We're back!!!

[Tuffcookie]

We got home Sunday night. We had a fabulous week at FW although it got off to a rocky start. When we arrived on Sunday, March 30th, it was drizzling. Not the kind of weather you like to have when you're setting up a tent but I managed! (Thank goodness for all those years of girl scouting!) We were in the 2000 loop, which didn't make me happy because we were pretty far away from the Meadows Recreational Area and our back was on the bus line. I had requested the 1500 loop. I don't know if it would have made a difference if I had called a couple days away from our arrival date, or not, but I will try that next time. Anyway... It was rather cold Sunday night and Monday night but, fortunately, I had packed the electric blanket. We were as snug as could be. Last time we did the Spring Break camping trip (2 years ago) I had decided to try and get the air mattress off the ground. I went out and purchased a queen size bed frame and cut slats to fit inside to hold the air mattress. It worked like a charm!!! Although it took alot of room in the car, it was well worth it! We had a little bit of trouble with the transportation so decided to "wing it" in our own vehicle. It is amazing how fast you can get to the parks when you're doing your own driving. I did that on Monday morning to AK because we had an 8:15 AM PS for Donald's Breakfastsaurus and I didn't think the bus would get us there in time. Then on Thursday, for the 9:30 AM DIS Meet at Boardwalk, I drove again. It really wasn't that bad finding my way around! I even got to meet the infamous, Dan Murphy, this trip and SSB dropped by too! The rest of the week was sunny and warm! And I had a wonderful morning to take the tent down. We will miss FW and look forward to our next trip!

Tuffcookie

 

[SpikeLover]

Welcome Back!!

 

[bobcat]

Glad to hear you had a good trip! The one drawback to FW I think is the transportation.

What a clever idea for the air mattress! Was it less expensive than buying one of the air mattress frames? After a week of walking in the parks I found it really hard to get up off the air mattress in the morning.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Bobcat, I saw one of those air mattresses on a frame at Dick's Sporting Goods and sat on it. I didn't like the way it felt. Mine seems more sturdy.

TC

 

[Cluemeister]

We arrived on Friday, March 28th, and stayed through April 3rd. We were in the 300 pet loop, and had a great time.

The weather was cool for a few days by Florida's standards, but coming from NH it still felt like summer! Sunday's on-again off-again rain kept crowds away, and we were able to ride Dinosaur and the Safari at AK with no wait.

All in all, the crowds were very manageable at the park, and we had a great time.

Best ride: Tower of Terror (me), Big Thunder Mtn. RR (wife), Space Mountain (13 yr. old daughter), Primeval Whirl (9 yr. old daughter)

Worst ride: Unanimous - Backlot tour at Disney MGM (That's a backlot tour?)

Fort Wilderness was a very nice campground. Everyone that we met at the cg was always in a good mood!

Cluemeister

 

[Whosemom]

LOL here, really!!

gee that solution sounds alot more cost effective than the used pop-up dh had to have for the same reason!

can't wait for our turn!!

Micki

 

[Mic]

Welcome back, Tuffcookie! Our one and only "attempt" at camping was a 3-day weekend at FW a month ago, and we were in loop 2000, too. I actually wanted that loop because it had 2 comfort stations and was not near a pet loop, but I am very naive about camping. Glad you had a great trip, and your post helped me decide against purchasing the air bed on a frame. They really did not look too sturdy to me, either, but I refuse to sleep on the ground(or on an air mattress on the ground), and I had wondered if taking a regular bed frame would work. My only concern was the damage the bed frame could do to the bottom of the tent. Did you do anything to protect your tent floor? And did you need a fan or air conditioner? My son is a first-year cub scout(moving up next year to the boy scouts), and we need to try this camping thing again soon Thanks for the trip report, and glad it was a success!

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

We also got back home on Sunday. We arrived at Ft. Wilderness on Thursday, March 27th and left Saturday, April 5th. Site 1504.

Because of the cold front that came through on Sunday, March 30th we changed some of our plans and spent the cooler days in the parks, leaving the pool and water park days for later in the week when it got warmer.

We didn't have any problems with the transportation except for one day we had to wait quite a while at the Outpost for a "Yellow" bus to arrive ... my husband walked back to our site right away and beat us by 20 minutes. We attempted to drive to the parks on a couple of days but had a lot of frustration with the construction they were doing on WDW property. Got in traffic jams more than once ... including arrival at WDW from the highway!!!

I really think that more and more people are driving their cars on site because the roadways were EXTREMELY congested, especially in the Downtown Disney area. I don't remember it being quite the problem in the past that it was this time.

 

[sltrawick]

Oh no,
they have construction going on now? Where at? It seems like every time we are there, Hwy. 192 was a mess and never finished. I wonder if that is done yet?

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

They were working on a couple of bridges on Disney property that required everyone to go from 2-3 lanes to 1 lane.

Ugh!!!

--------

Speaking of bridges, they are working on the Briley Parkway/I-65 bridges in Nashville ... It took us 1-1/2 hrs to get through Nashville, TN Saturday afternoon!!!

Ugh - Ugh!!!!

 

[Tuffcookie]

Mic, The frame that I purchased had plastic wheels on the bottom of the posts. You just have to be careful about rolling it around on the bottom of the tent floor. I used duct tape to secure the slats inside the frame and to cover any sharp edges on the frame so it wouldn't puncture the air mattress. It was so much better than sleeping on the ground.

TC

 

[Mic]

Thanks, TC. Your idea will save me $$ on a pop-up(that family is so against).

 

[campingcorgi]

Speaking of bridges, they are working on the Briley Parkway/I-65 bridges in Nashville ... It took us 1-1/2 hrs to get through Nashville, TN Saturday afternoon!!!

Ugh - Ugh!!!! [/B]

I can sympathize with you--I frequently get caught in that mess! And there really isn't any way around it!! Let me apologize for all of Middle Tennessee about the Nashville traffic!!!

Now, can you give details about the lane closures at Disney--while driving that motorhome we like plenty of notice to change lanes

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

I don't have the map in front of me ... I believe it was around the Downtown Disney area, where you are going back into the theme park area.

If you go in the main entrance of the property (instead of getting off at I-4 Crossroads or the Epcot exit), you should be all clear (I think) to avoid the construction upon arrival. We've been there so many times that we'd cut out some miles by coming in the back way, but it backfired on us!!!!

We have a camper so unhook the van once there. We took the van to go to Epcot one day (again, going around to the side) and got stuck in the mess!!!