BradyBzLyn...Mo

This past weekend, we were at Magic Kingdom on Sunday.  It was more crowded than when my wife went a week earlier.  However, this was also the first weekend where both the cast member's pass as well as the associated spouse and guest passes were unblocked for the parks.  In addition, it was the last weekend before school started for most of the counties around Disney, and Orlando County started the previous Friday.  That added to the attndance.  With all of that said, attendance wasn't bad; empty in the morning and not bad in the afternoon.  We rode Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in the morning with about a 15 minute wait and again in the afternoon with a 25 minute wait (sign said 35 minutes).  Not bad at all.

It's a bummer but in the meantime we keep racking up our Chase rewards points.  By the time we finally go next we may have enough to pay for 2 annual passes! 

#silverlinings

I got this info from a music management guy that I met at the fort that happened to spend a month there a few years back.:
 
 

You can also go to Subsonicradio.com, set up an account and then go to "Make Requests".  Click on "Background" and then search for Fort Wilderness.  You can request the Music loop from the Settlement.  It runs a little over an hour.  

I just discovered this but maybe the rest of you already know about it. This guy took the loop music for fort wilderness and he added ambient sounds such as birds, the bus is going by, one of the bus loops announcements, the marina horns, a little bit of arcade and then the hay ride going by. It makes me so happy and it brings the fort right to me. I only wish it was longer. By the way this video is for the audio of it. It's not going to have a video of the fort but a stationary, simple photo as you listen to the music. https://youtu.be/HHIa2rPNUS8  

Well it's been a while and I am sure many of the people I knew on here are no longer around. It's been a few years since we have been able to hit the fort. For those that remember, we had to replace the roof on our TT last year delaying our Thanksgiving 2019 trip. We got the TT back from repairs after 8 months being in the shop due to a few companies fighting over who was paying for what on the repairs.
Well this past week we were supposed to run down to Elkmont on the Smokies and fate would have it that my slide out rubber roof was damaged from something so now I have to get it back into the shop to replace that. With that trip delayed, we decided to visit my aunt in Indiana for a few days since we had the time off already. You know it's family and safer than being out elsewhere. Well we were on our way home and my mom and I decided to cash in my Chase Disney Visa points and get a cabin for a few days.
We checked in Wednesday afternoon this past week and we will be leaving Monday morning. We were going to head home tomorrow but with Isaias on the way we decided it was safer to stay an extra night vs drive back to Ohio in the stormy mess.
Now for the past 2 years I have been holding on to our non activated annual passes. Our intention was to come down and check things out prior to bringing the wife and kids down at Thanksgiving this year, assuming we have the camper back from repairs by then. With that said, we decided to buy 2 day tickets and hold on to those APs as we didn't want to activate them if the place was a mess from either construction, Covid impacts, or both.
We spent our 2 days in Epcot and MK. While I was pleasantly surprised by how dead it was everywhere, I was equally surprised with how torn up the front of Epcot is. It's pretty disappointing considering it has been torn up for quiet some time. Since the kids were not with us and the park being dead, we were able to spend a decent amount of time meandering around the world showcase. With many of the shops closed and some of the restaurants shut down, I couldn't see bringing the kids in. They enjoy some of the unique things that pop up and many of those were not happening. Even a very lonely Alice was spotted waving at cast members where she was hidden. We were the only non cast members back there with her. Overall though it was a great escape from Ohio and the 4 months we have been stuck in the house homeschooling the kids while working full time from home. Our dinner at garden grill was good but the spinning restaurant made us slightly dizzy and we have no idea why considering you can't hardly tell it is moving.
Prior to heading into Epcot we had breakfast at Whispering Canyon. While the food was ok, our service was not great..most of that due to our waitress not really checking in on us. All of the other tables were being well tended to. It appeared our waitress was just slow and neglecting her tables.
Anyway, moving on to our day in the MK. We got up and had breakfast over at Chef Mickey's. Everything was great here. It took some getting used to the lack of a buffet and over 50% less tables. Disney did a great job with the reopening for breakfast and I suspect this will probably be the normal once everything starts to open back up. By normal I mean buffets turning into family style restaurants. We feel that it helps Disney regulate the amount of food that gets tossed when someone doesn't eat everything they pickup from the buffet. Cost savings for them while having a better way to track the quantity of food that's needed on hand. The nice thing is that they dropped the price of breakfast to $25 per adult.
After lunch we headed into MK. Just like Epcot the park was very empty. I was able to ride Space Mountain, Buzz, Big Thunder, and Buzz 2 more times in less than 2 hours. I noticed posted wait times are about 50% higher than the amount of time it takes to get in line to getting on the ride. So out 15 minute waits were realistically 7 minutes and our 10 minutes were about 6. I had a long wait time of 35 minutes for big thunder but was sitting on the train in 10 minutes. I think the line spacing is causing them issues with tracking wait times. Since they are not ha ding out the tracking cards to random people, it makes it even harder to track.
We had dinner at liberty tree and the food and service was fantastic. We always like liberty tree but it is a heavy meal to be walking around in the parks.
Today we spent all day going bankrupt at Disney Springs (gotta build those Chase Disney Visa points back up). We picked up things for the kids and some Legos for a guy I work with that is obsessed with them. I was also lucky enough to score some cool artwork at Art of Disney. Got a Beauty and the Beast ballroom scene signed by Paige O'Hara and Robby Benson (the voices of Belle and Beast).
For those who like to shop, we have noticed that not only was the selection for items down in the parks, it was also down at Disney Springs and the Fort. It almost felt like Disney was struggling to get some form of inventory and they just put things on shelves go fill them. As an example, we found Polynesian Christmas ornaments at Disney Springs and Flower and Garden Pandora charms in the MK.
Tonight I spent about 1.5 hours riding around the loops on my bike at the Fort. You heard it here first, I was the crazy bastard riding around with my bike lit up like a Christmas tree blaring the Electric Light Parade music. I even had a few sites in 200 that came out from their chairs by their campers just to hear the music. Many of them started singing it and dancing. Brought back some memories of when it was still in the MK. The next time I am down I will be enhancing the bike version of the Electric Light Parade. When my kids and wife are here we will all be sporting the lights along with my moms scooter so that it will look like a real parade while we are looping.
And speaking of music, if you have not been to the fort in a while like me, the old bluegrass music has changed. While the old is still played at the moment in the settlement, it has been changed in the outpost and the meadows trading post. I asked the guy in the outpost when it changed and he said he wasnt sure as he had tuned it out a while ago. I am guessing as part of the BS with Reflections that the Fort was going to see some theme modifications/updates. This was probably one of them.
As for the Tri Circle D ranch, they didn't do a bad job with the new barn. While it still has the rustic outside feel, it's not the same as the old barn. I was glad to see that the bike path is still there and I hope they don't change anything with it. You can't go past the end of the barn and head towards the lodge (felony signs posted) but it looks like it's been left in touched after the sign.
The mess on clementines beach is still there and all around the fort you can tell they have neglected things. As an example, the grass has not been mowed in a while and it's pretty obvious. Instead they were pressure washing the wooden fences which seemed odd considering that would take much more time than mowing.
Many of the loops are also closed (with signs posted stating their closed). From our exploring 700, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, and 1900 are closed. We didn't make it over to 2000 but I suspect it is opened. 800 and 900 had 2 or 3 campers in the loop total while 100, 200, 300, and 2100 is almost full. I figured they would have spread out the campers more with Covid going around but they seem to have packed them into those 4 loops.
Overall things have been about what we expected so not really upset. For just my mom and I being here it's been nice. Not sure if we will bring the kids down at Thanksgiving or Christmas yet. We have reservations for both but there is a lot shut down and I don't want them to be disapointed. Time will tell as we get closer. Really hoping that things turn around soon and it starts to get back to normal.

Silver linings... 

I was thinking the Great Escape!
 

They didn't notice it in the Shawshank Redemption....

I agree. Check out these shots of the beach taken from the boat dock:



Weeds and grass are already covering the sand. I can’t imagine that any manager will authorize spending money to restore and reopen the beach. Such a shame.
TCD

Well, this thread isn’t going to go in the direction that I thought it would.  As we now know, the Lakeside DVC construction has stopped. 
I took these photos on March 11, 2020 right before the shutdown. This work was going on in the area of the old River Country entrance:



If you take a good look at those photos,  you can see men working in the excavated areas. You can also see Discovery Island and the MK boat cruising by on Bay Lake. 
These next photos were taken last week, on July  18, 2020. These first two show the paved path between Crockett’s Tavern on the left and what we used to know as Clementine’s Beach on the right:


Unfortunately, it looks like that is how Disney intends to leave things for the immediate future.
These next photos show the same area depicted in the first three photos. Everything has been abandoned, and the grass and weeds are already taking over:


The March photos were taken right before the shutdown was announced. There were initially reports that the DVC construction was going on during the shutdown. I thought I’d have some cool before and after photos to share once they reopened. But, now I think all I will have is photos of the weeds growing.
TCD

I was able to visit the Fort yesterday and noticed that they posted this new sign by the marina:

 I was going to report that they are now calling this area Clementine’s beach. 
But then I noticed something else. 
They misspelled Clementine!
WTF?
TCD

Whelp, I FINALLY got to ride this attraction on Tuesday. I loved it. Seriously. I don’t even miss the Great Movie Ride anymore. This one is a lot more entertaining and fun. When and if the Ratatouille ride opens, guests will soon find out that Runaway Railway does a much better job with trackless vehicle technology.
TCD

I was at the Fort yesterday. 
The external buses are not on a schedule, and they were not posting estimated arrival times:

They removed all but one row of benches at the Outpost bus stop:

Bus capacity is very limited- a lot of seats are blocked off and there are opaque panels installed between the rows:

All of these means traveling by bus takes a lot longer. 
TCD

My DD and DW just shared this video with me and I laughed out loud. 
 
If you’ve seen Hamilton it will make you laugh even louder. 
 
 
https://m.facebook.com/watch/?v=631681587706503&_rdr

here’s something official from Disney:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passholder-program/specials/?int_cmp=AP_App_APMerchPush20200715&entryPoint=pushNotification
TCD

Crappy mileage from that brand. 

For some reason "paid line-jumping" made me think of someone tapping you on the shoulder and whispering "I'll give you a $20 if you let me get in front of you"

2020 tickets and reservations back on sale tomorrow. 

 
Direct from Walt Disney World. 2020 tickets and reservations back on sale. If you have something you are looking for for tickets or reservations at the select hotels that have reopened for 2020 dates let me know. I am happy to help!
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Magic is here! In just a few more days, we’ll begin welcoming the first guests back to the theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort, starting July 11 with Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and followed July 15 by EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We’re continuing to prepare for these openings in a measured and deliberate way, implementing health and safety measures with cast members and guests in mind.
As you may recall, earlier we had temporarily paused 2020 ticket sales and Disney Resort hotel bookings so we could focus on helping existing ticket holders and Annual Passholders plan their visits with the new Disney Park Pass theme park reservation system. We are glad to share that tomorrow, July 9, we are resuming Disney Resort hotel bookings, packages and ticket sales for 2020. In preparation, our booking systems will be unavailable overnight, beginning at approximately midnight Eastern this evening. When systems come back online in the morning, you’ll be able to purchase new tickets and plan future visits throughout this year with the Disney Park Pass system, which we are using to help manage attendance.
All guests with valid admission are required to make a reservation in advance for each park entry, so be sure to have your guests check the park reservation availability calendar before purchasing any new tickets. Guests should then go to www.StartYourDisneyExperience.com (www.CommencezVotreExperienceDisney.com in Quebec) after purchase to link their tickets and make park reservations. Reservations are limited and subject to availability.
When adding theme park tickets to a new 2020 package, your clients will now have the option of choosing tickets for 2 to 7 days in length. Certain ticket and package options, such as the Park Hopper option, Minnie Van Airport Service and Disney Dining Plan packages, are currently unavailable.
A new digital flyer and Facebook graphic will be available tomorrow in DisneyCopyright.com.
Please note that, during this phased reopening, some tickets, ticket options and Disney Resort hotels are unavailable, but there are still a variety of options to choose from.
Though the experience may be different than the last time your clients visited, there is so much to look forward to, with many favorite attractions and dozens of entertainment offerings available across all four theme parks, including special new character cavalcades and the Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.
When planning a visit for this year, we recommend checking out our “Know Before You Go” page on the Walt Disney World microsite, which features tips and information, including how to make park reservations after purchasing tickets.
We realize that everyone’s situation is unique, so if you have specific questions about upcoming plans, please call the Disney Reservation Center.
 
 


 

For some reason "paid line-jumping" made me think of someone tapping you on the shoulder and whispering "I'll give you a $20 if you let me get in front of you"

I totally/completely have no desire to return at this point. I do have a hotel reservation booked for Oct, but if our kids can't join us, (because they had not booked yet, and may not be able to book) AND they are in a state with a 2-week quarantine when entering FL. Also, we can't buy tickets at this time, so most likely will cancel. The no park hopping and reservation system really stinks. My plan was to go early in the morning and hit the attractions I wanted to see at rope drop (at Studios, AK, and MK), then late afternoon, troll food booths at Epcot. We are purely, hunt and peck type travelers, and casual do what we feel like type travelers, I did like FastPass + because I could book a couple things in the later afternoon and we would be guaranteed to ride a few things without long waits, but this book your park months in advance not knowing if we'll feel like actually going to that park that day, or if the weather cooperates just won't work for us anymore.
Also, I've finally convinced hubby to go cross-country with me in the T@B. I have three weeks planned next march for less than even a week at Disney.

Early reports right after re-opening said that the Fort was a ghost town.  Loops entirely empty or lightly booked.  Pools empty, same with the shops and restaurants.
But, reports from the weekend starting Friday the 3rd said that the pools and decks were so crowded that they reached the new capacity guidelines and were turning people away early in the day. 
If a storm comes thru, they have to stay closed until they clean all of the chairs/tables etc, because they didn't know what ones were in use before the storm hit. 
The new normal guidelines are you turn the backs down when leaving or lean the chairs into the tables so they know to clean those.
Stores and restaurants were packed and are on new early closing hours.  Also they were told they had to wear masks while looping in carts.
The people posting said that the only feature that has stayed pre-covid is the site rates.  Everything else has been cut back.

Currently they have only reopened booking up to a check out of Sept 27, 2021. No word on when the rest will be released. As of when things went down we could only get to Mid-November under the new rules that went into place last year. Instead of 499 days to when you check out, it is now 500 days to when you check in plus 30 additional days. I am closely watching for when things come back so I can get clients booked as soon as it opens. 

While I love the current Splash Mountain theming, I am ok with this change.  Most kids today have never seen or heard of Uncle Remus and the Brer Rabbit stories, and cannot connect.   Like Mr. Toad,  Uncle Remus' time has passed.  The Princess and the Frog also has great songs, and I'm hoping to be able hear 'Gonna to take you there" with Raymond.  I got so attached to that bug.  

Or you can order the Dole mix online for about $30 and have the perfect excuse to buy your own soft serve machine.