FW Cabin Campers, I need you!

[crostorfer]

For those of you who have stayed in the FW Cabins, please tell me what you liked best about it and what you liked least about the experience. I'm looking specifically for feedback about the pools, transportation and food, but I would love to hear any and all feedback as the Cabins seem to be one resort that there isn't a whole lot of thread info about. If you have a specific cabin loop number to suggest, I'd be happy to hear that as well. Thanks!

 

[Oregon mouse lover]

we just got back a few weeks ago. The cabins were a little small for us. we have two adults and four kids 12, 9, 5, 2. If you are staying in a cabin youhave to have a golf cart, the resort was very large. We loved the cabin pool it was nice and quiet. I don.t think we will stay there again. You can get lots more info if you look at the camping thread.

 

[mkoerner]

What we liked was having a full kitchen with real dishes and pots. We also liked having 2 televisions (silly I know) and the 2 separate sleeping areas. And nice and peaceful. A downside was the size of the resort and having to take their internal transportation to catch certain busses out. Of course, if you have a car, then that's not an issue. My son and grandson are going to stay in the cabins for 2 weeks in August and can't wait!

 

[jwfla422]

We love the cabins. They are perfect for our small family of 3 including myself, dh and 13 yr old dd. I love that they have a full kitchen and separate bedroom.

Probably what I love the most is not having to share a common wall next door, above or below with anyone!! They are definitely the quietest and most private accommodations on property. Some of the deluxe resorts have the thinnest walls with loud neighbors....not to mention hallway runners/yellers at either 1am or 6am.

We like to stay in the cabins when it's cooler out. We haven't used the pools there which are just basic. They've done some refurbishing to the main pool though. We love the campfire and love making smores on our bbq outside our cabin.

Now as far as transportation goes...we've rented a golf cart which is a lot of fun and very convenient (but can make a cabin stay very costly). Our last trip we rented one for our first 2 days and then dh came up for the 2nd 2 days with our bikes. We turned in the golf cart but rode our bikes around which was such a great thing to have.

We did take the internal buses those last 2 days as well and we really lucked out as we had no trouble. We waited maybe 5 minutes. Park buses took up to 15 min. during this stay which is not bad (compared to SSR we've waited a half hr several times-and even at BCV).

It was nice to be able to take the boat to the CR or WL for other dining options. Quite frankly I was a one time fan of TEB but not much anymore. We were not real impressed with the food this past trip and the wait was way too long. They messed up our ADR (we waited 45 min for 2) because they couldn't find it? I had the CF# but it didn't seem to matter. Not worth the wait. But, I would have jumped on the boat to The Wave in a heartbeat if I knew we were going to wait that long.

All of the cabin loops are pretty good. You might want to request to be at the beginning or end of a loop as some of the loops are big and it can be a good walk but I don't really mind. We have a car so we can also go to other resorts to dine as well so that is a definite plus.

I suggest you check out the Camping at Disney World thread to get more familiar with the FW. There are lots of posts from the real campers but they are full of great info. I always hang out there before a trip to the cabins.

 

[sharadoc]

We really liked it and will be going back next Thanksgiving. We felt a golf car was necessary in the summer heat because you get more frustrated and annoyed while waiting for a bus. Otherwise, the internal buses work just fine. By using the internal transportation, you can do a lot less walking than you would at most other Disney resorts.

Storage can be an issue if you're not organized. There are actually a ton of cabinets, especially if you use the kitchen cabinets too.

The thing you need to consider is that a stay at Fort Wilderness has so much to do, you can stay there and not even go to a park! There's activities, lots of things to do and play with, horseback riding, canoeing, etc. etc. We love Trails End buffet and watching Wishes and the Electrical Water Pageant on the beach. Don't stay there if you are heavy park goers from morning until closing. Then the Fort will feel cumbersome to you.

If you have a car, I'd recommend buying bikes at Walmart for your stay if you plan to hang around the Fort. Renting bikes is expensive there, more than a golf cart for a family.

 

[wishing4PA]

Best
- the cabin fit all 6 of us
- having our own little "house" just across the water from MK!

Least liked
- I got stuck sharing the Murphy bed, which I can not recommend
- distance to the themed pool (with the awesome slide)

If I stay in a cabin again, I will most likely request to be near a quiet pool, and just plan on riding the bus if I feel like using the pool slide. We were close enough to walk to the main pool, which was by my request, but it was just far enough to not be enticing in the summer heat, so we only made it there once in 4 days. But a quick dip in a normal pool would have been nice.

We did not rent a golf cart, and I don't know if I would do that unless I won the lottery or planned to have some "down days" away from the parks.

Overall, it was a nice visit, notwithstanding my lack of sleep. Then again, there's nothing like sleep deprivation to keep you in a magical, dreamlike state.

 

[fla4fun]

Staying at the cabins is a totally different experience compared to any of the other Disney resorts. It's very important that you have the right expectations going into it, or you could be disappointed.

The cabins really feel like a home away from home. You feel like you are coming back to "your" house in a neighborhood at the end of the day. They are a lot more private than a hotel room, since you don't share any walls with another room. Since I drive, I love having my own parking space right outside my door - no circling the parking lot at the end of the day looking for a spot.

You have a full kitchen, including dishwasher (which the mousekeepers will run for you). Because so many people (including me) prepare food in their cabins or RV's, you won't have the typical dining options you have at the other resorts. If you are used to using the DDP, you may find the dining options restrictive. When I stay there, I typically have breakfast and dinner at the cabin, and have lunch at whatever park I am in that day. Trails End is good, and there is a limited snack bar at the Meadow pool complex, but that's pretty much it for daily dining at FW.

Transportation is another area people love or hate. As many of my trips are solo, I can't justify the cost for a golf cart, and I've never felt at a disadvantage without one. There are two internal bus routes that service the cabin area, running between the Settlement (where the MK boat is located, as well as Trails End) and the Outpost (where the other park transportation is located) and I don't think I have every waited longer than 10 minutes for an internal bus and most times it's closer to 5 minutes. Transportation from the Settlement or Outpost is on par with all the other Disney resorts - so I wouldn't really take that into consideration. I usually request to be close transportation, and I've always ended up near the entrance of a loop with a bus stop. A golf cart can be fun, and in some cases may be slightly more convenient, but it is not a necessity. If you decide you want one, you can save money by renting from an off property dealer - check out the camping board for info on that. There is also a boat at the Settlement that runs between FW, WL, and CR, which is nice for access to more dining options, as well as a bus directly to WL.

The quiet pool at the Cabins is a basic pool like the quiet pools at any resort. They did a major overhaul of the main Meadow pool a couple years ago or so, and there is a slide and a splash area for little kids. I would consider the pools on par with the other moderate resorts. I have walked to the Meadow pool from the 2200 and 2400 loops, so you don't have to take the bus - although you can. The quiet pool is an easy walk from any cabin loop.

There are a lot of activities, like the campfire, movies, play areas, boat and bike rentals, etc., to keep you busy when you don't want to go to the parks.

The only con to me is that sometimes if I have some time to kill before going out or going to sleep, I like to take a wander through the gift shops at the hotel. The trading posts aren't as convenient, although they do have some interesting items for sale.

I will say that I prefer FW during cooler weather because I like to walk or bike through the campground. I would not recommend staying there in the summer when it's really hot and tends to rain every day. But especially in the fall and spring, FW is a wonderful place to stay. Just don't expect it to be anything like any other Disney resort - it's a totally different experience.

 

[Patriotic_Duck]

I loved the cabins!

We stayed there in February so it was too cold to take advantage of the pool or the campfire, but we would love to go back again during a warmer time of the year. We rented a golf cart and it was actually a lot of fun! We also loved the breakfast at Trails End, taking the boat, seeing the small animals along the routes, how spacious the interior of the cabin was, the full kitchen, and the trading outpost.

The only con was that we got lost the first night because we forgot our cabin number! We drove around in our golf cart for an hour! Thankfully, there is plenty of security, and when we FINALLY stopped to ask for directions, they helped us our quite a bit.

 

[Sweettears]

We are a family of five and the cabins gave us the best sleeping arrangements. However, we stayed for two nights and asked to be moved. The transportation ate up a huge amount of our time waiting and transfering on buses. The deciding factor for us was that we didn't feel the Disney magic there. No theming no ambiance (other than nature). However, if you like to camp and are looking for that atmosphere the cabins have it.

Also the deck, grill and kitchen is there if that would help make your stay more complete.

We would definitely stay there on another vacation but not a WDW vacation.

 

[TimPaulaDisney08]

We stayed at the cabins Jan 10 & loved it. DDs 4 & 6 liked having extra space. I liked being able to have food & a full frig. to make food--easy lunch, breakfast. We did not do the dining plan & ate at the cabin most nights. We did get a takeout meal from Trails end which was very good. We rented a golf cart (from an outside company) & it was great! So, we did not use the internal busses. The campfire & all the activities are good too, but there is a lot to see! We were at the front of a loop right next to the cabin pool--perfect location. There was also a bus stop right behind our cabin. It really is nice to have the extra space. With young kids in a hotel, when they go to bed, so do we. In the cabin, we could stay up & watch tv. We will definitely go back!

 

[sukhakuli]

Staying at the cabins is a totally different experience compared to any of the other Disney resorts. It's very important that you have the right expectations going into it, or you could be disappointed.

The cabins really feel like a home away from home. You feel like you are coming back to "your" house in a neighborhood at the end of the day. They are a lot more private than a hotel room, since you don't share any walls with another room. Since I drive, I love having my own parking space right outside my door - no circling the parking lot at the end of the day looking for a spot.

You have a full kitchen, including dishwasher (which the mousekeepers will run for you). Because so many people (including me) prepare food in their cabins or RV's, you won't have the typical dining options you have at the other resorts. If you are used to using the DDP, you may find the dining options restrictive. When I stay there, I typically have breakfast and dinner at the cabin, and have lunch at whatever park I am in that day. Trails End is good, and there is a limited snack bar at the Meadow pool complex, but that's pretty much it for daily dining at FW.

Transportation is another area people love or hate. As many of my trips are solo, I can't justify the cost for a golf cart, and I've never felt at a disadvantage without one. There are two internal bus routes that service the cabin area, running between the Settlement (where the MK boat is located, as well as Trails End) and the Outpost (where the other park transportation is located) and I don't think I have every waited longer than 10 minutes for an internal bus and most times it's closer to 5 minutes. Transportation from the Settlement or Outpost is on par with all the other Disney resorts - so I wouldn't really take that into consideration. I usually request to be close transportation, and I've always ended up near the entrance of a loop with a bus stop. A golf cart can be fun, and in some cases may be slightly more convenient, but it is not a necessity. If you decide you want one, you can save money by renting from an off property dealer - check out the camping board for info on that. There is also a boat at the Settlement that runs between FW, WL, and CR, which is nice for access to more dining options, as well as a bus directly to WL.

The quiet pool at the Cabins is a basic pool like the quiet pools at any resort. They did a major overhaul of the main Meadow pool a couple years ago or so, and there is a slide and a splash area for little kids. I would consider the pools on par with the other moderate resorts. I have walked to the Meadow pool from the 2200 and 2400 loops, so you don't have to take the bus - although you can. The quiet pool is an easy walk from any cabin loop.

There are a lot of activities, like the campfire, movies, play areas, boat and bike rentals, etc., to keep you busy when you don't want to go to the parks.

The only con to me is that sometimes if I have some time to kill before going out or going to sleep, I like to take a wander through the gift shops at the hotel. The trading posts aren't as convenient, although they do have some interesting items for sale.

I will say that I prefer FW during cooler weather because I like to walk or bike through the campground. I would not recommend staying there in the summer when it's really hot and tends to rain every day. But especially in the fall and spring, FW is a wonderful place to stay. Just don't expect it to be anything like any other Disney resort - it's a totally different experience.

I'm glad to see that you were walking around the fort. We are staying there next month, and I am not going to rent a golf cart. Do you think you can walk from the central loops to the marina? We walk a lot, and anything under a mile is no big deal. The resort map makes the fort look like it is about a mile long, so it seems like walking around it wouldn't be a problem.

 

[Radiorox]

We have an camper so we usually stay in those loops however, dad had a wonderful idea to head up during Labour Day weekend! We stayed in the Cabins. I am IN LOVE with them!

It was myself, dad, step-mom, my grandmother and grandfather and we had a great time! Full kitchen, rustic furniture and it has this lovely, woodsy smell inside the cabins.

The main room has a Murphy bed (I so want one LOL!!) where the grandparents slept while us "kids" had the back room. The room has a queen or full sized bed, next to it a bunk bed.

I actually slept in the top bunk, my dad in the bottom bunk and my step mom on the bed. LOL! Dad and I were like two kids "Oooh!! I've never slept in a bunk before!!!" Those things are SOOOO STURDY!! Awesome mattresses too. The seating in the living room has these little chairs made out of wood.

The bathroom is HUGE, I think about twice the size of any of the value resorts or the moderates. I LOVED waking up in the morning, opening the shade right by the bunk and looking out. It felt like we were isolated and actually in the forest.

They have a nice little deck outside along with a picnic table + BBQ grill.

Golf Carts or bikes are a must. Even the middle of the way isn't quite middle of the way. This is a HUGE resort. Once you get to the entrance of where the Marina is located you still have to walk a bit all the way to the back where the dock actually is. This is where the golf carts are key. There is parking for the golf carts and a special pathway for them that runs up to the start of the docks.

Now, you can also use Internal transportation from wherever your loop is and take that to the stop just outside the Settlement post/marina area.

Another cool thing about the golf cart is that you can use it to ride around the loops checking out the RVs and rigs that some people have. There are families that will build gorgeous Disney displays around their rigs. At night, some of the RVs are spectacularly "Disney" lit with Mickey lampposts, lights and such.

This place has TONS of activities for kids down to Mickey's BBQ, movies at night by a campfire. The main pool, Meadows, had some cool refurbs. It has a kiddie section, fenced off so the little tykes can't accidentally run into the big pool. The big pool now has a slide!! They used the old water tower from River Country and made it into a slide. There's also a "quiet" pool near the entrance. Nothing too exciting about it last time I checked, just a pool.

You can see the water pageant from the beach as well as some of the MK's fireworks. (Discovery Island has been growing and is starting to block some of the lower fireworks.) I like to try and time a boat ride on Bay Lake around firework time. If you are lucky, your captain will either stop or slow down. I've also caught the water pageant from the boats.

There's great dining there! Hoop Dee Doo Review and also Pioneer Hall. Love the ribs and cornbread.

Cons:
Price, considering it's a moderate, the cost is a bit up there. Granted, you are not inside a building dealing with neighbors and have considerably more "homey" amenities (ex: mugs, plates, silverware full kitchen: stove, oven, fridge, microwave, coffee machine, etc.) but, it's still a moderate. I'd be more comfy with the price if they named it a deluxe or something.

Transportation: This is hit or miss. In all of our stays I've either waited 2-3 mins up to nearly 15-20 for the internal bus. From there you need to transfer to a boat via the marina (to go to MK, WL or CR) or head to the outpost and hop on a bus to one of the other parks. This can take a bit of time as you may have to wait again for the bus to the parks.

Parking: Although you can technically fit two cars in front of the cabins, it really only has ample room for one. We had a mini-van and when my aunt came by to visit, had to park a little on the grass. Maybe two small cars would have better luck but, to me it looks like a tight fit.

All cons aside, if I could chose where to stay, I'd be back there in a heartbeat. It had such a nice feel about it, really relaxing. For the most part, "quiet" times in FW are just that. I love almost all of Disney but, FW is home away from home for me.

Jackie

 

[tookie]

We loved being able to separate from the kids in the evenings. They could be in the bedroom watching cartoons while we enjoyed a great bottle of wine from "France". It was also nice to be able to stock the fridge with all of our essentials. We would sleep late and eat breakfast in the cabin, go to the parks for lunch, and come back "home" to a relaxing place where we didn't hear our neighbors next door. One of our other favorite amenities about the resort was the outdoor movies at night. This place is great!!! You have to have a golf cart! It is part of the fun. I know it is considered a moderate, but it is as close to a deluxe as a moderate can be. You will have sooooo much fun there. Wish I was there now!

 

[Radiorox]

Wish I was there now!

Ditto!! I want one of those cabins. LOL!! I've spent plenty of time at Fort Wilderness but the cabins to me are the best! Unfortunately, we booked late and wound up at the loop closest to the Outpost. It was probably a good thing as we were a little more secluded but, rather far from the action around FW. I tried to delay us leaving... it didn't work. LOL!!

Jackie.