Employees gathered for instructions, schedules, and a few Disney Dollars
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Disney cruise line buses transported us to Fort Wilderness Campground
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Rosa, Shawn, and Rosa's dad
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Rosa and her dad
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Rosa and me
This shot is the classic explanation of why you should never delete photos right from the camera that you think are bad. This was the first of two shots and I assumed this one was all blurry. Turns out, it does show the blur of camera shake, but the flash still kept us somewhat in focus, and I didn't really care for our expressions in the second shot—so this one is the better of the two!
Bus number 1 of 3
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Arrival
Three busloads of employees making their way to the Fort Wilderness pavilion.
Bluegrass serenade
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Bluegrass serenade
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Bluegrass serenade
The musicians that greeted us as we left the buses followed our group and continued their performance on stage.
Employee's kids loving the music
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All gathered at Fort Wilderness Campground picnic pavilion
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Matt and his younger daughter are feelin' the bluegrass, too
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Hula hoop games
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Mike and Dottie join in
Even our office's president and his wife know how to have a good time!
Hula hoop games
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Segmented chute game
A row of people rolled a plastic ball down chutes made from PVC pipe halves.
Segmented chute game
There were only about six or seven chute pieces. When one person finished rolling the ball into the next person's chute, they had to run a little ways down the line to give their chute to the next person who did not yet have one.
Segmented chute game
The goal was to get the ball past as many people as possible in 30 seconds.
Segmented chute game
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Segmented chute game
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Bean bag bucket toss
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Bean bag bucket toss
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Bean bag bucket toss
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Bean bag bucket toss
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Bean bag bucket toss
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More hula hoop hooey
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Marshmallow blow darts
This game was sort of a bust. They were supposed to blow mini marshmallows out a PVC contraption and knock over the bottles, but the marshmallows were sticking inside the pipes and coming out very weakly. The players were having to get so close to the bottles to hit them, it was the air blown out the pipes that were knocking over the bottles—not the marshmallows.
Time for illusions and comedy
After the games, Ed Leto entertained us. Here, he "eats" a balloon, sword-swallowing style.
Making a point, preacher-man style
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Still playing the preacher-man
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Combination juggling and impersonations
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Ed had some kids help a few of his magic tricks
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Ed is very skilled in the art of escaping a straightjacket
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Ed is very skilled in the art of escaping a straightjacket
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Ed even has chains placed over the straightjacket
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All this, and he can get out in under three minutes
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Free of the chains, love the face!
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Continuing the escape
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Is it agony, or is it acting?
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Just over a minute and he's already got his arms free
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All that remains is to unbuckle the straps in the rear
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And he's out in about two and a half minutes!
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Heron at Fort Wilderness Campground
After entertainment and a great lunch, a few of my friends went for a walk. Saw this heron across the water at Fort Wilderness Campground.
Rosa, Jeff, and I board a boat to head to the Contemporary Resort
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Contemporary Resort wall tile
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Inside Fort Wilderness Lodge
I didn't really realize it the first time I was in here, but it's pretty obvious that Disney fashioned this resort after the inside of Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn.
Totem pole carving inside Fort Wilderness Lodge
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Fort Wilderness Lodge geyser
A faux geyser that feeds a river which runs under the windows in the background, outside, down the entire length of the back property, past the swimming pool, and into the lagoon.
Fort Wilderness Lodge
Rosa and her dad pose on the bridge with another employee's wife—sorry, I don't remember who it was.
Fort Wilderness Lodge fireplace
They even have a similar stone fireplace.
Rosa, her dad, and Jeff outside Fort Wilderness Lodge (I'm behind the camera)
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Jeff and I swap places
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The bus ride back to the office—Matt's daughter with a big-ol lollipop
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