It's A BuckeyeFortFamily Spring Break 'EGG'stravaganza!!

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

The horses all work 3 days and then get time off. He showed us the paddock that they get turned out in when they are done working on a typical work day.

 

Then we talked about the barn itself.

 

They have these automatic fly spray sprayers in each stall to deal with the flies that bother the horses.

 

That’s impressive in a draft horse barn.

 

He also showed us that they are upgrading the doors on the stalls from these

 

 

 

to these.

 

 

 

We were talking about ventilation and he pointed out that ventilation has always been a problem for this barn because of the roof.

 

So, we walked out the back of the barn.

 

 

All I could think at this point is those poor schmucks at the other end of the barn on the guest side of the rope just wishing they were us right now.  Yes, Lou... this is a magical moment for me and I am relishing it!

 

 

So, anyway the barn roof. It is sealed up tight and allows no cross breeze.

 

 

But fixing the roof has been on hold for quite a long time because of other projects that would have seen this barn totally disappear.  Now that those projects are not happening the barn is finally getting this much needed repair.

 

So, now we are standing behind the barn and looking at the back of the Mickey’s Backyard BBQ.

 

 

I am certain our tour is coming to end. We learned so much from TICM. I love to learn how things are managed and handled. It’s so interesting. I am just tickled with our tour. 

 

Then TICM says, "let me grab some keys and I’ll show you the rest of the ranch."

 

 

Woooohoooo!

 

 

We drive out of the trailer parking area and go out the back way past the pastures for the horses who are on their day off.  TICM laughs as the horses who are technically off come running to the gate. He says they love to work and almost hate to be stuck in the pasture for their mandatory rest. That sounds typical for a draft horse.

 

We drive up to the front of Fort Wilderness on a road that I had no clue ever existed.

 

 

We pass the Disney Hitch trailers in the maintenance area that TCD posted pictures of in his recent walking tour trip report during his walk from the Outpost to the 4 way stop just past cabin loops.

 

 

 

TICM gave us the run down of how the trucks and trailers are inspected regularly to make sure they are always in good working condition. He also said we were in no-guests-allowed area.  This was a blast, let me tell you.

 

Hey look, it’s Angus (from Brave) in the paddocks up by the Trail Blaze Corral. If you ever see Merida on a horse.... this is the horse.

 

 

Here he is this week on the Disney Passholders Facebook page.

 

 

We walked into a barn that was full of carriages.

 

 

 

This garage was so cool.  I could have spent an hour looking at all the different carts and carriages but TICM wanted to show us one in particular.

 

 

Hey that’s the Pioneer Hall Players stagecoach.  TICM was amused to see we knew what it was. He told us it’s history. He said it was one of the ones purchased by Walt himself for Frontierland.  I found some internet pictures to back this up.

 

 

As a guest at Disneyland you could take a stagecoach ride at one time. They shut down the attraction because it was too dangerous. Imagine that!  This stagecoach was brown before it was orange.

 

 

 

When they were doing some promo shots for the Pioneer Hall Players they dug this out of storage and restored it and repainted it.  After the pictures they were just going to throw it back in the boneyard, so TICM asked if he could add it to the collection here and use it and well....here it is!  A true antique in its restored glory!

 

Ok, let’s go look at the Calliope. TICM had to grab keys to the trailer and when he stopped to do that he picked up some pins for the kids.

 

 

The Calliope was in the semi-trailer waiting for the truck to get back from it's weekly inspection to be taken to be fully restored.

 

 

It has just been commissioned to be in the July 4^th parade and the restoration is in prep for that.

 

 

This magnificent piece of equipment has quite a history.  It’s a 108 year old 20 whistle steam calliope and was purchased by Walt along with 8 other circus wagons from Bradley & Kaye Amusement Park in Los Angeles to use in the 1955 Mickey Mouse Club parade.

 

It was also in the 1960 movie “Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks With the Circus.”

 

It lived at Disneyland and was repainted silver and blue for the Disneyland 25^th anniversary.

 

 

 

It came to Walt Disney World in 1981 for the 10^th anniversary and has been here ever since.

 

TICM told us that it was originally steam powered and coal was used to heat the water.  It was then retrofitted to use propane to produce the steam and then updated to digital technology, which doesn't actually use the whistles but plays through a speaker system.  TCIM wanted to play it for us, but the USB wasn’t in it.  Crazy.  Here’s the electronic box that plays the music. 

 

 

He said the electronic switch was because of tightened security measures that followed 9/11 which kept them from being able to take large amounts of propane into some major cities (like New York) for parades. So now they plug in the USB and go.

 

The weird thing is that with every change they haven’t removed any of the old workings.  So the Calliope weighs a ton because the old steam workings and coal furnace are still in there.

 

So this refurb is going to be major.  The old systems are going to be removed, so out comes the coal and propane mechanisms.  And since every paint job since the first silver and blue one has been put right on top of the old it will be totally stripped down before it is repainted.  So they need to get started on it right away to be done by July 4th.

 

That brings our awesome awesome awesome behind the scenes tour of the TCD Ranch to an end.

 

Did I mention it was awesome?

 

It was AWESOME!

 

How do you come down off that high?

 

 

Exactly! Adult beverages and rocking chairs while the kids play.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

AWESOME! 

 

I am going to make a suggestion that I also made for TCD's walking tour a while back....these last several updates covering the horse operation tour should be pulled out and posted as an article. 

 

Mo?  Is that possible?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I agree with Dave.

 

Those two posts about your tour of the Fort's equine operations are probably the best two trip report posts I have ever read.

 

Great job, BFM.

 

That was some major pixie dust!

 

I had no idea that the calliope was stashed in that trailer.  And, the news that it is coming back for the 4th is awesome!  Does that mean that it will be in the Fort's 4th of July parade?  Or one that they are having in the MK?  They are doing some kind of limited time magic thing at the MK for the 4th, and I wonder if the calliope will be used there instead of at the Fort.

 

To be clear, did TCIM say that the River Country DVC project is dead or just delayed?  And does he mean all of it?  Including the new dining pavilion?

 

TCD

[BuckeyeFortFan 35]

I had no idea that the calliope was stashed in that trailer.  And, the news that it is coming back for the 4th is awesome!  Does that mean that it will be in the Fort's 4th of July parade?  Or one that they are having in the MK?  They are doing some kind of limited time magic thing at the MK for the 4th, and I wonder if the calliope will be used there instead of at the Fort.

 

To be clear, did TCIM say that the River Country DVC project is dead or just delayed?  And does he mean all of it?  Including the new dining pavilion?

 

TCD

I seem to recall the calliope was definately being redone for the MK. Do you seriously think they would spend that kind of $$$ on you dirty trailer trash? Ha!

Who said anything about TICM discussing the River Country DVC? And no...there was no mention of the new pavilion, only that the DVC was off, and since the TCD (the ranch, not that other one) wasn't getting the new barn down at the outpost, the roof on the current barn would be replaced. As to whether it is dead or delayed, that is tough to tell. It seemed as if no further work was going to be done towards it. That is consistent with the activity, or lack thereof, that has been reported in the form of permits and surveys and actual ground breaking over the past 2 years. That being said, who knows what crazy scheme will pop into the minds of the WDW bigwhigs tomorrow...maybe they will decide that a land at the AK filled with big blue tree hugging weirdos is a good idea, or that they should build a DVC that no one wants over the ruins of a water park.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I seem to recall the calliope was definately being redone for the MK. Do you seriously think they would spend that kind of $$$ on you dirty trailer trash? Ha!

Who said anything about TICM discussing the River Country DVC? And no...there was no mention of the new pavilion, only that the DVC was off, and since the TCD (the ranch, not that other one) wasn't getting the new barn down at the outpost, the roof on the current barn would be replaced. As to whether it is dead or delayed, that is tough to tell. It seemed as if no further work was going to be done towards it. That is consistent with the activity, or lack thereof, that has been reported in the form of permits and surveys and actual ground breaking over the past 2 years. That being said, who knows what crazy scheme will pop into the minds of the WDW bigwhigs tomorrow...maybe they will decide that a land at the AK filled with big blue tree hugging weirdos is a good idea, or that they should build a DVC that no one wants over the ruins of a water park.

 

Sorry- I was reading between the lines.

 

The thing about the DVC River Country project is that it proceeded way past the point of discussion.  They dropped major dollars on surveys and studies, and I have personally seen top secret photos of actual plans and a very detailed scale model of the actual proposed DVC resort plopped right on top of those ruins.  They actually applied for permits for the new barn and the pavilion.  And after all of that, they say nevermind?  I don't believe it is dead.  Delayed for a long while maybe, but not dead.

 

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

The thing about the DVC River Country project is that it proceeded way past the point of discussion.  They dropped major dollars on surveys and studies, and I have personally seen top secret photos of actual plans and a very detailed scale model of the actual proposed DVC resort plopped right on top of those ruins.  They actually applied for permits for the new barn and the pavilion.  And after all of that, they say nevermind?  I don't believe it is dead.  Delayed for a long while maybe, but not dead.

 

 

 

With Disney, it's not too late to cancel the FW DVC. All of what you mention has been done before with a number of resorts and all were canceled.

The Asian Resort, the Venetian Resort, the Persian Resort, the Mediterranean Resort, and the Pop Century, Legendary Years Resort, went way past the concept stage and were never built. Some even had promotional literature printed up and Pop Century, LY, was actually started before being canceled.

[BuckeyeFortFan 35]

With Disney, it's not too late to cancel the FW DVC. All of what you mention has been done before with a number of resorts and all were canceled.

The Asian Resort, the Venetian Resort, the Persian Resort, the Mediterranean Resort, and the Pop Century, Legendary Years Resort, went way past the concept stage and were never built. Some even had promotional literature printed up and Pop Century, LY, was actually started before being canceled.

Excellent point!

Take away message: When you have more dollars than sense, you can do, or not do, anything you want.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

With Disney, it's not too late to cancel the FW DVC. All of what you mention has been done before with a number of resorts and all were canceled.

The Asian Resort, the Venetian Resort, the Persian Resort, the Mediterranean Resort, and the Pop Century, Legendary Years Resort, went way past the concept stage and were never built. Some even had promotional literature printed up and Pop Century, LY, was actually started before being canceled.

 

 

Excellent point!

Take away message: When you have more dollars than sense, you can do, or not do, anything you want.

 

Yes. very true.

 

There was a DVC planned for the Eagle Pines Golf Course.  The planning on that went way past the point to which the unannounced River Country project has progressed, and it got scrapped.

 

And Lou is right, the current AOA resort got built in place of the second half of the Pop Century resort- and they had actually done all the site work and started to put up vertical structures there before it got stopped and killed.

 

So killing the River Country DVC would not be a big deal at all to Disney.

 

They are going to have to do something with the River Country site one of these days.  Hopefully they will figure out something that is more compatible with the Fort.

 

TCD

[alexwyattmommy 181]

What a magical update to your TR.  I love draft horses.  If I was a horse girl, I would want one with the big feet.  A horse that is meant to do something other than just look pretty.  When we go to our county fair, I always try to time it so we can watch the horses pull. I like it much better than the tractor pull the boys like.

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

First let me say that of all the days to be so busy with work all freaking day that I don't even have time to reply! UGH!

Good thing my husband has time to post.

 

Wow, what a great opportunity!  Thank you for sharing!

 

Did I mention it was AWESOME!!!

 

It's gonna be hard to top that tour as a Disney experience. Call me a dork but It was so freaking cool.

 

AWESOME! 

 

I am going to make a suggestion that I also made for TCD's walking tour a while back....these last several updates covering the horse operation tour should be pulled out and posted as an article. 

 

Mo?  Is that possible?

 

That is quite a compliment. Thank you!

 

I am tickled that someone else finds this interesting too!

  

I agree with Dave.

 

Those two posts about your tour of the Fort's equine operations are probably the best two trip report posts I have ever read.

 

Great job, BFM.

 

That was some major pixie dust!

 

I had no idea that the calliope was stashed in that trailer.  And, the news that it is coming back for the 4th is awesome!  Does that mean that it will be in the Fort's 4th of July parade?  Or one that they are having in the MK?  They are doing some kind of limited time magic thing at the MK for the 4th, and I wonder if the calliope will be used there instead of at the Fort.

 

To be clear, did TCIM say that the River Country DVC project is dead or just delayed?  And does he mean all of it?  Including the new dining pavilion?

 

TCD

 

Wait!

 

Did I read that right?

 

 

Those two posts about your tour of the Fort's equine operations are probably the best two trip report posts I have ever read.

 

TCD

 

Yes, that's what he said. Are you kidding me? That's awesome! Thank you.

 

First Lou... makes a rare appearance, then DaveInTn and now this.  I might just get a big head and think that I can actually write trip reports.

 

Honestly when TICM talked about the new barn roof I was excited because I don't want my Fort to change, but it was just a small part of the great stuff we learned that day that I probably wouldn't have cared if he didn't even mention it. It was like icing on the cake! 

 

With Disney, it's not too late to cancel the FW DVC. All of what you mention has been done before with a number of resorts and all were canceled.

The Asian Resort, the Venetian Resort, the Persian Resort, the Mediterranean Resort, and the Pop Century, Legendary Years Resort, went way past the concept stage and were never built. Some even had promotional literature printed up and Pop Century, LY, was actually started before being canceled.

 

 So true! Sometimes you need to spend $ to figure out it's a bad idea.

 

What a magical update to your TR.  I love draft horses.  If I was a horse girl, I would want one with the big feet.  A horse that is meant to do something other than just look pretty.  When we go to our county fair, I always try to time it so we can watch the horses pull. I like it much better than the tractor pull the boys like.

 

 Draft horses are great to spend time around. They have always been working horses,  They never ran free. They were always family pets. This makes  and are very easy to be around. It's in their blood. I could talk until I am blue in the face about how great they are, so I better just stop now.

[Big Kahuna aka John 71]

Wow what a great update !    I remember the first time as a kid that we went to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg.   The horses were there and the wagon from all those great Bud commercials.  I remember looking at those horses and was amazed at their size and the amount of people working with them.   I loved learning about the WDW operations....  The Merida tie in was super cool....  Thanks for the insight and education !

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

That there was an awesome update.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

 

 

I might just get a big head and think that I can actually write trip reports.

 

.

 

I hope that you don't get a big head.  But, you definitely can write trip reports. Very well, in fact.

 

TCD

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

Wow what a great update !    I remember the first time as a kid that we went to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg.   The horses were there and the wagon from all those great Bud commercials.  I remember looking at those horses and was amazed at their size and the amount of people working with them.   I loved learning about the WDW operations....  The Merida tie in was super cool....  Thanks for the insight and education !

 

Thanks John! I was so excited to share it but was hoping that at least someone else would enjoy it.

 

That there was an awesome update.

 

Thanks! I am happy to oblige. I wasn't sure how it would go over as a trip report update, but it seemed to be well liked.

 

I hope that you don't get a big head.  But, you definitely can write trip reports. Very well, in fact.

 

TCD

 

No need to worry. I am a newbie and I know it.  I don't have years of reading trip reports as my husband does so I know I have a lot to learn. \

 

I must be doing ok, since he is letting me fly solo with this trip report.

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

Here's where we left off. Crown and coke and strawberry diaquari. Happy kids on the playground and happier parents in the rocking chairs.

 

 

We looped a bit, walked swamp trail, and played on the dog walk playground. Then headed back to get this going.

 

The kids got out the chalk while they waited for dinner.

 

 

Now that we have had dinner, it's time to do some more looping.

 

 

When we loop we look for these.

 

 

Don't be silly, not flags! We look for other Open Ranges. 

 

Our kids also look for decorations. The poor things. We normally come at Halloween and we did Christmas this past year. This was the best we found tonight.

 

 

Unless you count this thing/camper/bus....Anyone else see this before?

 

 

 

 

I don't know why but I am told I must include this picture in my trip report.

 

 

Oh, what's this?

 

 

Look close, somebody got in trouble. 

 

Well, only a little trouble. They did draw a diagram to explain how to fix the trouble.

 

Here's how they were parked.

 

 

As we were looping we came across old friends from my teen years, and for those of you who don't know me that was a few decades ago. What a small world!

 

After catching up the boys and I hit the sack and the girls and BuckeyeFortFan and the girls  took in a movie.

 

 

And caught up with some old friends before turning in themselves.

 

 

Magic Kingdom Rope Drop tomorrow morning.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Add me to the list of people who loved the last updates. Cool information, and I hope your source is right about no DVC!

 

How do you remember all these details so much later? The reason I cranked out my report was because I knew I'd forget things. I still did, but it would have been a lot more.

 

PS- In your trip, we arrive "tomorrow"!

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

Add me to the list of people who loved the last updates. Cool information, and I hope your source is right about no DVC!

 

How do you remember all these details so much later? The reason I cranked out my report was because I knew I'd forget things. I still did, but it would have been a lot more.

 

PS- In your trip, we arrive "tomorrow"!

 

I  am so ready for your arrival tomorrow, the beginning of Easter weekend.

 

So glad you enjoyed the TCD Ranch stuff!

 

I try to take pictures of everything I need to remember even if I don't use them later, for example if I need to remember a time I take a picture of my phone or my watch. I delete the info only pics after I put the update on. I love digital cameras! Unless of course it is the digital camera that dies halfway through your trip and leaves you using your 8yr old daughter's crummy camera the rest of the trip, but I digress.

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

I also really enjoyed your private tour. What did the kids think of it?

[alexwyattmommy 181]

Great updates.  Rope drop sounds like a good update to come.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

That diagram showing how to park the vehicles is HILARIOUS! 

 

But aren't you only allowed one vehicle per site?  If so, aren't the rangers instructing those folks on how to break the rules? 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

 

 

 

The kids got out the chalk while they waited for dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

My compliments to the artist!

 

That is a pretty awesome drawing!

 

I wish you had some clearer photos of that bus with all the artwork.  What the heck is going on with that thing?  There is Hebrew writing on it- can anyone read what it says?

 

Nice 617 photo!

 

On that note from the Rangers- note how it says even golf carts have to be parked completely on the pads.  Have you ever seen that rule enforced? Why is that on there then?  How about extra trailers that a lot of guests have?  Those are often parked off to the side. The dumb thing about this is that the only time the rangers seem to pass out these love notes is on busy days when the overflow lot is already packed.  Why then?

 

TCD

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

I also really enjoyed your private tour. What did the kids think of it?

 

I really wish they would have found it more interesting and paid attention a little more. 

 

They see draft horses and hitch wagons all the time so that was no big deal to them.

 

They were polite and well mannered despite being bored. The 3 yr old fell asleep in my arms in the carriage garage and you can see him sleeping on his father's shoulder in the calliope shots.

 

The big kids enjoyed seeing the calliope and meeting Angus was like meeting a character to them.

 

Great updates.  Rope drop sounds like a good update to come.

 

The next update, if I can get to it. Is interesting to say the least. We had a weird MK experience 'tomorrow' morning.

 

 

That diagram showing how to park the vehicles is HILARIOUS! 

 

But aren't you only allowed one vehicle per site?  If so, aren't the rangers instructing those folks on how to break the rules? 

 

Interesting isn't it? We had the same thought about 2 vehicles. 

 

Even more interesting is taking the pictures of the diagram and hoping that the golf cart coming around the loop isn't the owners of the cars parked wrong.

 

I am too old for that kind of drama.  

 

My compliments to the artist!

 

That is a pretty awesome drawing!

 

I wish you had some clearer photos of that bus with all the artwork.  What the heck is going on with that thing?  There is Hebrew writing on it- can anyone read what it says?

 

Nice 617 photo!

 

On that note from the Rangers- note how it says even golf carts have to be parked completely on the pads.  Have you ever seen that rule enforced? Why is that on there then?  How about extra trailers that a lot of guests have?  Those are often parked off to the side. The dumb thing about this is that the only time the rangers seem to pass out these love notes is on busy days when the overflow lot is already packed.  Why then?

 

TCD

 

Thank you. I passed along the compliment and the 10yr old is quite proud.

 

I wish I had better shots of the Hebrew camper, but I reference my earlier comment. I am a chicken. 

 

I desperately wanted to meet Devores and I was too chicken to knock on his door and that's someone I know would probably not be mad I did.

 

I just don't have it in me to get close enough for someone to figure out that I am taking pictures of a crazy camper with writing all over it......although if you drive a crazy bus with writing all over it aren't you asking for the attention? Don't you want the notarity? Ah man, why didn't I just walk up and take the picture?

 

See no big head here. I have a lot to learn!

 

 

:bighug:   

 

For those of you hanging in on this long trip report we have a Wacky start to Magic Kingdom Rope Drop. And not Wacky on our end but Wacky on Disney's.

 

I am hoping to get to it later this afternoon. I have been dealing with a huge project at work this whole week and it has really cut into my fort fiends time! I am going to try and catch up this weekend.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

 

 

I desperately wanted to meet Devores and I was too chicken to knock on his door and that's someone I know would probably not be mad I did.

 

 

 

For your future reference, it is in the Fiend handbook that it is OK to knock on another Fiend's door whenever you like.

 

You can also wake up a sleeping Fiend in his hammock.

 

It's happened to me many times.

 

And it's perfectly fine.

 

It's in the handbook.

 

At least I think it is.

 

Actually, I don't have a copy of the handbook.

 

I am not sure if it says that Fiends can help themselves to the contents of each other's coolers.  But I think it does.

 

TCD

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

For the record, I was also too chicken.

[BuckeyeFortMama 43]

So sorry fellow fiends that I have let my work supercede my trip reporting but I will get right back to it.

 

First some housekeeping of sorts.

 

For your future reference, it is in the Fiend handbook that it is OK to knock on another Fiend's door whenever you like.

 

You can also wake up a sleeping Fiend in his hammock.

 

It's happened to me many times.

 

And it's perfectly fine.

 

It's in the handbook.

 

At least I think it is.

 

Actually, I don't have a copy of the handbook.

 

I am not sure if it says that Fiends can help themselves to the contents of each other's coolers.  But I think it does.

 

TCD

 

This sounds right as I would not mind any fiend knocking on my door or helping themselves to something in my cooler.

 

Or M&M's out of my candy bowl.

 

For the record, I was also too chicken.

 

Darn, we need to buck up it sounds. Easier said then done.