It's An Old Dog; New Tricks; Pop And Fort TCD Trip Report

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I just texted Stef, Andrew, She says if you want to know the answer come out to the Fort for a visit :rofl2:

Duh!

Why didn't I think of that?

There are three "Water Bridges" at Walt Disney World. One is on World Drive just south of the Contemporary Resort. One is on the east side of Epcot Resorts Drive just north of the Boardwalk Resort. The other is back stage at Epcot next to the one on Epcot resorts Drive.

I have been looking at Bing, and I can't find one on the east side of Epcot Resorts Drive just north of the Boardwalk Resort. Anyone know about this one?

I dunno, those stars look kinda sparse...

How far down the rabbit hole do we wanna go here? You've got a trip report (or two!) to finish! :)

You make a good point.

I reckon we have gone far enough on this topic for now.

But, I am going to be looking out for flags on my next visit.

Interesting. I always assumed it was b/c the one on the roof was lighted, hence it didn't need to be taken down. An older flag makes perfect sense in keeping with the theme surrounding it... if we all taught our kids to think like imagineers just think of what even a small group of future fiends on the loose could do... once they stopped texting and put down the gameboys, that is...

I don't blame today's kids. I don't think that there has been anything built with the effort or attention to detail anywhere in the 40 years that have now passed since WDW opened. Sadly, I can't imagine any construction project anywhere being undertaken with this effort and ingenuity.

Im not sure what jorts are, but......

DW had the privalage to be a part of this ceremony for a special memorial day performance when she was in the Navy. Disney actualy called her unit and requested them to perform color details at this. In exchange, she got a full CD of photopass pictures and 4 free passes to use when ever she wanted and was allowed access to the park after the ceremony. They were in full dress uniform for this. It was a great experience for her and something she will always remember. Ill have to dig up the photos and post them.

I try to make it to this ceremony at least once during each visit and if you have never seen it, I recommend you do.

Jorts=Jean Shorts. It is was all the men at University of Florida football games wear with their orange and blue crocks.

The vet in this photo has them on.

Obviously this guy got picked for this honor while he was on vacation. But, there is no question that the man knows how to salute and stand at attention.

I had never seen the ceremony before this trip, and I agree with you 100% that it is well worth the time to watch.

I'd love to see your photos if you find them.

TCD

[devores 382]

Duh!

Why didn't I think of that?

I have been looking at Bing, and I can't find one on the east side of Epcot Resorts Drive just north of the Boardwalk Resort. Anyone know about this one?

You make a good point.

I reckon we have gone far enough on this topic for now.

But, I am going to be looking out for flags on my next visit.

I don't blame today's kids. I don't think that there has been anything built with the effort or attention to detail anywhere in the 40 years that have now passed since WDW opened. Sadly, I can't imagine any construction project anywhere being undertaken with this effort and ingenuity.

Jorts=Jean Shorts. It is was all the men at University of Florida football games wear with their orange and blue crocks.

The vet in this photo has them on.

Obviously this guy got picked for this honor while he was on vacation. But, there is no question that the man knows how to salute and stand at attention.

I had never seen the ceremony before this trip, and I agree with you 100% that it is well worth the time to watch.

I'd love to see your photos if you find them.

TCD

Not to hijack your TR, but since you asked.....

Thats DW on the end with the rifel

DW is on the right (the one in the Navy uniform)

DW has since been discharged from the Navy and now a CM at Disney. But this was definetly a memorable moment for her. I missed the whole thing as I was in Korea during this time. I ahd to live through these photos like you all do.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

DW has since been discharged from the Navy and now a CM at Disney. But this was definetly a memorable moment for her. I missed the whole thing as I was in Korea during this time. I ahd to live through these photos like you all do.

Thank you for sharing those photos.

I am glad to hear that Disney throws in a few perks for the military folks who assist with the Flag Retreat Ceremony.

I think our own Runner/Ed mentioned in a recent trip report that he got to be veteran of the day once.

I'll take the opportunity here to thank all the men and women who are serving or who have served in our armed forces.

TCD

[AuburnChris 193]

Hate to break this to you, but the United States Flag Code makes no distinction between a "new" flag and a "historic" flag. According to the Flag Code, a flag is a flag or anything "by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag." All of these would fall under the same laws and regulations for proper display and patriotic customs.

Probably true. But the Flag Code is not enforceable law, so there's not a whole lot of sense in trying to argue the point, I guess.

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

Let's get this report moving.

On the way out of the Magic Kingdom, we ran into something we had never witnessed before. I think it is called the Flag retreat, and it is something that is done every day.

From what I gather, they select a veteran each day to assist with this. It is very well done. Here are some photos showing what happens. The guy in the jorts is the veteran of the day:

I really appreciate the fact that WDW takes the time to do this on a daily basis.

You mean there was something I knew about ... and reported on BEFORE TCD :o

Just a little addition to my tale. I mentioned that I had a trip to Disney World starting the day I was cleared to start "running" and ride roller coasters ... Well.

That's right one of your Fort Fiend Veterans became honored as the Magic Kingdom's Veteran of the Day! This is such a moving experience, that EVERY Veteran should try for this. The CMs go out of their way to make sure you ARE honored for your Service to our Country. Main Street shuts down; your name, branch, rank, etc are broadcast throughout the Magic Kingdom as the Veteran of the Day; the Main Street Band plays before the Flag Retreat ceremony (of which you are a front and center part of); then the Band, the Veteran carrying the Flag, and a LOT of CMs behind you March down Main Street - lined with people just like any other parade! After you turn off Main Street, there is a presentation ceremony where you get the Certificate, a SPECIAL Veteran of the Day Pin, and your voucher good for one of the photos (one of a LOT of photos) taken by a PhotoPass Photographer that is only taking photos of the Ceremony.

Afterwards, I think every CM from Main Street recognized me and thanked me for my service! It was so moving, that just typing this has me in tears

That's from the Cardiac Mess to Runner - the Transformation thread, btw ...

[stacktester 78]

This has nothing to do with this thread but since it got so far off topic I figure I'd throw something I think is funny in the mix.

[devores 382]

Probably true. But the Flag Code is not enforceable law, so there's not a whole lot of sense in trying to argue the point, I guess.

The Flag code is a law, but there is no penalty for breaking this law and it is rarely enforced, which is a shame.

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

This has nothing to do with this thread but since it got so far off topic I figure I'd throw something I think is funny in the mix.

Righteous!

[The Troll 67]

Well, come 2007, some new whippersnapper management type decided the shoe tree was tacky.

And one day the shoes disappeared.

Hurray for that whippersnapper! He gets the Troll Award!

Did Mr. TCD get a new camera? The colors in your photos are really poppin'!

[The Troll 67]

This has nothing to do with this thread but since it got so far off topic I figure I'd throw something I think is funny in the mix.

Awesome...just plain awesome!

[stacktester 78]

Awesome...just plain awesome!

I always loved this pic myself. You notice the smirk on the face of little terrorist in training. Not so funny when Uncle Hadji's ass is on fire huh? I wish somebody woulda poured a bucket of water on him lol.

[Just Whipperwhirl 24]

I say that we find a way to restock the shoe tree.

[shoreline99 137]

I say that we find a way to restock the shoe tree.

LOL. I bet that wouldn't take too long... Hmmm....

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

You mean there was something I knew about ... and reported on BEFORE TCD :o

That's from the Cardiac Mess to Runner - the Transformation thread, btw ...

Yes, it is true! Thanks for sharing your story, and thanks for your service to our country.

To anyone reading along, take a moment and click on Ed's link above. His story is quite remarkable. Congratulations to you, Ed.

This has nothing to do with this thread but since it got so far off topic I figure I'd throw something I think is funny in the mix.

Thanks for the photo, Donnie.

That actually isn't really off topic, as we were discussing flags.

And, it is quite funny!

The Flag code is a law, but there is no penalty for breaking this law and it is rarely enforced, which is a shame.

For the record, I love America and the flag.

But, for now, I have had enough flag discussion.

Besides, Devores, you have to be in a great mood today . . .

GO BOLTS!

Game 7 tomorrow, and then Vancouver is next!

Hurray for that whippersnapper! He gets the Troll Award!

Did Mr. TCD get a new camera? The colors in your photos are really poppin'!

1. I agree that the whippersnapper deserves a Troll Award. But that is not a good thing.

2. No new camera for TCD. It may have been a new to me camera, as I get my DD's cast-offs when they upgrade. My current model is a lovely light purple (lavender?) Kodak Easy Share with a lot of dents and scratches. I think the bright colors are attributable to the very clear and sunny day we were enjoying.

3. I don't have a point 3, but I like to make lists, and two points aren't enough.

5. Did you notice I skipped #4?

I say that we find a way to restock the shoe tree.

That would be easy to do. I will take this under consideration. This will need to be planned on the DL, as there are Disney moles who keep an eye on the Fiends. And, while I am thinking of it, hello to you moles, and if the Shoe Tree suddenly is restocked, I had nothing to do with it.

TCD

[Discamper 394]

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Todd-

That is a great scan!

Thanks!

The text says that both the Polynesian and Contemporary resorts were constructed by use of the modular room method.

The text says that the rooms were prefabricated at a plant three miles from the hotel sites.

Did you ever wonder where this plant was?

Well, the top photo in Todd's scan is a photo of the plant.

It has a distinctive configuration.

Let's see if we can find it.

First, here's an aerial photo that shows the area of Bay Lake. You can see Discovery Island in the middle of the lake, and the Fort Wilderness road system clearly just below Discovery Island. The Contemporary Resort is to the left. Does anyone see the assembly plant in this photo? :

No?

How about I give you a visual clue.

Look for the red circle:

You might be asking: "How can we be sure that this is the old assembly plant?"

Well, let's zoom in on that building and look at it from a different angle.

Like this:

Looks like the same building to me.

And, here's the cool part.

If you want, you can turn left while exiting Fort Wilderness, and continue down Vista Boulevard, and drive right up to this building!

That is some cool stuff there.

Am I right?

TCD

[Discamper 394]

Good job TCD

[Discamper 394]

Just down the street from the building TCD showed is the real full time residents of Lake Buena Vista

[anolefan 8]

This TR has taken a turn...

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbJwwJ33TEI&feature=youtube_gdata]

Tom's confused LOL

I kid, I kid.

[Discamper 394]

I think all trip report people add thing along the way

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

This TR has taken a turn...

["]http://www.youtube.c...=youtube_gdata]

Tom's confused LOL

I kid, I kid.

I think all trip report people add thing along the way

Agreed,

Plus, even anolefan's Abbot and Costello video is on topic, because they show that video at the Baseball Hall of Fame (at least they did when I visited there years ago), and we had photos of members of the Baseball Hall of Fame earlier in this report.

So, it is all good in the neighborhood!

TCD

[stacktester 78]

OK Already, let's get back on the road lol. We need to know what was up at the MK before the Stone Mntn. GG.

[stacktester 78]

I'm kinda glad the report took a turn because I never knew the rooms at the contemporary were basically plug and plays. Now that is some cool info. I wonder if that was cost efficient back then or just an easy way of construction. I see a few things nowadays that are prefab and it makes me wonder how cost efficient it is. Great job on all these pics.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Jeez... a girl takes a few hours off (ok.. more like a half a day) to clean house and she gets pages behind..... but I did learn a lot of new things from this TR!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

OK Already, let's get back on the road lol. We need to know what was up at the MK before the Stone Mntn. GG.

Yes, Your Honor.

Actually, I would like to get this little trip report finished before the weekend arrives myself.

So, we shall press on. . .

Where we last left off, we had just enjoyed the Flag Retreat ceremony at the MK, and were on our way to Pop Century to check on our room. It was getting to be 6-ish, and I had not received a text with my room assignment. I had to check with the front desk when we arrived, and found that someone had dropped the ball. But, no big deal, our room was ready, and we headed there.

I don't have a lot of Pop Century photos, and I'm sure that is fine with most of your.

We were assigned to a building in the 80's section. Our building was adorned with giant Rubik's Cubes (remember those?).

Here are a few photos that I snapped at the Pop before we headed back to the MK:

As I mentioned earlier, it was EMH at the MK, so the MK was open to 3 am.

We headed back there at around 8. We were pacing ourselves, and planned to have a late dinner using our Dining Plan credits.

I mentioned in my trip report from February that we had tried the Pinocchio Village Haus restaurant on that visit, and liked it very much. So, that is where we headed for dinner.

The girls were happy to score one of the tables that overlooks the It's a Small World attraction.

They spent a lot of time waving at the guests on the attraction.

I had always noticed those windows when we rode on It's a Small World, and occasionally, I would see folks wave.

I was surprised by how many people waved back to the girls- almost everyone.

After we ate, my older DD and I went down and rode the ride so we could wave at the TCD twins ourselves.

Here are some photos from that:

Even the castmembers who work on this ride like to wave:

We always enjoy at late EMH at the MK.

This evening was no different.

There were no crowds and everything was a walk on.

We had Space Mountain Fastpasses from earlier that day, and planned to head there after we ate, but first we wanted to check out the Haunted Mansion and see if we could see any of the new construction.

As luck would have it, there were men working on the new interactive que area when we arrived, and they had left a gate open.

Unfortunately, it was too dark to get any good photos, but I do have this one, which shows a construction worker working on the new interactive bookcase:

We could also see the interactive organ pretty clearly, but I did not get a good photo of that.

This stuff is all open now anyway, so this is now old news. Had I posted this information back in early March, it would have been mildly more interesting to hear than it is now.

We next headed over to Space Mountain, and the Fastpass line was open, so we used our Fastpasses. It turns out that we really didn't need them, and we rode it several times. The girls just love it when I sit in the front rocket and take their photo:

I am not sure when the new interactive que for the Winnie the Pooh attraction opened, but we had never seen it. The girls are not huge fans of this ride anymore, so the only time we would ever ride it would be on a night like this where there was no wait.

As you may or may not know, the Winnie the Pooh playground, which was build in the area of the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction a few years ago, has been closed and demolished as a part of the current Fantasyland expansion construction. But, the big fake tree that used to be part of the playground has been moved over to become part of the new interactive que for the Winnie the Pooh ride.

Now, here is something interesting . . . Since the playground was built where the old 20K attraction once stood, the Disney Imagineers payed tribute to the 20K attraction by including a hidden Nautilus image inside the fake tree. Well, guess what? Even thought the tree is no longer on the site of the old 20K attraction, the hidden Nautilus is still in the tree. Here's a photo of it:

You might be asking: "What the heck is an interactive que?" Well, it is obviously a new trend at WDW. They added video games to play in the Space Mountain que, and they have added an interactive portion to the Haunted Mansion que. Here at the Winnie the Pooh attraction, they have added things for the kids to do while they wait on line, like banging on log drums:

And pumping on things that make gophers pop up out of holes:

There is a tug-of-war which required all three girls to pull this tough little gopher out or his burrow:

There was other stuff to do too, including this weird wall that had virtual honey dripping down it. You could use your fingers to kind of finger paint in this virtual honey. Hard to explain, but the girls had a good time playing with that feature too.

As the night wore on, we continued to enjoy all the the Magic Kingdom has to offer.

By about 1:30 am we had done all that we wanted to do.

And we were tired.

Keep in mind that we started our day by leaving home real early in the morning to make it to Epcot for rope drop. We had been up since a little after 5 am. And, we had enjoyed a busy day. The girls were ready to call it quits. I hated to leave the MK when we practically had it to ourselves, but that is what we did. We headed back to Pop at about 2 am.

And that was the end of our very busy day.

Do you know that there is new construction going on at the Pop?

I got up early the next morning to take a look.

And, you will see what I saw in my next post.

Which will also be the last set of photos for this little trip report.

TCD