FL -- Disney World, 30 Nov-10 Dec 2015

10 days camped at Disney World!

Why we came…

To be kids at Disney World and Universal Studios.  And to tour the Kennedy Space Center and Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge…

The campground…

Fort Wilderness Resort was nice, but like everything at Disney World, quite expensive.  Rates fluctuate based on seasonal demand.  We intentionally chose the lull between between Thanksgiving and Christmas because there are fewer people and the campground is a bit cheaper.  We were surprised at the high turnover.  During our 10 day stay, we had new neighbors about every other day.  Speaking of cost, we were fortunate to get military discounted 4-day tickets for Disney World and 3-day tickets for Universal Studios. 

We were also surprised at the passion some campers showed for Disney and Christmas!  There were many campsites adorned with lights and giant blow-up characters.  We wondered where they stored it all, but some of the huge motorhomes towed storage trailers for the purpose.  They also had golf carts decorated with a variety of Disney characters and Christmas stuff.  It was easy to get caught up in the joyous spirit!

The campsites varied in size and were priced accordingly.  We chose a lower end priced site and didn’t fit too well.  Due to trees and a narrow road, we struggled to back into our site.  It was paved and level, a couple feet wider than our trailer, and about 50 feet long.  Peace and quiet varied considerably based on neighbors and rambunctious children.  Disney’s nightly fireworks show kept us from going to bed until roughly 10pm (late for us) each night.  Cell phone signal was reliable 4G.  Our loop did not have wi-fi, but we were given cable and a modem that was fairly easy to set up and provided good internet service.  Satellite was nearly impossible from our site, and likely most sites, due to tall mature trees.  Every loop had well-maintained comfort stations with clean bathrooms and laundry facilities.  Doing laundry was expensive:  $6 a load!  There were a couple of small supply stores and places to eat within the huge campground plus horse stables, pools, dog parks, athletic fields, and walking trails. 

Getting around the campground and throughout Disney World was easy.  Depending where you are and where you want to go, just hop on a bus, train, or boat.  This results in the entire Park being accessible for meals, shows, shopping, or even going back to your room/campsite for a midday break.  A long day at Disney requires some stamina!  Expect to walk a bunch…we averaged 5-6 miles each day, and our days were short.

We enjoyed our time at Disney, but aren’t sure about a return trip.  We’d like to return to experience the many things we missed, but it was very costly and we struggled with the huge crowds and lines.

   

This motorhome was completely encircled with Disney & Christmas stuff.  (Where do they store it all?!?)

Many campsites were decorated like this

Adventures…

Disney World…

Magic Kingdom…

We caught the first ferry boat from the campground to the Magic Kingdom.  Only a couple of people were on it and it was an enjoyable ride across the lake with our first peak of the castle.  We docked at Magic Kingdom and immediately joined hordes of people headed into the Park.

We headed to Frontierland on the opposite side of the Park and jumped on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  It was a fun roller coaster that wound around Utah-like hoodoo formations.  We only did a few more rides and caught a couple of shows…Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor was our favorite. 

   

One of many shows done throughout the day  /  Are we in Utah or Florida?

   

Monsters Inc Laugh Floor was our favorite  /  The Magic Kingdom’s Main Street during the holidays

Animal Kingdom…

On our second day we caught the bus to Animal Kingdom.  Like other Disney Parks, Animal Kingdom is divided into sections.  We spent most of our time in “Africa” and it was really well done.  The stores, restaurants, workers’ attire, vegetation, and animals are authentic and gave us a feeling of being in another country.  We enjoyed “Kilimanjaro Safaris”, a ride around the African savannah.  We saw cheetahs, lions, hyenas, giraffes, and lots of other critters roaming around freely in their own large, authentic looking environments.  It was much more enjoyable than an ordinary zoo!  We also enjoyed the very extravagant “Festival of the Lion King” musical.  The performers, costumes, and elaborate props were impressive and entertaining.  Our favorite attraction was the 4D “It’s Tough to be a Bug!” show.  It was so entertaining and fun, we wished it would go and on.

   

About 15 parrots flew freely around the “Tree of Life”…it was cool!

   

Kilimanjaro Safaris  /  Waiting in line for “It’s Tough to be a Bug!”…our favorite at Animal Kingdom

“Festival of the Lion King” was impressive and entertaining

Disney’s Hollywood Studios…

We caught one of the first buses at 0815L to Hollywood Studios.  We headed straight to Toy Story Mania in an effort to beat the notoriously long lines (often 90 minutes or more).  It paid off…we only waited about 20 minutes!  The interactive ride was awesome.  We competed against each other to shoot carnival 3D targets for points.  We had so much fun that the ride seemed way too short…we wished it would have gone on and on.  We heard stories about kids that just do Toy Story Mania over and over all day long. 

We also watched two shows:  “Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular” and “Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show”.  Both were impressive and entertaining, especially the car stunts in Lights, Motors, Action…the drivers are crazy and very talented!

   

Toy Story Mania! was our favorite at Hollywood Studios /  The “Star Wars Launch Bay” showed a short movie and displayed movie props and drawings.  (Note the stroller parking…this was common around all Disney Parks.)

Lightning Macqueen chases Grem during the intense “Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show”

Indiana Jones swiping the stone from Raiders of the Lost Arc

Watch out Indy!

EPCOT…

Once again we grabbed an early bus and arrived 20 minutes before most of the Park opened and waited with many others for the gate to “Soarin’” to open.  The popular ride often has lines in excess of 90 minutes long.  The gate opened and the whole crowd raced forward, some younger people ran ahead, while most of us walked briskly.  It worked…we only waited about 10 minutes.  The ride was incredible!  We dangled from a big hang glider and “flew” across beautiful regions of California.  We banked right and left, tilted up and down, always with a gentle breeze across our faces…it seemed so realistic!  And like the other great rides, it seemed too short.  We could have soared for hours and wanted to hang glide or paraglide for real.

Our next stop was the “Seas with Nemo & Friends”.  It’s one of the best aquariums we’ve seen.  We spent over an hour checking out the exhibits and watching the numerous ocean critters.  “Turtle Talk with Crush” was especially entertaining and cute.  Crush interacts with the audience, tells jokes, and takes questions from the kids. 

We stopped at the many interactive exhibits.  Most were a letdown for us “big kids” and a few didn’t work.  It appeared that the “small kids” were having fun.

We enjoyed walking through the 11 countries:  Canada, United Kingdom, France, Morocco, Japan, America, Italy, Germany, China, Norway, and Mexico.  Each one was quite authentic with people from those countries dressed traditionally and putting on street shows.  China and Canada have excellent 360 degree films highlighting spectacular scenery and interesting aspects of their cultures.  We had an outstanding lunch in Morocco…one of the tastiest meals we’ve had in awhile!

We really enjoyed EPCOT.

       

“Soarin” was our favorite at EPCOT  / Bruce swallowed me!

Are we in Florida or Germany?!?

Universal Studios …

Where Disney has 3 or 4 thrill rides in each Park, Universal Studios is mostly thrill rides.  I really looked forward to experiencing the innovative attractions, but wasn’t able to.  Arleen did a few rides without me and really enjoyed the 4D “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem”.  Diagon Alley was an outstanding replica of Harry Potter’s world.  The back alleys and shops were fun to peruse.  I also liked all the very accessible characters:  Lucy, Betty Boop, Shaggy and Scooby, Transformers, the Blues Brothers, Minions, the Simpsons, etc.  We watched one show:  “Animal Actors on Location!”.  Birds, pigs, dogs, and cats showcased their intelligence with various tricks.  It was a cute show.

   

I’ve got the world in my hand!  /  One of the many street shows at Universal Studios

Beautiful morning.  See the Christmas Grover?

   

Lucy was my friend!  /  The Mystery Van.  Shaggy and Scooby are in the background.

   

Babe the pig will pick up the toy and put it in the box  /  Marley’s front right foot is placed perfectly on “the mark”

Diagon Alley

Unfortunately, I felt like poop most of our stay and we had to cancel the Kennedy Space Center and the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge.  We had 3-day tickets for Universal Studios and only went one day.  My senses were severely thrown off on the rides and 3D shows.  I was unable to do the more thrilling rides and often had to rest more than 30 minutes between rides to feel normal.  I really struggled with the swarms of people and loud kids, especially while feeling “trapped” in lengthy lines.  We missed a lot so this adventure might be a “do over”.

Next…

We spent 10 days exploring the southern Everglades and are now near Marathon in the middle Florida Keys.

Parting shots…

   

Yep, I’m the Grinch!  /  Santa’s sleigh or a golf cart?

(94,000)

SC, GA, FL -- Fort Jackson, Savannah, Fort Clinch, 17-30 Nov 2015

Why we came…

To visit friends in Sumter and Columbia SC.  And to explore historic Savannah GA and Fort Clinch FL.

The campgrounds…

We stayed at Fort Jackson SC 17-20 November. 

The campground is at Weston Lake which provides easy access to Columbia, Sumter, and Shaw Air Force Base.  Other than occasional distant cracks from Army weapons, it was very peaceful.  The RV sites were big, level, pavement pads with full hook-ups.  There was no wi-fi, but we had a decent cell phone signal.  Satellite would be tough from many of the sites due to mature trees.  The bathrooms were well maintained but we didn’t notice any laundry facilities.  We were very comfortable, and for just $18 a night, it was a great bargain!

Columbia and Sumter are busy towns, just 45 miles apart.  Due to our short stay and plans to visit friends, we did not explore them.  Besides, we’d rather spend our time in the peaceful woods anyway!

We were very comfortable at Fort Jackson SC

We stayed at Skidaway Island State Park GA 20-23 November. 

It was great!  We knew we were in a different world as we drove the entrance road through a tunnel of live oaks draped with Spanish moss.  We had reservations, but campsites are not assigned.  We drove carefully around the two-way, one-lane loops and selected our own site.  Some of the sites appeared to have been recently renovated with large gravel pads, but most of the sites were large uneven packed dirt.  Nearly all of the sites had water and electric.  There was a single dump station where on most mornings, RVs lined up to dispose of their gray and black water.  There was no wi-fi, but the cell phone signal was strong and reliable.  Satellite would be nearly impossible from most of the sites. 

We found a long, pull-through site wedged between trees.  We knew it would be a tight fit, but if we could make it work, it would be awesome.  We fit perfectly!  The trees behind us provided privacy from the loop road and our door opened to a cleared space surrounded by jungle.  Spanish moss draped the trees above us…it was unlike any place we had ever been! 

Savannah, population 144,352 and elevation 49 feet, is a pretty town steeped in interesting history.  It had most conveniences and services, but was a bit congested and busy.

Skidaway Island State Park GA is one of the coolest places we have ever camped!

We stayed at Fort Clinch State Park FL 23-30 November. 

The historic area is located at the northeast tip of Florida on Amelia Island.  The Atlantic ocean is to the east, Cumberland Sound to the North, and the Amelia River is to the west.  There are two small campgrounds:  Amelia River and Atlantic Beach.  The river campsites are tucked under big trees draped with Spanish moss.  The beach campsites are in the open, surrounded by small beach dunes, low brush, and grass. 

We made our reservations a year in advance and got the sweet spot, #9, by the boardwalk to the beach.  We could see the ocean from our windows and really enjoyed the great view.  The site was large, level, crushed gravel.  There was no wi-fi and cell phone was weak and unreliable.  Satellite worked well for us, and likely everyone else in the beach loop.  The campground hosts kept busy and did a wonderful job keeping everything clean and tidy.  We were happy to find the one clothes washer and one dryer.  There were multiple trails and options for hikes…great!  We wanted to kayak and maybe fish, but the winds were too strong during most of our stay.  We really enjoyed Fort Clinch State Park and would gladly go back.  Just be sure to make reservations well in advance because the place is very popular!

Fort Clinch is just north of Fernandina Beach, population 11,487 and elevation 25 feet.  It’s a quaint beach town.  Between the towns of Yulee, 13 miles west, and Fernandina Beach, there are plenty of stores and restaurants.

St Mary’s, Georgia is 10 miles as the crow flies, but 30 miles via road.  Most conveniences and services are there along with Naval Submarine Base, Kings Bay.

Jacksonville FL is 40 miles southwest.  We drove the outer edges and it was way too busy for us.

A sweet spot at Fort Clinch State Park FL

Adventures…

On 17 November we walked around the Fort Jackson campground…

We took a long walk down to Weston Lake and around the cabins. The large cabins look very comfortable and have decks overlooking the lake. Then we walked a few old roads partially around the lake.

The soil was very sandy. With the thick undergrowth, we kept an eye out for alligators and poisonous slithering things. As we walked back, we noticed signs on some of the trees. They signs warned people to stay back since the trees are nesting habitat for the endangered red cockaded woodpecker. We quietly backed away but kept our ears peeled for the telltale rat-a-tat sound of the lovely bird.

   

There are 10 beautiful rental cabins on the lake  /  Keep an eye out for the red cockaded woodpecker

On 18 November we toured the Weather Squadron and met friends at Shaw Air Force Base…

One of the Air force Weather centers is located on Shaw AFB which is near Sumter, South Carolina. Arleen had done temporary duty there but I had never visited this important center.

My friend, Scott, now retired, works there as a contractor and was willing to give us a tour. Scott and I had been stationed together twice in our 20 year careers.

On the outside of the building, we recognized our primary deployment weather observation equipment, the TMQ-53. Arleen hurried over to take a closer look. As we walked onto the work center floor, an old co-worker, Derek rushed over to give us hugs. We had not known that Derek was stationed there and it was a great surprise to see him! It was so good to hear the latest happy details of his life and we look forward to seeing him out on the road someday.

We took Scott to lunch and made plans to meet his family the next day.

       

My good friend, Scott  /  Playing with weather equipment  /  Friends with Derek since our Germany days

That afternoon we had a nice dinner and spent time with John and Barbara…

Arleen worked with John 30 years ago at Metropolitan Life in Columbia SC. John and his wife, Barbara, came over to visit with us in our tiny home and then took us out for a very nice dinner. I enjoyed meeting both of them and Arleen enjoyed catching up with them. We hope they will join us out on the road someday.

John and Barbara pointing to our new South Carolina sticker

On 19 November we visited Doug…

We both worked with Doug in Alaska and share a passion for the “Last Frontier”. Sadly, Doug and his family were directly impacted by the South Carolina floods in October. 

Over 20” of rain fell during a four day period putting the region above the 1,000 year flood level! The water backed up in Doug’s street due to poor drainage and they had 2-3 feet of water in their home.  He had the foresight to get furniture up on bricks in the house, but the vehicles, all the sheet rock, and floors in the home had to be replaced.

We drove to Sumter and picked up take-out from Simply Southern Bistro.  We headed to the house where Doug and his hard-working contractors took a needed break and scarfed down the scrumptious southern feast.  

There was more work to do, but the house was close to being livable again.  He was very excited since his family was on the verge of moving back in after being unsettled for six weeks.

It was good to catch up with him and see good things happening for him and his family after such a challenge. We missed seeing his wife, but hope that Doug and Janet can join us for a visit on the road next spring.

   

Doug pointing out the flood line on his home  /  Arleen and Doug…friends since our Alaska days

Dinner with Scott’s family…

Scott invited us to join him, his wife, Linda, and their beautiful daughters for a dinner at their home. It is always special to share a meal at somebody’s comfortable home. Scott and I had a great time going through pictures from 20 years ago and sharing memories with our wives. We had a wonderful time and look forward to seeing them again someday.

Scott, Linda, and their beautiful daughters

On 20 November we walked the trails around Skidaway Island State Park…

Nearly each day, we walked the old Big Ferry Historic Trail to an observation tower that overlooks the Skidaway Narrows. The very first day we spied a Great Egret stalking insects and anoles in the grassy marsh area.

On the way back, a flash caught our eye and we looked up to see a red bellied woodpecker working on an old tree. We also saw some Chicken of the Woods mushroom which is supposed to be a choice edible fungus. 

On another day, Arleen walked the Sand Piper, Avian, and Big Ferry trails. From the many interpretive signs, she learned about the evergreen Live Oak, the Red Cedar, the stately Magnolia, and the Cabbage Palm…some of the notable flora in the park. Along the northern edge of the park, she saw the earthworks that were built by slaves during the “War Between the States” as part of a defensive system against Union Troops moving up the river toward Savanna. She also saw remnants of an old liquor still that was operational during prohibition.  There is some neat stuff hidden under the beautiful forest canopy!

   

Hike route in Skidaway Island State Park  /  Red bellied woodpecker

       

Mushrooms growing on trees  /  Observation tower

   

Remnants of a liquor still

On 22 November we walked around Savannah…

On a Sunday morning, we drove into historic Savannah, parking at the visitor center which offers free spots on Sundays. We bought a self-guided tour book and headed down Liberty Street as suggested by the book.

Savannah was laid out in 1733 with picturesque, shady squares every few blocks. They offered the residents a place to lounge and gain some relief during the humid, hot summers. The tour visited several of the squares and pointed out notable homes along the way. There are over 2,200 homes in Savannah that are of historic note.

Some notable sites we saw along the way: Green-Meldrim House, “finest example of Gothic Revival architecture in North America”; Scottish Rite Temple, oldest operating drug store in the United States; Jones Street, “considered to be one of the most beautiful streets in the United States”; Temple Mickve Israel, only gothic style synagogue in the United States; Massie School, Georgia’s oldest school; the Jingle Bells Church, where musical director James Pierpont copyrighted the famous Christmas carol during his tenure there; Hamilton Turner Mansion, Walt Disney based his haunted house on the this home; and the Andrew Low House where Juliette Low founded the Girl Scouts Organization in the garage. Finally, we stopped at the St John the Baptist Cathedral to say a prayer and light a few candles.

The guide book suggested another walking tour that we didn’t do.  Among the highlights, sit on the same bench that Forrest Gump ate his chocolates.  There is always more to see and experience!

               

Hike route around Savannah GA  /  St John the Baptist Cathedral

A horse and buggy are a popular way to tour the historic city

A typical city square and monument in Savannah

The Green-Meldrim house and the Saint Johns Church

Spanish moss-draped oaks and a pretty fountain in Forsyth Park

   

Lighting candles at the beautiful St John the Baptist Cathedral

On 23 November we did our first walk along the beach at Fort Clinch State Park…

We had a short travel day, just 133 miles from Skidaway Island State Park GA to Fort Clinch State Park FL.  We arrived at Fort Clinch in the early afternoon, got set up, and eagerly headed out for a walk.

The two mile loop was great!  It was half on the park’s pleasant roads and half on the beach.  We kept our eyes open for turtles as alerted by signs, but didn’t see any.  Then we got to the beach/fishing pier parking area and checked out the informative bird exhibit.  We hopped on the boardwalk and walked out on the pier.  The wind was howling and the sea was rough.  We watched waves crash along the pier and rock jetty.  We also admired various birds and watched a woman battle a good-sized sting ray that had gobbled up her fishing bait.  We finished our loop walking along the beach, being constantly serenaded by the crash of waves. 

We had a very enjoyable walk and really liked our new “neighborhood”!

   

The fishing pier at Fort Clinch State Park is nearly a half mile long  /  We liked the bird exhibit

On 25 November we walked a five mile loop around Fort Clinch State Park…

It was time to check out the historic fort.  We followed our boardwalk out to the ocean and walked two miles along the beach to Fort Clinch.

Construction begin in 1847 on the fort named in honor of General Duncan Lamont Clinch, a respected officer who fought bravely in the Second Seminole War.  Construction was slow with most of it completed by 1867.  It was used by both Confederate and Union forces during the Civil War and then again during WWII for surveillance and communication. 

Fort Clinch is formidable and impressive.  It’s still well maintained and very interesting.  We walked into most of the buildings: jail, officer’s quarters, supply, kitchen, etc.  We walked along the walls and around the cannons.  It’s always great to submerse ourselves in history!

   

Hike route around Fort Clinch State Park  /  Fort Clinch

   

A brown pelican skims the rough sea  /  This osprey had a fish snack

Winds were 35mph with 4-6 foot high waves

Historic Fort Clinch

We dare you to invade the St Mary’s River and Cumberland Sound!

   

We were on alert, but didn’t see these critters

We had a good Thanksgiving meal at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay…

We like to have holiday meals at military dining facilities.  The food is decent, there’s a good variety, and it reminds of us of our 20+ years of military service.  Not to mention, someone else does all of the cooking and cleanup!

   

Thanksgiving meal at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay

We met some RV’ing friends…

We met Christian and Alayne in Wapiti WY the fall of 2014.  We did a great hike together in Yellowstone National Park and have kept in touch since.  At the time, they were fellow RV nomads, but decided later to settle in St Augustine FL.  

We met them for a nice meal in the town of Jacksonville Beach.  We shared stories for a couple of hours and laughed a lot.  We even did an over/under on when they will buy another RV and hit the road:  Arleen said 18 months and I said 24.  They are a pleasure to hang out with…we look forward to when our paths will cross again!

Christian, Alayne, Arleen, and me at Jacksonville Beach FL

Next…

We leave Disney World tomorrow, and we will spend 10 days exploring Flamingo Bay, Everglades National Park.  After that, we will spend a month in Marathon exploring the Florida Keys.

Parting shots…

Fellow snowbirds at a highway rest stop in southern Georgia

Our jungle front yard at Skidaway Island State Park

   

Now we have been to Georgia and Florida!

(93,300)