May Pre-Trip & Trip Reports

[Disneypeach]

Some dinner, er, friends dropped by today...

 

[bama_ed]

Amazing aint it?

I wonder on the 1900 loop, Peach, if they are going to add more crushed shell material when they replace the border ties. Last time i stayed in 100 loop the material was very thin and mostly hard clay was very visible.

These sites at the Fort get changed over and blown by CMs prepping the sites for the next camper so often that i am surprised there is as much material as there is. But there should be more.

Thanks for the update Peach.

Bama Ed

 

[Disneypeach]

I didn't see any sand piled up but it looks like they've just gotten started. I'll keep looking until I leave Saturday...

 

[Disneypeach]

Stopped by the 1900 site...still only one camper there. Here are some pics of the work being done:

 

[Disneypeach]

and now for something completely different...

I went on the Wild Africa Trek last Sunday and took some pictures. (the guides also take photos kinda like photopass but thru a different website and I haven't seen those yet.)
A baby zebra:


Got to get up close to the hippo pool. You can see where the safari truck go between the pools: one for females and one for males to cut down on the males fighting over the female.


We were right next to the pool. One of the keepers fed this one some squash and lettuce so he'd pose for us.


And yes that's a duck in the picture and no, the hippos don't try to eat them. We asked!

 

[Disneypeach]

You have to wear a climbing harness for the first part of the trek (to keep us from falling into the pens) and you go over some rickety (Disney show style). Here's what the bridges look like:


Over the crocodile pool...all males and all born on the same day in South Africa!


No female crocs, again to keep the fighting down but you can see that the males still get after each other, note the missing front foot. (and no, the croc with his mouth open was just trying to cool himself, not trying to bite)

 

[Disneypeach]

Here's where we had lunch:

We were in a different kind of truck than the safari, much more open and we were able to pull off and stop. This giraffe was only about 10 feet from the truck.


The view from the lunch hut (which had bathrooms as well)...

 

[Disneypeach]

Pood Forn:
Lunch was chicken curry, fruit salad, dried ham, edible flower (yup, I ate it, very mild "flower" taste), hummas, shrimp, a small roll up that I can't remember what it was (but it was good) and some shredded cucumber. All tasty and very fresh. Some pics of the food.

 

[Disneypeach]

Rest of the lunch: little pita rounds for the hummas

 

[tigger92662]

Peach, those are some awesome pictures. Very different view, and great close ups

 

[peg110]

Awesome Pictures. Where is the Wild Africa Trek? It looked like Fun. I don't think my DW and kids though would be thrilled about that lunch, but I think I could enjoy it.

 

[Disneypeach]

Peach, those are some awesome pictures. Very different view, and great close ups

Thanks! new camera so I'm still trying to figure it out.

Awesome Pictures. Where is the Wild Africa Trek? It looked like Fun. I don't think my DW and kids though would be thrilled about that lunch, but I think I could enjoy it.

On the trek you meet at Kilimanjaro Safari's entrance unless you've selected a time prior to park opening, then the guides meet you just outside park entry. They do ask about food, ex. allergies, vegan, etc. Not sure if they offer a kid-friendly version but you could call them and ask. Just getting to go into the safari area to places the public doesn't go was wonderful for me. Loved being able to get really close to some of the animals and the guides supplied great information...specialists met us at various points to talk specifics on that animal. An adventure without being dangerous!

 

[Disneypeach]

Well, today is my last day at the Fort. Heading home (ATL) tomorrow after breakfast at TE.

Y'all are not going to believe this but we had another RV flood on the loop today. A camper (a gal from Gulf Shores, Ala) across from the RV gushing water saw me at my site (I was the only one close by who was outside) and asked me what we should do about her neighbor's water problem. I turned off the water at the source (they had a brass pressure regulator and the spigot was just barely turned on) and she called the front desk. The cascade started to slow almost immediately. I left a note to let them know that I had turned off their water. In about 20 mins or so I saw a WDW truck pull up to the site so I went up there to tell him what we had seen. Well, the campers had arrived back just a couple of minutes before. Turns out a valve inside had broken. Only the bedroom was affected in the living quarters but all of the bays were soaked including all their things. Someone had a shop-vac that they loaned the campers to help. What are the odds of 2 flooded RVs in such a short time?????

Decided to check out the 100 loop since it was mentioned on this thread that work was being done...and I'm nosy...
It looks like Disney has put on a coat of tar. Doesn't look like new asphalt since I could see cracks and patches. But I'm no expert on paving. Here's a pic of it looking back towards the loop entry point:



also took the boat to Wilderness Lodge. Here are some pix of the new construction:

 

[tiggerdad]

Thanks for the pictures Peach, and sorry tomorrow is the dreaded "Leaving Home" day, but it looks like you have had a great time from what I could see.

You guys be careful heading home.

 

[saw1810]

About half way thru our 2 week stay, been awesome, altho has gottn really hot, but no rain, was terribly busy last weekend with the cooler weather, but last Monday came and it emptied out, few came in foe this weekend, fort resealing several loops and some cabin loops, we are in the 800 loop, was here last time, nice loop,we requested 900, but w it full last weekend no shot, otherwise enjoying our stay been 8yrs, to long!!

 

[tigger92662]

Thanks! new camera so I'm still trying to figure it out.[/QUOT
Well I gotta tell ya Peach, from the looks of these pictures you've got that camera figured out.
I'm assuming telephoto lens for the Wilderness lodge shot, lots of detail there

 

[Disneypeach]

"Well I gotta tell ya Peach, from the looks of these pictures you've got that camera figured out.
I'm assuming telephoto lens for the Wilderness lodge shot, lots of detail there"

Thanks tigger92662. Yes the camera has an optical zoom on it. It's been easy to use in a general sense but I know that it can do so much more, I just need to play around with it more.

Thanks to everyone who followed my posts! I'll be going back in October with some friends to see all the Halloween stuff! I'll do my best to participate in the Oct TR tread too.

 

[tigger92662]

Thanks tigger92662. Yes the camera has an optical zoom on it. It's been easy to use in a general sense but I know that it can do so much more, I just need to play around with it more.

Hokie Smokes! If you think you can do more with the camera, I can't wait to see Halloween Pics!

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks to everyone who followed my posts! I'll be going back in October with some friends to see all the Halloween stuff! I'll do my best to participate in the Oct TR tread too.

Challenge [Denied/ACCEPTED]

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

For anyone at the Fort now (mid-May 2016) or coming in soon, can you go down to Trails End to check out this rumor?

http://www.disboards.com/threads/fort-wilderness-trails-end-lunch.3511028/

Basically it says on weekends that the lunch "set menu" will be skipped and they will serve the breakfast buffet until 2pm.

If anyone wants to actually TASTE TEST a weekend breakfast buffet at, say noon, I bet TRS will reimburse you for your meal expense (he is such a busy little beaver I bet he won't actually see this to deny it.... )

Waiting impatiently for a reply...

Bama Ed