This past fall Frontier Airlines started running non stop flights from our home airport to our favorite airport, Orlando International (MCO.) The day they announced this flight option they also offered a special rate. We, of course, could not pass this up and booked a flight right away. It started as an adult only trip at a value resort, but after a few months thought we added flights for the kids and switched to a Deluxe suite that sleeps 5. Added bonus us that we were able to use our DVC points for the long weekend stay. It was the first flight for 2 of the kids and the first time we had flown as a family. This was also the first time we took a vacation as just a family- no other family or friends along and it couldn’t have come at a better time as the oldest will head off to college in fall.

Our original reservation was for POP Century, we did change that to Saratoga Springs Resort. But SSR still only slept 4. Thankfully our wait list came through and we were able to book a studio at Boulder Ridge. A few weeks later Magic Bands and Luggage Stickers arrived- we were all set.

This was our first time to Wilderness Lodge, other than dropping off other guests at the bus stop in November on our way to The Contemporary. It was a great choice!

The resort theme is based on the turn of the century Pacific Northwest. The design of the main building is spot on.  It definitely looks like an elaborate rustic cabin. In the main building you will find check in and concierge, DVC desk, 2 signature dining restaurants, a quick service restaurant, gift shop, and plenty of comfortable seating. It is also where deluxe rooms and Copper Creek DVC rooms are located.

Just outside the gift shop is the arcade and a covered path that will lead you to Boulder Ridge Villas, a DVC resort. Again the theming in the Boulder Ridge Building is perfect, with a large fireplace in the elaborate common area. The fitness center is also located at Boulder Ridge.

The resort has 2 large pools with hot tubs- we used the hot tub at the Boulder Ridge pool and were disappointed that it wasn’t hot- it was closer to the temperature of bath water. 

There are also Cabins on both ends of the property.  They are on the lake and have their own hot tubs. They have full kitchens and can sleep up to 8.

You can watch the Electric Water Pageant each night at 930 PM, right from one of the docks. There are bike rentals and lots of paths to walk, there is even one to Fort Wilderness.  Unfortunately current construction caused the path to be closed while we were there, otherwise this was on my list of things to do!

We did eat breakfast and dinner at Roaring Fork- the quick service. Both were good. We ate dinner outside on the patio (which had heat lamps to keep you warm on a cool January evening) and breakfast in our room. We did not eat at any of the other restaurants; Whispering Canyon, Artist Pointe or Geyser Pointe that are located on the property.

Wilderness Lodge is located on Bay Lake and a quick boat ride to Magic Kingdom. There is also bus transportation that will take you to the other 3 parks and Disney Springs.  Buses are shared with The Contemporary Resort/ Bay Lake Towers.

Most importantly was the room. Our family typically does not stay in a studio when it is all 5 of us. But since we were able to do this with only using a portion of our DVC points we figured we could make it work. The room had a queen bed, full size pull out couch and a single drop down bed. All three were plenty comfortable and it worked perfectly! There was a balcony, which I enjoyed my coffee on in the morning and wind down drink at night- and it’s always fun to people watch from a balcony. There was a small fridge, microwave and coffee pot. And we were able to get extra coffee as well so that we didn’t have to buy any. I am sure the resort was full but never felt the over crowdedness that you feel at a value resort.  It also wasn’t too large to walk from the room to the boat dock or to refill the soda mug each time you needed too. 

Overall it was perfect- theming, decor, and amenities all made this an excellent stay.  And yes, I would go back in a heartbeat.

first family skyliner ride

walking path from Hollywood Studios the Boardwalk for lunch

We just completed our third year of camping at Munising Tourist Park in Munising, MI.  It’s a 3 1/2 hour drive and we travel from CST to EST so we lose an hour on the way there.  Because of the long drive and how much we love this campground we go for a long weekend.  We try to get there at check in and try to leave just before check out.

This year we left at about 9 A.M. and caravanned with some friends. For the most part the drive is uneventful except as you are getting closer to Escanaba, MI where there always seems to be some sort of construction going on. M-35 is a two lane highway so any construction poses a problem.  This year it was at least a 15 minute stand still. You could see the worker with the stop sign but no cars were driving through.  Turns out they were “working” in both lanes which is not efficient for drive time.

When we arrived at the campground we were able to quickly check in.  The campground manager is always helpful and friendly.  This is not true of all staff, however.  There is one lady there that is not the nicest and likes to speed around in the golf cart in a huff.  Try to deal with the manager if possible.  The camp store is very small.  It has a few camping necessities like cords and some small snacks available.

There are a few different types of sites located right on the beach next to Lake Superior.  Both ends have full hook up back in sites.  They have gravel parking pads water and sewer and direct access to the beach.  There are a few large grassy sites and several smaller sites with dirt, gravel and sand in the middle.  They also have direct beach access and gorgeous lake and sunset views.  Tree coverage in the middle sites is minimal. I do recommend having extra electrical cords and hose.  The poles are located near the road and if you park in the ideal spot you may not be able to reach it with normal lengths.  The sites are bigger than you expect.   This was the 3rd different site we have had and they all seem pretty level.  All but the 6 middle sites are pretty close to each other with little to no separation so make friends with your neighbors!

All sites have fire pits and picnic tables as well.

On either end of the RV/Camper sites are tent sites.  Most of these are rustic.  The sites to the west are more secluded from each other but the ones to the east are more directly located on the beach itself.  The rustic tent sites are all walk to sites.  There are a couple tent sites on the east side that you can park directly at.

There are also sites not located on the beach.  They are all good size sites and have water and electric hook ups.  There is also a public beach and picnic area where you can access the Lake if you have one of these sites.

This is a no frills campground.  A very small playground- swings and a slide- is all you get.  But with the lake right there it is all you need.  You will NOT find yourself looking for a game room or craft time.  The kids will just want to walk down the beach and explore or swim in the ice cold water (even at the end of July) as you sit in your chair parked in the sand and wonder how they can brave it.

You can kayak or paddle board or bring the boat and go for a spin.  There are a lot of shops, tours, hiking trails and other beaches to check out in neighboring towns.  I highly recommend Miners Beach just east of Munising.  It is on the edge of the rock cliffs and absolutely amazing. We drove by a beach in Au Traine on the way home I want to check out next time, it is right on M-28 and looks beautiful.

Booking is crazy. You have to be on your game.  And it is online only for the first month.  Whatever day and time is designated (and the last 2 years it has been at midnight EST) you have to be ready.  Those great beach sites, for the prime and not so prime summer weekends, will be gone in minutes, maybe even seconds.  Honestly, this doesn’t surprise me.  For what you get it is super inexpensive, between $25-$40 per night, and totally worth staying up late to make sure you get your site booked!

There are 2 bathrooms which are both heated and clean.  I personally have not used the showers but have heard good things about them. The dump station is easy to get to and use.

Check in and check out time is noon.  The next person coming in will most likely be waiting there for you to leave.  But remember to enjoy your last morning!

We love camping by the water and Munising is a great place to do this.  But when packing one must remember that the weather in Munising can be fickle.  One day can be a cold rainy 55 degrees and the next a gorgeous sunny 72 that feels like 80 when there is no wind.  When the sun goes down you will typically need your pants and sweatshirts but this year was the first year that we had bad daytime weather and needed to pull out the stocking caps on the first night. Misty rain and high winds reminded us that we are happy we are from the north and most everyone had stocking caps in the cupboards of their campers.  We also did some improvisation and built a wind block while we braved the climate.  Regardless of the weather the company is what makes the trip and my family and friends always make them such a great time

We just completed our third year of camping at Munisng Tourist Park in Munising, MI.  It’s a 3 1/2 hour drive and we travel from CST to EST so we lose an hour on the way there.  Because of the long drive and how much we love this campground we go for a long weekend.  We try to get there at check in and try to leave just before check out.

This year we left at about 9 A.M. and caravanned with some friends. For the most part the drive is uneventful except as you are getting closer to Escanaba, MI where there always seems to be some sort of construction going on. M-35 is a two lane highway so any construction poses a problem.  This year it was at least a 15 minute stand still. You could see the worker with the stop sign but no cars were driving through.  Turns out they were “working” in both lanes which is not efficient for drive time.

When we arrived at the campground we were able to quickly check in.  The campground manager is always helpful and friendly.  This is not true of all staff, however.  There is one lady there that is not the nicest and likes to speed around in the golf cart in a huff.  Try to deal with the manager if possible.  The camp store is very small.  It has a few camping necessities likes cords and some small snacks available.

There are a few different types of sites located right on the beach next to Lake Superior.  Both ends have full hook up back in sites.  They have gravel parking pads water and sewer and direct access to the beach.  There are a few large grassy sites and several smaller sites with dirt, gravel and sand in the middle.  They also have direct beach access and gorgeous lake and sunset views.  Tree coverage in the middle sites is minimal. I do recommend having extra electrical cords and hose.  The poles are located near the road and if you park in the ideal spot you may not be able to reach it with normal lengths.  The sites are bigger than you expect.   This was the 3rd different site we have had and they all seem pretty level.  All but the 6 middle sites are pretty close to each with little to no separation so make friends with your neighbors!

All sites have fire pits and picnic tables as well.

On either end of the RV/Camper sites are tent sites.  Most of these are rustic.  The sites to the west are more secluded from each other but the ones to the east or more directly located on the beach itself.  The rustic tent sites are all walk to sites.  There are a couple tent sites on the east side that you can park directly at.

There are also sites not located on the beach.  They are all good size sites and have water and electric hook ups.  There is also a public beach and picnic area where you can access the Lake if you have one of these sites.

This is a no frills campground.  A very small playground- swings and a slide- is all you get.  But with the lake right there it is all you need.  You will NOT find yourself looking for a game room or craft time.  The kids will just want to walk down the beach and explore or swim in the ice cold water (even at the end of July) as you sit in your chair parked in the sand and wonder how they can brave it.

You can also kayak or paddle board or bring the boat and go for a spin.  There are also lots of shops, tours, hiking trails and other beaches to check out in neighboring towns.  I highly recommend Miners Beach just east of Munising.  It is on the edge of the rock cliffs and absolutely amazing. We also drove by a beach in Au Traine I want to check out next time, it is right on M-28 and looks beautiful.

Booking is crazy. You have to be on your game.  And it is online only for the first month.  Whatever day and time is designated (and the last 2 years it has been at midnight EST) you have to be ready.  Those great beach sites for the prime and not so prime summer weekends will be gone in minutes, maybe even seconds.  Honestly, this doesn’t surprise me.  For what you get it is super inexpensive, between $25-$40 per night, and totally worth staying up late to make sure you get your site booked!

There are 2 bathrooms which are both heated and clean.  I personally have not used the showers but have heard good things about them. The dump station is easy to get to and use.

Check in ad check out time is noon.  And the next person coming in will most likely be waiting there for you to leave.  But remember to enjoy your last morning!

We love camping by the water and Munising is a great place to do this.  But when packing one must remember that the weather in Munising can be fickle.  One day can be a cold rainy 55 degrees and the next a gorgeous sunny 72 that feels like 80 when there is no wind.  When the sun goes down you will typically need your pants and sweatshirts but this year was the first year that we had bad day time weather and to pull out the stocking caps the first night. Misty rain and high winds reminded us that we are happy we are from the north and most everyone had stocking caps in the cupboards of their campers.  We also did some improvisation and built a wind block while we braved the climate.  Regardless of the weather the company is what makes the trip and my family and friends always make them such a great time

We have lots of what we call Disney friends.  They love all things Disney, just like us.  And more often than not, when we tell them we are heading to Orlando they ask what hotel we are staying it.  Up to this year we have always said some off property resort and most could not understand why.  No transportation from resort to parks, no Disney dining plan, no booking fast passes at 60 days?  How can you do that?  Our answer has always been that there are some amazing accommodation options in Orlando. Many within a short drive to all things Disney.  We also have been able to get larger units with more amenities for cheaper rates than we could stay in a hotel room at Disney for.  Our family of 5 does not do hotel rooms well, so staying off property has always been ideal.

Then we bought an RV and this was the game changer.

The RV opened up the opportunity to stay at Fort Wilderness Campground. Some may think- but how can you go to Disney and camp?  Well, by staying in our RV we had the space we are accustomed to, we had cooking facilities, we had a patio, we had our own beds.

And there is also the cost- a premium site at Fort Wilderness cost half what a standard hotel room at an All Star Resort would have cost.  And we got so much more.

We got transportation.  Buses ran to all the theme parks and Disney Springs.  There was a bus line that ran through the campground that would drop you off at the outpost where you could then catch the bus to the parks or to Disney Springs. It would also take you from your loop to the swimming pools, trading posts, beach and restaurant area. (We rented a golf cart so we eliminated one bus ride and wait, and it was a ton of fun to drive around.). Bonus transportation was that Fort Wilderness is one of the resorts located on Bay Lake. These resorts all have boats that take you to Magic Kingdom and boats that take you to the other Bay Lake area resorts.  This, by far, was my favorite way to get places. I can honestly say that once I was at Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios I could not imagine taking the bus back to the resort and then back to the park.  Once we were there we stayed until we were ready to be done.  However, taking the boat back from Magic Kingdom was no big deal, and not having to take the boat or monorail to the transportation center and then the tram to the parking lot was awesome. I also think taking the monorail to Magic Kingdom from Epcot and then getting on the boat would have been fine- but we didn’t leave and return there either.  By the time we did leave we were done for the day.

We got a campfire.  Many of the resorts have nighttime movies.  But at Fort Wilderness we got a movie after a campfire sing along. Yes a good old sing along followed by the lighting of a large campfire that you could roast smores at. There was also a food truck at the campfire for food and beverage purchases that also sold smores kits (marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers, and sticks.)  And to add to all the fun each night includes a visit by Chip and Dale.  They sing and dance along with the crowd as well as taking pictures and signing autographs for those who want them.

We got the Backyard BBQ and Hoop D Do Revue. We ate at the Backyard BBQ and I would recommend it to everyone- even if you are not staying at Fort Wilderness.  BBQ buffet with a country style sing along with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Chip and Dale. I would also recommend spending the extra money to get the preferred seating. Not only do you get to sit at an assigned table closer to the dance floor and stage but you get to enter an hour earlier than the general seating. This extra hour allowed us to get all of our meet and greets done, eat ice cream, have a couple of drinks and fill our plates before the other guests came in. We did not attend the Hoop D Do Revue but I have heard great things about it.  Definitely plan on going someday.

We got to watch the fireworks from Magic Kingdom from the beach of the campground every night, with the music all piped into the speaker system at the beach.  We also got to watch the electric water pageant which travels Bay Lake. This was awesome and I went every night that I was able.  It was a short golf cart ride to the beach from the loop we were on so we could head down there last minute and watch the show.  Simple easy, free entertainment.

We got magic bands.  We bought magic bands when they first came out and used them for entrance to the parks and for fast passes.  But when you stay on property magic bands are so much more.  They act as a room key- which is not necessary at the campground but you do use them to open the gate when not entering the campground through the main entrance, to access the bathrooms during over night hours and to access the laundry rooms.  You are also able to connect a payment method to them and use them to make purchases and stores, restaurants, and snacks stands throughout the theme parks, resorts and Disney Springs.  Each band can be set up with and individual pin so all family members are able to use them.  This came in super handy when we weren’t with the kids and they needed an ice cream or smoothie.

We got horseback riding and Segway tours.  Another activity we were not able to take advantage of with our busy schedule but hope to do in the future.  There is horseback riding in the horse corral for young kids or a 45 minute horse back tour for older kids and adults.  There is also a Segway tour that you can take from the campground.

We got to drive around in golf carts.  They campground is quite large. Yes, I am sure one could walk it, but it would take awhile.  You can also walk to a bus stop at each loop and the bus will take you to all of the main locations within the campground.  We choose option 3.  We rented golf carts from Tee Time Rental (for a fraction of the cost that we could have rented them from Disney.). We did have to pick them up and return them ourselves but we saved a good chunk of change and it was a great convenience to be able to get where we needed to go on our schedule. There are parking areas all over the campgrounds for golf carts so there were no hassles at all.

We got fast passes at 60 days.  On site guests can book fast passes 60 days from your check in date.  Those that stay off property can only book 30 days from the day you plan to go to the park.  You can start booking at 7 am EST, which of course I did.  It amazed me how easy it was to get the fast passes we wanted with the extra 30 days.  We got everything we wanted at the times we wanted.  (After using them I did learn that I should not have booked first thing in the morning- 1. For parks that you have to take the bus too you may stress about getting there on time since you are at the mercy of the bus. 2. Lets be honest when you are staying on property your teenager is hoping to sleep in)

We got extra magic hours. We only used these once for Magic Kingdom.  We left the park for a few hours late afternoon, went back after dinner and stayed till they ended at 1 am.  It was a long night.  Even when you take a break it is hard to make it till 1 am.  But it was still cool to not have much of a wait for rides, to be there with a minimum amount of people, to hear the goodnight over the loud speakers and to say we were still there “the next morning.” We may have stayed into Epcot’s extra hours for a half hour or so-but only because the meet and greet line for Joy and Sadness did not move- so much so that we ended up getting out of it after a half hour (yes, we should have just took the trip to Arendelle.) Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom had morning extra hours- which wasn’t our thing so we just headed there after the parks had officially opened.

We didn’t have to find parking at Disney Springs.  This may not seem like a big deal with the parking ramps open now, but on a Fri. or Sat. night during spring break it can get pretty busy and we have had to park in overflow at the marketing building in the past.  Being able to take the bus there eliminates having to do this. And you get dropped off right by Town Center which is a plus.

We love staying at the Marriott Vacation Club properties, Harbor Lake, which we own at as well as several others we have tried.  But we definitely can understand why others prefer to stay on property after giving it a try.  Cost will always be a fact to us.  The more we save the more we can go.  Fort Wilderness is great for this.  It was reasonably priced and we got the accommodations we are used to (and no it did not really feel like camping.)

It’s been way to long since I have sat down and wrote about our adventures.  Did we stop going places?  Heck no. I  can’t imagine a life without spring break trips, weekends camping and summer road trips.  When I look back I can’t believe the last thing I wrote about was Memorial Day weekend.  We had some great trips last summer and fall that I can’t believe I didn’t write about.  No good excuses other than time just gets away from me.  With our Spring Break trip starting less than 50 days from now my goal for 2017 is to simply do better.

But in the mean time I will try to hit some of last year’s highlights since we had plenty of good times in the RV.

After Labor Day we headed to one of our favorite campgrounds- Pinegrove Campground in Shawano.  Back when we bought our first travel trailer we had a seasonal site there.  Since then the campground has grown.  They have updated the playground and store, as well as added a pool and inflatables. We had some rough weather after setting up but after that the weekend was great.

We had a site right across from the field and pool area, which was a great location. Everything was a short walk so the kids were able to do whatever they wanted.  Lots of time spent in the lake, the pool, playing mini golf and on the playground.  We were able to watch the movie Saturday, from our fire. We were also close enough to the store that the WiFi worked from our site- there is a small daily fee for this service but so worth it with a teenager.

Our other trip in June was to Cedar Point in Sandusky- but we will save that for it’s own story.

July took us to our annual Diederich family trip to Bear Lake Campground for the Iola Old War Car Show and Swap Meet. As always this was a great long weekend.  Lots of time was spent at the lake and hanging out on the pontoon boat (even if it was anchored), tubing, jet skiing, at the playground, playing cards, hanging out with family and relaxing around the bonfire.  But the best part of the weekend was our group dinner on Saturday night.  This year we did things a little different and made a Louisiana style shrimp boil.  It was so much fun eating straight off the picnic table and it tasted AMAZING!!

We ended the month with a farther journey to Munising, MI where we stayed at the Munising Tourist Park Campground.  This is one of my all time favorite campgrounds.  There are no bells and whistles at this campground.  The playground consists of 2 or 3 swings and an old rusty slide. BUT the sites we stayed on where right on Lake Superior.  We opened our door to a beautiful view and the sand was less than a 25 yard walk.  There was no better morning coffee than the ones we had in Munising right next to the water. It was a convenient spot to put the kayaks in (looking forward to having the paddle board there this summer) and had we had a boat it could have been docked right at our site. Sunsets were gorgeous.  The park is also just a few miles out of the quaint little town of Munising and a short drive to the famous Pictured Rocks.  We enjoyed being at the site so much we didn’t venture to either but look forward to visiting them in the future.

In Aug we went to Shawano Lake, another one of our favorites. We had to pull a pop up so the boat could come along. It was our second time here that year, and much different from the first.  There was no snow- although it rained most of Saturday and was pretty chilly for late August.  The snack bar was open since it was after Memorial Day- I love the snack bar.  Sunday was a beautiful day so by mid afternoon the lake was quite busy unlike in early May.  We took the boat out and the kids got to ski and tube, which is always a great time.  I was just happy sitting in the sand and enjoying a Margarita.  One of the nice things about Shawano Lake Campground is the late check out time, 3:00 PM, which allows you to fully enjoy Sunday on the lake.  Bonus when Saturday’s weather isn’t the best.

Labor Day Weekend we headed to Chute Pond.  Still not my favorite campground, but it is spent with some of my favorite people to camp with so that totally makes up for it.  Why not my favorite?  Long walk to the beach down an actual well-traveled road that runs through the campground.  An even longer walk to slippery rock. These walks can be stressful at times with the kids. The “beach” is a grass hill, although the lake is pretty decent- the kids had a blast on the paddle board all weekend. We bought it right before this trip so the were all pumped to use it. The site is also a pretty good walk to the flush toilets.  Thankfully we don’t have to worry about that.  The staff is not the friendliest.  But like I said it is a great group of people to camp with and therefor we are able to overlook all of this.

RE Camera

RE Camera

RE Camera

This year fall camping took us back to Bear Lake for a lakeview site, which was super cool. We went to Plymouth Rock Campground for Tough Mudder Weekend and to Quietwoods South for Halloween.

Friday and Saturday of the weekend at Plymouth Rock were cool and soggy.  Rained most of the time.  But Sunday was beautiful!  The kids and I hung out at the RV while Scott took part in the Tough Mudder.  We watched some movies and played some board games.  And I got to enjoy a bloody mary in the warm fall sun.

Our final weekend of the year was a Halloween theme weekend in mid October at Quietwoods South in Brussels, WI.  It was so much fun and will become an annual trip for us.  Saturday afternoon the campground had activities for the kids (young and old alike.)  We painted pumpkins, made caramel apples and took a wagon ride around the campground.  Then in the late afternoon there was trick or treating.  Majority of the sites (and the campground was full) had trick or treating set up for the kids and adults.  Kids dressed in their costumes and got lots of candy and parents that walked around with them were rewarded with jello shots, beers, mini bloody mary’s, and various other treats.  There was a haunted corn maze and a haunted house. Quietwoods also has a bar and snack bar with hot food at the camp store, which is always nice when there isn’t time to cook or you just want to grab a quick bite.

The weekend after this was one of the nicest late October weekends we have had in a long time.  We were very sad that we had other commitments and weren’t able to book a last-minute weekend.  We sadly winterized the RV and gave it a good wash before we parked it for the winter.

We have now started our repacking lists and are getting ready to bring our second home back out of storage.  Starting the countdown to our biggest adventure yet and the beginning of another great season.