So I Took A Look At The 2017 Fort Wilderness Campsite Rates...

[North of Mouse]

OUCH is right. I can remember staying in loop 400 on our first trip back in the late 90's $45.00 per night. Those were the days........... They are going to make it so expensive that its not worth it to go. And we live in Florida....................

86 days and counting.

Wow, these new rates are too much to think about - looking at your post reminded me of years before that - not sure what year - we received a post card from Chip & Dale asking us to please return to FW for some special camping rates - ready for this?? $25 night!! Can't remember now if we took another trip then (doubt it) but the regular rate was about $30-35.
FW was smaller then and sites were not categorized, but the steam train was great. Oh, well, our ages are showing, but we don't mind - just happy to still be camping and able to just 'keep on swimming' - and walking, and hiking, and ------ actually are camping in the mountains now.

 

[rideswithchrist]

OUCH OUCH OUCH!!!

That is a huge bummer because we go in Feb when it is low crowd season, but the cost of camping makes that insane now.
The rate for us going this past Sept was less than $400 for 8 DAYS.
Camping was going to save us $1200 but I don't think February is a good time to go anymore- unless we can make it that first week.

 

[PaHunter]

Did I miss a repaving project at the Fort ? Are the streets now paved with gold ?? Do they now have mousekeeping for your trailer ?? Just trying to justify that big an increase. WOW !!

 

[rideswithchrist]

Did I miss a repaving project at the Fort ? Are the streets now paved with gold ?? Do they now have mousekeeping for your trailer ?? Just trying to justify that big an increase. WOW !!

Exactly! I had that in my first post but deleted it...for that price, they better come in and turn down my AC and make my bed for me

 

[5kidsmommy]

We have never stayed in February before but will be going late next February and ouch is right. I wish we could plan our trip during a cheaper season but between the heat, too much stuff to do in January and me wanting to avoid party season we are stuck with the high prices. It will be our last trip for at least 3 years so we will just suck it up. The higher cost will mean that we will cut out a table service meal but such is life.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Just trying to justify that big an increase.

1) Ogre (I mean Iger) hired a descendant of P.T. Barnum to revise room and ticket pricing.
2) Folks are now re-thinking staying at Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont and commuting to WDW
. . . once at WDW, they could always boat or bus to The Fort
. . . camp sites from $16-$42 per night, plus a $6.75 "reservation service fee" for on-line bookings (3rd-party processing charge)
. . . camping sites are from Tent-Primitive to RV-Full-Amenities
. . . they also have LARGE cabins for rent
. . . located on one of the largest lakes in Florida
. . . about a 20-30 minute drive (based upon traffic) to WDW . . . we live 5-minutes away from the park, so we know
. . . lots of on-site activities, including cheap boating and canoeing and good swimming beaches
. . . in fact, my good friends were married on the beach at the park

NOTE: See Lake Louisa info at https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Lake-Louisa

 

[bama_ed]

Lake Louisa is my night-before-the-Fort stop.

 

[Barney Fife]

We're going this mid-December. Its been eight years since our last visit. One of the things we're going to be looking at is do we decide to upgrade our tickets to APs before we come home. I was thinking a late January trip and then maybe again next December early.

But I can spot nickel and diming me to death when its happening. Looking at these rates already has me in a negative mindset for deciding on coming back again in 2017. It may be another eight years before we head back again.

But, if the Fort stays booked, they can charge whatever they want.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I can spot nickel and diming me to death when its happening.

1) I believe we have long ago passed through Nickel's-and-Dime's.
2) We have graduated to McKinley's-and-Cleveland's. *

* $500's and $1,000's.

 

[lokin4deer]

1) Ogre (I mean Iger) hired a descendant of P.T. Barnum to revise room and ticket pricing.
2) Folks are now re-thinking staying at Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont and commuting to WDW
. . . once at WDW, they could always boat or bus to The Fort
. . . camp sites from $16-$42 per night, plus a $6.75 "reservation service fee" for on-line bookings (3rd-party processing charge)
. . . camping sites are from Tent-Primitive to RV-Full-Amenities
. . . they also have LARGE cabins for rent
. . . located on one of the largest lakes in Florida
. . . about a 20-30 minute drive (based upon traffic) to WDW . . . we live 5-minutes away from the park, so we know
. . . lots of on-site activities, including cheap boating and canoeing and good swimming beaches
. . . in fact, my good friends were married on the beach at the park

NOTE: See Lake Louisa info at https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Lake-Louisa

Lake Louisa is my night-before-the-Fort stop.

I am curios how many do this? I have looked at that park and they have a few FHU and at $24 a night it would make a WDW trip a whole lot more affordable even with paying for parking and the extra driving. Ed and Rusty is it really a 30 minute drive as advertised?

 

[bama_ed]

I am curios how many do this? I have looked at that park and they have a few FHU and at $24 a night it would make a WDW trip a whole lot more affordable even with paying for parking and the extra driving. Ed and Rusty is it really a 30 minute drive as advertised?

It really is 30 minutes - of course, I've made it always leaving LL at 6am or so to go over to the Fort and check in early that morning so the traffic hasn't been bad. I've used LL in January and March but noted the comfort stations, while nice for a state park, are not air-conditioned.

Google Maps shows LL to the Fort as 29 minutes without traffic.

Bama Ed

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Ed and Rusty is it really a 30 minute drive as advertised?

1) We drive to WDW 4-5 times per week for work or play.
2) We live 2-3 miles South of Lake Louisa State Park on Hwy-27.
3) It takes us about 15-20 minutes . . . house to AK, and 20-25 to MK. *
4) And, yes, I can see 4-minutes longer to The Fort.

* Of course, my foot might be heavier than Ed's.

 

[icouldlivethere]

Do they ever have discounts for campsites?

 

[2goofycampers]

Do they ever have discounts for campsites?

Rarely. They had one for a few weeks this summer. When they are released you can find a thread here.

 

[bama_ed]

Rarely. They had one for a few weeks this summer. When they are released you can find a thread here.

Denise is right. The last few years the only discounts have been mid/late August to end of September and have been in the 15-20% range.

Bama Ed

 

[peg110]

They do have them for the Cabins much more frequently though.

 

[myrtleturtle]

Thanks for the numbers Ed. I know I'm not the first nor will I be the last to ask........ when will it stop. When will I say "I love camping at the Fort but it is no longer feasible or economical". Will people start visiting the Fort every other year instead of every year or maybe even less often. Disney may view their campsite rates as a bargain compared to their hotel resort rates, but we who bring our hotel with us know that there are additional costs that somewhat negate what is becoming a smaller and smaller savings. With that being said, the DW and I have already made the decision to skip the Fort next year and look at Camping at Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg and a season pass to Dollywood. About 6 hours from home and a season pass to Dollywood for both the DW and I is less then a 10 day MYW Park hopper for 1. All this coming from someone who truly enjoys the Disney experience that goes far beyond the parks.

We just did 4 nights in Gatlinburg and a day at Dollywood. We are 5 hours away, so it was just a quick trip. DH and I said over and over, this park is themed as well as Disney World. At one point I said, "I keep expecting to see hidden Mickey's." We stayed in a premium site at Bear Cove RV Resort which is maybe 2 miles from Dollywood for less than $50/night. It was a very enjoyable and affordable little trip and we will be doing it again!

 

[peg110]

We just did 4 nights in Gatlinburg and a day at Dollywood. We are 5 hours away, so it was just a quick trip. DH and I said over and over, this park is themed as well as Disney World. At one point I said, "I keep expecting to see hidden Mickey's." We stayed in a premium site at Bear Cove RV Resort which is maybe 2 miles from Dollywood for less than $50/night. It was a very enjoyable and affordable little trip and we will be doing it again!

We spent some time at Dollywood last year. It was a very nice park and we really enjoyed it. We never made it to their water park though.

There was lots to see around the area too. We also went to Parrot Mountain there. It was pretty cool too, but bring your walking shoes. It's on the mountain and it's a lot of "Uphill" walking.

When we were there we stayed at Mill Creek Campground in Pigeon Forge. It was a basic campground. Certainly wasn't like the Fort but it was very nice.

 

[MouseOfCards]

...and I learned a few things.

First, to back up, last year the 2016 rates came out and they weren't really much higher than the prior year (2015). I made a simple chart comparing 2016 rates to 2015 rate by period and the increase ranged from 0-6%. (sorted alphabetically by rate period)



BTW, the source for the 2015, 2016, and 2017 was the good folks at Mousesavers. The rates they show are the rack (non-discounted) rates, with applicable tax, and rounded to the nearest dollar.

During 2016 Disney has raised prices left and right on food, tickets, annual passes, introduced new revenue generating ideas, and done just about everything to squeeze a buck till it screams (or its guest's wallet). But I really wasn't prepared for the 2017 price increase for Fort Wilderness campsites which ranged from 1-15%.



New for 2017 is a rate period called "Spring" which is in March and is essentially Easter rates to capitalize on the main 2 weeks in mid-March that are spring break in a lot of places. Previously that time period was labelled "Peak" and was cheaper. So they are really trying to jack up the prices. There is also a Fall period which is new but it appears to be last year's "Pre-Holiday" period so only the name has changed.

Here is a consolidated view of 2017 rates (rack, with tax, rounded):



I remember when we moaned and groaned here the year the Holiday price for the most expensive campsite went over $100 a night.

They've really socked the weekends hard, holidays, and the primary family travel times. Personally I will be travelling off-season more in the future but with these prices and high occupancy rates, they really could expand the Fort and still make a boatload of money.

Bama Ed

PS - I can't believe they didn't price gouge the dates around Halloween.

Thanks for the info and the effort. These are pretty significant price hikes!

 

[KristinU]

I have to say, I think campgrounds are up all over. I booked a KOA in Mystic for this coming weekend - $67 a night for full hook ups. Almost $70 in the off season Most state parks around here are closed now, though, so we were pretty limited in options for getting out one more time this season.

I just booked for next summer at the Fort $124 for a preferred site. Man, that's a lot, but it IS the Fort after all, and the location is hard to beat. I also think that square footage wise, they're trying to compensate a bit for what the revenue COULD be if it were a hotel.