Cortezcapt (Derek)

Was it a slow news day? I don't really get why this article was written, I guess just to quote numbers. Disney never denied there were Gators at the time or that they worked with people to trap them. 

The way article is written bothers me. For one it seems like it's trying to stir the pot. Then it keeps referring to "the park" and the accident last year so anyone who doesn't know any better could assume that those Gators were all pulled out of Seven Seas Lagoon and not the whole 27,000 + acres Disney owns. 

I guess growing up in Florida you just know they are there. That didn't stop us swimming in the rivers, lake Okeechobee, or any other body of water for that matter. Unless it's a pool (and sometimes in them as well) assume there are alligators in it if it's fresh water in Florida. My grandparents had a house on a lake in the middle of Florida, we swam from their dock, we also got gator permits every year to hunt them, the largest that was ever pulled out of the lake was 12'1" by my grandmother (she beat my grandfather's by the 1"). I do see how people who aren't familiar with Gators in Florida don't think about it the same way and sometimes think of Disney as being in a bubble of sorts where everything is perfect. 

What the numbers show me is that Disney is more than likely having the Gators actively hunted as opposed to just dealing with nuisance Gators. But the reality is it's a resort built in a swamp in FL, there will always be Gators. 

*I typed this on my phone, I don't know why my phone decided that Gators needs to be capitalized but I'm to lazy this morning to change them all. 

6 hours ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

The only hiccup with that booth is that they sometimes dedicate it to "Will Call" on party nights. 

 

Ah I did not know that. To be honest I always knew it was there but never have paid much attention to what it was, if it was open, or who was there. We were waiting in the main guest relations line and my friend said let's check there and see if the can help. So she wandered over then called me over. 

This year when we went and didn't have to we went to the little free standing building at the MK that is between the ferry dock and where the fort boats dock. I believe it's a guest relations or possibly a ticket booth but was no line compared to the long line at the main guest relations before entering the MK. 

WELCOME! 

No need to be sorry about not being campers, all are welcome here.  I don't know an exact count of how many people winter at the Fort I'm sure it changes every year, depending on the economy and Fort pricing. There are or were at least one who more or less lived at the Fort.  As far as CM go I know of several who have "lived" at there for different amounts of time include one of the Fiends, I'm not sure what if any discounts they got. I have a friend who lived there for a while when he first moved to Orlando and was working as a captain at WDW, but that was 6 or 7 years ago and he was only there about 6 months before he moved to another RV park to save some money.

We renewed ours online as well. I made a point of going to guest relations at the MK to activate it it and get cards in case we needed them for discounts or if we didn't have our magic bands. We had to do this the year before and both of us had to show our drivers licenses for our Florida resident discount even though I had renewed online. This year the CM said we didn't have to show IDs or pick up hard cards if we didn't want to.  I didn't try going into a park before going to guest relations but the way the CM made it sound I could have, and just continued to use my MB.  

Great report, looks like a fun day!

Ugh this just reenforces my dislike of flying. I know for a lot of people flying is the only option but I much prefer to drive or take alternate transportation. 

The last time I flew anywhere was between 2 islands in the Bahamas then back to Ft Lauderdale in 2010. That was an interesting trip. The flight from Great Harbour airport to Nassau had no security. Great harbour airport then was a lady standing under a palm guy with a radio, phone and metal detector wand, I watched her wand a group getting onto a plane to Miami so when our plane finally got there we waited for her to check our bags and wand us, she looked at us like we were stupid and asked what we were waiting for, so I told her and her response was "oh you're just going to Nassau I don't have to do any security checks, get on the plane already". Then in Nassau we got last minute tickets on a plane that was leaving so we were rushed through customs and security so fast we could have got whiplash. My bosses wife did get her bag randomly checked as we were boarding the plane. 

Had one similar to that it worked. It may be worth giving local bike shops a call and seeing what they have or recommend, May be able to find a used one in good condition. 

A dedicated AP security line would be nice. The AP holder line for scanning tickets has always moved quicker than the others even though it looks longer at times. Some x-ray machines would be nice and make bag check go faster for people without strollers. 

I'm in! 

Now that's just funny

I keep a updated laminated copy of our dogs rabies certificate in the truck and car. Other than a receipt from the vet that's all we get as proof of shots and only lists rabies. I have never actually been asked for it at any campground or hotel including POFQ after Irma. 

The 30 mins to get back to the resort is kinda pushing it. I can say they can be very persistent when it comes to calling about a possible problem. I think I've mentioned it on here before, one time we stayed at the Fort we got a call about our trailer making a funny noise. I think our neighbors called the front desk because they knew we had a dog and thought something was wrong with our AC, luckily it turned out to just be the bathroom fan had been left on and was making a horrible noise, not enough to be a bother to anyone but did sound like it could be the AC malfunctioning. We were waiting at the Poly for a lunch reservation at Kona when the front desk called so I decided to go back and check while everyone else stayed. The front desk called several times, sent a CM out to our site who also called several times to make sure I was on my way back. It was hot out so I was panicking trying to rush back by monorail then boat (didn't think to take a cab) then of course the golf cart was at the front of the Fort because we had been at Epcot by bus then went to lunch. Made it back and everything was fine, the CM that had been at the site came back by to check and see if I was there and if everything was ok, he was from maintenance I think. All in all I'm glad they did call and glad our neighbors thought to call.  To sum it up if your dogs in a room barking they may not hold you to the 30mins but I'm sure they'll be persistent in getting you back there.

I guess I just don't get what the big deal is. It's one value resort, one moderate and one deluxe resort and then the Fort. If someone doesn't want to stay at a resort where dogs could be seen or be in a room a dog may have been in pick one of the other resorts, simple as that. If someone already has a reservation at a resort that will now be taking pets simply call customer service explain nicely why you don't want to or can't stay in that resort and I'm sure they will do something to get you into another equal resort.

It's not like all of Disney is going to be overrun with dogs, it's 4 resorts one of which already allowed pets in half of it.

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Welcome! 

Decorate away, there used to be (maybe still is, we weren't there last year so don't know if they were or not) a big group that took up a whole loop of cabins around the first or second weekend in December and would go all out with decorations. They had a contest and a golf cart parade through the Fort. I know the cabins have power outlets on the front to charge golf carts I'm not sure if there are any others outside or not if you're bringing anything that needs power. 

Heck we even saw windows at Port Orleans French Quarter decorated for Halloween when we were there in September.

I would think they will have certain rooms, and most likely buildings/loops that will be pet friendly. I'm not really familiar with how they Yacht club is set up but it would be very easy at the Fort to have a specific loop for pets, and buildings for pets at Riverside and Art of Animation with dog walks or parks around those buildings. We all know how the pet loops worked out at the Fort but that's a little different. 

The one thing I don't like about the Fort Wilderness dog park is that it's just one big fenced in area. A lot of places around here including Lazydays has separate big dog and small dog parks. My dog mostly likes all dog but does not like when small unfamiliar dogs get up under her. We had an issue with that at the Fort one time this little dog kept running up under the bigger dogs and snipping at them. To be honest after that we quit going to the dog park there. It was also somewhat the fault of the other dogs owner as well who was sitting at the picnic table just chatting not paying a bit of attention to her dog. 

Ugh of course they come out the weekend I can't get up there. Maybe if they still have them next weekend.

Personally I like this, we have a well behaved dog, doesn't bark, doesn't go to the bathroom inside, chew or anything, just kind hangs out. She is used to going camping with us and gets very upset if I start to pack a bag and don't pack her things! There have been a lot of times we have wanted to go up for a night or two but haven't been able to get reservations at the Fort or haven't wanted to deal with pulling the trailer up for 1 or 2 nights, this will hopefully allow us to do that. 

When we stayed at POFQ after Irma there were a good amount of dogs there. Never heard any barking and everyone I saw picked up after their dogs. I did talk to one lady who said she had had her dog there but when some friends got their power back she had taken the dog to them because it didn't like being at the hotel. I hope people don't abuse this but I'm sure they will. 

I think I would have had to skip dinner. I wonder if they had the first Balloon Fiesta baby?

1 hour ago, keith_h said:

This thread was going along pretty well but seems to have gone down the drain.

On the contrary that seems to be the problem it didn't go down the drain. Well at least not properly to begin with.

2 hours ago, ependydad...Doug said:

 

Welp! Decision is made ... sewer bladder is full in the back of the truck!

How it came to be is an amazingly complex story that involves a pregnant woman and a planned home birth...

 

12 minutes ago, ependydad...Doug said:

 

So I’m so sad to say, emptying the bladder at the gas station turned into a literal crap-storm!

Might have had a spill... might have splashed my wife and I... might have covered my feet... might have them dropped my phone into standing crap water.

 

Curiosity is peaked, I so want to know the whole story but at the same time I really don't want to know the whole story! 

My 2 main fears with the TT are something happening to the tires and something happening to the sewer line while I'm dumping the black tank. 

I wonder if the package fee is something that is charged to everyone that gets a package all of the time or like other things you may or may not get charged. For example the pet fee sometimes it's there sometimes it's not.....

We used to go to baseball games from time to time at Tropicana field. Granted we always got them in what they call the party deck which did have seats or bleachers (we never sat usually stood around back behind the seating areas were they had high top counters/table like areas. I think the most we paid was in the 30-40 dollar range per person and that was when the Red Sox played, any other games were 15-20. That was a few years ago but to be honest I wouldn't pay more than that now, just not that big of a fan. One of these days I will pay what ever the going rate is to see the Red Soxs at Fenway. 

For the bargain basement price of 2915.00 for 2 people you can camp at Daytona Speedway for 11 days and for the Daytona 500. 320.00 for each additional person of 12 years old. (There are lower priced packages) This is actually something I'd like to do some day. 

I never really thought of the logistics of them getting and storing mail/packages for guest. I have had things shipped to the Fort before one was a cellphone when mine went goofy the day before we left and another was actually a toilet for the travel trailer (about 4 days into a 2 week stay it had issues that were covered under warranty). Both time were easy if I remember correctly a CM brought my phone to the site, I'm pretty sure I told them at check-in I was expecting a package. The toilet I did ask the Fort front desk if it was ok that it was shipped there and kept in contact with them about it's delivery date, went down and picked it up from the back door where they store packages and stuff. 

After we stayed at POFQ a few weeks ago I can understand the charge. There was a family of 7 in the lobby with all shapes and sizes of packages they were picking up as they checked in probably 3 packages each ranging from large envelopes to large boxes (about the size of a suitcase. The CM kept bring out packages then the family would look in them and say there should be more. It seemed to be a mess to me and really took 2 CM away from helping other people. I don't know for sure but the family seemed to be from out of the country and looked as though they shipped most of there clothing and toiletries and also maybe didn't exactly remember what they had sent. I was in the lobby for about 20 mins and the family had been there when I came in and I would say probably for awhile before that and we're still there when I left. 

So for those of us who may get a package on a rare occasion or a couple packages over a long stay the 5.00 fee sucks. But I totally understand why they charge it if that is a regular occurrence. 

1 hour ago, fladogfan aka Gretchen said:

We like Perkins not only for breakfast but lunch and dinner too.  Prices are reasonible and food is good.  Breakfast can be busy but usually dinner is walk in and sit down.

What I am unhappy about is they have taken the meat loaf and the pot roast off the menu.  That pot roast was so good.

Perkins near corner of 535 and I-4.

Bob Evans has a really good pot roast. Not to mention candied bacon.

4 hours ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

That looks delicious!  And we've had that cobb salad - it's great and HUGE.

It was delicious, just had the leftovers from the salad for lunch.