Retired and Happy (Ken)

Well, my would-be comments have already been used above....stupid, lawsuit, dumb, drunk, amoeba, etc.  Cudos to the CM who kept the situation from being any worse, although I'll bet he reacted rather than thought HIS danger through.

Looks like the early returns of "We Always take Disney Transportation" have given way to "We Always Drive to the Parks".  I'll move back to say I have never driven to any of the parks in 15 years.  I'm on vacation.  Let the Disney drivers do their thing.  Enjoy the ride and see the scenery.  Internal Fort busses and external Park/Resort busses plus monorails and boats will get you where you want to go, and bring you closer to the entrances.

I just googled   http://www.dollywood.com/themepark/dining  and found there are a lot more places to eat in DollyWood than I knew about.  We usually do Aunt Granny's, or Miss Lillian's, and the 50's hamburger place.  We did the pizza place once.  All have filled us up.  We don't often go out for food in the area, but cook most meals in the MH....unless Judy wants ribs.  

How about Key West, anyone?

Like nacole, we are limited in what we can do, but we have had APs for several years now.  We usually go into the park twice in a week, but the past two trips we have had DGKs with us and we dropped them off at the entrance two extra times, so it just depends on your interest.  We haven't been to the coaster loop in 2-3 years, but I understand it changes just about every year, usually with a new coaster being added.  You could probably spend three days and see most things of interest...rides, shows, crafts, eats....and of course Shawnee's all time favorite, The Long Black Train.  We agree:  Keep it leisurely.

And don't forget there's lots to see and do in the area besides DW.

We have used River Plantation RV Resort (close to WalMart, lots of pull throughs) in Sevierville for the past few trips, but have also tried RiversEdge (more convenient, no pull throughs, kinda crowded) near the Gatlinburg end of Pigeon Forge.

Not sure how much trouble it would be to go to the Canadian side with a motorhome, maybe a cargo trailer, a dog, and three kids only one of which has a state issued ID.  Which reminds me...I was told the DL issued in GA with a star in the corner is an EDL and will serve instead of a passport for Canada.  Don't know about Mexico.  I went to so much trouble to get it, it should be good for something besides cashing a check or buying a razor in a drugstore.      

We moved toward the Falls from Stone Mountain in a roundabout way several years ago, but lost brakes in near Charlotte, generator in New York/Maine, gave up on the Falls to return home and lost the radiator and transmission in Scranton/Wilkes Barre.  Four kids, two adults, and medical equipment in a motel room 13 days waiting for corrective actions from the West Coast.. That room got smaller and smaller every day.     

Anyone have any experience with a preferred route from the Atlanta area to Niagara Falls?  Google shows 2-3 routes, all around 14 hours  (Ha!)  The main routes go through Knoxville and Cincinnati  or Charlotte and Pittsburgh.  Just in the thinking stage right now, but sorta planning toward early to mid July.  Maybe 3-4 day up and the same back.  Time there depends on what we want to do and how healthy everyone stays.  Alternative plan:  Stay home and save money for the FORT.

When we sold our older MH to our daughter the first thing I emphasized was to get and learn to use a multimeter, preferably and auto-ranging, digital model.  I know there are some specialized cases where an analog meter would be best, but for maybe 99% of what you need, a digital is best.  (99% is an WAG on my part and not to be taken absolutely accurate.)

If I had paid closer attention to mine, I would have known I had a hot skin condition (or the MH did), and that the transfer switch was wired wrong.  Fortunately it was only a light tingle when I touched it.

I'm a mid 70s guy...summer, winter, longevity.   

When and how do they select the Super Regional sites?  11 SEC teams in softball.  A good chance there will be a few in Ok Cty.

I can't really imagine the concept of WWW at Voldy.  This place HAD to exist for the world to continue.

Good advice.  We've had above average temps here around Atlanta for a week or two, but a front is supposed to come through any minute and drop stuff back to springtime averages.

We use a CVS on Sand Lake Rd that is open 24 hrs and has a drive up prescription window.  Convenient for transferring a prescription at any hour from your home CVS.

Turn left on Vista Drive. Take it until it dead ends at 535 (ignore the company vehicles only sign, everyone does) turn right and stay in the center lane. At the next major intersection (Shell on right) contiune straight, road changes to Palm Parkway, at the next 4 way stop road changes to Turkey Lake Rd continue straight for about 3 miles, you will pass the Post office and Dr.Phillips Hospital. Wal-Mart is on the left. (Previous directions borrowed from G&G above)  Continue to Sand Lake Rd, turn left of Sand Lake Rd, and go about a 1/2 mile to CVS on the right in a shopping center.

For those so inclined, there is also a Harbor Freight :

Turn left on Vista Drive. Take it until it dead ends at 535 (ignore the company vehicles only sign, everyone does) turn right and stay in the center lane. At the next major intersection (Shell on right) contiune straight, road changes to Palm Parkway, at the next 4 way stop road changes to Turkey Lake Rd continue straight for about 3 miles, you will pass the Post office and Dr.Phillips Hospital. Wal-Mart is on the left. (Previous directions borrowed from G&G above)  Continue to Sand Lake Rd and turn right . Continue to Orange Blosson Trail, turn left, and go to 7089 OBT.  Harbor Freight will be on the right behind Wendy's.

We have never driven to ANY of the parks.  Let the Disney pro-drivers do their thing, so you can relax and take in the scenery around you.

We didn't travel in an SUV or minivan.  We traveled in station wagons.  Three seaters, with the center seat collapsed for the kids to play and luggage in the rear.  And no place to hang a DVD (a WHAT?) or set a TV.  There was a bench seat in front and the smallest kid sat in a car seat that hung over the back of the seat.  No seat belts or shoulder straps.  When I finally got my first MH(18.5' Class C) we had an AC/DC B/W TV, but we could only use it after we parked so we could connect an antenna I had rigged on a pole fastened outside the bathroom window.

I don't often visit this thread, but can a recipe be any easier?  I gotta try this.

What a beautiful summation of your life (every day) experience.  We have three special needs children, all with physical and mental developmental delays.  Two will likely always be close to total care.  Not sure about the baby yet.  We have hope for all of them that they will develop to the best of their abilities, and they will be happy.

I may have written of this before, but I had an opportunity to again watch the TV movie "We Are Marshall" over the weekend.  I am old enough to remember the plane crash and the anguish that followed that terrible tragedy, back in '72 as I recall.  While there was some artistic license taken, I think the movie was pretty close to the life events, and was very well done.  The efforts of the rebuilt coaching staff and the school's administration was nothing short of monumental in recovering Marshall as a viable football presence.  Rebuilding the hope and well-being of the town and Marshall fans was just as necessary.  I am reminded of the Braves playing the Mets in New York a few days after 9/11.  That, too, was billed as a symbol of a rebirth that followed a tragedy.  Sports can be so much more than just a way to spend an afternoon or evening.  

Can you use most any major credit/debit card?  Will this lead to less laundry usage if you have to carry a separate card you might not normally carry to the laundry?

We get most of our keys copied at Ace Hardware.  I don't know if there's one close to the Fort.

Edit:  Looks like the closest one:  South of WDW.

Ace Home and Supply Center

We pretty much leave all the foods  except refrigerated stuff and breads in the MH.  It is parked in the driveway and plugged in most of the time, with mild heat or A/C as appropriate for the season.  Much clothing stays out there except coats and shoes we might need soon.  We use it as our convenience store so when we run out of something in the house, we know where to usually find replacements.

Thanks.  Now we know what to expect.   (And the Beauty and the Beast used to have wheelchair seating right in front of the stage.  But we have been there since the rear seating has been in place.)

We have two.  One digital, one analog (so far).

Does the AK musical of Nemo have the same handicapped accommodations as does FOTLK?  That is, is it also a theater in the round, and is there similar seating for wheelchairs around the front couple of rows?  Thanks.

We are also dictated somewhat by the location of the utility posts ansd slideouts, but we also have a cargo trailer we tow for our special needs equipment ans supplies that goes at the back of the site. I also hate it when others are not very concerned as to how i can or can't get into my site.  When we bring a van, we usually try to put it in the overflow lot to offer as much front space as possible for our neighbors.  At times, the van is brought back for use that day, but it can be moved if someone nearby has a problem parking.  We try to be good neighbors.