TCD is Thankful for Thanksgiving at the Fort Trip Report

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

My understanding is that the buses now run on a blend of sarcasm and bile.

LOL! Lou is going to get you for this!

On second thought, he would probably agree with this.

Yes, there are current Free Dining Offers for the Spring

For a limited time, get a FREE Disney dining plan when you buy a full price 2012 Magic Your Way vacation package (including accommodations and tickets) for select dates at select Walt Disney World resort hotels.

Offer is valid for check-ins 1/8/12–1/12/12, 1/21/12–2/2/12, 2/11/12–2/16/12, 3/3/12–3/8/12 and 3/24/12–3/29/12. Some dates may have extremely limited availability. Some of the most popular resorts and/or room types may not have any availability. Based on similar offers in the past, the offer can apply to your entire stay as long as you check in within one of the allowed sets of dates.

• Stay at select Disney Value resorts and get the Quick Service Dining Plan for FREE.
  
• Stay at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villas resorts and get the regular Dining Plan for FREE.
  

The package includes:

• Accommodations in a select Walt Disney World resort hotel (3 nights minimum, 14 nights maximum)
  
• Walt Disney World theme park Base Tickets (2 days minimum; can be upgraded to include add-ons such as Park Hopper and/or Water Park Fun & More at an additional cost)
  

Book by 12/17/11. No group rates or other discounts apply. Excludes suites, campsites and 3-Bedroom Villas. Advance reservations required. Excludes gratuities and alcoholic beverages. Children ages 3-9 must order from the children's menu if available. Some table-service restaurants may have limited or no availability at time of package purchase.

Thanks to Small World Vacations for info.

To book the Fall/Winter FREE Dining Package, please contact a

travel agent who specializes in Disney vacations and request the appropriate code:

2012 packages: P49 for Quick Service Dining Plan at Value Resorts; F4M for regular Dining Plan at Moderate, Deluxe & Deluxe Villa Resorts

This is from www.mousesavers.com

One other tip, if you need ticket media for the trip you are getting free dining on, purchase a big enough ticket to cover your trip, THEN upgrade to APs AFTER you use all your dining credits. There is something in the system that messes up the dining credits when you remove the tickets from the package. However, if your APs are still good, then just don't use the tickets on the package and save that card and upgrade when you need to.

Oh, and your checkin date has to be within the dates above, not your entire stay.

Thanks, Carol!

But even this little bit of information seems overwhelming to me.

And, it may not work for me, as our passes just expired during our Thanksgiving trip, and I will need to renew them before our next visit.

Maybe I will look to the Fall.

Do you use a travel agent to help you plan all of this, or do you do it on your own.

I'm sure it's the kind of thing that is easy to figure out after you do it once.

About Admiral Joe Fowler:

He was a retired navy admiral who was in charge of construction of both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. And interestingly, the ferry named after him that crosses Seven Seas Lagoon is not the first Disney vessel to bear his name. From Wikipedia - there was a riverboat in the MK named after him before the ferry was given his name....

"Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat was named for a retired Naval Admiral who played an important part in the building of Walt Disney World. Admiral Fowler had run the San Francisco naval shipyard during WW II, when Walt Disney was looking for a naval expert to help with the building of the Mark Twain Steamship in 1954 for the then under-construction Disneyland. He found the retired Admiral supervising the construction of tract homes in the San Francisco region, and hired him as the construction boss for the whole Disneyland project. After Disneyland was completed, Fowler stayed on as General Manager of the park for its first 10 years, and assisted with the construction of Walt Disney World. He retired from the Disney organization in 1978, though he continued as a consultant.

When a second steamship was added to the Rivers of America in 1973, it was named for imagineer Richard F. Irvine. The original Fowler was damaged during a refurbishment in 1980. The Disney company decided that having two steamships in the Magic Kingdom was not necessary so the Fowler was scrapped.^[1]

In 1999, one of the ferries that crosses the Seven Seas Lagoon taking guests from the Ticket and Transportation Center to the Magic Kingdom was renamed in his honor; it was originally known as the Magic Kingdom I, and is the one with the green side panels."

Thanks, Dave.

That is interesting stuff. And I didn't bother to look it up myself.

The guy who supervised building WDW had to be something special.

What a project that was!

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Yeah, I have a photo of our picture, but the last time I took one was probably way before I started depositing stuff on photobucket, so it would take lots of searching to find it. (On a CD somewhere)

Yep. Same here. Although I'm pretty sure one of the girls took photos of ours on a recent trip. I just need to check with them.

TCD

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

TCD,

GREAT update!

Its funny because a few trips ago, we made a point to ride the monorail to Epcot. We hadnt done it for so many years, my boys barely even remembered riding it along that track.

My guys also have never ridden the ferry. I have ridden on it exactly once, I think I was 14 or 15, so 30 years ago. I think I need to ride it again and I think my boys do to!!!

My favortie thing on the monorail ride to Epcot is also the loop through future world. I have always thought that was pretty cool. I actually remember riding on the Epcot monorail the July before Epcot entered. We thought we were hot stuff for getting such a sneak preview!!!!!

For many, many years we always went to Disney for a couple of weeks in April during the flower and garden festival. Then we started going in April and November. Boy was I shocked that first Nov. trip when I saw how bare it was around that lake. All that green grass and no flowers. I think I thought it alway looked like it did in April!!!!!

All I could think about when you wrote about the "tool" who cut you off getting off the monorail (and I HATE getting cut off too!!!!) was, oh, I hope I never do anything like that to someone, but sadly I have........when we were at Disneyland a few years ago (it was our first trip, so where I know WDW like the back of my hand, I was still learning the ins and out of DL. Anyway, I went to get FP's for the Indiana Jones ride. I grabbed thed FP's all happy with myself and walked back to the boys who were waiting near by. When I got to them they blurted out, "MOM, you just cut in front of about 30 people waiting in line to get FP's........WHAT WERE YOU DOING? ?" I just about died, when I turned around and looked and realized what I had done. I had seen the people, but I thought they were in line for the ride, I didnt realize I had cut in front of anybody, I was so embarrased......so if anybody in that line was doing a trip report, I was most likely called a tool.

KFK-lets make a deal,they can scrap all the tombstones but two, the TCD one and the Heidis gang one. Although, I would be more than happy if ours were also moved to the fort!!!

Thanks SO MUCH for the update Andrew.......looking forward to the next one......your updates ALWAYS bring a smile to my face!!!!

Heidi

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Thanks, Carol!

But even this little bit of information seems overwhelming to me.

And, it may not work for me, as our passes just expired during our Thanksgiving trip, and I will need to renew them before our next visit.

Maybe I will look to the Fall.

Do you use a travel agent to help you plan all of this, or do you do it on your own.

I'm sure it's the kind of thing that is easy to figure out after you do it once.

Yeah, I use Rhonda to book. Do you HAVE to renew?? I rarely renew my APs, I just let them lapse and get a new one at my next visit. If it is going to be a few months before your next visit, it might be worth it to let them lapse. (Although, nevermind, I remember reading talk of New Years in a comment somewhere).

It's actually not complicated. If you have active APs. Book a room, tell them you want free dining, and a two day base ticket per person. $200 deposit, the balance due 45 days before your trip. Enjoy your trip. Put away the room key with the tickets on them. When it is time to renew your APs, take those room keys to a ticket window and use the 2-day ticket towards a new or renewal AP.

If you need admission, book a room, tell them you want free dining, and whatever tickets you want to cover that trip. When all the dining credits are used up, AND before you leave, drop by a ticket window and tell them you want to upgrade your ticket(s) to an AP.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Yeah, I use Rhonda to book. Do you HAVE to renew?? I rarely renew my APs, I just let them lapse and get a new one at my next visit. If it is going to be a few months before your next visit, it might be worth it to let them lapse. (Although, nevermind, I remember reading talk of New Years in a comment somewhere).

It's actually not complicated. If you have active APs. Book a room, tell them you want free dining, and a two day base ticket per person. $200 deposit, the balance due 45 days before your trip. Enjoy your trip. Put away the room key with the tickets on them. When it is time to renew your APs, take those room keys to a ticket window and use the 2-day ticket towards a new or renewal AP.

If you need admission, book a room, tell them you want free dining, and whatever tickets you want to cover that trip. When all the dining credits are used up, AND before you leave, drop by a ticket window and tell them you want to upgrade your ticket(s) to an AP.

Is there a cosign or tangent in this equation?

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Is there a cosign or tangent in this equation?

LOL!!! cosigns or tangents involve rocket science, and believe me, I am NOT a rocket scientist!!!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I still have a lot of trip left to report, so I am going to press on with another installment of this saga.

I hope nobody minds.

We left off with our arrival at Epcot.

Remember I said we ran into some pixie dust almost immediately?

Well, we did.

Just after we entered the park, this guy came walking right up to us.

I wondered what he wanted.

He looked kind of suspicious.

And, I'm not proud of it, but I'll be honest and say that he was obviously a foreigner of some type. I thought he was going to bother us about something, so I kind of had my guard up.

He asked us if there were three of us in our party.

I cautiously said yes.

He then handed me three Fastpasses for Test Track. I then saw his wife and child, and he said they were beat, and were leaving, but we were welcome to use the Fastpasses if we wanted.

How sweet is that?

And this isn't the first time someone has done that for us.

I tried to do the same thing once, but the person I was trying to be nice to was very defensive, and didn't really seem to appreciate it, so I haven't done it again. But, after this I am really going to try to resume the practice. We rarely leave with Fastpasses in our pockets, but it does happen sometimes. Why not make someone's day? This guy made ours with just that little gesture.

We knew that the park would be busy that afternoon, so we didn't plan to ride either Test Track or Soarin', but those Fastpasses changed that.

So, here we are in the entry area. Here is the entry garden viewed from the ground:

And here's the Epcot Christmas tree viewed from ground level:

We headed toward England first.

We were going to get Fish and Chips.

We stopped in the pub on the off chance that the Hat Lady would be around.

S70 and The Mayor tell me that I need to see her.

Her hats were there, but she was not:

The Fish and Chips stand was doing a booming business, and all of the tables in the seating area were full. Then we noticed that there looked like there were a few tables down a little path along the water.

Sure enough, there were three or so tables there.

And we got one:

We got the same view that the folks sitting on the patio of the Rose and Crown got:

I'm sorry to say that since hitting 50, my perfect vision is starting to slip a bit.

All my life I have seen perfectly, but now I have a hard time reading small print.

The print on the newspapers that they serve the Fish and Chips in was driving me nuts. I tried to read it to see if it actually said anything. But it seemed like a bunch of gibberish. So I took a couple of photos to look at later:

I think it was a bunch of gibberish.

We really enjoyed our lunch.

Great food. Great view. Great company.

When we finished, we had about an hour before our Fastpasses would be good.

We decided to head over to The Living Seas. We all like the Nemo ride.

So, that's what we did.

As we headed over there, none other that Snow White and Prince Charming came strolling out of one of the buildings.

There weren't many people around, but those who were around swarmed:

You can see Ms. White's head if you look over the left shoulder of the guy with the green Mickey Ears.

There were only about 10 people waiting to meet Ms. White.

I thought about getting a photo to make DaveInTN jealous, but I didn't want to wait on line.

That lady is just not worth it.

So, we moved on to The Living Seas.

There was a bit of a wait in the Nemo queue. But, that was fine. We were in air conditioning, and the queue is kind of cool:

We hung around the aquarium for a while. The TCD twins love aquariums. We watched the manatees for a long time, and then the dolphins. By the time we were ready to go, our Fastpass return time had arrived.

So it was over to Test Track.

I don't know why it didn't come out in this photo, but the posted time for the standby line was 70 minutes:

Not for us, though.

We had Fastpasses!

So, right into the preshow we went.

We have enjoyed this attraction very much since it opened. I remember that was back in 1999. I remember that because it seemed like it too forever for it to open. One thing I find remarkable is that they have the same pre-show video that they have been using for twelve years now:

They did a good job in having the actors clothing and hairstyles be very neutral. You really can't look at that video and guess that it is 12 years old.

We enjoyed our ride as always. We were caught off guard by the hidden camera:

By this time, seeing that the wait for Test Track was 70 minutes, we decided that the park was too crowded for us, and we agreed to head back to the Fort.

We had a brief debate about whether to return by monorail, but we decided to just take the bus instead. You don't loop through the park on the way out.

As we headed out, I appreciated all of the flowers that have been planted around the entry area:

Old reliable Lou has previously reported that the Fort Wilderness bus stop at Epcot has moved.

It is now stop #1.

Which sounds good.

But it's further from where our old stop was.

But not as far as I had feared.

Not a big deal at all.

We did have a 10 or 15 minute wait for our bus.

And we had to go to Wilderness Lodge first.

When we got to the Lodge, I suggested to the girls that we get off the bus and take the Fort Wilderness bus from there. After all, our cart was at the marina, so we would have to take a bus from the Outpost once we got to the Fort. And that bus would have to make multiple stops on its way to the Settlement. The girls agreed with my idea.

So we got off at the Lodge.

We got to enjoy their bus stop decorations:

After about two minutes, the girls started to second guess my idea and say that we should have stayed on the bus.

Then I saw something through the trees:

Bam!

There's our direct ride right back to the Settlement!

I made sure to point out to the girls how smart my plan was.

And, we hopped aboard and headed back to the Fort.

We didn't know it then, but we were in for a big surprise when we got there.

We were about to meet the very first ever TCD Real Woman of Genius.

Yes, I said Woman.

That has never happened before.

Generally woman do not do anything to warrant such an award.

And by that I mean that women are smarter than men.

By a long shot.

Trust me, I know.

But, this lady was a real deserving recipient.

You will see.

In the next post.

TCD

[Specularius 102]

What a cliff hanger!!!!!

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I

I saw a lot of this type of Poinsetta treatments around the parks. They used to be solid poinsettas. I guess the greenery is a lot less expensive that poinsettas.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

TCD,

GREAT update!

Its funny because a few trips ago, we made a point to ride the monorail to Epcot. We hadnt done it for so many years, my boys barely even remembered riding it along that track.

My guys also have never ridden the ferry. I have ridden on it exactly once, I think I was 14 or 15, so 30 years ago. I think I need to ride it again and I think my boys do to!!!

My favortie thing on the monorail ride to Epcot is also the loop through future world. I have always thought that was pretty cool. I actually remember riding on the Epcot monorail the July before Epcot entered. We thought we were hot stuff for getting such a sneak preview!!!!!

For many, many years we always went to Disney for a couple of weeks in April during the flower and garden festival. Then we started going in April and November. Boy was I shocked that first Nov. trip when I saw how bare it was around that lake. All that green grass and no flowers. I think I thought it alway looked like it did in April!!!!!

All I could think about when you wrote about the "tool" who cut you off getting off the monorail (and I HATE getting cut off too!!!!) was, oh, I hope I never do anything like that to someone, but sadly I have........when we were at Disneyland a few years ago (it was our first trip, so where I know WDW like the back of my hand, I was still learning the ins and out of DL. Anyway, I went to get FP's for the Indiana Jones ride. I grabbed thed FP's all happy with myself and walked back to the boys who were waiting near by. When I got to them they blurted out, "MOM, you just cut in front of about 30 people waiting in line to get FP's........WHAT WERE YOU DOING? ?" I just about died, when I turned around and looked and realized what I had done. I had seen the people, but I thought they were in line for the ride, I didnt realize I had cut in front of anybody, I was so embarrased......so if anybody in that line was doing a trip report, I was most likely called a tool.

KFK-lets make a deal,they can scrap all the tombstones but two, the TCD one and the Heidis gang one. Although, I would be more than happy if ours were also moved to the fort!!!

Thanks SO MUCH for the update Andrew.......looking forward to the next one......your updates ALWAYS bring a smile to my face!!!!

Heidi

Heidi-

Thank you so much for that post.

I think it's funny how many WDW "experts" avoid the ferry. I know we do. But, if you ever want to get right to the TTC or to the MK from the TTC, it is obviously the most direct method. That said, I still like the monorail better.

That's cool that your gang is on the tombstones too.

That makes three Fiend families so far.

Do you have a brick at the MK?

I wish we did, but I thought it was a dumb idea when I first heard of it, and I never knew that we would visit WDW as much as we now do.

Yeah, I use Rhonda to book. Do you HAVE to renew?? I rarely renew my APs, I just let them lapse and get a new one at my next visit. If it is going to be a few months before your next visit, it might be worth it to let them lapse. (Although, nevermind, I remember reading talk of New Years in a comment somewhere).

It's actually not complicated. If you have active APs. Book a room, tell them you want free dining, and a two day base ticket per person. $200 deposit, the balance due 45 days before your trip. Enjoy your trip. Put away the room key with the tickets on them. When it is time to renew your APs, take those room keys to a ticket window and use the 2-day ticket towards a new or renewal AP.

If you need admission, book a room, tell them you want free dining, and whatever tickets you want to cover that trip. When all the dining credits are used up, AND before you leave, drop by a ticket window and tell them you want to upgrade your ticket(s) to an AP.

No, I don't have to renew now. I actually do plan on letting it go for a few months before I buy new passes, so maybe your idea of using the tickets and then trading them in for a credit toward passes is the way for me to go.

Thanks for explaining it. It's more complicated than I like, but I think I understand it, so thanks.

Is there a cosign or tangent in this equation?

LOL, Dave!

You are on fire today!

Makin' funny with the ha ha's!

LOL!!! cosigns or tangents involve rocket science, and believe me, I am NOT a rocket scientist!!!

Maybe not, but you seem to do a good job figuring out how to get the most bang for your buck at WDW.

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

What a cliff hanger!!!!!

You got it.

That's how I roll.

I can't help myself.

Sorry about that.

I saw a lot of this type of Poinsetta treatments around the parks. They used to be solid poinsettas. I guess the greenery is a lot less expensive that poinsettas.

Now that you mention it, there were solid poinsettia ones at the MK.

I liked these just fine, though.

I felt like the amount and quality of decorations was better than recent years.

Except, I wish they could put the MK Christmas tree up before the parade taping.

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

TCD,

GREAT update!

Thanks SO MUCH for the update Andrew.......looking forward to the next one......your updates ALWAYS bring a smile to my face!!!!

I think somones got a crush on TCD. I mean look at her user name.

I've PMd Heidi several times, seeing that she lives in my former home state, and nothing, nada. Not even a don't PM me anymore you foul mouth drunk.

Curses that Andrew. He ruins it for all the other guys.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I think somones got a crush on TCD. I mean look at her user name.

I've PMd Heidi several times, seeing that she lives in my former home state, and nothing, nada. Not even a don't PM me anymore you foul mouth drunk.

Curses that Andrew. He ruins it for all the other guys.

Sorry Lou.

I get that a lot.

Hey Heidi- I've met Lou.

Many times in fact.

He's a good guy.

You should respond to his PM's.

There you go, Lou, I hope that helps.

TCD

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

I have both payed forward Fast passes and received them from kind strangers. It is amazing how a simple act of kindness can make your day. Sounds like another great day was had by all!

Another great update, you made my rather dull day more enjoyable. :)

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I have both payed forward Fast passes and received them from kind strangers. It is amazing how a simple act of kindness can make your day. Sounds like another great day was had by all!

Another great update, you made my rather dull day more enjoyable. :)

We always do the FP gift thing on our way out of the Studios on our "Getaway" day. We ride TSM right at rope drop, then get FastPasses, then hunt for a party of two just getting off a bus as we head for the truck/camper that is parked in the Charter lot.

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

I think somones got a crush on TCD. I mean look at her user name.

I've PMd Heidi several times, seeing that she lives in my former home state, and nothing, nada. Not even a don't PM me anymore you foul mouth drunk.

Curses that Andrew. He ruins it for all the other guys.

Lou,

Oh my goodness, I would LOVE to read a PM from you!!!!! I guess, i dont know anything about how to read a PM, because everytime I sign in, I have never seen anything to alert me that I have a PM.......so I need someone to tell me how to read the PM...........please...........Lou, when I figure it out, I WILL respond to you.......you may need to give me a few days. Today was my chemo day and sometimes I need to crash for a few days after........actually getting ready to go to bed soon and its only 6:00.........chemo stinks........again, please, someone tell me how to read my PM from Lou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Heidi, at the top of the page next to your screen name, you will see a small envelope. Click on that and it will take you to you pm's. From there you just open it like you would a post in a thread. :)

Hope you feel better from your chemo soon. :heart:

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

TCD,

Yes, we have a brick as well.......sadly, we were too late to get one near the Magic Kingdom. Ours is at the ticket and transportation center.........a sad area to have one.......I have visited it twice in the last 13 years. Its still kinda cool to have one though!

Heidi

[we3peas 12]

We also pay the FP's forward. People get really weird though when you try to gift them, but we still try.

[Lou... 3,118]

Lou,

Oh my goodness, I would LOVE to read a PM from you

I'm feeling much better now.

[YodaGirl 13]

I like the Tombstones, too. We have our picture on one, so I guess I'm biased. It was Jonathan's first visit. I've got a picture of it around here somewhere.

I always wanted a brick. Never did get one.

I love traveling to Epcot via monorail. Much more exciting than the buses (no offense, Lou ).

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I have both payed forward Fast passes and received them from kind strangers. It is amazing how a simple act of kindness can make your day. Sounds like another great day was had by all!

Another great update, you made my rather dull day more enjoyable. :)

Thanks, Cherie- It is always good to hear that someone's day was more enjoyable just because I posted a few photos and hit a few keys on a keyboard.

Good for you for giving away your extra Fastpasses- I am going to have to make a point of doing that more often. I sure enjoy it when I am on the receiving end.

We always do the FP gift thing on our way out of the Studios on our "Getaway" day. We ride TSM right at rope drop, then get FastPasses, then hunt for a party of two just getting off a bus as we head for the truck/camper that is parked in the Charter lot.

That is really nice, Carol. Especially TSMM Fastpasses. Folks arriving after rope drop at DHS would otherwise have no hope of enjoying that attraction without a very long wait.

Lou,

Oh my goodness, I would LOVE to read a PM from you!!!!! I guess, i dont know anything about how to read a PM, because everytime I sign in, I have never seen anything to alert me that I have a PM.......so I need someone to tell me how to read the PM...........please...........Lou, when I figure it out, I WILL respond to you.......you may need to give me a few days. Today was my chemo day and sometimes I need to crash for a few days after........actually getting ready to go to bed soon and its only 6:00.........chemo stinks........again, please, someone tell me how to read my PM from Lou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's great, Hedi.

I hope you understand Cherie's instructions below.

Lou is proud of his chowderhead heritage, so it would be nice for the two of you to touch base.

Heidi, at the top of the page next to your screen name, you will see a small envelope. Click on that and it will take you to you pm's. From there you just open it like you would a post in a thread. :)

Hope you feel better from your chemo soon. :heart:

Ditto on the Heidi feeling better soon comment.

TCD,

Yes, we have a brick as well.......sadly, we were too late to get one near the Magic Kingdom. Ours is at the ticket and transportation center.........a sad area to have one.......I have visited it twice in the last 13 years. Its still kinda cool to have one though!

Heidi

I had forgotten that there are bricks at the TTC. That would definitely stink to have one there as opposed to right in front of the MK.

We also pay the FP's forward. People get really weird though when you try to gift them, but we still try.

Good for you! That is good to know.

I wonder if we could make this into a Fiend thing?

Hand folks Fastpasses and a ff.net card?

The other thing I have thought about is having a Fastpass exchange place at the Fort. On occasion, we have visited WDW when friends of ours were visiting. Once, we had been at Epcot in the morning, and they had been at Hollywood Studios. We met for lunch, and we excanged Fastpasses that we had collected in the morning, and then went to the parks for those Fastpasses. I think that could work on a larger scale, couldn't it?

I'm feeling much better now.

Wow! Everybody is feeling better from reading this report.

Cool!

I like the Tombstones, too. We have our picture on one, so I guess I'm biased. It was Jonathan's first visit. I've got a picture of it around here somewhere.

I always wanted a brick. Never did get one.

I love traveling to Epcot via monorail. Much more exciting than the buses (no offense, Lou ).

Hmmm.

There are a lot of Fiends with photos on the tombstones.

Maybe we need to move them all to the Fort.

I love the monorail to Epcot too, but we almost always take the bus. (WDW bus drivers rock!)

TCD

[Hotmamac aka Misty 11]

I think somones got a crush on TCD. I mean look at her user name.

I've PMd Heidi several times, seeing that she lives in my former home state, and nothing, nada. Not even a don't PM me anymore you foul mouth drunk.

Curses that Andrew. He ruins it for all the other guys.

Don't worry Lou...I love you. :heartsmiley:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Well, my fellow Fiends, we have made it to a very important part of this little report.

Yes, we have finally arrived to the part of our trip where we met the very first ever TCD Real Woman of Genius.

She was right there at the Settlement Bus Stop when we arrived from the Lodge.

This is where we first saw her:

If you are familiar with the Fort, you will recognize that this Minivan Mom has parked her Minivan in the bus lane at the Settlement Bus Stop. This meant that she had driven past many signs that told her not to enter this area. But she did. And here she was. In the photo above you can see that one of the Fort's busdrivers was having a pleasant chat with our new friend.

Our own bus driver parked his bus to get out and enjoy the fun.

We hung back to witness what happened next.

Here the Fort bus driver is politely explaining to the TCDRWOG that she must get the Fort out of the bus lane:

Apparently, this Minivan Mom was not one to be pushed around, because our friend the bus driver had to explain things to her in great detail.

Since we were basically standing there gawking, I pretended that I was interested in photographing the bus stop decorations:

Finally, the bus drivers diplomacy and powers or persuasion prevailed, and the lady drove off.

Well, that was that, I thought.

Had it stopped there, you wouldn't be reading this post or looking at these photos, because it wouldn't have been that big a deal.

It was what happened next that won this lady the award.

Instead of leaving and getting the heck out of there as the bus driver requested, the Minivan Mom just drove across the street, and in to the golf cart parking area. There she goes!:

And, she kept on driving:

After she went as far as she could go, she parked:

Our friend the bus driver was beside himself. He told the other driver that the lady told him she was there to pick someone up, and that she had no intention of leaving until she did. The driver told her she couldn't do that, but she went ahead and parked in the golf cart parking area any way.

We saw her park the car, and get out, and walk toward the path leading to the Settlement:

In case you are keeping score, that's Minivan Mom-1, Bus Driver-0.

In a perfect world, the bus driver would have summoned a tow truck, and the Minivan would have been impounded in some distant lot.

But, we weren't in a perfect world.

I didn't stick around to see how this got resolved.

We had places to go and things to do.

But, I was happy that I finally got to award a TCDRWOG award.

Congratulations, Minivan Mom, wherever you are!

TCD

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

OMG!!! The GALL of some people!!! That's why I wish the entire parking lot wasn't open!!! I much preferred the old way. The general public could park in the open lot, and the guards at the gate could let resort guests only in the lot that accessed the campsites!!! They "REALLY" need another gate that restricts acces to the loops area.

(Now if she was a Fort guest, then they should have been booted!)