mouseketab.....Carol

Jason, is that just an AP discount, or general?

8 hours ago, momof3kids-Yvonne said:

Way back even before even going to WWW2018, the WW began planning WWW2019. We are just that dedicated. Well, that and we wanted to get the trip booked before they started charging for the extra parking. Sometimes we have 3 or 4 extra cars that are driven down. So the planning began and we decided upon President's Weekend 2019.  At first, there was some discussion of Carol driving Kelly's camper. Myself riding with Carol to Kelly's to get the camper. Alas, my visions of a Thelma and Louise trip to the Fort was short lived when Kelly realized she would not be able to leave until Thursday evening.  We had a weekend picked and the planning and Count Down officially began. 

Unfortunately, two of our favorite Wild Womenz had to cancel. Mo and Nicole (aka Nuck and Futz) would not be able to join us. Nicole's husband had some medical issues come up. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. He seems to be on the road to a full recovery. 

This year we decided to rent a camper from Camper Rental of Deleon Springs. They are one of the places that will deliver the camper to your site. We highly recommend this service. I contacted Dawn and she was quick to answer my messages.  Camper rented and we planned how we would all be getting there. Frontier Airlines just recently started flying from HSV to MCO. As it so happened there was a Thursday evening flight. So, I booked that. Kelly flew in from Atlanta. Marty drove in from SC. Sarah flew in from NC. Jen drove in from AL. Gretchen lives practically at the Fort and had the shortest trip. Finally, Carol, the most amazing of all the Womenz began her journey from AL on Wednesday afternoon.  Her first stop was to Kelly's where she picked up the golf cart. 

She stopped for the evening somewhere in Georgia. She'll have to say where because I can't remember.  Then got back on the road Thursday morning and before long she arrived at our site.

The golf cart was unhooked and ready to go.

From my understanding, Kelly's Jason was most impressed with Carol's knowledge when it came to towing. 

Meanwhile, Marty had left early Thursday morning and before we knew it she had made it to Florida.

As I said I had booked a flight on Frontier. I had heard some scary things. But truth be told it was a good flight and I would book it again. Now, remember how I said Carol was the most amazing of all the womenz? Well, I only booked a one-way ticket. That's right folks I decided to move to WDW. All right not really. Carol graciously offered that I could ride back with her. We live in the same town. Not only that, but she also took my stuff down with her so I would not have to pay for luggage. She did the same for Kelly's. She picked her stuff up when she got the golf cart.

Before you knew Kelly was at the Atlanta Airport and waiting to board her flight. She wasn't the pilot so she enjoyed this while she waited.

I boarded my flight and awaited takeoff.

Soon after Kelly was on her flight. 

In the meantime, Marty arrived at the Fort. She and Carol found their way to the boat dock. If I remember correctly they headed over to MK and then over to TT. Carol was wanting to check on a non-expiring ticket that still had some days left. 

At

At some point they also ended up here.

Our flights arrived at MCO and we boarded the DME. It was late so obviously, there were probably going to be more stops than normal. We expected that. What we did not expect was the order of the stops. From the airport, the stops would be GF, WL, CR and finally FW. We decided the heck with that. Kelly used her handy dandy notebook, oops I mean Uber app and we got off the DME at GF and took an Uber to the Fort. Marty and Carol met us up front and took us back to the site.  Jen had some last minute distractions and decided it would be best to wait to leave Friday morning rather than drive late Thursday evening. Sarah would also be arriving on Friday morning. 

 

I ended up stopping in Adel, GA for the night. It was probably a bit too far. I didn't take into account not being familiar with towing something actually narrower than my truck. My back window was blocked by "stuff", and at night, I couldn't see the trailer in my mirrors, so I stopped a bit more than I normally would just to check on things, and took it a bit slower.

However, the extra tow time paid off as I got to Disney fairly early in the morning, was able to pick up stuff at Wal-Mart, and get all my errands done just before the camper arrived 🙂

As I was leaving Wal-Mart, Dawn called and said they were ready to place the camper on the site if I knew my site number. Well, I did not yet, so I called the number she gave me, and then found out we had site 1601, so I told Dawn, and between the time I left Wal-Mart and got to the Fort (about 20 minutes), they already had the camper set up!!

I then spent some time unloading the cart, and then ferrying some stuff from my truck to the camper. Went by the front desk and picked up some parking passes and Yvonne's ticket that she had sent to the Fort front desk, and just relaxed in the sunshine. Marty arrived a bit later. I helped her unload, then we went in search of dinner. 🙂

We stopped at the Geyser Grill over at WL. Fabulous dinner!!!

Then yes, we went over to MK Guest Relations. I had a ticket from 2006 that was my son's. I thought it was at least two days. I know tickets are non-transferrable, but, geez that was ancient history, I paid for it, and I wanted to use those days. After about an hour of poking around on the computer with the paperwork I had, the guy finally found the ticket and put it on my MagicBand. He said there was four days left. I was ecstatic!!! However, after checking MDE later, it was actually only one day. I'm not upset. I will use that someday, perhaps, if I'm there for work or something, and have just a day to visit.

Marty and I then went back to the camper to await the rest of the late flight arrivals. They all arrived, and the laughter began!!

Cool,

I'm wondering if as the construction ramps up, if folks will start cancelling due to the possible disruption, and more of this may show up

On 3/2/2019 at 4:07 PM, h2odivers...Ray said:

Agree X2. 

Our condo/timeshare is next door to these hotels at Wyndham bonnet creek. We been over there several times for drinks and dinner. Both are really nice hotels. Excellent bars, pools, golf course, and restaurants. And being closer to DHS and Epcot then several Disney hotels they have great views of their fireworks.  

We needed to go over there our trip in October because we needed something printed, signature witness, and notarized. They have a FedEx Kinkos onsite. Very nice place the little we saw.

What an awesome day!!!

On 3/4/2019 at 6:24 PM, Ivy said:

Can you still get a dole whip float at the MK? Are those available anywhere else?

 

The Poly has Dole Whip Floats at the new stand outside the back doors on the first floor. There is also a Spikey Pineapple Float at the Trader Sam's outdoor seating area 🙂

Hmmmmm, with it being on a Saturday, and since the Tokyo trip is now in September, we may make a quick run down for the weekend, but stay offsite and park ourselves at somebody's site on Saturday.

We actually stop in Valdosta on the way home too. Spend the last day in Disney till 7ish that night, then head North, get to Valdosta at 11ish. Have a good night sleep, then head on home. I find it much easier to leave a nondescript hotel off the interstate early in the morning than I do Disney.

Very nice update. I used to play SOTMK many years ago all the time. It was lots of fun, but it most definitely has waned quite a bit. Also, the fact that you have to play in between every day of picking up cards, makes it a bit of a downer.

18 hours ago, djsamuel said:

The trail between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness was closed today.  Here is the Wilderness Lodge end:

 

Hmmm, it still does say use Bus or Boat transportation to Fort Wilderness. I wonder how long before the "bus" transportation is blocked off for construction.

We most likely will NOT be there for 2020. We are going to Tokyo instead!!!!

We'll be there!! Already booked!!

We book in the region around Site 66, etc.

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232572

The lakesite sites are full hookup, the ones across the road are partial hookup (no sewer).

Yvonne gives great instructions for booking. You can book 6 months in advance of your arrival date and for up to two weeks. To really ensure you get the site you want, book as early as possible, then wait and cancel the early days for a $10 fee.

On 2/28/2019 at 8:59 AM, Travisma said:

It was a last minute thing.

I just got the day off approved for Monday...

A 30 second email to Jason at any time of day or night, even last minute, no phone call, done!!

The ONLY time in the last 5 years, even last minute I haven't used Jason was when I was playing with the website myself, found an AP discount and just booked it. I was afraid it would disappear between the time I found it online and the time he could pull it up.

It is not so much a policy, as it is an algorithm in their reservation software that limits weekend only stays when it gets a certain percentage full for the weekend.

They want to fill up the campground during the week.

If myself and/or Jason can get the first day correct, I usually don't even bother cancelling the remaining days until checkin (unless it's a huge amount of extra days, as all of those days will be charged to your card with online checkin).

You can drop extra days at checkin (or check out early), without penalty on a room only reservation.

Looks cool, but I don't like that I need to use my phone for the "story"

I would think in the range of 1505 - 1508 for 1500 Loop

Then in the range 1630 - 1635 for 1600 Loop

I just booked site 83 Friday - Sunday.

Can't wait to read more!!!

I've done the WalMart grocery pickup in the Disney area, but never the delivery.

The pickup is easy peasy, just check in with the app when I'm about 30 minutes out, they track you as you are driving in, then when you pull into the spot, they bring your stuff out.

I'll be there!

Sounds cool, but wasn't that what Wonders of Life used to be? A play pavilion about fitness?

Eh, without maintenance, the ground probably gets all torn up and will eventually become nothing but a mud pit, the fencing may need repair. I'm sure not "everyone" cleaned up after their pets, so need to really clean the area. And yes, they may be adding a theme.

Yes, as we were on a bus on that back road on Monday, and the driver said they are closing it down any day now,.

The Fort Wilderness Bus Stop at Disney Springs is ALLLLLLLLLLLL the way around the back. As Yvonne and I were limping towards the bus stops, I saw the Wilderness Lodge/Contemporary bus stop really close. We hopped on there, got off at Wilderness Lodge, and then hopped on the Fort bus. Really nice if you are along the "Yellow" line as you can stay on at Settlement.

It's also helpful if you started your day with your cart or bicycles parked at the Marina and did some park hopping or hopped to Disney Springs