BradyBzLyn...Mo

Gwen they didn't card him because of his age, they probably wanted to do a credit check so you could complete the mortgage papers on what that wine was gonna cost!

I wonder if more people are hanging out at the Fort vs the parks than usual and it's bogging down the WiFi?

Well he did a get a free vacation when he delivered it when we were in Branson, but I will take any time we can have with our boys.

Don't forget the limited edition (read "insanely overpriced") Expedition Everest branded Yeti coolers and mugs available for purchase in the gift shop.

I know this issue has been resolved, but for future reference if someone comes looking for mobile techs..
 
I've heard good things about him.
I've also used Pat Monahan (352-536-0385) in the past while staying down the road at Thousand Trails Orlando.

Jim Shutt is another option.  941-479-0742

I think he was really upset that Disney closed the Primeval-Whirl...

Your Friday morning stroll just got upgraded. The all-new walkway (and swing-arm bridge) connecting Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and the Magic Kingdom has officially opened to guests!
The walkway is fully set up with fences along the edges, and leads up to the new Magic Kingdom Resort Dock, where guests pass through security screening before entering the park.

Disney Parks Chief Shows First Looks Inside New Attractions
Disney Parks, Experience and Products Chairman Josh D'Amaro kicked off the IAAPA Expo Virtual Education Conference with a keynote address that was both optimistic and defiant, while also providing an update on new Disney attractions around the world.
D'Amaro spoke from the Disneyland Resort in his pre-recorded presentation, giving fans a look at the upcoming Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure, among other sites
 
 
You can see the recently installed Quinjet over D'Amaro's shoulder in the screen capture above. That was just one of several upcoming projects that D'Amaro previewed during his talk. He also provided fresh looks at the Worldwide Engineering Brigade headquarters that will be the home to the new interactive Spider-Man ride at DCA.
Yet D'Amaro's presentation included no visual or verbal references to the TRON coaster at the Magic Kingdom, which should fuel rumors that the project is being mothballed and will not open for the resort's 50th anniversary next October 1, as had been expected. The projects that D'Amaro confirmed as going forward in his presentation were the Avengers Campuses at Disney California Adventure and Walt Disney Studios Paris, the Cars Route 66 makeover of the Studio Tour at WDSP, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway and the Disneyland Hotel DVC tower at Disneyland, Zootopia at Shanghai Disneyland, Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea, The Art of Marvel Hotel at Disneyland Paris, Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, Harmonius, the Space 220 restaurant and the new entrance at Epcot, and the Star Wars hotel. And the "Princess and the Frog" makeover of Splash Mountain is still on, too.
D'Amaro only provided an opening date estimate for the Ratatouille attraction, which he said remained on schedule for a 2021 debut.
"Our properties have been likened into small cities," D'Amaro said, quoting California Governor Gavin Newsom's frequent explanation for why theme parks present a complex challenge for reopening during the pandemic.
"Walt Disney World property is nearly twice the size of Manhattan. We have a bus fleet the size of Atlanta. And if we counted all the boats at Walt Disney World, we'd have the seventh largest naval fleet in the world," D'Amaro said. "But unlike a real city, we can choreograph the procedures under which we actually operate. We can manage and control attendance, enforce protocols and adjust operations specifically to our business and our experience, and attractions can be modified to comply with safety recommendations."
D'Amaro again expressed the company's disappointment that it has not been able to reopen its California parks and that it has been forced to close its parks in France once again. But D'Amaro closed his presentation with a note of optimism and a challenge to the industry.
"When your foundation is rocked, but that foundation shows that it can withstand constant tremors, when your guests show their passion and yearning for your experiences, even when the gates are closed, when your cast members accomplish things in one week that would normally take a year, when you realize that the unthinkable or the impossible, or very much possible, then you have to ask yourself — what's next?," he said.
"Where can we go from here in the world that we find ourselves in today? Optimism, innovation, and courage — they will ultimately win the day. And at Disney, we aim high. At a recent town hall meeting, I had some Imagineers that I was speaking to, and I included my presentation with a simple call to action — I dare you. I dare you to dream bigger and differently. I dare you to say what you've always wanted to say. I dare you to throw out that dogma that has sometimes acting increments, rather than exponentially. I dare you to make yourself weak in the knees. I dare you to dare yourself.
"It's easy to get protective and defensive during a crisis. And while it's necessary to some extent. I believe that a crisis also creates opportunities for us to reinvent ourselves to think of our business and our industry in brand new ways. I dare us. I dare this industry — stand proudly on the foundation that we've built. Climb up on the shoulders of our legends. And then fly."
The IAAPA Virtual Education Conference this week replaces the annual IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando, which was canceled due to the ongoing pandemic.

“I’m confident that brighter days are ahead of us,” wrote Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro on Monday.
The Disney Parks Chairman gave a keynote speech during the IAAPA virtual expo this morning. Now, he’s taken to his personal social media to share his hopes for the future of The Walt Disney Company — and to challenge the theme park industry to dream big and move forward.
“This has been a year of unprecedented moments, disruptive forces, and new challenges,” D’Amaro wrote in a post published to his LinkedIn. “At the start of 2020, I could never have imagined something as devastating as COVID-19. I have never witnessed anything that has impacted our business, affected so many lives, and brought so many changes to our industry.”
The bright beginnings of 2020 were quickly overshadowed by the effects of COVID-19, the pandemic that spread throughout the globe and shuttered all six Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide. By mid-March of this year, Disneyland Resort in California, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disney Resort had closed their gates.
The Walt Disney Company also recently disclosed that it lost billions of dollars as a result of the pandemic. 
But companies like Disney persevered and moved forward, finding ways to make magic for Guests who were stuck at home and unable to visit the Happiest Place on Earth. D’Amaro reflected on this in his presentation today, and he shared more of his perspective in his LinkedIn post.
D’Amaro wrote, “This year, even as our gates were closed, we saw our guests demonstrate their passion and yearning for our experiences through social media. We watched as our teams accomplished things in a few weeks that might normally take a year. We took what we once thought was unthinkable or impossible…and made it possible.”
The Disney Parks Chairman even went into a bit more detail about how Disney Parks have adapted their practices to fit the health and safety protocol that needs to be in place amid this ongoing pandemic.
 
“From the adoption of new technology that allows guests to check in to their rooms, order food and enter a queue from their mobile phones … to the introduction of selfie spots and character cavalcades so our guests can interact with their favorite Disney friends, we’re finding new ways to deliver magical experiences as we reopen our parks in the age of social distancing,” D’Amaro shared. “The pandemic has changed us and forced us to focus on the most fundamental elements of who we are, what we do, and what we care about. It reminded us of what is most important – while compelling us to adjust and innovate.”
Above all, it seems as though the Disney executive is challenging not only the Disney Parks team and The Walt Disney Company at large, but also the theme park industry as a whole — and even the general public — to dream bigger. The effects of COVID-19 are long-term, and this pandemic is still raging on. But Josh D’Amaro is sending out a message of hope during these tumultuous times.
“I dare you to ask: if we can navigate the challenges of this crisis – perhaps a little battered, but never beaten – what else can we do? Can we take what makes us special, reinvent it, and make something entirely new?” he wrote. “Here at Disney, that’s our opportunity. We can bring our world-class service, our ability to kindle connection and childlike wonder, and our experience immersing guests in meaningful stories and powerful franchises…anywhere.”

Not sure how long this will stay up.. Not for the little ones.
WEAR A MASK parody to BE OUR GUEST
 

Spiffy! 
Although a bit funny that the Fort will have it before my town does. 

We’re staying here now and the Settlement playground area is now open. Sign says there is a limit of 10 people. There is also a mask sign as well. 

A while back I asked if anyone had an old Fort Wilderness pennant that they would want to part with. While I didn't have any luck here I was able to snag one after a very long and exhaustive search. Now one may ask why I wanted a pennant from the 70s but I had my reasons. I am doing a redesign of my den since I am pretty much working from home for the foreseeable future.
We built and moved into our new house in 2015. Since then the den has been the go to crap catcher room and it was a mess. After banishing the wife and kids from the tables we had setup for them to do their work, I redesigned my den. And redesign I did. While I am not ready to post pictures of the entire room, I am ready to share one of my most prized possessions.
After some crafting work with a shadowbox, here is my daily reminder of the Fort....

For those wondering, I was able to locate both the pennant and an unopened bolo tie of musket mickey that was used as part of the cast costumes around the Fort. While those displayed nicely the crown jewel is the red Fort Wilderness sign. I was lucky enough to find it in an online sale of items that were removed from service at Disney. This particular red sign was used on the bus directional billboard at Hollywood Studios right outside of the gate. I snagged it as soon as it hit the sale listing.
Needless to say I am very happy with the turnout. Now to find my railroad spike that I was gifted from TCD a few years back. It's in another part of my collection and I need to add to this display. At that point it will be complete.

We went to MK this past Saturday, and EPCOT on Sunday.
The parks definitely were not as crowded as a normal October date, especially EPCOT with Food and Wine going on.
We didn't really have any issued social distancing.  You just have to watch where you're walking and try to anticipate where there will be a clear spot to get past people.
MK we walked around Adventure Land and Frontier Land and caught the Country Bear Show.
Most of the ride times we pretty high on the MDE wait time.  Not sure if that was where all the people were.
It was hot and we didn't feel like waiting on rides so we left to go back and enjoy the condo we rented.  Daughters and granddaughters stayed
No issues with the monorails, one family per seat, and there was a heavy grey vinyl cover above the seat backs making each compartment separate.
It was a pretty warm walk to and from the parking lot.  We were in Scar.
EPCOT wasn't overly crowded.  We walked on to Nemo, maybe 5 minutes from the entrance to getting on the ride.
The LAND boat ride took a little over 5 minutes to get on and that was basically walking the entire time.
Soarin was a 35 minute wait, the MDE said 50 minutes.
We walked as far as England then left.  It was hot and we didn't plan on getting much food or drinks.  My daughters and granddaughter were doing the Ratatouille Scavenger Hunt so they stayed.
That big event hall between Canada and England was open and they had maybe 4 or 5 food vendors in there along with a merchandise stand.
They weren't giving out the little guide books that listed the food vendors.  You're supposed to scan a QR code and download one.
 
Overall we felt safe and will be going back to the parks when we are camping for Halloween
 
 
In an interview with CNBC this evening, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said that Disney has kept the capacity at their theme parks, specifically Walt Disney World, capped at 25% of total capacity. Chapek notes that the theme parks are operating on the premise of a 6′ physical distancing restriction, which amounts to a 25% capacity.
Of course, our experience on the ground has been that there are certainly more people in the Walt Disney World theme parks since they reopened in July, but that’s not necessarily the argument here. If capacity is 100,000 guests at Magic Kingdom, that means Chapek is saying that there are less than 25,000 guests in the theme park on any given day. This can be true.
In July, we may have seen less than 10,000 guests in Magic Kingdom on any given day, and while it would be fair to say that there were more than double the guests in the theme parks in October as there were in July, saying that the parks are not welcoming more than 25,000 guests can also be true.
Chapek says that capacity will not be increased until CDC guidelines allow. Disney is managing capacity via the Disney Park Pass reservation system.

I'd laugh at that but you're right!!!
January it is!  LOL

Starting to sound like it's going to be "refurbish all (or at least a bunch) of the things" time for a while.  Makes sense to do it while crowds are low and before the 50th next year.

All loops were open this past weekend.  Most were full
 

Um... I would happily pay $100 to camp on Discovery Island for a week.  Just sayin...

There is a lot of bitterness among the fired/laid off cast, i don't think a lot of them will even want to go back to WDW.
I don't know if it is alright to post this here so, if not, take it down.
Some of the let go cast have created a face book page to support each other and to hopefully sell some of their wares/services.
The name of the group is "ear for each other".  It is a public page but only the fired cast are allowed to sell on it. Anyone can buy from it.  We all can comment and buy.   I believe there are cast from both coasts involved.

It's not just Disney either. 
I know first hand how other companies are using the current situation as an excuse to thin their ranks/cut services, in particular when it comes to higher paid employees. I totally get that when your business takes a big financial hit you need to make changes and get leaner to survive, but what I'm seeing myself is going beyond that to the point that the work/sales have rebounded considerably in the past couple of months, yet no staffing back up is taking place.  Instead the employees that are left are being expected to pick up the slack - sometimes by holes left by 2-3 other people that are now gone.  And not surprisingly it's the more senior (read: higher paid) employees being cut, and in some cases replaced by new hires with little to no experience.  But so goes the way of the corporate world these days...
Sadly I agree this is very true.

I see what you did there.  😎
Glad it all worked out in the end. 

Starting to sound like it's going to be "refurbish all (or at least a bunch) of the things" time for a while.  Makes sense to do it while crowds are low and before the 50th next year.

Starting to sound like it's going to be "refurbish all (or at least a bunch) of the things" time for a while.  Makes sense to do it while crowds are low and before the 50th next year.

Our apple tree has been EXTREMELY prolific this summer. Enjoy our favorite Apple Crisp and Apple Butter recipes below. 
 
Apple Crisp:
(4 servings, can be doubled)
6 apples - peeled, cored and sliced*
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup quick oats
3/4 cup AP flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup cold butter
 
1. Preheat oven to 35 degrees.
2. Toss apples with sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon to coat; pour in to 9" square pan (if doubling recipe, use 9x13 pan).
3. Mix brown sugar, oats, flour, and remaining 1 tsp cinnamon in a separate bowl. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to mash butter into the oats mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Spread over the apples to the edges of the baking dish. Pat the topping gently until even coverage.
4. Bake in preheated oven until sides are bubbling, about 40 minutes.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. 
 
Instant Pot Apple Butter:
Yield: 3-4 pints
 
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider (NOT apple juice)
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 whole cinnamon sticks
5-6 lbs (or more) apples*
 
1. Add all ingredients to IP insert except apples and cinnamon sticks.
2. Core and slice unpeeled apples into 6-8 pieces and add to bowl. Add enough apples to fill IP insert to "MAX" line.
3. Pat down well. Stick cinnamon sticks down into apples.
4. Cover IP and turn vent to "Sealing". Set IP to "Manual" for 8 minutes at High. When cycle is complete, let pressure release naturally for 15-20 minutes and then manually release remaining pressure.
5. Take off lid and carefully remove cinnamon sticks from apples.
6. Use an immersion blender until mixture becomes smooth, You can also use a food processor or blender, in batches. Be sure not to fill blender more than half full. Add blended mixture back to IP.
7. Turn IP to sauté and push the 'adjust' button to LESS'. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened to desired consistency.
8. Turn off IP and let cool . Store in an airtight container and refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months. 
 
* Our apple tree is a Macoun, which is awesome for both of these recipes, but you can use whatever type you like.