18 day trip tips

[Jonell]

Hi my friends.... We are camping rookies and will be staying at the Fort for the first time June 30th-July 18th. We just purchased a 24 ft travel trailer. I would love some tips on a longer stay for example..How to make the laundry stretch so I'm not washing every other day, maybe some easy cooking tips since we will be eating at our RV most nights, and how to survive with 4 people in a 24 ft camper for 18 days!!..LOL Thanks

 

[PaHunter]

Go out and use it on weekends before heading to the Fort. Find out what you packed, forgot to pack, what you need and don't need.

 

[4077]

Lot's of people say crockpot meals ( use a plastic crockpot liner) are great...put it in and ready when you come back with easy clean up due to liner.

What kind of trailer (hybrid, etc? New or "new to you"?) Adults and children? Adults only? What sort of site (premium, preferred, etc?).

Sorry for all the questions, but many enquiring minds want to know! Oh yeah...Welcome to the Fort! You will get plenty of warm welcomes, tips and advice here... Enjoy!!!!!

 

[LHARPSTER]

Crock pot meals are the best...and yes the plastic liners are AWESOME! We made every dinner at camper... tacos, spaghetti, roast, chicken and made frozen pizza one night. So much cheaper then eating at the parks.

 

[The Uh-Oa!]

I planned a lot of crockpot meals last time....and didn't end up making any of them! I'm not entirely sure why, looking back, but I think part of it was that we ended up grilling more than we thought, and we also kinda ran out of fridge space.

The machines there are actually relatively large, so we were able to wash big loads at a time. I think last time we were there (10 days?) we only did two wash days for 4 adults and a toddler. I think a lot of that is how much you are willing to pack. Pack more and you wash less. Pack less and you wash more! You can always use the big sinks in the washroom too if you want to hand wash some things and save money.

Tell us the rest of your info as 4077 mentioned and we can help out.

 

[tiggerdad]

When you grill, plan to cook more than just that day's meal. For instance, cook that evening's hamburgers, but cook some steaks or chicken as well. I mean, the charcoal is already going. You can put the steaks, chicken, etc in the fridge and the next day just warm them up quick and easy. Then you only need to put together a side or two.

 

[Lilliputian]

Regarding laundry, look at the clothes your whole family is taking. Don't take a total of 2 red shirts, or you'll have a tiny load of reds. Make sure you can do a full load of darks, lights, etc.

Towels are my biggest challenge on long camping trips. We wash them more frequently when camping, and our trailer doesn't have a lot of room for towels. I need to get over the "normal" place for towels and put extras somewhere that they fit. You'll still use more than normal, though, because they'll get sandy if you hang them up outside, and you'll want to wash them if they fall on the floor in the comfort station. Because we don't have dedicated hooks where each of us can hang our towels in our trailer and know that they're ours, I write our initials on the tags with a Sharpie so that we know which is whose.

For food, make a good list before you go of easy meals you can make. Have some premade and in the freezer. And think about space. For example, you can premake chili completely before you leave and freeze it, but if you leave out the cans of beans and tomatoes, it will take up less space, and adding some cans at your campsite won't take long at all.

 

[CampingDad]

We're here right now on a 16 day trip. We've been here 6 days with 4 people and just did our first morning of laundry. Woke up at 7:00 and it took us an hour and a half to do 4 loads. Big Washers and dryers. Took 4 washers but only 3 dryers. $2 each washer and $2 each dryer

 

[Jonell]

Lot's of people say crockpot meals ( use a plastic crockpot liner) are great...put it in and ready when you come back with easy clean up due to liner.

What kind of trailer (hybrid, etc? New or "new to you"?) Adults and children? Adults only? What sort of site (premium, preferred, etc?).

Sorry for all the questions, but many enquiring minds want to know! Oh yeah...Welcome to the Fort! You will get plenty of warm welcomes, tips and advice here... Enjoy!!!!!

Thanks..These are some good tips. This is our very first camper . It's a brand new 24 ft Coachmen Freedom Express TT. There will be Myself, DH, DS13 and my godchild, she is 14. We have a premium site booked.

 

[Teamubr]

Wow! 18 days at the Fort. As for how to survive 4 people in a 24 ft camper... If you go with the attitude that this is a "camping" trip and the camper is just a place to sleep, it helps. Take "stuff" that makes being outside comfortable. Nice chairs, a big awning or easy up for shade. June/July will be HOT! I'm comfortable in the shade with a fan at 95 degrees.

I'm stealing Garneska's picture, but this is close to my perfect setup. The drinks on the table put this over the top. I will sit out when it's raining or pretty much anytime.

We also plan to do 'cool' things during the heat of the day. We are generally at the parks and find an air conditioned place off and on. At the Fort, we hit the pool or shop.

As for cooking, I'm not a big crock pot fan. All the recipes people show look great, but not for me. Give me a microwave, and I can cook almost anything. If it's not in the microwave, then it is on the grill outside. We also cook up bunches of things in advance (spaghetti, stir fry, chicken breasts, hamburgers) or take things that are easy to throw together. June/July you will appreciate 'cool' foods too. Lunch meat, salad or fruit are quick and nice when it's 98 outside.

Can't help you on the laundry. We just wear the same cloths every day... Actually, there are only 3 of us and I have a good size 5th wheel. We just make sure we pack enough clothes to get through. I HATE doing laundry on vacation.

j

 

[JanL]

We give each person a different colored towel (and same colored cup) so they don't have to wonder which drink is theirs or which towel.

We also double the recipes for cassaroles in the weeks before the camp out and freeze half. These act as extra ice for keeping the cooler cold. When thawed, it only takes a short while in the crock pot on HIGH and dinner is ready.

I write out lists for the week's (or 2 weeks) menus. The last items to be used go in the bottom of the cooler (actually on a Rubbermaid cabinet shelf at the bottom so melting ice won't soak into anything). We keep a separate cooler for beverages and snacks so the menu items stay cold longer. I zip lock bag items, then put them in tupperware to keep them from getting soggy.

For 18 days, I would be grocery shopping every third or fourth day. Otherwise there would be too much stuff in the cooler.

 

[ruthies12]

Regarding laundry, look at the clothes your whole family is taking. Don't take a total of 2 red shirts, or you'll have a tiny load of reds. Make sure you can do a full load of darks, lights, etc.

Towels are my biggest challenge on long camping trips. We wash them more frequently when camping, and our trailer doesn't have a lot of room for towels. I need to get over the "normal" place for towels and put extras somewhere that they fit. You'll still use more than normal, though, because they'll get sandy if you hang them up outside, and you'll want to wash them if they fall on the floor in the comfort station. Because we don't have dedicated hooks where each of us can hang our towels in our trailer and know that they're ours, I write our initials on the tags with a Sharpie so that we know which is whose.

For food, make a good list before you go of easy meals you can make. Have some premade and in the freezer. And think about space. For example, you can premake chili completely before you leave and freeze it, but if you leave out the cans of beans and tomatoes, it will take up less space, and adding some cans at your campsite won't take long at all.

Check out Ikea's website and look for "Trones" they are little storage boxes and I just put some in my camper for storing towels. Perfectly sized! Also I have a ton of the command strip hooks all over my camper for hanging up damp towels, damp clothes, etc. Those pop up hampers are also great.

For trips like Disney and the beach I make use of disposable plates and cups so I don't have to spend an hour doing dishes by hand every night. And I second the advice to get out for a couple of weekends before your Disney trip so you can figure out what you need and don't need in your camper.

 

[ruthies12]

Another thing to think about- if you are wanting to be out the door early in the morning for rope drop you will need to figure out the shower situation ahead of time. Those water heaters in the campers are tiny, they are only enough hot water for one person to shower and then it needs time to heat back up before the next person can shower. So either plan on some people using the campground showers or split your showers up between the night before and the morning, have two people shower the night before and two people shower in the morning.

 

[The Uh-Oa!]

Another thing to think about- if you are wanting to be out the door early in the morning for rope drop you will need to figure out the shower situation ahead of time. Those water heaters in the campers are tiny, they are only enough hot water for one person to shower and then it needs time to heat back up before the next person can shower. So either plan on some people using the campground showers or split your showers up between the night before and the morning, have two people shower the night before and two people shower in the morning.

I am ALL ABOUT the showers at the Comfort Stations, actually. We shared a 42ft Class A with my parents and it usually has plenty of hot water, (and they shower at night, we shower in the morning) but I usually choose to use the Comfort Stations anyway because they are glorious! (It's still nice to try and shower during off-hours where you can, though, to avoid more people in there.)

 

[ilovedisneymm]

We like to spend a day or two at the ocean.

 

[peg110]

My notes for our "12" day trip that we had (and planning another).

First, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PRESSURE REGULATOR for the water. OMG, Me and my DW were freaking out when water started seeping out of hose and in the bathroom. We thought we blew a line. Fortunately, I had some basic tools and could investigate. We realized that if we used water from the tank (and the pump) that we had no problem. FW has EXCELLENT water pressure and that was our problem. Save yourself a headache and invest in the <$20.00 pressure regulator.

As someone else mentioned, we also used different color towels. This worked well for us (5 of us in a 27 foot Trailer). We mostly used the Comfort stations because quite frankly, our RV shower is "Cramped" and there is not a lot of "Changing" room available if we are all inside.

We also viewed the camper more as a "Room" to rest our heads and recover. We spent most of our times in the parks or DTD and the like. So the "Cramped" facility was not that bad.

We chose (this last time) to do the Dining Plan. It worked out well for us and probably saved us money, but you really need to plan this out to maximize it. Despite what you may see elsewhere, we had a couple of extra quick serves from our DP and we were NOT able to convert them to Snacks as some other forums have said. (Some CM's said we could some said we couldn't, ultimately it was up to the manger of the stand to "Accept" it or not), so if you do the DP, try to use it all up before you leave.

Bring your own Detergent. The washers and dryers are typical Coin-op, and they do have soap vending but it's pricey. Bring your own Laundry Soap and Fabric Softener/sheets. Save some money. I never had an issue using the laundry, but I suppose it just depends on when you go.
If you hate doing laundry, you need to pack more clothes or wear the same clothes on multiple days. Fresh underwear is always a good choice but wearing the Shorts for 2 or 3 days is not (generally) an issue for most people as long as they don't get too dirty.

If you are planing on using "Computers" and they are wireless (or cell phones using WiFi) you can get a "Kit" to use the free internet (Some areas have WiFi available like at the pool), however their "Kits" are only WIRED. If you want Wireless access, you will need to bring your own Wireless router to use, otherwise, everyone will have to plug into the Cable Modem, and there is only ONE connection to it.

Have plenty of "WASTE" hose to cover the "Length" of your trailer. It truly would SUCK to not have your trailer not where you want it on your site because of the Hose length. Trust me on this. (Not at Disney, but at another location)

Also not a bad idea to have an extra "Water" hose (White) too. An extension cord for your shore power could be worth considering too. Although I have not had a need for them at Disney, I have at anther location.L

Have a basic set of tools. Pliers, Screwdrivers, hammer, some wire, electrical tape, etc.... I have a tool bag that I throw in before we leave. Have had to use it more than once. Invaluable.

IF you plan on using the Grills at the site, they are pretty large and as such could require a lot of charcoal, just be prepared if that is your plan.

 

[PaHunter]

When you grill, plan to cook more than just that day's meal. For instance, cook that evening's hamburgers, but cook some steaks or chicken as well. I mean, the charcoal is already going. You can put the steaks, chicken, etc in the fridge and the next day just warm them up quick and easy. Then you only need to put together a side or two.

We did this more than once, mainly to cook burgers while the coals were hot, then put the burgers in the fridge and made burgers to pack in for the next days lunch. Burger with the fixin's, a container of chips and a apple per person for lunch, much better than a 30- 50 dollar quick lunch for 3 people.

 

[bama_ed]

Over that period of time, jonell, you're going to encounter some rain. As a new owner, don't make the mistake I made once at the Fort and pitch your awning too horizontal and then go off for several hours. I put mine out straight at 90 degrees for max shade and head clearance and it rained while we were gone. The canvas material puddled and caught the water (might have been several gallons) and the weight of the water was too much and the canvas tore (and doused everything underneath). It was expensive to replace.

So my advice is to dip your awning (typically one corner more than the other) but be aware of the day's weather and act accordingly. Roll it up if it will be windy, slant one corner more if it's going to just rain, etc.

I think tiggerdad also lost an awning at the Fort but IIRC his was due to high winds.

Enjoy your long stay. I'd love to do a long stay but have never been longer than a week.

Bama Ed

 

[tiggerdad]

ROLL UP THE AWNING!

$2000 worth of damage and only on my second camping trip when it happened. Ed was right, it was due to wind, and even others around the campground who had theirs staked down had damage. It was a big storm, tents blown off pads and everything. If you are gonna be gone for a few hours, just roll the thing up. The parks can take a good deal of time to return from. That evening we were at HS and I spotted the storm on radar, but it took an hour to get out of the park and to the camper. By that time, storm had already passed through.

Ed has good advise on the tilting of the awning. Don't be confident in some of the new awnings that supposedly "tilt themselves when the weight of the rain is on the awning. My camper has this option, but I have seen others who have had damage because the rain was so heavy that the awning could not compensate and the roller bent. Tilting the awning keeps water steadily running off.

 

[garneska]

Wow! 18 days at the Fort. As for how to survive 4 people in a 24 ft camper... If you go with the attitude that this is a "camping" trip and the camper is just a place to sleep, it helps. Take "stuff" that makes being outside comfortable. Nice chairs, a big awning or easy up for shade. June/July will be HOT! I'm comfortable in the shade with a fan at 95 degrees.

I'm stealing Garneska's picture, but this is close to my perfect setup. The drinks on the table put this over the top. I will sit out when it's raining or pretty much anytime.

j

Thanks teamubr. I agree make the outside nice. Bring a fan and lights. In the pic we have DH's old gas camping lantern. His dad gave it to us and it is great. Produces good light at night and you can also dim it. Fan is awesome for cooling down and blowing bugs away. I do like the drinks on the table. Wine in my plastic Mickey icon wine glasses.