Every now and again, I venture away from my beloved mashed potatoes, which is go-to comfort food. Now, this recipe is about as southern as it gets, a suppertime staple of my Great-Aunt Eula who grew up on the tobacco farms of South Georgia. Its simplicity, with just five ingredients, is mighty deceiving. It wants for nothing more, and is another example of how we have overcomplicated our meals, at the expense of both time and money. Continue reading “Tillamook Buttered Suppertime Potatoes” →
Overall, 2019 was another grand one at the Fort. In spite of rising site prices and rapid change, the wild, free pioneer spirit remained. A few crackdowns on larger decorative structures didn’t put a damper on Halloween, and the new barn is being built right next to the old one (contrary to one rumor). Fort Wilderness remains my all-time favorite place to camp. Still, there’s a few things we wouldn’t mind vanishing with the winter winds. Continue reading “Seven Fort Wilderness Trends We’d Like to Leave Behind in 2020” →
So, yes many changes came to Disney’s Fort Wilderness this year, but its essential natural magic remained untouched. The circle of life brought the shuttering of Mickey’s Backyard BBQ, but the birth of a new Cinderella pony. Here’s a look at 33 tweets over the last year that sum up the enchantment, the worries, the crazy, and the joy. Continue reading “33 Tweets that Sum up a Wild 2019 at Disney’s Fort Wilderness” →
Okay, it’s really, really a laid-back place. So much that I seriously had to think and rethink my approach to this article. There’s been a bit of annoying buzz about going-straight-to-hell rulebreakers in a Facebook group or two lately, particularly from some wanna-be Fort police. The real Fort rangers are known to be super chill – often overlooking transgressions reported by some of the fussier campers. After all, it’s Disney World, a private property, and the magic would kind of disappear if you felt like someone was waiting to catch you doing something wrong. Continue reading “Rules and Norms at Fort Wilderness: Are You on Santa’s Naughty List?” →
As one with decades of experience accumulating and later discarding things I didn’t really need, I’ve spent quite a bit of time curating the perfect Disney camper list. These run the gamut of budget friendly to a little indulgent, but I’ve avoided sheer extravagance (brand new Airstreams and Disney annual passes, for example). Please note that I am an Amazon affiliate, and will earn a small commission on any Amazon items that you purchase through these links. This helps to slightly tame the expense of maintaining this site.
Since the movie, Pay it Forward (2000), inspired thousands to perform random acts of kindness, many have discovered the surprising bliss that comes from giving to strangers. With Fort Wilderness at its most crowded (and expensive) during the holidays, levels of impatience rise accordingly. Yet the most magical moments of the day at the campground are not always the appearance of Chip and Dale at the campfire. Or even the early morning, foggy boat ride to the Happiest Place on Earth. Rather it is the new friend we made at the tavern. The gentle man from New Jersey who helped us with our RV electrical short. Or the child who shared her Mickey float with our fussy kid at the Meadows. These are the people and the moments that stay forever etched in our hearts. Continue reading “12 Random Acts of Kindness for Holiday Magic at Fort Wilderness” →
Maybe you couldn’t snag that Trail’s End reservation (Fort Wilderness) or perhaps you just want your own Hallmark-style family meal without the toil. Going out to eat has become a pricey affair for this food holiday, with over-the-top buffets requiring $50 to $120 a head. And sure, these may come with shrimp ravioli, fresh oysters, and sweet potato tiramisu, but if you are like me, you are wanting turkey and dressing with the countrified fixings, along with a little pecan pie or banana pudding. Continue reading “Thanksgiving to Go-Go: Where to Order Down-Home Turkey Dinner in Orlando” →
My late father was a bit of a cowboy, and had been to the altar three times before he passed away at the age of 38. Now his second wife (my step-mother) was probably the kindest and most traditionally wonderful of the three wives. A school teacher. A Sunday school teacher. A beauty queen. A whole lot like Cinderella herself. Every Christmas she baked dozens of pecan pies, and hand delivered them to everyone she knew. She grew up among pecan orchards in Georgia, and had perfected the art. Yet, no one’s pies could ever measure up to hers. This drove the Third Wife particularly crazy – she was fiercely jealous of the Second Wife and had convinced herself that it that pecan pie that kept Cowboy Daddy looking back over his shoulder. Continue reading “Second Wife’s Southern Pecan Pie” →
Oh, how time brings such a rose-colored filter to days gone by. The further we get away from our younger days in the sun, the more the darker memories seem to fade. And such are our memories of those innocent-yet-wild times at Disney’s Fort Wilderness. One thing is certain – if you remember most of these, then you were there – and are one of the lucky. Continue reading “Timewarp: You Grew Up Camping at Fort Wilderness in the 70s if You Remember These” →
This is my slightly-adapted version of my great-aunt’s recipe for Mississippi Mud. We had it so many times at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground that we started calling it Marshmallow Marsh Cake. As you may remember, Marshmallow Marsh was a splendid evening event at the campground where guests paddled canoes to a spot on Bay Lake, roasted marshmallows, watched fireworks and sang old-time ditties. It disappeared some time in the 1980s, along with make-your-own pizza, the trams, and other favorites. Continue reading “70s Recipe Flashback: Marshmallow Marsh Cake” →
