anolefan's Back From Hiatus, Pre-Halloween Trip Report

[anolefan 8]

Man, these past few month's have been hectic for me and the family.

In June I took on a new role at work which has included working more evening shifts than in recent years. My oldest son has been in full swing (like every weekend, full swing) fall baseball mode since July. My middle son is playing coach pitch baseball, and my daughter has started taking dance classes. All this means little or no free time for me and as a result my computer time has been cut down to a minimum. I have lurked around, but have not been active for the past month and a half or so.

I can see I have much, much reading to do to get caught up on all the great reporting going on here, and figured I'd throw our last trip into the action.

This past weekend has been the only weekend off from baseball since the first week of August. We hadn't been to the Fort since the first week of July and were beginning to get the shakes. We planned to visit on the last weekend of my mom's visit to send her off on a high note, so we booked Friday 10/21 through Monday 10/24.

Since it had been a few month's since we visited the Fort, and the fact that my mom was with us, the plan was to just relax and enjoy 3 nights hanging out with no agenda.

I was to drive over with the boys, followed by my mom, and my wife and daughter would come over a little later after all was set up. We needed three cars since my wife would be leaving Sunday with DD and my mom would be leaving for Tennessee as well on Sunday.

Here is a shot of the kids ready to go:

And here is one with the kids, Molly and Nana:

Every time we get close to the exit the kids get fired up when they see the metal ears off the side of the road. I tried to get a shot of it, but it was very difficult to do while driving so it came out like this:

Not my best shot of the entrance, but you get the idea:

Those last two photos should give you an idea of how wonderful the weather was, it was gorgeously clear and perfect temperature during our visit.

There was a decent amount of campers waiting to be checked in, but I was in and out in about 10 minutes:

We requested the 800 loop and were assigned site 852. Not our favorite site, but would be great if you were traveling with someone in site 849, since it backed right up to our site at an angle.

After I got set up I took the kids to play some tennis (a new favorite thing as of this trip), and DW and DM went to the grocery store to stock up on food:

Once back at the site we all just relaxed, ate some burgers and enjoyed some early evening looping.

Day one is done and in the books.

[scooterminnie...paula 20]

Weather looks great. :popcorn:

[stefa70 205]

:jumpforjoy Tom!! So glad your back! (In my best Mom voice) You shouldn't make us worry about you. I understand that you've been busy, but at least pop in and say "Hi, I'm ok, just busy!"

Ok, enough of that. Great report so far. How great that Mom got to go with you guys. :heart:

I especially love the tennis shots! My DH and son did that a couple of years ago. Neither one plays tennis, and they weren't very good at it but they had fun. I was laying at the pool taking pictures of them (Thank God for zoom lens )

Looking forward to more, and glad all is well with you!

[LONE-STAR 370]

I was just thinking you hadn't been around.

[anolefan 8]

Weather looks great. :popcorn:

It was probably the best 3 days I can remember while visiting the Fort!

:jumpforjoy Tom!! So glad your back! (In my best Mom voice) You shouldn't make us worry about you. I understand that you've been busy, but at least pop in and say "Hi, I'm ok, just busy!"

Ok, enough of that. Great report so far. How great that Mom got to go with you guys. :heart:

I especially love the tennis shots! My DH and son did that a couple of years ago. Neither one plays tennis, and they weren't very good at it but they had fun. I was laying at the pool taking pictures of them (Thank God for zoom lens )

Looking forward to more, and glad all is well with you!

I was just thinking you hadn't been around.

Thanks! I appreciate the kind words and the concern. And this trip was really needed to get some relaxation without having to worry about going, going, going.

[anolefan 8]

I'm going to get this report going and get through it as quickly as possible since there are only Fort pictures. It should go quick.

Saturday I was up early and out on a cart ride. I usually have the same routine, I hit Settlement, then Meadows and after that just drive around the campground.

I have a ton of pictures of this, and never get tired of shooting it:

I love the view of the beach through the trees:

Here is a shot of the beach on the right side of the marina:

No trip is complete without a shot of Settlement Trading Post:

This sign has always confused me. Are there no bicycles past this point towards the Trading Post, or towards the Marina? Most other signs I have seen with this message have bike racks right by the sign?

Back at The Meadow area, I got some random shots around the Meadow Trading Post:

In my short 2 years visiting the Fort, I have never seen anyone using this:

Love this view!

It looks like someone scratched out the "not" and they tried to fix it. Unless this was done on purpose?

Back at the site, there were signs of life. It was just around 8am or so:

We ate breakfast, and while the family got ready I took a quick bike ride to get a shot from my very favorite spot to stand and take in the beauty of the Fort:

Someone in the 1400 loop took advantage of the open sky behind there site with this little set up:

I took the kids to play tennis again and DD wanted to be the "ball girl". She doesn't mess around and thought the best way to do this was to ride her bike and put the balls in her little seat on the back. I wish I had video of her, it was pretty funny:

After tennis, the boys and I rode our bikes to the Lodge and took the nature trail back. The amount of deer we saw on this trip was crazy. They were everywhere and at all times of the day.

I saw some stakes and lots of ribbons tied to the trees to the left of the pathway to the lodge, but only got one picture:

The rest of the day was spent enjoying the weather, cart riding and hanging out:

Sunday up next, more photos of the Fort and another incident around the 800 bus stop.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Tom-

It's great to see another trip report from you!

You are right about the weather last weekend- it was perfect!

As always, I love all of your early morning shots around the Settlement.

I don't understand why the water level is so low in the lake between the Bike Barn and the Meadow Trading Post.

I'm glad to see your DS in a Ray's hat. Did he lose his Ranger's hat?

I think those stakes and flags you saw along the trail to WL relate to a new retention pond that is going in there. I think this has something to do with the proposed development of the old River Country area.

I'm looking forward to the rest.

TCD

[H in SC 85]

Welcome back Tom. Glad ya'll had such perfect weather. From the looks of things severe fun was had by all.

Gotta love it. :)

[Starbuc71 162]

It's great to see my fellow New Port Richian back on the boards. I thought we lost ya. great report so far. The pic of your camper in front of your house is a great shot to show how actually big your pop-up is. You have the mac daddy of pop ups. Look forward to more

[LONE-STAR 370]

It's great to see my fellow New Port Richian back on the boards. I thought we lost ya. great report so far. The pic of your camper in front of your house is a great shot to show how actually big your pop-up is. You have the mac daddy of pop ups. Look forward to more

I thought the same thing that is one big pop up.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Great to see you back here and posting another trip report. Hope there aren't any ghosts in this one.

Looking forward to more!

[polkadotsuitcase 12]

Such a cute family! Love the ball girl -- so sweet, and she looks so proud. Looks like you had a fabulous trip. Glad you could get away with your busy schedule!

[anolefan 8]

Tom-

It's great to see another trip report from you!

You are right about the weather last weekend- it was perfect!

As always, I love all of your early morning shots around the Settlement.

I don't understand why the water level is so low in the lake between the Bike Barn and the Meadow Trading Post.

I'm glad to see your DS in a Ray's hat. Did he lose his Ranger's hat?

I think those stakes and flags you saw along the trail to WL relate to a new retention pond that is going in there. I think this has something to do with the proposed development of the old River Country area.

I'm looking forward to the rest.

TCD

Thanks Andrew. I wondered about the water level. It appeared to be low in all the canals as well, I wonder if they were pumping into Bay Lake? It doesn't really make sense though because the amount of rainfall has been sufficient to keep the canals higher.

He still has his Rangers hat in his collection, but both boys are pulling hard to for the Cardinals and we actually watched a game while camping.

Welcome back Tom. Glad ya'll had such perfect weather. From the looks of things severe fun was had by all.

Gotta love it. :)

Thanks H. Camping has become our favorite family vacation.

It's great to see my fellow New Port Richian back on the boards. I thought we lost ya. great report so far. The pic of your camper in front of your house is a great shot to show how actually big your pop-up is. You have the mac daddy of pop ups. Look forward to more

Hey there Trinity friend! You're right, I never realized just how big the box is until the kids stand next to it closed. I think, but am not 100% sure that it is the biggest box you can get in a pup at 16ft. We love it, although the set up and breakdown is going to get old sometime I'm sure.

Great to see you back here and posting another trip report. Hope there aren't any ghosts in this one.

Looking forward to more!

Thanks Dave! No ghosts on this trip I assure you.

Such a cute family! Love the ball girl -- so sweet, and she looks so proud. Looks like you had a fabulous trip. Glad you could get away with your busy schedule!

Thanks! The thing I enjoy most about capturing all these moments is seeing how the kids change. It has only been 2 years since we took up camping, but the difference in the kids is amazing, and sad at the same time.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Great report!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Thanks! The thing I enjoy most about capturing all these moments is seeing how the kids change. It has only been 2 years since we took up camping, but the difference in the kids is amazing, and sad at the same time.

You speak the truth. I recently came across a roll of film (does anyone remember film?) and photos from the first camping trip that the TCD gang took in our camper. That was 12 years ago. 12! The difference in my kids is amazing and sad at the same time also. The difference in me is just sad.

Enjoy every moment! It goes by much quicker than you can even imagine.

TCD

[anolefan 8]

Great report!

Thank you!

The difference in me is just sad.

TCD

I feel ya! I try to be the picture taker all the time for this very reason :)

[anolefan 8]

Sunday morning I tried something different, I woke up early and drove around to get some peaceful morning photos :)

I love the way the Meadow Trading Post looks before the sun comes up:

I then drove by the Wilderness Pool.

Since I have been inactive lately, I'm sure the new hours have been posted and discussed, but I got a shot of the sign anyhow, and am glad to see it is open to 12am now:

Since we had three vehicles and are rule followers, we parked DW's car in the overflow lot for our visit. I wanted to drive by there to check on it to be sure it was still there safe and sound.

I had to pay tribute to our very own TCD on the way:

I'm not sure why, but I have never driven by this area during our stay, and must say I really enjoyed the view from these angles:

Turns out ALL areas of the Fort are peaceful in the morning, even the parking lot!

I then went back to the Meadow area and enjoyed some coffee and snapped some more photos:

Another one of my favorite spots:

And just for fun, lets see how this looks in B&W

I got a new iPhone 4S and really enjoy the camera. I was playing around with the focus on this shot:

On the way back to our site I had to take a picture of the big comfy campchair that our neighbors had:

Up next I take the boys and Nana to River Country to look around.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Since I have been inactive lately, I'm sure the new hours have been posted and discussed, but I got a shot of the sign anyhow, and am glad to see it is open to 12am now:

But, it used to by open 24 hours!

I see what they did there. For a while, they closed at dusk, then they "graciously" extended the close to midnight.

I guess they thought everyone would be happy about that.

I know one person who isn't.

TCD

[anolefan 8]

But, it used to by open 24 hours!

I see what they did there. For a while, they closed at dusk, then they "graciously" extended the close to midnight.

I guess they thought everyone would be happy about that.

I know one person who isn't.

TCD

You know I never knew that. We have never used the Wilderness Pool. I would not like that change either.

Am I mistaken that the Meadow Swimmin Hole rules also state to 12am? I know friends we have camped with have gone during the middle of the night to swim in the past.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

You know I never knew that. We have never used the Wilderness Pool. I would not like that change either.

Am I mistaken that the Meadow Swimmin Hole rules also state to 12am? I know friends we have camped with have gone during the middle of the night to swim in the past.

Here's a quick history on the pools. . .

One of the things that distinguished the Fort from other WDW resorts is that the Fort's pools used to be open 24 hours. This was a fact published in the Fort Wilderness Gazette.

Some time after the pool renovations, the signs posted at the pool stated that the pools closed at midnight, but the information sheet provided at check-in still said the pools were open 24 hours.

More recently, the information sheet now states a midnight close for both pools, and the signs posted at both pools state this as well.

This is one of those rules that is not enforced. I imagine that if anyone caused a ruckus after midnight, the rule would be enforced. But, as you know, neither of the pools is completely fenced in, so they are open and usable 24 hours a day, unless someone decides to come along and enforce the rules.

TCD

[anolefan 8]

We are up to Sunday morning around 8:30am and the kids and I took their Nana to see River Country. My boys are very bothered by the state of River Country and just can't understand why it is left the way it is. On each trip we visit the area multiple times for them.

Here is the usual shot of the slides taken from the rock behind the fence:

Take a look at the how the bottom of the slide is pulling away from the main area:

Here are the kids and DM trying to get a view through the fence:

The rock shot:

More shots of the group, DD wasn't ready to put on clothes yet and kept her PJ's on for the ride:

We then headed over and looked at the horses:

We looped for a bit, then DM departed around 11am back home to Tennessee.

Here is another shot of our site minus one car:

Sunday was a busy day of departures as usual and there were several campers and motorhomes leaving our loop. After lunch, we went out looping and down to Settlement before saying goodbye to DW and DD for their return home.

When we were exiting our loop there were two CM's standing at the 800 bus loop that appeared to be guarding something. When we looked down we saw a pile of black tinted glass on the ground. As I drove by I said "someone hit it again didn't they?", They responded with a sad "yes" and I said "it was just repaired recently right?", again they said "yes" in a sad and a bit frustrated tone. i bet they wondered how I knew that :)

Here is the after affects of the corner of the bus stop:

Up next we head to Settlement and the kids take in some tetherball, DW and DD leave and the boys and I have a great last day.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Tom- If you didn't already have your TCD Junior Deputy Badge, I would give you one right now for the 800 loop bus stop photos!

I wonder how many time that bus stop has been hit?

The brilliant Fort managers have tried to remedy this situation, finally resorting to cutting off the corner of the roof earlier this year, as your photos show.

I think it's time for them to move the stupid thing. They could move it across the street and put it right behind site 617. Nobody would hit it there, and the folks camping on 617 would have a constant stream of customers for their hot dog stand.

Oh- and I love the River Country photos- I noticed the crumbling rocks beneath the old slides on my last visit, and tried to get a photo-I failed- you got a good one!

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Just in case anyone cares about the history of the pool hours, here's an old scan I have from the Fort Wilderness Gazette:

And here's a scan from the Directory of Services (which has replaced the Gazette):

I also meant to comment on the new rule they have posted on the pool sign.

It now says we can't swallow the pool water!

What is this, Russia?

TCD

[anolefan 8]

Just in case anyone cares about the history of the pool hours, here's an old scan I have from the Fort Wilderness Gazette:

And here's a scan from the Directory of Services (which has replaced the Gazette):

I also meant to comment on the new rule they have posted on the pool sign.

It now says we can't swallow the pool water!

What is this, Russia?

TCD

Good stuff there! I forgot to put that in my report, but thought are you kidding me? How in the world are they going to enforce that rule LOL!

I also like the part of the gazette where it states not to reserve pool chairs. I remember from your 4th report that this isn't working out either.

[kampfirekim 260]

Glad you didn't fall off the earth! Good to have you back.... and with a TR to boot! :yay:

I agree with your boys about river country. What a shame. But I can't dwell on that....