Trip Report Cycling through Celebration, a cream cheese covered remote and the Closed Wallet Rebellion of 2016.

So last week we spent seven nights in a one-bedroom at Saratoga Springs Resort in the Congress Park section. We like Congress Park and have stayed in that section before. The walk over to Disney Springs is fun and since the new section just opened with several new shops and restaurants, we walked over several times during the week.
I think the first evening there is when I declared the wallet closed and decided to try to save a dollar or two this trip. What started it was sticker shock at some of the prices I was seeing.
But let's start at the beginning and I'll go into more detail later.
We got an early start and arrived to WDW via the 535 entrance to Hotel Plaza Blvd.:

 

[epcotisbest]

OK, after a nice evening of wandering around Disney Springs, we walked back over to SSR, spent a little time in the quiet pool and hot tub, then turned in because the next day will be a lot of bicycle riding.
Let's start out with a hearty hidden Mickey breakfast spread. Who needs Mickey Waffles and Tonga Toast anyway? (Actually I do but not this trip.)

This should fuel us for our ride:

 

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Energized by the big breakfast scramble with sausage, potatoes, peppers and onions thanks to Jimmy Dean, and scrambled eggs and toasted bagels with cream cheese and low-sugar strawberry preserves, we hop on the bikes and ride around SSR for a little while before heading over to the Treehouses and OKW:

 

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The ride back to SSR from OKW along the canal is very scenic and secluded. This is a great place to ride.

 

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We made our way back to SSR and rode over by the Carousel section:

 

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In looking over these photos, it occurred to me, in almost every photo I look constipated for some reason.

 

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Back to the room for lunch, a dip in the pool and relaxing with a book the rest of the day.

 

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How about today we take the bikes over to Fort Wilderness?

 

[MinnieM123]

O.k. I'll bite: just exactly what kind of bicycle is that, that you're riding? Looks like sort of a "chair" bicycle.

 

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See what I mean? That is the look of constipation for certain. Oh, you see that little piece of green carpet stuck in my bottle holder? While riding around the tree houses the day before, my water bottle did not fit well and it was flopping around. There were construction people doing some remodeling and a fellow was taking some carpet scraps out to his truck and I stopped and asked him if I could get a small piece to wedge in and keep the water bottle from rattling around. He actually got a kick outta this, carefully measured and cut a piece and put it in the holder. He liked the bike and asked about it and I offered to let him take it for a spin but he said he couldn't but was grateful for the offer.
So now I have a customized water bottle anti-rattle device made from new carpet, and a souvenir carpet scrap from the tree house villas.
I am betting when he got back inside he and his fellow co-workers had a good laugh about the crazy, constipated-looking tourist with the weird little bicycle and even weirder request for scraps.

 

[epcotisbest]

O.k. I'll bite: just exactly what kind of bicycle is that, that you're riding? Looks like sort of a "chair" bicycle.

Yeah, you could call it that I suppose. It does sit like a chair. It is a recumbent bicycle, kinda like a stationary recumbent, except this one has wheels. It is made for people to ride more comfortably who maybe are like me and have had back surgery and can no longer ride in the conventional, bent-over style of a typical bicycle. Or for someone who just likes comfort and fun.
This one is called a compact, long-wheelbase recumbent. I have another recumbent that is not compact and it is much longer: The compact model is easier to transport. The bikeE company went out of business several years ago so this model is no longer available, but the longer one is still made. It is by a company called Rans. I like the smaller one better but both are fun.
Here is what the Rans Stratus looks like:

 

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Fort Wilderness is a wonderful place to ride bicycles. We first took our bikes with us to WDW several years ago while staying at the Wilderness Lodge Villas, where we rode over to Fort Wilderness nearly every day. You can't ride from SSR to Fort Wilderness, but you can load up the bikes and take them over there and we did a couple of times this trip.
Besides fountain photos, I like reflections photos as well. Lots of canals and waterways to get some reflection pics at Fort Wilderness:

 

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Stopped in at the Meadows Trading Post and Settlement Trading Post:

 

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Down by the beach at Fort Wilderness:

 

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