Fort to Contemporary?

[Levenseller215]

Hi All - Planning an arrival day of exploring the Fort. A couple questions, if you don't mind.

Reservations at Chef Mickey's at 6:20. 9 am-ish arrival in Orlando, using the Magical Express, Dec 8-15. Heading to the Fort to check everything out- geyser, XMas campsites, pony rides, etc...

My question is how long does it take to get to Contemporary by boat? By walking?

Is my 6:20 ressie to late to make it back for Chip and Dale? Any other character meals outside of the parks nearby to get a little taste on arrival day?

What would you say are must - sees for a first timer at the Fort? We have a two year old that loves nature animals.

My wife and I are walkers, do we need bikes or golf carts to see everything in a timely fashion?

Can you rent a bike trailer for a toddler?

We'll be staying at the All-Stars. How long is that transportation?

Thanks!


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[sharadoc]

Hi and Welcome!

I'll try and organize my answers for you:

1. Fort Wilderness does NOT have a geyset, that's at Wilderness Lodge. The Fort has the Chip & Dale campfire, pony rides, christmas decos, etc.

2. Transportation between the Contemporary, Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge is by boat. They run about every 20 minutes and will take about 15-20 minutes between destinations, so you would need to allow an hour between stops for loading, unloading and travelling. YOU CAN'T WALK BETWEEN THEM. There is a path between Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge that is about a mile long.

3. With Dinner at Chef Mickey's at 6:20, you'll get seated by 6:30-6:45, so NO WAY to get back to the Fort by 7:00.

4. You can rent bikes at the bike barn, or a golf cart up front by the Outpost. You can use the internal bus to get around and that's free.

To get to the Fort from the All-Stars, you'll have to take transportation to a park first, then back to Fort Wilderness. The easiest way to do it is to take the bus to Magic Kingdom, then go over to the boat launch and go to Fort Wilderness.

Hope that helps.

 

[Levenseller215]

Thanks for the help. A couple questions on your points:

Am I allowed to ride bikes or golf carts to the lodge?



Is the Fort walkable or should I rely on alternative transportation - carts, bike or bus

Is the backyard BBQ good for a toddler?

Do Chip and Dale arrive right at 7 or are they delayed awhile?

Thanks


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[sharadoc]

Thanks for the help. A couple questions on your points:

Am I allowed to ride bikes or golf carts to the lodge?

I know you can't take the cart, not sure about bikes.



Is the Fort walkable or should I rely on alternative transportation - carts, bike or bus

It's really huge, it's possible to walk but it will take a lot of time. Once it's dark, it's hard to see and there's not always a sidewalk, so you'll be walking on the road where buses and golf carts drive. I'd recommend transportation.

Is the backyard BBQ good for a toddler?

Never been there, but have heard that it gets a little chaotic when all the kids try to dance with the characters.

Do Chip and Dale arrive right at 7 or are they delayed awhile?

If I remember correctly, the fire is lit at 7, then the show is from 7:30 - 8:00, then the movie at 8. I think C&D come out after a couple of songs.

Thanks


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Answers above in red!

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks for the help. A couple questions on your points:

Am I allowed to ride bikes or golf carts to the lodge?



Is the Fort walkable or should I rely on alternative transportation - carts, bike or bus

Is the backyard BBQ good for a toddler?

Do Chip and Dale arrive right at 7 or are they delayed awhile?

Thanks


Posted from DISboards.com App for Android

No golf carts to Wilderness Lodge. Bikes and walkers are permitted on the Exercise Trail (wide paved walkway between the two) which is about 1 mile long and well shaded.

IMO the Fort is walkable. From the marina/Trails End area to the Meadow Trading Post area (pool, Campfire/singalong) is a 10-15 minute walk and flat. If you want to see several loops with their decorations, etc then a cart might be needed. However, if you walk from TE to Meadows, you will pass a good number of large decorated sites.

In December the campfires are lit at 6:30 pm, the Singalong with Chip & Dale starts at 7:00 pm, and the movie usually starts around 7:45 pm. There is a concession stand hidden in the Conestoga wagon behind the bleachers at the campfire that sells roasting sticks, marshmellow, s'mores kits, hot chocolate, etc. at what I would call reasonable rates. (Times are earlier in the winter and later in the summer and changes when we move clocks).

The Backyard BBQ is a character meet-and-greet opportunity with food and country music/dancing. When you say "toddler" I think of a small child held in an adult's arms. If they are old enough to dance to the music and shake what their mommas gave them with Goofy, Mickey, and Minnie, then they will enjoy it.

Have fun and relax at the Fort!

Bama ED

PS - to the DIS Camping Board.

 

[featherface]

DH and I and our 3 yr. old grandson stayed at the pop century. We to wanted to visit the campground so one morning we went to an EMH morning at the MK. We did Fantasyland from 8:am until 9:15 am. Then we took the monorail to breakfast at Chef Mickey's and then took a boat to Fort Wilderness. DGS had a blast this day. He played in the playground at The Fort and rode a little brown pony named Nemo. Then we visited the big horses. To get back we took a bus from the Fort to Downtown Disney to the Pop and it took over two hours. Take the boat from Ft. Wilderness back to the MK and then a bus to your resort. If you want to do the campfire I would eat lunch at Chef Mickey's and then head to the Fort.

 

[Levenseller215]

Thanks for the input - where abouts is the playground located?

How are the fireworks from the Fort?

 

[JWimberley]

Thanks for the input - where abouts is the playground located?

How are the fireworks from the Fort?

The playground is about a 100 meters inland of the boat dock.

The fireworks are great. We watched the water parade from the Fort Wilderness beach and they pipe the music/narration from the Magic Kingdom fireworks show to speakers on the Fort's beach as well...