NLPRacing

Here's a new one. 
From a reliable source.
There have been meetings, including an onsite tour, in which the topic of discussion has been scrapping the current campsite level designations and creating new, simpler, ones. One idea is to charge more for campsites close to the Meadow Recreation area.
Thats interesting, but there's more. 
Included in the discussion is the concept of creating a new separate, restricted access area of super premium sites. This area would be gated off from the Fort, and will have its own amenities reserved for the campsites there. Where would this go?  Say goodby to the group camping area and the surrounding area. 
The 3000 loop is actually being discussed by folks who can make it happen. 
TCD

I miss the roars of the cars in the morning. Reminded me that I wasn't far from the Magic 

I think it's very presumptuous of you to assume that wealthy people don't like the smell of Band Aids and vomit.  
Plus....we are talking about Caribbean Beach, Art of Animation and Pop Century.  Who said anything about Upscale??

The local station here in Orlando (WFTV) posted a story as well.  However, due to their crack journalistic team, they added a picture of a gondola from Venice, and said Disney would be expanding their water transportation system.   I am not joking.

At any rate, I hope they can inject the monorail smell of armpits and band-aids straight into the fabric of the new vehicles. 

I'm surprised Disney would be at all in favor of that Gooding's being demolished. It's the only store in the region that makes the grocery prices in Disney's trading posts and resort gift shops look reasonable.

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The Fort is full of freebies.  Frankensoap, crockpots galore, large variety of brews in coolers at campsites.

I would love to only be 960 miles from the Fort. 

With the exception of weekends during Food & Wine, I don't think I've ever seen anyone noticeably drunk in the parks. 

There needs to be a saloon in frontierland.

They need to have the dole whip with the rum.
 
Period.

I wish they would go further and put a full bar in the Skipper Canteen restaurant.
That would be awesome.
If they aren't going to honor Walt's wishes, why limit it to beer and wine?  Go big.
TCD

Until you've had my Quinoa Squirrel Tacos, you haven't lived.  

Umm, where I live you've just described the menu at a family reunion. 

Agreed. I was totally being sarcastic with my topic lol. Sad to see the areas where my kids used to freely run and have room to do so confined to small little pens
 
eta - this one looks fairly big but the playground by the dog park is cut in half with two different fenced areas now (plus the dog park so three fences total) and the one by the beach is pretty small.

"Sit back and relax in your private rustic cabin in the wilderness, complete with a genuine electric fireplace to take the chill off those cold Florida nights.  If it gets warm out, it's just a short walk to the cement pond built exclusively for bungalow guests. "

Fair enough. 
For the record, I'm not outraged. I would say I'm just really disappointed.  And sad that the current regime has so little respect for what was done in the past.
It's interesting to look at how the original DVC Villas at Wilderness Lodge building was designed and built.  It was the first DVC to be appended to a Deluxe Resort, and they built it in a way that it would fit in and be unobtrusive.  Guests at the Lodge really can't even see it, and I'll bet most don't even know it's there. Only parts of it were visible from Bay Lake- and you'd really have to look hard to even see those parts.  The building itself is beautiful, and the way it sat surrounded by unspoiled wilderness was really nice.
Fast forward to Bay Lake Tower.  They certainly didn't try to hide that monstrosity.  But, it was built in the footprint of land that was already cleared and developed, and it doesn't really impact the view of any guest at the Contemporary Resort. 
Same deal at the Grand Floridian- the DVC building there is a separate building that completely blends in with the existing resort.  They did a good job making that complement what was already there.
Then came the Polynesian bungalows.  They stick out like a sore thumb.  They are the polar opposite of unobtrusive. Everyone sees them, and they have ruined the beach that used to be a great amenity for all Polynesian guests.
Which brings us to the DVC expansion at Wilderness Lodge.  Instead of a secluded wooded environment, everyone will now be treated to a view of these 26 cabanas lining the shoreline on both sides of the resort.  Those are as "in your face" as anything can be.
It's a shame.
As I already said, I know my opinion is in the minority.  A heck of a lot of people at Disney had to agree that this is a great idea, or else it wouldn't be happening. You're lucky that it doesn't bother you.
TCD

Regarding how the bungalow guests get to their bungalows, it does look like a bit of a hike at the Polynesian, but there is that parking lot over there to the right, and they clearly have pathways that are plenty wide for golf carts that travel right in front of the bungalows:

Now, at the Lodge, the parking lot is quite a ways from the bungalows:

I had to break out my red crayon for this- look at the plans again- there are two new little parking lots- each with the exact number of spaces corresponding with the number of bungalows on that side of the complex:

I'm surprised they didn't just go ahead and give each bungalow a driveway for the guests to park their Range Rovers.  There is plenty of space now that those ancient trees have been removed.
TCD

Not so fast.
All of Disney World is not man-made.
Bay Lake existed before Disney came along.
In fact, it was the beauty of Bay Lake and the surrounding wilderness that drew Walt to the area when he surveyed it from his private airplane.
And, the men who made the initial plans to build Fort Wilderness endeavored to preserve that wilderness.
That was a point of pride in the early days, as can be seen from this old Fort Wilderness check-in packet:


 
Please read what is written there.
Do you see that part in the second paragraph where it says "that development would be undertaken only if the area's natural beauty cold be effectively preserved."
Read the third paragraph.  Even today, you can see evidence of the care taken to not destroy the wilderness at the Fort- there are cabin decks that were built around trees.  There are roads that were designed and paved to allow trees that were there first to stay.
Now, take a look at this old Fort Wilderness brochure:

Look at the third paragraph, where they boast how "centuries-old cypress trees stand beside tall pines and flowering bay trees."  That is not just fluff- it's true, and most of those old cypress trees were along the banks of Bay Lake.  A lot of them are still there.  But the ones that were preserved when they built the Villas at Wilderness Lodge are now gone.  Those centuries-old cypress trees and tall pines are what they just clear cut.
In case you are still laboring under the misconception that "all of Disney is man made," please take a look at these old photos, which come from the State of Florida archives, showing a group which included Roy Disney inspecting the property that the Disney Corporate entities had purchased.  These show how the property looked before any development, back in 1967:

You see that guy with the glasses and dark sweater standing in the boat?  That's Roy Disney.  You see that big old lake in the background?  That's Bay Lake.  You see all those trees?   Those are the centuries-old cypress trees and tall pines. Those were all left alone when Walt Disney World was developed, and the entire shoreline was left natural.  Up until a few weeks ago.
Here's another photo taken at the same time- if you are at all familiar with Bay Lake, you will recognize the lone cypress tree that we all know as the "Shoe Tree" standing there in the lake:

Everything you see in that photo was left alone when they built Disney World.
But now, a pretty big stretch of the natural shoreline right behind that lone cypress tree has been clear cut so they can build 26 bungalows that only very rich people can afford.
If you don't think that's a big deal and a complete departure from the philosophy the company has followed for the past 50 years, then I don't know what to say other than you're wrong.  But,  the sad thing is that your opinion will probably sit well with the majority of people these days-seriously- who cares about trees and nature and stuff?  They can just bring some new trees in there from the tree farm.  I'll race you to the bungalow!
TCD

For those interested in fishing, here is an update:
Lake patrol informed us that fishing is allowed behind the rope fence along the canals in the 300 loop to the 1600 loop.
There is also fishing by the open tent areas and back of the meadows from the dock. There is still no fishing on the lake. 
 

The 100 degree heat is a killer.  It was only 92 here today but the heat index was 102. 

LOL
 

Good plan.

Our friend Ken asked me to delete his account. I have complied with his request. I think there's nothing else to see here (except for possibly some questionably-replicated pastries).

I used it when tt was new. Scrub brush with soap and water. 7 years later and everything still dry.