swimmarz 72 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 The weather here in Florida has been unusual, this is our "dry season" and while we normally get 1-2 inches of rain, this year we have had over 18 for just the month of January. I had booked our stay 6 months ago, and the forecast was ever changing in the last week leading up to the trip on 2/5/2016. It was our second time at the fort, and our first time towing with the new F150 I was able to get the Trailer brake controller installed with 2 days to spare, and had it programmed by the dealership, I was also able to get at least 600 miles on it before i towed the pop up My Oldest is in Pre-K and I told him if he had a good week at school we would skip Friday and head to the fort, and so we were on the road at 9:30am The drive was uneventful, we live south of the fort, and the wind was blowing 20-25MPH out of the north, so we had a headwind the entire way that limited my truck to just 15 mpg, by comparison the xterra made the same trip 1 month earlier with no wind and got 15 mpg. We arrived at the fort around 12:30, our site was ready and the boys were excited to be here, off to site 1424 I got to the site, and the spot across the street had a suburban parked cross-ways at the very front of the site, with 2 tires on the road by an inch or so, I tried for 5-10 min to manuver the truck and trailer and had no luck, some people that were walking by asked if i needed help, as it was really tight with no room to swing the front end of the truck, I declined as plan B was going into effect. I un-hitched the trailer, and did it by hand. My boys now think I am super strong... we took our time setting up as it was windy and had everything good to go in just under about 40 min. It was time to head to the park and meet some old friends, a college teammate of mine was in the park, with her 2 kids already, and her mom was in 1409 for the weekend. The boys had fun hulla hooping, we hit up dumbo, peter pan, and mine train before heading back to camp for dinner/ movie Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dblr....Rennie 224 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Are the cast members wearing long heavy coats? Must have been chilly Quote Link to post Share on other sites
swimmarz 72 Posted February 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 some were, most had gloves and some also had earmuffs Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beckers 1,136 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Love the pic of your son and the stickers. swimmarz 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 I un-hitched the trailer, and did it by hand The Fort has spoiled me, I do the same thing. We have an old small 900 pound Coleman. I give it 1 maybe 2 shots backing in, then I just drop it and roll it in by hand. The paved pad makes it easy. Don't know what I would do if we went to a campground and everything was unpaved and rutted. Cute pictures, and yes we've been having some weird weather. We were at LEGOLAND on the 5th, windy but warm enough for shorts, got chilly when the sun went down. It was a lot colder Saturday and Sunday in Orlando for my GD's birthday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
swimmarz 72 Posted February 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 With the sun setting and the tempature dropping it was time to head back to the fort, last time we were here it rained so we never got to do the campfire sing-a- long and movie. we ate dinner at the site and then walked over to make s'mores and partake in the activities planned. one thing that shocked me coming from the other Disney resorts was the marshmallows and roasting sticks were not free like they are at the wilderness lodge, this was a non issue for me as i bring my own and have kid friendly roasting sticks that have no sharp point on the end so we made our S'mores, I use Peanut-butter cups as well I am a Peanut-butter cup addict! My oldest and my wife and my Youngest meeting chip Right before i stole the thunder for the knock knock joke by yelling moo After that we watched about 1 hour of the movie the incredibles before it was too cold to be out with the boys, back to the camper turn the heater on, turn the mattress heaters on and tuck in for the night, the low is in the 40's!!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Very nice! I haven't been to the campfire in forever. Need to remedy that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
momof3kids-Yvonne 594 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Thanks for taking the time to write this TR. Looking forward to hearing more about these memories you are creating with your family. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk swimmarz 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 You have a beautiful family! Looking forward to more of your TR. swimmarz 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cortezcapt (Derek) 156 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Great trip report so far. I'm jealous you can just unhitch and push it into place (even more jealous of Carol and her motorized set up). S'more with peanut butter cups sound excellent, I'll have to try that sometime. Can't wait to keep reading along! Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk swimmarz 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
swimmarz 72 Posted February 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 1 hour ago, Cortezcapt (Derek) said: Great trip report so far. I'm jealous you can just unhitch and push it into place (even more jealous of Carol and her motorized set up). S'more with peanut butter cups sound excellent, I'll have to try that sometime. Can't wait to keep reading along! Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk you have no idea, once you do that kind of s'more you cant ever go back to just plain old chocolate.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
swimmarz 72 Posted February 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Day 2, February 6th Woke up at 7:15, man was it cold out, the bunk ends of the pup could use some insulation and I am now looking into PUG's and refletix I start to get the coffee going and then it hits me, along with forgetting our Annual passes( forgot to mention that earlier) I have forgotten the Keurig!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so I send the wife and kids to snuggle back in bed and i trek off to the trading post for coffee! nice view while i waited 10 min for the store to open up Turkey anyone?!?!? Ok coffee in the system and off we go after breakfast to animal kingdom! we walked on to its a bugs life, and then started doing work on our wilderness explores badge, its fun and the kids want those merit badges my boys are big in to dinosaurs so we had to go to the dig site! we missed our FP for dinosaur! but i think we were better off that way, as i may be too intense for the kids! we opted for the triceratops spin, then off to Expedition Everest while the kids work on another merit badge. It then started to rain and Yak& yeti was in site, it was 11:45 and i was expecting a long wait, however they participate in the Landry's select club, 5 min wait for a table for 4! we ate and when we were leaving we saw people who were near us at check in just then getting seated. over to the Safari ride in the rain, and then back to the camper for a litttle nap before friends came to visit. But first a stop at target to get an electric heater as a back up as were in for another cold night! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Katman1356...Jason 1,140 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 I am in. Loved camping in our pip at the fort. Even with the troubles we had. Can't wait to read more. swimmarz 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LONE-STAR 370 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 I want to be there. I love the Fort when it's cold. Looks like yall were having a good time. swimmarz 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sherryberry 35 Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 I want to be there. I love the Fort when it's cold. Looks like yall were having a good time. I agree! Even in the tent, I enjoy waking up when it's chilly out. Enjoying your report! Looking forward to more! swimmarz 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beckers 1,136 Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 My son was determined to finish the wilderness explorer badge but as hard as we tried we couldn't. There really is a lot to them and a ton of learning! We are guarding the book like its a million dollars because we want to save it and finish it, don't want to have to start all over again!! One of the stations had you play Mancala with a CM and my son loved it so much we got him it for Christmas. swimmarz 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fladogfan aka Gretchen 259 Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Nice looking family enjoying your TR. Yes, it's been cold here. Well, cold to Floridian standards. btw, I love the cold weather. Going to warm this weekend and it's super sunny out right now. Looking forward to more of your trip. PUG (pop up gizmos) are worth every cent. We first used them in NH in October a few years ago. Didn't have them on the first night and the insides of the tent ends (we have a hybrid) were dripping the next morning. Put the PUGs on and no more problems. So they are good for hot and cold weather. swimmarz 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beckers 1,136 Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Oh I've got to know were there tears involved in the removal of the stickers?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
swimmarz 72 Posted February 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 no Tears involved with sticker removal, he's a tough cookie like his momma.... On to the rest of day 2! So Target trip is where we left off, both boys passed out on the short drive to target to get said electric space heater Picked up a ceramic oscillating heater for $34 at target, it has 5 temp settings and is about 5100 BTU's, its a good back up plan to have and we used it for most of the night, I did get up at 5 am to but the gas furnace on but thats because the temp outside was nearing the low 40's again and this little heater just could not keep up, strongly considering PUG's and refletix Back on track, our friends arrived for dinner Plan was to cook steak tips at the camp site, however rain put that plan on hold so we waited it out we played a few board games, and the adults did a beer tasting. around 5:30 its still pouring and the kids are looking bored I hop on MDE and make reservations for Trails End, I have never been and neither has anyone else we get a reservation for 6 pm and make our way down there in the pouring rain... one of the members of our party has allergies, and i was impressed to see they still had many options even with the allergies for Nuts, Milk, and eggs... they even had a special ice-cream that was a welcome surprise! Back to the Camper, and here is where things got a little hectic, staying in the 1400 loop we need to take the yellow bus, as we are waiting a yellow shows up, and after the unload they change to magic kingdom, so we wait 4-5 other busses come and go, and then another yellow, but guess what, it too changed to Magic kingdom and fills up again.... 3-4 more busses come and go and finally a yellow bus shows up, it was the original one that changed to magic kingdom, he made his trip and came back in the time we were waiting and the station to go back. we get back to the camper, say our goodbyes and then it off to bed for my crazy boys, we have to pack up in the morning and head to Epcot. I was shocked to see that even in the cold and wet they were still playing the movie and there were people there... crazy i tell ya crazy! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
momof3kids-Yvonne 594 Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 No one in our family has allergies, but I have heard nothing except high praises for how Disney handles serving those with allergies. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Looks like you are having fun regardless of the weather. We use a ceramic heater in our TT. It will keep us warm down into the 30's without having to turn on the gas furnace and has worked well for us through the past two winters. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Seals 111 Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 On 2/13/2016 at 4:29 PM, swimmarz said: around 5:30 its still pouring and the kids are looking bored Kids look adorable! Good you didn't let a little (lot) of rain stop you from having some fun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ivy 36 Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 On 2/12/2016 at 1:41 PM, swimmarz said: nice view while i waited 10 min for the store to open up These are great photos! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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