Starbuc71

TCD. Great report I'm still on the fence about this land. I agree Disney took a huge risk on this. Who am I to say but 5-6 years to create a relaxing boat ride, one great ride and a restaurant is a little extreme.  I'm sure I will not visit this for at least a year or so since as you say, it will be super busy. I think the best part of Avatar land is hopefully it will take the crowds from other parks

What it comes  down to is that Disney's reservation system just sucks. They overbook when there are empty sites, they screw people over to try and make more money. They make it difficult as hell for someone to get a quick weekend, yet they have empty sites available. holidays are a joke  and it's nearly impossible to do the right thing and book a year out and get a reservation but yet if you book a day before somehow sites mysteriously appear.   And I know it's not all from cancellations. I guess you can say I was lucky enough to speak to someone way up in reservations. They basically gave me a song and dance about trying to reserve a site nine months out. I'm at the point that I'm really over fort wilderness.  yes, Disney has a good thing with the campgrounds, but it's kind of out of hand. I'm at the point that I rather just park my RV in my backyard and camp there instead of putting up with the BS that Disney forces on us these days. Yes I'm being negative, but I am still pissed that I cannot get the dates I want a year and a half out. 

I would be curious if one does get stolen. We live in such a messed up world now, it will happen. That brings me to the question if anyone knows if disney has cameras around the fort. Someone told me a while ago that they have hidden cameras all over in the settlement ,loops and bus stops. Does anyone know this to be true?

also, I see from the pic of some of the management written letters, the name of the fort manager is John Stafford. Does anyone have an email for him or a way to contact him?  I have a bone to pick with him

Jumping on this late but we also noticed they were gone a few weeks ago. The running joke with my kids was that whenever one of them was doing something slightly out of line, like sitting on a fence, the other would say," get off of that.  That could be considered a safety hazard and we don't want Disney taking it away. ". This became the speach back and forth the entire trip. 

I will say, if it were my campground and I saw our hula hoops up in the trees, I would get rid of them two. If a hula hoop could make it that high, imagine what it could do to someone's face if it were thrown that hard. I don't blame Disney at all for this.  People ruin everything these days and have no respect for someone else. Judy like all the post here about a lack in parenting these days. It absolutely ridiculous.  People are a holes. My favorite saying,"I used to be a people person until people ruined it for me."

Because of the burn ban, the fort will be closed and all campers are encouraged to take all their RVs to the lime garage at Disney springs and watch the rain Forrest cafe erupt every so often in place of the chip and Dale campfire

Crap. Wish I knew you were there so I could meet you in person. We left Sat morning

We saw it today and I thought it was a great adaptation to live action film. The worst part of the movie was that I knew the story. Nothing worse than going to a movie when you know what happens next.  3 months before Star Wars the force awakens came out, someone let a script leak out on the web and I did everthing I could to stop myself from reading it. But I did. It was 95% dead on and it ruined the first time seeing it for me. I've stayed away from everything regarding the last Jedi.  

I thought the acting was great in this movie and yes I thought of the sound of music as well and almost thought Julie Andrews was playing the tea pot at the end of the movie but it was Emma Thompson.  I also didn't  realize the actors that were playing all the parts like Ewan Macgregor    Overall a great movie

11 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

The WDWMagic site already has some photos posted from this event:

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/disney-springs/news/23mar2017-photos---cars-3-road-to-the-races-now-at-disney-springs.htm

It looks pretty nice.

I wonder how interested kids are going to be see those two new cars from the movie?  Nobody knows who they are.  Where the heck is Mater?

TCD

I really hope there is less mater in this one. I love mater, but I thought cars 2 was terrible since it should been called Mater Bond 007.  Look at me judging a kids movie. As long as the kids liked it who cares.....lol

 Never made it. Saw Beauty and the beast and the movie was longer than I expected and we had dinner reservations at Epcot ...sorry I could not report

I know this is not the place to post,  but since you brought up transportation I'll tell you our experience this week.  We wanted to go to the contemporary one night to see Moana since it was playing at just about every resort but the camp ground. It took us an hour and 15 minutes to get to the contemporary from the campgrounds.    I guess there is some rule that both small boats are to get to the contemporary at the same time. So if one boat is running late or one is running early, you get to bob up and down in the middle of the lake and hear lame stories from the boat captains or hear 24 bars of when you wish upon a star, then you can meet up with the other boat.  

The other was a hour and a half wait at Disney springs waiting for a yacht and beach club bus. I asked a standing around driver how the system worked since there were other resorts that had. 3 buses come and go already. He was happy to vent to me about the stupid automated bus system that was recently put in place at DS that automatically tells the driver where to go next after he makes a drop. He says the drivers are all over disney property now and they hate it. He said complain at the resort because they take the guest complaints seriously and CM complaints are just part of their job. He said the system is comfortable by to MK in the next few weeks.  I think the cameras at the bus stops at DS has something to do with the amount of buses that come in a particular time, but that's just my opinion

Looking at it from my pic, maybe it shows where the bus should stop so the door lines up with the sidewalk. But again, you can only see it at night and from what I saw it was only at two bus stops on the purple route

25 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Good job spotting and reporting new stuff, S71!

Those projectors are definitely new.

What is the arrow pointing toward?  The bus stop?

If so, what exactly is the point of the projection image?  The bus stop is right there.

TCD

I have no clue what they are for. They are point away from the bus stop

Going to the springs today. If we get a chance we will check it out

Here is something new I saw last night. They may have been talked about before. I noticed projector lights mounted on two bus stops on the main road by the cabin pool. They seem to be projected on the road saying Disney transport ADA.  

11 minutes ago, parrothead7368 aka Norm said:

The ones in the loops I think had a plastic bin, it wasn't this style though, it was more of a milk crate style.

These are now the ones in all the loops

Well, I noticed driving around the fort this week two new things. First the benches at the campfire have been replaced with little league baseball style benches. It looks like crap but much more comfortable. 

second, I think some Disney rocket scientists left out what I think is the most important recycling bin,  the plastic.  In my opinion we throw out more plastic than anything...except glass beer and wine bottles

6 minutes ago, Travisma said:

Last week we stopped at a small campground up by Homosassa Springs FL.

It was called the Chassahowitzka River Campground.  It was old, simple, nothing to brag about.  They only allowed tents in the tenting area, and all the  RV sites were full sites.  With tax the full sites were about $45 a night.  There was a boat launch area that cost $5 to park ( $7 with a trailer) even if you were camping.  It was definitely more real type camping than the Fort.  I would've been more impressed if it was $25 a night.  It has 4 stars for a 122 reviews.  And the place was full.  They said to book at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance, especially on weekends.

So Disney knows what they have, and they know that even at $200 a night for a premium site they will get someone to rent a space.

You're absolutely right

1 hour ago, Avatab.... Steve said:

Even a Fort Manager is at a loss to explain why people keep paying the higher price.....

I think TCD and Travisma have hit on it above, there are Three basic demographics that come to the Fort:

1. The relatively well-off older or retired couple in the big RV's

2. The Groups or extended families who can pack 10 (or more) people on each site 

3. The average Family who want to camp and/or want to save some money by driving to Disney and pitching a tent, Pop-Up or camper.

Number One doesn't mind the higher prices too much as long as they can get a site (Not saying they are Rich and don't care about the price, just that many don't have a house and/or a mortgage anymore and don't have to choose between vacation or paying bills....)

Number Two doesn't mind the higher prices too much either because they can spread the cost over 10 (or more..) people and it's the only place around they can cram that many people in (busloads!) for the same "low" cost for them.

Number Three is the category that gets hit the most with every price increase and also the ones who suffer the most when the buses start unloading next to their site, the Pool is swamped with freeloaders and their kids have to worry about getting run over by out of control golf-carts....

The Fort is increasingly targeting it's prices, services, and policies to Groups One and Two while Three is ignored.

I'd love to talk to that 30 year Manager and get his real take on the modern-day Fort and what he would do differently if he could....

 

I couldn't have categorized it any better. Unfortunately I fall into the last group. Going back to the discussion of DVC at the fort, I wish they would do extra premium lake sites or something that DVC would really work out. They could add other  extra amenities such as a private pool other food choices and what not.  I think a lot of campers would look into DVC for that

I agree with all of this.  We are here this week in our favorite site but 7 days for $1200 is pretty steep.  Things will never be the way they used to be. I can put up with the crowds, the price increases (to a point) and the other little things that have changed.  But booking a site over s year out is nuts.  They don't care about that as long as someone is renting it

12 hours ago, LONE-STAR said:

It's a Disney resort themed to camping. You have to pay a premium for Disney theming.

You have to agree that premium pricing for Disney theming has gotten out of control?  If they are going to raise the prices for campers, add some amenities. Towels at the pool.  Better reservation system so you don't have to book a year out, MB readers at the pool gate.  Raise the site price= reduced fee in cart rental. Better quick serve food options (don't say the food camper)

I think by the time they even think of building a DVC at the fort , we will be done with camping.  We truly only go to the fort twice a year now for the kids. There was a time where I could make last minute reservations for a 3 day weekend at a good price , but those days are gone and the prices are just now insane. Once the DVC is built, I'm sure the prices will continue to rise. Such a shame the best campground around is turning into something that people just can't afford any longer.  

How can these groups reserve a whole loop when I can't reserve Thanksgiving and the day after when reserving 13 months out?   I tried to sell the camper this year but the kids don't want to give up the fort. I still love the fort, but I'm about over the greed, the rule breakers and the plain old BS that was not at the fort years back

Oops.  Older news. Just found Jason's thread under the dining forum. That what I get for only coming around here once a month these days

Not sure if this is posted elsewhere,  but the wife just found this

http://www.insidethemagic.net/2017/02/walt-disney-world-adds-retro-rv-food-truck-to-fort-wilderness-resort-with-new-takes-on-campground-grub/

What is this Avatar thing you all speak of.....oh wait wasn't that a movie from like the last decade?