Changes Coming to Camper Rentals at the Fort

[caveat lector 181]

SQUIRREL~~

You caught me trying to sneak that one in. BIg Gold Star for you. :)

[LONE-STAR 370]

Ditto.

 

most (and the worst) of the incidents I've seen have been people driving Disney rentals. 

 Same here

 

I've only camped at The Fort 3 times and from what I saw, the vast majority of the abusers to golf carts and the rules were people who rented them. I'm not saying its everyone who rents a cart, just that most of the rule breakers were rentals. Regulars like us who rent, or ones who own their own cart always abide by the written and unwritten rules when it comes to golf cart etiquette at The Fort, at least from what I've witnessed.

 

Problem is, people who don't have access to carts often will loose their minds on them. Kids and adults a like. How many times have you been to a golf course and have seen a group of grown men doing donuts or something stupid as they ride around the course? Or at other campgrounds? And with kids...well, they're going to be kids. I would hate to see The Fort turn away personally owned golf carts, because I would venture to say that the vast majority of us are responsible when it comes to operating it. But just like with anything else, a couple sour apples will ruin the whole bunch.

 

Just my $0.02

 

Cody

  I agree

I'm sure a lot of people have a story:

Guy in a truck complains he was cut off by a class A

Guy in a Prius claims he was cut off by a truck

Guy in a GC was cutoff by a Prius

Guy on a bike was cutoff by a GC

Guy walking was cutoff by a bike

Squirrel failed to get right if way from a guy walking

Rule enforcement and social civility is all that is needed.

That's true I can't tell you how many times I have had a bike just ride out in front of my cart or bikes just riding in the middle of the road not letting anyone pass. So maybe we should get rid of bikes at the fort. Then there was the time back in 05 I was riding my bike at the fort and a little boy ran in front of me so I had to put my bike in the ditch. So maybe people shouldn't be able to walk at the fort.

Or how about people just pay attention to what they are doing and what ever mode of transportation people choose to use do so responsibly. Be it walking, riding or driving.

[Beckers 1,136]

Or how about people just pay attention to what they are doing and what ever mode of transportation people choose to use do so responsibly. Be it walking, riding or driving.

Whoa, slow down. Are you talking about people taking personal responsibility?!? You are crazy!

Seriously, how stinking hard is it for people to get their heads out of their behinds and pay attention? And use some common sense and courtesy?

[fortpartyof4 108]

I'm sure a lot of people have a story:

Guy in a truck complains he was cut off by a class A

Guy in a Prius claims he was cut off by a truck

Guy in a GC was cutoff by a Prius

Guy on a bike was cutoff by a GC

Guy walking was cutoff by a bike

Squirrel failed to get right if way from a guy walking

Rule enforcement and social civility is all that is needed.

 

EXACTLY.  But social civility sadly appears to be something a lot of people have no idea about anymore, at the Fort or elsewhere.  

 

I refuse to be part of it, and will stick with the simple mantra "just be nice".  

 

Unless you mess with one of my kids.  Then all bets are off.

 

Whoa, slow down. Are you talking about people taking personal responsibility?!? You are crazy!

Seriously, how stinking hard is it for people to get their heads out of their behinds and pay attention? And use some common sense and courtesy?

 

Heads out of their butts and their phones……...

 

That is one of the things that worry me most when my boys take off on their bikes…..the distracted and/or drunk cart operators riding around!

[lightbikes 73]

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 USERS, it's just the morons who think because they've rented this thing, and they're on holidays, they can ignore all common sense.  

 

Our favourite spot is down at the back of the 1500 loop along the canal - it's peaceful and quiet but our last trip we watched three families on two sites, with three golf carts between them, chew the bejeebers out of the backs of the sites.  The area (between the 1500 and 1600 loops) is very sandy, the grass barely able to take hold and whenever it so much as sprinkles rains it turns into a mud hole.  But the children who ranged in age from 4 or 5 to maybe 11 or 12 were the ones driving the golf carts in circles, running up and down the slope, and doing figure eights and wheelies with their assorted siblings/friends all hanging off the backs and sides and running after them trying to hop on!   And where you might ask were the parents - sitting there talking and ignoring the action behind them.  Go figure!

 

Being the worry wart I am (hubby says more like a fuss f**t) by day 3 I had had enough and called the security to complain that there were very underage kids riding DISNEY CARTS!!!!  Yep, all three were Disney golf carts.  

 

Three things I learned out of this:

 

1.   Disney security came down and said kids weren't supposed to be riding the carts and went away.  Cart riding resumed when Disney security left.

2.   When families left Disney sent one of their engineer types and a crew down to "repair" the damage done.

3.   Disney will NOT simply seize a cart that is being inappropriately used and take it away for the idiots using it.

 

 

I do not know if there is any solution to this problems.  There are many people with really good solid reasons to use a golf cart at the Fort and who are responsible about that usage.    But there are other people who essentially shouldn't be allowed to use so much as electric roller skates!!!   I haven't a clue how to balance that issue as long as Disney can't sort their own act out and be consistent about ALWAYS applying the rules they make.

 

Ok - big breath now - thank you all for allowing me to rant. 

Feel free to ignore.  

I feel much better now.   :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[southernview -- Ray 25]

There really should be a separate sidewalk along side the path to the settlement area. That path is just wide enough for carts to pass.  Add people walking and bikes it's just an accident waiting to happen.

 

 What in the world was a cart doing on the sidewalk to the outpost.    Same thing the 12 year-olds were doing with 9-10 year-olds standing on the back of the cart while doing hot laps in the 1700 loop last weekend. 

 

 

Actually, I would have loved to ask him that question, but since he didn't stop, or slow down much, I didn't get the opportrunity.  At the rate of speed he was traveling when I first saw him, my only guess is that, since that sidewalk is so nice and curvy, he looked on it as being a road race course.  What makes it really bad in most of that area is the fact that the sidewalk is raised 3 or 4 inches above the ground level so you can't just run off of it with your bike, you have to stop and put it off or risk serious consequences.  Good thing I saw him at just barley enough distance to have time to do that.  I ride a three wheeler most of the time and they are not very good off-roaders.

 

As for common courtesy and civility, I have ran upon several GC operators that are very courteous and it should go without saying that the majority of them conduct their selves in a safe manner.  Again, at peak times there I think the sheer number of carts becomes a problem and I'm not sure what can be done about that.  Perhaps Disney is beginning to get dollar signs in their eyes and will end up with some rather restrictive rules that may enrich their coffers in the long run.   I really haven't noticed if the majority of the offenders are using Disney carts, but I'll pay attention to that on our next trip.

 

They may even come up with some rules that will penalize the people that try to obey the rules.  An Alabama State Park that we used to camp at a lot did just that to bicycles when, because some campers would not properly supervise their children and let them ride in the middle of the roads day and night, they came up with a rule that all bicycles had to be parked at sundown.  I'm talking about kids that were 3 to 4 years old riding bikes with training wheels after dark, no lights or supervision and finally the predictable happened when a truck hit one of them one night, something we had predicted for a long time.  So, don't take the kids off the road, don't make every bike have lights at night, just forbid any riding at night even by responsible adults.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

An Alabama State Park that we used to camp at a lot did just that to bicycles when, because some campers would not properly supervise their children and let them ride in the middle of the roads day and night, they came up with a rule that all bicycles had to be parked at sundown. 

 

At the campground in MA where my brother has a seasonal site, they made a rule that all golf carts and bikes have to be parked at sundown for this very reaso - no exceptions.  In their case someone actually got hurt.

 

Sadly it only takes on knucklehead to ruin it for everyone.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I'm sure a lot of people have a story:

Guy in a truck complains he was cut off by a class A

Guy in a Prius claims he was cut off by a truck

Guy in a GC was cutoff by a Prius

Guy on a bike was cutoff by a GC

Guy walking was cutoff by a bike

Squirrel failed to get right if way from a guy walking

Rule enforcement and social civility is all that is needed.

 

Great post.

 

But good luck trying to explain rules and civility to one of the Fort squirrels.  Those things are hopelessly insolent.

 

TCD

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

...good luck trying to explain rules and civility to one of the Fort squirrels.  Those things are hopelessly insolent.

 

And in cahoots with the otters.  How else do you explain them stealing half a bag of Doritos unless it was to go with the beer?

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Great post.

 

But good luck trying to explain rules and civility to one of the Fort squirrels.  Those things are hopelessly insolent.

 

TCD

 

And fat.  I mean, something that small can't eat an entire tray of Sam's biscuits and not get fat. 

[jlf 7]

No, the rules about underage drivers, pulling over to allow cars, trucks and busses to pass, the one way in the loops, no gators, mules and ATV's, no electric cars on the golf cart path to the marina, etc, etc , etc.

[jlf 7]

Sorry haven't been here for awhile. My new grandson has been very sick since birth. And of course a new puppy. But back to topic. I totally agree. Do you remember when NO Gasoline type engines were allowed? No scooters skates. There is nothing worse than sitting in your GC watching the water parade, and a noisy smelly overgrown machine pulls up and people that have been partying interrupt a nice quiet evening.