RENDEZVOUS AT THE FORT - The Fort Wilderness DISMeet Trip Report October 2020

bama_ed

It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
Joined
Sep 23, 2004
Folks,

We're finally in the home stretch now that it's Labor Day and this long anticipated DISMeet at the Fort is about to take place. This DISMeet is focused around a group of campers from the DIS Camping Board who get together at the same place at the same time to ..... camp ..... while we enjoy the sites and sounds of the area plus each other's company. Camping DISMeets have sprung up regionally and are becoming annual events as they move around and flex with the mix of attendees at each event. DIS members have routinely said hello to each other during Fort camping trips during Halloween visits, Marathon events, spring break, or just a weekend stay and even had lunch together.

The idea of a DISMeet at Fort Wilderness is the culmination of this idea of meeting face to face in a relaxed setting while, let's face it, enjoying a vacation at Walt Disney World. The Fort is ground zero for us and despite rising campsite prices and the pressure of development around it, the Fort still holds its charm and offers one of the best camping experiences there is. It's been years in the discussion and talking phase and while the current pandemic and economic impacts from it have reduced our number of attendees and altered the current WDW experience, we're moving forward with our plans for those that can and will attend.

Speaking of those who can attend, below is the list that I have tried to keep current of who is going to be at the Fort and on what days as a part of our group. As you can see, we have some folks who will be there "in parallel" with us and who may be around from time to time. My apologies for mistakes, omissions, or general fat fingering I may have done while compiling this list - post corrections and I will update and repost the info here:

DISMeet Rollcall 090720 v9.PNG

This info is based on data provided by our hard working Travel Agent and posts I've read here on the Camping Board.

To wrap up this first post, I want to highlight another long-standing DIS tradition and that is the support that the DIS has shown to Give Kids The World, a central Florida charity with a long established record of giving vacations to families with critically ill children and offering them a happy time full of memories together.

https://www.gktw.org/

Pete Werner, the founder and owner of the DIS, has long advocated for GKTW and the DISMeets have traditionally had a focus of supporting this very worthwhile organization. In line with that, we have established a specific giving opportunity for our Camping DISMeet friends to particpate in (and I thank our poster @garneska for setting this up). Please consider making a donation to GKTW via this link:

The Camping DISMeet GKTW Donation Link <click here>

I've already made a donation and will be giving more between now and our event. You don't have to be listed in the group above or camping with us to donate - anyone reading this thread can make a donation of any amount to this very worthy cause.

Here is an interview a member of the DIS Podcast team, Deni Sunderly, did with Pam Landwirth of GKTW back in December of 2019 about GKTW and working with the DIS.


OKAY - LET'S DO THIS! :rockband: I AM READY TO RENDEZVOUS!

Bama Ed

PS - back to fixing/tinkering with things on the trailer and getting my decorations organized....
 
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2nd only because I'm spending my Labor day painting before I head to work. DW just suddenly decided the bedroom needed a new shade of grey.

As of right now its just DW and myself. If something changes, and I really hope it does, the DDs will attend. Won't be bringing golf cart, because if we have to leave girls home my mom will need golfcart for going back and forth and walking the dogs.

Okay, I do believe we had settled on Monday the 12th as the prime Dismeet day although we usually visit through the whole event. I have already offered to host and would like to keep that going. I won't have my usual cooking sidekick with me and Southalabama5er will be missed on this trip. Would like to get an idea of what we would like to do as far as food goes. Simple hamburger hotdogs, or something more...I was considering frying a turkey one evening at least.

Also, I believe someone mentioned cornholes, well coincidentally my BIL has been tinkering with some woodworking and is making us a set if I need to bring unless one of you was already planning on that.

Well, its almost here.
 
2nd only because I'm spending my Labor day painting before I head to work. DW just suddenly decided the bedroom needed a new shade of grey.

As of right now its just DW and myself. If something changes, and I really hope it does, the DDs will attend. Won't be bringing golf cart, because if we have to leave girls home my mom will need golfcart for going back and forth and walking the dogs.

Okay, I do believe we had settled on Monday the 12th as the prime Dismeet day although we usually visit through the whole event. I have already offered to host and would like to keep that going. I won't have my usual cooking sidekick with me and Southalabama5er will be missed on this trip. Would like to get an idea of what we would like to do as far as food goes. Simple hamburger hotdogs, or something more...I was considering frying a turkey one evening at least.

Also, I believe someone mentioned cornholes, well coincidentally my BIL has been tinkering with some woodworking and is making us a set if I need to bring unless one of you was already planning on that.

Well, its almost here.

We had set aside Monday for the dismeet, and well looks like evening will be free as the parks will close early. So we will most likely be wandering around in the evenings. And we will miss Southalabama5er, guess he needs to pay for that new truck.
We can bring down and prep some perogies once again, I can smoke up a whole pork loin or two before we come down, and even freeze it, quick and easy pork chops that way.
 


@tiggerdad and @PaHunter , both of those options sound delicious! Why don’t we potluck it, if one or both of you guys want to handle the main course and the rest of us can bring sides, finger foods, desert, plates/cups, etc. I can keep a running list of who’s bringing what in this post if you want me to help coordinate that.

Activities Placeholder
  • Main DISmeet/Potluck - Monday October 12 5:00PM (@tiggerdad site 1118):
    • @PaHunter - Pork loins
    • @tiggerdad - Burgers and dogs
    • @tigger92662 - Buffalo chicken & spinach dip/chips/salsa/etc and Brauts/mini Italian beef sandwiches & frozen margarita maker
    • @Disbug - Mashed potatoes/Cups/Plates/Etc
    • @Bishoparc - Queso/Meatballs/Cocktail Sausages/Diet Cokes
    • @himandher818 - Cookies/tea/ice
    • @Teamubr - Toasted Ravioli/Gooey Butter Cake
    • @garneska - Asparagus and green beans
    • @SwimSwamSwum - Sausage balls, tortellini salad, and brownies
    • @bama_ed Buns, condiments, some sort of desert cause Ed said some people can bring deserts
    • @Disneypeach Chocolate fun
  • Gem Mining at the Bike Barn - Wednesday October 14 10:00AM (can be moved if needed)
  • Campfire Night - Thursday October 15 7:00PM (BishopArc’s 1124)
    • We'll setup our firepit and anyone is welcome to drop by for smores. We'll also be making "Conk Coolers" from a DCL recipe
  • Mickey's Premium Bar Snack on the Trail's End Porch (aka Kickin it at the fort) - Date/Time TBD
  • Bag Toss - Monday 1:00P Site 1122(@tigger92662)
  • Monorail Crawl/Walk/Might be just Geyser Point - Day/Time TBD
    • We had discussed doing a stop at all the monorail resorts for a beverage, however, with transportation as it is and park hours, this may just end up being a visit to GP
 
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Or desserts, Arc. Some of us can bring desserts. :cake:

Tiggerdad, I don't want to put too much on you and any volunteers you can wrangle. If burgers and dogs are simple, let's go with that.

The main thing is let's set a time for this event based on if it will be a lunch event or dinner event. Sunset is about 7pm Eastern on Monday the 12th. But let's decide what we can cook, what everyone can bring to contribute, and timing works out best for the cooks and the rest of us. So we can tell people a more specific time and leave them the option for the rest of their day/night.

We probably need a headcount for the meal so lets hear from each site and I'll add that info to the site/name list in post #1.

Bama Ed
 
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@Bishoparc, please put me on the whiteboard as activities director for bag toss. As we decide between lunch or dinner, also people can provide grazing snacks as well. DW will be making buffalo chicken dip, and spinach dip as well as pasta salad ad a side. So that leaves, hmmm. Chips and salsa, guacamole, cheese sticks and any various assorted chips and, well pretty much anything that goes along with frozen margaritas/frozen napalm lemonade and what not
 


As @tiggerdad had posted, he has offered to host. I will be scoping out sites when I check in on 4th and will try to be next to him so as we have a 2 site spread for set up
 
We are at the Fort 9/30-10/10, premium site.....sad we’re missing out on the official meet up. But, will enjoy saying hi. We’ll have our lime green Mickey sign out 😊
 
Awesome! I would like to volunteer to bring baked beans and mashed potatoes! I can bring them in crock pots to make it easy to keep hot and serve. I will be there from Oct 12 (early!) to Friday, October 16! And for the record I added this trip to meet some of you folks....so I expect to be around, lol! Long time camper at Ft. Wilderness as well as member of the DIS...

P.S. Terrific news regarding GKTW village support. We had one of our most memorable trips ever with our youngest DD in 2017. If I had it to do over again, I would have opted to just stay at GKTW Village for our entire week. It was THAT good! :rolleyes1
 
We probably need a headcount for the meal so lets hear from each site and I'll add that info to the site/name list in post #1.
Ed,

There will be 4 of us and TeamUBR f/o will have 2 (June and Perry).

I'm coming in on the 8th now. I see the TA still had us in on the 3rd.

j
 
Well that was me who had you on the old dates, Teamubr. That was on me. I did update the list in post #1 with HC (Headcount) for those I knew or felt like I knew.

I want to share a teaser for our Rendezvous DISMeet. Like many of you, I have printed the DIS green sign with Camping Board info and my user name and put it out in front of my campsite wherever I camp (FW or other places). It is a conversation starter and honestly, if you don't have one (yet), you should. People love to stop and ask about camping at WDW and about the DIS Camping Board.

Our energetic poster, @Bishoparc, created the logo for our gathering in the past planning months and even shared a first run decal sheet with me when we camped together at Gulf State Park (AL) back in May 2020. The sticky decal looks GREAT on the green DIS Camping sign.

20200907_075456.jpg


I'll link the instructions to print the green sign if you don't have one yet. The sticker is like a ticket stub from the Super Bowl. Years from now LOTS of people will CLAIM to have attended the first DISMeet at Fort Wilderness. But Arc will give every real attendee a sticker and if you can produce that sticker, you're legit-you were really there.

Bama Ed

PS - here is the link to get the green DIS sign printed. The green Mickey head and Mustket Mickey logo are stock - you add the rest.

Follow the instructions in the linked thread in post #7<click here>

I got the 12x18 yard sign from VistaPrint. Wire stands can be found in most neighborhoods abandoned (yard sales, houses for sale/rent, political signs). Like I said, a sure conversation starter.

PPS - still need the headcount for how many folks by site will eat with us on Monday Oct 12th. Our cooks will tell us if it's dinner or lunch based on what they have to do. See the table in post #1 in the HC column - if it's empty, I need to hear from you.
 
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Just one from the tent section on Monday the 12th.... Thanks for the link to the sign, Ed!
 
Looking forward to meeting Dis members (within social distance guidelines, of course). Oct 5-11 is correct Ed, checkout on 12th for a wedding in SC. Countdown has begun!
Stork
 
Well that was me who had you on the old dates, Teamubr. That was on me. I did update the list in post #1 with HC (Headcount) for those I knew or felt like I knew.
No problem Ed. Our arrival date has changed quite a bit and I was having a hard time remembering.

The Rendezvous stickers look great. I can't wait to receive my official one. I already have a spot picked out for it.

I am exactly 30 days out from arrival. I was trying to remember if there was anything I had to do at 30 days, but I think I'm all set. I'm not on a "package" so nothing to pay off until closer to arrival. No FP+ this year and I have plenty of ADRs booked. Park reservations are set. Since the parks are all closing much earlier, I think I can plan out some evening activities. I already have Geyser Point visit(s), cornhole games, probably too many evening visits to Disney Springs (if I know DW and DS well- They can out shop anyone)

j
 
Morimoto ADR Opportunity

I have a 6pm ADR for Morimoto on Thursday October 8th that I included my DS and his friend on. They aren't flying in until later that evening. If anyone is interested in joining us, you are welcome to take their 2 spots. I have @tigger92662 already on my resi and I think Garneska has her own Morimoto resi for the same time. It will be a mini-Dis Dinner! :)

j
 
It of course will just be the two of us for the Dis Meet Dinner on Monday.
 

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