Bonuses of Camping at Fort Wilderness?

[TheRustyScupper]

As we've gotten older, the ground has gotten harder!

AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH ?!?!?!?!?!

 

[RegisterDisneyFreakz]

My Home away from Home, in the most Magical Place!! Can't wait, next trip Memorial Weekend!

 

[Westcoastwild]

We usually camp at state parks and occasionally national parks. We used to be tent campers but age really made me switch over to a hybrid trailer. I still get to sleep under canvas but i am off the ground. We love the outdoors and have camped all over the country. When we first got a trailer we tried camping at resort places and realized they weren't for us. The Fort though is totally different. It has all the amenities of a resort but it still feels peaceful. It's hard to explain, honestly we've never been someplace like this. And honestly we could stay cheaper at a value but it certainly isn't as comfortable or as beautiful or as convenient.

I think the best way to put it is that it has the amenities of the best RV parks, but the privacy and landscaping of the best state parks. I thought the price was crazy, and I only did it initially because the value resorts were more than twice the price.

BUT. The bathrooms are super nice. The pools and food options rival or surpass other resorts. It has a bar (really, who can dislike that?) It DOESN'T have large teen groups like the Brazilians or sports teams. Campers generally are prepared to be more friendly and thoughtful too- they camp usually because they like camping and not because of the money. People at value resorts are usually there because it's the cheapest option and they are often less than satisfied with it. People camp at FW because they love it. Makes a difference. And finally, it has both the ferry and the buses. It's more a moderate option to me, amenity wise, but at a lower rate than the values.

 

[tiggerdad]

I think the best way to put it is that it has the amenities of the best RV parks, but the privacy and landscaping of the best state parks. I thought the price was crazy, and I only did it initially because the value resorts were more than twice the price.

BUT. The bathrooms are super nice. The pools and food options rival or surpass other resorts. It has a bar (really, who can dislike that?) It DOESN'T have large teen groups like the Brazilians or sports teams. Campers generally are prepared to be more friendly and thoughtful too- they camp usually because they like camping and not because of the money. People at value resorts are usually there because it's the cheapest option and they are often less than satisfied with it. People camp at FW because they love it. Makes a difference. And finally, it has both the ferry and the buses. It's more a moderate option to me, amenity wise, but at a lower rate than the values.

Well said

 

[Bb3300]

This for one
I don't have to put my tv remote in a plastic bag and worry about germs
I don't have to Lysol everything down after I get there
I can walk on the carpet WITHOUT shoes or socks
It's MY butt groove on the recliner
I don't have to worry about sneaking in my crock pot for food
I don't have to change sheets and pillowcases and worry about bed bugs
I can leave my cooler outside the door
I can bring enough booze to serve a loop (and the Margarita Maker)
I can bring my own food from home. (We buy meat "on the hoof" from a feeder I work for, so much different than grocery store meat)
I can sit outside at night and hear nothing.
Our last trip down in Dec 2014, we have a Treager portable grill, brought our own Prime rib, so cooked prime rib one night at the fort. Yeh, we rough it.
At times you have to look at more things than price.

Great Advice!!!

 

[topiney]

Very simply for my husband, it converted him from going to Disney because everyone else wanted to go to going and thoroughly enjoying the experience. In fact it was his suggestion that we return again this year. He also tell other campers that we meet that he doesn't think he will ever be at a campground as nice as Fort Wilderness. We had very nice neighbors on either side of us who made the trip very nice.

 

[harriettbrawner]

My husband and I bought our first hybrid trailer in January and did our shakedown trip at FW earlier this month. It was our first time camping at FW and we are in love! I have 3 more trips booked before the end of this year......we're among the very blessed who live close by. Even though the cost is more than the cheaper hotels, you get your money's worth at the Fort.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

My husband and I bought our first hybrid trailer in January and did our shakedown trip at FW earlier this month.

1) What a shame.
2) The Fort should not have been your first experience.
3) It will ruin you for most other campgrounds!
4) It is VERY tough to match or beat The Fort.
5) However, at least we know you will be coming back.
6) We'll keep a light on for you.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

1) What a shame.
2) The Fort should not have been your first experience.
3) It will ruin you for most other campgrounds!
4) It is VERY tough to match or beat The Fort.
5) However, at least we know you will be coming back.
6) We'll keep a light on for you.

nice to see you back Rusty

 

[TheRustyScupper]

nice to see you back Rusty

1) Thanks.
2) However, since I am confined to a wheelchair, you can only see my front.

 

[Marbel]

Stayed at the Fort in July 2015 for 2 magical weeks. Since then, I have stayed at Pop and more recently off site. A few weeks ago on our MK day, we visited the Fort for dinner. I could have cried I missed it so much. Must. Go. Back!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

visited the Fort for dinner. I could have cried I missed it so much.

We hear that A LOT !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FtW Mike]

1) What a shame.
2) The Fort should not have been your first experience.
3) It will ruin you for most other campgrounds!
4) It is VERY tough to match or beat The Fort.
5) However, at least we know you will be coming back.
6) We'll keep a light on for you.

Agree with your assessment for new camper But I must say Unless they sold The Fort to Motel 6 chain Tom Bodette has that job pretty well sealed up

 

[Betty Rohrer]

1) Thanks.
2) However, since I am confined to a wheelchair, you can only see my front.

still nice to see you back posting. good luck with your recovery

 

[Beth from Tennessee]

We have stayed at Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside, Art of Animation, All Star Movies, Pop Century and of course the Fort (but we are tent campers, wish we had a camper but I am just too cheap). The Fort is the only resort we really look forward to staying at (and have a week and a half coming in November). The price was the original motivation, but we soon found that it was the feeling and vibe that keeps us coming back. It is hard to explain until you have experienced it, but when you leave a crowded Magic Kingdom, get to ride a boat back to the fort, and then walk through a silent peaceful area to your tent it is just so relaxing and decompressing. It allows us to have a more relaxing trip on the whole when we stay at the Fort. I also agree with what others have said that the people are simply the friendliest at the fort.

 

[Sabathamk]

I have never been to the Fort... the price has always put me off because camping for us... well... I cannot do a tent (we are a family of 6 with one on the way...), our farm had a 5th wheel but sold it due to the inability to haul it (our family wouldn't camp anymore due to needing to drive with the truck to haul the trailer AND the van to haul the kids, & my inlaws who bought it couldn't physically camp anymore (sadly. Both had surgeries recently and they were unable to set it up or take it down and would require my husband to drive out separately to do it for them)). Our tent is... ahem... one that sleeps 4. We're from Canada as well. I love camping so much, but it has now been almost 7 years since our last camping trip (I could cry. I suppose I could have gone camping in between, but it would have been alone with all the kids by myself and I just can't bring myself to do so). Reading this is making me want to go camping again. Is there a way to rent a camper that our van could pull with a ball hitch that would sleep 6? Although, that kind of negates some of the benefits for me (I miss our old camper). I love the ability to be out in the trees, walking through rustic paths, firesides... sigh.

The $140Cdn price tag is still very off-putting!

 

[bama_ed]

IReading this is making me want to go camping again. Is there a way to rent a camper that our van could pull with a ball hitch that would sleep 6? Although, that kind of negates some of the benefits for me (I miss our old camper). I love the ability to be out in the trees, walking through rustic paths, firesides... sigh.

The $140Cdn price tag is still very off-putting!

Hi Sabathamk, thanks for asking this.

There used to be a vendor that rented popups (which was cheaper than the travel trailer rentals) but they closed up over a year ago. Camping at the Fort is not a financial decision (the cost of a campsite versus other on-property options) but instead one of the quality of a vacation.

If you want to relax and enjoy a vacation, the Fort is it.

If you want to cook and eat meals in rather than being forced to pay out EVERY blessed meal for Counter Service or Table Service (or Buffets), the Fort is it. (People often overlook being able to eat affordably at the Fort - I like it because I can choose to eat healthy as well as affordably).

If you would enjoy possibly meeting your neighbors or other campers and can relate to the personal touch, the Fort is it.

Given the number of people in your party, you could get an AoA suite or two Values which can get pricey (you didn't mention what time of year you're traveling) and the FX (Foreign eXchange) rates can get out of hand once you add in multiple rooms, table/counter service every meal, and the like.

My suggestion would be to use your tent and rent a trailer on a Fort site. Some mix of kids and you could camp in the tent (since you're the tent fan). Or the kids could tent outside if they are mature enough.

The Fort has expensive campsites but given your Disney alternative for two rooms or a house off-site, when you include the Food/Meal cost efficiencies plus parking fees it's not bad. And then there is that quality of vacation equation side of it.

We've heard your concerns in the past. And honestly, for folks that want to be in the parks every day, the Fort is not a good fit. If you choose to stay elsewhere, come over for an afternoon and do a sales job on your family: let the kids play on the playground. Get a 8 piece fried chicken dinner with fixings (not drinks) for $30. Come to the Chip & Dale Campfire Singalong, roast some marshmallows, get pictures made with C&D, and stay for the movie (schedule stickied on the Camping Board each month).

Then the family will be asking to stay at the Fort.

Bama Ed

 

[peg110]

I have never been to the Fort... the price has always put me off because camping for us... well... I cannot do a tent (we are a family of 6 with one on the way...), our farm had a 5th wheel but sold it due to the inability to haul it (our family wouldn't camp anymore due to needing to drive with the truck to haul the trailer AND the van to haul the kids, & my inlaws who bought it couldn't physically camp anymore (sadly. Both had surgeries recently and they were unable to set it up or take it down and would require my husband to drive out separately to do it for them)). Our tent is... ahem... one that sleeps 4. We're from Canada as well. I love camping so much, but it has now been almost 7 years since our last camping trip (I could cry. I suppose I could have gone camping in between, but it would have been alone with all the kids by myself and I just can't bring myself to do so). Reading this is making me want to go camping again. Is there a way to rent a camper that our van could pull with a ball hitch that would sleep 6? Although, that kind of negates some of the benefits for me (I miss our old camper). I love the ability to be out in the trees, walking through rustic paths, firesides... sigh.

The $140Cdn price tag is still very off-putting!

So there are LOTS of rental companies out there. Do they rent Smaller Travel Trailers/Pop-ups that could be towed by a Van? I don't know.... But there are certainly lots of campers that are capable of being towed by a van. The question is... What kind of van and what are it's towing capacities. Growing up, we had a basic pop-up that my parents towed with a station wagon with 4 of us kids. The camper and the station wagon were loaded to the roof and it towed fine. The Pop-up could sleep 6 comfortably (ours was No frills. No electric, water, sewer, stove, fridge, etc.. Just beds and in the center was a table that would collapse down to a bed.)

Today you get pretty lightweight "Hybrids" that are fairly roomy and can sleep upwards of 10 people. Again, can you rent them? I don't know...

Alternatively, you could "Rent" one already at the fort (instead of "Towing" it the whole way). Lots of folks do it and are very pleased with that as well.

 

[Sabathamk]

We've heard your concerns in the past. And honestly, for folks that want to be in the parks every day, the Fort is not a good fit. If you choose to stay elsewhere, come over for an afternoon and do a sales job on your family: let the kids play on the playground. Get a 8 piece fried chicken dinner with fixings (not drinks) for $30. Come to the Chip & Dale Campfire Singalong, roast some marshmallows, get pictures made with C&D, and stay for the movie (schedule stickied on the Camping Board each month).

Then the family will be asking to stay at the Fort.

Bama Ed

I totally want to do that now! I'll have to look into rentals. We're planning a very last minute trip (if the worker we asked to work will actually say yes or not... we've been waiting a while now with no answer) for beginning of May, and planning to drive. I don't think I want to tow all the way down (30hours one way) so maybe we can find something to rent that is out there. I'll talk to my husband and see what he thinks (although he's more interested in a hotel suite or something offsite by the sounds of things). We also do not plan to eat out every day (I can't handle that much restaurant food).

So there are LOTS of rental companies out there. Do they rent Smaller Travel Trailers/Pop-ups that could be towed by a Van? I don't know.... But there are certainly lots of campers that are capable of being towed by a van. The question is... What kind of van and what are it's towing capacities. Growing up, we had a basic pop-up that my parents towed with a station wagon with 4 of us kids. The camper and the station wagon were loaded to the roof and it towed fine. The Pop-up could sleep 6 comfortably (ours was No frills. No electric, water, sewer, stove, fridge, etc.. Just beds and in the center was a table that would collapse down to a bed.)

Today you get pretty lightweight "Hybrids" that are fairly roomy and can sleep upwards of 10 people. Again, can you rent them? I don't know...

Alternatively, you could "Rent" one already at the fort (instead of "Towing" it the whole way). Lots of folks do it and are very pleased with that as well.

I need to look into this! Thank you!!

 

[MandLBee]

We have stayed at Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside, Art of Animation, All Star Movies, Pop Century and of course the Fort (but we are tent campers, wish we had a camper but I am just too cheap). The Fort is the only resort we really look forward to staying at (and have a week and a half coming in November). The price was the original motivation, but we soon found that it was the feeling and vibe that keeps us coming back. It is hard to explain until you have experienced it, but when you leave a crowded Magic Kingdom, get to ride a boat back to the fort, and then walk through a silent peaceful area to your tent it is just so relaxing and decompressing. It allows us to have a more relaxing trip on the whole when we stay at the Fort. I also agree with what others have said that the people are simply the friendliest at the fort.

This is exactly what I needed to hear! I have a large family (7 of us!) and three of them are easily overwhelmed (sensory/spectrum issues, anxiety), and I was looking at family suites in AoA and thought these kids don't need so much visual stimulation after a full day of it in the parks! I think that even though the Fort is our choice because of budget, the benefits of the quiet will turn out to be a godsend!