YodaGirl

Sorry for the lag in response time.

I use a Fold & Go Magshock. It's been great so far! It's weather proof, which is important given Florida and rain.

Hey, y'all! It's been quite some time since I've been to Fort Fiends! I recognize a few old faces and quite a few new ones. 😊

A LOT has changed with our family since I was last here! My kiddos have certainly gotten older - my oldest is 15 & my youngest is 11. Thanks to a chronic illness (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome - me/cfs), my mobility has drastically diminished. When it comes to things like theme parks or getting around campgrounds, I'm in an electric wheelchair. I did intentionally purchase one that can operate in rain and go over a variety of terrain. 

We'd love to get back to Disney at least once before my oldest graduates and moves on to bigger and better things. 😉 

I've got a couple of questions:

1) Has anyone dealt with severe chronic fatigue while touring Disney?

It doesn't have to be me/cfs; if could be chronic fatigue from any illness. Any tips and tricks other than staying on-site? Ideally, we'd be at FtW, but I know it's possible that we would be at a different Disney resort due to not wanting to pull our camper down there. Obviously we won't be going commando anymore. I guess my main concern is what to do if fatigue hits before I can make it out of the park, because sometimes it just does happen that quickly. Any of you have a favorite shaded/quiet area to limit outside stimuli (light and sounds can occasionally be an issue, in addition to just wanting a spot to take a break for about 20-30 minutes. My chair does have elevating leg rests and a head rest, but it does not recline. 

2) How easy is maneuvering around a crowded park?

I guess this may not be as big of a deal since we're going to need to go slower, but I'm still not comfortable around large crowds and tighter spaces. In particular, I'm thinking places like Main Street, the trading posts, shops down Main Street, restaurants, etc. My chair has a really good turning radius, and I know that I just need to get more comfortable with it, which I'm working on. 

Other than POTC, can you think of any ride where being in a wheelchair is more complicated? I can transfer if need be, and I can no longer ride thrill rides. I'd love to be able to go on TTA, but I have no idea how that would work. 

3) DAS

I know that I don't need it just because I'll be in a wheelchair, but I do have a few other comorbidities that would make it beneficial, if not necessary. Is it easier to apply remotely, or is it easier on-site?

TIA! ❤️ 

40 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Oh, sorry.  Silly me, I thought if they had it on-line that customers could buy it on-line.  I should have remembered that Disney doesn't operate like normal businesses.

TCD

I know, right?  Go figure. 

At least it lets us see all the things we *could* buy. Lol Is it October 2018, yet??

Love it!  I'd hoped to add a new Fort hat to my hiking pack, but it looks like it's a no-go until our next trip. When I clicked on it and a few others, it says in-store purchase only. Thanks for the info!

Devores, I was totally hoping you'd show up!

And they pre-purchase it a month or so ago, so it sounds like we should be good. Thank you!

When we went in October, mom & dad bought memory maker. We used it (reservations linked), and my brother & his family used it (Photopass card that we linked to Mm account because long story short, they aren't comfortable linking reservations).

Fast forward to this trip:

We're checking in Friday. My brother and his family are checking in Sunday. This time, they purchased MM.

Our questions were :

1. Can you still link Photopass cards to Mm?

2. Can we link a Photopass card from Friday and Saturday to MM on a reservation that doesn't start until Sunday?

We called and received the following answers:

1. First person: Yes.

Second person: No. (double checked) Yes.

2. First person: Yes.

Second person: No.

Different answers. Go figure.

Does anyone here know for sure?

I was going to check to see if we have a 4th one for next week, but MDE won't load any of my fp+. Guess I'll try again later.

I found this site:

http://www.memoriesbybetsy.com

Does anyone know anything about her?

I doubt they do. I thought you were interested in both Disney and off site.

I mistyped. My bad.

Hmmm.... I didn't see your original post and don't know any, but it seems like SOMEONE has to do this.... unless they're prohibited.

What kind of gift basket are you looking for? Kids? Adults?

My friend's teenage daughter will be celebrating her birthday while she's on a band trip to Disney. She was looking for a reputable place that would deliver to an off-property hotel.

You mean besides Disney themselves?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/floral-and-gifts/

I wasn't aware that they delivered off-site.

Anyone? Bueller?

What are some good businesses that will deliver gift baskets to Disney or off-site hotels?

I came here hoping someone had posted. I've heard reports that it might be collapsing in some areas, but I'm not sure how accurate that is.

Have fun!

Awesome. Thanks, Carol!

Since we sold our pup to buy my parents' old camper, and we haven't had a chance to get a new tow vehicle, we'll be spending fall break in a tent behind my parents' new camper.

The reservation is in my mom's name, and she just completed online check-in. Our names are on the reservation, I have the reservation number, and we have our magic bands.

We may or may not arrive at the same time. There is a good possibility that we'll arrive sooner by an hour or so. Does my mom have to be present in order to check-in at the Fort, or will we be able to get the campsite before they arrive?

But I like Gorditas...

WWLD?

What is the gross trailer weight?

I have towed with the van maxed out and it towed just as fine as the normal trailer (25' sunline). The big difference is the acceleration. The had part was setting the WD system up correctly. And getting the trailer weight distribution correct.

Also, a lot of people don't think about adjusting (increase) the TV tire pressure to match the new weight. To firm and the road throws the TV around. To soft and the trailer throws the TV around and is a source of sway.

I even have to increase the Subaru's tire pressure when towing the 1.5k lb taos.

Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk

It's around 4000 lbs.

It's a 1997 Aerolite 21RBH. It was originally billed as a trailer that could be pulled with an S10 or an Astro van. An S10 pulled it to Disney the first time after some serious upgrades. We still have that truck (my high school vehicle and my baby), but it's nowhere near up to the task anymore. It was difficult enough the first time.

We pulled our pup with our 2002 Ford Windstar (with airbags, transmission cooler, etc). It won't pull the Aerolite. It's just too heavy. Even if it barely could pull 4k, by the time you factor in van cargo, etc, you've more than maxed it out. Personally, I'm not comfortable with pulling at max weight.

Pretty!

Thanks, everyone. We're pretty excited. It has less floor space than our pup (it's only 21'), but what we're gaining is worth it.

I completely agree about the tow vehicle! That's our plan. Unfortunately, we might not be able to get one in time for our October trip. Depends on selling our house. It might mean we're back in a tent for this trip. As long as I'm at Disney, I don't care. :)

Well, we settled our dilemma. Mom and Dad were going to trade n their TT for a new one, so they sold theirs to us. Now, to get a better tow vehicle...

Thanks, everyone. We wouldn't be moving around while going down the road, but it would nice to not have to get out once we stop somewhere.

I know one poster said the upkeep on a TT and MH was about the same. For those of you who have had both, did you find that to be true for you as well?

How much does a set of tires for a MH cost on average?

Jonathan and I are playing around with the idea of upgrading our pup. We really like the idea of not having to set up and set down all the time.

I'll be honest - I'm leaning more towards a Class C. My parents' first camper was a micro-mini, and we had lots of great memories in it. Jonathan could go either way.

If we go with a travel trailer, we'll need to get a new-to-us tow vehicle. If we go with a class c, I'm assuming we'd need to buy an inexpensive car to pull behind it (also assuming we couldn't pull our minivan behind it).

So -

Pros/Cons of each?

What would we need to take into consideration when looking at a used class c?

What about car seats and motorhomes?

I'd love to visit NYC. It's on my bucket list. Thanks for sharing your trip and pictures!