Roller ... aka Ed

if you found out that you only had a few years to make memories with those you love…
and you could go anywhere to start on this extremely urgent and important task…
where would you go?

where would you go to drop that first drop in that big ole empty bucket?
what about the Fort?
join me….and granddaughter Alexis, grandson, Jakob, and my daughter Brandy and son in law Scott…
for that first drop in the bucket….seven days and six nights at Fort Wilderness…along with a bunch of FIENDS and a Magic Bus!

Then you need to register!

"Free Dining" (which is FAR from 'free') has definitely had an impact from my point of view. Smaller portions; lower quality; even the servers don't seem to have as much magic. There are exceptions, but they are few and far between ...

Snarky & Family rearranged a little
Gently caressing bugs
Our 'stream':rofl2:
and more
Some kids across the creek in the 1400 loop informed us, "If you feed him crackers, he will love you!"
Another visitor
:rofl2:

"The major restaurant in the Marketplace is a Rainforest Cafe. It's overpriced tourist food, but since you are about saving money, just go inside and wander around the gift shop and seating area. It's filled with giant aquariums and all sorts of animatronic animals. Once you have had your fun, walk out and move on."
I don't want to be a wet blanket but, unless you are actually dining at Rainforest or T-Rex, please don't go touring the dining room. It's hectic enough in there as it is, and it's very disruptive to people paying those big bucks for their meals. We eat at both places several times a year and I find it very annoying and rude for some kid to come running past or behind me and bumping the table so they can better see the animatronics - while I'm trying to enjoy my dinner. It's a restaurant and not a playground.
I'm not saying you would allow your children to free roam and behave inappropriately while in a restaurant, but a lot of parents are so busy looking around, they don't pay any attention to what their kids are doing.
Thank you!

Expedition Everest 5K in 53:04; Total time with Scavenger Hunt (which was close to another 5K - 1:42:33 ... and I was FAR from last!
Parking was a LONG way from the Start, etc. There were NO bleachers or anything for 'watchers' to sit on - which sort of sucked for OldeKoot!
The start was set up with 8 'waves' starting 5 minutes apart - I was in Wave 2. Waves were not based upon your run time, like you normally find - there were based on your registration date .
8:35pm - I'm on my way. We loop the entire Animal Kingdom parking lot. Just before the main entrance, we go off of the pavement for our first 'obstacle' - 5 rows of hay bales to hurdle; run across; walk over ... whatever. Into the front of the park and to the left at The Oasis and Tree of Life Gardens - starting a long uphill slog. Have I told you I hate hills! AK looks MUCH different at night, so there are signs all over directing you for the 5K. There are also CMs lining the route all over, cheering, high fiving; etc. :banana:
Right turn at Tusker House and then a quick left into Backstage AK :banana: . We run almost to Conservation Station and then out another gate into AK. Along that loop you hit the 1 & 2 miles Markers as well as two shots at a Water Station. You also hit Obstacle 2 - 3 rows of tires to run through aka football practice. You run back toward Tusker House, and then head back on the right side of The Oasis. Can it REALLY be up hill both ways? It sure seemed that way! Before the Main Entrance, you head through a gate on the left into Backstage AK again. A close look at Everest from a side you don't normally see; a "lake"; Mile Marker 3; out into the parking lot area and Obstacle 3 - your choice - up & down a Cargo Net; under a net (sort of like crawling under barbed wire; or run around it all. Then a short sprint to the finish line!
Whew! I'm finished - not! Now you receive a small led flashlight and marker pen along with your first clue. Back into AK - from the far side of the Parking Lot :argh: Just past the Bag Check Stations I find my first location. Solve Clue #1 and now I'm off to Camp Minnie-Mickey and Daisy Duck. Clue #2 is the worst of the lot - but I get it, and now I'm headed to Africa ... almost back to the Safari entrance. This one is easy, and it's time to head to Asia - and my station is almost to Kali River Rapids. Do you see a theme here? Every one of my clues led me to the furthest station of them all. Another easy Clue, and it's off to the Finish Line - almost. You have to take the results from the first 4 Clues to solve Clue #5 - which is your ticket to the finish line. Finish at a cluster of cheering CM's and get my Bling on!
I had planned on riding Expedition Everest in the dark. No way in HELL! It was worse than any day at AK. Off to Dino-Land to meet up with PureTCrazy and OldeKoot. Do I want to "party" - no! Too loud; not my style of party at all. Back out to the Front Gate, and OMG - they have a Tram running. Hop on and head to the Unicorn parking lot. Into The Beast and head back to the Fort! I made a quick post of the Bling, and it was time to snooze!

Saturday: Nice weather; more photos
our creek is turning green!


Up the polluted tributary - but they still have a paddle :rofl2:

Rita's chicken & biscuit breakfast. I put my chicken meat on my biscuit
Guess where we're headed :banana:







Exclusive Use by Guests at The Fort ...Really?




The Meadows Arcade






Onward ...

I'm back >:D
Drop back a little bit ...
At The Fort, waiting on our buses to EPCOT, I had time for a few photos ...



No hay on a "hay ride" - because of allergies. Imagine that


After a quick trip to EPCOT; luggage check; full body scan and an anal probe - oops, that's TSA ... we're at Disney. :rofl2:
Quick bag check and we're off to American Showcase (with the Kaki Gori pit stop)



and here come's Davy Jones!
The Concert was good; he was very amusing; everyone wished he had sang more of the 'old stuff'.





Gratuitous tambourine shot :rofl2:



TCD had Turkey Butts ... I think mines a little more appealing ...
Mo' Rockin

A future Belly Dancer getting an early start :rofl2:
Watched Illuminations. It seemed as if it had been cut back since the last time we saw it
Back to the Fort and a nights sleep.

So, where were we? That's right - The Contemporary. PureTCrazy has a Crazy thought (imagine that :rofl2: ) Why don't we take the monorail, it's faster. You have to understand that she HATES the monorail, but ... Up the escalators and "whoosh" we are at the TTC, where we debark to catch a bus to The Studios. A short wait, and off to the Studios. Two stops down and we are at the stop for Pop. Bingo - that was quick. At Pop right by our stop is
Looks good.
And we wait; and we wait; and we wait. :argh: Three buses to Typhoon Lagoon; 2 each for EPCOT and The Studios later ... It's about damn time.
Packet Pickup takes all of 10 minutes - after 2 1/2 hours of dealing with Disney Transport.
We get back out and what do we find - the bus only runs on the hour and half hour :argh: If we had knew that, we would have had time to get something cold to drink while waiting at Pop :siren: :banghead:
Bus to Pop and then catch the bus to MK; Boat to The Fort. Along the way, some photo time ...





Interesting 'Weather Vane' :facepalm:

Still waiting ...



Good stuff. The brand I use ...









Back at Trail's End to FINALLY pick up a GAG! :yay:
While taking this one I heard, "They say we have to have reservations." DUH!
This are now set up next to those Porta-Potties
and more of them. Hmm
Been there; done that; got the shirt
So ends the DTSDFH. On to the Flower Power Concert - in the next post :toiletreading:

Friday morning started out gloomy and drizzling rain. This turned into a HOT and Humid day. The goals for the day were:
1. Packet Pickup for the Expedition Everest Challenge run - aka The Disney Transportation System Day From Hell
2. Go to EPCOT for the Davy Jones (Hey Hey We're The Monkees) Flower Power Concert.
We decide we will eat lunch and go to ESPN Sports after lunch. Since we didn't get the GAG for dinner on Thursday due to our delayed arrival at The Fort, we headed down to get one today.
There were photos requested, so I took some on the way

Hmm, Why are these in the field next to Pioneer Hall?
Not on the list, but OldeKoot (The Momma) loves blooming Magnolias - suck it up!






Banana Nut; Chocolate; Blueberry

OH HELL! They don't serve Dinner Take out until 4:30 pm! So much for the GAG for lunch
Back to the camper. OldeKoot says she will graze on what we have, and PureTCrazy & I can go on.
Thus begins the Disney Transportation Day From Hell.
1. The only buses to ESPN Sports depart from Pop; All Stars or Caribbean Beach :argh:
2. Rita & I need to eat lunch somewhere;
3. You can't get there from here
We decide we will
1. Boat to Contemporary and eat at The Contempo Cafe;
2. Go to MK and catch a bus to Pop
3. Catch the Bus to ESPN Sports
So we head back to the Settlement - and more photo requests


RCFD at The Fort?







Finally on the Boat to the Contemporary :parrot:



Mine; Mine; mine mine ...!
Roasted Curry Vegetable Salad. eh! The roasted veggies were over roasted and almost mush - and didn't really have much curry flavor. The Bulgar Wheat was supposed to be the main ingredient - not an after thought. A bowl of salad greens with a small topping of yada yada.
Rita got the Smoked Turkey. I'll let her review it. It was ok to my taste, but not something I'd order.
Since I'm almost at the photo limit, the DTSDFH will continue ...

Snarky & Family rearranged a little
Gently caressing bugs
Our 'stream':rofl2:
and more
Some kids across the creek in the 1400 loop informed us, "If you feed him crackers, he will love you!"
Another visitor
:rofl2:

Hmmmmm....are you related to Acticachusek? He must be smarter than you. He only took 3 hours finding forum. Do you have cousin, Yuri? :rofl2:

Hello.
The interesting name of a site - www.fortfiends.net, interesting "Fort Fiends Camping Discussion and Questions" here is very good.
I spent 2 hours searching in the network, until find your forum!