Jump to content

From Moscow to Mickey – My Little Girl’s Journey to the Fort (DaveInTN and Family Spend Thanksgiving With The Fiends!)

DaveInTN

By DaveInTN,
in Trip Reports

 Share Followers 3

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 711
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

DaveInTN

Ok, got the video on youtube. Will try posting here...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pei4x-yXMs&feature=youtu.be

itsnotcindy

Wow, you are good. I even want to camp with your family.

DaveInTN

The Beginning January 16, 2008. The dead of winter in St. Petersburg, Russia. The sun rises around 10:00am and sets by 3:00pm. It is a cold and dark day. (How do I know this? They’re ALL cold and d

DaveInTN

DaveInTN 3,247

Posted
  • Author
Posted

WooHoo, A trip report that I am actually keeping up with... That is I get to the end and have to wait patiently with everyone else for the next installment.... Unlike other times, having to read pages and pages in one sitting.... Really enjoying the TR Dave.

I will go back to patiently waiting....... :suspense:

Thank you for waiting patiently. Unlike some people! :argh:

Wow Dave- this report has taken off!

Great job.

I wish there was a photo of you putting the bikes on top of the church van fun bus.

Also, I am thankful that my drive to the Fort never involves driving up or down any mountains.

No comment on the Stef joke (I'm on her bad list).

TCD

You could sell tickets to watch me hoist the bikes up there. It would be better than the HDDR.

What? When? Is there another Gwen here?

Dave, loving your TR.

Thanks! And yes, you didn't know we named our daugher after you?

Love, Love, Love, this TR. Hubby is taking autotrain to PA today (17 hours). He is afraid he will be bored. I have recommended that he read the Behind the Iron Curtain TR, and now I can have him follow up with this one. Good reading, Thanks for sharing your family with us. :bighug:

Thanks for reading along, Sheila! But if your poor husband is passing his time reading this stuff, I'm afraid that 17 hour train ride will feel like an eternity.

Love the pictures along the ride down, I've lost and or over heated my brakes before on some of the mountains near Penn State on the way to Raystown Lake before NOT FUN but lucky for me I knew it was coming so I was prepared and did not need a runaway ramp. Keep up a great trip report your girls love to ham it up for the camera.

Let's just make a Fiend pact to never use runaway ramps.

This is one seriously good Trip Report Dave. I smiled, laughed, cried, smiled some more, laughed a bunch more, and we haven’t even gotten to the gagging fried OH-Hana. This is just great man just great!!! :)

Thanks H!

Link to post
Share on other sites
DaveInTN

DaveInTN 3,247

Posted
  • Author
Posted

GAG Me With A Fry

We pulled out of the Atlanta South RV Resort early…I think around 7:00 or so. And we hopped back on I-75 south. I figured we’d get some miles behind us before stopping for breakfast. By the time we got to Macon, we were all complaining a bit about hunger, so we pulled off at one of our favorite breakfast places. And I know it is one of livluvsdisney’s fave places too!

P1020421.JPG

We parked the trailer across the road from the Chick Fil A in a plaza, and I handed the camera to one of my daughters to carry while I got Anna out of her seat. That daughter handed it to another daughter, who mistakenly thought I wanted the camera placed into the TT. So, it never made it into the restaurant to photograph our breakfast. But I assume you’ve all seen a Chick Fil A chicken biscuit before…in my opinion one of life’s greatest pleasures.

After a great breakfast, including some conversation with the restaurant’s manager who explained how they are introducing chicken tortilla soup this winter (Yum!), we hit the road again. INC snapped some candid photos of me driving.

My candid serious look.

P1020422.JPG

My candid stupid look.

P1020423.JPG

Yes, quite candid. As Hank Hill once said...I look like a jackass!

We pressed on, and made decent time through GA and FL. Took the Turnpike to 429, and before too long we saw this sign.

P1020429.JPG

Ah, good old Western Way.

I normally am a proponent of taking 535 down from 429 to Vista Blvd, rather than going all the way down to Western Way. And now I remember why. 429 is so dang long! Just when you think you are almost to Disney that road goes on forever.

But it wasn’t long until we saw this!

P1020432.JPG

P1020434.JPG

And then, of course, the Magic Kingdom gates themselves!

P1020437.JPG

The booths were decorated for Christmas.

P1020439.JPG

A quick right turn, and then we saw the most blessed sight in the World!

P1020443.JPG

Notice how the Fort Wilderness sign was not decorated yet when we arrived on the 16th. Within a few days it would be, per TCD's trip report showing the sign decorated when he arrived that weekend.

The security guard was on top of his game, and we were soon being directed to check in.

P1020445.JPG

I love how INC got him in my mirror. Reminds me of a pic someone else posted recently showing the guard in their mirror…was it TCD?

We pulled up to an empty lane. No waiting!

P1020447.JPG

P1020448.JPG

I had used online checkin, and our process was very fast and smooth! I had faxed a site request in 5 days earlier requesting a site backing up to the canal in 500 with room for our trailer, van and an easy up. I asked for 528 or similar, but we were given 523. I was disappointed! 523 doesn’t directly back up to the canal. But, once we pulled into the site, I was absolutely thrilled! This site is HUGE! We had tons of room for our stuff…even more so because I decided to park the van in overflow. I loved this site.

After putting out the slides and hooking up, I took the van to overflow and swapped it for our super fast, 6 passenger Kenny cart! And then we headed straight to Pioneer Hall to order our standard first night dinner…the Giddyap n Go!

We LOVE the GAG. And the primary reason? No, not the chicken. Not the mac n cheese. And certainly not the cowboy beans. While those are all very tasty, the primary reason we love the GAG is the big, crispy steak fries!

On previous visits, we have been given an entire chicken bucket full of steak fries. That bucket of fries, along with about 20 packets of ketchup, and I am in HEAVEN.

So, I ordered the GAG, all white meat, with mac n cheese, fries and biscuits. While waiting, the kids played some checkers.

P1020456.JPG

P1020453.JPG

Anna didn't do too well. She's more of a chess player, being Russian and all.

I snapped a pic of the horrible Nescrappe machine. Man, I miss the real brewed coffee. But at least we got used to the instant crap in Russia and can actually drink it and somewhat enjoy it.

P1020450.JPG

It wasn’t long until our chicken was ready. I excitedly grabbed the bags that the Trails End clerk so carefully packed for us, and headed out to a picnic table on the side porch. And here is our bounty.

P1020454.JPG

Say what??

Where’s the bucket of fries?? Oh, wait. They just gave us a bag of fries. Well, that’s ok. That’s still a lot of steak fries. But wait…those aren’t steak fries. Those are standard Disney floppy fries! Yuck!!

I wasn’t pleased.

Stella wasn’t pleased.

P1020455.JPG

Anna wasn’t even pleased, and she never even had the old steak fries.

P1020457.JPG

But, truth be told, I enjoyed my meal anyways. The chicken is still good. And you can’t beat the ambiance of eating on the porch. Not in a million years.

Despite having to choke down cold, floppy fries, it was still an awesome meal, in an awesome place, with the best wife and kids any man could dream of having. At least in my humble opinion. So I consider our first night back at the Fort, and Anna’s first night EVER at the Fort, to be a complete success. Floppy fries and all.

Coming up….Breakfast at Kona Café, and I’m A Blessed Man!

Link to post
Share on other sites
Roller ... aka Ed

Roller ... aka Ed 351

Posted
Posted

GAG Me With A Fry

Where’s the bucket of fries?? Oh, wait. They just gave us a bag of fries. Well, that’s ok. That’s still a lot of steak fries. But wait…those aren’t steak fries. Those are standard Disney floppy fries! Yuck!!

I wasn’t pleased.

Stella wasn’t pleased.

Anna wasn’t even pleased, and she never even had the old steak fries.

OldeKoot has something to say about floppy fries ... she says they are limp and need Viagra! :rofl2:

Link to post
Share on other sites
DaveInTN

DaveInTN 3,247

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The video was great. Loved Anna rockin it out. Stella has the most adorable dimples and ooh those cheeks. I just wanted to pinch them. So, whose the Selena Gomez fan at your house? Rachel, my 11 year old is the one here.

We have a couple of Selena Gomez fans...I think DD11 and DD14. But I tend to lose track of those things. :rofl3:

Link to post
Share on other sites
DaveInTN

DaveInTN 3,247

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Ah sadly the good ol' steak fries are a thing of the past. They will be sorely missed...

:mort1:

Not having ordered a GAG in nearly 2 years, I had no idea. I cried a little.

But we still have good fries at The Plaza!! For now...

Sorry 'bout the floppy fries Statz Fam. But isn't the first night at the fort always the best. :jumpforjoy

Yes, H. That first night is awesome, depsite being tired from the drive. Everything just looks magical and awesome.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
 Share
Followers 3
Go to topic listing


×
×
  • Create New...