fotofx....Steve

 Several cast members told me no damage other than some flooding that they're pumping out    The guy who fixed the cable TV for the site said that they lost a couple small trees but nothing of note

Beautiful spot but Directv can't get a signal and I just had to call the desk to fix the cable pedestal... Oh well..
 

 Looks like 500 is also closed down I see the pump trucks working so guessing they will have it pumped out pretty soon.

 Breakfast was great as usual.  Server said they moved all the food and perishables from trails end over to lodge and some of the servers went over and helped out at lodge for the overflow guess they had a lot of people from the campground that relocated to lodge 

The check in clerk said they were told several loops would be closed till Wednesday.

Yesterday they did not have the express monorail up. Were using resort, the ferry, and buses for TTC to MK. Epcot was running normally.
 

Check in was quick and painless... In 1318, going to go get breakfast at Trails End.
 

In lane 4, expected it to be a lot worse. Will update once we are in.
 

Just spent the night in MK parking lot. Supposed to reopen at 8am.. Can't wait to see the lines.
 

I called and spoke to the Fort front desk last night. So far although they have been encouraging anyone currently at the Fort to make other arrangements, they have not been told how to handle anyone checking in on Thursday or Friday. He told me that they would call me in the event the Fort had to close.
 

2 hours ago, DinDavie said:

fotofx steve:  I think your problems will be on the highway going up.  Traffic out of south Florida will be in full swing tomorrow with people fleeing the area.  Broward just got put into the Hurricane watch list so more of us will be leaving.  I need to get back to South Carolina but it looks like they are starting evacuations in South Carolina already so I-95 and I-26 will be jammed.  If you are leaving for the fort tomorrow I hope you closed up your home first.  Shutters, turn off the water, power down things, pick up loose items in the yard.  They are predicting rain measured in inches with some wind gusts in Orlando but things can change.  I just would hate to be sitting in a tent realizing I guessed wrong.

We were going to leave here around 11pm Thursday night. Should know a lot by then.
 

Scheduled to arrive at the Fort late Thursday night from South Florida. Debating if I am better off going up on Friday.
 

Checked in on Friday 9/16 and was given a can.

I was there this past weekend and a kid (pre-teen) was flying a drone in the 100 loop while staff was right there. No one said a word.
 

Although I purchased my own cart and no longer need to rent, I have used Kenny several times in the past and he has always gone above and beyond to provide great service.

Something is very amiss here. I do find it telling that you

11 hours ago, ken07734 said:

have been reading this board for a long time and made a lot of my choices based on this forum

Yet you never bothered to register and participate. If you paid with a credit card I would think you could just charge it back and be done with it if you feel you did not receive what was promised.

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

I think the dock behind the trading post is one of the places you can fish

They have no fishing signs up all around and on it in addition to the gator signs.

Although this may be the official rule, it does not appear to be getting enforced. Just came back from 3 days (Thur 6/30 to Sun 7/3) at the fort and although it looks like they went crazy EVERYWHERE with the new alligator/snake signs. I was very surprised to see little enforcement. There are multiple signs on both sides of the dock behind the Meadow trading post and I saw several families fishing from it. Also saw a guy fishing from a rental pontoon boat during a trip across to the Contemporary.

But I have to say, it is hard to go more then a few feet anywhere without running into one of those new signs. If there is water, there is a sign.

I am there Thursday afternoon till Sunday also.. 
 

21 minutes ago, The Troll said:

I assume this means fencing will be installed at all the resort beaches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qp_bUYPrTg

Nope, fencing wont work.
 

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1986-10-12/news/0260190168_1_hitt-alligator-fort-wilderness

Not the first time they have had alligator problems.
 

There have always been gators on the property.. Hell it's Florida, we have gators everywhere.. But.. I have only seen small ones on property. Disney has always been good about relocating them. This has to be a bigger gator to drag off a 2 year old. Very very sad, no words can convey how bad I feel for those parents.

Have to believe with Universal buying and closing Wet & Wild and getting ready to open their own water park, Disney realizes it is time to improve their water parks or risk having another Harry Potter situation and playing catch up.
 

I see phantom campers as a non-issue to Disney. The site is paid for, what difference is it to Disney if someone is not using their water and electric and paid for it?

I personally have had to do the phantom camper once. I needed a Thursday-Sunday and it was not available anyway that I tried it. I was only able to book a Monday-Sunday so the site sat empty Monday-Wednesday. Was I happy about it, No... But with the current reservation system and not allowing you to drop dates, it was the only way to get the dates I needed.

I am sure this is happening allot more often then we see. Empty sites suck, but to Disney they made their money..
 

Don't know where the "V" is coming from but it was just a STOL (Short Take Off and Landing)

Here is the wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_World_Airport

If you Google "Disney STOL" there are plenty of pics of the runway.
 

8 minutes ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

I just hope they don't flip completely the other way and put the same ol' same ol' on the menu instead.  It would be nice if they just scale back on the funky, but still offer up some different options than can be found in the rest of the park.

I agree, I was hoping for something a bit upscale but was very disappointed. Part of the problem is that with the current system you really have to plan everything out way in advance. I live in South Florida so it is only a few hours up to the fort. I really used to enjoy just being able to pop up when I have time. Now you have to make Fort and Dining reservations way in advance. Other then quick service, hard sometimes to get in. This being available and a brand new restaurant to boot seemed too good to be true. It was..
 

My opinion.. You may or may not agree...

Took a few friends and their daughters (12 & 4) there about a month ago. Nothing on the menu appealed to the girls except some weird mac & cheese. I do not remember what we ordered but it was all lousy except maybe the pot stickers were OK, but not a good value.. The server said she has had multiple complaints and could get us something off the menu for the restaurant next door (guess they share a kitchen). The girls would not even eat the mac & cheese and their mom tried it and would not either. We paid our check and went to Village Haus to fill up.

We left agreeing the menu would not last, by the way... We just walked up, lunch time, no wait... and the place was EMPTY...
 

It is legal to drive on Fort roads with a plate but not in the golf cart areas or golf cart parking. Not really a problem up front because you can park in the regular lot but at the meadows or settlement there really is no place to park except in the cart area.

But, does anyone remember what the speed limit is on Vista Blvd in front of the Fort? If it is 35 or less then you could actually drive the cart over to the lodge or Magic Kingdom. Although I am not sure I would want to leave it out in the MK regular lot all day.

Edit: Never mind, I just did a Google street view on it and it is a 45 mph street.