Post Pictures of Tent Camping @ FW

[Tent Camping Mom]

2. I have a big tent(Kelty 6 person) and a screen house. I have requested the 1500 loop. Will those campsites in 1500 be too small for these two things? I am an experienced tent camper but never camped at FW before.

I think you will be fine with just those two. Our Coleman was supposedly a 6 person tent and we fit (just barely) on 1506, as Carol stated is very narrow and has a tree in a bad spot. If I recall correctly, about half of our screen house was on the pavement. I think that one may be the worse case scenario.

 

[Sinclare]

In reference to being hot in the tents at night. We usually go in June and instead of taking fans, we take Heaters for night. Remember your camping in what is basically reclaimed swamp so the air does get damp at night. The heater helps keep the dampness out of the tent.

Here is our setup that we use: Two 11*17 tents with a canopy tent in the middle. Notice from the second picture (looking out of the tent in the back) that both tents open into the canopy tent. Since both tents have an overhang, it allows you to get out of the tent and into the "living room" without getting wet except in the hardest rain of course.

 

[surferrat]

Nice "living room" Sinclare...Where is the big screen TV...

In reference to being hot in the tents at night. We usually go in June and instead of taking fans, we take Heaters for night. Remember your camping in what is basically reclaimed swamp so the air does get damp at night. The heater helps keep the dampness out of the tent.

Here is our setup that we use: Two 11*17 tents with a canopy tent in the middle. Notice from the second picture (looking out of the tent in the back) that both tents open into the canopy tent. Since both tents have an overhang, it allows you to get out of the tent and into the "living room" without getting wet except in the hardest rain of course.

 

[disneywithfive]

This was from our trip August 2007. The a/c worked out great. It was pouring rain when we arrived but we got the tent up and dried out and enjoyed our trip.

 

[memorykeeper]

Sinclare, what kind of gazebo thing are you using? I have a 10x10 easy up and I was wonderiong if anyone knew if I could just cover two sides with tarps to use it like Sinclare does. The pictures arte great. I leave in 1 month and I'm very excited.

 

[clkelley]

Sinclare, what kind of gazebo thing are you using? I have a 10x10 easy up and I was wonderiong if anyone knew if I could just cover two sides with tarps to use it like Sinclare does. The pictures arte great. I leave in 1 month and I'm very excited.

That looks like a First Up straight leg 10x10 from Wal-Mart with a set of the solid walls with the zipper sides just rolled back.

 

[memorykeeper]

Is there a big difference between a first up and an easy up. Do you think the same cover would fit? Does the tarp idea seem crazy?

 

[clkelley]

Is there a big difference between a first up and an easy up. Do you think the same cover would fit? Does the tarp idea seem crazy?

If you are buying a set of solid walls or screen walls, all you really need to watch for is if your shelter has straight legs or angle legs. There is not really much difference in the brands. If you have a straight-legged shelter then get a set of walls for a straight-legged shelter. (Wal-Mart First Up, EZ-Up) If you have an angle leg shelter (bigger at the bottom than at the top), then get a set of walls for an angle leg shelter (Dicks Sporting Goods Quest)

 

[Sinclare]

If you are buying a set of solid walls or screen walls, all you really need to watch for is if your shelter has straight legs or angle legs. There is not really much difference in the brands. If you have a straight-legged shelter then get a set of walls for a straight-legged shelter. (Wal-Mart First Up, EZ-Up) If you have an angle leg shelter (bigger at the bottom than at the top), then get a set of walls for an angle leg shelter (Dicks Sporting Goods Quest)

I would recommend the ones with the straight sides and metal construction like First Up (I think was the brand). Mine was from walmart and comes in a big roll bag (kind of like luggage); the sides are purchased extra but the whole setup is well worth it. I think I paid ~$99 for it last year.

In 2006 I bought one with slanted sides from Walmart for $89 and it turned out to be a nightmare. It's frame was plastic PVC tubing, was hard to put up and well the pictures speak for themselves. We set it up the first day and went for the night in the parks. We came back and it had collapsed and broken several of the PVC pieces. At first I thought mabey we did something wrong until I started riding bikes around the fort. The two weeks we were there I saw 7-8 more of them in the campground, all in the same condition.

I don't remember the brand but here is what it looked like first set-up:


Here is after a average afternoon rainstorm:



I also recommend sealing the seams several times before you go. I actually sealed mine twice and still had a few leaks but the rain was also very heavy while we were there last year.

 

[clkelley]

I would recommend the ones with the straight sides and metal construction like First Up (I think was the brand). Mine was from walmart and comes in a big roll bag (kind of like luggage); the sides are purchased extra but the whole setup is well worth it. I think I paid ~$99 for it last year.

In 2006 I bought one with slanted sides from Walmart for $89 and it turned out to be a nightmare. It's frame was plastic PVC tubing, was hard to put up and well the pictures speak for themselves. We set it up the first day and went for the night in the parks. We came back and it had collapsed and broken several of the PVC pieces. At first I thought mabey we did something wrong until I started riding bikes around the fort. The two weeks we were there I saw 7-8 more of them in the campground, all in the same condition.

Sinclare,

They also make the instant up metal frame shelters similar to yours with slant legs, and they sell solid and screen walls for those also, so that's what I was referring to the original poster as she searches for solid walls for her shelter.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

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These are the pictures from our site in July 2006--We are heading back to FW this July and have decided to lighten our load by not bringing the a/c or air mattresses.
We fly down and ME brings our stuff to the site.

 

[MomofPirate&Mickey]

[/QUOTE]
These are the pictures from our site in July 2006--We are heading back to FW this July and have decided to lighten our load by not bringing the a/c or air mattresses.
We fly down and ME brings our stuff to the site.[/QUOTE]


So how bad is it to tent in July, w/o a/c? We live down here, but have never tented in the summer. Our plans maybe changing from going camping in NY for 4th of July to possibly going to the FtW. Not sure yet. But if we do go to the Ft. in July, then it would be in a tent, with possibly only a fan, but no a/c.

Any suggestions??

 

[BigDaddyRog]

....We are heading back to FW this July and have decided to lighten our load by not bringing the a/c or air mattresses.

July in FL with NO A/C.......YOU, my friend, are a true adventurist!!!!

 

[carolynb]

What site were you on? Looks like a big site. We are going down in October for first time and we are tenting it and are trying to figure out the best sites to stay on. Thanks.

 

[momoffive]

We have a window air unit we use in our garage. Is it hard to fit it to the tent? Do you have to have a special attachment for the tent window? I guess I am asking...How'd you do that?
momoffive

 

[clkelley]

We have a window air unit we use in our garage. Is it hard to fit it to the tent? Do you have to have a special attachment for the tent window? I guess I am asking...How'd you do that?
momoffive

The thing they were using is called an AC tent boot.

http://acboot.com/

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Yes,...that ACBOOT is very convenient....but you can make your own version of it at a small fraction of the price they are asking. At $200, it should come WITH the A/C and a bottle of wine!!!!

 

[irishbosoxfan]

So how bad is it to tent in July, w/o a/c? We live down here, but have never tented in the summer. Our plans maybe changing from going camping in NY for 4th of July to possibly going to the FtW. Not sure yet. But if we do go to the Ft. in July, then it would be in a tent, with possibly only a fan, but no a/c.

Any suggestions??

Well this will be the first time without the A/C so I guess we may find out how bad it can be!! But the last time we turned it on when we returned from the parks late at night and we just fell into bed exhausted then were up and out early so we didn't see a whole lot of benefit--by the time we returned at night it had already cooled off quite a bit.If you are local an A/C doesn't take up much room--with us flying in from Kansas we have to ship it down then ship it home(last time we sold it to our camping neighbors who drove because the box got wet and disintegrated) We didn't spend much time at the site but if you plan to then you have to take that into consideration!

July in FL with NO A/C.......YOU, my friend, are a true adventurist!!!!

I don't know about that!! Holla at me when we get back this time around

What site were you on? Looks like a big site. We are going down in October for first time and we are tenting it and are trying to figure out the best sites to stay on. Thanks.

It was site number 2021--I am going to see if we can get the same one this time around because it was so convenient.The outhouse was 1 minute behind and to the left and the bus stop was like a 4 minute walk.We had the screenhouse set up on the driveway then the 3 room tent right at the edge of that and had plenty of room to walk around either side of the tent,then the "luggage" tent was set up in the back corner and there was a good 12 feet open in between.

The thing they were using is called an AC tent boot.

http://acboot.com/

Hi CL!! Yep it's the AC Boot.It was easy to install.

 

[MomofPirate&Mickey]

If you are local an A/C doesn't take up much room. We didn't spend much time at the site but if you plan to then you have to take that into consideration!

Well when you only have a 2003 Saturn Vue w/ 2 car seats in it, no luggage racks or hitch, plus 2 adults, and it's packed to the gills w/ camping stuff already, so much so that the older son has to have stuff on his lap, then an A/C will take up room that we don't have. But we'll have to see. If we have the older two step-kids though, we'll probably be taking 2 cars, so we might have room. Especially since the step-son (8) tends to be a wuss. He would go on test-track, the fastest ride in all the parks, but not on any of the roller coasters, except the Goofy one.

Don't know how much time we'll be staying at the site either, as this would be the first time that the step-kids have been camping.

Thanks for the advice though!!

 

[Sinclare]

These are the pictures from our site in July 2006--We are heading back to FW this July and have decided to lighten our load by not bringing the a/c or air mattresses.
We fly down and ME brings our stuff to the site.[/QUOTE]


So how bad is it to tent in July, w/o a/c? We live down here, but have never tented in the summer. Our plans maybe changing from going camping in NY for 4th of July to possibly going to the FtW. Not sure yet. But if we do go to the Ft. in July, then it would be in a tent, with possibly only a fan, but no a/c.

Any suggestions??[/QUOTE]

We never use A/C in the tents and actually use a heater for night time to knock off the dampness. Last year we left on July 3rd and it wasn't bad at all. You are rarely in the tents except getting ready in the morning or going to bed at night unless you take a pool break or washing day and I enjoy napping in the tent during those times. There is lots of trees for shade and there is usually a nice breeze blowing. Add in the daily afternoon rain to cool things down and it's not bad at all.