AC's Fort/Bay Lake Tower February 2013 Trip Report

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

Not to digress, but isn't it weird with all the talk of carseats earlier that not one person mentioned the fact that Stef still has to ride in one?

You're in a lot of trouble meatball. (obscure movie quote)

:rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2:

yous in trouble now mister

Yes maam.

Dont you be messing with Stef now. She was sharing of her food and alcohol with me.

She is good peeps.

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

She is so going to kick you in the shin.

Take a note Dad, that pose is just the beginning. I see a world of trouble in your future. She is too darn cute.

Hey, are those goldfish? My kids are older, but I still buy goldfish for myself sometimes. And they still devour them before I can.

Good call on the APs. I keep trying to convince my hubby that we need to do that, but he doesn't believe me.

I know she is gonna be hellfire when she gets older.

Goldfish! I ate my weight in them on the way south. They never seem to get old.

APs and two trips in 10 months.......one of my better ideas. Now if I could figure out a way to do three trips......

Keep working on him. You can wear him down.

Re. renaming the falls at WL. I will talk to Bobby this weekend, but he generally likes to take a hands off approach to all resorts except the Fort, where he relies on my input and experience.

Re. the kid on the boat. No worries. Many people don't realize this, but it is a fact that Bay Lake is no more than 3 feet deep at any given point.

Good info to have. WL is so close to the Fort. Maybe you still have some influence there?

I probably forgetting some of the things I wanted to say, but I love the pics! I love the slide, the pony, the Super Bowl GAG!

I've never been over to the Wilderness Lodge, but we have a 9 night trip coming and only 2 1/2 park days. I want to make it there, but DH thinks I've already got us too scheduled, and we don't have enough Fort time. Apparently, hanging out at the Fort all day and then having a dinner ADR doesn't count as a Fort day. LOL. Maybe I'll sneak over solo.

Thanks Kelly.

Make sure you check it out. We liked it and will be taking the boat over again in December, at least to eat at Roaring Forks.

It was nice knowing you my friend ! :pope: I'll pray for your soul... :rofl2:

Perhaps a new thread on the prayers board?

Are you sure about that? I think the draft from the large transportation ferries are deeper than that. I think that fact is off by several feet.

Hmmm. That is interesting. I wonder how deep it actually is. I would go for a swim to check it out but not with the brain eating amoeba and all.

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

Good deal getting the AP with the DVC discount hard to pass up, we got ours also for our Christmas trip this year.

Good call. Great minds...

Shardi, are you questioning FWG facts? His information is always dead on. If he says it's so, it's so.

He knows Bobby.

I have heard that. He seems to have the pulse of the 3000 loop.

I've heard that Bobby had friends on the board. I thought it was an in joke though.

FWG doesn't ever joke.

I'm late to the party, but I'm in. Great trip so far it looks like. You were, at least far enough back in 2000 that it should have been pretty quiet, but sounds like maybe not...

Thanks. It was boisterous when we got there but after the weekend it was quiet. There was a large group of people who spoke other languages loudly with children who roamed the loop without ever being supervised. I had to tell a few to leave our site after they started pulling the lights out of the ground that Curt and Jody use to light up their character stand-ups. A few were just plain rude but most were just loud. There was probably 20-25 people staying on the site directly next to us. Apparently It was that is okay.

I have some facts re. the giant golf ball at EPCOT center, too, but you know I don't like hijacking threads.

I hate hijacking other people's threads too. :wave1:

No, it is just an allusion that the ferries have a larger draft, they actually ride on wheels and there is a track guiding them underwater.

Finally, here comes a public servant to bring sanity back to this report. He is a firefighter, but we'll let it slide since he is also a fiend.

Aaron-

Great job buying AP's, taking the fam to WL, and chowing on a GAG during the Super Bowl.

Awesome!

Any Fiend who has never been to the Lodge needs his or head examined.

There are very few trips we take to the Fort, even short ones, that we don't end up there for a snack or meal. It's a quick bus or boat ride away, and you can take off from there to wherever you wish to go.

TCD

Thanks TCD. The lodge was really cool and I could see us using our DVC points to do a future WL/Fort split stay trip.

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

I'm finally in!!!

Glad to have you here Carol!

hijack hijack hijack

hijack hijack hijack...sorry can't come up with a theme

How about we all scour the web for videos of Aaron? :rofl3:

you scour I will just watch

We can't let this thread go unhijacked until Aaron is back. Random fact my autocorrect wanted to change back to BSC. I guess I call people that a lot!

You guys need work on your hijacking skills. I am sure Gwen has more Dave videos you could have posted.

Count me in that group. Never been there.

You should check it out next time.

we discovered at WWW that my phone talks in Disney Acronyms. Just type Big Th and you get BTMRR. Pirates gets you POC....

You have a much different version of auto-correct than I do.

Due to a sick kid I'm here late but I'm in.

Sorry your youngling is sick but glad to have you aboard.

Aaron, I'm loving your TR! Can't wait for more. :popcorn:

That is awesome!

Thanks! I am trying to get an update done today but this new laptop and Windows 8 are a big PITA!

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

To those who have never been to WL - you have no business on this board. Please leave until you have visited the lodge. If possible, have a chili at Roaring Fork. WL has my quiet place for meditation, too.

Everyone should visit. It is a cool place.

I haven't been commenting but I have been reading. Great TR, keep it coming!

You just commented! I was waiting for that and now the updates can continue!

Roaring Forks is our most favoritist place to grab a quick bite. Granted, it took a major hit for me when they dropped the Wilderness Waffles. But the chili is awesome and filling, and the sandwiches are the best. And that salad with apples is awesome. And the magic cookie bars! Everyone must go there. So it is written...

It is at the top of my list for the December trip. I am thinking of adding the HDDR to the top of the list also.

I love sitting by the fireplace!

It looked inviting.

You can use the pool if you are a guest at the Fort.

or the workout room? :rofl2:

Have been working way too much lately, but I'm finally in ( and apparently just in time for the snow delay ). Great TR so far

Kick back and get ready for an update.......or the Nascar race on ESPN.....whichever you prefer.

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

2-4-13

When we left off we were all passed out after attempting to watch Toy Story 3 after the campfire show.

This morning we ate in the camper and then packed into the Chevy and drove off campus, or as Dave said, "outside the bubble."

We were headed to Sea World.

When we got there it was about 50 degrees or so.

We tried to go on some of the rides such as Manta, Journey to Atlantis and Kraken. They were all closed. Apparently none of those run if the temp is not above 50 degrees. Were they making any such announcement before people entered the park though? Nope

Did they have any signs out to let people know? Nope

If I didn't know the weather was going to get much warmer that day, I would have been pis*ed. As it was, we just went looking for the Dolphin area. The kids really wanted to see if we could feed them. We got into a fairly short line and bought our dolphin food which most people would call fish.

DD decided she did not want to feed the dolphins because the birds were dive bombing the people who left the fish in their hands too long before tossing it into the dolphins mouth. Apparently seagulls acting like they were in an Alfred Hitchcock movie bothers her.

Next up: Sting Rays!

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

DD didn't want anything to do with the Sting Rays either. No amount of telling her the barbs are removed could talk her into it, but she enjoyed watching us "pet" the sting rays. They are slimy but it was cool how they would swim over each other sometimes to get to your hand first. They seemed to enjoy all the people rubbing their backs:

DS loved the sting rays and we went back to "pet them" a couple more times but I will spare you.

Next we headed to the kiddie ride area and rode Shamu Express which was our first proof of what we thought we knew, DD loves coasters and wants them all to go faster.

Next up: Ocean Commotion (Note if you have a bad back....this ride sucks)

Afterward the kids played in the Sea World version of boneyard and then we went on a search for Jaws.

[Beckers 1,136]

Wish the seagull would have knocked that persons iPad in!

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

Wish the seagull would have knocked that persons iPad in!

That's funny. I didn't notice her before you pointed it out.

While dealing with several rude people in the hub one night.....I was actually looking around to see how many ipads were out and I didn't see any. I am sure they were there but I didn't see any. Very strange.

[Beckers 1,136]

I'm going to whip my iPad out in Gettysburg and block stuff just so everyone feels like they are in Disney :)

I may bring Adam's stroller and ram it into people too!

[Beckers 1,136]

I'm not a fan of rides like Ocean Commotion. Storybook Land and sesame Place both have them. They make me want to barf.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

I'm going to whip my iPad out in Gettysburg and block stuff just so everyone feels like they are in Disney :)

I may bring Adam's stroller and ram it into people too!

It's all fun and games till some one runs over an iPad with a stroller. just sayin

[Beckers 1,136]

It's all fun and games till some one runs over an iPad with a stroller. just sayin

Lol! Good thing I won't have either with me!

[alexwyattmommy 181]

Poor little DD. Dive bombing seagulls would freak me out too. Not impressed with Sea Worlds communication procedures to its paying public.

Newport Aquarium has petting sharks and sting rays. Both my boys liked doing that.

Some rides just don't need to be ridden. I'm just sayin'.

[Lou... 3,118]

I know you wanted to impress the kids and all that, but that whale fin hat is little over the top. It is cool though.

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

Your kids are lucky to have such a cool Daddy! Looking forward to more about Sea World. I have to confess that I have never been either and I can get a free ticket as a teacher.

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

I'm going to whip my iPad out in Gettysburg and block stuff just so everyone feels like they are in Disney :)

I may bring Adam's stroller and ram it into people too!

If you can make the temperature 78 degrees.....it would be just like being in the hub. Can you get a foreign lady and her daughter to sit behind me and ram their feet into my arse and back too!

I'm not a fan of rides like Ocean Commotion. Storybook Land and sesame Place both have them. They make me want to barf.

It doesn't bother my stomach, but my back was not feeling it.....or was feeling it too much.

It's all fun and games till some one runs over an iPad with a stroller. just sayin

:rofl3:

Poor little DD. Dive bombing seagulls would freak me out too. Not impressed with Sea Worlds communication procedures to its paying public.

Newport Aquarium has petting sharks and sting rays. Both my boys liked doing that.

Some rides just don't need to be ridden. I'm just sayin'.

I wasn't impressed either. DS loved all the animal interactions.

I know you wanted to impress the kids and all that, but that whale fin hat is little over the top. It is cool though.

I do what I can to make it fun, sort of like Dave.

http://youtu.be/nW_ophKei7E

I couldn't help myself. Best video I have seen in a long time.

Your kids are lucky to have such a cool Daddy! Looking forward to more about Sea World. I have to confess that I have never been either and I can get a free ticket as a teacher.

Thanks Rita. If you can go for free, I would say definitely go.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Aaron, remind me when we meet in person someday to whack you over the head with an iPad.

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

On to our search for Jaws:

Shark Encounter:

Jaws never crashed through the glass which was a giant letdown so we moved on to Manta.

Manta is a flying coaster. You start in a seated position with your feet dangling and just before it takes off it tilts you into a position where you are laying face down. If you like coasters it doesn't get much better than this ride. There are a couple at Cedar Point that rival this ride but it is awesome.

I couldn't find a video good enough to do it justice but here is one:

http://youtu.be/TGW1G9zJRXU

FUEGO!!!!!!

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

I'm noticing empty rides. Were they all like that?

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

DD was not happy that she was too small to ride any of the big coasters. I rode Journey into Atlantis while the kids had a snack. Also a good ride, it is both flume ride and coaster:

http://youtu.be/cMMslhVyF9w

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

They also have another coaster called Kraken where you're seated but your feet dangle (it is a lot like Raptor at Cedar Point). I did not ride it this trip but here is a video of it for those who have not been to Sea World:

http://youtu.be/Fhw6lbHsxC8

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

As you can see you actually go underground on that coaster.

After riding the sea animal carousel:

We had lunch at one of the eateries. At Sea World you are not allowed to bring in any food or drinks unless you have a medical reason to do so.....and their counter service food sucks.....so be warned.

They do however have the ice cream of the future. I am quite fond of the ice cream of the future so we had some:

As you can see, I almost forgot to take a photo but I did get one.

While eating it, I saw this guy up in a tree:

It was now time to see The Killers. No not the band. These guys:

To be continued in a jiffy

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

Perhaps there haven't been enough Shamu pics yet? Kidding. DS loves Orcas so DW made sure to get a ton of pics for him.

Sleeping Polar Bear:

Walrus:

Beluga Whale:

We spent a bit more time at the play area, kids rides, and sting ray lagoon again but I will not bore you further.

All in all, here is my review: You need to like many of the following things to get your money's worth:

Marine life viewing, feeding, shows

Coasters

kids rides/play area

snack food

If you do not like the snack food. Good Luck because the meal food sucks.

If you pay for admission, you do get a second day free if you use it within like 14 days or something like that. We can never see going back a second day rather than be doing something at WDW.

We like it, but do to the expense we do not go every trip down and we will not be going back in December. We may be going to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter bc DS has been reading the books and loves them; and he has asked us about going to see the stuff at Universal.

It's mid afternoon and we are heading back to the Fort.

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

I'm noticing empty rides. Were they all like that?

The coasters got busy in the afternoon, but the kids area was pretty dead. We stayed on the kids coaster and rode it about five times in a row without getting off.

Aaron, remind me when we meet in person someday to whack you over the head with an iPad.

:toiletreading: :thumbsup3:

With as bad as its been getting used to this new laptop and windows 8, I would prefer if you gave me the Ipad and whacked me over the head with something else.