My Week at Fort Wilderness - Disney - Monday 1/17/2022

 

Welcome to Fort Wilderness campground at Disney. This is my second experience at this "people park run by a mouse." To know the real value of why I enjoy writing these journal entries in the form on a blog, visit and read my impressions six years ago, My Trip to Ft. Wilderness:  Part 1 and Part 2 during the winter of 2016. So long ago but so many great memories refreshed.

As everyone knows, Disney is a huge production, 25,000 acres huge of which 700 is Fort Wilderness. I arrived Sunday and got settled in the "Preferred Campsites" in the 200 Loop. I'm in site 204, Tony/Doreen in site 211 and Roberta, next door in site 205. We all will leave after our week here and return to Elite in Clermont. Mid afternoon we were honored for a few hours with a visit from Noreen/Jack over from Elite, about twenty miles away. Cousin Norma made the trip with daughter Cheri and husband from the Boca Raton and Boynton Beach, respectively for the week and are camped in the 700 loop at site 727 with their 37' 5th wheel.

799 campsites.  Mine, a long way from the entrance at the bottom of the map.

Tight quarters with not much "backyard" but clean, level and
adequate for my needs as I plan to spend most of my time at
the more spacious site 211 with others or visiting the Park with my free
two-day pass that came with my reservation. The ladies made the week's itinerary.

As there was so much to share, I decided to post highlights one day at a time. (You're welcome). For most descriptions, I've referenced other sites. I've taken the many photos, made their own pages with captions and linked them in RED or BLUE for the interested.

At the very beginning, I'd like to thank Tony/Doreen and Roberta for making the experience extra special. Being annual pass holders, frequent visitors since Disney's opening and in Doreen/Tony's case, DVC (Disney Vacation Club members), their knowledge of the ins and outs of planning, timing and accessing attractions was most impressive. If I wasn't a "guest" under Tony/Doreen's name, I was on Roberta's. With my Fort Wilderness reservation, I had two Day Passes to enter the park free. Most attractions gave notice of a minimum of a 60 to 90 minute wait. But with the iPhone app and the "Lightning Pass", we waited no more than three minutes to enter any of the attractions that follow.  This post is for Monday, January 17, 2022.

MONDAY AT Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow

Loading Roberta's disassembled scooter...
a must for a day at Disney.

It was a long day. After all, how many times to you get the opportunity...and the cost? It is staggering BUT when you learn that they spend $59 million/year of fireworks to make people ooh and ahh 365 days a year for 15 minutes in two theme parks or that it costs $5.5 million/day to keep it running, one can appreciate the bang you get for the buck. 

The "just in case" wheelchair for whoever needed it.

Yes, they came in handy AND were put to frequent use taking turns.

When I get old, I may look into getting one

For a look at all the photos with captions I took while at EPCOT, CLICK ON THIS LINK.

The attractions visited:

1. Soarin’ Around the World

When you enter the theater you are loaded onto rows of seats that swing up into position when the ride starts. Your legs are dangling high above the floor while looking out into a fully enveloping 80-foot IMAX digital projection screen as you take the tour. Locations in Soarin’ Around the World include The Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, Pyramids of Egypt, the Eiffel Tower, and an elephant-filled African savanna. Everything about this attraction is unbelievable. From the incredible visuals, moving musical score, and authentic smells in each location, it was a top-notch experience.

2. Spaceship Earth

One of the park’s best rides is located inside EPCOT’s iconic geodesic sphere, Spaceship Earth. This classic dark ride takes guests on a 15-minute journey through the evolution of communication throughout the history of humankind. Spaceship Earth is a slow-moving ride with elaborate show scenes populated with dozens of audio-animatronic figures. Some scenes include ancient Egypt and Rome, the moon landing, the Renaissance, and the Industrial Revolution.

3. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

In this 4D ride experience, we shrink in size and join Chef Remy on a daring culinary caper that will captivate all your senses as you zip, dash and scurry through the bustling kitchen, dining room and walls of Gusteau’s famous Paris restaurant. The projection and cinematography is outstanding. 

4. Frozen Ever After

You board a wooden Viking ship and sail through the fantastical world of "Frozen." Guess you have to see the movie to appreciate the story depicted through great animatronics and set designs.

5.  Living with the Land

The ride takes you on a journey to see experimental new horticulture techniques like hydroponics and aquaponics aimed at improving the relationship between humans and the land. The first part of the ride takes is more like a traditional dark ride, while the rest is a tour through EPCOT’s greenhouse where these techniques are being tested.

6. The American Adventure

Taking Disney's Imagineers five years to complete, this is a journey through history that unfolds America's history guided by Mark Twain and Benjamin Franklin. It has 35 audio-animatronic figure, digital rear-projection images on a 72-foot screen accompanied by patriotic songs.

And, as you would expect, the highlight of the day: Dining at Chef's de France. The link brings you the menu:

Soupe à l'oignon gratinée
French onion soup topped with Gruyere cheese

Boeuf Bourguignon, linguine
Braised beef in Cabernet, baby onions, carrots, pasta
accompanied by a 2019 Fleur des Templiers Malbec.
(Got three meals from that portion)

No dessert for me, thank you. But Tony enjoyed
the Tarte au chocolat Valrhone:
Chocolate tart, white chocolate mousse, cocoa coulis insert

The ladies enjoyed the vanilla cremé brulée

And so, over 10,000 steps and nine hours later, it was back to the campground. Tuesday's post will be short and sweet with the next trip to the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday. Before finishing, here's some Disney trivia you may not know:

1. Walt Disney named Mickey Mouse after Mickey Rooney whose mother he dated for some time. Walt Disney originally supplied the voice for Mickey Mouse.
2. Mickey Mouse is known as "Topolino" in Italy. He was the first nonhuman to win an Oscar. His birthday is November 18.
3. Mickey Mouse's ears are always turned to the front, no matter which direction his head is pointing.
4. Goofy has a wife, Mrs. Goofy, and one son Goofy Jr.
5. Donald Duck comics were banned in Finland because he doesn't wear pants.
6. Donald Duck's middle name is Fauntleroy. His sister is named Dumbella.
7. In Fantasia, the sorcerer's name is Yensid--Disney spelled backward.
8. Walt Disney's autograph bears no resemblance to the famous Disney logo.

See you soon.