River Country

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

Us fiends need to buy a track of land somewhere and build it to be like the Fort of the 80's. We can have teepees, stump trash cans, muskets, peacocks, swamp trails, marshmallow marsh, etc

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

4 hours ago, YENSIDCAMPER said:

So the more I thought on this last night and reading the latest posts... I believe we will see only a small access road to the boat dock and we will not have access to the beach for watching the fireworks or water parade...  

Now my glass is half-empty... 

I think we're getting a new beach to the east of the marina. Real old timers will remember this was the swimming area back when guests swam in Bay Lake. 

I saw this big area encircled by a silt fence in that area when I was at the Fort last week:

This boat was parked next to the area:

The view from here isn't awful:

So, chop down some more cypress trees, pulverize them into mulch for more golf cart parking spaces and us filthy crybaby campers have our fireworks viewing. And we'll be out of sight and downwind from the rich folks. Which is how it must be. 

TCD

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

42 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

I think we're getting a new beach to the east of the marina. Real old timers will remember this was the swimming area back when guests swam in Bay Lake. 

I saw this big area encircled by a silt fence in that area when I was at the Fort last week:

This boat was parked next to the area:

The view from here isn't awful:

So, chop down some more cypress trees, pulverize them into mulch for more golf cart parking spaces and us filthy crybaby campers have our fireworks viewing. And we'll be out of sight and downwind from the rich folks. Which is how it must be. 

TCD

I swam many times down there at the beach. I would swim out to the ropes and back. Good times. 

[LONE-STAR 370]

14 minutes ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

I swam many times down there at the beach. I would swim out to the ropes and back. Good times. 

Same here. I have always preferred that side of the beach. The best place to view fireworks at the Fort is at the old cabin behind the 300 loop. So if they would just open that back up it would be nice.

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

1 hour ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

I think we're getting a new beach to the east of the marina. Real old timers will remember this was the swimming area back when guests swam in Bay Lake. 

I saw this big area encircled by a silt fence in that area when I was at the Fort last week:

This boat was parked next to the area:

The view from here isn't awful:

So, chop down some more cypress trees, pulverize them into mulch for more golf cart parking spaces and us filthy crybaby campers have our fireworks viewing. And we'll be out of sight and downwind from the rich folks. Which is how it must be. 

TCD

That would make sense.  It probably wouldn't be hard to turn into beach.  I have wondered how much land does Disney own around Bay Lake?  If you crossed the canal by the Bat House and went up the shore till you reached the place where the Ferry's Dock. How far from the shoreline back does Disney own?  Google Maps makes it look like Disney property all the way.  The satellite view really makes your idea look all the more likely.

20 minutes ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

I swam many times down there at the beach. I would swim out to the ropes and back. Good times. 

What ropes are you referring too?  I assume it was like most public lakes and had a defined boundary for swimming. My first Fort trip was in 2006 and swimming wasn't allowed.  I visited WDW in 1998 and River Country was open but I didn't visit.

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

19 minutes ago, YENSIDCAMPER said:

That would make sense.  It probably wouldn't be hard to turn into beach.  I have wondered how much land does Disney own around Bay Lake?  If you crossed the canal by the Bat House and went up the shore till you reached the place where the Ferry's Dock. How far from the shoreline back does Disney own?  Google Maps makes it look like Disney property all the way.  The satellite view really makes your idea look all the more likely.

What ropes are you referring too?  I assume it was like most public lakes and had a defined boundary for swimming. My first Fort trip was in 2006 and swimming wasn't allowed.  I visited WDW in 1998 and River Country was open but I didn't visit.

The swimming area was pretty small. There was a rectangular area that was roped off with ropes through floating bouy things. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

25 minutes ago, YENSIDCAMPER said:

That would make sense.  It probably wouldn't be hard to turn into beach.  I have wondered how much land does Disney own around Bay Lake?  If you crossed the canal by the Bat House and went up the shore till you reached the place where the Ferry's Dock. How far from the shoreline back does Disney own?  Google Maps makes it look like Disney property all the way.  The satellite view really makes your idea look all the more likely.

Here's a screen shot from the Orange County Property Appraiser's website- Disney owns everything shaded green- so all the way around Bay Lake:

TCD

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

Thanks TCD.  That is how it appears on Google maps.  Not sure if they would ever develop that shore line but there is a good deal of it.  The more I look at the maps the more I think you are correct about splitting the beach.  

Looking at the artist rendering other than the Settlement and Pioneer Hall what are those three other buildings?  The don't currently exist.  I guess one is the barn?

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

27 minutes ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

The swimming area was pretty small. There was a rectangular area that was roped off with ropes through floating bouy things. 

How long have you been visiting the Fort?  

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

2 minutes ago, YENSIDCAMPER said:

How long have you been visiting the Fort?  

I'm 43. I think my first trip was 1979. I do remember riding the train. 

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

I have a few years on you, but I only visited the MK once when I was kid in 1977.  I remember the park and seeing these great big topiary on the monorail ride over.  I have a memory of Goofy water skiing as well.  Unfortunately my parents weren't campers so I had no idea the Fort existed until my next trip in 1998.  As soon as my kids were old enough we have made the Fort a regular trip.

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

4 minutes ago, YENSIDCAMPER said:

I have a few years on you, but I only visited the MK once when I was kid in 1977.  I remember the park and seeing these great big topiary on the monorail ride over.  I have a memory of Goofy water skiing as well.  Unfortunately my parents weren't campers so I had no idea the Fort existed until my next trip in 1998.  As soon as my kids were old enough we have made the Fort a regular trip.

I remember the characters waterskiing too. We used to take the bike path past is what is now WL to look at the topiaries.  

We visited FW regularly until about 1987, then family troubles put an end to it. I went back in 1994 (wilderness lodge) and to FW in 1998 with my GF (now wife), and we been about every year since then. 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

19 hours ago, Beckers said:

I hate to say it but I wonder if this is the beginning of the end for the fort? They could make way more money with 6 rooms stacked on each other than 1 campsite 👎🏻

Sigh... I've made mention of this before and I think it's probably right. 

I'm not sure if they'll take out the Fort entirely, but new and "improved" loops have been mentioned; I wonder if they'll take the property closest to the water (so maybe half of the loops?) and develop that as a resort; then turn the rest of the Fort into ultra expensive sites ($200+ a night).  I don't know.  All we do know, is that the days of "our Fort" are over.  For our family, the memories have been built for (only) the past 7-8 years; for some Fiends, it's been 30-40 years.  So many memories.  Sad what's happening 

[Tony 27]

12 hours ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

I'm 43. I think my first trip was 1979. I do remember riding the train. 

Same.

[Travisma 1,317]

12 hours ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

I'm 43. I think my first trip was 1979. I do remember riding the train. 

Our first trip was fall of 77 to the MK and the Fort. We are turning 65 this year.

My wife and I drove from NY in a van we had turned into a camper.  Drove around the state and visited WDW (with it's admission ticket and A-E ticket books) for maybe 2 or 3 days.

We rode the Fort train, did the Marshmallow Marsh Canoe excursion, marveled at all the things that made the fort unique, loved the water pageant, and saw and heard the breakfast vittles truck visiting each loop.

There was no Meadow rec area or pool (you swam in the lake), no cabins, a lot less loops and no buses, you rode an open tram.

[Tony 27]

13 minutes ago, Travisma said:

Our first trip was fall of 77 to the MK and the Fort. We are turning 65 this year.

My wife and I drove from NY in a van we had turned into a camper.  Drove around the state and visited WDW (with it's admission ticket and A-E ticket books) for maybe 2 or 3 days.

We rode the Fort train, did the Marshmallow Marsh Canoe excursion, marveled at all the things that made the fort unique, loved the water pageant, and saw and heard the breakfast vittles truck visiting each loop.

There was no Meadow rec area or pool (you swam in the lake), no cabins, a lot less loops and no buses, you rode an open tram.

I remember the tram

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Until I see otherwise, I am giving Disney the benefit of the doubt with this resort.  Let's face it...the Fort of our youth has been gone for over a decade, if not two.  The peacocks, train, trams, River Country, etc are never coming back.  But what will exist once this construction is all over in a few years might not be terrible.  While it's becoming clear that the Settlement and Clementine Beach will be significantly altered, I have yet to walk around a single resort at WDW where I thought to myself "good Lord this is awful!".  I believe they will create a beautiful place.  Different, no doubt, but probably pretty darn nice.  I too grieve the loss of what was a peaceful Settlement, where I enjoyed sitting on the porch with a drink while the kids played.  But I have other peaceful places in my world.  And I'm hoping we will see a nice combined area with enhanced amenities for the benefit of both resorts.  This talk of "our beach will become their beach" rings hollow with me, because I don't see Disney running a fence through the Settlement with razor wire to keep us out.  I imagine additional areas to walk around, like at many of the other resorts.  Yes, there will be more people.  That's a given.  But hopefully it will be nice to visit additional shops, grab a beverage at new bars with outdoor dining areas, and still have our peaceful campsite to relax at (and possibly some additional amenities to come in the Meadows area).   

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

3 minutes ago, DaveInTN said:

Until I see otherwise, I am giving Disney the benefit of the doubt with this resort.  Let's face it...the Fort of our youth has been gone for over a decade, if not two.  The peacocks, train, trams, River Country, etc are never coming back.  But what will exist once this construction is all over in a few years might not be terrible.  While it's becoming clear that the Settlement and Clementine Beach will be significantly altered, I have yet to walk around a single resort at WDW where I thought to myself "good Lord this is awful!".  I believe they will create a beautiful place.  Different, no doubt, but probably pretty darn nice.  I too grieve the loss of what was a peaceful Settlement, where I enjoyed sitting on the porch with a drink while the kids played.  But I have other peaceful places in my world.  And I'm hoping we will see a nice combined area with enhanced amenities for the benefit of both resorts.  This talk of "our beach will become their beach" rings hollow with me, because I don't see Disney running a fence through the Settlement with razor wire to keep us out.  I imagine additional areas to walk around, like at many of the other resorts.  Yes, there will be more people.  That's a given.  But hopefully it will be nice to visit additional shops, grab a beverage at new bars with outdoor dining areas, and still have our peaceful campsite to relax at (and possibly some additional amenities to come in the Meadows area).   

Dave putting a silver lining on Disney and their thirst for more money...  the pigs must be flying 

Good attitude; I'll do my best to adopt it.  No promises, but I'll try 

[Travisma 1,317]

When we were at the Fort 2 weekends ago, the settlement was far from peaceful, and you could probably score a FP for FOP easier than trying to get a rocking chair.

Like everywhere else in WDW, there are more and more people, and the entire place is splitting at the seams.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

24 minutes ago, Travisma said:

When we were at the Fort 2 weekends ago, the settlement was far from peaceful, and you could probably score a FP for FOP easier than trying to get a rocking chair.

Like everywhere else in WDW, there are more and more people, and the entire place is splitting at the seams.

That's how we felt most days last year, while in the parks.  There were a few rope drops that were not bad... but you could almost stand there and watch the swarms of people come in.  Actually, we did Mickey's Christmas party in November and the crowds were so bad that I complained to Disney and got our money back.  It was ridiculous.   

For those of us who have been blessed with good memories, we are lucky.  I feel bad for those families who save and save, to make that once in a lifetime visit and leave feeling sad that most of their trip was nothing but crowds.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

1 hour ago, DaveInTN said:

Until I see otherwise, I am giving Disney the benefit of the doubt with this resort.  Let's face it...the Fort of our youth has been gone for over a decade, if not two.  The peacocks, train, trams, River Country, etc are never coming back.  But what will exist once this construction is all over in a few years might not be terrible.  While it's becoming clear that the Settlement and Clementine Beach will be significantly altered, I have yet to walk around a single resort at WDW where I thought to myself "good Lord this is awful!".  I believe they will create a beautiful place.  Different, no doubt, but probably pretty darn nice. 

Ditto.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

2 minutes ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

Ditto.

My sources tell me that the new Settlement area will include a permanent kiosk for Mo's Lobster Crack 'N Cheese.  

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

1 hour ago, DaveInTN said:

My sources tell me that the new Settlement area will include a permanent kiosk for Mo's Lobster Crack 'N Cheese.  

My sources say there will also be a beach side bar called Mo’s Flights of Passage, where you sample several types of craft beers while enjoying all the beachside ambience.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

11 minutes ago, AC in A2......Aaron said:

My sources say there will also be a beach side bar called Mo’s Flights of Passage, where you sample several types of craft beers while enjoying all the beachside ambience.

By "sources", do you mean the voices in your head?  

[momof3kids-Yvonne 595]

3 minutes ago, DaveInTN said:

By "sources", do you mean the voices in your head?  

You hear them too?