lightbikes

"And I know it's because of these memories that we cherish the good old days at the Fort and the parks. Newcomers expect to get fleeced and be treated like cattle, but we remember a calmer more affordable Disney experience. I don't expect management to take us back to the good old days, but it would be nice if they did start embracing Walts philosophy again." Yes !!! ˆWhat I miss is how pristine the parks used to be, and how everything used to work. You wouldn't see garbage blowing around the parks or find so many rides and attractions boarded up. There was once a time when Disney cared ver

Wine walk is really fun - they used to change the wines periodically but haven't done so in a few years. My own favourites are the Italian ones!! Not a fan of the Spatese from Germany I find it very sweet. (and I drink mine in the length of time it takes to stroll from one country to the other)

"But our problem is that we all have memories of a time when that was NOT Disney's chief focus. They used to be different. They were Walt, and Walt was part of them. The guest experience seemed to be the primary driver. The shift over the past decade or so away from that has been very painful for many of us to accept. I know I struggle with it to this day. But I don't think there's any going back. I really don't expect the change from Bobby to Staggs to alter that. They may shift some things around to accomodate Staggs' desires, but the bottom line will still be the bottom line. " Da

Yep - so it seems and they wonder why guests get frustrated? confused? angry?

Thank you for checking Grumpy and Grandma - we still feel like that loop/site "belongs" to us - crazy eh???

Mo - I do not understand the insurance issue either - it makes no sense. A weekend duty manager at the Fort informed me that the life guards certification depended on the pool and hot tub at Meadows being closed. That is a crock because back in the day when I was young I worked as a life guard and my certification depended on satisfying a gruelling exam - the pools I worked at were covered by the City's insurance - and as has been pointed out to me by another manager Disney is their own insurer. Grumpy and Grandma - According to said weekend duty manager, because there are never life

Carol - you are correct - "It actually USED to be that way. The Yellow used to become Purple, but did not run to the Wilderness Lodge. The Orange used to only run down the center of the campground, and DID become the Wilderness Lodge bus." which was what I was trying to point out to the CM at the front desk at the Fort - however it hasn't been that way in a very long time ( like 8 years I think? ??) And TCD - you are also correct, but the CM was not telling me to go to Wilderness Lodge pool/hot tub - he was telling me to use the Yellow/Purple combo to go to the Wilderness Pool by the cabin

So has any one been over to see the condition of the loop and the CS - last year it was a mess when they left. We were there.

Well we’re home – temperature outside right now is -19C or -2 F – yikes!!!! And people wonder why we like to go away in the winter!!! You’re right TCD and Grandma and Grumpy - I am referencing a specific incident – several actually. 1) We had friends come over from Tampa to spend one of our weekends park hopping with us. They booked into Coronado Springs. One night we wound up at Downtown Disney for dinner at Earls. When we left three of us decided to go back to Magic Kingdom and the others headed for their hotel. As we went out to the busses we all spotted a bus at the Coronad

I guess this isn't going to be a trip report. Sorry Ray, it’s less about going to the Parks and more about Disney in general – if it’s in the wrong place would the admins please move it? The comment that disturbs me the most is the one about not feeling safe. I've never experienced that at the Fort. Could you have felt differently if you'd been in another loop? Aka Gwen – I don’t know if another loop would be different. Certainly we are tucked back in here but when people come right under your awning past your window on their way to another site in another

Well the lights are off the bikes and it’s time to say goodbye from 1511! We’ve been here for our two months and are all packed up and ready to head for home first thing tomorrow morning. It’s time to answer the question we’ve been getting from everyone: Are we coming back next year? And the answer is not likely. It breaks our hearts to say it but I think our time of coming down to stay for months at a time has come to an end. Where to start? All the comments I will make have been made on this forum in many other places and by people more articulate than I am but for us they bear summar

I can help here - the AAA discount ended January 1st. We had it for our reservation in December but not after that. As of January no discounts for anything!

Congratulations on 25,000 posts!!! That's amazing

I echo the Spice Table at Morocco - we've eaten there several time and it has always be delicious and filling.

I guess this one was really popular - and you're certainly right about the prices - everything seems to have taken quite the jump this year!

Well I tried right up until yesterday to get into this - never could get a time - I think it must have filled up within minutes ! Oh well - maybe next year

I wonder if we should all bring inflatable grinches?? Maybe they'd get the message they're spoiling the things that make the Fort work!!!

I love your TRs - couldn't agree more about the people who have a major mess at their campsites - sadly there seems to be way more of them then there used to be and you're right Disney management is NOT prepared to deal with them. Unfortunately though it seems to be the way society is going now and I think it's a basic lack of respect that people have for anything or anyone else anymore. It makes me sad. You'll love Disneyland - initially it just seems so SMALL compared to WDW - everything just seems so close together - but it's great fun - best show there, at least I think, is the World

I like the Hat - sad to see it go. Since Disney seems to be getting so focused on Frozen perhaps they'll put in a castle - with a skating rink.

Wow what a trip report. Congratulations to your daughters.

I very much like TCD's idea of a fast pass for doing a survey. Last time we were down we probably did a dozen of the things. Especially at Epcot and DHS. Only did 1 at AK and none at MK.

Oh dear - I haven't been on here in awhile but have to chip in here and offer my personal rant! I couldn't agree more with this: "Heads out of their butts and their phones……..." And the other comments about common courtesy and civility which I find seems to be completely missing from some people's psychological makeup. WE LOVE THE FORT - BUT -- whenever we are there the complete stupidity of some individuals is incredible. Like others here we have been forced off sidewalks, the road in the loop, even walking paths by twits on golf carts. And again - it IS NOT ALL THE GOLF CART US

Thank you for this - I'm going to check that out and see if we can get in.

Yep it's street legal, we were thinking about using it to go for groceries etc rather than having to disconnect our "house" every time we want to go shopping (and yes we're in a van) I didn't know that the roads around WDW were public - I somehow thought that DVC Way etc were owned and operated by Disney. Thanks

Thanks Lou - we've always tried to be respectful of the other traffic since we know many people don't like bikes and pull off the roads onto the shoulder or the first side road we come to when the busses come along or when there's a spurt of traffic - and we try and stick to side roads with little traffic on them or go at off hours. Having said that we're thinking about getting a motor bike anyways, so maybe we'll just switch to that sooner rather then later. Still have to figure out where to pack the helmets though - less space for lights and food !