We're camping! We're clueless!!

[normmo]

Hi - we've stayed at the cabins in the past and fell in love with Fort Wilderness. We decided to do a spontaneous trip this March and try camping since we have a conversion van and we can borrow the rest of the camping gear we need from friends who know how to camp - things like a tent. Anyway - we were wondering what you do with your dishwater? Is there a place to dispose of it? We're staying at a partial hookup and although we haven't camped at the fort before we're enthusiastic although clueless.
Thanks!
Mo

[WizardLarz]

A lot of tent campers will use disposable dishware and utensiles! I only ate breakfast at the campsite so I used Dixe bowls, plastic spoons and cups. Then threw it all in the trash when done!

[OK GRUMPY]

You can use the sink in the laundry room at the comfort station.

[normmo]

Thanks! Last question - how dark are the sites at night? If we're out past dark what would be helpful?
Mo

[Born 2 Fish]

Flashlights or glow sticks so people can see you when driving.

[Jasperann]

A lot of tent campers will use disposable dishware and utensiles! I only ate breakfast at the campsite so I used Dixe bowls, plastic spoons and cups. Then threw it all in the trash when done!

This is exactly what we will be doing. Paper and plastic. I do not want to do dishes on my Vacation. :laughing:

I suggest bringing a little lamp for your tent for at night so you don't only have your flash light. You can plug it in to and extension cord if the cord isn't long enough to reach the outlet. Then bring flashlights for walking to the comfort stations.

Don't forget bug spray. (lots of non campers make that mistake then have to pay and arm and a leg for it at the camp ground they are at.) I learned that when I started camping without my parents. :laughing:

When in March are you going?

[normmo]

We're going March 13th - 19th. We always stayed at the cabins but we were rushing off to the parks so this time we thought we'd focus on the campground and try relaxing. No dining reservations, only a couple days at Magic Kingdom and the rest of the time doing all the campground has to offer. I'm really excited about it and no matter what I know that my three and seven year old boys will love it. We're borrowing a friend's camping equipment (we have some but not much) and if we like it we'll start buying our own. Any suggestions are appreciated!
Mo

[ElementCamper]

March can be a little chilly at times, a small heater might be useful.:thumbsup2

There are lights at the road scattered throughout the campground but it can still be pretty dark.

[normmo]

A heater is already on the packing list! Hopefully the days will be warm but I'm betting that whatever it is it will be better than March in Canada.
Mo

[DisneyBishops]

The sites all have a small sink where you can empty your dishwater. No need to take it to comfort station.

Heck you are from the frozen tundra. You shouldn't need a heater that time of year. It may be cool at night but not cold. The weather in March is usually beautiful.

[ElementCamper]

The sites all have a small sink where you can empty your dishwater. No need to take it to comfort station.

Heck you are from the frozen tundra. You shouldn't need a heater that time of year. It may be cool at night but not cold. The weather in March is usually beautiful.


Sorry DisneyBishops, unfortunately this is not true of the partial hookup sites, there is no 'sink' to dump in, you have to go to the comfort station. Anyone that has stayed on the full hookups that can confirm this, they may have these?

[normmo]

Heck you are from the frozen tundra. You shouldn't need a heater that time of year. It may be cool at night but not cold. The weather in March is usually beautiful.

We thought of taking the sled dog team to Florida instead of driving but darn it the snow stops as soon as we cross the border into the States! Looks like we will be taking the van after all. :beach:

[DisneyBishops]

Sorry DisneyBishops, unfortunately this is not true of the partial hookup sites, there is no 'sink' to dump in, you have to go to the comfort station. Anyone that has stayed on the full hookups that can confirm this, they may have these?

ok sorry about that have never stayed in partial before.

[mikron]

Never stayed there in a tent, most roughing we did was in a 33 foot motor home. We love camping at Disney, if I could afford it I would park my motor home there go as often as I could. We live 80 miles fron Disney. We cooked in the pit at the site and used paper goods. When on vacation we eat out, cheap but out.

[kazlac4]

We used to camp in a tent when our kids were small. Two items that used to be a great help were making sure we used a high quality ice cooler. The cheap ones will not hold you ice long enough and you will always feel like you are refilling it with ice (which can eventually get costly). We also would also set up a screen-house and use it as extra living space. It would help on any rainy days (we brought a few dollar-store plastic paint covers to drape over to keep rain out).

While we now have a TT and truly enjoy the "comforts of home", the memories of the earlier days of tenting are cherished by everyone in the family. So, whatever you do enjoy the experience:thumbsup2

[normmo]

Great tips and thanks to everyone. Do the partial hookups have cable? We have a small tv we can take with us. Not really roughing it I know but I'm a city girl.
Mo

[motherwild]

I believe all site now have cable.

[clkelley]

Yes, the partials have cable. You will need to bring your own coax cable. I would recommend at least 25 foot.

[Shasta]

We're going March 13th - 19th. We always stayed at the cabins but we were rushing off to the parks so this time we thought we'd focus on the campground and try relaxing. No dining reservations, only a couple days at Magic Kingdom and the rest of the time doing all the campground has to offer. I'm really excited about it and no matter what I know that my three and seven year old boys will love it. We're borrowing a friend's camping equipment (we have some but not much) and if we like it we'll start buying our own. Any suggestions are appreciated!
Mo
We will be down the same week in a partial hookup campsite as well. My best single line of advice would be to not worry about not having everything for now. It sounds like you are driving and Walmart is just down the road.

With that said, you will need an extension cords. You will need your own towels for the pool and since there are washers and dryers, bring your own launder detergent and dryer sheets to save money. Pack clothes that are similar fabrics so that you can throw them all in one load together. No new red shirts unless you want to look like the pink family. ;)

[normmo]

Coax cable is now on the packing list along with same colored clothes although if we were all pink I could pick the boys out easily. Mmmmm....:laundy:

[retired and happy]

The Purex 3 in 1 laundry sheets make carrying laundry products much easier.

[Disney Bunny]

I would second the recommendation to have a screen tent or at least one of those EZ Up canopies. Great place to keep all of your things in one area and gives you some more "dry space" in case of rain.

Also highly recommend getting large Rubbermaid containers to put all of your camping gear in and label each one as to what is in it and put things back in the same container. Will save you a lot of time and trouble looking for things and help to keep your gear dry. They also help when "puzzling" all of your gear into your van for travel.

Instead of a lamp that needs to have an extension cord which will keep you from being able to close up the zipper on your tent completely, I would check a Walmart's camping section and find one of the lanterns that runs off of batteries instead.

[normmo]

How safe is it to leave things at the campsite? I know not to leave valuables but what do you lock up and what do you leave in your tent and/or shelter? Also - is there someway to people from the DIS boards are identified when they're at Fort Wilderness?
Thanks again for all you help and really great tips!
Mo

[Disney Bunny]

How safe is it to leave things at the campsite? I know not to leave valuables but what do you lock up and what do you leave in your tent and/or shelter? Also - is there someway to people from the DIS boards are identified when they're at Fort Wilderness?
Thanks again for all you help and really great tips!
Mo

Obviously you are not going to leave money, credit cards, etc in an unsecure place. But I have to say that in all the almost 29 years that we have been camping, I have only had 2 things disappear from a campsite. One I suspect was done by a bunch of kids (had a plastic light up bunny in front of my camper that some kids had seen and commented on earlier and suspect it was one of them). The other could have either been taken or might actually have blown away (inflateable Dale Earnhardt Jr car at Pocono and it was very windy that day).

[KimIce]

A heater is already on the packing list! Hopefully the days will be warm but I'm betting that whatever it is it will be better than March in Canada.
Mo


Our weather is pretty much the same at that time of year every year, and I can guarantee that as soon as BikeWeek gets over with, which is the 1st week of March the days will be warm, but the nights will still be cool/chilly. Make sure you are prepared for the wind also, it can be strong at that time of year.

[normmo]

I plan on packing pants, capris, shorts, jackets and wind jackets. I figure that should cover anything March can throw at us.
Mo

[GOBA Mom Lynn]

If you read the sticky at the top of the page that is a packing list, that is a good start. You can sort of figure out which items are specific to a trailer and eliminate those.
Having said that, when we tent camped last year a couple of things turned out to be extemely useful.
A plastic, low wattage lamp for inside the tent. Gave a nice warm glowing light.
A couple of outdoor extension cords. One of which goes into the tent, then a power strip is plugged into that, then the lamp and phone charger. Battery charger, too, if you use one for your camera. We used a 5 gallon bucket with lid as a nightstand, and then to put the cords, etc. in for packing.
The other extension cord stayed outside, to plug in the white Christmas lights hung in our EZ up. Makes seeing your site easier, but not blinding. We used an electric tea kettle to make hot water for hot drinks, too.
Other, more experienced travellers can give more advice....
Have a good time--Wish I could join you!

[retired and happy]

There's a thread on the Camping Forum about identifying DisBoard Members. Last time I looked it was on page 2. A green Mickey Head with your name or handle can be displayed at your site. Maybe someone who knows how can post the link to that thread.