DinDavie

This is the fun part.  Don't be in a hurry to buy anything.  All TT's are not made the same.  Carol is right about doing a thorough walk through and test of every component or feature.  Search this web site and others for discussion about other peoples experiences with different makes and models.  There are some that are always lower on the quality scale than others.  There are some that have built in problems.  Tanks that can't be filled up because the vents are located in the wrong place and stuff like that.  Quality will always hold up better and last longer.  You are looking at the best time of year.  Dealers are closing out their inventory and trying to negotiate better deals with manufacturers for better allocations for the coming year.  You may have to compromise on features or color to get a unit that has been sitting on his/her lot for a year but you should expect at least 30% below sticker in return.  This is the fun part.  Imagine yourself in the unit you are standing in.  Its hard to do that from a picture on the web.  Imagine using the galley to cook your favorite meal.  Imagine what you would bring and what you would leave behind because the refer won't fit a case of beer.  Sit on the toilet and stand in the shower to see if you or DH will fit.  Dealers take a dim view of actually using them so just imagine.  That is the fun part.  Paying, not so much. 

This is the fun part so don't be in a hurry to buy anything.  You are trying to buy at the best time of year.  The end of camping season.  Be prepared to compromise on features if the deal on an end of the model year unit is at least 30% below sticker.  Carol is right about doing a thorough walk through and test of the units features.  There is no substitute for actually standing in the unit and imagining how you would live in it.  Try to imagine how you would cook a meal or what you would take in you refrigerator and what you would have to leave behind because they tend to be small.  Stand in an area and spread your arms to see if you can change your shirt or put on your socks.  Sit on the toilet.  Stand in the shower and imagine yourself using those things.  Dealers may take a dim view of actually using them.  Figure out how the kids and DH would fit into the beds.  Turn on the A/C to see if it is too noisy.  My final piece of advise is to buy Quality.  Search this site and other RV sites for peoples experiences with different brands.  All TT's are not made the same.  If the caulking or cabinets don't look excellent than just imagine what the stuff you don't see looks like. 

Where are all the people?  I thought it was crowded because I can't get a reservation at a restaurant.  Did everyone sleep in that morning?

Hi Kelly,  Your going to be just fine.  You got some good advice here but I will add my two cents.  First, you can pick up a spare tire already mounted on a wheel at many Walmarts.  Check to see how old the tires on your trailer are by looking for the manufactured date on the side of the tire.  If it is over 6-7 years old I would consider replacing them.  If you see little cracks on the sides of the tires, definitly replace them.  Your getting a AAA card and that is great.  In addition to the good discount you get on your stay at the fort you should get a trip tick for your trip.  Have them blow up the major intersections at Jacksonville and on I-4 approaching the fort so that you can plan ahead to be in the correct lane for your exits.  I've towed and traveled all over the country and the worst thing that happens is getting off the wrong exit.  Drivers don't seem to want to cooperate with you when you want to get in another lane at the last minute and trying to find a place to turn around and get back on the right path is not so easy.  Coming south on I-95 you want to be in the middle lane to continue through Jacksonville.  Don't bother with I-295.  Generally you want to stay in the right lane when on highways so faster traffic can get around you.  You will find driving 55-60 mph will be much less stressful but plan the time of your trip accordingly.  If you find yourself getting stressed out for whatever reason, stop at the next rest stop and take a little walk around with the kids.  We all need the exercise every couple of hours.  

Thanks for the suggestions.  Looks like I will be on the phone with Disney dining at least once a day for the next 15 days.  One persons hijacked thread is another persons' multifacited conversation.

Just tried to make dinner reservations for the October 15 weekend.  Started with the Hopdedoo and went through every restaurant in all the hotels that offer table service.  Its my DW's birthday and all her three girls, two son-inlaws and 5 gradkids will be there.  We will be staying at the fort and the kids will be staying at Wilderness Lodge.  I found nothing before 9:00pm which will not work for the grand kids.  I know there is someone on this site who books complete vacations but does she make dinner reservations as well?  I would like to avoid cooking steaks at the camp site if I can.

Pecan Park is at least 2 hours away from the Fort.  If you can't make it to the fort in one day then that will be a perfect stop over as it is just off I95 north of Jacksonville.  If you are going to be in the Orlando area at the end of your travel day then you have many options including Tropical Palms or the Orange county park, I think its called Turkey lake.  There is also a KOA on sr192 in Kissimmee.  Or the best idea is to call the Fort when you arrive and see if they have a vacancy due to a cancelation.

Hi iluv2cook;

Welcome.  If your from Texas you are already familiar with summer heat but not the rain.  You can set your watch by the thunderstorms at 3:30 in the afternoon.  I've camped in several pop ups and liked it but you will need to bring tarps, rope and maybe a canopy or two to stay dry.  Bring panchos, hats and a back pack to carry stuff like water, snacks and sun screen and you will be well prepared.  You don't want to be wasting your time standing in line to buy something you could have brought with you.  DaveinTN layed out a good plan of attack.  The only thing I would add is to get to the back of the park fast and work your way forward getting on the most popular rides first. 

Pecan Park just off of I-95 north of Jacksonville is very clean and friendly.  I think the exit is 268.  Pull through sites so you don't have to unhitch or back in.  They also have a pool but I'm from FL and it is cold up there by FL standards in December so only people from Minnisota will be in it.  From Jacksonville it is an easy drive to the Fort south on I-95 and then south on I-4 for an early afternoon check-in.  Get maps that show where the interstate rest stops are and park in the areas marked for busses, trucks or Rv's.  They are all pull throughs as well.  If you are new to driving an RV or towing a TT relax and take it easy.  (It is perfectly OK to be passed by many vehicles).  Plan on staying one night on the road and you will be relaxed when you get there.  If your tow vehicle is diesel just use the truck stops as they are designed for long rigs.  Some gas stations are difficult to get in with a towed vehicle and you won't find that out until you are in it.  I found the Flying J stations are the easiest to manuver in.   

I'm sorry you are having trouble.  I knew when I moved in to this neighborhood that HOA rules prohibited vehicles over 17 feet from being parked in the driveway so I sotre my MH in a storage lot.  I get complaints from one particular neighbor when I bring it home for cleaning, packing or repairs but I now the rules allow me to park it for 48 hours.  I try to be very friendly with my neighbors so I know they don't complain but there is always someone in a neighborhood who enjoys arguements.  I suggest that you learn a little about the process.  I know that the management company takes one month to send out a letter and that I have another month to explain to the board how I have complied with the rule.  That gives me two months.  That becomes important when I go on a trip and lock my house up and close the hurricane shutters for 2 months.  That is also a violation, even during hurricane season.  If you are not being fined or there is a rule that says you have to get a few letters before they can assess a fine then the individual violation letter is not something to get upset about.  When you get your letter just call the office and let them know you got it and will fix the problem as soon as you can.  Life is to short to be getting upset about what HOA's think.  The only thing worse than being the target of an HOA is to be the President of an HOA.  That is a mistake that I will never repeat.

Hi Andy.  Thanks for sharing some of the funny experiences you had running these races.  Being a spectator also has its comic rewards.  Last year I was riding the monorail from MK to epcot.  The Marathon followed the same route so I was able to watch the runners from up high.  Two female runners discovered their intestines would no longer hold all the carbs they swallowed before the race and ran off into the mediam of the road, pulled down their shorts, leaned against a palm tree and took an emergency dump.  I often wondered if they knew how many people on that packed train had a good laugh at their expense or it they could see the hundred portapotties 150 yards further down the road like we all could.  Good times.  I also wondered if there was someone who made an official record of those who tossed their cookies or soiled their shorts along the route.  I also would like to know what that 275 lbs woman was thinking when she signed up for this.  Enquiring minds want to know. 

It looks like I will be there as a spectator.   My daughter and her husband have signed up for the Goofy Challenge and we may be at the finish line for the marathon portion.  FW looks to be pretty full with only premium sites left.  I think the guy who thought this whole running thing up is a genius.  If DW put him on profit sharing he should be a very rich man/woman.  30,000 runners at $400 a head plus added room rentals, and the vendor area at the All Star Sports center.  The property is pulling in this kind of money when the parks are normally closed and you don't have to staff the rides or restaurants.  Pure Genius.  Unless you are a bus driver.  I am amazed at how much money people will spend to torture themselves.  I bet DW could take over Guantanamo and make a profit.

I joined Passport America for a year and found the $44 investment saved me money.  I was on the road for two months and during that time I stayed in enough of the places to pay for my membership many times over.  However,  It does depend on what you are looking for.  They have some very nice campgrounds as members but you have to be traveling near them to take advantage.  Most of the time I used their listings as one night stop overs and not as destinations.  The quality is inconsistent and there are many exceptions.  If the Fort was a passport destination I would never leave.  I did not renew my membership and found that I have been staying at a better class of campground but spending more money for each stay.  The wife is a happier camper and that is a great stress reducer in itself.  Those timeshare camping resorts don't make any sense to me because my travels take me to many destinations and not just one.

I drove by that place last month. :doublebeer:   I knew I was making a mistake by not stopping but I had a load of people in the car and most of them thought I needed to be on a diet. 

I agree with Ally.  I stayed there last month and found it clean and well maintained.  The friendly staff were able to put me at a site close to the exit so it was easy to get in and out.  I did not hear any noise in my MH but I did not experience any jets from the Naval base either.  I would definitely stay hear again.

This might not help you now but in the future try Lee's country Campground in White Springs, FL # 386-397-4132.  Not expensive at all and a few miles off of I-75 north of Lake City.  I stayed there and found it very clean and quiet.  I felt very secure and would stay there again as it is the perfect spot for my first nights stop coming from South Fla on I-75.  I find $47 dollars very pricey for what you got.  I was on the road 2 months this  summer 2013 and have not spent more that $41 for some very nice places and that included 3 KOA's.  Please write a review and post it on rvreviews.com so we can all benefit from your experience.  I suggest that you can use that site to plan out your stays before you make a reservation.  Letrs face it.  Not all campgrounds are created equal.  Most don't even come close to being as good as FW but some are down right scarey.  You need all the help you can get to prevent yourself from arriving at a Travel Trailer Cemetary.

The last time I was at the Fort I noticed they let people set up tents (multiple) on the area adjacent to the full hook up sites that are on the 1600 loop that are on the canal.  With this arrangement they had room to park 2 cars and a golf cart in front of the motor home with the tents in back.  There are some big sites at the entrances to the 1600 and 1700 loops as well that might work.

MMMMMMMMMMMM  Adult beverages in edible containers.

If you are looking for something easy I got bad news.  There is no such thing.  Spend some time at an RV supplier or Camping World.  I have used their black streek remover and it works as advertised.  Any good soap should work but you should invest in a long handled brush that is ment to be used on vehicle finishes.  That is the easiest way to clean the nooks and cranies.  Many people swear by Dawn dish soap and BarKeepers Freind to remove rust stains and other stains.  You really have to rinse a lot with the dawn.  I tried to polish my MH once and thought my arms would fall off.  Then I heard about people who use a floor polish on their RV's.  Its called Zepp High Traffic floor polish.  You get it at Lowes for $16.  You pour it in a spray bottle and after you wash your RV you spray it on an area and wipe it in so it has an even coat.  If your gelcoat is oxidized you may have to do 2-3 coats.  You wipe it on with a microfiber cloth.  I did two coats and my MH looks like new.  I don't know how it did it but it either took off or hid the oxidation.  It also works on units with a full paint finish.  If your unit has corrogated aluminum siding I am not sure if this technique would be particularly effective.

If you want to keep to a budget may I suggest finding activities at the Fort and not going to the theme parks as much.  Renting a golf cart for $60 a day is less expensive than 4-5 tickets to the magic kingdom.  It seems you are staying a while so I suggest you take some days to just relax and enjoy the fort.  Do as many breakfasts as you can in your RV.  Look at the menu at Trails End Restaurant to get a judgement of the prices.  You can also take a boat over to the contemporary and ride the monorail to many of the resort hotels.  The Wilderness Lodge must be seen to be believed.  Taking a free bus ride over to Disney Market Place is also a good days outing that will only cost you the price of eating out or buying stuff.  The Pool has lots of activities in the afternoon and there are free movies at the campfire starting at 730PM.  The fireworks can be viewed from the beach at 10PM.  We often camp at the fort and never go to the theme parks because there is a lot to do that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  Well maybe the left arm.  When driving from NY try to gas up in Virginia, North and or South Carolina and south of Jacksonville.  The Hess Gas Stations at WDW will be some of the cheapest in FL.  As you travel to Fort Lauderdale I suggest you look for the Racetrack gas stations. If your not staying with your relatives don't worry.  July is not our season so look for deals and coupons on hotels and attractions.  

Hi Trish321, We will be there over the same weekend.  I hope we bump into each other.  I'll be in the 300 loop and will have a sign with a parrot on it in front of my MH.  The not so scary halloween parade will be starting up around that time and I think it is the best parade Disney does.

Hi Boatms;  I hope you have a great time and that this issue is the smallest you have.  I like the idea of getting an old garden hose and running it from the outside kitchen to the in ground sink that FW provides.  I did that with my pop ups.  I'm sure you understand that your little grey water discharge is not going to hurt anything but that camp ground has been doing business since the early 1970's and has seen hundreds of thousands of happy campers coming through their gates.  You are right when you point out that chips and drinks have been spilled and others have done it over the years and from what I see the only real damage are the really fat squirels and birds who seem domesticated.  Whiile DW sprays for bugs and traps for rats these Florida bugs have a habit of finding the food scraps and then searching for the source,( your camper).  Many of us who seem to camp a lot have gotten into the habit of trying to leave the camp site cleaner than how we found it.  I always police the area and pick up the cigerette butts even though I don't smoke.  I think the dish water on the ground is falling into that category for many people.  Again I hope you have a great time 

OK lets all take a deep breath.  RVing is not dangerous.  If you go to Yellowstone you are more likely to get frightened by the wildlife.  While I do carry I also like to think that caution is the better part of valor.  I do not stay in Walmarts or Truckstops or rest areas.  You can still have a spontanious and unplanned trip if you know what your general direction is by noon and quickly review your camping options over lunch and then call and make a reservation.  Oddly enough, the only time I ever had an incident at a campground was at Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone.  It was a muddy day and someone swiped my door mate while I was gone.  I walked around when I got back, found it in front of an elderly couples TT and Swiped it back.  I've always found the rest areas and the others to be to noisy for my dog and my wife to get a good nights sleep.  I've always found fellow campers (even the drunk ones) to be friendly and they always seem to be looking out for each other.  I like staying in places where I have something in common with my neighbors. To help you out before you make a reservation you should put rvparkreviews.com in your favorite places list so you can look a place up before you make a reservation. This will help you weed out the places that have train traffic at all hours of the night or other conditions you might not like.  Have a great trip.  I loved my trip to Yellowstone so much I stayed in the area a month and would love to go back.  If only it wasn't so fare from South Florida. 

I like your screen name.

Its a funny thing about campgrounds.  The very thing that makes them so attractive to one person might make it terrible to another.  I stayed at one on the Peace River in Arcadia that was very popular to those how like to ride ATV's but I thought it was like living in a lawnmower factory.  My son in law thinks the WDW is terrible because it is too perfect.  He's a great guy otherwise so I cut him some slack.  Besides he always losses the argument about where they taking my grandkids on vacation.  We will all be there again in October.