CCIntrigue...aka Gwen

Great Report and WELCOME!!!!!!!

Thank you, Carol! Just glad I found out where all the fun people moved.

Great report and loved the pics... thanks for sharing.

You got some great shots of the F&G! Yes, Disney's food has taken a turn for the worse. We live just 25 miles away & used to go to Disney on Friday's to enjoy one of the restaurants on property. We haven't done that for about 3 years now. With the inception of the dining plans, they have cheapened the food & upped the prices. It will catch up with them sooner or later.

Busch Gardens/Sea World did the same thing back in the 90's - upped the price, lowered the quality. It took them until around 2003 to realize their food concessions had taken a big hit. Once the Disney bean counters start tracking the sale of non-dining plan sales, they will figure it out.

I've said it before but, HOWDY!! Glad you're here!

Carry on with the TR, now! :)

Awesome Trip report! :popcorn:

Great trip report, thanks for sharing. I remember your last report over there, I hope Kassie is doin ok after the seizures. :)

Thank you all! Stefa, Kassie had a rough winter but is better now. Never did figure out what caused the seizures. In January she was diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Vet said that could have caused the seizures in November, but it could also have been something she came in contact with at the fort. We will never know but are very grateful that the seizures have stopped!

Last installment -

A few last fort photos I haven't posted earlier ...

And of course I have to post a picture of Kassie on high alert. She has to protect us from those armadillos!

Leaving on Friday morning ...

Almost empty loops (there were several loops with only one or two residents):

This is always such a sad sight:

Officially off Disney property:

Smooth sailing until Saturday about noon when we got to the I77-85 interchange. Turns out there was a concert at the Metrolina Expo in Charlotte. It started at noon and ended at midnight ... almost 20 bands were performing. Traffic was so bad ... and I was so shocked that I forgot my camera until too late ... people were parking their cars in the emergency lane and walking to the concert ... no policemen in sight!

Final thoughts ...

Love bugs were terrible.

Crowds were manageable.

Eternally grateful that I didn't get hurt and Kassie stayed well. We avoided the areas where Disney was spraying.

Pleased with my new camera, although I still don't know how to work everything on it. I took over 900 photos!

A good time was had by all.

Thank you all for reading and commenting!

Thursday, continued -

Went back to the MK in the evening to walk one last tour around and take some photos. Carried my tripod to hopefully get some great shots.

Saw this baby bunny on the way to the boat dock:

Scoped out a great place to take pictures ... Tomorrowland Terrace ... but when I got back there to set up I was surprised to see a crowd there. Turns out Disney thought it was a great place too ... had a Fireworks and Dessert party there. So I had to move along to a less desireable location at the Tomorrowland bridge.

The Magic, The Memories, and You! Some funky shots ...

Did another loop around the MK and took a few more photos ...

By the time I got back to Main Street it was time for the 11:00 parade to start.

So I found a less-than-ideal spot and clicked off a few more photos.

It was nearly midnight when I got back to the fort. Wanted to do more nighttime shots there but was too exhausted. This is all I took:

Next trip, hopefully in early November, I will definitely take more night shots at the fort.

Part 3 -

Wednesday – Remember that small pond between us and the neighbors that I mentioned on Friday? We wondered what it was caused by since it hasn’t rained recently. Well, it grew every day despite sunny skies. By this morning the area under our trailer was completely flooded, and we had power lines lying in it.

A gentleman from Disney’s engineering department stopped by to check on it. Turns out that the irrigation guy wasn’t turning off the system like he’s supposed to. By the afternoon the irrigation was turned off and everything began drying out.

After breakfast went to Hollywood Studios.

Had lunch at the 50’s Prime Time Café (a first for us).

David got the fish sandwich, which was really tasty.

I had the crab cake appetizer with chili sauce and onion threads minus the succotash. It was really good.

And the sugar free cheesecake:

The cheesecake tasted a little like stale oil. Without the raspberry sauce it wouldn’t have been good. But at least I was able to get a dessert!

In the evening we went to the Magic Kingdom for a short while.

One of these little guys wanted to come home with us:

Thursday – our last full day here. Sniff, sniff. EMH at MK in the morning (only in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland). We tried to make rope drop but arrived just as it was ending. Had breakfast at the Crystal Palace for the first time in years. It was good, particularly the fruit:

Saw the characters, ho hum, take it or leave it. We didn’t eat there because of them.

This breakfast cost us $20 more for two people than the same meal at TE. Basically the only difference was more fruit, chocolate Mickey waffles, and the characters. For the price it wasn’t worth it. We’ll stick to TE in the future.

Took in several attractions, including some we haven’t seen in years. I usually obey the rules about no flash photography, but in POTC flashes were going off all around me so I shot a few too.

BTW, why can the Native Americans in Frontierland and on Main Street have muskets and knives but Mickey can’t carry his musket now???

Haven't visited the Country Bear Jamboree in at least 20 years:

Watched the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade:

Did a little shopping in the Emporium, then headed back to the moho to start packing up – but not before we had a Southern Smothered Hot Dog from the Meadow Swimming Pool snack bar!

Needed some Styrofoam cups for the trip home … $5 for 14 at the Trading Post! DH purchased them … I asked him to return them because for $5 I would wash a few cups … but he refused. Oh, well, it’s his money!

Part 2 -

Sunday – breakfast and more photos … will post more later.

We went to AK with Lisa and Jack. Ate at the counter service restaurant next door to Yak and Yeti. Don't remember the name. Lisa said the fried rice was quite good, but my chicken salad was just so-so.

It was hard to get a good shot of Devine because she was moving so quickly:

Jack looks great in anything!

Lots of people left the fort today, many empty sites! Had a teary goodbye with Lisa and Jack ... it will be awhile before we can see them again.

Leftover GAG for dinner. After I cooked it awhile in the convection oven, it was better and more tender.

Went to MK and taped MSEP. So happy to have it return! But it’s missing a few floats from the last version. BTW, at this point I’m really missing the internet, but I refuse to pay Disney’s price.

Monday – Went looping after breakfast. Looks like the fort is maybe 40-50% full. 1800 loop is closed for some type of work.

Went to EPCOT, had lunch at Chefs De France. David did the price fixe menu and chose lobster bisque, quiche with salad, and chocolate cake with ice cream. I tasted all three, and they were really good.

I had the four cheese appetizer with a salad (and highly recommend it):

Watched Miyuki work her magic:

I took a lot of photos at EPCOT. This is one of my favorites:

It was terribly hot today. I got blisters from not wearing socks with my Crocs. Ouch! Limped back to the moho, had a light dinner, and enjoyed the fort.

Tuesday – Breakfast at Trail’s End – but whoa, this isn’t Carol:

This is Josephine! Turns out Disney is working on the employee locker area and she had to borrow Carol’s name tag.

NO FRITTATAS! After complaining to our waiter, the chef came out and talked to us. Turns out these wonderful frittatas are an experimental item … not on the regular menu … and Chef Tom is the only one who makes them. Tom came to our table to talk to us. We both told him how wonderful we thought they were and how disappointed we were that they weren’t on the buffet today. He said he really appreciated our input and that it would help to get the frittatas on the regular menu. When you go to TE please ask for them!

A supervisor at TE confirmed that fort merchandise is returning! She says hopefully September 2011!

Went to the Magic Kingdom …

Can’t get enough castle pictures:

Caught a few shots of the Fantasyland expansion:

POTC was closed because of technical difficulties. This is our fifth day here and haven’t been in it yet.

David wore his Fort Wilderness polo today … received several comments about it. (“Look, he has a fort shirt!”)

BTW, love the new interactive queue area for the Haunted Mansion!

After an early dinner we went to DHS to see Fantasmic. We have never seen it but have heard great reviews and were excited … but geez, folks, no one told us to arrive 2 hours before show time! We got there 1.75 hours early, the line was horrendous, and cast members said those already in line would fill up the seating area. We were so disappointed to miss the show but were too tired to wait for the 10:30 seating, so back to the moho for some R&R.

More to come ...

Whoa!!! Did I just hear someone ask PERMISSION to post a trip report??? Surely, I am mistaken!!

:grpwelcome: and a great big

HOWDY!!

We're glad you found us.

Thanks for the welcome! I was only concerned that I had already posted on my former home.

Sorry, everyone, I’m not eloquent or humorous. Just tell the facts with some photos intertwined … writing just isn’t my strong point!

Two trips ago – November 2009 – Kassie, our Miniature Schnauzer, had to be rushed to the vet with a case of severe pancreatitis before we even arrived at the fort … then shortly after our arrival I fell in the MK and was in a wheelchair for the remainder of the trip.

One trip ago – December 2010 – hinge on the fridge broke, door fell off, and heavily bruised me, Kassie developed grand mal seizures and had to be rushed to the vet.

This trip – April 2011 – Finally a Disney trip with no injuries or illness! So great!

On Friday, April 29, we drove 619.7 miles to arrive on Disney property at 3:37 pm. Lots of locals arrived about the same time. Online check-in line moved as slowly as we did. We had a really long wait -- requested loop 700 but were told it was full – no, if we were willing to wait a site might be opening up – let us check on it. A few minutes later we were told that yes, it had opened, so off we went. Arrived at 700 loop to find 10-15 sites open!

Finally got onto site 727. Great loop, terrible site … we barely fit … good thing we didn’t bring my car! Had to overhang the trailer into the natural area several feet just to get the moho off the road. Couldn’t extend the awning all the way out because of a tree. Hmmm ... suspicious huge puddle of water between us and the neighbors.

Exhausting trip … we usually split it into two days. Had GAG from TE for dinner. Was really disappointed in it – really, this is the same food they serve at HDD? Chicken was tough … coleslaw was terrible … only saving grace was the potatoes, but not enough of them. At least I’m a low carber and don’t eat them, so David had plenty.

We were too exhausted to go into any of the parks, so we crashed early in anticipation of a full day on Saturday.

Saturday – woke up early and took photos. But you all have covered the fort with so many great pictures that it’s hard to find something different!

Clint stopped eating long enough to pose for me:

Had breakfast at TE. They had a new item on the buffet – ham and cheese frittatas. They were delicious, by far the best dish! (Please remember this.)

Went to MK and walked down Main Street … wow, I’m really here! (I have to see the castle before I really feel like I’m at the World).

Then my friend Lisa (Lisard on the boards) arrived with her son Jack to tent camp for the night. Haven't seen her since November 2009, so the visit was really great!

We all went to EPCOT. I was excited to attend the Flower and Garden Festival for the first time …

Look how skinny Mickey is. Minnie better have some good food in that picnic basket to fatten him up!

I loved all the topiaries. Here are some of my favorites:

My impression of the Flower and Garden Festival? I was a little disappointed. I understand from Lisa that Disney has really cut back on it. I wouldn't make a special trip to see it again.

Went back to the moho. Took Kassie for a cart ride, purchased some groceries at the trading post … ridiculous prices! Seriously, $5 for half a pound of bacon??? $4 for a tiny jar of mayo, and I used half of it to make coleslaw?

BTW, cast members say they are hearing rumors about fort merchandise returning but didn’t confirm anything.

Cooked hot dogs on the gas grill and did some looping, then we all crashed.

More to come ...

Love Ocean Lakes! We usually stay there 2-3 times per year.

Just got back last weekend from a week at the fort. Posted my TR in the other board before I discovered my new home. Is it okay if I post it here too?