Travisma 1,317 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Finally getting around to posting our report from last weekend. This was our 3rd trip in about 2 months after we started back doing real camping in a tent. For the last few years our visits have been in the cabins. We've also been Pricelining various hotels in the surrounding areas. Monday was a school holiday for our granddaughter, so we planned an extended weekend trip from 10/18 thru 10/21. A special thanks to Jason for getting us the dates and making this happen! It started out good Friday morning. We had great weather in Tampa, and I got the DW Durango packed in 40 minutes!. Did a few last minute errands and headed over to pick my granddaughter up from school. Off we go to the Fort. Wait, what's that funky sound coming from the front of the car. We drove about 15 minutes with a weird sound coming and going from the front end. Discussed what to do and turned tail and went back home. Got home and moved all the carefully stowed items into the back of my pickup. Not as neatly packed, and looking a little Beverly Hillbillyish but it was an acceptable alternative. Off again! Got to the Fort without loosing too much time and no items along I-4! Get to the check in and got our first bit of bad news. We had requested the 1500 loop, but instead got sent to Outer Mongolia in the 2000 loop. Oh well, at least we were at the Fort, but when we pulled into the loop, it seemed like about 1/2 the state of FL was staying there also. There were kids of all ages in, along, and around the road. Most deciding to give us the stink eye and not move out of the way. There were tents, there were pop ups. There were tents and pop ups. There were tents, tents and pop ups. There were tents, tents and tents. Yes sites had 3 abodes on them. Some even had a couple of screen rooms thrown in for good measure. So we get to our site after navigating thru the rampaging hordes of kids and adults that decided the road was the place to hang out. Not too shabby, near the comfort station, and there's a separate spot off to the side for the picnic table. We got the tarp and tent set up in record time. It helps that we have the Coleman Instant Tent. It might not set up in the advertised 2 minutes, but it only took about 5. At this time I discovered that I had forgotten two well packed extension cords in the Durango. Just meant we had to do some plugging and unplugging. Home Sweet Home for 3 nights! Here's our sites Anti Troll guardian! After we got set up and a quick meal we biked over to Wilderness Lodge and back. Didn't take any further pictures Friday night. When we got back it was party central in full swing. We went past one site that only had screen rooms set up on it. One room was the length of the concrete pad with numerous banquet tables under it. There must've been 100 bikes, scooters, skateboards and ripsticks all around that site and the surrounding ones. Someone must've been busy linking reservations and sites together, it seemed like everyone in that area knew each other. We watched a movie at our site, then turned in. The noise was pretty loud until about 10:30, but we were able to get some rest. My granddaughter passed out as soon as she hit the cot. More adventures to report later on! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Yeah!! Another Fort trip report!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
momof3kids-Yvonne 594 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I'm in!Thanks for taking the time to post a report. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveInTN 3,247 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 What is it with that loop and big groups? And why when booking a big group to the loop does Disney put anyone else in there? Do they not know it makes the unrelated campers miserable? Looking forward to hearing more! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I'm in. Great start! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Katman1356...Jason 1,140 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Count me in too. Glad I could help you get a site. Sorry the 1500 didn't happen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alexwyattmommy 181 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Poor Dave, you really think Disney thinks about anything other than how much money they can get? Well, except for the free loading pool jerks. They don't think about them. Did you ever find out what was making the noise on the Durango? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted October 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Poor Dave, you really think Disney thinks about anything other than how much money they can get? Well, except for the free loading pool jerks. They don't think about them. Did you ever find out what was making the noise on the Durango? It seemed like there might've been two large groups at the loop. One was in the twenty teens thru twenty twentys area. (Top of the Loop) The other was down in the twenty fourtyish/fiftyish area. Both were loud, obnoxous, and had unruly kids. Don't get me wrong, I raised 4 kids and now have 2 granddaughters, but these kids were just unbelievably rude, crude, and brats. The worse part is that their parents let them act like that in a public area. But that's for later in my report. :rofl3: No, haven't had time to look at it. It's now coming and going, mostly going. It might be a bearing, or it might be the transfer case shifting itself into 4WD. I'm sure whatever it is won't be an easy or inexpensive fix! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted October 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 What is it with that loop and big groups? And why when booking a big group to the loop does Disney put anyone else in there? Do they not know it makes the unrelated campers miserable? Looking forward to hearing more!Besides our loop being full (while talking to a Manager on Monday I was told the Fort was at 100% capacity) the group camping area looked like a refugee camp. I don't know it it was one large group or multiple groups, but I've never seen it looking like that. There were so many tents, you could barely walk or see grass! And since our site was facing them, we got noise from them while they were there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 You're off to a great start. Unfortunately, what you experienced on the 2000 loop is pretty much the norm on any weekend during the school year where any large school district in the vicinity has an extra day off. Did you ever go and check out the 1500 loop to see what was going on there? I'll bet another group had commandeered it. I hate to do it, but on holiday weekends, I cough up the extra bucks to stay on a preferred or premium site. The partial loops are way too crazy. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted October 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 You're off to a great start. Unfortunately, what you experienced on the 2000 loop is pretty much the norm on any weekend during the school year where any large school district in the vicinity has an extra day off. Did you ever go and check out the 1500 loop to see what was going on there? I'll bet another group had commandeered it. I hate to do it, but on holiday weekends, I cough up the extra bucks to stay on a preferred or premium site. The partial loops are way too crazy. TCDGood to know. We didn't get over to the 1500 until Monday, and that was from the canoe. At that time it seemed peaceful. The 2000 was still rocking when I pulled out at 10:30. Speaking of kids and school, doesn't anyone put their kids in school anymore? We got there Friday and the place was packed with kids. We had taken my granddaughter out at noon before she went to lunch, but then again she's done at 2:00 so she didn't really miss much after lunch time, and Monday was an off day for teacher planning. We were on the bus Sunday at AKL, and one woman was saying they had been there 8 days (3 school aged kids). Another was telling her kids they would go back to HS on Wednesday. Monday there were still tons of kids wandering around the Fort. Maybe everyone is now home schooled? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
momof3kids-Yvonne 594 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Fall breaks perhaps?I know the schools around here will get them back next year and many families take that time to go to Disney. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 The Fall break phenomenon is part of it for sure. It seems like a lot of school districts have fall breaks. But, there are also a lot of kids at WDW in January and February these days. It has gotten to be where there really are no slow times. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jengarynew adventures 0 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I'm in, though I wish I was there! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveInTN 3,247 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 It has gotten to be where there really are no slow times. Not true. I got a great rate and will be visiting the Fort the weekend of February 30-31. It's supposed to be very slow those 2 days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jjbescher 17 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Year Round Schools. We have kids that go to school for 9 weeks, then get 3 weeks off. There are 4 tracks. So there is always 1/4 of the school off. They do all get time around XMas off. I think they all get at least one week in July off. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted October 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Year Round Schools. We have kids that go to school for 9 weeks, then get 3 weeks off. There are 4 tracks. So there is always 1/4 of the school off. They do all get time around XMas off. I think they all get at least one week in July off.That's interesting and a good possibility. Man that must wreck havoc on working parents with more than 1 child and if they are on different tracks! Fall breaks perhaps?I know the schools around here will get them back next year and many families take that time to go to DisneyuDown here in our area there is no fall break until Thanksgiving, then they usually get off that entire week. They go back to school in August, so they get Labor Day and Veterans Day along with a couple of teacher work days. They also get off an hour early (grade school 1:15) every Monday for teacher planning time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MLM5.. aka Judy 97 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Fall breaks perhaps?I know the schools around here will get them back next year and many families take that time to go to Disney.WE DO??? when when when?? I NEED my fall trip to the fort.. really. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MLM5.. aka Judy 97 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I'm here I'm here! More pictures please :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
momof3kids-Yvonne 594 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 WE DO??? when when when?? I NEED my fall trip to the fort.. really.Madison County has it scheduled for October 6-10. I have not heard anything yet about Huntsville or Madison City, but with all the work the school systems did this year to coordinate the schedules I would not be surprised if they follow suit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted October 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 More report and pics coming soon. Forgot to upload some vital pictures that were part of the story! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fortpartyof4 108 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Sorry to hear you had some inconsiderate neighbors! We spent many nights on Spanish Moss Lane and remember those times fondly……but made a few trips to the CS to phone the front desk at 1 or 2 am to report the ongoing parties in that loop. Most of which were from sites that you are describing, with way more guests on them than are allowed and kids running all over. In our experience, many of those folks didn't speak English. Maybe they didn't understand the rules. Love your remark about being "hilbillyish"! Nothing wrong with that! As long as it's all contained and not flying out into the highway, you're good! Whatever works, right? If no one started humming the Sanford and Son theme song when you drove by, you were probably fine. Despite the vehicle issues and being surrounded by inconsiderate people, it sounds like you made the best of it. You're at the Fort! You can always find a silver lining there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fortpartyof4 108 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Oh - forgot to mention - Animal is one of my favorite muppets! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted October 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 Sorry to hear you had some inconsiderate neighbors! We spent many nights on Spanish Moss Lane and remember those times fondly……but made a few trips to the CS to phone the front desk at 1 or 2 am to report the ongoing parties in that loop. Most of which were from sites that you are describing, with way more guests on them than are allowed and kids running all over. In our experience, many of those folks didn't speak English. Maybe they didn't understand the rules. Love your remark about being "hilbillyish"! Nothing wrong with that! As long as it's all contained and not flying out into the highway, you're good! Whatever works, right? If no one started humming the Sanford and Son theme song when you drove by, you were probably fine. Despite the vehicle issues and being surrounded by inconsiderate people, it sounds like you made the best of it. You're at the Fort! You can always find a silver lining there.It was just a little stressful getting everything transferred over. I had the Durango packed to a T, then undoing everything and fitting it into the truck. What can go in the bed in case it rains, where to put the bikes, squish that down so the wind doesn't catch it. But it all worked out. Good thing we didn't have both granddaughters or we would've been SOL. Thanks for the encouraging words. And it definitely isn't the same fort from the 70's and 80's. Animal Rocks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Starbuc71 162 Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 Looking forward to this report. I couldn't do the 2000 loop. It would drive me crazy by the middle of day 1. I'm all for kids having fun but like you, it ticks me off when the parents don't care what their kids do. You know now, if your tenting it or have a pop up, do everything you can to get the 1500 loop Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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