MinnieMom Campground

dlwdwdvc, you are awesome! Thank you! One of the local libraries did a camping theme for their summer reading program this year. They invited us to come do a reading at their kick off. Looking at the picture, I'm fairly sure they had that country living cozy cottage!



In an optimization move, I decided to figure out how to make a digital score card for our mini golf instead of ordering bland paper scorecards that inevitably just get thrown away. While brainstorming with AI on how I can simply and cost effectively add some interactive story elements, I realized we will also have a disc golf course. It seems reasonable to use the same digital scoring for both.



Then inspiration hit! Now I'm chewing on what could be a much bigger, scalable idea.   I'm off to go talk to DH and see if this might be something he wants to take and run with for now.  

M2JRA - maybe. I really appreciate the devil's advocate approach. Thank you! More input is better!


I gave DH the elevator speech for my brainstorm on our week Sunday morning date. He has not given any feedback yet, but he looked very thoughtful. He did not immediately say no or begin pointing out the challenges and risks. From him, that's the equivalent of me jumping around shouting "yes, yes, let's do it!"

Here's the brainstorm - the comments on brilliance are from the AI. Two different AI models seem impressed with this concept, for whatever that might be worth.

Create a digital app to integrate across all activities at Standing Pines for a unique, immersive experience through a cohesive storytelling experience led by Rascal Racoon and friends. Each activity, from disc golf and mini golf to volleyball and hiking, will have its own module within the app. The modules will interact through a unified points system and digital passport. This approach encourages guests to engage in multiple activities, enhancing their overall experience and creating memorable, interactive adventures.


Potential Advantages:
-Increased engagement & guest experience
-Data insights (what's popular with the digital set)
-Share educational nature content easily
-Unique competitive advantage that builds on the Forest Friends theming
-Community building through shared challenges

Implementing this digital ecosystem at Standing Pines is an ambitious project, but one that holds significant potential to elevate the camping experience, drive engagement, and set a new standard in campground entertainment and education.




Over a year ago, our SBDC advisor Scott challenged me to find a way to create a virtual campground. I played with several ideas, but nothing that really caught me as a real possibility. Until this brainstorm! I can see ways we can build this out so there are ways to do some mini games anytime, anywhere. It's not quite the virtual campground game idea Scott suggested. But I think this idea can work.

And I think it's our next business. Once we open and stabilize Standing Pines, we can move from an initial trial for a fairly simple interface for golf games to a full app. If it catches on - and I think the potential is certainly there - I could create a new business for creating content to theme other parks and integrate into an app. This means I see a fairly short window when Standing Pines would be the first/only digitally integrated, themed campground. That's okay; as soon as I do it and it works, others will figure out how to do their own version of an app for their activities anyway.

What I think might be unique is my willingness to bet on my creativity. I don't think the simple idea of an app that shows what a campground can offer is anywhere near as compelling as a series of linked adventures driven by characters who share their own stories along the way.

But that's Blue Sky dreaming for now. This afternoon, I'm going to focus on getting next week's Forest Friends short story complete and building the prototype online scoring for the mini golf and disc golf.

Then tomorrow morning it's back to construction project management.


What do you think? Would you family enjoy having the option to play with a campground app that linked all the available activities through storytelling, essentially creating even more games to play together?

It's awesome to see the feedback! Different perspectives are very helpful. Thank you for commenting!


Also - wow, what a weekend. I'll admit that the announcement yesterday totally distracted me. I did not get this week's FF short finished; I'll do that this morning. I did start researching no-code/low-code app building last night. There may be a way to do the basic prototype I'm thinking for mini/disc golf scoring much more simply than I thought. Stay tuned!

I think there will always be a balance between the physical, hands on and the virtual. That's why all my books are available in both digital and paper formats. It's how I see this approach with creating an app as well. The virtual will be an overlay, a "plus-it" concept. No one will need the app to have a good time. Those who choose to use it will simply have another layer of possibilities to explore.

Construction management so far this morning:
(1) Approve a cost increase for pool construction. Sigh. No way around it; I've tried for months. It's not huge in the scope of the project but every dollar counts.
(2) Require GC/delegate to get prior building sub to pick up extra materials left in a mess. I requested that be picked up / cleaned up several times. Cleaning is clearly in contract as GC responsibility. This morning, new sub showed up to do work and that mess was in the way. I'm not okay putting the new crew at a higher risk working overhead because the last crew left a mess.
(3) Sewer sub is hard at work already on a Monday morning. Some issues with pipes and manholes; just typical construction details to manage.

Project management planned today/this week:
(1) Order two cabins. It's time. Just negotiating final price details.
(2) DH finishes interior of our custom cabin. Looking forward to showing that!
(3) Meetings with local government officials to give update on project. Mostly community relations and an ask for marketing assist, so positive stuff.
(4) Weekly video show update
(5) Reminder to artist new book illustrations were due last week.


Life/Family priority
(1) Arrange DD home school geometry tutor. I thought I had this arranged months ago; looks like it's going to fall apart and back to square 1.


Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it's back to work I go! Have a happy Monday everyone!

After a morning spent on pool permit issues, I had time to follow up with our preferred solution to the pond lining. I think I'm going to be ready to sign that contract next week, barring any last minute concerns from our civil engineer. He knows we are planning to line the pond and has already approved that, so while I sent him the data to review I do not expect any real hiccups.

On the fun side, I took another step towards ordering cabins! We are going with very simple dry cabins to open. I expect the feedback will be "we want bathrooms!" That's fine. Once we open and get a handle on revenue/occupancy/costs, additional cabins are already in the plans. This will get us open. And, at the relatively low price point, give an option for non-RV, non-tent camping families an easy way to try Standing Pines.


lancasterlogcabins.com/glamping-pods-one-roomers/#pod for more details. We are going with a light silver roof for the best heat reflection for hot SC summers.


I tried AI in my voice for the narration. It saved time, but I don't love it. The emotion is not quite right. Still - - time is valuable these days!

And somehow it's Friday again already! How does that happen so much faster every single week?

Good News Stuff:
Artist sent drafts for the illustrations for the chapter book / novel cover for the Forest Friends and the pencil sketch art for each of the chapters. Love these! I had some minor feedback and requests, but these should all be ready to go.
I think we have a name for the chapter book now. FF | NNNN or Forest Friends | New Noises, New Neighbors?
Sewer crew is going full speed and making excellent progress.
Good meetings with some local tourism leaders - hopefully leading to some mutually beneficial work in future.
Progress on pool permit. Fingers crossed for next week.
Good work on the pond lining solution. Should sign contract early next week. Faster timeline than anticipated.

I don't think we have any bad news to report this week. Some of the work scheduled for the end of the week at the Welcome Center didn't happen. I'll push GC to get that made up quickly next week. Our experiment with a potential local helper for Craig may or may not work out; still TBD.

We have family coming to visit this weekend, so I'm trying to get the content creation for next week knocked out this afternoon.

Thanks Eli's Nana! That's very kind and I appreciate it! We are having a good time. My brother's family is visiting. They are excited about Standing Pines. It's good to hear what's new in their lives and to have a new(ish) audience for what we are building with the campground.

I have something fun to share. I've been considering (planning) a book on building Standing Pines. I always thought this thread would have valuable insights, much like prior TRs lead to the three FL books. Today, it occurred to me that I could ask AI for help with this. So I cheerfully offered my brother's family thoughts on good places for dinner and offered to step back so they could have some good family time. They are off and I snuck back into my office (aka bunk bedroom of the RV, our current guest space) to work!

I asked perplexity AI for help summarizing this thread. It cannot do that, so I asked which AI tools can. ChatGPT can. So I aske perplexity to create a prompt. Here's the prompt:

Analyze and summarize the content of the web thread located at magicowners.com/thread/124/minniemom-campground. This thread, spanning 25 web pages, details the experience of creating a new campground since January 2023, as shared by a Disney fan. Please provide:
A comprehensive summary of the campground creation process.
Key milestones and challenges encountered.
Any unique insights or tips shared about campground development.
How the Disney fan community has engaged with this project.
The current status of the campground (as of the latest post).
Please structure the summary in a clear, chronological format, highlighting the most significant events and learnings from this extensive thread

And here's the response below! I think this is very cool. FWIW, I agree with the AI assessment. MO has been a fantastic support for me during the build process. Thank you so much for following, commenting and offering encouragement & suggestions as we've traveled this amazing journey together! Now, I'm going to take this learning about how AI can interact with live websites and use it to identify weaknesses/gaps in my current website(s) and help me fix them. This will save so much time I may actually get it done this month! I also have another potentially great time saving idea for AI. I'll play with it and come back to report out.


The "MinnieMom Campground" thread on MagicOwners.com details the journey of a Disney fan, "MinnieMom," in creating a new campground called Standing Pines. The project, which began in January 2023, has been a collaborative and community-driven effort, with numerous updates and discussions over its 25-page span.

### Campground Creation Process:
1. **Planning and Initial Steps**: The thread begins with excitement and initial planning stages, including securing land and developing a business plan. MinnieMom and her team engaged with local economic development officials to understand potential partnerships and financial assistance options【6†source】【7†source】.

2. **Design and Layout**: Key design elements included a detailed layout for amenities like a camp store, pool, and food services. Adjustments were made, such as converting office space into a window-based food service area, akin to the pizza window at Disney's Boardwalk, to enhance guest experiences and increase revenue【7†source】.

3. **Financial and Regulatory Challenges**: The project faced significant financial hurdles, including unexpected high bids due to inflation, supply chain issues, and labor shortages. Regulatory challenges also emerged, particularly concerning electrical designs, which required consultation with professional engineers to ensure compliance with local codes【7†source】.

### Key Milestones and Challenges:
- **Economic Development Engagement**: A pivotal meeting with a local economic development officer resulted in valuable insights and potential partnerships with local businesses, such as a nearby college and a peach orchard offering tours【7†source】.
- **Design and Engineering Issues**: The team had to navigate changes in design plans, especially concerning electrical systems, which delayed progress but were crucial for safety and compliance【7†source】.
- **Community Support and Involvement**: Throughout the thread, the MagicOwners community actively engaged with MinnieMom, offering support, suggestions, and encouragement. This community involvement provided both practical advice and moral support, which was crucial during challenging phases【6†source】【9†source】.

### Unique Insights and Tips:
- **Flexibility in Design**: The importance of being flexible with design plans was highlighted, especially when balancing budget constraints with desired amenities.
- **Local Partnerships**: Leveraging local businesses and resources can enhance guest experiences and provide additional revenue streams.
- **Navigating Regulatory Landscapes**: Early engagement with regulatory bodies and professionals can prevent costly delays and ensure compliance.

### Current Status:
As of the latest posts in July 2024, the campground project is nearing completion, with ongoing adjustments and final touches being made. The community remains supportive and engaged, eagerly anticipating the opening【8†source】【9†source】.

For those interested in the detailed journey, including the community's involvement and further developments, you can explore the full thread on [MagicOwners.com](https://magicowners.com/thread/124/minniemom-campground)【9†source】.