keith_h

The last morning, we have breakfast trying to eat up what we have left. We jump on the bikes and do some looping around. We stop at Meadows this is my last chance to find something. I ended up getting some hair clips for my neighbor and the Haunted Mansion puzzle. We head back taking the long way not wanting to leave. We pack up and pull out at 11. We have to stop back at Walmart to take in the battery core. Wow they have some unhappy workers there. 
We made it back home with no problems! My husband thinks the converter is bad. We ended up having a Mobil Tech come over just to double check that it is the converter.
I tell him about the problem with the box at the Fort and the power issues. He is not sure if they are related or not but will check everything. Drum roll what do you think the issue was? Well Clark just check the plug. Yup the converter box plug was loose. All he did was plug it back in all the way. We had looked up reasons why the power was bad and we never saw check the plug. The Fort box was just a coincidence it had nothing to do with it. Now we know.
Thanks for reading along! 

AGM have a different charging curve than your traditional wet cell lead acid battery so depending upon the age of the converter and coach alternator these might still need upgrading. There is no way to get an idea without the model number of the converter and year/model of the coach.

Thanks Jen. There used to be so many post daily, I couldn’t read them all?  Started wondering if people weren’t posting anymore. Even though I like FaceBook I rather have blog site any day. I am hoping like you more people come back. Not sure what happened, but when I click on browsing the forums, there are posts from way back, few years ago. Is this correct? Or is there something wrong in settings?  Thank you again Jen 

I actually agree with you about burnout.  Between work, social media posts for the side hustle and just life, I am really longing to get back to a forum.  Please know that I will be posting much more in the future here to drum up some of the lurkers and get more attention.  I do post almost daily on our FB pages and we have quite a following.  I sincerely hope they will come back here.

I've always used the hitch & unhitch area on the way in on the right, before the 4-way stop.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2023/07/disney-eats-first-look-at-trails-end-restaurant-and-crocketts-tavern-reopenings/

Well, the pictures look good but then so did everything on the menu at Howard Johnsons (for those old enough to remember them) 

As promised, here is the golf cart parade from the 4th.  Thank you to Mousesteps for the video.
 

Congrats on the new camper!  If you are a disney plus member, check out the September rates at the Fort, if you can go then.  I'm snagging another cabin this year, the rates are pretty low during the promotion. 
 

Congrats and welcome back to the great outdoors 🤠

We're still not sure when we will be making our next trip to WDW but this eliminates our checkout day meal. We would always pack up, park in the overflow lot and take the bus to TE for brunch before hitting the road. It was also one of the places we would eat at on non-park days. As more things go away it is getting to the point that I am starting to wonder if staying at the Fort is worth the cost anymore. 

We did the Mothers Day Brunch in 2022 at Trails End (we were not staying at the Fort).  We had a great time and the food was good.  But like others have said family style is not a buffet. I have a feeling they are going to turn it into a place like Wilderness Lodges Roaring Fork.  Definitely not a special place.  Getting tired of getting less for more $ everyplace we go, and tons of places are doing it besides Disney.

Unforunately, this is another example of a few spoiling it for many.  We spent four weeks at the Fort from early December to early January.  There were quite a few people; many of them too young for a drivers license, who were riding around in what would be better described as electric motorcycles.  The had wide tires, a motorcycle like frame, useless pedals, and were FAST.  They also had loud radios and many were being driven very recklessly.  The Fort Rangers were trying there best to pull them over and keep them under control.  I have to admit, those electric sooters weren't slow either.  My wife and I both said that someone was going to get hurt.  I wonder if something finally happened.

We used to say, "who goes to Disney for the food?".  However, the TE buffet was awesome in its own right.  I believe the family skillets were to purposely cause this to happen along with the removal of the resort boats so that the resort traffic would be reduced.  It sickens me quite frankly.
First our exercise trail to Wilderness Lodge, no boats and now this.  I'm hoping to go one last time to record the interior as I'm afraid all the charm will be lost in the reimagining.  I agree that the cost of staying at the Fort might not be worth it once they take away all that made it special.

We're still not sure when we will be making our next trip to WDW but this eliminates our checkout day meal. We would always pack up, park in the overflow lot and take the bus to TE for brunch before hitting the road. It was also one of the places we would eat at on non-park days. As more things go away it is getting to the point that I am starting to wonder if staying at the Fort is worth the cost anymore. 

Yes, our daughters alerted us to this first thing this morning.  For all of the years we have been going to the Fort, we have never seen Trail's End not busy, except sometimes for lunch.  I wonder if this is management's attempt to strangle the Fort with the ultimate goal of closing it.  Always suspicious of management's attempts to "improve" the Fort.

From Love’s
 

Holidays, Highways and Love's: The perfect RV road trip combo
 
Whether it's a road trip to visit friends or family for Thanksgiving Day turkey, or a Christmas journey to the perfect destination, RV road tripping during the holidays is a memorable tradition for grand adventurers, and Love's Travel Stops is your safe, clean and well-maintained place to stop on the way. Conveniently located at Love's Travel Stops across the country, you can find RV hookups at 22 Love's locations and a full RV Stop in in Cordele, Georgia.
"Love's is committed to providing the best amenities and services for professional drivers, casual drivers and now RV drivers to enjoy right off the highway," said Jim Wheeler, director of Hospitality and RV Operations. "We are looking forward to expanding our RV hookup locations as well as adding larger RV Stops to support both short and long term stay RV customers on their journeys."
Love's Travel Stops has more RV hookups and amenities than any other national travel stop network, with propane refills, RV dumps, laundry facilities and a place to stretch your legs. If you're traveling with furry friends, their needs will also be met thanks to dog parks at more than 350 locations across the nation. When you stop at Love's, you will also have 24-hour access to endless food and drink options including fresh and hot meals, snacks, coffee and endless other drinks to choose from before turning in for the night and getting back on the road. In addition to RV hookups at our locations, Love's opened its first RV Stop in Cordele, Georgia, where you can find all the amenities of traditional RV hookups plus fire pits, pickle ball courts, a splash pad, laundry and more.
Love's will continue to grow its RV network with additional hookups set to be added at select Love's locations in 2023 and we'll also be adding three new RV Stops in Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Normal, Illinois; and Bliss, Idaho.
To learn more about Love's Travel Stops RV hookups, or to make a reservation, visit lovesrvstops.com.

Today we got to sleep in and relax a bit. After a nice breakfast we decided to ride are bikes down to the meadows area and do something we have never done before.
 We are doing the scavenger hunt. We got the clue paper, and we are off. We are almost done when we decide after running all around the Fort in the hot sun, we needed a break. We ride back to the camper and have a bowl of ice cream. After we are rested, we head back out to finish, and claim our prize. We had a ton of fun doing this and only got one wrong. We did wonder why there was a question about the boat parade so, it made it difficult to finish in one day. We did cheat on this one but, only after running all over trying to find the answer without seeing the parade. While we are down here, we decide to play some shuffleboard. In the middle of the game, it starts to thunder. I really wanted to hit the pool after playing guess that will not happen. It is starting to get dark, so we hurry to end the game. After a close game I was the biggest loser. We quickly turn in the equipment and race back. It starts to pour just has we are getting back. We just made it. 
We sit around for a while, and I make dinner yes, I said dinner. We have big plans tonight and don't want to waste time sitting down to eat. We eat dinner well really more a late lunch and get ready to leave. It is still raining when we leave. Will the rain stop or go on all night?
 

I'm going to finish up the report today. 😃  It was a short trip. 
Refreshed and restored, we went on through the world showcase, through Norway.  Frozen was at 60 minute wait at 2:30, with no LL’s available. And so we went on into Mexico.  We rode the Three Caballero’s ride, only a 5 minute wait.   We came out of Mexico pavilion and picked up churros to share.

I grabbed an LL for Imagination, and we went to the ride. Pooh was interacting on the lawn outside of the Imagination pavilion, so we went and got pictures.  The LL saved us maybe 5 minutes in line.   All of the CM’s were happy about Figment coming back to meet and greets soon.  We got to hear about it quite a bit, and we were happy.   After, we did the Pixar Movie Shorts, then on into the Chase Visa Character meet and greet, where we got to take pictures with Goofy and Mickey in their 50th finery.

We went on down to the Seas pavilion afterwards, and talked a lot about the length of the queue for the Nemo ride, and how I’ve seen it completely full in the summer, and never want to see that again, lol.   We enjoyed the aquarium area, but didn’t stay for Turtle Talk with Crush.   Afterwards, we went to ride the monorail, as we had no other plans to take it for transportation on this trip, and we wanted the inlaws to experience it.   So down to the TTC and back again.   Father in law at this point was finally grasping just how big WDW really is. 
Back at EPCOT, we had 6:30 reservations at the Rose and Crown.   They are still on a limited menu, but we did have a waiter from Scotland, and he was a lot of fun to speak with.   I had the cheese, fruit and meats board, hubby had Fish and Chips and the inlaws split a Shepherds Pie.   We had both the Sticky toffee pudding and the Strawberry Trifle for dessert.   The Trifle was better.
Afterwards, we were all wiped out by the day, so went to find a good spot for Harmonius.  We got a great spot on a planter shelf near the entrance to World Showcase.   A rainshower came through, so we wrapped up in our poncho’s and waited it out.  Harmonious started on time, and it was  lovely.  Since the in-laws had no other show to compare it to, they were blown away.   It was the biggest fireworks show they had ever seen.  They were sooo happy to be there for it.   
We made it back to the car, and then to the cabin, and collapsed.   MK Rope Drop was coming early!
So, for our MK day, we took our golf cart to the Marina, and jumped on boat transport to MK.  Had to wait for just one boat.    We walked through the tunnel into MK at about 8:10, but we are doing the old folks tour, so had no real reason to be at the front of the crowd.   We bought the in laws souvenir hats.  Father in Law got a Partners silhouette hat, and Mother in law got a Cinderella’s castle hat.   Hubby was decked out with his Nautilus hat, and I was wearing full Figment regalia ( T-shirt and ears).   We started our day with Carousel of Progress.   It was a hit!  Next on the list was WedWay people mover.   We broke down inside space mountain, so had a nice break in the AC.    Tron Coaster was a beehive, looks like they were doing walkways and other concrete pours.    The coaster was not running tests. 
We did Teacups, Barnstormer,  Dumbo and Ariel’s ride all with no wait.  We bypassed 7 dwarfs and Pooh,  and went in to wait to see Cinderella.   Mother in Laws favorite Princess.   We waited about 40 minutes out of a 60 minute posted wait.   Got to meet Elena and Cinderella and took some lovely pictures.  Next, we did It’s a Small World, and then jumped on the carousel (My must do ride), and then had a light lunch at Pinocchio’s.   We had a LL for Jungle Cruise at 1:00pm, so wandered over and went to see the backside of water.   Our cruise director had the ability to remember that elephants never forget… and told us this fact over and over and over again, as she promptly forgot she had done so already.  It was a little annoying at first, but became absolutely hysterical by the end of the trip, as all of us were trying to figure out ways to hide the elephants from her.   Never realized just how many elephants there are on the jungle cruise, lol.
Out of Jungle Cruise, we grabbed our obligatory Dole Whip pineapple floats, and started out of the park. 
Next up, a 4pm show of the Hoop de Doo Revue!

Hoop de Doo was great, as always.   This was our first time back since the pandemic, and not much has changed, except for the actor play 6-bits.   Chicken and Ribs and all the fixin’s are still delicious.  Our waiter kept our tea and lemonade topped up, as we were dehydrated from the park.  The in laws had a blast, and we gave them the washboard to play at the end, since we’d done it before. Mother in law got so enthusiastic with it, I thought she was going to punch it out of its frame.  So many bad jokes.  So much rip roaring fun.
After the show, we drove back to the cabin and took an hour nap, then went back to the Marina for a trip back for fireworks.   We were all pretty tired by this time, but no one was complaining.  We found father in law a spot to sit, as his back was really hurting at this point.  He was on the steps by the Uptown Jewelers, and we were in the street holding a spot.   The crowd was not near us when we chose the spot, but by the time the show started, it was shoulder to shoulder.   The had the projections running on main street as well as the castle this night, so there was  a LOT to look at.   Mother in law kept turning circles trying to take it all in.  It was crowded, but quite magical.  The music and ambiance is just unique, and worth the crowd.   We all enjoyed every minute of the show.  Afterwards, we ducked back to the steps where Father in law had waited before the show, and we sat there while the crowd thinned out.   We moved up to the gardens near the castle, and waited there for a bit until the photographers came back out. 
We got in line behind a newly engaged couple, and the photographer did some really awesome poses for that young couple.  Very unique shots with the partners statue and with the castle.   She showed them to us before we started our photos, because we were so very impressed by her abilities.  We got some great shots from her, as well.

I snagged an LL for Pirates, and we wandered over that way, playing with the magic bands and golden statue interactions on the way.   That is a neat feature of the new magic band+ system.   Those bands also vibrate and put on a light show during the fireworks, but to me that was more annoying than fun.
We rode Pirates, then grabbed an LL for immediate return to Haunted Mansion.  LL wasn’t necessary here, as we went all the way to the join spot with no line on either side.  Coming out of  HM, we walked past the Tangled restrooms and HOLY SMOKES, the lantern photo artist was there!!!!   I herded our tired crew into line, told the in laws that this is still one of the rarer photo shoots to get at MK, and perked everyone up for one last photo.        That kept us happy and talkative all the way back to the boat dock.  We enjoyed the final ride to the Fort, and collapsed into bed one last night at WDW.

 
The next morning, we were up and packing early.   Hubby and I took the golf cart over to the Meadows trading post to grab a Ft. Wilderness pin, and souvenir mugs for us.  I was standing near the checkout, but not in line yet, looking at merch.   There was a woman checking out, and I heard her talking as to a small child.   I went to take a step forward, heard my hubby yell ‘WATCH OUT’, and my foot hooked a crawling baby.  My brain went from nothing to 90, as I realized I was going down, it’s a baby under me, DON’T SQUISH IT!!!!   I reached out with my hands, dropped my pin and mug, hopped the baby with the other foot and thank goodness the shelf I reached for was a heavy, wooden thing that could take my weight.   I saw the foot that hooked the baby roll him onto his back like a little turtle.   I wrenched my right knee slightly, but the adrenaline rush was enough to keep the pain away.
The poor baby, I turned and went down to him, put my hand under the back of his head as his dad swooped in and picked him up.   The mom, the dad, the closest CM and I were all clucking like biddy hens, offering apologies all around and making sure the baby was ok.   He was only a little startled, cried for about 3 seconds then just looked at us all wide eyed.  No harm, no foul.   Scary end to the vacation, though.   My knee only hurt for a couple of days.
Thanks for reading!!

Hubby and I got a great rate on a Ft. Wilderness Cabin through the Disney+ September Discount.   We went from Sep 20 to Sep 23rd, exactly one week before Hurricane Ian.  We decided this short trip would be to honor Josh from EasyWDW with our Ten Dragon’s shirt at Nine Dragons, and to take his parents on an all expenses paid trip, because we knew we’d never get them to Disney any other way.  We really wanted some Disney memories with them.
Check in around 4pm on Sep. 20th.   We were in Cabin 2320, backing up to the canal, nice and quiet area.  I did the fax request for a 100 loop cabin, and I did early check in, but did not get a text before we arrived.  Stopping at the check in area, the CM did acknowledge and apologize for not getting us the 100 loop, but they put us exactly where I requested if 100 loop was not available, so we were really happy.   I picked up the golf cart, and we rolled to the cabin.

We gave the in laws the bedroom, and hubby and I took the sleeper sofa.  He and I are both fluffy people, and that sleeper sofa was a decent sleep.  It was very firm, not really much in the way of a mattress, but I did not wake up sore, with sleeping appendages or with anything poking into me, so I consider that thing one of the best sleeper sofa’s I have ever encountered.
First reservation that evening was Whispering Canyon Café.   The shenanigans are back!  The table next to us asked for ketchup, and we watched armful after armful of ketchup bottles going to that table.  The kids were loving it.  Hubby and I were gifted with a ½ gallon jar of sweet tea  after stating we were from the great state of Texas, with 2 GIANT straws.   The food was delicious, if too bountiful.  4 senior citizens just can’t do justice to ‘all you can eat’ family platters.   At least they let us take the leftovers back to the cabin.  We had snacks for the rest of the trip.   We walked around Wilderness Lodge after,  watching the geyser and checking out the cabins on the water.  Love that resort.
Back at the cabin, we rested a bit, then headed out to see fireworks and the Electrical Water Pageant.  No fireworks for us, we didn’t check the schedule and it was a MNSSHP night.   We had lounge chairs on Clementine beach, though, and a lot of folks to talk to.   It was a nice night, and the water pageant was a spectacle that the in laws had never heard of.   They enjoyed it, and the music. 
Our first full day at the parks was EPCOT, and we planned a full Rope Drop to Close day.  The in laws are 79 and 76, and in decent health, so we just planned a lot of sitting breaks in our day.   We drove to the park, and went straight to Soarin.  We were on the 2nd ride of the day, top row center.  A great first ride, the in laws were amazed and overjoyed with the trip.   Down and onto Living with the Land.   Mother in Law is a gardener, she was videoing the entire ride.  Hubby and I had 9:15 Cosmic Rewind ILL, with Virtal Queue later in the day for all 4 of us.   We bypassed Seas to get to Spaceship Earth before the ILL window.  About a 5 minute wait for SE.   We also had memory maker, so we stopped for photos twice before the ride.   Out of SE, we wandered to Club Cool.  Hubby could not wait to give Beverly to his folks.  It was hilarious as usual.   We enjoyed a taste of the better flavors too, then we parked the in laws outside in the breezeway while we took our Cosmic ride.

I don't think it would be weird as it offers both of you something you can enjoy.

Also, sad to report that there is still no money budgeted for spellcheck or a new sign:

Chip and Dale are returning. Among others

Direct from Disney

Walt Disney World Character News: Mirabel Debuting, Favorites Returning 
One of the most rewarding parts of the steady return of live entertainment to Walt Disney World Resort has been watching guests create special moments with their Disney character friends once more. Whether it be a wave in a parade, a family photo or a warm embrace, these encounters bring even more magic to each visit. That’s why we can’t wait to share what’s next for new and returning characters as we continue The World’s Most Magical Celebration!
Let’s kick things off with some exciting news for Magic Kingdom Park. We may not talk about Bruno, but we can definitely talk about Mirabel making her debut in the “Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade” on June 26! The young hero from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ hit film “Encanto” will join Miguel from “Coco,” Nick and Judy from “Zootopia,” Max Goof, Moana and more as this super-sized cavalcade winds through the park several times each day.
Looking ahead to July, the always iconic Minnie Mouse will join Mickey Mouse starting on July 6 in Town Square Theater at Magic Kingdom Park. Both will be ready for hugs and photos in their EARidescent fashions designed specifically for the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary celebration!
July 6 also marks the return of Chip 'N Dale's Campfire Sing-A-Long at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, where guests can join the nutty friends for a campfire celebration followed by a classic Disney movie under the stars. Then, on July 10, familiar Fantasyland friends Peter Pan and Snow White will greet guests at Magic Kingdom Park once again.
Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Star Wars Launch Bay returns July 17! A celebration of the legendary space saga, Star Wars Launch Bay is the place for a warm embrace with Chewbacca, a face-to-droid encounter with BB-8 or a run-in with Darth Vader himself for those brave enough.
And those are just the next few weeks! More fun, hugs and memories are on the horizon. In the coming months, a visit to Magic Kingdom Park will bring chances to meet Aladdin, Jasmine, Merida, Pooh, Tigger and Storybook Circus pals like The Great Goofini in Pete’s Silly Sideshow. Guests' favorite toys will be ready for playtime in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Donald Duck and friends will rejoin their prehistoric party at “Donald's Dino-Bash!” in DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
These exciting character encounters add to the many terrific offerings returning across Walt Disney World Resort, including Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue stomping into Pioneer Hall June 23, and Harmony Barber Shop creating magical memories on Main Street once again beginning July 31.

For any Fiend who'll be at the FORT.