of course, although she begrudgingly shares with us. Well that ends Wednesday, think we hit the rack after that preparing for 2 arriving in the morning and some fast passes at AK

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

1 hour ago, Travisma said:

Any trip report is good, with or without pictures.

Just think all of the things you got to see in person and not thru a viewfinder!

Very true! Since they have been so nice to throw in photo pass photos as a "perk" (of paying more) for annual pass holders we tend to take them up on there generosity as much as we can. So I do have lots of pictures from the trip but they are of all of us and I wouldn't subject y'all to a trip report filled with pictures of me.

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

Ok I have time so I'm going to continue on. 

It's Thursday, I love my friend to death but she wakes up between 4 and 6 am every day, I wake up between 8 and 10 most days. Well I have got her to wait till between 730-8 before she starts texting me to see if I'm awake and want coffee. (Because when I do wake up I'll come get coffee, you really don't need to ask or give updates on the coffee). It was a nice cool morning so we relaxed and waited for her kids to arrive, had coffee, showered all that good stuff.  Around 1030 they said they were stopping at the store did we need anything, TONIC! My friend had bought them the 3 day Florida resident pass they had on special and added the park hopper to it, we had set up some fast passes at AK and lucked out in getting 3 for Flight of Passage. I hadn't been on any of the avatar rides yet.

 

Well after some unpacking and relaxing we decided to head off to AK. My mom decided to pass was a little worn out from the day before and just want to enjoy the Fort. So off we went with our trust popcorn bucket, we were prepared. Got to the Outpost looked at the tv 20 mins for AK buss, hmm ok we'll hang out. Oh look a HS buss let's get on that. Wondered around HS and decided to check the times on Rocking rollercoaster short wait maybe 20 mins the CM said so we got in line. Now here my friend didn't want to go, shes not a rollercoaster fan. Well we convinced her to wait in line with us then finally to get on the ride, she survived! But said no more. Odly tower of terror had a much longer line so we decided to skip it and head over to AK, but not before getting the popcorn bucket filled. Time to find our bus, wait who has the water, oh we weren't prepared at all. All 4 of us forgot to bring water, well after an expensive vending machine visit we we're prepared and refilled our bottles throughout the day.  

 

Made it to animal kingdom in plenty of time to stop at 2 photo passes before our firts fast pass at dinosaur. Ok I dislike this ride, it's pretty much just voluntary whiplash. After that we decided to go on dino spin to kill some time before our next fast pass. Well my friend didn't want to go so she was going to refill the popcorn bucket (twice because in the 15mins it took us to get through she had eaten the popcorn). 

 

Next it was off to Pandora and Flight of Passage. This was the first time I have seen Pandora and I have to say I was impressed. So we could only get 3 fast passes for FoP so I was willing to forgo it so the could all go together, I'd go another time. Well we got up to the entrance and the CM asked why one wasn't going we told here she asked us all to scan our MBs and said have fun. There's some pixie dust, we didn't even ask if we could get an extra person on..  so FoP I liked it, though I found it to be a little blurry, not sure if it's the screen or the glasses they make you wear. Oh and the vibrating can be a little different....... But overall I really liked the ride. I don't think I'd ever wait in an hour+ line for it, but there isn't much I would, I will look for fast passes for it though. 

Next we headed to Everest, and hit the single rider line. I think the 3 of us got the same train and were on in less than 5 minutes. Everyone loved it. 

Time for more popcorn, water refills and a slow walk to the Safari. We stopped by to see the bats seems like every time I go to see them their closed. We this time they weren't and it was just about dusk and they were starting to move around, they did come through tell us we would have to leave as they were closing that area. Ok had seen the bats, I live bats! Safari we were about 15 mins early for our fast passes but the standby line was only 20 mins so we went to the fast pass entrance, nope come back in 15 mins or go stand in standby is what I was told while my friend's son who scanned at the other CM was told he was a little early but could go ahead. Well when the CM I had gone to saw we were all together she said no. Ok we tried. Oh look corn on the cob, my friend and her son took off to the corn stand while his wife and I discussed the fact we didn't want corn stuck in our teeth so a soft pretzels is what we split. 

Best Safari ride ever! Glad the didn't let us go earlier. We were the first truck on the "night" route ( now it's been awhile so I'm not sure what the difference is if there is one, but she kept telling us we were wait for approval to switch to the night route.) I will say it's the most active we have seen the animals and the closest we've seen some. Could have reach out and touched a rhino. 

 

Well after Safari we were ready to go back and have some food. Hopped a bus back to the Fort and grilled some cheddar wurst and pigged out other than a pretzel and popcorn or corn and popcorn we hadn't eaten all day. 

 

Tomorrow is Epcot and yehaa Bob.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Enjoying your TR!

 

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

 

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

Enjoying your TR!

 

Thanks Gwen, I only wish I had your photo skills and had remembered to empty my memory card before we went.

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

I'm liking this no pics report.  Thanks.

 

[caveat lector 181]

What do you mean no pics....I think you are painting p8ctures with words. Nice work 

[Beckers 1,136]

Enjoying your report, I hope your momma is doing well.

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

2 hours ago, fladogfan aka Gretchen said:

I'm liking this no pics report.  Thanks.

 

Thank you

2 hours ago, caveat lector said:

What do you mean no pics....I think you are painting p8ctures with words. Nice work 

Haha yeah I had just planned on a short little we were there and left report. But then I got bored and it turned into a long winded report lol.

16 minutes ago, Beckers said:

Enjoying your report, I hope your momma is doing well.

Thank you. She does a little better each day, will be having surgery on the 7th. 

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

So Friday was Epcot day, we had fast passes for the frozen ride but not till the afternoon. But the biggest thing we wanted to do was go to Port Orleans Riverside and see Bob.  So other than my friend the rest of us are late risers, well her son usually isn't but this was vacation. I think she let us sleep till around 830. We got up had some coffee then decided to have some breakfast. When we camp together we usually do group breakfasts, and cook at one campsite or the other. So I fried up some sausage then cooked the scrambled eggs in it with lots of cheese, they made the bacon, I'd made some salsa at some point so we had a simple but good breakfast, oh cant forget we did have some oranges and pineapple. After breakfast everyone got ready for the day and we headed out to Epcot. Today we drove mom decided to go and sometimes it's just easier to throw the scooter in the back of the truck then to load it on a bus. Especially since this was only the second outing with the new bigger 4 wheeled scooter, doesn't have the turning radius the little 3 wheeler did. 

Oh I forgot I think it was Thursday night but maybe Wednesday night we started smelling something in the bathroom. Well I was pretty sure it wasn't the tanks they had been cleaned out real well after the last time they were used and had even out more stuff in them when we got to the Fort. Unfortunately I was pretty sure I knew where the smell was coming from because we'd had it happen before. Got out my flash light looked into the back of the toilet and sure enough that was it. We had the Dometic 300 plastic toilet and a little over 2 years ago we had the same smell and issue, dirty water working it's way in between the inner bowl and outer casing. Both times this has happened at the Fort, the first time was 3 days into a 2 week trip, which resulted in Dometic send a new toilet to the Fort for me to swap out. So I got on the phone and gave them a call, the lady argued with me that the toilet we had was made after they had made some changes and there was no way it was doing the same thing, so I offered to take a picture and send her. Well that did it nope she didn't need a picture but our toilet was out of warranty, so I asked to speak with her supervisor, oh she'll send a toilet right out. But it won't be delivered till Monday, ok I can live with lots of spray and leaving the fan running. I ask if it'll be they same model or the ceramic 310 model (I know some had had their 300s that had this problem replace with the 310s) well she wasn't sure. So we lived with it till Sunday. Luckily it never got as bad as it did the first time.

 

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

Ok back to Epcot we loaded up the truck, all remembered to bring our water bottles and headed off to Epcot. Now I like the MK, but when people ask what my favorite park is it's Epcot. Damn Judy Dench had a short line and we figured we'd hit it on the way out so we headed over to mission Mars. Now I have ridden this once and it was more than enough, never happening again and almost didn't happen the first time, I'm claustrophobic and had I had any idea how that ride would be before I was strapped in and it was closing I wouldn't have gone. So my friend's son and DIL went. We headed over to the shade of the smoking area and hung out. They enjoyed the ride and we spent a few mins deciding what to do, well we wanted to go counter clockwise around the world so we'd end up in Norway for our fast passes. 

 

But first we thought we'd check out the test track line. Now 3 of us had the app on our phones a d kept looking at it. But none of the 3 off us could remember what we had just read. So the whole trip was when, why, where, when, what, why, pretty much we were a mess that just wondered and things worked out. So we wondered over to test track and went through the single rider line. My mom and friend didn't go. It was test track nothing new but they'd never been. So my friend wanted to take them to club cool, well my mom and I were ok skipping that and went next door to get our pass holder magnets. That done we decided to use the bathrooms and wait for them in the AC. Well they came back over and I asked if they tried Beverly (in a really excited voice) friends DIL said no with a shocked face I said "what? You have to!" So off she went by herself, her husband looked at me and just shook his head. Now she is the sweetest, kindest person I have met, but she should know me well enough by now to not completely trust me. She come back chugs her water and asks very nicely if I really like that one. That was it I busted up laughing if I hadn't been sitting I think I probably would have fallen over. I think I might have got a glare and I know her husband did because he was trying unsuccessfully to not laugh. (He'd tried it the first time). 

 

Well my friend and her son both have a gluten allergy, so we always like to try the gluten free option and the rest of us usually pick things we may like to try as well. Now we don't buy one thing per person we usually buy a couple thing or just get something gluten free if they have it and split it. Kind of a everyone gets a taste. So that's what we did. Stopped at a few places and ate had some photo pass pictures taken then looked around but on a semi fast pace to Germany. Now Germany has a really good gluten free cider (they used to have 2 flavors of it but now only have one) called PURE, my friend and I get it every time we go to Epcot. I always look for it in stores but haven't found it yet. So we stopped in there, well wouldn't you know the table opened up so we stood in there and enjoyed a couple ciders and some feigling. Then head back out for Norway.

 

Well at this point we were all kinda over being in the park and wanted to go freshen up before going to Bob. Swung into Norway then decided not to wait for our fast pass time, we cancelled them and headed back to the Fort.

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

Ok so Friday night, my friends boyfriend decided not to come up till Saturday morning so it was just the 5 of us going to Port Orleans. We got back to the Fort, rinsed off had a snack and all loaded back up in the truck in a fairly timely manner for our group. Now my friends son and DIL had never seen Yehaa Bob. So we got to Port Orleans about an hour before the show, and it's packed!!!!! Well we got a table behind the short walk but really wanted one of the front tables. I happened to look over and there were 2 ladies who had checks in front of them at one of the front tables. Now I'm not usually one to do stuff like this but my mom really loves Bob and it was the one thing she wanted to do over anything else. So I went over and nicely asked if they were staying for the show, they said no and a very embarrassed me asked if when they got ready to leave would they let us know so we could take their table, I told them take there time, apologized and went back to were the tlrest of our group was. About 5 mins later the ladies called me over and said they were getting ready to leave if I wanted to sit so we we're sure to get the table.  That made everyone happy, I thanked them profusely.  So front table for Bob ✓, next on the list drinks and food. Now here was probably my low point for the trip they used to serve a Pims punch and I loved it, I'd been craving it, that's all that sounded good, wait where is it? It's gotta be on the menu somewhere! Waiter where's the Pimm's punch? What it's gone, please tell me there's still a bottle of Pimm's hiding somewhere and they can make one. He'll ask, ok, I sit very impatiently waiting please please! Then the crushing news there's no Pimm's, ok a gin and tonic to drown my sorrows in then please. By this point everyone else had their drinks and the chef was on his way to the table to talk to us about gluten free options. 

 

So we have been in here and eaten several times and had the chef come out unfortunately the only gluten free things they had offered before was wings and the substitution of a bun on some sandwich. Well this time us gluten eaters were ordering the tater tots with pulled pork and beer cheese on them he offered to substitute the beer cheese with just regular cheddar so they'd be gluten free. Well the nice people we are said oh that's nice, you can get your own we want beer cheese! So 2 orders of the tater tots an order of wings and some fries. Oh and they even made the fried pickles on the wings gluten free. I wish I could remember the chefs name because he was great. We had a few drinks we had some food, sang along, participated and really enjoyed the first show. 

 

Now heres my second bummer of the night. Friends son and DIL were drinking sangria, well she finished hers and left all the fruit in the bottom, our waiter came by to take the empties and I ask him to leave her glass. Well reached down into the glass with my fingertips and my thumb bumped the side of the glass and pow glass broke. Waiter came running over every is staring at me in anticipation, waiting for me to start screaming or gushing blood( neither of which happened). I wss a little embarrassed and a little sad that all that sangria soaked fruit was going to go to waste because there was now shards of glass in it. The waiter came back over with a plastic cup of fruit for me, nice of him, but it hadn't soaked up all that yummy sangria. My friends son downed his and passed me his cup telling me to pour the fruit into the plastic one so I didn't break another glass. 

 

We stayed and enjoyed Bobs second show I usually like this one better than the first. By the end of the second show we were all getting a little tired and ready for some quiet Fort time.

 

One thing my mom wanted to do before we left though was get a picture with Bob. Now for those of you you haven't seen his show throughout he will take his hat off wipe his head and ask how his hair looks, the crowd always screams back something along the lines of it looks great Bob and he continues on. What's funny about this is Bob has no hair or shaves his head. So after everyone else went up and got their pictures my mom went up and asked him if she could get a picture with him with his hat off, he said sure and so she asked if she could take her wig off. This was a big step for her because other than close friends and family since she's lost her hair she's always had a wig or hat on around people.  They talked a few minutes between themselves, they took a picture then he asked if he could have one on his camera and if she be alright with him posting it on his Facebook. She agreed and we took the picture for them. 

 

After that we headed back to the Fort had a night cap and all headed off to bed. 

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Great story with Bob and kudos to your mom and her courage!!!!! With mom's permission that would be a great photo to share.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

9 hours ago, Cortezcapt (Derek) said:

 I think sex let us sleep till around 830. 

 

Scotch does the same thing, but your way sounds more fun.  

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

24 minutes ago, DaveInTN said:

Scotch does the same thing, but your way sounds more fun.  

Oops thanks for catching that. Fixed it!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Whew!  You write fast!  I finally read it all. Nice job. 

Bummer about that first CM at check-in. It's always hit or miss at the Fort- you could get someone who has been there for years, or a newbie who seems to know nothing. 

I agree with you about the new fireworks show- but your experience with people shoving in at the last minute, and kids on shoulders is a huge problem that makes the in-park viewing experience very unpleasant. 

I loved the story about your mom and Yehaw Bob. Awesome!

 TCD 

[Robin 48]

Great report!

[Tony 27]

It's been fun reading along, thank you for sharing.

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

10 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Whew!  You write fast!  I finally read it all. Nice job. 

Bummer about that first CM at check-in. It's always hit or miss at the Fort- you could get someone who has been there for years, or a newbie who seems to know nothing. 

I agree with you about the new fireworks show- but your experience with people shoving in at the last minute, and kids on shoulders is a huge problem that makes the in-park viewing experience very unpleasant. 

I loved the story about your mom and Yehaw Bob. Awesome!

 TCD 

Haha, had a lot of free time yesterday. Figured I'd work on it while I had the time and before I forgot more. 

We have usually have had pretty good luck with CMs at the Fort and the times we've had new or inexperienced CMs we've had enough experience to make it a smooth transaction. This lady however seemed to just want to make it tough. 

Yeah it's been mentioned many times on here how common courtesy and sense seems to be a thing of the past. This was definitely so for the fireworks. 

7 hours ago, Robin said:

Great report!

Thank you

3 hours ago, Tony said:

It's been fun reading along, thank you for sharing.

Thanks for reading along, it was a fun trip. 

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

Ok so on to Saturday.  Now usually our Fort trips are fairly relaxing with lots of looping, naps, and a few short park visits thrown in. Living close enough for day trips and having annual passes we rarely do more then make a couple fast passes, do those, and head back to the Fort. Maybe if a band is at Epcot or something special we want to see we'll go to that. Well this was day 3 of park days, though not open to close still more park time then we normally put in. Add to that no naps, truck issues, and a day spent driving home and back, I was ready for a slow relaxing day. But my friends son and DIL still had one park day left and she wanted them to get the most out of their tickets. Although I think we (them included) would have rather just stayed around the Fort and hit the pool. 

We did spend the morning just hanging out. Waited for friends boyfriend to get there and made breakfast. By the time we were all ready to go I'd say it was about 130ish. We had a couple of fast passes made but they were at random times and places around the park. Off we went my mom took the scooter down to the dock and we took one of the golf carts. It was a warmer day then the past 2 or at least felt that way. The boat was just leaving as we got there so we grabbed a table with an umbrella to wait. Uneventful boat ride over and made it through bag check. 

Slight backtrack here, seems that at every park my friends son and I were picked to go through the metal detectors (though I think at HS I "volunteered" because I wasn't sure if they wanted everyone not going through bag check to go or not and asked the guy standing there if I needed to go through the metal detector.) I do but don't like the fact that everyone back check or not has to go through at the MK when coming from a resort, especially when the CMs checking bags were handing them back to people. This caused people to not think and just walk through the metal detector with their bags, then causing a backup. They need to make security the same at every park entrance and get it set up better. Just my opinion. 

Ok so into the park we go, get a couple photos taken, grab a map. Why grab a map? Who knows it just seems second nature, do I need one not really. Well we we're joking with my friends son about him needing to learn German so he could go to Germany with his work, that caused me to pick up a German map and on in English. Now you know the only one we could find the rest of the day was the German one, again not an issue but funny. 

It was getting to be parade time so I asked a CM where the area for the scooters were, she pointed to one place right near where we were then said there was another by the hub and one just in front of the bathrooms by the firehouse, telling us we should go to it because there was shade there. We did and it was a great place partially shaded and with few people and conveniently located near a popcorn stand! My friend and I went and filled the popcorn bucket returned it to the group and headed over to try to find some missing photo pass pictures, no luck there. We wanted popcorn and it's was getting close to parade time so back to the group, wait no popcorn? Back to the popcorn stand then sat and shoved popcorn in our mouths and watched the parade. 

Next stop Small World. This is a ride I don't go on. It's never been one of my favorites and when we used to take my grandma every year I'd skip it while they would go. So I just don't go on it. Mom and I headed over to the phone chargering area to find a little shade and a place for me to sit and wait. Now my phone has a horrible battery life, like major problems and I need to get a new one, but I have a portable charger and other than having it in case something happens with my grandfather or to check our fast passes, and maybe a picture or2 I don't use it in the parks. I was floored by how many people were just sitting around waiting for their phones to charge, to each his own I guess! They made it through small world in probably 20 mins or so and met us where we were sitting. My friends son asked what the big crowd of people was behind us, oh the bathrooms! Haha

Now we were all running down and it was warm and packed at the MK, at least compared to the other 3 parks the previous day. Our next fast pass space ranger spin but we had about 30 mins till it was good. So we walked over that way and decided to go on carousel of progress, still live it! Then they went on space ranger spin, mom and I opted out and found a shady spot to wait. By this point we were all over it and made a beeline for the boat. But first my friend need to stop and buy some candy for her boyfriend. I said we would meet them out at the boat and we're were going to go to the smoking area by the boats to the Poly and GF. They texted when they got out of the gates and we started back to the boat, but wait we had to go through full bag check and metal detecting again. I'm not against the security but the same two gaurds just watched us walk past them, we spoke to them about going to smoke, no boat had come in and unloaded while we were there, we were both dry(handnt swam in, the only other way to get to that area) why, why, why? I will say these 2 were probably the most thorough of all. But the time that was done and we got to our boat they had just finished loading it, yep I'm about to be that person, with probably my most desperate face I asked the deckhand if we could get on that boat, sure so as quickly as possible we loaded up and were on the way back to the Fort. 

 

Next up relaxing, and a evening trip back to the MK.