Another 4th of July trip report...but at Wilderness Lodge

[BouncingTiggers 98]

Great pics of the Wilderness Lodge. We were supposed to go there for our honeymoon but cancelled two days before when my wife got extremely ill & almost missed the wedding. Thanks for the great pics.

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

It's been a busy day at work but I'm ready for another post.

I love the decor at Wilderness Lodge. If I can't stay at the Fort, I'd rather stay there than anywhere I think. Thanks!

I agree, if I can't be at the Fort the Lodge is a great replacement!

Your pictures are great, Camping Princess has a knack with the camera. Did you stay until 3 a.m. I'll bet you did. You're young you had a nap and a desire to be there :banana:

Yeah she did do a good job, I'll have to leave her in charge from now on.

The MK pictures are coming up so we'll see about that 3am.

Thanks for the trip report.

WL is a favorite of ours although we've never stayed there. It might be next, unless we camp, of course.

Can't wait to see if you made it to 3am. and who the celebrity you met could be?

:popcorn:

That's funny it was always my favorite too we would always go there and hang out in the lobby or eat or just look around, I just love the feel of it.

How cool! A Wilderness Lodge TR! :banana: Looks like the two of you were having a great time! :) You possibly crossed paths with another FW celebrity... KFM. That's kampfiremom. She gained a little notoriety on the other board for her now famous memorabelia collection. She was at the Wilderness Lodge along with KFDad and KFBro.

We might have! I remember that famous topic, it was the biggest bestest one over there!

Since seeing that memorabelia collection I started saving more stuff from the World in hopes that one day it will be even cooler. But I have to admit I haven't saved a french fry basket yet.

I am loving this trip report so far. The wilderness lodge is something else - but it reminds me a bit too much of the great wolf lodges that are all over the country. Once you guys have kids (if you are planning on it) - you will see what I mean.

Thanks!

But what's a great wolf lodge?? Do I have to wait until I have kids to find out??

Amateur.

You had better redeem yourself by posting a photo of you in the MK past 3 am.

You are in danger of having your TCD Junior Deputy badge revoked.

TCD

I know I know I was slacking, don't worry the MK pictures are coming up and it has something I've never seen a picture of.

I'll put it this way its very similar to a Musket Mickey!

Great report so far! Y'all really look like you're having a great time! :cheers:

Thanks! We had a blast!

Great pics of the Wilderness Lodge. We were supposed to go there for our honeymoon but cancelled two days before when my wife got extremely ill & almost missed the wedding. Thanks for the great pics.

Thanks!

Sorry to hear that about the honeymoon. You should look into going now as a honeymoon WL redo!

WBI

[anolefan 8]

I love this photo! The angle, and the composition is great!

Keep it coming!

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

I love this photo! The angle, and the composition is great!

Keep it coming!

Thanks! I agree I really like it too.

I wish I could take credit but the CP took that one!'

WBI

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

Ok I'm finally getting to the next batch of pictures.

This next batch is all MK with a bonus picture of something I've never seen!

In my last post we toured the Lodge and then caught a boat to MK.

We were lucky and caught a boat with zero wait!

The park was packed, but we expected that at 6pm on July 3rd.

The plan was get a Space Mountain fast pass then take it easy around the park until the fireworks at 9pm.

Guess what that's what we did.

After grabbing fast passes we went to Columbia Harbour House for dinner, it was busy and took a while for food, but we sat upstairs and peopled watched through the windows.

Then we hopped the train, something I haven't done in a long time, we were on the last one of the night.

The train brought us to the front and we walked down main street again and grabbed a good spot for the fireworks in the center hub. Then we watched people push and shove and disobey the cast members for 30 mintues until the fireworks started. lol It was pretty funny.

I have to admit I don't have a single picture of the fireworks. I didn't even try. I decided not to, lots of times I focus more on pictures and don't just soak it all in so this time no pics.

The fireworks were awesome, first in front, then behind you, then front and back at the same time, then the full 360 for the finale! Awesome!

Up next we rode the Jungle Cruise, there was a long wait on our boat, evidently the one behind us broke down and had to be towed back. But once we left it was funny as always!

Then we headed to Space Mountain to use our fast pass, the line was still crazy long. The camera caught us by suprise and really scared us:

After we recovered we decided to hit the Country Bear Jamboree.

While waiting in the lobby for them to open the doors, I saw a pressed penny machine.

This brings me to the thing I've never seen before.

If you have, I'm sorry but it shocked me, mostly because it was in Magic Kingdom.

I always thought they got rid of Muskett Mickey because of Mickey holding a gun, I'm not sure if thats the real reason.

Anyway we know you can buy a Musket Mickey pressed penny in the Meadow Trading post, I always figured he slipped through the crack and wouldn't be there long.

Then I found this:

What the FORT!

That's a Pistol Mickey!

How awesome! Mickey holding a six shooter advertising Frontier Land and Magic Kingdom!

Has anyone else ever seen that before? I know in all my trips I haven't.

Sorry I've got to cut this post short, but I'll be back in the morning.

WBI

[mgsmom 9]

What wonderful pics!!! You guys look like you're having a ball! I'm with you on for-going pics sometimes - I miss the moment when I'm trying too hard to actually capture it.

So, did you guys have to sleep in the bunk beds or did they give you an actual bed? :rofl2:

Great TR - can't wait to see more!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

WBI-

Great job with the Space Mountain picture!

And super great job with the Pistol Mickey picture!

I never noticed that before!

My DD's hate the Country Bears.

I don't know why.

I think they're great.

But, the last time I forced them to go, we were just about the only ones in the theater.

So, they are not alone in their sentiments.

I am going to get myself one of those Pistol Mickey pennies the next time I'm at the MK.

TCD

[campingpixi 11]

WTG Great report!! Luv the pics!! :banana:

[kampfirekim 260]

Aww man! It's bad enough I forgot to get my Musket Mickey penny... now I've missed out on Pistol Mickey too!? Don't feel bad WBI, I've been going to MK since the 70's and I've never seen it either. At least I don't remember seeing it. Nice work!

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

What wonderful pics!!! You guys look like you're having a ball! I'm with you on for-going pics sometimes - I miss the moment when I'm trying too hard to actually capture it.

So, did you guys have to sleep in the bunk beds or did they give you an actual bed? :rofl2:

Great TR - can't wait to see more!

Thanks!

haha No we didn't sleep in the bunk beds, they give you another option, lol.

Funny thing is, don't they charge extra for bunk bed rooms?

I didn't pay extra.

WBI-

Great job with the Space Mountain picture!

And super great job with the Pistol Mickey picture!

I never noticed that before!

My DD's hate the Country Bears.

I don't know why.

I think they're great.

But, the last time I forced them to go, we were just about the only ones in the theater.

So, they are not alone in their sentiments.

I am going to get myself one of those Pistol Mickey pennies the next time I'm at the MK.

TCD

Thanks that Space Mountain pic actually was a second earlier than expected but we were ready!

I love the Country Bear Jamboree, I guess its the music cause the animatronics could use some updates.

A coulple times I've been the music was too low and people would clap so you couldn't hear it, those times it couldn't end fast enough.

I have most of the music on my computer at work, its pretty funny when someone walks in and its playing.

WTG Great report!! Luv the pics!! :banana:

Thanks, I'm finally back to post more!

Aww man! It's bad enough I forgot to get my Musket Mickey penny... now I've missed out on Pistol Mickey too!? Don't feel bad WBI, I've been going to MK since the 70's and I've never seen it either. At least I don't remember seeing it. Nice work!

Thanks I do feel better!

Funny thing is I don't have either penny either, I never seem to have change when I'm around those machines.

Next time though!

WBI

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

Sorry about the delay, work got in the way of my Fort Fiends time, what's up with that.

I have some catching up to do on everyone's Trip Reports, but first here's my next batch of pictures.

We're still at Magic Kingdom and it almost time for the parade.

I think this was the midnight parade.

It was the least crowded parade I've seen.

I was actually a little excited, I've never seen the Main Street Electrical Parade, I always saw SpectroMagic before and the last time I was in MK I saw the Christmas parade.

It was pretty good:

Here's the real Cindy:

And for the Fourth some patriotic floats!

After the parade I lost track of time.

I know we rode Thunder Mountain twice back to back without getting off, that was cool.

CP made me ride Small World...

We rode the Tea Cups and I'm sure a lot more.

One thing I do know is around 2am we tried to ride Space Mountain and they had a line out the door, it said 30 miniute wait, I protested since we already rode it once.

I got these pictures around the castle:

CP wanted to show off her Minnie shirt:

By now we had ridden everything we wanted to and were pretty tired!

But I wanted a 3am picture on Main Street!

CP was struggling at this point so she talked me into a 2:45am picture:

I wasn't very happy to get that close and give up.

I had my second wind, CP not so much.

So I conned her into looking in the stores.

Pretty soon we had walked all the way back by Casey's.

By now its a lot closer to 3am!

Before you know it, we made it to 3am!

And I have lots of proof:

Did you noticed the people in the background of those pictures, I'm not sure but it seemed like a lot of people still there for 3am.

I always heard that it would be deserted, but I guess since it was a holiday weekend things were different?

Anyway we celebrated our 3am victory by taking a boat ride back to the lodge, lol.

I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow at 4am.

That was a long day.

So what do you think did we sleep in?

I'm no TCD racing the sun, but there was a golf cart parade the next morning and who wants to sleep away your vacation?

So in my next post we head to the Fort!

WBI

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

I knew you would make it to 3 a.m. good for you :banana:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Before you know it, we made it to 3am!

And I have lots of proof:

You have done well Grasshopper! *

This is my favorite photo of the bunch!

Can't wait to hear if you actually made it to the Fort.

For Pete's sake, you were up until 4 am.

And you're on vacation.

Oh- and you're right about it being unusually crowded at 3 am. I have never seen that many people there so late!

TCD

.

*This is a reference to an old TV show- which I am sure you are too young to know anything about -ask your parents to explain it to you.

[kampfirekim 260]

Beautiful photos. Congrats on making it to 3 a.m. I only made it to 1 a.m. but that was under my awning chatting with Ally.

[okgirlie...Brandy 6]

We were at the Magic Kingdom that night, too. We had naps and I wanted to keep going at least until 1am but my kiddos couldn't hack it. We left during the 2nd electrical parade. I think we were all asleep the second we hit the pillow.

The Wilderness Lodge is beautiful but I agree that it is much like Great Wolf Lodge. It's an indoor waterpark resort. Fun, but expensive. Of course, so is Disney.

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

I knew you would make it to 3 a.m. good for you :banana:

Thanks!

It was worth it too!

You have done well Grasshopper! *

This is my favorite photo of the bunch!

Can't wait to hear if you actually made it to the Fort.

For Pete's sake, you were up until 4 am.

And you're on vacation.

Oh- and you're right about it being unusually crowded at 3 am. I have never seen that many people there so late!

TCD

.

*This is a reference to an old TV show- which I am sure you are too young to know anything about -ask your parents to explain it to you.

I really like that picture too!

I'm going to try and post soon about the next morning and the Fort, but you may already know what happend.

By the way you are right, I am too young to remember that show, Kung Fu right?

But because that line is so famous I did know it, its been said in so many movies and tv shows that I've heard it a ton, just not from the original source. haha

Beautiful photos. Congrats on making it to 3 a.m. I only made it to 1 a.m. but that was under my awning chatting with Ally.

Thanks!

That was my first time till 3am in MK, but I have done 2am a few times at Jellyrolls after Epcot.

Jellyrolls is the dualing piano bar at the Boardwalk, its a pretty good time!

We were at the Magic Kingdom that night, too. We had naps and I wanted to keep going at least until 1am but my kiddos couldn't hack it. We left during the 2nd electrical parade. I think we were all asleep the second we hit the pillow.

Thats cool! I don't blame you for heading back around midnight with kids.

I couldn't believe how many kids were still out that late, I guess they had napped during the day too!

Thanks for reading along, I'll be looking for your trip report now that your back in OK!

WBI

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

Ok time to get rolling with this Trip Report.

When I left off I went to sleep around 4am on July 3rd.

I think around 8am we were wide awake, (yeah only 4 hours later).

CP is a very early riser, and 8am is pretty late for me to, so we weren't to suprised that we were up.

Plus we were at DisneyWorld on the 4th of July, "We were to excited to sleep!"

does anyone else remember that Disneyworld commercial with the kids the night before their trip?) lol

So we got up and got ready, I called for a late check out and we got it for 1pm.

By 9am we had a coffee on the WL dock hopping a boat to the Fort!

Here's some pictures of Discovery Island:

Another resort boat:

When we got to the Fort it was about time for the Golf Cart parade so we walked straight down the path to Fort Wilderness Trail.

We saw a table set up which I'm guessing was for golf cart registration.

And lots of people along the road waiting.

We walked down to the Meadow Trading Post area and got a spot in the shade to watch the parade that was just getting there, perfect timing!

I took lots of golf cart pictures, and I know there's been a lot posted already but I'll post most of mine too:

Somewhere during this parade I saw some Fiends!

Quite a few actually!

I hollared and waived at all of them but pretty sure they just thought I was a crazy person! lol

Funny thing was I didn't get a picture of any of them, cause when I saw them I would get distracted and forget about the camera. lol

Whoops

Ok that's enough parade pictures for one day, I'll have some more in my next post.

Plus I see some pool cheaters get off a bus and I noticed a familiar looking setup behind a bus stop.

WBI

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Some of those carts are really pretty imaginative. Thanks for sharing :banana:

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

I am loving your trip report! I think that it is gonna be a goal for me to do 3 am at the park! The Pistol Mickey is very cool!

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

I am loving your trip report! I think that it is gonna be a goal for me to do 3 am at the park! The Pistol Mickey is very cool!

I can see you and me making it till 3 a.m., maybe if we make Stef take a nap she can too :banana:

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

I can see you and me making it till 3 a.m., maybe if we make Stef take a nap she can too :banana:

I wonder if it will be open til 3 during our Halloween GG time? If not, we could always do the Jelly Rolls thing!

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

I wonder if it will be open til 3 during our Halloween GG time? If not, we could always do the Jelly Rolls thing!

good idea :banana:

[okgirlie...Brandy 6]

Those are the first pics of the golf cart parade that I have seen. I haven't had much time to read too many trip reports, yet. I am still busy sorting through our 2000+ photos and getting life back in order. We missed the parade so I am glad to get to see some pictures from it. :)

[stefa70 205]

I can see you and me making it till 3 a.m., maybe if we make Stef take a nap she can too :banana:

HaHa, Very funny!! The only way I want to see 3:00am is if I'm drunk, dancing on the hood of the truck!

Sorry for the hijack WBI! Carry on............

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

HaHa, Very funny!! The only way I want to see 3:00am is if I'm drunk, dancing on the hood of the truck!

Sorry for the hijack WBI! Carry on............

I'd pay to see that, or maybe just charge admission :rofl2: