Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM

I had a feeling that your old friend that you were going to say good bye too was the fast pass machines............so.......so........so......sad...........I mentioned to my boys that the machines were gone and that WDW was now "ruined" (I know, over dramatic!!!) We consoled ourselves with the fact that Disneyland still has their FP machines. One perk out there is, you can grab one in DL and then run across to the California Adventure and grab another. Since the parks are small in size and right next to each other its easy to go between the two. We haven't decided yet, whether we are doing DL or WDW in August, however, If we go to DL we can still enjoy FP's!!!

I need to make a comment about the photo you posted about the couple texting (possibly each other!!) while pushing their stroller. What struck me with that photo (and made me sad) was that the little girl in the stroller was pointing at something. Here that family is walking down Main Street USA and instead of enjoying that moment with their child and talking with their child and sharing her excitement with whatever she is pointing at (probably the castle) they are immersed in their phones. When I see people like that I would like to shake them and tell them to wake up, live in the moment, enjoy the people around you!!!! UGH!!!

It is funny to see the various layers of clothing/outerwear people are wearing!!! I remember on a November trip we had years ago and people around us were in hats and mittens and we were in shorts. I got a great pic of my Mom while we were waiting for the MK to open. She was wearing a t-shirt and surrounded by people looking like they were headed to the ski slope!! So funny!!

Heidi

TCD,

I love bonus material!

I too have never noticed that stuff around the TOT. So all of that is behind the fast pass machines??

Quite the outfit on Main Street, and that's all I am going to say about that!!

Heidi

I miss the Comedy Warehouse.........I have so many great memories of going to the shows with my husband and Dad (my Mom would watch our boys) We would line up for the first show, watch it and when it ended we would exit and get right back in line for the next show. We would do three back to back shows and since the shows relied heavily on audience participation each show was different. Plus, they would also do completely different skits. We shed a few tears when the place closed..........I bet the skit about your tower of salmon had to be SO funny!!! I was always so impressed with how they could come up with songs and skits do quickly after getting a topic!

The interactive Etch-A-Sketch looks really neat! Something new to see!

Good job on getting to be picked to be "that guy"! When we went to the show in August, I was telling my husband and boys how, "TCD gets picked to be that guy"! My husband did get picked to be a guard at Belle's house (which I had first read about in one of your trip reports) but as of yet, hasn't been picked to be that guy!

Thumbs down on the boat leaving while you were on the dock!!!

Dave,

I just found this trip report today! Loved seeing the photos of your girls when they were younger! Thanks for sharing.

Heidi

Zero?

 

I can't imagine that.

 

It was in the low 70's when I took my walk and saw the deer swim.

 

TCD

I am super jealous reading this!!! I want to feel 70 degree weather right NOW!! I just checked my thermometer and it says 5 degrees! Earlier today we got as high as 10 degrees! Even with this cold, my youngest son spent a few hours skiing at the mountain and is playing hockey on an outside ice rink as I sit typing this! So ya, I am jealous, I want some warmth and nice weather!!

The only National Park lodge I've visited in person is Crater Lake Lodge in Oregon.  It's an amazing place.  I know you got to visit there yourself.

 

I've often wanted to go back to Oregon.  There's another lodge at Oregon Caves National Monument that Disney swiped an idea from- this lodge has a stream running through its dining room, like the spring and stream that runs through the Wilderness Lodge's lobby:  http://www.nps.gov/orca/historyculture/upload/pp_chateau_tour.pdf

Thanks for posting this link! What a neat place to stay! I have added it to my "list" of places to visit! When we did our first two western trips (2007 and 2010) we didn't stay in any of the National Park Lodges. The rustic nature of no AC, TV's etc. kinda scared me! However, on our last one in 2012 we made it a point to stay in the various Lodges and it turned out to be a highlight of the trip! However, in between those stays we always stayed in regular hotels full of amenities!!

Yes, we loved Crater Lake! Someday, I will make a trip report and post the photos of Crater Lake and the other Lodges/parks we visited!

That was very, very cool about the deer! That's amazing that there were SO MANY!! Even though we only live 20-minutes from our state capitol, out house is in a fairly rural area. We have a huge hayfield and get to see deer almost daily. Not so much in the winter, but they are around. We never tire of seeing them and even now, after living here for 25 years, I still get a thrill when I see one!

From my other travels, the Wilderness Lodge does have a strong resemblence to the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone...with touches of the Pacific Northwest thrown in.

I agree with you about the Old Faithful Lodge, we thought the same things. We have also visited the Ahwahnee Lodge in Yosemite and the Glacier Park Lodge in Glacier National Park and also saw touches of the Wilderness in those lodges too.

One things is for sure, when Disney makes a themed resort, they do their homework to make it as authentic as possible!

Great adventure that you made across the canal! I am waiting to see what you saw on the walk back!! You said it was one of the "coolest things you have ever seen at the fort" so it must be impressive!!

And that bat house is going to be impressive for sure!! What a price tag!!

I loved the video from the Trading Post! Thanks for sharing!

Holy crowds!!!! I had seen a bunch of photos on Facebook of the New years crowd, so I knew it was bad, I just cant imagine who in their right mind would wait hours for a ride!! CRAZY!!

I hope they clean Spaceship Earth soon! I don't want to see that black/dirty spot on my next trip!

I had never heard about the palm trees in Tomorrowland closing up at night and opening in the morning, but just last week, someone sent me a list of like 30+ little none facts about Disney. Most we actually knew, but we had never heard that about the palm trees! On that same list it also stated that even though its against the law several people a year scatter the ashes of their loved ones at Disney with a photo of the Haunted Mansion. My son piped up to say that he had read that people do leave the ashes of loved ones at the Haunted Mansion!!! That was a new one for me!!! Ugh!!

As far as the exit of Thunder Mountain being a good spot to see fireworks...it is! Its true you cant see the castle, but the view of the fireworks is super. The reason I know this is because, a few years ago, my boys and I were riding thunder mountain multiple times one night. There was no one there, so we kept riding around without getting off. After about ten rides, I got off for a break. It was right around 9:00 and as I was walking out a CM was at the exit. She told me that she always requests to have her break at 9:00 so she can stand outside and watch the fireworks. So I stood with her and we watched them together and the view was great!

The description you wrote about being down near the dam and looking out at Bay Lake, is EXACTLY how I feel when I am standing there and in other parts of the fort. I too, will stand and think of the thousands of people cramming in the Magic Kingdom while I stand in a solitary part of the fort. I share the amazement that I can be on WDW property and be in such a quiet and peaceful area. I often kinda feel bad for all of the souls that have NO idea that Disney isn't all about rides/crowds/lines, but that Disney also has this amazing area called Fort Wilderness!!

I too have not seen anyone waterski on Bay Lake in years......many, many years. Back in the early to mid 80's my brother and I waterskied on Bay Lake once a year. We LOVED it!! We have a summer place on a lake here in NH but none of the boats we water skied behind up here had the power of the motor boats at the Contemporary. I remember it was "so expensive" to do it, but my parents happily paid the price for us to go. (yes, these are the same parents that told us in the 70's that it was too expensive to ride the train in Fort Wilderness!!! Go figure!!)   

I didn't realize that you get on your boat for the fishing excursion at that other dock. We did the fishing trip twice back in 2004 and 2005 and at that time you just got on and off your boat on the side of the main dock.

Can't wait to read about your New Years Eve!!

The description you wrote about being down near the dam and looking out at Bay Lake, is EXACTLY how I feel when I am standing there and in other parts of the fort. I too, will stand and think of the thousands of people cramming in the Magic Kingdom while I stand in a solitary part of the fort. I share the amazement that I can be on WDW property and be in such a quiet and peaceful area. I often kinda feel bad for all of the souls that have NO idea that Disney isn't all about rides/crowds/lines, but that Disney also has this amazing area called Fort Wilderness!!

I too have not seen anyone waterski on Bay Lake in years......many, many years. Back in the early to mid 80's my brother and I waterskied on Bay Lake once a year. We LOVED it!! We have a summer place on a lake here in NH but none of the boats we water skied behind up here had the power of the motor boats at the Contemporary. I remember it was "so expensive" to do it, but my parents happily paid the price for us to go. (yes, these are the same parents that told us in the 70's that it was too expensive to ride the train in Fort Wilderness!!! Go figure!!)   

I didn't realize that you get on your boat for the fishing excursion at that other dock. We did the fishing trip twice back in 2004 and 2005 and at that time you just got on and off your boat on the side of the main dock.

Can't wait to read about your New Years Eve!!

TCD,

Another great update!

Makes me sad that the ship on Discovery Island is almost completely disappeared. I remember getting photos taken right in front of the ship, when I was a teenager and of my kids too, when they were one and four. Just recently, I watched a WDW Christmas Special from 1982. The special was quite strange, but there was a part, with a popular band of that time, set up on the sandy beach on Discovery Island, right in front of the ship. Now to think it is almost gone.......

That sounded crazy that you were asked to move right before the fireworks started. I wonder where they thought you were actually going to move to. I imagine just trying to move in that crowd would have been difficult. Let alone finding a place to stand!!! Surely those CM's must have misunderstood their assignment.

Love your photos of the "snow" on Main Street!

And since you keep mentioning your weather in this trip report, I will tell you we had a high today of 14 degrees. That felt like a heat wave compared to yesterday when it was 2 degrees but so windy, I think the wind chill brought it down to around -15. My youngest has been skiing at the mountain everyday after school with the team and he says, "its not too bad" Ha!!! Its "bad" for this Mom, I want your Florida weather!!!

Ready for more!!

Heidi

TCD,

I made it on page three!! That may be a record for me!!

Love the parade pics!

I will miss the garland across Main Street. Our first time seeing all of the Christmas stuff was way back in 2002 and I still remember walking out from under the train station and being in awe of how beautiful Main Street was with the garland. I am bummed that the garland is going away......

Looking forward to the next update!

Heidi

It's okay to admit you just wanted to quote me three times because I was so enlightening.

Your right, that's it!!

OK, not sure why my response posted THREE times and I don't know how to get rid of it!! Sorry.......

Mike&Ike's makes him a definitely red-blooded American.

 Whew, that makes me feel better!!!

Mike&Ike's makes him a definitely red-blooded American.

 Whew, that makes me feel better!!!

Mike&Ike's makes him a definitely red-blooded American.

 Whew, that makes me feel better!!!

Just a few more comments before we move on:

 

 

 

So glad to hear this.  I had noticed your absence, and was worried that maybe something was wrong.  Good to hear you're well and following your son around the state!

 

 

Wow!

 

That's amazing.

 

Someone who actually loves Good and Plenty?

 

Your husband isn't from Iraq is he?

 

 

 

TCD

X-country is done and we are on to ski racing now. While I still will be traveling the state to watch the races, there is wi-fi at most of the resorts, so I can keep up on my Fortfiends reading!!

My husband swears he isn't from Iraq, but now I am wondering!! I'll have to keep a close eye on him!! He also likes Mike & Ikes, I wonder if that is a bad sign!

I've been wondering the same. Seems unlikely if they're at the Fort now, but maybe!

 

 

So glad that you had 2 rounds of good news!!!!

Thanks! Me too!!

Great to hear the good news Heidi!

Thanks!

Glad to hear the positive updates, Heidi.  

Thanks!  Thanks so much everyone, it means a lot!!

I finally finished!! What a fun way to spend parts of New Years Eve and Day, reading a TCD trip report!

I have to tell you that my husband LOVES Good & Plenty!! Santa even left him two boxes in his stocking!! Me on the other hand, you couldn't pay me to eat them!

I agree that pin board at the Outpost was looking pretty weak! We are big pin collectors and I could tell that all of those pins were CM hidden Mickey pins from old sets. I didn't even see any from the 2013 set.  Over the years though, we have had fantastic luck getting new editions of the hidden Mickey sets (what we mostly collect) in the Meadow Trading Post.

We like the pretzel dogs too. However, on our August trip, all of the mustard on mine was ALL at one end. UGH!! No mustard on most of it and way to much on one little part of it. I think next time, I'll do what the twins do and get it on the side.

Thanks for sharing!

Heidi

I hope you're not going to use the dog ate my computer as a reason for not being on here.

Ha, ha!! I wish!! I had some good reasons, my youngest ran cross country this Fall, so I traveled all over the state watching the meets, that was fun! The other reason wasn't so fun.....needed to have genetic counseling/testing due to having had two cancers. That took 1 1/2 months of terrible anxiety, but I am happy to report that I was tested for three different genetic mutations and I don't have any of them!! Yippee!! Soon after that bit of good news, I needed a biopsy for an area of concern, which meant another couple weeks of waiting/worrying, but I again received good news that all was well! Double Yippee!!     All is good, but man, wish my reason for not being here had been because of a hungry dog!!

TCD,

I haven't been on here for months, so what a treat to come on today and see a trip report from you! Lucky me. I am just beginning page 5 and it sounds like a great trip so far. I was surprised to read that there wasn't any Christmas props on the actual Jungle Cruise ride. I just assumed that there would be!

I haven't stayed in the Big Bear loop for 26 years now, but from the age of 8 until I was 20, that was the loop we stayed in at least once a year. We loved that it was close to the campfire program as well as the "field" to play pick-up softball games!!! That was when there was no pool, but a larger field.

Back to reading!!

Heidi