FEARtheEERS

That is true. Really they make more money off the people who walk around to shop and eat than the serious ride ticket holders. Maybe we will be mind blown by something new for the anniversary.

It would be awesome if they would offer a deal where you could buy tickets up front for multiple times a year instead of an annual pass. Like for us, it is a 12 hour trip but we are there typically 3-4 times a year. Don't really need an "annual pass" but also don't want to buy multi day tickets 3-4 times a year.  A modified pass like that or seasonal would be great for out of towners and would tie up less possibility of using tickets 365 days a year.

They sure have been busting at the seams. I guess if its your once in a lifetime trip then you wouldn't mind it, but it is sure hard if you are a repeat visitor. I am just happy being there usually but my kids are at that age where it is all about the rides. 

I don't completely hate the reservation system but I do see where that could be a complaint if you have a pass and can't use it. We like to be last minute decision makers so that would have to change. I can remember times that we took the kids into the park to just watch the ducks or bunnies for a while and came back to the camper. That is sort of the part I will miss..now it is more like the days when you packed for sun up til sun down. 

Not sure if this has already been addressed. I didn't see it anywhere and it has been a while since I have posted on here. Long story short, kids are missing Disney. Who can blame them? We are heading to the area anyway and I thought, forget it, I am going to go ahead and get some annual passes to be ready for the 50th. Got online and saw that they aren't being sold. I have purposefully stopped following a lot of Disney news because I got so outpriced with annual passes that we always used to keep. I had full intentions all along of getting them again for the 50th and then covid happened. We have stayed at the Fort once during the pandemic without parks. We were just happy to be there. 

My question is--what do you predict for Disney as things become closer to normal again? I predict I will have to make a big decision on the passes if they even return. I think they will go to 2,000 a ticket. I think they will try to keep numbers down by major price inflations. Makes me sad. What are your thoughts/predictions for what is to come?

On 6/21/2019 at 7:22 AM, ImDownWithDisney said:

We have been so many times in the last few years that a park day now for us is a couple hrs in the morning and maybe a few in the afternoon. On our last trip we barely did that. The crowds and wait times just don't do it for me. We hit some FP's then roll out. I told my wife on our last trip that I would not care if we did not even go to a park. Of course, the kids don't feel the same way. I really enjoy Fort time and visiting the resorts and DS.

These price increases are really getting out of hand. A $225 increase in 1 year is outrageous. I think the Disney bean counters are just throwing things out there to see if they stick. Obviously, there are enough people willing to pay. By the time 2021 rolls around I bet AP's will be pushing $1700.

I am going to do AP's again next year, but after that I am not so sure. I have 2 girls that will be needing cars soon. For what we spend per year on Disney I can pay cash for 2 fairly nice rides.

We started not to renew this year for this very reason. Sometimes we will go in and ride one ride. My new thought is that if we actually want to go we will just attend one day at one of the over priced parties or after hours events. Then we can ride what we really want to anyway.

On 11/21/2018 at 9:25 PM, mouseketab.....Carol said:

Yes I would. It can't be as much money as renting directly from Disney. I have been to campgrounds where they charged a small fee for electric carts ($2 a day), presumably for the extra electrical use.

I would almost jump in and say yes, but then again my $178 a night probably covers their electricity! 😂

3 hours ago, rtguy007 said:

Just an idea about continuing the broke theme, what about one of those charlie brown christmas trees?

https://www.amazon.com/Product-24-Inch-Charlie-Christmas-Ornament/dp/B00FX966I8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1543345277&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=charlie+brown+christmas+tree&dpPl=1&dpID=51nMW-yRCfL&ref=plSrch

Ha! This is hilarious. They would be like 🤦🏻‍♀️😂.

Hi Fort Fiends! It has been quite a while since we have posted on here. We had sort of toned down our Disney mania and let our annual passes expire. Even stayed in the Grand Floridian with my mother in law this summer and didn't even hit a park. We did however visit Disney Land and CA Adventures this summer when we did an awesome cross country trip. Anyway, we have told the kids that we are too broke to stay at the Fort but we are actually staying from Dec. 22-26 (we will be broke afterwards lol). This will be our first actual Christmas day at the Fort!! We really enjoyed Thanksgiving last year and I am super psyched. Anyway, trying to decide what to do about a tree. Thought about one in the RV but it is tight in there anyway. Maybe a pencil tree outside? There is a chance we will have to move because our second night is preferred and all the others are premiums. Thought about some kind of a small real tree too if there would still be any left by the time we get there. Any cool advice or ideas? Also after the Fort we are going to Lake Magic. Have any of you stayed there?

Boooo! Ok, we have some dates booked at the AOA in July for my daughter's bday so maybe I can delete those dates and add more early on. Thanks!

We are coming to Orlando for two weeks this summer, but we are staying at Bill Frederick to save money. We have always camped at the fort in the past, so this has never been an issue, but I can only book 7 fastpasses. Is that the norm? Can I not book another until I use one? 

Saw the cabanas yesterday from people mover. Looked like they were still assembling them. They looked awful. Looks like cheap plastic tents.

21 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Great update!

I saw a few Instagram posts about that Stagecoach.

Apparently, there was a castmember party to commemorate Fort Wilderness' 45th birthday on Saturday.  I guess your invitation got lost?

I think it's great that the cast got to celebrate the birthday.

But nothing for the paying customers?

TCD

There apparently were 45th activities for guests although there was no advertisement of them. I was checking out at the settlement and noticed a cast member with a 45th button. I asked if I could have one. She said bike barn was giving out but she was sure they had run out. Fail. But she said she thought they were doing free wagon rides but she couldn't confirm it. We were on our way to MK so the kids didn't want to try. I was sadly disappointed not to investigate it all further. This week has been weird with major flaws in transportation. I think that it had been way more crowded in parks than the past couple of years before thanksgiving. I don't think they were prepared for all the guests on property this year and have also seen a lot of empty merchandise shelves and frustrated cast members.

I think that's a nice option especially to hook new customers!

I plan to skip Jingle Bam. I tried to watch the live feeds but I couldn't get into it.  Sad I haven't seen the star wars fireworks. I figure this is all just temporary as they make way for something bigger and better with the changes. I saw the Star Wars fireworks partly from the boardwalk one night and they seemed pretty impressive.

14 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Yes it's new.

There are all kinds of new things going on at Disney Springs for this holiday season.  Including a drone show!

It's going to be crazy there.

TCD

Is there a start date on the drone light show there?

Is this a new thing?  I'm kind of psyched about this one.

15 hours ago, mouseketab.....Carol said:

They usually film the Christmas parade the 1st weekend of December. It is NO FUN to be in the Magic Kingdom when filming.

Also, some of the celebrities film before park opening, then they film a crowd on the set during park hours "reacting" to the celebrety.

I was sort of worried when I read this that they would be doing it while we are there before Thanksgiving then I figured there's no way with crowds that will be high anyway.  My kids would love to get to see the stars of Descendents though.

An article was posted online about 3 holiday specials that Disney is doing on Thanksgiving and Christmas with a lot of celebrities.  I wonder when these will be filmed?

I'm not sure I have ever heard of the pin quest.  Do you just start with a lanyard set that you buy at a cart or shop and go from there with a set of directions? I found a couple of freebies online today.  These are good to keep the newness going after your kids have been a lot.  They are always so excited to find new things.

Hi everyone,

It has been a while since I have been on here so this may have been discussed. We will be heading down during Thanksgiving and had so much fun one Easter with the egg hunt at Epcot. Has anyone seen similar scavenger hunts on the web for thr parks or resorts?  My kids would really enjoy this. I could make some on my own but it would be so much easier to just print them.

Also, don't kick me off over this one, but my kids have started playing some Pokémon go. They aren't obsessed like some people but play when we let them. Wish Disney had some kind of app so that you could find Disney characters in the same fashion although people drive me crazy with their nose in the phone. Don't you think kids would love this? Too bad my ginormous stroller has been retired or the kids could have played right from the seat! Joking..maybe.

I'm too lazy to quote correctly while on my phone but I do have a couple of photos.  They aren't fabulous but one shows dumbo on the back pretty well.  Hope that is the correct one.  We watched several go out and those photos are on my camera roll not long after the rocket. I would be happy to share them with you.

We have camped at Jetty Park several times.  We really love it there.  We wish they had a pool, but they have an awesome play ground for the kids and a nice little camp store.  It's also in delivery range for Papa Vito's which is a great plus.  The sites close to the cruise ships that you were talking about are only partial hook ups.  They either have water or electricity but not both I believe.  We still get an amazingly close cruise ship view from the inner sites where we stay.

On July 1, 2016 at 11:51 AM, Tri-Circle-D said:

 

 

It was a rocket launch!

We knew nothing about that.

On July 1, 2016 at 11:51 AM, Tri-Circle-D said:

It was about here that the captain sounded the horn for the first time.  He went through the whole repertoire, and we got to hear the new Frozen inspired horn for the first time.

There's Jetty Park.  We've seen much bigger crowds here on previous cruises, but it was a really hot day, so maybe that kept the onlookers away:

 

I was on the beach with my family when the rocket was launched.  And in even more exciting news, if you zoom in just about center page on the white golf cart, you will see my crew watching the TCD crew sail away!  We were camping at Jetty Park while you left.  That was actually the first time I had heard the horn play the music and I was thrilled.  We have decided not to renew our annual passes this year and do a cruise instead.  Regretfully it will probably not be a Disney cruise.  I'm so excited to finish reading!

This seems like it could potentially be another bad idea.  Liberty square is good as it is.

We watched these from the boardwalk and I knew they had to be awesome.  

This ride truly made me feel more like an animated movie was happening right beside of me than any ride I've been on.  Whoever did the animatronics did great.  With both this one and the dwarfs I guess I'm being greedy because I want the rides to be longer.  I wonder what these animatronic faces look like when the projection goes off.  I want a behind the scenes tour of the making of them I think.