Missing the Good Old Days

[Annie Michelle]

We just returned from Disney World and took a trip over to see Fort Wilderness with my parents. I'm sure there will be "hate" for this, but does anyone miss the good old days at the campground? We began camping there in 1980 and went were lucky enough to drive from PA for a week or so every year. Since my parents have gotten older and cannot take the drive, we have switched to the resorts, but our hearts have always remained at the Fort.

Every trip we still go over to eat, shop, campfire or just walk around and wish we were staying there again. I have to say this year we all said there is no way we would want to stay anymore. The place is zoo. The golf cart thing is out of hand. They are everywhere with some crazy drivers. I didn't see one person on a bike. It was all kids zooming around on carts.

I miss the days when you walked or rode a bike. I miss the make your own pizza at Trails End. I miss the days when then only time you saw "outsiders" was when the Hoppdee Do was having it's show. I miss the variety animals in the petting zoo. I miss River Country. I miss not having to fight for a parking spot or a seat in a rocking chair. I miss the Chip, Dale, Boone and Crockett buses. Miss the days when you could arrive to the campfire when it was about to start and still have a seat. I miss the days there was a meadow around the Meadows Trading Post and not more campsites. I miss the days the brush was so thick between the sites, you couldn't even see another camper. I miss it when the sites were only $35 a night. I miss the days there weren't barking dogs everywhere. I miss the days when there didn't have to be a traffic director at the Settlement intersection.

I'm sure there are positive changes, but from a long time camper, the Fort has lost it's appeal. I dreamed about taking my grandkids there someday, but it probably won't ever happen.

[shinysparklybubbles]

Originally Posted by Annie Michelle

I miss the Chip, Dale, Boone and Crockett buses.

I agree with that.

[retired and happy]

We have gone to the Fort for about 15 years in a row with our special needs children, plus a few scattered trips before that. Yes, there have been changes. Some are not for the better. We miss the petting zoo and the kids on golf carts needs to be STOPPED along with most of the outsiders. We never made our own pizza or went to River Country, so not missing those. We still go to the campfire and have noticed a huge increase in crowds. We also miss the lower prices, but hasn't everything gone up over the years?

I miss being able to drive our GC from the Settlement Trasding Post to the 100 loop, and we miss cutting through from the 1400 loop to the campfire.

Yes, things have changed, but the Fort has not lost its appeal. I'm sure there were things there before we got used to the '80's. There will be other things there in the future. We will be a part of it. We love going there and will continue to spend our Christmas/New years there as long as we can afford to and as long as I can drive the ole MH. We often spend a lot of time at the Fort and don't always go into the parks. Try it again. Accept what is there and enjoy it with your kids and grandkids.

[North of Mouse]

Everything changes We started going to FW the year after it opened, so we have definitely seen the growth (some good, some not). We probably miss the steam train (large size) the most, that use to go by the campsites and you could catch it. Also, River Country.

The cc was small at first, then added on. Most of the changes do not bother us too much - we still go about once a year sometimes more often.

We have camped in about every type RV there is (except tents, no way for this girl), and we have had MH's for the last 8 or more years. Just love camping there.

[ChristusG]

I do miss a lot of those things! I remember the Boone, Crockett, Chip, and Dale buses from when I was a kid. I really dislike how they took away the meadow in front of the trading post. I don't like how I see young teens driving the golf carts around (although, I fondly remember my dad letting me drive when I was nine....however, he was WITH me). And last week was the first time I've ever seen the Fort Rangers and the traffic director! The Rangers are probably needed though.

I do still like the Fort.....we have a great time there. But there have been some major changes.

[becky1960]

You are not going back far enough, I miss the Trams and Train, and $ 16.00 a night if I remember right. I agree with other posters that there has been a lot of new changes, but some are good also, its still a great place to go, thats why sometimes it crowded..

[91oldkeywest]

Could not agree more on the Golf Carts.They have become a danger to walkers and bikers alike.And that is not just kids driving but adults that have no clue after a few to many.I would like to see Disney stop the use of carts but that will not happen as long as they rent them themselves.I also have a problem with the main gate letting anyone in and able to drive all over the CC.This make for a very scary profile letting children play outside MH.We have been camping FW since 1978 with our kids and now enjoy taking grandkids .

[John VN]

Additional things we miss-the peacocks, Christmas displays with personal touches not the current "let's spend more than everybody else and take up more than our allotted space", the Nature Trail

[North of Mouse]

Originally Posted by John VN

Additional things we miss-the peacocks, Christmas displays with personal touches not the current "let's spend more than everybody else and take up more than our allotted space", the Nature Trail

This too I had forgotten about the beautiful peacocks

Also agree completely about the displays that campers put *infringing* on each neighbor's site - we were there a couple years ago and our neighbor had lights strung on trees up to our MH with large spot lights on ALL night. We didn't complain, but will never take it again - so inconsiderate - will call cs and have it taken care of We paid big $$'s for our enjoyment and space also.

[North of Mouse]

Originally Posted by 91oldkeywest

Could not agree more on the Golf Carts.They have become a danger to walkers and bikers alike.And that is not just kids driving but adults that have no clue after a few to many.I would like to see Disney stop the use of carts but that will not happen as long as they rent them themselves.I also have a problem with the main gate letting anyone in and able to drive all over the CC.This make for a very scary profile letting children play outside MH.We have been camping FW since 1978 with our kids and now enjoy taking grandkids .

We have noticed this more and more also about the wreckless cart drivers. We are going to start taking cart #'s/tags, time of day, and start complaining. The rules are plain, and SHOULD apply!

As for the main gate letting anyone in just to drive around, did not realize this was happening - this could be a security issue

[CampingDad]

I agree about the golf carts. Sometimes they do get a bit crazy. I am very strict on my golf cart and by no means do we fool around on the golf cart. We bring our golf cart to a lot of campgrounds in IL and WI and the campgrounds out here are a lot more strict than FW. Most of them out here give fines for speeding and kids driving. And I support them for doing that. I think the ranger at FW has kept the chaos down but it's up to responsible parents to change the way it is at FW. My family and I have only been going to FW for 5 years and since the first day we were there we new that we would be coming back every year and we have. I'm sure there was times when FW was less crowded and less hectic. But times change and I hope that Disney continues to let us bring golf carts. I've said this before in other posts maybe FW needs to charge people to bring there own carts. $50 for a years pass is pretty cheap compared to renting. That money could go towards a few more Rangers patrolling and keeping the chaos to a minimum.

[SinceDay1]

I remember the train, river country, and the trams, but what I miss is the old food truck that use to come around and sale things, such fruits, snacks, and drinks. I have a picture of me with the truck. I have been going to the Fort since the first year and have seen a lot of changes, but will give nothing for all the memories i have of The Fort!

[Annie Michelle]

I'm glad to hear all the nostalgia. I agree change is just progress sometimes. I just wish it was still sleepy little secret place for campers. It used to seem so far out of the way that I don't think people went there unless they were staying there.

I forgot the train and the peacocks. They used to scare me with those noises they made!. Remember when they parked a display camper down at the Settlement? I was always so excited to go up the steps to look in and dream about upgrading our 1978 Coachman motor home to one of those "deluxe" models. LOL

[my3princes]

I miss many of the things mentioned, but find it odd that the OP mentioned all the outsiders when he or she said that they were not staying at the Fort, but visit each year. That is exactly how the outsider population grows. Not flaming by any means we've done it ourselves...just sayin

[TheRustyScupper]

sigh