POFQ or Cabins at Fort Wilderness??

[tbhh1234]

We added an extra 2 nights onto our 7 nights at Boardwalk Villas. We're currently booked at POFQ, but I really want to try the cabins. I want to see how I like them for a future stay. We've stayed at POR, but not POFQ. Our last 2 days will be more resting & enjoying the resort than hitting the parks hard. I wondered if the cabins were worth the extra money?

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Honestly, we hated the cabins. The space was great but the location & distance were awful. Nothing in the resort is walkable. Food, take a bus. Front desk, take a bus. Transport to parks, take a bus then another bus or boat. If you get a golf cart, it would be better but jack the price up more. I was sure I'd love it but much preferred POR. And for location & ability to walk to 2 parks, love Swan & Dolphin.

 

[tbhh1234]

Honestly, we hated the cabins. The space was great but the location & distance were awful. Nothing in the resort is walkable. Food, take a bus. Front desk, take a bus. Transport to parks, take a bus then another bus or boat. If you get a golf cart, it would be better but jack the price up more. I was sure I'd love it but much preferred POR. And for location & ability to walk to 2 parks, love Swan & Dolphin.

Thanks for the input! We hate giving up our Epcot location those last 2 days. How does Swan/Dolphin differ as far as transportation, Magical Express, Magic Bands, EMH?? I've always wondered that.

 

[Kevin355]

Cabins were excellent. Large area, yes, but a boat ride to MK and you can see the fireworks from MK with no problem. Great decor, and you do not feel like you are on top of everyone.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Thanks for the input! We hate giving up our Epcot location those last 2 days. How does Swan/Dolphin differ as far as transportation, Magical Express, Magic Bands, EMH?? I've always wondered that.

Same boats/walk to Epcot and HS as other Epcot area hotels. Disney buses for MK & AK. No Magic Bands or Magical Express (we used Uber for airport drop off). Magic bands from the rest of your stay will still work. We had a stay at the Dolphin for free with SPG points and we could see fireworks from both Epcot & HS from our room. The prices are very good for Epcot area (far below Disney deluxe).

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Cabins were excellent. Large area, yes, but a boat ride to MK and you can see the fireworks from MK with no problem. Great decor, and you do not feel like you are on top of everyone.

Loved the cabin but the bus ride to take the boat plus the fact that boats didn't run when foggy, rainy, during water parade, etc. was a problem. My opinion also likely colored by the fact that we had someone with a scooter in our party. The boats don't all accommodate scooters, so it was always a long wait for the right boat. Also we were repeatedly given wrong directions from CMs to the resort as even CMs confuse Fort Wilderness & Wilderness Lodge. There was one return ride to the resort that took 1 1/2 hrs from Magic Kingdom (boats not running and my sisters family told to take bus to Disney Springs, then Wilderness Lodge then FW.)

 

[adisneyaunt]

POFQ in a heartbeat. Great transport boat or bus to Disney springs, intimate resort and walkable or boat or bus to POR where there are even more options for a meal qs, ts, bar in and outside and fun "show" with Bob

 

[buzznina]

Not every cabin is far from everything, it depends what cabin you get. We only used the bus to get to the front and had no issue walking to the restaurant, pool or boat dock. It depends what you want to do at the resort, if it's just kicking back and relaxing, then the cabins would be my choice. You have a big deck to sit out on and enjoy some beverages and you could BBQ if you wanted too. You have horseback riding, archery, the Hoop-Dee-Doo musical, Mickeys Backyard BBQ and Chip-N-Dale campfire sing along there as well. So plenty to do without even leaving the resort.
If you are more interested in maybe taking a relaxing boat ride to DS to do some shopping or eating then POFQ would be better. Since you stayed at POR and have an idea of POFQ and you said you wanted to try the cabins, then 2 days would be a perfect way to try them to see if you would like it.

 

[Hopefully]

We LOVE the Cabins. I love the quiet and the theming and the whole environment. I love a standalone accommodations. I love the space in the Cabin. I love the full kitchen for breakfast and snacks, at least.
If you are thinking you would like to try them, I think 2 days at the end of this trip is the perfect chance.

 

[disnut8]

We LOVE the Cabins. I love the quiet and the theming and the whole environment. I love a standalone accommodations. I love the space in the Cabin. I love the full kitchen for breakfast and snacks, at least.
If you are thinking you would like to try them, I think 2 days at the end of this trip is the perfect chance.

Totally agree. For two days and at the end of the trip and a chance to do something different, yes, do it. You won't be in any hurry to get to things (which is why I liked this when we stayed there) and you will have lots of space and quiet times. Our stay at the Cabins was back when my now daughter-in-law and granddaughter were on their first Disney trip. We had two cabins side by side with the new great-grandparents next to us. It was the first time for everyone to meet and the ages were 5 to 75. We did not have a golf cart, we just walked to the buses and went on our merry way. At the end of the trip, my daughter-in-law was amazed that people would be so critical of the transportation. She had lived her entire life in one small town in Ohio and she said "with so many people to go to so many different places, Disney has it down." It was her first trip outside her hometown.

 

[HopperFan]

LOVE the cabin, love parking right at cabin. Probably one of the nicest campgrounds anywhere. Have family with big RVs that love it there. I do NOT love the campground. It is a very nice campground, it is not a resort. It was way too much work, we couldn't walk anywhere, our commute to parks was too long which led us to drive, not interested in the woodsy activity. Probably never go back since their prices have gotten up there. THAT SAID, if you have wondered, if you are planning down days ....... no better time to try when you are only committing a few days.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I always feel like the "oddball" in that I really didn't care for POFQ. I know so many other people love it. Since you will be spending more time "relaxing" instead of hitting the parks during this time, how do you feel about POFQ's pool? Does it work for your party? I felt like it was mainly geared towards very young kids, which my family doesn't have anymore, so it doesn't meet my needs--but maybe that works for yours You can also go use the pools at POR (which I stayed at also and LOVED!)

I stayed at a cabin at the fort a couple years ago and really enjoyed it. I don't mind long walks or the inner bus transportation. I liked going down to the beach area to watch the Wishes fire works and the water pageant. There's also the camp fire with Chip and Dale and the horses...

So my choice would be the cabin--but it also depends on the people in your party

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Oh and nowhere to eat at FW except snack bar at pool.

 

[KonaKaiTom]

We've stayed at FW Cabins several times and enjoyed each stay very much. We always rented a golf cart, which not only aided getting around tremendously - it was entertaining as well. To say there is nowhere to eat except the snack bar at pool is, in fact, not true. There are Crockett's Tavern, Trail's End and Mickey's Backyard BBQ. Furthermore, the comment the fact that boats didn't run when foggy, rainy, during water parade, etc. was a problem is a bit of a stretch -- they shut down for lightening storms, hurricanes, and extreme wind conditions that impact the ability to safely operate and dock a vessel.

Since multiple boats are used to move resort guests from the FW Cabins, Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary; as well as the Grand Floridian, Polynesian; and, the ticket and transportation center -- that means, everyone is now either using the monorail or a bus when going to and from the Magic Kingdom -- that would be delays beyond belief.

I do feel your pain, @CyndiLouWho when stuck while either the ELP is moving, or the big ferries are going back and forth and I know what you are talking about with regard to the scooters/wheelchairs and strollers. But, the same delays you hated so much happen with all the Disney transportation, not just at FW Cabins. I've seen first time scooter operators take 20 minutes trying to figure out how to park their scooter in the appropriate spot on a bus -- while it was 90 degrees out!

I think the most challenging part of the FW Cabins is trying to stay there without dropping $70 per day for a golf cart -- that will easily add 30 minutes to every trip.

Tom

 

[Hopefully]

Honestly, we hated the cabins. The space was great but the location & distance were awful. Nothing in the resort is walkable. Food, take a bus. Front desk, take a bus. Transport to parks, take a bus then another bus or boat. If you get a golf cart, it would be better but jack the price up more. I was sure I'd love it but much preferred POR. And for location & ability to walk to 2 parks, love Swan & Dolphin.

Loved the cabin but the bus ride to take the boat plus the fact that boats didn't run when foggy, rainy, during water parade, etc. was a problem. My opinion also likely colored by the fact that we had someone with a scooter in our party. The boats don't all accommodate scooters, so it was always a long wait for the right boat. Also we were repeatedly given wrong directions from CMs to the resort as even CMs confuse Fort Wilderness & Wilderness Lodge. There was one return ride to the resort that took 1 1/2 hrs from Magic Kingdom (boats not running and my sisters family told to take bus to Disney Springs, then Wilderness Lodge then FW.)

It is amazing at how negative and ultimately biased your view is. I am sorry you had such a bad experience. Needing a scooter was not disclosed in your first post. It clearly impacted your travel.
We found lots walkable. It is certainly ok to say you hated the Cabins, as you did. I was just surprised to see later the additional info.

Oh and nowhere to eat at FW except snack bar at pool.

That is incorrect. There is the HDDR at Pioneer Hall, Trails End buffet & Crockett Tavern lounge, a carry out window that I forget the name of & 2 different snack bars.

 

[buzznina]

Oh and nowhere to eat at FW except snack bar at pool.

Clueless in Whoville!

Trail's End Restaurant is very good!

http://land.allears.net/blogs/guestblog/2015/11/ft_wilderness_renovated_cabins.html

Dining at the Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort includes 2 restaurants, 2 dinner shows, and snack bars - all serving American food. Restaurant meals range from under $15 to $60 per person, based on average Guest check, not including alcohol, tax and tip.

Crockett's Tavern, located in Pioneer Hall, features beverages and snacks such as pizza, quesadillas, etc. Pizza may also be ordered from the Trail's End Restaurant next door from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and eaten outside the Tavern. A 16 inch cheese pizza is $11.95. Toppings are $1.00 each.

Trail's End Restaurant, also located in Pioneer Hall, provides an all you can eat buffet for breakfast and dinner, a la carte lunch.

P and J's Southern Take Out - limited carry-out items all day located at Trail's End on the left.

Mickey's Backyard BBQ, an all-you-can-eat buffet with a live country band, line-dance instructor, and appearances by Disney Characters, is held on certain evenings at the Fort Wilderness Pavilion.

The Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue, an all-you-can-eat dinner show, is held nightly at Pioneer Hall(described above).

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Clueless in Whoville!

Trail's End Restaurant is very good!

http://land.allears.net/blogs/guestblog/2015/11/ft_wilderness_renovated_cabins.html

Dining at the Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort includes 2 restaurants, 2 dinner shows, and snack bars - all serving American food. Restaurant meals range from under $15 to $60 per person, based on average Guest check, not including alcohol, tax and tip.

Crockett's Tavern, located in Pioneer Hall, features beverages and snacks such as pizza, quesadillas, etc. Pizza may also be ordered from the Trail's End Restaurant next door from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and eaten outside the Tavern. A 16 inch cheese pizza is $11.95. Toppings are $1.00 each.

Trail's End Restaurant, also located in Pioneer Hall, provides an all you can eat buffet for breakfast and dinner, a la carte lunch.

P and J's Southern Take Out - limited carry-out items all day located at Trail's End on the left.

Mickey's Backyard BBQ, an all-you-can-eat buffet with a live country band, line-dance instructor, and appearances by Disney Characters, is held on certain evenings at the Fort Wilderness Pavilion.

The Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue, an all-you-can-eat dinner show, is held nightly at Pioneer Hall(described above).

Trail's End was not open while we were there. Mickey's BBQ & Hoop Dee Doo require advance reservations. I should have said no quick service. We did enjoy quick service at Wilderness Lodge and Contemporary.

To clarify, I do not use a scooter. One person in our party did. We were not walking distance to anything. The boats did not run 2 mornings of 6 we were there, due to fog.

I liked the cabins, we had great fun at the parks. Just did not like the transportation at FW. If I were spending all day at the cabin, it would be great.

 

[sharadoc]

The cabins are not a choice if you're at the parks all day and just need a place to sleep.

We love the cabins and I would choose a cabin over anything if my family didn't get a vote lol.

Pros:
1. No one walking over, around or through your room. No footsteps, flushing toilets, showers at 5 am in another room, or neighbors coming home at 2 am banging around and waking you all up.
2. Ability to hang out, relax on a deck or a living room.
3. Lots of relaxed activities at the Meadows - pool games, activities, plus evening campfire and movie plus canoeing, fishing, archery, horseshoes; petting zoo, horseback riding, pony rides, playgrounds
4. Fireworks and water parade on the beach
5. Quick transportation everywhere. I am always amazed that folks don't compare this to the amount of bus time around resorts like CBR, POR or the incredibly long walks to a bus stop. At least at the Fort, I can get a ride instead of walking.
6. Boat (which always can accommodate scooters) to Magic Kingdom; smaller boat (which can't do scooters) to Contemporary or Wilderness Lodge
7. Park at your front door
8. Plenty of QS food options at the Settlement and Meadows, more than you get at Deluxe or many DVCs.
9. Crockett's Tavern a great place for a drink and nachos, pizza, wings

Cons:
1. Takes time to get to parks, not good if you're on a schedule or in a hurry to get there. Perfect if you like a leisurely vacation like we do.
2. People coming and going from the Hoop-De-Doo and Backyard Barbecue take up a lot of space on boats, sometimes annoying when it gets so crowded, like "hey, got off my boat!"
That's all I can think of honestly.

 

[1234lucky]

I didn't find the transportation at the cabins to be a problem at all. We could walk to the pool and to boat (though longer). The internal buses ran all the time.

In addition to what's mentioned above we liked getting groceries and having that extra space and quiet. With small kids, putting them to bed early and having space to relax and have a drink was great. Having space to get them a quick breakfast while we packed and got ready for the day also helped us get up and ready to hit the parks more easily.

I've heard the one bathroom as a complaint. With kids, they bathed at night so it wasn't an issue at all.

The only buses I found long were to one of the water parks which at the time stopped at Disney springs.

 

[4leobeans]

Disclosure - we've never stayed at POFQ, but we did visit when we stayed at POR. Honestly, I thought it looked a bit run down and I thought the pool and decor seemed cheesy.
It was actually the resort I originally wanted to stay at, but our two little girls and the chance to stat in the royal rooms won out....I'm glad. We did really enjoy POR, it was very beautiful.

We stayed at the FW cabins in late 2013. Yes, the resort is big, and we didn't have a golf cart. But we were in and end loop, so very close to a bus stop, and only waited once for an internal bus, and one extended wait for a bus to a park. It was a bit more work to get on an internal bus to take you the theme patk buses/boats, and definitely not my fave way to end the night, but the boat ride and watching the fireworks....the nice evening walks to our cabin were great! We also loved the space, and my kids loved the bunk beds! The scenery was beautiful, and we enjoyed watching wildlife at the resort.
'We would definitely stay again