ftwildernessrick

Well, all I can say was that our Christmas/New Years trip was anything  but stellar.

Starting with they would not sell me my annual pass, since I had let it lapse. So I had to buy a multi day pass to get me through the 31st then a separate 2 day pass for January 1 & 2. They combined price for our group of 4 was only around $300 short of what an annual pass cost.

I had reservations for 30 nights from June 24 to July 24. I have called and written every person I could find, but to no avail, no new annual passes period, but they would sell me 3 10day passes $$$$$$$$. Are you kidding 🤬. I canceled our summer trip.

Some food places were ok, most were horrible. Crystal Palace had opened prior to our arrival and I was able to get ressies for it. I knew it was going to a plated meal. Most of us got the fried chicken, thinking it would be a safe choice - WRONG.  In a word, YUK. I would have literally been better off going and eating fried chicken at a gas station.

Most all the restaurants were not good and the online ordering was not good. For instance, they did not have an option for a burger without cheese. You selected the cheese burger, then cut the cheese, but it did not cut the price. Then you had to play 20 questions with a hostess to be able to go to the register and order a plain hamburger at the lower price.

For the first time since 1981, my wife and I have decided not to renew our annual passes later this year. We just came back from a shorter trip last Saturday (spring break) and the 195.75 nightly rate (with tax)  was crazy.

we are opting to return every other year.

The old Sleepy Hollow at the Fort

My brother just got back from the Fort and advised me that on 2 different mornings, once for Epcot and once for AK, the first bus did not get to the Outpost until about 15 minutes prior to park opening.

He (just like me) gets to the Outpost an hour before park opening (early or regular).

I did not know if this was just isolated incidents or has this been occurring regularly .

Thanks for the info. 

I been meaning to ask someone, and I probably already know the answer, has the Haunted Carriage rides and the Headless Horseman returned to the Fort?

After speaking with a few of the cast members at the stable back in the Spring, the were told there was a good possibility they would.

I looked into the DVC when it was first started at The Old Key West Resort. I had them figure up how many points it would take for the full size one bedroom condo for 2 weeks a year during prime times. It was $25,000, and Disney gave you 2 what would be called park hopper plus passes during your stays. It was a doable price except you had to pay a monthly $130.00 maintenance fee which was subject to go up. 

I thought at the time that I would be spending way more on fees than I could ever spend on a campsite. Little did I know that this day would come.  ?

They may have bumped prices again. Just made ressies today for beginning 12/21/2018 and I paid the one night deposit price for a preferred site of 187.91

I have seen people with rental rv's who were clueless. I could not imagine renting out mine to one of them and no telling what shape it would come back in.

Got me digging through my old photos and starting on my videos. These "cabins" were nothing like the current ones. The only rustic nature part of it was the exterior was a dark colored wood. They had 2 axles under them. They just stuck them on a regular campsite. They were not very big, maybe 12 feet wide and maybe 35 long. Some of the loops had 2 in each. I assume they removed the tires and blocked them up. I remember they were skirted with a very small deck with stairs. Only reason I knew they would move one in was because a friend of mine trailer caught fire 3 weeks prior to our trip, I think the summer of 1984. He called to see if he could rent one of the cabins, but none were available. But they put him in touch with whoever handled the cabins and they put one on his site. Same type, but had tires still on it and they brought a set of metal and wood stairs like you see on some mobile homes. 

I am sending him an email to see if he took photos of it.

I remember in the 80's the cabins were scattered throughout the loops. They were basically small mobile homes made by Fleetwood. Also, if there were none available, you could rent the campsite, and the local dealer who maintained the ones already there, would bring one to your site and hook it up. You just paid him for the trailer rental.

Are they talking about the haunted carriage rides?

Yes, it does have Yak and Yeti on the list

I don't know if there is already a discussion on the Landry's Select Club out there, but you may find this advantageous for some of you. This Club covers several better dining places around the US. When I joined this a few years back I think it was $20.00, which you get back as a credit on your first meal. 

By now you are wondering what this has to do with Disney, well here it is. Rain Forest and T Rex are part of this club and here is the best part, You Get Avaible First Seating. Yes, many times I have walked up to T Rex or Rainforest at Disney to the check in area and they are telling people the wait time is 1 to 2 hours. I get to check in, show them my card, and we are told step forward to the line where the are seating people. Talk about envious stares from people who have been waiting for who knows how long.

i think it is restricted to parties 6 or less, but I have done more. Also you can build up points for food and you get a credit towards a meal around your Birthday.

As stated, go inside to check in then check availability of a different campsite.

On my last trip, I made my reservations later than usual and could only get a full hookup instead of my usual preferred or premium. I kept calling even to daily 3 weeks before arrival and was told nothing was available. When I got to check in, I inquired and was told if I would want either they were available. Go figure.

Disney reservations are weird. Another for instance, are dining reservations. You can try to make advance dining reservations and nothing will be available, but sometimes you can walk up and get in. Another dining quirk is going up to see if anything is available and you are told they are completely booked. Don't give up, walk off a few feet and check with both your My Experience app and the DisneyWorld.com page and check availability and you may be surprised. But check both because one site may say no and the other shows available. 

On more than one occasion, after being told nothing was available, in a matter of about 2 minutes I returned with a reservation number which stunned the host.

The standard tables, no. Not sure about the newer ones that have seating on all sides.

Well, there goes another place I enjoyed. Ate there every morning we went to Studios

As far back to my first stay at the Fort in 1974, there has always been pets in the loops. The kennel at the Fort consisted mostly of stacks of pet crates, where they stayed until you came and walked them. The few pet runs were reserved for the larger breeds.

Next, There are pets and pet owners. I have no problem with anyone having a pet in any loop as long the pet is not a nuisance and the owner picks up after them.

i have had way more problems with unsupervised children going wild, committing acts of vandalism, playing chase with golf carts at night with no lights on, and so forth.

Numerous times someone, probably kids, would put paper towels in the sinks, turn the water on and flood the bathrooms, now we have motion sensor activated faucets. Or the laundry room used to be unlocked, but people would break into the the storage cabinets and throw the extra packages of laundry detergent stored in there all over the laundry room. Now it is locked.

Of course no snake would ever hide in, around, or under a bunch of large rocks. ?

I started going to Disney in 1972 and the Fort since 74, they are all "pet loops". If you ever went inside the old kennel at the Fort, your pet stayed in a pet crate and you were responsible for walking them. They had a couple of pet run options but they kept them for large dogs. So most everyone kept their pet hidden at their site (including me). For bathroom breaks I would put them in my car and drive out to the Outpost and walk them.

Stayed for over 3 months in 2012. You can stay at the Fort as long as you want, but reservations can only be made in 30 day increments. I was advised the 30 day max was because under Florida law, Disney would have to go through an civil eviction process if you were made to leave.

Suggestions: pick what campsite you want and they will try to accommodate you. I like the 100 loop, because we like to decorate for the holidays. Also it is a short walk to Trails End to make use of your refillable cup, if you have one. Also you will need to get a cable modem and be put on a list to get one. Sometimes you can pick up the wifi signal from Crocketts, but it is weak.

Ok, many changes over the years for sure: Some quite interesting. Some I miss, some I don't.

First, River Country. I always looked at River Country as the Fort's own private resort within a resort that you could walk to and we always kept an annual pass for it. Before they closed it there were rumors that it was going to part of the Fort's amenities. Did not happen of course and I understand. However the new waterparks are a lot better with many more rides and a lot more for everyone to do. You could imagine how crowded River Country got being the only water park.

The Train.  While unique it was a very slow mode of transportation considering how long it took to start and stop. You could actually walk faster around the Fort. It also was very noisy, especially if your site was near the tracks, especially near the stops. Almost impossible for children to take naps, When they did away with it, they used the older style parking lot trams. These were the ones that had a single back to back bench seat going lengthwise on the tram cars. Very little protection from the rain. Next they went to an older hand me down bus system, that the air conditioning rarely worked. The new buses are a vast improvement.

Swimming.  I do miss laying on the beach and getting in the lake, but before they closed the lake swimming, the grass/moss beds had almost taken over. The pool first lost the diving boards, then they raised the depth of the pool up to around 6 feet in the deep end, then the last rehab, the raised the depth to what it is now. The trade off is the new spa and the splash and play area for the kids along with the slide.

Boat transportation has changed little except for a few things. When it was just the Magic Kingdom, Contemporary, Poly, and the Fort (not including Disney Inn or Treehouse), there was a boat that you could take from the Fort to Poly. Also, on very crowded days, Disney used to have a large boat similar to the ones used from the TTC to Magic Kingdom, but a bit smaller. About an hour prior to park opening, it would dock at the end of the Fort's dock, sideways. It had a side entry door and they had a ramp they placed from it to the dock. It would pull out about 30 minutes until opening. After the other parks opened, it took the strain off MK and was no longer used. Even though the lines fro the boat seem long some times, they are nothing like I have seen them.

More to follow

Got to do the hotels during the holidays. Everyone knows about the gingerbread house at Grand Floridian, but all the hotels have unique decorations. Even the Swan and Dolfin. I can't remember which has what, but one has a huge tree with a large train that goes around it. The other one, the year we went, had a room where the had a life size Santa in a chair , by a fireplace with a tree that had presents and toys all made with over a thousand pounds of chocolate and other confections. Note, unless they have changed, don't drive to the Swan and Doffin because they charge to park. We just walked out the back of the world showcase and walked the loop of all the Epcot resorts.

Enjoyed the show, especially since it was different.

Is one of your trips going to be during December?