Any regrets when moved from resort to campground?

[gardendame]

I am trying to convince the family that we could stay at Disney for much, much longer if we bring the camper down. We love our popup very much, but the kids (and DH) think "Disney" means "hotel."

I want to make a much longer trip before the oldest goes away to college in 2 years. Maybe stay 2 weeks, spend several days in the parks but also take in some of the "other" Orlando sights.

Will we regret popping up for two weeks? Anyone here move from onsight resort to campground and then wish they were in a hotel?????

 

[AuburnJen92]

I have NEVER, EVER, regretted going from hotel to RV. I like my home coming with me (and all my germs). We bought a popup a couple of weeks before my son was born in '03 and have traded up to a TT, then class A. Once they all get the camping bug, it is over. No more hotels for you!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

It more than likely that camping at Disney will make you love Disney even more!!! It would be a pretty safe bet that ya'll NEVER think "hotel" again once you've camped at Ft Wilderness....and spending a day or better yet, 2 days just hanging around the campground is highly suggested....have you read around this board pertaining to the dozens and dozens of activities and attractions thet the campground has to offer....its a vacation all on its own. Enjoy...and welcome to the camping boards!

 

[cruising spud]

We love camping. Our own food, bringing our dog, me doing the cleaning-not someone whose cleaning ability I might question.

Our RV feels like home. Now, that being said-I might feel different in a pop-up. Not sure if that would be big enough for me. While our RV is not huge (a smaller class c), it does give us more room than a pop-up would. And, our own bathroom is a big plus, too.

 

[4daubers]

I have 16 year old twins (boy and girl). They both love the fort. You definitely won't miss the hotels. Fort Wilderness is an experience all it's own. You can go visit and eat in all the hotels if you wish... and still come back to the magic of the fort and sleep in your own home away from home. Rent a golf cart...you can't do that in the hotels and that's a fort experience as well.

I think a pop up will work fine. Many tent camp as well and all enjoy their trips...it's that Disney magic at work no matter what you're camping in.

 

[stacktester]

You can have all the fancy schmancy hotels Disney offers and I would stay in my camper at FW first. Don't get me wrong, there are some beautiful resorts and when I was married I stayed in my fair share of them. I always told ex wife one day we're gonna stay at CR and we did. It wasn't what it was cracked up to be. I've stayed at the Yacht and Beach Clubs and not impressed either. I've also done All Stars and they were ok too. When you come back to FW, the day or night is just beginning. Hotels on or off property just have no character. No pun intended. During the holidays we ride in the cart or bikes to see the lights or go watch the fireworks or maybe visit another dis'er. You can't get that at a hotel. I do enjoy eating at the other resorts as we do just about each trip. Always make ADR's to Boma, Ohana, 1900 or something nice. I just don't wanna stay there that's all. I can have a tent on one side of me and a Prevost on the other and talk to either one of them and there's no feeling like they're better or less than you. I'm a pretty simple guy, so I guess that's why the fort impresses me so much.

 

[Gillian]

We have a pop up and have stayed at many of the Disney resorts from value to deluxe, as well as FW campground and cabins. I think it's worth trying the popup if it means you can go longer. It's a different experience than a hotel in many ways, but a good one. The non-park days are the ones you will treasure when you look back on that trip!

Now if we had a class A I doubt we'd ever stay in a hotel, but that isn't happening for a long time, and possibly never if we stay in New Jersey! It's too expensive here, but it's where our family is.

 

[CampingChristy]

My family camps in a pop up and I wouldn't be as excited about a resort as I am about camping for 7 nights at the Fort, we leave in a week from now!!!

The Fort will hold a lot of memories for you and your whole family!

We can all almost promise this!!

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

I have never regretted going from hotel to FW (we tent it). It's a totally different and wonderful experience. Now I do regret that we're staying at POFQ at the end of June, only because we're flying and cruising beforehand. I couldn't whittle down enough of our cruise clothes to make room for our camping gear. DH suggested if I leave 4 pairs of shoes behind, I could at least make room for the tent....that ain't gonna happen! Plus I'm probably doing DH a favor, I don't think he could handle the heat in the tent for that time of year

I guess the point I was trying to make before I went off on my wild little tangent...you won't regret going from hotel to FW, but you may find it difficult to go back to a hotel once you have experienced the Fort.

 

[LONE-STAR]

The only thing I have ever regeted was staying at pop and not at FW did it once never again. Other then that one time I have always stayed at The fort since 1979.

 

[auntie]

Kind of tough to say with teens..what you may think is a fabulous trip..could turn out to be a nightmare when you bring along teenagers that would rather be somewhere else or in a hotel. A long FW trip for me..would be a dream come true ...my younger two kids..probably not.
I'm gonna say it probably depends on the family. My kids are 16 and 20..and they wouldn't like the campground for their Disney trip. They think "hotel" or I should say Wilderness Lodge..when they think Disney. I on the other hand can't wait to go to FW this summer. My kids figure they camp all the time here(well, actually upstate NY)...they don't want to be in the trailer for Disney. Actually, my daughter(20) has now retired from camping. Now, mind you..I personally don't feel that way at all. I would like to be able to bring the trailer and spend three weeks at FW one day.
We are plaining to use TinaH's 5th wheel this August in FW..and are really looking forward to it. It's supposed to be a trip for the two of us..since I KNOW they don't want to camp in Fl. That being said, when it comes to Disney you never know who may change their mind when August rolls around.


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[Donna]

This is EXACTLY why i sold off 3/4 of my DVC points, I wanted an RV that would allow me to bring my dog and we could stay at disney alot longer. What you get is more disney for less money! How can you go wrong! Our Class C is 31 ft. and it's a nice size for us, we usually only have 3 plus the dog. I've never stayed in a pop up but they look cozy! After all the dirty hotel reports, airport hassles, it just doesn't seem worth it. Don't get me wrong, i still LOVE the DVC resorts and stay in them 1-2 times a year with friends or whatever (i always manage a boat ride over to the fort to get my fix, lol), but for our family, it's RVing at the fort for us!

 

[AlyLynn]

You should definitely try it. (How about surprise the kids with one of those "extra" trips you were talking about?) We were worried about our kids (we have 4) liking camping after staying in every type of resort Disney has to offer.
FW has always been our favorite, even before we bought our trailer last year.
We were really concerned about our oldest, who is a young teen, who we lovingly refer to as our "Princess" . She absolutely LOVES being in her own place, where she can take what she wants, can eat when she wants, without worrying about getting up and having to go somewhere to eat. We still eat out at least 1 meal a day! The biggest perk is all of the "friends" my kids have made at FW. We noticed it, too, but they brought it to our attention how friendly the kids and the families are at FW. The only thing I might recommend since you have teens, is possibly splitting your trip up if it's going to be long. For example, we are going for 20 days this summer, but we split it into 2 10 day trips. We are all excited! That's not always possible with the cost of gas, though. We paid $800 at Thanksgiving for gas, so now we just put the money aside!

 

[gardendame]

Wow! Thanks for all of the responses! I am gathering enough ammo to hopefully convince everyone.
The popup is mostly for sleeping and we are hardly inside when camping. For a longer trip, I would most definitely invest in either a screen room or an add-a-room (or both) to increase our living space. The popup is a 10 foot box (Coleman/Fleetwood Cheyenne). No bathroom, but lots of beds for everyone. And, of course, A/C!!

And, BigDaddyRog - I am also from Louisiana! Baton Rouge - right up the road!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Well how about THAT!!!!! We're neighbors I assume since you do alot of camping already that you have hit alot of the LA ST Parks?? We stay in the cabins(no RV) at the State parks and have a couple of favorites like Lake Fausse, and Lake Claiborne is probably our top #1 favorite in this state. When are you guys thinking of going to FtWilderness? This May trip we're planning will be my wife's FIRST EVER attempt at tent camping...she wont do it in the state parks, but she loved the Fort so much and felt so safe that I was able to convince her to to give tenting a try...THAT SAYS ALOT FOR Fort WILDERNESS.

 

[gardendame]

Haven't camped at any of the La. State Parks (katrina hit just after we bought the camper). BUT, we love the Mississippi State parks. Lake Lincoln is nice. Percy Quin is a little crowded (went there a lot as a kid).
Our favorite place, though, is a small campground near Bude, Mississippi (take 55 to 98?? and head toward Meadville). It is called Clear Springs Recreation area and is located in the Homochitto National Forest.
Only about 22 sites, no reservations, so need to get there on a Thursday. Nice and shaded, lots of property between sites. The sites are all terraced, so you can park on the top level, pitch the tent on the second level, picnic table, etc., on the third. Electric and water, $12 a night! No pool, but a nice swimming hole with decking built around it, roped off areas, etc. There are hiking trails and places to fish. I can send some photos if you like. DH likes it because his idea of camping is peace, quiet and solitude!

We did drive through Fountainbleu when they reopened the first portion of it. Looked like it used to be a beautiful place, with the huge oak trees, pool and Lake Ponchatrain. Do you know if the this has completed reopenned yet?

Sorry - got off topic! Don't know yet when we would be heading to the Fort. I have to plan everything around football season (Oldest plays for Redemptorist, and we always play well into playoff season). That means Thanksgiving is out. May is a possibility, as long as it can be fit in between the last day of school and the first day of weightlifting, etc., for football. Then, there are always the Christmas holidays, when season is over, but spring practice hasn't started yet.

See my dilemma? Trying to plan a "big" trip before he goes away to college, but only having a few times a year that we can go. The other two kids have schedules that are way more flexible - for now!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Christmas is a GREAT time to go.

Fountainbleu looks awfull...we drove through just last week to see the improvements...and they ARE doing some great work, especially on the lake, but the only camping loop open right now is just so.....I dunno, it's gross!!!

 

[bord1niowa]

We camped in a pop up at Ft Wilderness 2 years ago. Last summer we tried the All Star Music for 12 days. We visited the Fort while there last summer and Boy did we miss it! It's back to the Fort for us in June. We much prefer the Fort over the All Stars that we have been to anyway. It's so relaxing and just nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of the parks at the end of the day, or in the middle of the day for that matter.