djsamuel

News Article about Cancellation

We were there from August 28th to September 6th.  While some things have changed like you mentioned, the atmosphere was still there.  To be honest, while I missed Trails End I really enjoyed being able to sit inside with P&J's breakfast of sausage gravy and biscuits.  I also enjoyed the parks with no fast passes as well as not having to crowd into the stretchning room at the Haunted Mansion and fight the crowd. We found the cast members everywhere to be excellent.  While having lunch at the Rose and Crown we talked to two merchandise cast members who live here but one was from Scotland and the other London.  Then when checking in we spoke with the hostess who was from Bulgaria; who actually came to our table after someone else seated us to make sure we liked the table (it was excellent).  Our server was Asian and he was so good.  While things were missing, the changes also made it a very special trip.  While I want to see everything get back to normal, I am trying to enjoy some of the changes currently in place since they won't last forever.  We had a great trip.

Thanks for the updates! Almost sounds like "normal" has returned to the Fort - or at least more normal than it's been in a long time.

We just got back today from 9 days at the Fort.  The boats were running regularly to and from the Magic Kingdom, two boats.  At least while we were there, they were boarding well over 4 families and they were allowing people to sit outside in the front as well as the back.  They have a sign saying the bus to the Magic Kingdom leaves from the Settlement.  The bus to Wilderness Lodge also leaves from the Settlement now and runs the old route, using the road between Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge.
Until Friday, the campground was empty.  Starting Thursday night it started to fill up.  Today, all loops are open and full.  It was a madhouse Thursday night.  Golf carts driven by kids lucky they didn't kill anybody.  For Friday the Rangers were out all day directing traffic and enforcing the mask rules.  Much better.

And all loops are full.  The first week of our stay the campground was EMPTY.  Now it is PACKED.  

We just got back today from 9 days at the Fort.  The boats were running regularly to and from the Magic Kingdom, two boats.  At least while we were there, they were boarding well over 4 families and they were allowing people to sit outside in the front as well as the back.  They have a sign saying the bus to the Magic Kingdom leaves from the Settlement.  The bus to Wilderness Lodge also leaves from the Settlement now and runs the old route, using the road between Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge.
Until Friday, the campground was empty.  Starting Thursday night it started to fill up.  Today, all loops are open and full.  It was a madhouse Thursday night.  Golf carts driven by kids lucky they didn't kill anybody.  For Friday the Rangers were out all day directing traffic and enforcing the mask rules.  Much better.

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.

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.  

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.  

Still hoping it's all gone before our trip. I really love the bike ride to the lodge.

Thanks Dave. And everyone who wishes it every year in case I missed it. 
 

You know what they say.....

Oh yeah. Thats our go to campground 

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.

Yes.  The reasoning is that in restaurants diners have a drink at their table.  In the Orlando area at least, the bars became crowded with people standing and not wearing masks.  We need to rename this virus the bonehead virus because that is why it is spreading.  People refuse to act responsibly.  I feel bad for the bar owners who tried to do this the right way.

Establishments that derive over 50% of their income from drinks alone have to close.

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.  

So much this.  It's one thing to decide you're willing to risk your own health.  It's another thing entirely to knowingly put other people's health at risk, especially when they're trusting that the measures they've been told have been put in place are being enforced.
 
 
(sigh)

You nailed it.  Ultimately PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY has to kick in.  This person should have taken themselves out of service as soon as they started feeling ill.  In addition, all of those knuckleheads who crowded the beaches on Memorial Day, packed into bars and protested with thousands without wearing masks are now wondering what happened.  The spikes are matching the two week waiting period for all three events.

A neighbor of ours works there and she hasn't been working anywhere near her normal hours because business is so slow.  So while that employee may have been back on the books for two weeks, it is very possible they weren't there too many days (hopefully).  This is where the temperature checks fall short since only about 60% of those infected have a fever.

What’s this you speak of? Pretty sure it’s almost extinct.  

Now you see what happens when you do testing.

 

Oops, missed that..
And now that dining reservations are required to visit a resort you're not staying at, looks like both park and resort hopping are out of the question for the short term at least.
I get why, but it's a bummer. Those are 2 things we do really often.
 

Yes, I remember that.  Each day we didn't receive an email had us hoping they were holding off.  No big deal, it wasn't really saving us anything.  We'll just create our own meal plan.

I had posted they were all being cancelled. Originally the wording on the TA site said through Sept 26, 2021 but they have changed that now to read through at least the end of 2020.