How Hard? Flying and Camping

[idontknow]

DS has an airline credit to use by June. I would really like to take him to the World before it expires, maybe in early or mid May. (long story short, DH and I just got back from a cruise and DS stayed home. I feel bad about not taking him, really don't want the credit to go to waste and really want to have a homeschool day in the world showcase at Epcot) There is no way I am going to drive and it would defeat the purpose of using up the credit. We have camped quite a bit in the past and have everything we will need. I have started a list and think the hardest things to pack for a flight would be the sleeping bags and pillows. We have a 2 person tent and it packs really small, so it should fit into a large suitecase with plenty of room to spare. We also have a larger tent that I could take and it folds pretty small, too. We wouldn't need a car for the storage if I packed that one, but I hate setting it up. We have a calapsable cooler that we take on all of our trips and it will fit into the mesh compartment on the inside of the lid of the suitecase. I have never had luck with charcoal, so we will not have a fire, so no dishes. (snack stuff for b-fast, cheap lunch and cheap dinner)

How silly of an idea would it be to camp? I could always priceline a room and hope for the Dolphin so we wouldn't have to rent a car or shell out $100 a night for the allstars. But, I'm trying to keep this trip really cheap. That is something I can not do with DH. DS wouldn't care if we ate at McD's for every meal, though. I can get away with cheap with him. How much of a pain would it be to camp? Has anyone ever done it before? Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Memph1s]

I know I could not do it but on one of our early tent trips there was a young lady and her daughter (maybe 10) that walked into the loop wearing back packs and pulling a medium size rolling suitcase. They walked into an empty site 2 down from ours and put up a small tent. They we there for a couple of days then broke camp and walked with their gear to catch a buss. They could have easily put all the gear they had on a plane. However, I never spoke with them and have no idea how comfortable they were or if they had flown in or not. But I have to give her credit. They looked to be having a blast.

 

[twinscandc]

Being an adventerous mother of twins.....I say pack up and go!! What a fun thing to do!!!

 

[idontknow]

I was just reading Jeff Spencer's info on FW and it is starting to scare me. He said that it is as big as 1 1/2 miles across. I would really hate to get stuck way out in the boonies. I have ASMo booked at the $94 a night rate, but that really isn't budget. We like to camp, but that much walking after returning from the park is swaying me the other way. I guess it depends on the bus system. I read that they have done away with the internal buses. How do you get around that large of an area? What if we wanted to rent boats or check out the barn? Do the buses take you that way or do you have to walk? Can you get on the bus at one stop inside the campground and then get off at another stop inside the campground? Let's say, hop the bus around your site and ride it to the nearest stop by the pool? Or do you have to walk to the pool?

 

[bobcat]

The loops are all close to a bus stop and the internal buses are very good. You can get on at your bus stop and off at another. Since you may be tent camping one of the loops you might be on is 1500. This is a small loop and right across from the meadows trading are and pool. It is a little bit of a walk but not far. You can also rent golf carts to get around the resorts.

Also when you check in I think they can take you to your site so you don't have to walk back. You would need to ask.

 

[campingcorgi]

Originally posted by idontknow
Can you get on the bus at one stop inside the campground and then get off at another stop inside the campground?

Yep, that's how the buses work--just get on one heading the direction you want to go and stay on till it gets where you want to be. Heck, on our last trip the buses were still our little one's favorite ride. We'd ride the bikes or golf cart to a busstop and ride around a while just so she could have a ride. It doesn't take much to make a 2-year-old happy!

 

[idontknow]

Ok, you're making it sound a little better, anyone else care to give their oppinion?

 

[Rhonda]

There really is no "boonies". Don't worry.

They didn't do away with the internal bus system - they just revamped it and made it better! You won't ever be more than a 5-10 minute bus ride from anything!

And, if you're tent-camping, chances are you will be just a short walk from most of the amenities (pool, trading post, etc).

I think it sounds like a great idea!

 

[nearlychildless]

IF I was going back to tenting camping (we now have trailer) any where it the world it would be WDW! The buses are very closes, the bath rooms are wonderful, the resturants are right there, just be sure to pack an extension cord and a small light! If its not summer so its not so hot you have it made! You wont spend much time in a tent anyway.

 

[idontknow]

That is what I am figuring. In mid May, the weather should be nice. The only thing I can think of is rain and then we will just head to the park as long as it isn't a monsoon. Will we get in trouble for sleeping in a car if the campground is flooding? LOL

 

[Candace]

Even though I haven't camped in several years, I always pack my pillow because I don't like most hotel pillows. I bought a set of those "space bags" that you ziploc, then lay down on to make a valve open and release the extra air. You have seen them on tv, I'm sure. I just flatten it out and put it in the bottom of my rolling bag. I think the tent camping at FW sounds like a great idea!

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

It sounds like you're in the right frame of mind to make it work. As I was reading the posts, I thought "She'll be okay unless it rains." But if you don't mind sleeping in your car if a monsoon hits, you should be fine.

Definitely ask for Loop 1500!!!

At any rate, it will be a real adventure.

 

[RachelEllen]

Hi,
We've done it twice!
We usually have two man tent, foam pad, sleeping bags, plus one suitcase each. Be sure to strap enough together to only have two bags each to check. Also, don't try to carry on your tent (like we did!) Tent stake aren't allowed on the plane.

We found it very easy to get around Ft. Wilderness. We were in the 2000 loop both times (there are only two tent loops). That's about a 5 minute walk to the campfire (with the shortcut through the meadow), 15 minute walk to the dock, and a short busride to the check-in desk.

The bus system is great. And easy once you get used to it. I say go for it!

Rachel

 

[idontknow]

There are only 2 tent loops? 2000 and 1500, if I am reading that right. I'll have to check Jeff's map and see where they are. Thanks for all of the great info!

 

[campingcorgi]

Tents can go on any loop--just depends on what level of amenities you want. Only 1500 and 2000 are the partial hook-up loops with water and electric only. We've seen tents right next to million dollar motorhomes. FW doesn't discriminate--everybody is welcome!

 

[jwill]

I asked this question a while back before I decided to do this in December 2002. The main reason I did this was for the adventure of it all. As far as luggage I had a 19" carry-on, a 26" rolling suitcase and a ice hockey bag that fit all of my camping gear in. As far as rolling the luggage through the airport it wasn't too bad. I bought a folding luggage cart for the hockeybag and attached the handle to my rolling suitcase and drug them behind me in tandem. I do suppose I looked somewhat of a refugee. The staff at F.W. dropped me off at my site in the 2000 loop and I proceded to set up camp.The stay went fine except for the rain that came at the worst possible time. On my checkout day I was greeted by rain upon waking up. My first plan with the light rain at the time was to take the tent down and dry it in the clothes dryer at the comfort station. As the rain escalates to a near monsoon pace the first option is no longer viable, plan b comes into my head in a hurry and I adopt this plan. Plan b was to take the tent down roll it up and abandon it in the garbage can. Needless to say during this foolhearty exercise I had an audience. How could I blame then, if I saw somebody taking a tent down and tossing it in a garbage can during a rainstorm I would watch also. It's not that I wanted to just throw money away but the option of packing a soaking wet tent up and flying home to P.A. with it was not a good one. In the end the $60 for the tent was not worth the aggrivation factor. All in all it was a good experience and I'm glad I did it and would do it again.

 

[donac]

I met a friend and her three daughters down there last Aug. They brought their camping equipment and our tent and sleeping bag. I think I still could have made it with these things on a plane and had a great time. It was nice to have a stove for hot cocoa in the morning but you could get that anywhere.

The busses are great asnd very convient. We stayed in the 1500 loop which is right across from the pool and near the Meadow's Trading Post.

 

[clkelley]

I have flown and camped on a couple of occasions.

I had two large duffles and my folding bag chair. (At that time you could check 3 bags per person).

I brought two small tents (one to sleep in, one for my stuff).
A rain/sun shade, (Wal-Mart, about $30.00)
air mattress, pump
sheets and blanket for air mattress
a couple of battery operated lanterns
a pillow
necessary clothes and shower supplies
mallet for pounding stakes
a couple of long extension cords
a power strip
clothesline


I brought a small collapsible cooler, but didn't use it because Ft. Wilderness does not have regular ice machines like the other resorts. They have dispensers that sell you a "large" bag of ice that most would have been wasted in my little cooler.

I arrived about midnite one night and the Ft. Wilderness folks took me to my site in a van and when I checked out (6 nites later) I just went to the comfort station phone and told them I was ready for checkout and they picked me up and stored my stuff till Mears came.

My favorite loop for tent camping is 1500. I was in 1503 last trip. It is right next to the comfort station, right next to the bus stop and right across the road from the Meadows area.

 

[TomM]

We have flown and tent camped a few times across the country. Last summer we tented in Alaska. We packed our tent, sleeping bag and food in two duffle bags and two backpacks. At Ft Wilderness it will even be easier. With the great transportation, you should have no problem. Have a great time.
Tom

 

[kinlaw6450]

I'll be flying alone with 2 kids. We all get 2 checked bags and a carry on. I can stuff all of their things in one large suitcase and my tent is already in a duffel so it can be checked. If I carry on a backpack I can put our toiletries in there. But its the blankets and pillows that I can't figure out. I guess each kid can carry on their pillow on the plane...but still. I would rather not spend a week camping with no bedding! LOL On the flip side though, driving home to Virginia after a Disney vacation isn't fun either...Oh what to do??