Is there somewhere online I can get more information about activities for November for the campground?
It comes out around the 1st of the month. Since we have campers there, they should see it/get it/share it soon. It is available on-line in some places a few days after that and gets posted if someone there doesn't do it first. No fee, no sign-up, just show up.
I won't know til check in (right) which site I have. Is it a long walk from the pop-up sites to the campfire area? I have tried to look on google earth, but only some parts are clear when you zoom in.
As the answer above said, 1500 is pretty close, 2000 a little further. If you are in 2000, pick up the Purple bus headed to the Settlement Bus Depot ("Purple Settlement") and get off at the 2nd stop for the Meadow Trading Post and loop 900/1000. Walk around behind the TP and it is across the pond. It is easily walkable this time of year from 2000 (and certainly from 1500).
If we want to do horseback rides can we drive over to there? Can off-property friends join us for a horseback ride? Do they pay a parking fee or do they park on our camp site (we only have one vehicle ourselves). Can they come with us to the campfire?
I suppose you can drive but you can take the Purple bus from the 2000 loop to the Outpost Bus Depot ("Purple Outpost") which is up by the check-in area where the horse ride corrals are or the yellow bus from 1500 loop ("Yellow Outpost") and get there also or just walk. It's about a half mile flat on sidewalks from either loop.
Your friends can join you. They can get into Fort Wilderness by driving up to the gate and telling the guard "I'm here to see the Smith family in site 2054" (or wherever you are) and he will verify that info and when it checks out, wave them in. They can park up in the front parking lot right away and meet you at the corral or drive back to your campsite and park there. There will be no charge either way. However, Tent sites (loops 1500 and 2000) are not very wide and IMO there is not room for two vehicles on them legitimately (somebody's wheels will be on the dirt - don't be "that guy"). So I would advise your guest to park in the lot close to where the check-in building/guard is and either you come up to the corral and meet them or they can take a "Purple Settlement" bus and get off at loop 2000 (if that's where you are) or "Yellow Settlement" if you are in 1500 and get off there. If they know your site number, they can find you. The bus driver can help them get off at the right stop if they ask him/her and say what loop you are in.
No worries. We were all newbies once too.
Bama Ed
PS - helpful Fort map (you get a copy at check-in).
Tent loops 1500/2000 circled in green. Bus lines run between the Outpost Bus Depot (Location B at bottom where horse ride corrals are [Location 3]) and Settlement Bus Depot at the top (Location A). Purple line runs on the left side through the cabin area and hits loop 2000. Orange line runs through cabins and down the middle along Fort Wilderness Trail. Yellow line runs out to the right and hits loop 1500 along Big Pine Drive.
Only update is since there is new resort construction at the edge of the lake at the top, the Purple line doesn't complete its journey as shown after loop 2000. Instead after loop 2000 stop it doubles back and follow the Orange line in either direction. 1500 is very walkable to the Meadow Trading Post, pool, and campfire/movie area. 2000 take the Purple Settlement bus to the bus stop shown between 900 and 1000 as I said (easiest way to tell you).
PPS - when I have had guests come to visit me at the Fort (my elderly parents) I would move my car from the campsite to the check-in parking lot the morning of their visit so there was space for them to drive down and park at my site to visit/chat/scope it out. Then you could all bus up to the horse ride and bus back. As your friends drive out, they could take you to the parking lot and drop you out to get your car to take back to the site. Just an option to consider.