wendinator

Enjoy!  Thanks Loretta!
 

Here ya go folks!
 

Thanks to Loretta and her wonderful daughter for getting this for me!  ♥️

We arrived at the fort the Tuesday after Labor Day about 6:00. We were tired, hungry and excited. I had done online check in before we left and never received a text with site number.
 We find a green light that is open, and we are in. Site 1908 is home for the next 8 nights. We find the site and I'm not sure I like it. There is a bit of a drop off between the pad and the ground. It needs more fill. My husband just wants to get unloaded he says it's fine right next to comfort station. I go along with him but, still I don't like it. We set up and, head to Downtown Disney. It's been a while since we have been there, we plan on getting dinner and hitting World of Disney. We have nice quick dinner at Blaze and do a little shopping.
We leave and get a few things at Publix before going back. I hand my husband his magic band when we get back and have no problems getting in. Remember this for later. We get back and turn the light on it looks dim. Maybe bulb is going? I go to the Comfort station and take a shower my husband is tired and goes to bed as he did all the driving with little sleep. I get back dry my hair and think that the bathroom looks dim also. I'm also very tired and think maybe it's just me? I go to bed excited tomorrow we are going to the Studios. I bought the 4-park ticket deal, so no reservations needed. Last time it rained on us tomorrow calls for no rain. 
Next do the dim lights mean anything? Will we have a full night's sleep? Will we make it to the Studios? 
Stay tuned.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2023/07/disney-eats-first-look-at-trails-end-restaurant-and-crocketts-tavern-reopenings/

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2023/07/disney-eats-first-look-at-trails-end-restaurant-and-crocketts-tavern-reopenings/

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2023/07/disney-eats-first-look-at-trails-end-restaurant-and-crocketts-tavern-reopenings/

I really wish I was still at the Fort, as there were actually still sites available.  I absolutely hated to leave right before the festivities.
However, I want to thank Xander Gonzalez, who is currently at the Fort for the holiday, for the information.  Here is his post on Facebook on a different group showing below.
I just bought the tire cover with the 50th logo for my jeep and the next business day, they change it all up. Grr.

I got this right off the presses today!  Enjoy

I was waiting for the bus yesterday and saw this sign talking about the FWRR.  Since I am a HUGE fan of the railroad, I had to snap up a picture.  I didn't see it when I was at the Fort in February.  I thought it was super cool.
 
 

I have FINALLY found another source to get the rec calendars!  Hopefully this will be a source for quite some time.  
 

Hubby and I got a great rate on a Ft. Wilderness Cabin through the Disney+ September Discount.   We went from Sep 20 to Sep 23rd, exactly one week before Hurricane Ian.  We decided this short trip would be to honor Josh from EasyWDW with our Ten Dragon’s shirt at Nine Dragons, and to take his parents on an all expenses paid trip, because we knew we’d never get them to Disney any other way.  We really wanted some Disney memories with them.
Check in around 4pm on Sep. 20th.   We were in Cabin 2320, backing up to the canal, nice and quiet area.  I did the fax request for a 100 loop cabin, and I did early check in, but did not get a text before we arrived.  Stopping at the check in area, the CM did acknowledge and apologize for not getting us the 100 loop, but they put us exactly where I requested if 100 loop was not available, so we were really happy.   I picked up the golf cart, and we rolled to the cabin.

We gave the in laws the bedroom, and hubby and I took the sleeper sofa.  He and I are both fluffy people, and that sleeper sofa was a decent sleep.  It was very firm, not really much in the way of a mattress, but I did not wake up sore, with sleeping appendages or with anything poking into me, so I consider that thing one of the best sleeper sofa’s I have ever encountered.
First reservation that evening was Whispering Canyon Café.   The shenanigans are back!  The table next to us asked for ketchup, and we watched armful after armful of ketchup bottles going to that table.  The kids were loving it.  Hubby and I were gifted with a ½ gallon jar of sweet tea  after stating we were from the great state of Texas, with 2 GIANT straws.   The food was delicious, if too bountiful.  4 senior citizens just can’t do justice to ‘all you can eat’ family platters.   At least they let us take the leftovers back to the cabin.  We had snacks for the rest of the trip.   We walked around Wilderness Lodge after,  watching the geyser and checking out the cabins on the water.  Love that resort.
Back at the cabin, we rested a bit, then headed out to see fireworks and the Electrical Water Pageant.  No fireworks for us, we didn’t check the schedule and it was a MNSSHP night.   We had lounge chairs on Clementine beach, though, and a lot of folks to talk to.   It was a nice night, and the water pageant was a spectacle that the in laws had never heard of.   They enjoyed it, and the music. 
Our first full day at the parks was EPCOT, and we planned a full Rope Drop to Close day.  The in laws are 79 and 76, and in decent health, so we just planned a lot of sitting breaks in our day.   We drove to the park, and went straight to Soarin.  We were on the 2nd ride of the day, top row center.  A great first ride, the in laws were amazed and overjoyed with the trip.   Down and onto Living with the Land.   Mother in Law is a gardener, she was videoing the entire ride.  Hubby and I had 9:15 Cosmic Rewind ILL, with Virtal Queue later in the day for all 4 of us.   We bypassed Seas to get to Spaceship Earth before the ILL window.  About a 5 minute wait for SE.   We also had memory maker, so we stopped for photos twice before the ride.   Out of SE, we wandered to Club Cool.  Hubby could not wait to give Beverly to his folks.  It was hilarious as usual.   We enjoyed a taste of the better flavors too, then we parked the in laws outside in the breezeway while we took our Cosmic ride.

Also, sad to report that there is still no money budgeted for spellcheck or a new sign:

Woo hoo. Check the Port Canaveral web cams for the TCD gang sailing on the first DCL CM test cruise on June 24th!!
It’s still good to be TCD!
TCD

This sign was posted at the Meadow Campfire area when I visited the Fort last weekend:

 
Here we are with campsite prices at an all time high, and the campfire has been reduced to one hour. No sing-a-long, no chipmunks. They can’t even be bothered to set up a food service location to sell s’mores kits. The food truck is mainly parked at the settlement these days. 
I doubt the sing-a-long and chipmunks will ever be back.  No way is Disney going to allow “free” entertainment with characters anymore. 
Boo!
TCD

BREAKING NEWS: Disney has announced that Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party will be returning to the Magic Kingdom this fall! The dates are as follows:   August: 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30 September: 2, 5, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30 October: 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31   Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels can begin purchasing tickets as early as May 12. Ticket prices will range from $109 – $199.   https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2022/04/mickeys-not-so-scary-halloween-party-returns-to-walt-disney-world-resort-this-fall/?fbclid=IwAR2oM--4sKmQqcFrvsGc5cIoyYOqz_z3YeL2WXiB7mSX12mnKOKcDN4AUWA

We just got home from a few days at the Fort.  We were surprised to see the hula hoops back at Trail's End.  Maybe some form of normalcy is returning.
Bob

From DISNEY FOOD BLOG
 
BREAKING: Reopening Date Announced for Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue in Disney World!
By Kelly Oliveros Leave a Comment
Get ready for some food and fun folks! Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue is coming BACK
Over the past several months, we’ve seen a number of things return to Disney World, including some special shenanigans at Whispering Canyon Cafe, the antics at Beaches & Cream when it comes to the kitchen sink, and even a few buffets. But now another iconic Disney spot — Hoop-Dee-Doo — will be serving up entertainment and special dishes for fans to enjoy. Here’s what you need to know.
 
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue will be reopening at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground THIS SUMMER! Reservations will open up on Disney World’s website starting May 26th for showtimes starting June 23rd.

TCD
 

We stopped by the Indiana Jones stadium to pull the rope on the mine shaft / well / whatever that is. It was fun, and we startled a few passerby. I’m glad that little easter egg is still there. We got in line for our Mickey and Minnie Railway journey, and I was very happy to have purchased the ILL. The line was at 70 minutes. We only had to wait about 10 minutes overall. The ride was a fun little jaunt, but it is not going to become a favorite of ours. We don’t like the new animation of the Disney characters. Goofy is just too scruffy for our liking, we much prefer the older animation. Also, it just wasn’t as much fun as the old ‘Ride the Movies’ ride. Stepping out, I made a LL for Alien Swirling Saucers for about 20 minutes into the future, and we walked into Toy Story land to look around. Toy Story Mania had no available LL options, and we didn’t want to wait in the 50 minute line, so we just took pictures, and enjoyed some people watching. We bought some water to help stay hydrated, as the temperatures were heading into the upper 80’s. Toy Story land suffers from the same issue as the carnival area of Animal Kingdom. Too much heat reflecting asphalt and no shade.
 
 


We actually enjoyed the ride on ASS ( sorry, I just HAD to use that acronym once, lol), it was a cute little ride and I love the voices of the Toy Story green aliens. I also like being flung around in circles, so that helps. Afterward, we walked back into Galaxy’s edge and explored the area. We stopped for a photo pass opportunity, and then wandered over to the milk stand and got our blue milk and green milk to try. We opted not to get an alcoholic variety. Both of us prefer the blue milk, which surprised me. Considering what is in them, I thought I’d like green milk better, since I love all thing citrus. But the green milk just tasted too bitter. Maybe they put more grapefruit juice in it than the other flavors? Dunno, but blue milk was the winner, although neither was good enough for us to get a refill.
 


Then we went into the droid store, so we could considered our ‘extra’ options to purchase for our upcoming droid. That shop was very busy and very noisy, so hearing the sounds of the extra sound chips you can buy for your droid was pretty challenging. They have a BUNCH of extra’s for the droids, more so than for the lightsabers. We checked in for our droid build with the CM holding a clipboard, and waited outside in the shade for our turn.

The droid build was much more chaotic and ‘self serve’ than the lightsaber build. You get in line, pay for your droid and wait your turn. A droid wrangler will come to you with a basket, and guide you to the conveyer belt with all the droid parts. You are shown the instruction graphic so you know which parts to pick, and left on your own. After you choose your parts, you turn around and face away from the conveyer, and another droid shop employee will direct you to your build space. Each build space has a diagram on how to assemble the droid. They are very tight together with others, there is no space to video your builder actually assembling the droid. Also, it is really noisy in there, cannot stress that enough. Not sure if they could put in sound dampeners but wow, I was a little overwhelmed.
 
 


When you have your droid assembled, the engineer will come over and get the electronics working, and make sure your droid’s chip and wheel gears are all working. You get a little tutorial on how to run the droid and they pack it up in a nice cardboard case for you. Leave your droid on when you are done, because there are some cute effects to play with. We exited the building, and started walking back to First Order Cargo to ship our droid home. As you pass other droids in the outpost, they talk to each other. Your box may start shaking as your droid discusses whatever news droids find important, with the droids waiting outside their respective buildings. It’s adorable. They will also talk to other boxed up droids if you happen to pass close to someone else carrying their new droid.
 


Back at First Order Cargo, we were met by a much more stern First Order cadet, who agreed to ship our droid off planet, but first needed to inspect the droid for contraband. (Basically, opening the box to turn the droid off, lol... a fun way to do it). Outside of the shop, we were near the Tie Fighter stage area, and more Stormtroopers were out, being gruff and trying to maintain order. There were a lot of lightsabers out, as it was dusk and they glowed beautifully, making for great photo opportunities with the lighted ship and Stormtroopers in the background. We watched the people for a while.