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View Full Version : News from David Koenig: say goodbye to Fort Wilderness...



AVP
06-13-2007, 12:28 PM
News from David Koening:



WDI is supposed to begin demolition of
Fort Wilderness tonight -- 3 days shy of its 51st birthday. Last
chance for us codgers to pay our final respects!

olegc
06-13-2007, 03:23 PM
well, like we said, nothing is confirmed until it actually happens. I guess the signs are good...

bloodnswash
06-13-2007, 05:01 PM
Sad......very sad :crying:

darph nader
06-13-2007, 05:51 PM
Hey,even Walt said DL will never be finished.

Of all the things I've lost,I miss my mind the most.

jcruise86
06-13-2007, 06:43 PM
News from David Koening:
You mean the same David Koenig who wrote one of the best Disney books ever written--(Mouse Tales about Disneyland) and whose next book about Walt Disney World should be out in October and might be available from the author himself at the NFFC on July 15 in Anaheim? You mean THAT David Koenig?!


Note: this shameless plug was solely the product of a David Koenig fan cursed with restraining-order caliber enthusiasm. DK had nothing to do with it!

Darkbeer
06-13-2007, 07:16 PM
Hey, we all make typos...

And trust me, I make more than my fair share.

gtpinoy
06-14-2007, 11:13 AM
Has anyone confirmed that this has started?

Burnt Toast
06-14-2007, 11:47 AM
Just got a text message this morning from someone in the know... the Fort is gone.

DangerMouse
06-14-2007, 11:48 AM
I'm off to buy flowers . . . :crying: ;) :p

DianeM
06-14-2007, 12:02 PM
It's been closed for so long, I'll hardly miss it. It was kind of sad going to the island and seeing the locked gates. They'd better replace it with something cool, though. I have fond memories of climbing the stairs in that fort.


Just got a text message this morning from someone in the know... the Fort is gone.

Darkbeer
06-14-2007, 12:38 PM
Most of the Fort is still standing, but some of it has been removed, basically one of the 4 Towers (turrents) and the back gate area.

Here is a set of photos from the first Columbia ride today (around 10:30 AM) showing the Fort.

http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/3003110

olegc
06-14-2007, 12:48 PM
It's been closed for so long, I'll hardly miss it. It was kind of sad going to the island and seeing the locked gates. They'd better replace it with something cool, though. I have fond memories of climbing the stairs in that fort.

umm - according to uncomfirmed but reliable reports on multiple sites - the new structure will be used for cast member changing areas, breaks, and such (for fantasmic and the pirate show). nothing "cool" for the public (except the cool water running in the restrooms)...

Burnt Toast
06-14-2007, 12:49 PM
It's supposed to be over the next three more days... so I guess they have a little bit of time to get the rest of it.

... but yah, I remember the Fort as a kid and I worked in the Fort Wilderness Canteen for a bunch of shifts when I worked in Foods... I'll miss that place. I just don't have cool stories of working on the Island and the Fort like some folks that I know that worked Security and stuff on the island.

jcruise86
06-14-2007, 12:51 PM
Hey, we all make typos...

And trust me, I make more than my fair share.
Me too, which makes me a hypocrite. :eek:
At first I didn't realize that David's name was spelled incorrectly, but the main purpose of my post was to promote his book. I forgot what it's called, so having the correct spelling of the author's name might help someone looking for it.

While we're on the subject of Fort Wilderness, wasn't it caveless while its WDW counterpart had the entrance/exit to a tunnel? Hasn't WDW's larger (if I remember correctly) TS Island always had more cave space than Disneyland's TS Island? Is the WDW TS Island getting an extreme makeover too? If not, how can we get "Mr. 'It's good enough'" Jay R. fired? :~D

darph nader
06-14-2007, 06:26 PM
I'm off to buy flowers . . . :crying: ;) :p

(note to self,set up flower stand at/near DL.):cool:

West Covina Dave
06-14-2007, 11:09 PM
While we're on the subject of Fort Wilderness, wasn't it caveless while its WDW counterpart had the entrance/exit to a tunnel? Hasn't WDW's larger (if I remember correctly) TS Island always had more cave space than Disneyland's TS Island? Is the WDW TS Island getting an extreme makeover too? If not, how can we get "Mr. 'It's good enough'" Jay R. fired? :~D

There did used to be a tunnel out of the fort on TS Island at Disneyland. Years ago (maybe before 1980? or even earlier) there was a tunnel exit. I think it was labeled something like "Escape Tunnel" and I think the sign also said that it was for use during Indian attack, or something like that. The entrance was right next to the north gate in the fort and it connected to those tunnels that are east of the fort that don't really go anywhere (they used to go into the fort).