Fortless- A TCD Trip Report with a twist.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Good work, TCD! You want to price out my next trip for me? ;D So, these are all rooms except the cabin. Is a Studio still just one big room (basically)? I ask because when we came on our first trip, DD was 2 and we really needed 2 separate rooms - like put her down for a nap and go in the other room and watch TV kind of thing. At the time, I priced out the family suites at All Stars and they were similar in price to the cabin. I know AoA is new and fancy - but wonder why it is SO jacked up? I'm with you, they'll discount it and eventually bring it down once the new wears off. It is what it is. My heart is always with the cabins though. :heart:

That's part of what I enjoy about your TR's. Not only the story, but the conversations that ensue.

And your favorite CM is definitely... the one that told you about the Dole Whip machine.

I'm going to respond to this comment first, and then we will get to the favorite castmember question.

Yes, the studios are just one room. They are about the size of a regular hotel room-so not really that big. The most recent one we stayed in was at Saratoga Springs. It had a queen bed and a sleeper sofa in it, and a wet bar with a microwave and fridge. But, it was all one room. So, aside from the cabins, the choices on my list don't give you an extra room. Except the Pop example, where you could get two whole rooms for a hundred bucks less than an AoA suite. And, they do have connecting rooms at the Pop (as do the All Stars). As Carol mentioned above, two rooms at the Pop would give you four beds, two TV's, two fridges, and two complete bathrooms.

Nothing really compares "apples to apples" with these AoA suites. But, as I said, there is no way that I would ever pay what they are asking for those rooms over the other less expensive, or nicer hotel choices that I listed.

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

OK, let's get to the question of who my favorite WDW castmember is.

Here are the guesses:

Lou?

My second guess is Sundee

Barrel Painter?

:clint:

Ken at TE.

It's GOTTA be one of the rangers!!

:rofl2:

Shawn the Ranger

Lou the Pie Eating Bus Driver

The barrel painter

My guess is the CM that checks him into the Fort.

Brown paint guy

the river country panther?

whatever CM happens to hand you the GAG on any given day?

And your favorite CM is definitely... the one that told you about the Dole Whip machine.

Wow, those are some good guesses!

Some of them are really funny, too.

Like Ken at Trail's End.

And Sean the Ranger.

And the Barrel Painter aka brown paint guy.

Those are all good choices.

I was going to say something funny like it was the pretty girl lifeguard that I met at the Polynesian when my family stayed there in 1975.

But, the truth is that it is . . .

Lou.

I can't really say too much about why, as I don't want to damage his street cred, but Lou is my favorite castmember whom I have ever met at WDW.

So Carol and Nicki got it right.

Your prize will be an autographed portrait of Lou. I will get it to you as soon as I take the photo and sign it.

TCD

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

So Carol and Nicki got it right.

Your prize will be an autographed portrait of Lou. I will get it to you as soon as I take the photo and sign it.

TCD

I think I've already ruined his street cred on this thread..... :beathorse: :rofl3:

can't wait for my prize! I'm assuming it's his picture with your autograph... :rofl2: :rofl2:

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

I think I've already ruined his street cred on this thread..... :beathorse: :rofl3:

can't wait for my prize! I'm assuming it's his picture with your autograph... :rofl2: :rofl2:

Cool!!!!! Hey, I was the first one to get it right!! Why does Nicki get a picture too??!!!!! :rofl2:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I think I've already ruined his street cred on this thread..... :beathorse: :rofl3:

can't wait for my prize! I'm assuming it's his picture with your autograph... :rofl2: :rofl2:

I don't think you ruined his street cred. He has a lot of it.

You are kind of right about the autograph. I am going to sign it, but I am going to sign Lou's name.

Cool!!!!! Hey, I was the first one to get it right!! Why does Nicki get a picture too??!!!!! :rofl2:

You know, you're right.

You should get something special for being first.

So, I will have Lou stop by your site for a visit the next time you are at the Fort. Make sure to have something for him to eat and drink. Oh, and a chair, too.

Since he will be there, you can take your own photo. If he won't sign his name to it, then I will.

Congratulations!

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

Thanks Andrew, I think.

Seriously, I appreciate it.

Unfortunately you've never been a guest that I've interacted with while being a CM.

I take being a WDW CM very seriously. Guests expect a lot form us and I attempt to exceed their expectations.

The payoff is when a guest asks you for your full name so that they write it in on the comment card, happened again a couple of nights ago.

Or when one of the kids wants to give the bus driver a hug or a card that says thank you.

On Sept 7th, I will have a 16 year history at WDW. And while I came and went six times, it's still a long time and has been mostly pleasurable.

Even though working for Disney, especially as a bus driver, is a challenge, I'm still glad I am a CM.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

I knew it was Lou but I didn't want to take any juice from him......now that sounds like it could be a tag!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I take being a WDW CM very seriously. Guests expect a lot from us and I attempt to exceed their expectations.

You hit the nail on the head.

One of the great things about WDW is that there are just enough CM's who share your philosophy to make the place special.

That fellow who used to play Six Bits, Ben, is one of them.

And, there are a few more that I have run into around the Fort.

WDW is very fortunate to have you working there.

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Before we all get all sentimental and start singing Kumbaya, I have a bus driver story that I forgot to share in my haste to get this report in the can.

I met an interesting bus driver on my last bus ride from the Poly to DHS.

When the bus arrived at the Poly, it was pretty full.

And not many people got off.

For a while, it was questionable whether there was room for us on the bus.

But, folks inched back, and we were able to squeeze in right at the front. I ended up standing right next to bus driver.

She closed the door, and then some of those people came walking quickly up to the bus door and motioned to the bus driver.

You know those people, don't you?

There's a ton of them at the Fort.

When the bus stops at one of the internal bus stops and it says Settlement Yellow, for example, they will still ask the bus driver if the bus is going to the the Outpost. Or sometimes, they even ask if its going to one of the parks.

Well, there were some of those people right here at the Poly.

The bus was full, and about to pull away, but they motioned for the driver to stop.

And, I guess bus drivers aren't allowed to be rude to idiots, so the lady had to stop and open the door.

I was afraid that these folks wanted to crowd on to the already crowded bus.

But they didn't.

They needed to ask if this bus marked Hollywood Studios was going to Epcot.

Amazing.

Actually, it isn't really amazing, since this kind of thing happens all the time.

You don't believe me?

Try riding the bus around the Fort some time and see how often it happens.

It happens a lot.

So, anyway, something great happened here.

The bus driver tells the people sorry, but this bus is going to Hollywood Studios, but if they wait there, the Epcot bus will be by soon to get them.

The great part about this is that there is no Epcot bus that comes around to the Polynesian.

At least I don't think there is.

After we pulled away, I chatted a bit with the bus driver.

She said she had been working at Disney since about February. She used to drive school buses in Wisconsin, and she loved this job so much better. I asked her if she was sure about the Epcot bus. She said no, now that I mentioned it, she wasn't. She pulled out her cheat sheet when we got to the GF, and she said that she may have gave those people bad info.

I hope her cheat sheet was right.

Serves them right.

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

We're not supposed to be rude to smart people either.

I'll stop at resort with the marquee reading DHS and of course someone will ask, are you going to Epcot.

NO, parks don't share buses.

They've hired over 200 new drivers over the last year. Most of them don't know the overall bus system that well. It takes a long time to learn everything regarding what buses go where property wide. It can be overwhelming for the new hire.

You are correct, under normal circumstances there is no bus from the MK resorts to Epcot.

.

[Lil Lisa 53]

Or when one of the kids wants to give the bus driver a hug...

Those are lucky kids. Lou's a great hugger and my favorite CM too!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

You are correct, under normal circumstances there is no bus from the MK resorts to Epcot.

Well then, let me say that the poor guests who stay in the Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian get a pretty bad deal with their transportation.

They do get the monorail to the MK. That is a nice perk, no argument there. Or the Poly and GF people can take a boat.

When they want to go to Epcot, though, they have to take the resort monorail and then transfer to the Epcot monorail. The Poly people can walk to the TTC, but that is a long-ish walk, and would stink in bad weather.

When they want to go to DHS, they all share one bus. That means if you get on at the Contemporary, you are going to stop at the Poly and the GF before finally making your way to DHS. And if you think the GF people have it made, they have to stop at the Contemporary and Polynesian on the way back.

I'm not sure what happens with AK- they probably share buses and stop at Blizzard Beach on the way too.

Us filthy campers don't know how good we have it.

TCD

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

That's why if I ever got stinkin rich, the only monorail resort I would consider is the Poly and I would request one of the closest rooms to the TTC. Short walk to the TTC, then direct monorail or direct bus to my destination.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

That's why if I ever got stinkin rich, the only monorail resort I would consider is the Poly and I would request one of the closest rooms to the TTC. Short walk to the TTC, then direct monorail or direct bus to my destination.

Very smart.

If I ever get stinkin rich, I am going to get a sweet fifth wheel and park it on one of the sites on the 100 loop near Fiesty's.

That will give me a short walk to the boat to the MK, and I won't mind the bus ride to the Outpost to catch the other buses. Or, maybe I will just ride over to the WL and catch my buses there.

No, I have a better idea . . .

I'll hire a personal driver to take me to the parks.

TCD

[mgsmom 9]

I didn't realize how limited those resorts were on transportation. Funny. I always thought the Fort was very easy to navigate and "go places".

I'm with you TCD - if I'm stinkin' rich, I'll buy myself a hotel on wheels! :mh1:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I didn't realize how limited those resorts were on transportation. Funny. I always thought the Fort was very easy to navigate and "go places".

I'm with you TCD - if I'm stinkin' rich, I'll buy myself a hotel on wheels! :mh1:

The Fort did not always have as good a deal on the transportation as we do now.

Back when we first started to visit, there were no direct buses from FW to the parks. Every trip, except for the MK of course, required a visit to the TTC, and you would get your transportation from there. They had two bus routes running through the campground. The buses were not identified by colors. Rather, there was the Chip and Dale buses, which ran loops through the campground and never left, and then there were the Boone and Crockett buses, which ran through the campground and then out to the TTC and back. You caught these buses at the same bus stops that are in use today, so you had to pay attention to what the bus said. This was still the way things were even after AK opened. Eventually, they added direct buses. What we have now is way better. The monorail resort folks still have what they have always had. Hah!

TCD

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

The Fort did not always have as good a deal on the transportation as we do now.

Back when we first started to visit, there were no direct buses from FW to the parks. Every trip, except for the MK of course, required a visit to the TTC, and you would get your transportation from there. They had two bus routes running through the campground. The buses were not identified by colors. Rather, there was the Chip and Dale buses, which ran loops through the campground and never left, and then there were the Boone and Crockett buses, which ran through the campground and then out to the TTC and back. You caught these buses at the same bus stops that are in use today, so you had to pay attention to what the bus said. This was still the way things were even after AK opened. Eventually, they added direct buses. What we have now is way better. The monorail resort folks still have what they have always had. Hah!

TCD

Yep, my first trip to the Fort in 2001, it was Chip and Dale, and Boone and Crockett, and the TTC. I flew down and tent camped, and I also didn't have a golf cart or bike, and was way back in the 2000 loop. I almost didn't return, it was such a pain. BUT the next trip in 2002, I brought Rick's ECV and used it around the campground, and also by that trip, I'm pretty sure they had the Orange, Purple, Yellow. I was also in 1500 that trip and everything was much more central. I was HOOKED by then.