AuburnJen
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Posts posted by AuburnJen
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Is anyone opposed to Labor Day Weekend?
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I know that camping gatherings are on hold until all this junk is behind us, but I still wanted to thank each and every one of you for sticking around and keeping the "dream" alive of one day getting together again. On this day, 10 years ago, a couple of minutes after midnight, this forum began. (I then, 10 minutes later, was unceremoniously banned from Voldemort, lol)
We recently had our Wild Womenz Weekend 2021, with COVID restrictions of course, and it was one of the best evah! Some of our regulars couldn't make it at the last minute, but we knew they were there in spirit.
COVID has been especially hard on teachers and being one, I have never, ever, been so swamped in my life. We all know that life gets in the way for all of us and for anyone who is still really hurting from COVID, you are in my prayers.
As I enter the twilight years of my education career, I am stepping up our focus on social media for FortFiends and beyond. We will be moving forward with an Instagram and Ticktok page for FortFiends and this year renewing our trademark and applying for a logo mark (I think that is how you say it? TCD? help me out here) for Snarky, our mascot. You may see in the coming weeks a tiny change to the bottom of the website. Chris and I are merging the three businesses into one LLC. FortFiends will be a DBA of Snarky Enterprises, along with the other two companies. Nothing that you are used to will change, except names. This will make things much easier come each tax season. I will be updating the store to include our logo for the year and take out old and dated things and freshen up the look, with SuperGeek's help of course.
Chris and I appreciate each of you and treasure the people who help behind the scenes. They help in ways most of you will never know, but count on to keep things moving along. Over the years, we have had many ups and downs, but all in all, I would say that my most treasured friends are fiends. Fiends are the type of friends that just pick up where they left off, now matter how long of a time apart. I look forward so much to WWW each year that if I dare say I am too busy to go, Chris will physically push me out of the door. Even the girls know I am a squirrel and get distracted and call to make sure I am on the road. You just can't find people like that in the normal universe. They are friends you hold dear to your heart.
I challenge each of you, myself included, to make yourself get out of the house and go camping this year if you have been in hiatus. If you haven't, I challenge you to go more. I also challenge you to invite people to this forum to discuss and share the love of camping. We have regulars, yes. We always need more regulars! I plan on going camping more to just get out of the house. We keep going virtual school then in person, then virtual and so on. It is nice for a change and I know if I need it, so do you.
If and when the world gets back to some kind of normal, we will be planning a 10th anniversary grand gathering. I have no clue where or when because...COVID. I do however seem to think it needs to be somewhere a little more affordable than the current rates at Disney. Some of the WWW womenz have suggested a couple of new RV parks that will be opening soon around the area. I will be checking them out for upcoming events. I do know that WWW is expanding (hopefully) to a twice a year event. Honestly, that makes me giddy! Maybe the men can start to have a weekend without the women????
Please give a shout out to Monique, who is our trusted and love logo makers of all things Snarky, who designed our anniversary logo again. We could not survive without her.
Until we meet again in person
Jen (and Chris, aka SuperGeek)
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Someone needs to learn how to write a title to an article to a story. That story was all about California. Ugh
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We went over to look today, but they closed at 3pm, so we will have to go another day this weekend. We did see the older pony running around in the outside pen. The mom of the new pony was in her stall eating.
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I do hartily apologize for this being tardy. As you can see, because of COVID, the normal activities and such have changed, but many things are still available.
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Just now, keith_h said:
Yep per our DM's the 2nd set arrived without problem. Thanks.
I was kinda hoping the first set arrived because I filed that complaint. Ugh, oh well
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Gretchen,
We found the issue. It is all taken care of! 😀
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Roberta,
Sent you a pm
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On 6/29/2020 at 11:45 AM, keith_h said:
I still haven't received mine. The tracking status from my 06/14 says notice says it is still in pre-shipment status.
You are all.squared away yes?
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I have had a couple of them disappear from when I was putting them in a particular blue mailbox. I have also had one disappear off the back of my Jeep. However, I will certainly go and check right now and see what the issue is and resolve your problem this evening. I apologize in advance if I accidentally did something in error. I thought I had sent all that were paid.
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I was kinda hoping that after I responded that they would go back and remove them, but I can do that tonight after karate.
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I sent you an invoice to the email you requested. It shows as outstanding.
This is the email I sent it to through paypal. @comcast.net
ETA: I will send it to the email address you just provided.
ETAx2: Sent
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SuperGeek just brought this to my attention. Even though I am not a Florida fan, you have got to be kidding me here...
QuoteFlorida will discontinue the popular "Gator Bait" cheer at school-sanctioned sporting events, school president Kent Fuchs announced on Thursday. The song is commonly played at Gators sporting events as fans do the famous "Gator Chomp" gesture.
The move is part of a larger plan announced by Fuchs for the University of Florida to take steps toward positive change against racism.
"While I know of no evidence of racism associated with our "Gator Bait" cheer at UF sporting events, there is horrific historic racist imagery associated with the phrase," he wrote in a press release. "Accordingly University Athletics and the Gator Band will discontinue the use of the cheer."
The move is part of a concerted effort by Florida to address racism and inequality. Those steps include a three-part mission of education, research and engagement with the community; an effort to promote symbolism and behavior consistent with its values; and and increased focus on representation, inclusion, opportunity and accountability.
"We know that we cannot undo lifetimes of injustice and racism, but we believe we can make progress - in education, in advancing truth, reconciliation and justice, and in anti-racism, equality and working to eradicate inequities," Fuchs wrote.
Florida also intends to remove any monuments or names across campus that are related to the Confederacy or its leaders.
It's the latest in a series of changes in the college football world. Most notably, Texas players have urged its administration to discontinue the playing of the "Eyes of Texas" song at home football games. Virginia has altered its logo, and UNLV has removed the "Hey Reb!" statue from its campus.
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I have the luxury of having the local yogurt place carry Dole Whip, so I fill it up to at least 20oz and have one for dinner on the weekend, or more often if I can. However, you can get Dole Whip at these places until parks open.
https://insidethemagic.net/2020/06/dole-whip-disney-parks-closed-rwb1/
QuoteWith both U.S. Disney Parks still closed until mid-July (Walt Disney World Resort theme parks start reopening on July 11 and Disneyland Resort theme parks plan to open on July 17), you might be wondering where to get your favorite Disney snacks right now.
Summer is in full swing in Florida and if you’re anything like us, you’re craving a Dole Whip! Fortunately, even with Disney World’s four theme parks still closed, there are several WDW complex restaurants that are serving Dole Whips this month, before you can visit Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom.
We’ve rounded them up here so you can get your Dole Whip fix whenever you need it!
Disney Springs
Disney Springs began its phased reopening on May 20, with an ever-increasing number of shopping and dining establishments once again serving Disney World Resort Guests.
For Dole Whips, visit the Marketplace Snacks kiosk across from the Marketplace Co-Op store, near the popular Dockside Margaritas stand. This quick service establishment offers several Dole Whip desserts, including traditional soft serve and seasonal treats like Dole Whip Nachos!
Credit: Disney You can also order alcoholic Dole Whip drinks at Wine Bar George at Disney Springs.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Pineapple Lanai at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort will be reopening this month. They offer numerous Dole Whip options, including exclusive treats served in souvenir tiki sippers or bowls!
Credit: Disney Disney’s BoardWalk
BoardWalk Joe’s Marvelous Margaritas offers a pineapple Dole Whip smoothie available in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties.
BoardWalk Joe’s has not yet announced a reopening date, but other dining establishments on Disney’s BoardWalk, including the BoardWalk Bakery and Beaches and Cream Soda Shop (which serves pineapple ice cream!) are reopening before Disney World theme parks.
Credit: Disney Parks If you can’t make it to Walt Disney World Resort right now, don’t fret! You can easily make your own Dole Whip at home. From traditional Dole Whip soft serve to Dole Whip floats, it’s easy to enjoy this Disney Parks snack without leaving your kitchen.
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https://blogmickey.com/2020/06/disney-world-continues-annual-tradition-of-suing-over-property-taxes/
QuoteDisney World is, once again, suing Orange County over property appraisals that it claims are too high (via Orlando Sentinel).
The lawsuits have become an annual tradition for Disney, dating back to 2016.
In a court filings submitted this week, Disney is suing Orange County Property Appraiser Rick Singh to contest the ad valorem tax assessment for the 2019 tax year.
While Disney has already paid the taxes it is suing over, it claims that the property assessment is too high. Here’s a look at the theme park assessments made by Singh:
- Magic Kingdom – $504 million
- EPCOT – $539 million
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios – $394 million
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom – $435 million
Singh spokeswoman Beth Watson told the Orlando Sentinel that the Disney World property has been undervalued for decades by previous property appraisers.
Again this year, the Disney organization has chosen use the court system to dispute the value of its property in Orange County and thereby pay reduced property taxes that would benefit area infrastructure and public schools.
The Orange County Property Appraiser looks forward to defending these values in court on behalf of the citizens of Orange County, so that Disney’s responsibility to the community is upheld.Walt Disney World Resort is the largest, most visited theme park destination in the world.
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https://blogmickey.com/2020/06/new-magicband-orders-available-as-disney-world-prepares-to-reopen/
QuoteBack when the theme parks closed in mid-March, Disney decided to halt all MagicBand orders as they anticipated a prolonged closure period.
Now, it appears that the MagicBand ordering process has resumed as customizations are now available for Annual Passholders and guests with resort reservations. Guests looking to personalize a MagicBand before their vacation can do so in the My Disney Experience section of the Disney World website. Before we explain how to do so, it’s important to note that Disney has not updated the wording on their website to reflect the ability to order. As of publish time, the following wording still appears on the Disney World website:
While the Walt Disney World theme parks and Resort hotels are temporarily closed, we are not currently accepting new MagicBand orders linked to Walt Disney World Annual Passholders or Disney Resort hotel reservations.Here’s how to customize and order your MagicBand:
First, you visit the “My MagicBands and Cards” section of My Disney Experience. If you have a free MagicBand waiting to be selected, you’ll be prompted with a screen that allows you to select a MagicBand for you and everyone in your party.
A second pop-up will let you know that there are new upgrade options available.
The next screen allows you to pick either solid color MagicBands for free or an assortment of character MagicBands for an upgraded price. Note that the upgrade will be a discount compared to the prices you would find in the park.
If you hover over a MagicBand, you will be able to see the discounted price as well as the in-park pricing.
A final screen allows you to customize your selection before placing your order!
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Disney is testing new security measures at Disney Springs today. While photos and video are strictly prohibited, the brand in use is Evolv Technology.
Essentially, the technology allows for a completely contact-less bag check experience. When we visited earlier today, we didn’t have to put our bags through any x-ray machines and didn’t have to stop walking at all. The technology is very impressive from a guest experience standpoint, crating a frictionless entry experience. Again, photos and video were strictly prohibited and we abide by all rules at BlogMickey.com.
Here is a photo of the device in use from the Evolv Technology website and a video of what they offer.
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With construction resuming on some Walt Disney World projects, fans are once again looking at the future attractions and experiences promised by Disney before a global pandemic shut down the theme parks. While some project completion dates are right around the corner (like the Cinderella Castle repainting), some are still a year or more away.
Perhaps the most ambitious project announced by Disney was the EPCOT overhaul project. It wasn’t a single ride or attraction, but a brand new look and feel for the Future World section of the theme park.
When the parks shut down, the first half of EPCOT was a construction zone, requiring guests to navigate corridors of walls and rerouted pathways to get to World Showcase.
While it still appears that construction has not resumed at the park, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn recently took to Instagram to answer some fan questions. The director had a hand in designing Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT at Disney’s California Adventure, and is also consulting on EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Gunn was asked about what Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will look like at Disney World, and he couldn’t contain his excitement.
Utterly mind-blowing. I mean it. You guys are going to freak out. It’s incredibleSet to take guests back to the Big Bang via a backwards launch, the roller coaster has had quite a bit of secrecy around it in the form of a massive show building where all of the work is taking place inside.
Photo: @bioreconstruct We briefly got a glimpse of a steep inclined piece of track before the building was closed up and the rest is a mystery.
We were also able to find permits that suggest that the ride will have large projection domes either in the pre-show or in the actual ride itself.
Disney has said that the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction will open in time for Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary in 2021, but it’s unclear if that timeline will need to shift due to the halt in construction since mid-March.
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https://blogmickey.com/2020/06/disney-will-discontinue-airline-travel-packages-in-2021/
QuoteDisney has just announced that they will discontinue offering packages that include airline travel in 2021. Here’s the official announcement:
For arrivals beginning in 2021, Walt Disney Travel Company will no longer offer air transportation as part of its packages for Guests traveling to Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa.
This includes both consumer-direct and third-party bookings.
We will continue to make new airline bookings for travel through the end of 2020, and our teams will continue to service existing airline bookings at this time. -
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A rumor has begun circulating recently that the proposed Disney Vacation Club property Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge has been cancelled.
At this point, Disney has not made an official statement as to the status of the project, but a reputable WDWMagic Forum user has noted that the project has either been postponed or cut completely.
BlogMickey.com has not been able to verify the claims, but it would align with a story that we wrote earlier this year that noted that projects around property were being defunded. It is very likely that the project will see a delay at the very least as Disney continues to monitor the timeshare market as the economy attempts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
As for actual evidence of the project’s cancellation, friend of the site @bioreconstruct recently flew over the construction site and photos show very little progress (if any) on the site in the months since construction came to a halt.
Perhaps the most interesting part of this photo is the greenish hue seen on half of the construction site. This is very likely seeding for new grass. If Disney were planning on ramping up construction soon, it would seem unlikely that they would be intent on replanting grass on an active construction site. Of course, this is all speculation and nothing official has been announced yet as to the status of the project. Any information here should be treated as a rumor and considered unofficial unless and until Disney announces it.
Then again, it’s possible that Disney may never acknowledge the canning of the project. We’re still waiting on official confirmation that the previously announced Main Street Theater isn’t happening.
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On 6/9/2020 at 9:48 AM, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:
Love Sticker Mule and when it comes to printing die cut, funky stuff, they've pretty much built their whole business around that.
A shame the local guy wasn't an option but yeah, if you're not going to be up front about the fact that you're not doing the job yourself... When it comes to anything I get printed, I want the person I'm buying for to be the one responsible for the quality. I've sat on enough press runs to know I don't want to have to go through a middle man if something goes wonky.
I guess the thing that got me aggravated more than anything is that he and the printer took a week to get me a quote. He then decided to share with me that his subcontractor was only doing this as a favor. So, I barked back at him...
Some favor dude, your price is double of my other quote and I get it in the same time frame.
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https://insidethemagic.net/2020/06/its-a-small-world-diy-flower-ky1/
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Credit: Disney Family
It’s always been a big debate on whether on not “it’s a small world” is a awesome attraction. There’s a lot of people who don’t like the attraction because of its repetitive song, but it’s undeniable that the decor is super cute. And the story behind “it’s a small world” and it’s truly an intriguing one. If you’re a lover of the ride like myself, you can take a virtual ride of the attraction when you aren’t at the parks!
“it’s a small world” DIY Flower Pot Stakes, courtesy of Disney Family
Recreating the iconic flower signs from the attraction can add an extra pop of color into your garden. These garden stakes a perfect part for your blooms, like hydrangeas or succulents this upcoming season. These work for a potted plant or really any outdoor space.
Supplies
- 4–5-inch wooden cutouts, in circles or hearts
- 12-inch wooden dowels, for the flower stems
- Basswood sheets, thin enough to be cut with scissors
- Acrylic paint, in solid or glitter colors
- Paintbrushes
- Scissors
- Hole punch
- Letter stickers or paint markers (optional)
- Hot glue
Instructions
Paint the wooden cutouts and wooden dowels with a base coat of acrylic paint in colors that match the flower or heart signs from “it’s a small world.” Allow to dry completely.
Credit: Disney Family For any shapes that are not found already pre-cut (like petals, leaves, or small dots), the desired shape can be drawn onto thin basswood sheets and cut out with scissors. Small dots can be punched out from the wood sheet using a hole punch.
Credit: Disney Family Paint any basswood cutouts with a base coat of the acrylic paint. Allow to dry completely. If more details are needed, use fine-tipped paintbrushes to add details atop the base coat of paint.
Credit: Disney Family If using, paint the letter stickers with acrylic paint in colors that match the signs from “it’s a small world.” Paint markers can also be used to write out any script.
Credit: Disney Family Add any final paint details with a fine-tipped paintbrush. Hot glue the finished wood pieces together to create mini versions of the iconic flower, heart, or leaf signs.
Credit: Disney Family -
https://insidethemagic.net/2020/06/artemis-fowl-reviews-tm1/
QuoteDisney’s latest live-action fantasy adventure Artemis Fowl will premiere on Disney+ tomorrow. But some of the reviews are starting to come in now, and they are not quite favorable.
Please note that these are the opinions of other reviews. I did not attend an advance screening of the film and will be watching it June 12 upon its general release on Disney+.
Credit: Disney Here are some examples of the reviewers’ sentiments:
Artemis Fowl is clearly for kids, but that’s not a good enough excuse. Kids deserve better than this mess, and so do the adults who have to suffer through it with them. Artemis may think himself a criminal mastermind, but the only crime in this film is the film itself. Moving it to Disney+ might be the smartest decision the Mouse has made all year. — Comicbook.com
Disney’s Artemis Fowl offers some visual eye candy when it comes to its thrilling action set-pieces and special effects, but struggles to develop its characters into memorable individuals. Sadly, the only character to leave a lasting impact is Josh Gad’s Mulch Diggums, who mostly serves as the film’s narrator. If Disney was hoping to turn Artemis Fowl into its next big franchise, this film is not a good example of things to come. —IGN.com
‘Artemis Fowl’ Is One Of The Worst YA Fantasy Movies Ever. Lacking in vivid characters, compelling stakes or memorable set pieces, Walt Disney’s Artemis Fowl brings to mind the very worst of the post-Harry Potter attempts at young adult fantasy franchises. — Forbes
Artemis Fowl was one of Disney’s most-anticipated non-Marvel films set to be released in 2020, riding the wave of the book series’ monumental success. But when the global pandemic forced movie theaters to close and all moviegoers to stay home, the decision was made to forgo the theatrical release and send Artemis Fowl straight to Disney+. While fans may appear disappointed, nobody has yet to deny Walt Disney Studios made the right decision sending Kenneth Branagh’s film straight to the streaming service.
Artemis Fowl will be released to Disney+ on June 12. At which point, fans will be able to form their own unique opinions on Disney’s latest work.
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https://insidethemagic.net/2020/06/disney-social-distance-transportation-ec1/
QuoteWe’ve all been there. Exhausted, albeit pixie-dust filled, after a magical and tiring day at Magic Kingdom. We just got done weeping, ahem, watching the Happily Ever After Fireworks, and now the inevitable mass exodus out of the park begins.
No matter how big of a Disney fan you are, no one enjoys this part of the day. It can take a solid hour to leave the park. Or more. The kids are asleep on you, or in their strollers, and you just want to get to your hotel room to crash ASAP. Now… throw in social distancing! Sounds fun, right?! Yikes.
Yes, we realize guest capacity at Disney Parks will be severely limited. But let us tell you, from a recent experience at Universal Orlando, even with limited guest capacity, everything involving lines of people moves slower and takes longer.
Disney has canceled the fireworks, possibly helping remove the mass exodus. But will people really not wait until park closing to leave? Considering the reduced hours at the parks? We think not.
So, how will Disney handle moving the smaller-ish masses of people trying to leave the theme parks, specifically the ordeal that is leaving Magic Kingdom, while also having to implement social distancing?
Transportation In and Out of Magic Kingdom
Credit: Disney Our guess is that each monorail cabin will only accommodate a group/party at a time. This means the monorail lines will be extremely long and slow-moving; regardless of lower crowd levels.
There is also the Ferryboat which can fit quite a few guests. But again, how will Disney social distance in the open spaces on the ferry? Tape on the ground? Guest control cast members? This seems like an almost impossible feat. We do have faith in you, Disney! But we’re super curious to see this play out.
There is always the bus option. Guests heading to Disney’s resort hotels will surely have to wait in long lines there. But social distancing doesn’t seem too difficult to enforce in this specific case. Floor markings for the lines and half-empty buses. Ok. That could work.
When Magic Kingdom has higher than normal crowds, they utilize bus transportation for guests wanting to get to the Transportation and Ticket Center (aka MK parking lot). This could be a feasible option to implement proper social distancing and mobilize guests more quickly.
So, it seems the best guess is more buses.
Credit: Disney Transportation to and from other theme parks
We already know Disney is temporarily suspending the Minnie Van service. This is Disney’s version of Lyft and Uber. But the rest of the options will still be operating. So, there is yet again the Bus option.
Now, what about the Skyliner? Disney’s Skyliner has been met with mixed reviews, especially after the accident that happened shortly after their first flight. However, they operated successfully after that unfortunate accident and they are, for the most part, a quick, easy, and constant moving mode of transport for select destinations throughout the Walt Disney World Resort.
Credit: Disney Disney has not yet confirmed if they will be flying once the theme parks reopen. But if they do, the questions of sanitation and social distancing remain for the gondolas. Although we feel this would be another successful route to mobilize guests safely and efficiently. One party per gondola. Hand sanitizer throughout. Social Distancing in the queue. Boom. Fly the gondolas, Disney! We think they will help!
Either way, I think it’s fair to say, load yourself with patience and be prepared to wait.
Related: Disney Shares What Guests Need to Know Before Visiting Disney Hotels
The New Disney Experience
Disney’s new experience will be a unique one, that is for sure! But we have tons of faith, trust, and pixie dust that somehow Disney will find a way to make this new normal magical.
Fort Wilderness August Recreation Calendar
in General Camping Discussion and Questions
Posted
I would like to thank Michael Kimble from the Facebook group "I Love Camping at Disney's Fort Wilderness" for the pictures. His information is most appreciated.