OFFICIAL TRIP REPORT
TRAVEL DAY & FORT WILDERNESS
Our trip started off with a 7:30am departure from home! We were bright-eyed and bushy tailed since we were so excited for our journey! This was my first time leaving the baby for an extended period but I knew she was in good hands while I was gone!
I had packed the car the night before and created little travel bags for the girls. Prior to our trips, I like to pick up fun Disney-themed treats and activities to keep the girls busy in the car. I finds lots of great items in the dollar bin at Target. I also purchased a few items on sale from the
Disney Store. Some items serve double duty - like the water bottle was needed for school as well. Win-win! Wipes are a must for messy hands and spills!
A peek at a few of the items in their bags!
After about a 6.5 hours drive from Columbia, SC to Walt Disney World which included a few stops for potty breaks and lunch, THIS was a welcome sight!
We are HOME!
This was out first time staying at Pop Century. I chose it due to its reputation and affordable cost. I am a deluxe girl at heart but only if you really have time to enjoy the resort. This was a pretty short trip, plus I wanted to review this property for my own personal knowledge.
We had requested the 50's section and a lake view. I am pleased to announce that both requests were granted! It was a great location!
Our room was clean and efficient.
Since we hit a little traffic as we got into the Orlando area, we decided to UBER to Fort Wilderness. It can be a complicated area to travel to but UBER made it really fast and simple. We explored the Tri-Circle-D Ranch as we waited for the bus to Pioneer Hall to see the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue.
We arrived a few minutes prior to our 4pm dinner time. We were very excited to get a table right up front - great for category two! I hear that seating is assigned based on when you book the reservation - so booking earlier than later is better...however there really doesn't seem to be a bad seat in the house!
Beer and wine is included in the price of the show and I opted for a white wine sangria. It was sweet but refreshing. Love that it is served in a mason jar! The service is always top-notch at the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue. Our salads were served quickly. They were simple, fresh, and really yummy. The cornbread was buttery and moist. Worst word ever...but really...who likes a dry cornbread?
The meal is served family style and you get a lot of everything!
The cast was great and full of energy! I missed the red head from the first time that we saw the show! She is fantastic and full of spunk!
The Christmas-time show was slightly different than the traditional version. During the holiday season, they sing a few special Christmas songs and the stage and theatre is decorated with garland and light. This is a wonderful special touch.
They make a big spectacle of dessert - strawberry shortcake!
During the finale, they pass out washboards and spoons for the children to enjoy!
When we left the show, the sun had set! Pioneer Hall looked lovely trimmed in lights and garland.
After dinner, we took the bus to the other part of Fort Wilderness for Chip N' Dale's Campfire Singalong. This is a free event that I have been wanting to try for sometime now. They had cast members hosting bingo to pass the time before the show. The girls has fun playing!
Before the show, roaring fires were lit in the two firepits adjacent to the stage. As you can see, Christmas touches were everywhere! Love it all!
For $5, we purchased a marshmallow kit with sticks and large bag of marshmallows. You can also bring your own.
At 7pm, Chip and Dale arrived! Yay!!!
They made their way through the seated crowd. I would advise sitting up front to speed up the process.
After the campfire, we headed back on the bus to the Pioneer Hall area. Again, this was a quick trip and not troublesome at all.
The girls enjoyed exploring the grounds and playing on the playground as we waited for our special surprise - a sleigh ride around the campground!!!
I noticed that Crockett's Tavern was selling beer and such. This would have been a relaxing treat! Next time!
The sleigh ride was great! Our host was cheerful and while the weather was a little cool, the girls enjoyed every minute of the ride! The sleighs were beautiful - trimmed in greenery and lights. It was a dark night and the lighting does not do the pictures any justice!
This event was a little pricy - about $75 for a private ride. You can enjoy a much more affordable wagon ride for about $5 per person!
We received a limited edition pin as a souvenir for the ride.
After the sleigh ride, we headed to the dock at Fort Wilderness to take the boat to Magic Kingdom and then fetch the bus to Pop Century. This took a long time. In hindsight, another Hoop Dee Doo show had just gotten out and the line was long. It was also a pretty chilly night and the girls were getting cold and tired. We finally got on a boat and headed on our way. We also caught the Electric Water Pageant from the boat. That was a nice treat!
When we returned to the hotel and settled in for the night, I went to the lobby to get Bec Bec her magic band and grab our refillable mugs. One of the CMs was kind enough to grab me a splash of milk for my daughter in the refillable mug. Considering they didn't have to do that...it was a nice gesture!
One of my favorite shadow boxes from the lobby!
It was the perfect first night!
Up next...a holiday resort tour and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party!
super happy! 
. I think that your mantra that you are only as happy as the least happy member of your party is so smart and such an important thing to remember, definitely a key to having a good trip!
