Ft Wilderness Here we come!!!

[FloridaCliff]

Ace,

Your right!

If you really look close at that area they built that whole place on a swamp.......

I must admit that there wasn't any water when we were there......

Did I mention the "Moss Monster".....nevermind....Just don't go out at night....I am not KIDDING!


Cliff

[white-eagle]

i can't believe you're complaining Ace.  it's so unlike you 

we were there a few years ago.  As cliff said, great place if you are going to mickey's place, otherwise not a place i'd stay cause the sites are toooo close, toooo small and there wasn't a place to walk the dog outside our area.  (i found the sign that said no dogs on our way back from the beach the 3rd day.  i was taking Bandit down to watch the fireworks on the beach.  fortunately, none of Mickey's guards came by to tell me i was violating the rules.)

the transportation was good, the boats and buses were fairly convenient, and Prince Charmings palace was way too crowded.  not really my cup of tea.

We were in the 35 ft winnie at the time as my son got married there.  (In June, for Pete's sake, hotr'n heck and i'm in a suit on the beach with the palace in the background.  geesh).

i prefer Fish Eatin' Creek in January. 

[Blacksheep]

Got up this morning to a steady soft rain like this place needs more water!
Last night went the sing a long which was fun along with the campfire but chose to skip the movie Tarzan. Caught up with friends and went to the beach to watch fireworks only to be told to leave! Went to the docks and watched the light parade which was very good and then the fireworks that were in unyson (sp) with music and a story that you hear on the PA.
Came back and watched a little local channel tv due to satellite not working due to the many trees!
Tom, yea regarding the dopg walk? Well let me say Bud lives on a very grassy acre so he likes to do his business on grass. Well we walked and walked and found nothing but pine needles! That is just not Bud! I sure hope we find some grass soon for BOTH our sakes!
Poor Bud!
Also, a LOT of bus traffic like every 10 minutes. These are shuttles, not conversions!
Oh well time for breakfast!
Later...

Ace

[Blacksheep]

Well so far today started out wet but barnowl who was nearby came by with his wife for a visit!
About 1pm Susan and I decided to take off on the boat to tour the lodge and other resorts! Huge buildings with huge prices I'm sure. The monorail was fun since its been a long time being on one. As we were getting off of one our other bussin friends were just getting on to go to dinner at some polynesian hut. Chatted until their ride came and it was back on the boat for a return trip to camp swampy!
Rain on and off but nothing hard. Made it cooler for outdoor sitting!
Just got done seeing some NY strips lose out to my new 69.00 grill. I'm here to tell you, this grill is now 2-0 with no losses in sight!
Contemplating a bus trip into downtown disney since this place is quiet!
Hey, its for kids and likely so!
Ahh I'm pretty full of steak and cronies so I better go.
Oh an update... We found grass! LOL

Ace

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hay Ace,

If you get a chance tomorrow, take the Micky boat over to the Wilderness Lodge and have lunch

at the Wispering Canyon Cafe. Pretty good food and make sure you ask a waitress for Top Shelf Ketchup.....

It's really good stuff!

If you really want to have fun, take your golf cart on the horse trails. They go all the way around to the Magic Kingdom.

The trail starts up front next to the stables.

Nick-

[Blacksheep]

Nick tried the horse path but got caught by security! Tried to convince him that me and my lady were just making out but he didn't buy it and ran us off!
Hey it was a trip for us to use the bus. Susan and I did go canoeing and that was WELL worth the 11 bucks!
Other than that, not much else going on except I was able to fatten the mosquitos some last night! They were out in force!
Were home now and the trip back was uneventful. Susan and I were trying to decide where we can use all the food and fuel were stocked up on at! Might do a couple of weekends with one busnut that couldn't make this trip then flywheelers rally for sure!
Bus ran great but due for an oil/lube etc before we head out again!
As for Ft. Swampy? If your in anything other than a 40 footer that doesn't have satellite or a dog and you just need a place to take the kids or grand kids then this MIGHT be a good place to go as others have stated! For me? Ahh, I think if I was looking to lay around and rest, I'd just as soon do it in my yard! Less fuel, less rules, easier to get in and out and actually more to do and cheaper. That is, for guys my age!
Would I return? Not unless they spend a lot of money upgrading the lots and surrounding areas!
Call me spoiled but I didn't build a 40 foot coach to camp in a swamp where almost everything gets dirty if you walk thru it or touch it!

Ace

[JohnEd]

Ace,

I am from Pa originally but I retired from SD Cal.  I returned to Pa. to just visit but ended up being the care giver for my Dad for the next six years.  While taking care of him in Pittsburgh I opted to take us both to Fla and Disney World.  We stayed in Ft Wilderness.  It was a really nice place and we had giant ferns and such between the spots and tall pine trees overhead for shade.  No bugs, dry, quiet and lush.  It is like you and I visited two different planets.  We had a really nice time but we share one aspect of the trip....it was expensive.

The next year we went to Ft. Myers and stayed at the Pioneer Village.  GREAT place!  All the amenities and lotsa sand.  I had two dogs as I had bought my Dad a Whippet for his birthday.  We fessed up at registration and they sent us to a section reserved for those traveling with pets.  I was pleased that I would have neighbors that "understood" dog people.  The name of that part of the park was "DOGPATCH".

We weren't even to the point of leveling the coach and I had 4 visitors chatting with Dad while he held the dogs and beamed at the attention.  I was told that because this was Wed., the main street of Dogpatch would be blocked of and there would be a grand pot luck.  I was told that because we only got there we would only be "permitted" to bring our appetite.  The food was superb.  While there I was chatting with a guy that it evolved was the Mayor of Dogpatch and he was the incumbent for 4 years running. He officiated but barely and I commented that he wasn't very political.  Another guy I spent an hour chatting with, ex Air Force, like myself, surprised me when I asked what breed of dog he had.  He said "ow. we don't have a dog or any pet.  I asked him why he stayed in Dogpatch cause the main park was only about half full at that time.  He said "dog people are really special and I like the environment and community spirit here".  He added that Pioneer had 1,600 spaces (or some such) and nowhere in it did they have streets blocked off for "pot lucks" or Hawaii nites and whatever else.  He said" I know that because we stayed in the main park every year for 5 years and then we got "stuck" with Dogpatch because the rest was full."  He said that that was the last time he had stayed anywhere else.  His wife told Dad that they corresponded with 15 other families and saw most of them every year as they stayed in Dogpatch for at least a month.  It was like a family reunion down there.  I had the Toranado toad hooked up and was ready to pull out when every person in the vicinity showed up to bid Dad a farewell and give us cards and notes with addresses and phone numbers.  Took an extra 45 minutes to pull out and we had gone around that morning to say goodbye to all before I hooked up.  When I cleared the park entrance Dad said "weren't those such very nice people?" ,,,and he was crying.  I said " they were all Yankee "Snow Birds", Pap.  but the South has that affect on people".  I knew cause I spent years traveling around down there on Gummint business before retiring.

Glad you had fun ACE and I hope you can go back for vacations.

John

[Ncbob]

Great entertaining tales guys. Thank you for a pleasant read. Makes a person happy to have friends who are "BusNuts"!

NCbob

[Blacksheep]

Hi Bob! How you and the misses doing?

There may be some tales in this here story somewhere but not from me I can assure you! Hey isn't there some sort of ruby mine or exotic gem mine near or in Franklin? Heck we may have to come that way and try our luck at mining! Saw something about it on the discovery channel or one of them channels the other night and when they mentioned Franklin, I said I know someone that resides there! Hey If you have any other information on that stuff, send it to me!
You never know, I may become very wealthy! Yea right and NO I haven't been hitting the Cronies yet but now that I think about it, catch me later... and mining for whatever it was in your neck of the woods would be kind of fun or maybe a trip to California to try my luck at Gold!  HMM

Ace