Artygal90
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2017
Hey everyone!
So this idea occurred to me when I was flying to the beach on Sunday and I can't get it out of my head.
DH and I just went to Disney/Universal for the first time in mid-March with my family. It was an awesome time but we only had 3 park days so it was go-go-go the whole time. At the end DH was stressed and exhausted and we still didn't get to do everything. I'm planning a May 2020 trip for my birthday, which will be very focused on seeing Galaxy's Edge and Universal, so it won't be terribly relaxing either. And I don't want to wait two years to go to Disney again....so then I got thinking about doing a super-relaxing week camping at Fort Wilderness, just focused on Disney stuff, while also taking time to go to the pool, explore other resorts, go to Disney Springs, etc.
Looking at our calendars and the rack rate for the campsites, it seems like sometime in September 2019 will work best for us because of the rock-bottom prices + the Halloween party. I know that Orlando will be very warm, very humid, and very prone to hurricanes while we are there. We live in a swamp (love ya Houston) so we are aware of how miserable heat and humidity can make things and we're not scared of hurricanes. I also plan on purchasing trip insurance!
Because this would be a budget trip, we'd plan to borrow as much special gear as possible or buy it used. We'd plan to pack everything within the 2-free-bag allowance on Southwest and not worry about bringing cooking equipment, just shelf-stable snacks like granola bars and PB for sandwiches. Also, I'd like to do a couple test runs in our state parks in similarly hot and humid conditions before flying to WDW to try it out, which is where your lovely advice comes in.
My questions:
1) Has anyone else flown in and tent-camped at FW in September?
2) What gear do we need? Currently I've got access to a Coleman Sundome 5 person tent, some tarps, and everyday stuff like extension cords, flashlights, rope, etc. Was planning to definitely purchase an air mattress/cot combo and bring sheets, pillows, and a light blanket from home for bedding, and either pack a few fans or buy a few when we arrive in Orlando.
3) If you fly in, how do you keep foodstuffs out of the hands of critters if you don't have a hard-sided cooler or a car to store your snacks in?
4) What's the best way to protect my tent from rain while still maintaining ventilation and without going out and buying a special rain shelter?
DH was a Boy Scout so I know he knows how to do a lot of this. BUT he gets stressed when I start planning trips more than a week in advance, so I'm talking to you about it!
So this idea occurred to me when I was flying to the beach on Sunday and I can't get it out of my head.
DH and I just went to Disney/Universal for the first time in mid-March with my family. It was an awesome time but we only had 3 park days so it was go-go-go the whole time. At the end DH was stressed and exhausted and we still didn't get to do everything. I'm planning a May 2020 trip for my birthday, which will be very focused on seeing Galaxy's Edge and Universal, so it won't be terribly relaxing either. And I don't want to wait two years to go to Disney again....so then I got thinking about doing a super-relaxing week camping at Fort Wilderness, just focused on Disney stuff, while also taking time to go to the pool, explore other resorts, go to Disney Springs, etc.
Looking at our calendars and the rack rate for the campsites, it seems like sometime in September 2019 will work best for us because of the rock-bottom prices + the Halloween party. I know that Orlando will be very warm, very humid, and very prone to hurricanes while we are there. We live in a swamp (love ya Houston) so we are aware of how miserable heat and humidity can make things and we're not scared of hurricanes. I also plan on purchasing trip insurance!
Because this would be a budget trip, we'd plan to borrow as much special gear as possible or buy it used. We'd plan to pack everything within the 2-free-bag allowance on Southwest and not worry about bringing cooking equipment, just shelf-stable snacks like granola bars and PB for sandwiches. Also, I'd like to do a couple test runs in our state parks in similarly hot and humid conditions before flying to WDW to try it out, which is where your lovely advice comes in.
My questions:
1) Has anyone else flown in and tent-camped at FW in September?
2) What gear do we need? Currently I've got access to a Coleman Sundome 5 person tent, some tarps, and everyday stuff like extension cords, flashlights, rope, etc. Was planning to definitely purchase an air mattress/cot combo and bring sheets, pillows, and a light blanket from home for bedding, and either pack a few fans or buy a few when we arrive in Orlando.
3) If you fly in, how do you keep foodstuffs out of the hands of critters if you don't have a hard-sided cooler or a car to store your snacks in?
4) What's the best way to protect my tent from rain while still maintaining ventilation and without going out and buying a special rain shelter?
DH was a Boy Scout so I know he knows how to do a lot of this. BUT he gets stressed when I start planning trips more than a week in advance, so I'm talking to you about it!