On 10/3/2020 at 1:26 PM, mouseketab.....Carol said:

1500 Loop is small, has a comfort station close, and a bus stop right there. To get to Epcot from 1500, take the Yellow Outpost bus to the front parking lot, then the Epcot bus.

To return to your campsite, take the Yellow Settlement from the front parking lot.

If you get Loop 2000, then you'll take the Orange/Purple bus from your loop.. Outpost to get to the bus stop/settlement to get back to your campsite.

The fort will take you and your stuff to your site in a Van.

The luggage service on Magical Express is no longer in service.

I haven't used the luggage transfer to another resort in a long time, don't know if that service is still available, but if it is, the Fort does participate.

Thanks for the info Carol. They both seem to be about the same distance from the front. Do you have a preference between the two loops?

I’ll be arriving at the fort next Monday October 12 for one night.   I reserved a tent/pop up site for the night.  I’ll be arriving on DME by myself with just a tent and sleeping bag.  As soon as I check in I’ll be setting up my tent and heading to Epcot and then dinner at DS. Early check out on the 13th and moving to beach club for a few nights with my family. 
so my questions are

1.  Which loop and site would recommend for easy access to the buses, and comfort station. 
 

2.  Easy and quickest way to Epcot. I’m not familiar with the internal buses. 

3.  Does the fort offer luggage transfer like other resorts?

thanks in advance for the info. 

P.S.  And if anyone’s needs a tent or pop-up site for the night they are welcome to set up next to me. 

7 minutes ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

Probably at dealers.  They are probably just covered with a wrap that will be removed, so they will be plain white.

Wonder what a wrap does to a cars finish?

if i was the dealer, and I could sell them with the wrap I would.   I bet there a bunch of people that would that would top dollar for a Disney park’s original!

Just thought about this  

since the Minnie Vans were leased from Chevrolet and given back. 
 Where do you think they will be sold at?

ebay?

That SMB!

we never used them.

but always wanted to try it once as a novelty. 
i think part of the problem, for us at least, with them was it was easier and cheaper to get an uber or lyft.  Since it’s usually just the three of us. 

1 hour ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

I think some of it has to do with the logistics and the fact you can still go to both parks and not just price.  

You just reminded me of something.
A while back, when I was dealing with Disney about my AP,  I asked a CM when they would be allowing APs to park hop again. He said when the government allowed them to.  That the government  said if an infected person goes into one park they only have to shut down that park. If they allowed that same person to park hop they would have to shut down two or more parks. 
I didn’t think much about it till now.   If this is true.  Why and if I read what you’re saying correctly, why is universal allowing park hopping but not Disney?

27 minutes ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

I think some of it has to do with the logistics and the fact you can still go to both parks and not just price.  

And why would it be a bad thing for Disney to lower its prices?  Especially during this time of Disney cutting back on perks, entertainment, etc  

31 minutes ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

WRONG!.....They have been having layoffs in batches, they just aren't releasing the numbers.  

June 23rd.  Weeks after opening for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic struck Central Florida, Universal Orlando announced that it would need to lay off some of it's workers 

 

c

Ok. Apparently they have let some employees go.  But why did you choose to ignore the fact that Universal appears to be busier than Disneyworld?
if people aren’t going to Disney because of covid19 , wouldn’t that mean they would be avoiding universal for the same reason

But why does it seem universal’s numbers are better then Disney’s?    Could it be lower ticket prices?

Report says Universal Orlando attendance recovery better than Disney parks  

here’s a link to the story. https://blooloop.com/news/universal-orlando-attendance-recovery-higher-disney/

And why would it be a bad thing for Disney to lower its prices?  Especially during this time of Disney cutting back on perks, entertainment, etc  

32 minutes ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

People aren't traveling. due to COVID, it has nothing to do with WDW prices.  DIS took a big financial hit because DL is still closed and DCL is shutdown as well.  

Agree. But lower ticket prices could entice more people to come to Florida.    There are a lot of people who are not afraid of traveling right now. 

look at universal studios right now.  They aren’t letting off tens of thousands of employees Go and universal Hollywood is still closed.   From what I read/heard they are staying pretty busy at universal. And the one thing they are doing that Disney isn’t is offering buy 2 days get 2 days passes.  We are considering a trip to universal this thanksgiving and not Disney.   For two reasons. 1.  Our Disney APs expire 10/20/2020. And there’s no way we are renewing them this year. 
and

2.  Buy 2 days get 2 days tickets at universal studios. 

I’ll say it again… Instead of cutting entertainment, employees, etc.

cut the prices of their tickets. They’re giving us a subpar product and still charging the same price. 
 

It will bring more people to the parks and those people will spend money on meals and merchandise

10 hours ago, Travisma said:

I think this was worthy of it's own post...

 

For 23 years, Yehaa Bob Jackson rocked the roost with wacky piano playing and singing at the River Roost Lounge in Disney’s Port Orleans Resort. Today, he announced that he will not be returning to his role.

A beloved staple at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, it is saddening to hear of his departure. This news comes shortly after the announcement that The Grand Floridian Society Orchestra will also not be returning to the their resort.

Instead of cutting shows, employees, etc. why doesn’t disney cut their prices while they are giving us a sub-par experience. 
 

On 8/18/2020 at 4:00 PM, Tri-Circle-D said:

It looks like a good plan. The only suggestion I have is to definitely book DHS on the 18th and not Epcot. You need a backup day in case you don’t get to ride Rise of the Resistance on your first DHS day. Also, Epcot is in sad shape these days- there’s a lot more to do in DHS currently. 

TCD

Good idea. 
but the main reason we are going, besides I’m using our APs Before they expire, is for food& wine. 
I know the concert series is gone.  It now are the food & wine booths!  Same amount as last year?

57 minutes ago, mouseketab.....Carol said:

Looks like a good plan. I agree, especially during Food and Wine, parking hopping is essential.

Except for Star Wars, folks are saying Studios can be accomplished if you arrive around 3pm. BUT in order to get that elusive Rise of Resistance boarding group, you have to try at 10 and then again at 2pm.

I’ve ridden it twice but DD hasn’t. And she really wants to. 
both times I rode it I was there before park opening and my MDE locked up.  
the first time I was next to a CM and they reset my app and got me on last group.  
the next time I was at guest relations and told them what had happened before. I was talking with a supervisor and he told me to stay next to him when it opened up. 
when it opened up he had my phone and it locked up on him.   So he went on his tablet and gave me a return time.  I’m just glad it wasn’t my stupidity that caused it to lock up.  Lol 

We pulled the trigger and Disney wins again. 
because of their goofy, and IMHO unfair 3 park reservation limit for AP holders, we went ahead and booked beach club villas for 3 nights and 3 nights at bonnet creek. Now we can book a park reservation for our length of stay. 
As some of you know I hate planning dining reservations and FPs. And now I’m forced to plan even more of our vacation...

Park Reservations!!!

What is making it so hard is the fact we can’t park hop.   We are not big park hoppers but during food & wine festival we normally go to a park in the morning and then hop over to Epcot for afternoon/evening entertainment and food. 
 

so help me out. Give me some suggestions on how to best use our time this trip.

I’m thinking walk into epcot the afternoon we arrive, 13th

13th-epcot
14th-HS-Star wars!
15th-epcot
16th-AK, it closes the earliest, and we could store our luggage with guest services and then uber to bonnet creek. 
17th-MK-no fireworks so early start and finish. 
18th-either Epcot again or HS
19th fly home. 

Not being able to park hop is the worst thing they took away.  I don’t understand why you couldn’t park hop to another park as long as it was under their new capacity limits. 
 

Thanks in advance

12 hours ago, LONE-STAR said:

Actually had a similar situation happen in 2018. We had a trip planned to Disney to stay at the Fort. Our camper got totaled and we still wanted to go before our APs expired.

Called and got a reservation for P.O.R. and it was $200 a night. So yes if we want to go to Disney, we pay to stay at Disney.

Hope you get it all worked out.

Close but your unfortunate situation is different then what I was asking. 
Would you have paid $200 to park your RV and stay at POR or would you pay $50 to stay at an offsite campground 2 miles from Epcot  

And if we didn’t have our condo we would stay on property.  Like we’ve done many times before.  Most visits we stay at bonnet creek and a Disney resort. 
but since this is an unplanned/budgeted trip, due to COVID-19 we have to stay in our condo. 

After three hours and 45 minutes on hold and talking to Disney cast members they finally fixed her AP problems.  Btw. The best CM ever!  He knew his stuff and was just plain awesome!

Our annual passes now expire October 20.
my DD’’s fall break is the 14-20th of October. Since we have credit with Southwest airlines and our condo is free, sort of. 
We will be going October 14-19. 
Hopefully this COVID crap is gone or better by then. If not, and we have to cancel we would only lose the small refund we would have gotten if we canceled our APs.

Now I just need to find someone who’s going to the fort that same week and is willing to adopt the 3 us and put us on their reservation. That’s the only way I can think of how to get around the stupid three day park reservation rule. 

On hold for 2 hours and 5 minutes. The CM says they need to talk to a different department to fix my problem with our APs. She puts me on hold. 5 minutes later I pull into Lowe’s and get disconnected!!!

I wish disney would call you back when Crap like that happens!
 

for some reasons they show my pass expiring 5 days before the rest of the family’s passes. 
My pass expires 10/15/2020 and theirs 10/20/2020. 
We are discussing going  to WDW for DD’s fall break.  Instead of canceling and getting back a few bucks. 
Possible travel dates 10/15/2020-10/20/2020. 

I’m on hold with WDW, agian, to find out what my refund would be if I canceled our APs. 
just curious has anyone canceled their passes?

if so, what was the refund?

Does anyone know how they are figuring refunds?

just in case you’re curious I’ve now been waiting 55 minutes for someone to pick up. 
On a happy note I am enjoying the music they’re playing. Lol. 

14 hours ago, LONE-STAR said:

All you have to do is stay on disney property and then you can have more days. I believe it's up to 14 in a row. Remember they have hotels they need to fill. 

But I agree we are AP holders and we spend like its vacation because it is. My daughter gets told no quite a bit at home, but she knows when were at Disney with in reason its going to  be a yes answer. 

 

“All you have to do is stay on Disney property...”

That’s a expensive way to get what I already paid for.   We have a condo/timeshare at bonnet creek.   And since we would have to make an unplanned trip to use our APs, before they expire, we have to use our condo.   When we come at Christmas or do our May/June trip we stay 10-15+ days. And we stay half the time at bonnet creek and the other half at a WDW Resort. 
 

If you had to plan a last minute trip to use or lose your APs and they closed the Fort. 
would pay $200+/night to stay at a Disney hotel or $50/night to stay in a camp ground 2 miles from epcot and Hollywood studios?  
 

our timeshare costs us Approx $50/ night. 
our maintenance fees are $612/ year.  We have 14 nights per year. 
 

My daughter doesn’t hear to many nos at WDW either. Lol. 

15 hours ago, kadancer said:

The comment in red is totally not us - we spend much more on all but the first trip on our pass.  Once the ticket expense is covered it allows us much more room in the budget for both dining and specially events like tours.  Additionally, if we buy tickets each trip, we get one a year - with an annual pass we go, at minimum, four times.  I don't know if we are typical, but from my point of view, this is a miscalculation.

We are basically in the same boat as you are. I’m willing to bet we spend as much if not more money as a non annual pass Does.

we eat at a park and/or DS everyday. 
we buy disney merchandise every trip. 
we buy snacks, drinks, beer, that’s for me. lol. 
 

it seems like Disney thinks all AP holders only come for a day or two at a time and are locals.  
or live within a short drive of wdw.  And I’m sure most AP holders fit into that category. 

But what about us that don’t??

What about us out of staters that have kids in school and have to plan their trips so they can go for 5-7+ days.  It’s not worth the cost of 3 airline tickets to go for 1 or 2 days like the article says  

ive called several times to find out what my refund would be, if I cancelled and no one can tell me.  The last CM told me I have to cancel and then they will let me know how much it will be. 
WTF???

because of the 30 day extension my APs won’t expire till the end of October. So we might be able to go during my DDs fall break.  But what’s the point of going if we can only make 3 park reservations at a time. 
what are we supposed to do the other 3-4 days we would be there?

it seems to me WDW is pushing away AP holders at a time they should be courting us. 
 

$10 for a wagyu burger is a great deal. 
looks awesome

6 hours ago, Travisma said:

Just someones insight of a Disney trip during COVID. 

I think the editors did a good job selecting a non "Disney person" to visit and do the article.

I must have missed the pet were he visited a park. 

What was the point of this person story?

Beautiful!!!

4 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

I was able to visit the Fort yesterday and noticed that they posted this new sign by the marina:

 I was going to report that they are now calling this area Clementine’s beach. 

But then I noticed something else. 

They misspelled Clementine!

WTF?

TCD

Lol!