Brent... Just Brent 83 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 So I've been slack in my posting on FF.net for way too long. I love the Fiends and I love the Fort, but sometimes that whole life/job thing really gets in the way of my having any free time. This TR is about my annual Fall Fort Pilgrimage that took place November 26 - December 3. I don't have a ton of photos, so it should be quick.A little big of quick background... this trip was ruined from the beginning. I normally go the week before Thanksgiving, but that just couldn't happen this year unless I was going to drive from Lexington, Va. back to Charleston and then the next day load up and drive to the Fort. So I had to change my plans, and in the end it all worked out AND my good friend Justin was able to join me, which helped keep me out of the parks and slow down a little.The plan was to leave at 10am on Monday, November 26. As with all of my plans, it didn't quite work out. I think we finally left about 3pm when Justin finished a work project. I wasn't mad, though. We were going to the Fort (and he was driving, so I was sleeping to the Fort). Here are my last minute things waiting by the door.(I don't pack in garbage bags, but it was the easiest way I could come up with to get a blanket there)About 5pm, I took over driving.FINALLY, we arrived at the Fort a little after 9 on that Monday night and there may have been some mumbling about me breaking the sound barrier in a VW, but I don't remember that being the cast. Check-in went smoothly (so smoothly the night guy never asked to see my ID or Visa card that I had done online check-in with) and I had gotten one of the sites I requested - 1638. It was a little short, but it turned out to be a GREAT site for a couple of specific reasons (why I requested it).I had rented a camper from my usual company and they also gave us a golf cart. (I won't name the company since they're not a FF sponsor, so rent from those guys. They're really great). The owner texted me that everything was setup and the golf cart was in overflow next to "a little white Disney trailer." Well... I think I recognized that trailer.It was the Mouse-ke_T@B! I dropped Justin off, we got the cart and then headed to find our site. As I was pulling into the 1600 loop, a nice couple on a golf cart pulled over to wave me by. It turns out this was our very own Mo and Brian... and the only time I'd actually see them that week. I had a lot of trouble wiggling the car in the leftover space in the site, but eventually got it. Justin just parked the golf cart on the grass. We got the basics setup and unpacked and eventually called it a night. I think I looked at my watch and it was around 3am when I finally got on the pullout sofa "bed". Tuesday, November 27As is usual when I'm at the Fort, I couldn't really sleep in. Sleep was also inhibited by the tree trimmers on our site working on the Palmetto trees. With motorized saws. At 8am.Turns out it was our neighbor who had called them. One of the trees was rubbing her MH and ants were coming in. Needless to say, I couldn't really be mad about that. And, it turns out, our neighbor was Nancy the Bird Lady! Great meeting her (I don't think she's on here) and couldn't have asked for anyone nicer around that week.I went off to get creamer from the Meadows and then made coffee. Coffee at the Fort, under the awning, in a reclining chair (photos later). Life doesn't get any better than that.I'm not 100% sure of the days activities, but I know we went to the Winn Dixie to stock up on food for the week and we decorated. Well, Justin decorated. I'm not much of a decorator, but I think the results were pretty good. The cart also got Fiend-ified for the holidays.Yes, it has a tail. That was not my doing. I also bought some of those battery operated LED lights for it. They worked GREAT and I think I only charged the batteries once that week.I feel that it's important to point out here that the cart didn't have a windshield. It wasn't "cold" by most standards that week, but when you're out in it for 10 hours and moving at 8 MPH on a cart, you are FREEZING. I spent the week wrapped up in layers.Here are some of the site decorations. That's it for Tuesday and I'm close to the photo limit I'd guess. Coming up... I'm going to get called up for the PGA tour and/or as a PIXAR animator. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Awesome start Brent!!! Can't wait to read more! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alexwyattmommy 181 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Great start to your TR. The site and cart look nice. :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
h2odivers...Ray 952 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 I'm in. Good looking cart and site. I'm ready for more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
michele j 9 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Your site looks great. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 I'm in.It's great to see a TR from you, Brent.Good job on the lights at the site ( I guess Justin gets credit for those).Looking forward to more.TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mommy rainbo.....Bo 41 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Great start. I like the lights. Can't wait for more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fortpartyof4 108 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 It's NEVER too late to write a TR! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nicki aka Rebelstand 272 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 i'm in Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Disneyzombie-Brenda 10 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 I'm in too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nutters4wdw......Amy 5 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 I'm in too. :pc: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AC in A2......Aaron 693 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 I'm in! Looking forward to more!The lights and decorations look good.I was thinking of buying some battery operated LED lights for our December trip.Sucks about the morning wakeup but ants would definitely SMMB. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Katman1356...Jason 1,140 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Count me in!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Kahuna aka John 71 Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 I'm here ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
momof3kids-Yvonne 594 Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Great start. Patiently waiting for more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HappyRedhead......Betsy 16 Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 More! More! Not sure when my next trip will be so I'm living vicariously through trip reports! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveInTN 3,247 Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 I'm here! Great start! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brent... Just Brent 83 Posted March 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 Awesome start Brent!!! Can't wait to read more!Thanks Carol! I'm about to get to the part where you arrive!Great start to your TR. The site and cart look nice. :)Thanks. I never said that I went into it wanting to go over the top. Unfortunately, we would have needed a breaker box to add any more lights. That's probably 30 strands and barely makes a dent in the site as far as decorating goes.I'm in. Good looking cart and site. I'm ready for more.Thanks!Your site looks great.Thanks!I'm in.It's great to see a TR from you, Brent.Good job on the lights at the site ( I guess Justin gets credit for those).Looking forward to more.TCDThanks! No giant gator inflatables, but I think we did ok.Great start. I like the lights. Can't wait for more.Thanks, Bo. It's NEVER too late to write a TR!It's a good thing I jotted some notes or it wouldn't be much of one!i'm inGlad a WW made it!I'm in too!Welcome, Brenda!I'm in too. :pc:Welcome, Amy! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brent... Just Brent 83 Posted March 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 I'm in! Looking forward to more!The lights and decorations look good.I was thinking of buying some battery operated LED lights for our December trip.Sucks about the morning wakeup but ants would definitely SMMB.About the lights... they really were a lot of fun. I saw some at Target and almost bought them, but ended up passing. A few days later I was in Big Lots (discount store) and they had them for, I think, $4. Was kind of a no-brainer. I already had rechargeable AA's. They ended out working great.The ants SMB for Nancy the Bird Lady WAY more than the gas powered tree trimmer did for me!Count me in!!Welcome, Jason!I'm here !Welcome, John!Great start.Patiently waiting for more.You don't have to wait much longer. Another update on the way!More! More! Not sure when my next trip will be so I'm living vicariously through trip reports!I'm the same way this time of year. It's almost painful to read them because you just know you won't get to go back for a while.I'm here! Great start!Thanks, Dave. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brent... Just Brent 83 Posted March 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 I think I've got all of the comments out of the way, so, on with the show!I didn't really talk too much about why this trip was happening before. Short story - RELAXATION. I had no park tickets and didn't really have the desire to go to a park. I always try to do a trip around this time just to get away from the craziness that is college football season. I needed it more than ever this year.WednesdaySo we made it through Tuesday and now it's Wednesday. It was definitely going to be a Fort Day. In retrospect, this was a bad idea. We should have gotten the "go and do" out of the way today so we could relax on the back end. Boy that didn't happen.Carol was arriving today. I got a message from Stef that she and Trevor were coming in on Friday (I think) AND some friends from Atlanta commented on my Facebook post that they were towing their camper down for a week and were coming a day early so we could overlap. The week was filling up fast.So, today all we did we have some coffee:(I must have bought that mug somewhere along the way)Then we went exploring. Justin had seen my spike when he was in my office one day and was really curious about the FWRR. So, I thought I knew it all and tried to show off. Well, that didn't go exactly as planned, but eventually we found tracks and more tracks and wandered into the woods. It was actually a great experience and I'm glad I got to see some of the old tracks.Then, back to the site I grilled up dinner and called it a night.ThursdayThis morning, while Justin was showering, I set off on a mission. A mission to find Mouse-ke-T@b Carol! Well, I found the camper in the 1700 loop, but no Carol. I'm guessing she was still sound asleep. So, coffee, breakfast, coffee, lunch... I was entering into danger zone away from the gym all week. So, we did some daytime looping - also known as "You only need three layers to loop when the sun is out" and decided to do some resort touring it looks like.We took the boat to the Contemporary and monorailed over to the Poly.I always like seeing the Poly during the holidays, but next it was off to the Grand Floridian. They somehow let the riffraff in...The big tree.The Gingerbread House was the reason I assume I drug us over there. There were lots of photos and whatnot, but I'll spare you. I will say, though, that it really felt like Christmas there in the GF lobby.After leaving the Grand, we monorailed over the MK and hopped the Lodge boat.The Lodge is so nice at Christmas. And the fireplace was awesome this particular week. We definitely hung out there for a while.So after that, more food and then we got to meet Carol! It was so great to finally meet her and she was so nice! I think we've mentioned on here before that we've probably met in years past at RADP/Mousefest events, but if so we don't remember. It really felt like I was in the company of FF royalty! We chatted a little and then I think she stopped by later that evening, but I don't have notes.It was an early night to bed (for me at least) with the heat cranking in the camper because on Friday I was going to meet the Punch Lady herself!More to come soon! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alexwyattmommy 181 Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 Love the tree photos. Disney does Christmas pretty darn good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AC in A2......Aaron 693 Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 Love the resort photos. We will definitely be visiting all those places to see the decorations in December.You got to meet some great fiends it sounds like.Good for you exploring the RR. I would like to do that also. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Southern Blessings 4 Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 Enjoying the pics at the different resorts! I really need to take time to visit some on my next trip. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brent... Just Brent 83 Posted April 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Terrible. Just terrible. I'm such a slacker. I'm back just to finish this up. ThursdayWoke up, coffee, lazy. The typical vacation story. We were hungry and decided to head to Trails End for lunch. Back in July when filming the loop videos, we'd eaten there while the camera was recharging and really enjoyed it. So, we went back. The service was fantastic, but the food... meh. I had the crazy candied bacon cheeseburger. I knew it wouldn't/couldn't be as good as the previous time, but I did it anyway. It was good, but do you see that GIANT slice of cheese on there? It was easily a half inch thick and wasn't melted. I finally had to take it off. Otherwise, everything was fantastic. After that, we took the cart back to charge. We had discovered the hard way that our outlet on the site marker post was on our neighbors electric box. And she had her golf cart plugged in that night. So no charge. When we were leaving the cart lot at Pioneer Hall, we saw this. Then.... it was off to do something I hadn't done in a very long time. Winter Summerland Mini Golf! It was a great choice for the afternoon. I ended up starting strong and then totally losing the game. I vowed to do better if we played again. Also, it was, I believe, 50% off with the Annual Pass discount. That night there was a visit from Carol and some frozen looping. I was also prepping my liver for a visit from Stef and Trev. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alexwyattmommy 181 Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Miniature golf/putt putt is something we have not done. 50% off would be a good incentive to try it. Sorry you lost the game. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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