Spring Break '08 with Tri-Circle-D!!!

[Tri-circle-D]

I'm back!!!

After a long absence from the Boards, and the Fort, TCD is just back from another mission errr.... visit to the Fort.

And, I have the pictures to prove it.

The Fort looks great!

After having camped at the Fort for many, many years, I had become accustomed to things staying the same, or maybe slowing decaying. No more. It is clear that Disney is sinking a lot of $$$ into the Fort, and that exciting times are ahead.

I have photographic confirmation that the rumored site expansions are actually going to happen, and soon. But I will get to that later.

Who wants to see some photos?

First, a couple of photos from the pre-trip, just to set everything in proper perspective:


Have any of you heard of Airstream Ranch? You may know that there is an attraction in Texas called the Cadillac Ranch. A bunch of Cadillacs are planted in the ground, Stonehenge style. Well, just outside of Tampa (mile-marker 14 on I-4 to be exact), an RV dealer has erected Airstream Ranch. Take a look:

The bad news is, this is a code and/or zoning violation, and the attraction is going to be coming down.

Now, on to the Fort.

But, first, I need to give you all just a little more background. There are three TCD DD's, ages 12-16. There is this music group called the Jonas Brothers. They were scheduled to be at Universal Studios on March 28th to tape an appearance on the Ellen show. They begged the old mad to take them on the way to the Fort. Well, I guess these photos will show you who is boss:

So that is Joe, Kevin and Nick (in that order), above. Yes, I now know their names, and I can tell them apart!

Here is Ellen with the boys:

So, all this is being mentioned to explain the golf cart decorations displayed on the TCD spy mobile for the week. See for yourself:

As I was waiting at the marina one fine afternoon to pick up a couple of the DD's from a visit to the MK, a woman on her golf cart laughed out loud at me sitting in my cart. Her young son asked mom why she was laughing. She told the young fellow that that man over there had "his man card taken away." Ouch!

So, now that the preliminaries are out of the way, how about some photos of some new and different and obscure places at the Fort? Anyone up for that?

Do you think I can deliver?

TCD

 

[Tri-circle-D]

I'll start with something easy.

Have any of you ever seen this golf cart before?

Well, now you have.

It looks like something that is actually used on a golf course, and there was a cast member driving it.

This photo was taken on Ft. Wilderness Trail, with the 700 loop in the background.

TCD

 

[PolynesianPixie]

Hey! I was just thinking about you the other day and how much I enjoyed your last trip report! DD11 is here with me and she is so jealous of your DDs! She LOOOOOVES the Jonus Bros!~Not that much!!!!!!~oops, she took over the keyboard for a minute! No, I am not schizophrenic!

Anyway, I love seeing your pics!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

The Fort was crawling with surveyors last week!

These guys were working around the 700 and 400 loop:

They appeared to by Disney employees.

Over by the 1400 loop, a separate company was doing a lot of survey work:

This photo above is taken from Big Pine Drive, facing toward the 1400 loop. You can see the Meadows movie screen in the background.

I spoke to one of the fellows doing the surveying around the 1400 loop. He confirmed that they were drawing the plans for expanding the campsites, and that Disney was using its own people for the work being done around the 700 loop. The work is going to be done soon.

TCD

 

[BigDaddyRog]

NOTE TO SELF: Dont let the kids decorate the golf cart....especially with photos of teenage boys!!



TCD......Its great to see you again man. Ive been missing the photo-trivia and other timewasting entertainment you always dream up. Welcome back!!!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

So one morning, I am leaving the Meadows Trading post just after 8 am with a cup of coffee, and I run into a group of about 25 folks milling around outside. They all have Disney name tags. Some are wearing suits, some are casual. They all have either cameras or clipboards, and some have both. They are all swarming around looking at things around and on the building. Snapping pictures and taking notes.

They go in to the Trading Post, and look around, and then the all end up on the back porch for some kind of pow-wow.

What is this all about?

Are changes coming to the Meadows Trading Post? It would sure seem that way.

Here is the group on the back porch. Sorry for the photo quality. Trying to be surreptitious.

TCD

 

[Tri-circle-D]

You know what really looks nice? The Reception Outpost. Take a look:

TCD

 

[stacktester]

We saw your cart around quite a bit. DD kept telling me who it was and what it meant lol.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

We saw your cart around quite a bit. DD kept telling me who it was and what it meant lol.

Dude- I was stalking you. I expected the folks on the 900 loop to call security, because I kept driving by your rig to try to catch you. No luck this trip. I saw your Disboard sign. Also, saw signs from BradisGoofy and presumably a friend of his over on the 300 loop.

I have issues about putting up a Disboards sign on my site. I have three DD's, and the DW only spent part of the week with us, so it was just me and the girls most of the time, and sometimes they were alone at the campsite. I am not worried about my fellow Disboard members, but it kinds of makes me worry that anyone can read these posts, and figure out when and where we will be at the Fort.

Plus, I have to keep a low profile. Helps with the spying, you know.

TCD

 

[ntsammy5]

I've gotta look at this when I get home -- I'm blocked from private picture sites at work. Arrrggg

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Hey! I was just thinking about you the other day and how much I enjoyed your last trip report! DD11 is here with me and she is so jealous of your DDs! She LOOOOOVES the Jonus Bros!~Not that much!!!!!!~oops, she took over the keyboard for a minute! No, I am not schizophrenic!

Anyway, I love seeing your pics!

Thanks! My DD's have an unhealthy obsession with those boys. As far as I can tell, though, they are well behaved, and there is no cussign in their music. We are going to see them again in May at the taping of the Disney Channel Games concert.

TCD

 

[stacktester]

Dude- I was stalking you. I expected the folks on the 900 loop to call security, because I kept driving by your rig to try to catch you. No luck this trip. I saw your Disboard sign. Also, saw signs from BradisGoofy and presumably a friend of his over on the 300 loop.

I have issues about putting up a Disboards sign on my site. I have three DD's, and the DW only spent part of the week with us, so it was just me and the girls most of the time, and sometimes they were alone at the campsite. I am not worried about my fellow Disboard members, but it kinds of makes me worry that anyone can read these posts, and figure out when and where we will be at the Fort.

Plus, I have to keep a low profile. Helps with the spying, you know.

TCD

Next trip we're gonna put a pad and pencil on the door so other dis'ers can let us know they came by and when and where we can get back with them.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

NOTE TO SELF: Dont let the kids decorate the golf cart....especially with photos of teenage boys!!



TCD......Its great to see you again man. Ive been missing the photo-trivia and other timewasting entertainment you always dream up. Welcome back!!!

BDR- Thanks for the kind words! I will do my best to not disappoint!

TCD

 

[Tri-circle-D]

You know what else is really looking good at the Fort? All of the canals. They are full and clean! I have never seen them look this good. They always used to be low, stagnant and green.

I saw these fellows spraying herbicide on the green stuff one morning:

The first two photos were taken from the bridge behind the Meadows Trading Post, looking toward the 1300 loop. The third was taken from Ft. Wilderness Trail, looking towards the Meadows Swimming Pool.

I saw tons of folks fishing, and lots of canoes and kayaks. I have never tried the canoeing- did not want to paddle through the slime, but I'm rethinking that for my next trip.

TCD

 

[PolynesianPixie]

Thanks! My DD's have an unhealthy obsession with those boys. As far as I can tell, though, they are well behaved, and there is no cussign in their music. We are going to see them again in May at the taping of the Disney Channel Games concert.

TCD

That's great! Do you have a date for the event?

Next trip we're gonna put a pad and pencil on the door so other dis'ers can let us know they came by and when and where we can get back with them.

I thought I'd make "calling cards" that say ~PP wuz here~ or something along those lines to leave when nobody's home.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Did you all know that the hot tub has already been installed at the Fort?

Somehow, I was expecting more, and I don't know why they put it in the back of a site on the 1800 loop, but here it is:

Seriously, I had never seen anyone bring their own hot tub to the Fort before. I thought that these would be my kind of people. People who know how to party.

But, sadly, I drove by this site lots of times hoping to see this baby in use, but it never was.

TCD

 

[stacktester]

It took us several trips to find PP at her bungalow lol. When we finally did she was in her jammies having breakfast at the picnic table.

 

[ynottony99]

Great report. Great photos too!!!

 

[PolynesianPixie]

It took us several trips to find PP at her bungalow lol. When we finally did she was in her jammies having breakfast at the picnic table.

Oh you had to remind me! I was so happy to have had a shower by the next time we ran into each other! I am so NOT a morning person! To this day, though, I wish I'd sucked it up (& maybe a breath mint too ) and invited you in for coffee! I was just so embarrassed to be meeting a disser for the first time with bed head!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

That's great! Do you have a date for the event?

Here is the info on the Disney Channel Games from the Disboards: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/channelgames.htm

It looks like all of the concert tickets are gone. We got ours through a passholder offer. Looks like it will be a mob scene!

The DD's want to stay at AKL for this trip. They found some info on line that that is where the "stars" will be staying.

I'll have a hard time shelling out the $$$ for AKL when the Fort has spaces available. We will see.



TCD