DinDavie

So far I have seen a monkey, a pig, cats and parrots at the fort, all within the pet loops.  I hoped that the person walking the rather large pig on a leash was also picking up after her.  I also wondered how the pig traveled in the Motor home but if they had no problem with her I didn't either.  I just hope people don't bring snakes,  I hate snakes.

Are 2 enough to pull a beer wagon.  Inquiring minds want to know.

First I have trouble listing just one recommendation.

1.  Listen to everyone else about just staying at the fort.  We go to the fort for a week every 2-3 months and rarely go to a theme park.

2.  Rent a golf cart.

3.  Bring at least 2-3 cases of bottled water.  A case of small bottles at the trading post is $17.00.  Publix sells the bigger bottles for $3-4.

4.  The same advice goes for adult beverages.

5.  If you follow #4, please post the dates you will be there so that I can come and help lighten the load for the trip home.

I second the motion for the Dicor caulk.  It comes in tubes and goes on like the caulk from Home Depot.  It is self leveling so that means you just squirt it on where you want it and it levels out before hardening.  The Eternabond Tape is also also an excellent product but it is a perminent solution as it will not leak and not come off once it is in place.  Both are available at your local RV supply store or on line through Camping World or RV Parts Nation.  Good luck.  I had nothing but good memories in my Pop Ups. 

Just to be clear.  Tropical Palms is OK but it is no Fort Wilderness.  I have heard many good things about jason.  I would see if he can help.  There is also a KOA on 192 in Kissimmee but it also is no Fort Wilderness.

I spent the first night at the dealer just making sure everything was working.  We drove it home the next day and then went right to a county park to stay in it for a week.

I would suggest that you start off with a pop up.  They are easy to tow and can come equiped with stuff that will make your DW feel as if she is not roughing it.  I've had two.  They are relatively easy to set up when you are younger and the kids love the out door experience.  They are cheap to insure, tow, and can fit in your garage so they can stay clean and insect free.  My adult daughters still love to reminice about the places they have been.  You are close to the Smokies and some outstanding camp grounds in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.  I've only camped in LA once and never heard so many bugs at night in my life.  State Parks tend to be great weekend get aways.  Part of the fun will be to find the ones you like that are close to where you live.  Camping in a tent may not be very easy with an infant but once you are off the ground and have shelter from the weather you will find it an adventure.  We camp with the grand kids now and I like being the cool grand parents.  My wife is called Honey by them and they call camping with us as going to Camp Honey.  You can't help but get closer to them in such a small environment.

I always rent a GC from Disney.  I just wish I owned stock in the company.  I never rented from an off site vendor because I'm unfamiliar with how it all works.  Do you meet in a parking lot someplace or in a secluded spot away from the Mickey police and conduct business on the sly or are they licensed by DW to come on site.

Hi Dave, Glad you made it.  About the sign.  Drive up and down SR 192 through Kissimmee and you will notice little signs along the side of the road advertising all manner of stuff and services.  When you see one tha advertises a politician or a job that you can work in your home you can do a public service and clean that part of the road way by taking the wire frame that holds the sign up and then recycle it by using it to hold your sign up.  You can do what you want with the sign because they are all illegal anyway.

I remember the last time I cheered my daughter on at the princess 1/2 marathon.  I took my car to epcot center, cheered her at the start then waited for ever to get on the Monorail and had to stand on it as well as stand in the station that was not working yet.  When we finally got to the MK we stood for ever to see her run by then we had to stand and wait for ever for the Monorail back to Epcot to stand and wait for ever for DD to finish.  I felt like we were all just a giant herd of cattle.   I think I will bring my car just so I have someplace to sit down.  I'll be at the Fort a week so I might need it for something else.  I don't like the Monorails that much for the same reason I don't like those new self check out lines at Home Depot.  I computer says, "Thank you for Your Purchase," but does it really mean it.  Call me old fashioned but I like talking to a real live person and that includes bus drivers.

I will be a spectator at the Goofy Challenge in January and would like to know if the Fort is a host resort so that there will be dedicated bus transportation to the races or should I just tow my car?

The LP furnaces are safe to use and they do not produce odors or fumes to be concerned about.  I camped in 20 degree weather in Vermont with a little electric heater and an electric blanket.  Cooking breakfast and making coffee usually brings the temp back to normal in the MH.  A little discomfort is what camping is all about.  I would just bite the bullet and top off the lp tank.  The hot water heater and the stove will also need the gas and I wouldn't want to do without them.

5 years with no accidents.  That is no small thing and you should be very proud.  I'll be back at the Fort on January 8 and hope we get a chance to meet.

The kids may have grown and moved away but our interest in camping never went away.  The kids got a lot of good memories during our trips together and now they want there kids, my grandkids, to have those same memories.  We bought our  MH thinking we would explore the world as a couple but as soon as the grandkids find out we are going to the fort, they invite themselves and our little MH fills up past capacity.  You might think they will grow up and move away but they never leave you no matter where they live. 

I was in my MH 13 weeks this year and that was not enough.  It never is.  I need to find new places to camp.  Florida is almost always hot so this summer I went to New Jersey and they had a heat wave. Ugh.  We did spend a week in the Smokies and I'm trying to figure out how to get back, maybe in the spring or fall.  I got another week at the fort planned in January but that can't come fast enough.

I would be interested.  Even though its a long drive I am eager to attend my first GG.  The DW and I love that area and if I remember I-26 is not very difficult to drive in a MoHo.  I-40 is another story.  We just don't want to be anyplace where it is HOT.  Still debating Townsend but it is a long way to drive to and then just return to SoFLA.  If you could plan your event in June I just might go to both and linger in the area a while.

How long does it take to visit all of the hotels on the monorail loop depends on what you do when you get there.  First you have to take a boat ride to the Contemporary Hotel.  I have done this loop aroung the monorail system two ways.  With my wife it is done as a pub crawl.  We have an adult beverage in every lounge on the system.  Allow yourself 3-4 hours depending on how well you can hold your liquor.  With my grandson we did the video game loop.  Played video games in everyone of the hotel video arcades.  Allow yourself 2-4 hours depending on how much money you allow the kids to talk out of your wallet.  

My dog Gracie loves golf cart rides so much that she will not get off when we are done.  We don't take her to those spots where she is not welcome and that is just fine with her.  

No humans were harmed in the manufacture of the soap,  I hope.

Thanks for letting us know about your fix.  I like to learn from other peoples experiences and not from my own mistakes.

Your not crazy.  I saw the lights as well.   I was wondering how someone got so far up in the trees to place them.  They did not move like in the attached videos and there was no music.  When I was there between October 10 and 16 only one site had them.  I never noticed the projector.

Does the pump sound like it is working?  Do you hear any noises that are different?  Does your unit have a hose connection and a fill valve for your freshwater tank?  If it does then switch the valve and see what happens.  If you are hearing the pump work but only hear gurgling or a loud pump motor sound then turn it off and re-read your winterizing manual to check how each valve is supposed to be set and if any of the water outlets in your unit are open.  The only reason why I know to do these checks is because I have made everyone of those mistakes starting with not reading the manual on winterizing. 

Check your manual.  Many manufacturers have a way to manually open and close the slide.

Welcome to FF.  You live in a part of the country that was made for Pop ups.  I've owned two.  I think they are quieter than tents because you are off the ground and do not hear every foot fall in camp when youare trying to sleep.  The A/C also drowns out more noise.  Winds are less of a problem in a pop up.  The only time I had an issue with winds was when a very strong gust lifted up one of the extended beds off of the support rods and it fell down a few inches.  Just lifted it back and place. 

I owned the smallest unit coleman made and the largest. You should be able to tow a small to medium sized unit but read your manual.  Your vehicles towing capacity should be compared with the weight of the unit and all the stuff in it. 

When looking for a used pop up you must use all of your senses.

Ask the owner to set it up for you while you are there.  You need to see how easy it is for you to do that, or not.

Look at all of the canvas inside and out for any little black mold spots.  It is not dirt.

Smell the unit.  If it smells moldy walk away.  The only smell I would accept is the smell of coffee.

If you see anything that does not work do not accept the owners cost estimate to repair.  What ever he/she says just triple it to be safe.  If it is so easy to fix why didn't he fix it.

Have the owner lift a wheel off the ground to see how easily it spins.  Any noise or grinding sounds should send off alarm bells.

Determine if the unit was stored in a garage or out in the open.  Both of my pop ups were stored in a garage and looked and smelled new when I sold them 5 years latter.

You will find people on other web sites who will bad mouth KOA's,  I'm not one of them.  They are not cheap but they are in the hospitality business.  I've stayed in far to many camp grounds that were in the temporary/migratory housing business if you know what I mean.

I have the heavier Blue Ox tow bar and found it the easiest to attach and unattach.  Jeeps are supposed to be the easiest to tow 4 down but if it is over 3000 lbs then you should have a braking system.  I have the SMI system that is perminently installed on my Equinox.  It works off the brake lights of the motorhome and does not need to be removed or detached when you want to use the Jeep.  I just flip one switch and pull one fuse and I am set to go.  From what I can see towing 4 down is the safest and simplest way to tow a vehicle.  My whole attaching and detaching routine takes me 10 minutes and that includes a full check of the lights and signals.