lightbikes

On August 16, 2016 at 2:21 PM, Travisma said:

We used to enjoy fishing down near the dam when we used the cabins, and since real camping again, we would try for a canal side site in 1500.  This is really disappointing that they are doing this.

Does anyone know if they have run the fence along the back of 1500 loop yet?    

This makes me very sad.  The Main Street Electric Parade has long been our favourite parade.  And doubly sad because we can not get down again before October to see it.  

The end of an era.

3 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Disney always wins.

They released their 3rd quarter earnings report this week.  And they're still raking it in!

You can see the whole thing here: https://ditm-twdc-us.storage.googleapis.com/q3-fy16-earnings.pdf

We have all been hearing how attendance is down in the parks this year.

No worries, that decreased attendance has been offset by higher average ticket prices and lower costs from decreases in labor and "efficiency initiatives.":

Efficiency initiatives?

What's that?

Cutting park hours.

Less staffing.

Not paying for custodial castmembers to keep the parks clean.

Turning up the AC.

Selling space to 3rd party vendors.

$500 Star Wars room decorations.

Lots of empty buildings in the parks.

Ending parades and other entertainment and not replacing it.

You know, stuff like that.

It makes for a healthy bottom line.

And that's all that matters.

Get ready for more ticket increases and less stuff to do.

It's working for them so far.

TCD

When in doubt about anything you see happening around WDW refer to Rule No 1:

DISNEY ALWAYS WINS!!

5 hours ago, Helmsey......Todd said:

and snakes. can't forget about the snakes.

I hate snakes!

Well it made the news here:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/disney-alligator-boy-stone-wall-1.3710977

2 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

We have been there for several Halloween nights.  Every one has been insane.

But, I'd go again if the dates worked out- freeloaders and all.

Disney always wins.

TCD

Of course Disney ALWAYS wins - it doesn't matter what it is:

2 hours ago, Beckers said:

Willing to bet the fort will never do anything to weed out the outsiders because it would be too much effort and cost on their part. I'm assuming their response will nothing and then eventually cancelling it all when something happens.

And they win because of it's "too much effort" for them to care unless it costs them money.  

All I can offer is what we did the last time we spent Halloween at the Fort - which was a couple of years ago I have to admit -

 we turned off ALL our lights - pulled up the solar lights and made the site completely dark.  There were only a couple of kids in the loop so we had handed out goodies earlier in the day WITH THEIR PARENTS PRESENT and whom we had been interacting with for several days.  

Sounds mean I'm sure to some folks but........ we're also those people in the neighbourhood here at home who don't like people driving in from other places to canvas our houses.  I'm always watching to see that I KNOW the kids at my door.

Not an ideal nor elegant solution but there will always be people with a LOT OF "FRIGGIN' NERVE" 

On August 2, 2016 at 11:58 AM, keith_h said:

I think it would be fun to take a couple of different pairs of foot wear and change cadence just to mess with them.

Or us a cane and tap it randomly every couple of steps 

6 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Just when you think you've heard the biggest harebrained idea from Disney, another one comes along.

And this one's a doozy.

For a mere $500, they will drop off some cheap Star Wars gear at your resort room, and you can buy a ticket to go to DHS so your special snowflake can earn a plastic medal:

http://disneyworld.disneyfloralandgifts.com/product/star-wars-rebels-interactive-adventure.do

_______________________________________________________

  Star Wars Rebels Interactive Adventure 

 

Are your rebels longing to defeat the Empire? It’s time to embark on a rebel adventure!

Imagine your rebels walking up to the resort room door to discover an Imperial recruitment banner. The Empire was there! Once inside, they'll discover the Rebel Alliance has infiltrated the room, leaving gear and tech to help on a secret mission for the Rebellion. Through augmented reality on their smartphone, Ezra Bridger (from the hit TV series, Star Wars Rebels) guides them on an undercover mission. Slipping on the included Imperial Security Officer disguise, they’ll head to Star Tours®-The Adventures Continue attraction where hidden data they’re carrying will be transmitted in hyperspace. Once the mission's completed, they'll be directed to their resort room to unlock a mysterious box holding a rebel medal of honor, like the one in the film Star Wars: A New Hope.

BEFORE PURCHASE: For phone details, see this mission brief.
1. On iPhone® search the App Store® or on Android^TM smartphone search Google Play^TM
2. Search 'Star Wars Disney'
3. Select and install the Star Wars app
4. If the app installs, further instructions will be received with this adventure
  
Plan your theme park visit. Rebels will need to ride Star Tours®-The Adventures Continue attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. Theme park tickets and FastPass selections not included.   

 

 

 

 _________________________________________________

 

Be careful out there.

 

TCD

Someone needs to link this over to that other pages going - you know the one where if money was no object at all !!!!  *editing to add the Money to Burn one!!! - it's a prefect fit

Who has that kind of money to drop on something like this?

20 hours ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

I think you're perfectly normal. 

 

But then I once drove 40 hours round trip to spend 48 hours in FL - 24 of them in the Magic Kingdom. 

Wow 40 hours for only 48 - that's impressive !!

4 hours ago, Travisma said:

Isn't it ironic that as we age our needs become more childlike?

When you travel with kids, unless it's at night and they are sleeping, you are lucky to get 2 to maybe 3 hours driving before a potty break or an I'm bored tirade.

Same as you age, you need to take more frequent stops for bladder or circulatory issues.

The only time you get a break is middle age, until the grandkids come along and you start all over again.

That is completely the truth !!!

But my other confession is that fortunately for both of us we have very few health issues that impact us driving long distances.  

And we do make sure that we do walk around lots when we stop to eat and/or gas up - oh and I have to say the best thing about driving though the States is the excellent and frequent rest stops and clean bathrooms. 

Ok - I have to acknowledge we are completely nuts - we will get into the van and drive straight through from Winnipeg to WDW stopping only for food and gas - two drivers, preferably three when we can get one of the kid to come with us - just around 2100 miles.  But we each take turns going into the back and stretching out and sleeping etc.  

Occasionally we have split it into two days - stopping somewhere around St Louis if we have enough time before our reservation starts.  But usually we have reservations start on Sunday and sometimes we just don't get away before late Friday night.

Again I have to admit we're completely crazy! 

Soaring, Soaring, Soaring - and maybe the new Norway ride - if you're a Frozen fan.

9 hours ago, Helmsey......Todd said:

When renting the alligator feeders, do you have to sign any sort of waiver or do they just give you the paddles and a shove?

Sorry - spilling my tea I'm laughing so hard - why would they ask for a waiver for an alligator feeder - they let children drive the da## golf carts!!!

Love that expression - alligator feeder - brilliant!!!

11 hours ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

I'd still love to know what went kablooey that they needed to spend months retooling the whole show.

Me too - because I would be willing to bet that the "kablooey" was something that cost a mint!!! 

23 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

 

This spot ended up being good for that.  We have been closer for these special finales, and you can't see it all if you're too close.

So, we were successful in seeing two fireworks shows on the 4th of July.

And, since we were ahead of most of the crowd, we were able to zip right out of there and catch the first bus back to POFQ.

TCD

I'd call two fireworks on any night a major WIN!!!

3 hours ago, Travisma said:

Nice, but I still miss the days when you could go to the Settlement trading Post, order a couple of sandwiches freshly made from the deli along with giant pickles and decent salads, grab a $1.25 can of beer a couple of sodas, and go down to Clementine's Beach and enjoy a picnic lunch while the kids played on the beach and in the water.

Probably 1 drink at this new place costs more than our entire meals used to.

 

Yep!

4 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Man, I am helping to hijack this thread pretty good here.  You make good points.  Still, it bothers me that they're letting people transport stuff on the buses.  Stopping that practice would cut down on the freeloading pretty quickly.

Although, I've seen freeloaders unload pull to the side of the road and unload their supplies right at the bridge across from the 1500 loop bus stop, so they'd probably do that if they couldn't bring it on the bus.

Well, that is interesting.  The WaWa store attributes the name to a different tribe.  But, there's no denying that the WaWa town in Canada has a giant goose.

Very interesting.  Especially the part attributing the name to the Lenape Indians.  For two years, when I was 15 and 16, I spent my entire summers as a staff member of the Lenape Scout Reservation in Medford Lakes, NJ.  I learned a lot about the Lenape tribe, but not that they called geese WaWas.

 

TCD

It's ok TCD your Trip Reports are so good they can handle the occasional hijack!!!!

This one was great by the way.

20 hours ago, hunter99 said:

I see it happening. I do not see it happening until at least the Wilderness Lodge is complete. More than likely it wouldn't happen until after part of Caribbean Beach is converted to DVC. I know that is in the beginning phase. I think it is supposed to go full steam int eh fall or winter.

Whatever, Disney can keep DVC. We had it and just sold. Biggest waste of money I ever had. It does save you money on rooms but they keep bumping the costs of tickets and such up that I really just don't have the love of going that much anymore. 

I agree about the way the costs at WDW keep going up but for the last few years we've been taking our DVC points and trading them into RCI - spent a month in Hawaii last year visiting four islands;  did the airfare with Air Miles (don't know what the US equivalent is) and all our accommodation on DVC points.  All we had to spend was our food and the car rental.  Probably one of the least expensive trips we've ever had. 

I thought that WaWa started in Pennsylvania.  Then I read some of the comments on this thread, and I wasn't sure.

14 hours ago, lightbikes said:

Wawa is a town in northern Ontario and it's the Ojibway name for the Canada Goose.  

That sounded entirely credible to me.

Then I read the Wikipedia article linked below.

13 hours ago, bhall said:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wawa,_Pennsylvania

Well I guess I have to give it to Wikipedia - but I have to say the Town of Wawa goes back to the late 1800's - and if you go through there stop and see the goose - it's right on the TransCanada Highway - it's one of those roadside "must-sees".

http://www.thewawagoose.com

4 hours ago, GaDawgFan.....Kelly said:

You know where Wawa is from, right? 

Wawa is a town in northern Ontario and it's the Ojibway name for the Canada Goose.  

And still it goes on - this was just on the news here

http://globalnews.ca/news/2829025/disney-world-intern-rehired-after-posting-embarrassing-alligator-sign-to-twitter/?utm_source=Article&utm_medium=MostPopular&utm_campaign=2014

5 hours ago, Starbuc71 said:

The 2017 pricing for a campsite will be the deciding factor if sell the camper next year or boycott the fort. We are paying $138 a night for two nights of this 6 night stay . I refuse to pay over $140-$150 a night for a concrete pad.  I got to get my kids a job here

I just looked at the cost today for US Dollars - based on the current exchange rate the $120 per night will be $155.62 Canadian !!!!  Dear lord - for a tent site.  

Well we definitely won't be staying at Disney this year, if we even go down.  Seriously horrible.

3 hours ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

Hmm... anybody want to rent me an employment-age kid? 

ME TOO!!!! ME TOO!!!!!

3 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

That fence along the 300 loop canal is unbelievable.

What a waste of money!

I wish I owned the company that is selling Disney all those posts and rope.

If they're doing this, then they are going to have to put fences along every canal in the Fort.

Stupid.

TCD

Which will totally destroy the view out our windows when we camp in 1511 to watch the deer along the opposite bank!!!!!

2 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

I don't even want to think about how high they're going to jack up the campsite rates to pay for all of this!

TCD

Which likely means the Christmas price of a tent site will zoom past the $120 mark of this year to what - maybe $145 or higher?  

Sure does put our plans on the back burner  

2 hours ago, Starbuc71 said:

Saw this also tonight

i wonder if it's only a matter of time before every waterway, creek or drainage has some sort of fence around it.  If that's the case, the 1900 loop would look like a line for the jungle boat cruise..lol

Wow, that's a lot of water to fence in if they do every loop !

2 hours ago, Cortezcapt (Derek) said:

7880 Winter Garden Vineland Rd, Windermere, FL 34786 I use this Publix most of the time but I would definitely wait till after you unhook, their parking lot is not really friendly even for our F250 not towing anything.

I also use the Win Dixie 11957 S Apopka Vineland Rd, Orlando, FL 32836 their parking lot is more rv friendly but probably out of the way if your on your way in.

Both can be reached by back roads out of the Fort without having to get on world drive.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

We really like this Publix store - it has some of the best prices we've found around the area.  The veggie selection is well priced and  their meat selection is really very good.  Plus they have a pretty decent liquor store next door which is owned and operated by Publix so the prices are matched to everyone else around.

It was great fun - we were on the Magic - it was really neat at Castaway Cay because they had just installed the steel domes that were supposed to eventually become nurseries for fish and the start of "coral" reefs - we often wondered if those had worked out the way they intended?