? about the parking lot at FW

[BigD1813]

I was wondering if anyone knows FW's stance on something. My family is trying to get 8 nights at Fort Wilderness. So far we have the 2nd through 4th night, and the 6th through 8th night. Is there a chance that they would let us just park the RV in the parking lot and stay there on the 1st and 5th nights if we can't get a site?

 

[John VN]

I was wondering if anyone knows FW's stance on something. My family is trying to get 8 nights at Fort Wilderness. So far we have the 2nd through 4th night, and the 6th through 8th night. Is there a chance that they would let us just park the RV in the parking lot and stay there on the 1st and 5th nights if we can't get a site?

During one of our stays at FW I went to the Outpost and asked about parking in the big lot. Was told that the security is handled by an outside source and if someone was to park overnight there is a good possibility of being towed. Besides, I think I remember seeing a sign about no overnight parking.

John

 

[Memph1s]

I was told by a CM at the front desk ABSOLUTLY NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE were campers allowed to overnight in hte parking lot. However, I sure do see campers there at all hours of the day and night.

 

[RocklandRVers]

From what I understand you can park there either while waiting to check in (you arrive early and your site isn't ready) or after you check out so you can visit the parks. You can also park "extra" vehicles or cargo trailers as well.

As far as Security being from outside, I am not sure what that means. Every CM whether security or serving in some other capacity is a Disney employee as far as I know.

 

[John VN]

From what I understand you can park there either while waiting to check in (you arrive early and your site isn't ready) or after you check out so you can visit the parks. You can also park "extra" vehicles or cargo trailers as well.

As far as Security being from outside, I am not sure what that means. Every CM whether security or serving in some other capacity is a Disney employee as far as I know.

The patrolled security in the big lot for illegal parking that can result in a vehicle being towed away is handled by a company other than Disney according to a CM at the front desk, at least that is what I was told earlier in the year and the sign I saw after getting my question answered mentioned the same thing. I will admit that last weekend I did not check to see if the warning sign was still posted at the lot entrance.

John

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

The last trip we took to FW was over Easter break. With an 1160 mile drive and changeable spring weather there can be some delays. We left early and ended up making good time. We were going to sleep in northern FL but couldnt find any place to park. We ended up at the Walmart on 27 at 192 around 12:30 AM, picked up our initial load of supplies then went to FW at around 2 AM. We parked in the auxiliary lot and slept till 9AM and went and checked in. We ended up getting our site around 1PM and all was right wiuth the world after that
Throughout the night at least 6 more campers came in doing the same thing, arrive early and sleep till check in time.
I dont think getting there that early got us in any quicker but like I told my wife "I would rather sleep in FW parking lot than be at home"

 

[Myddrin64]

Disney Security does patrol the parking lot as well as an occassional ride-through by the Orange County Sheriff's Department. So if they notice you spending the night there, they will make contact with you asking you to move it along. If you're still there later on, they will start upping the stakes by either threatening to trespass you and/or having the vehicle towed.

Michael - [/SIZE]

 

[SandrA9810]

Well it is legal to park in any wal-mart parking lot... there's the wal-mart closest to FW on the 536 (vineyard)... just south of hotel plaza blvd. Then the two further out on 192.

Check in is 24hrs a day. And this last trip, we didn't leave as early as I wanted to, so we didn't get in till about 2am. They had everything all printed out and I just had to sign my name. Had them call a security person over and took Kiani to the kennel, and all was well.
For 25$ a night (fl resident/ap member at a partial site) it was worth sleeping in the tent rather than in the car in the wal-mart parking lot or rest stop on I-95.

 

[Caskbill]

Of the thousands of Wal-Mart stores, there are about 350 of them where you cannot park your RV there overnight. Mostly these restrictions are due to local ordinances, or in some cases due to the conduct of past RV'ers themselves where the store manager has had to eliminate the practice.

Many of the local ordinances restrictions are in Florida. (Arizona also has many restrictions).

For example, you may not park your rig overnight at the Super Wal-Mart on hwy 192, about 10 miles east of WDW.

You should always check with the Wal-Mart manager prior to staying there to be certain that it is allowed at that store. If you park where it is not allowed, you may be woken up by the local police at 3:00 am and told to move, or worse, be given a citation.

 

[Myddrin64]

Feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but Apopka-Vineland Road is State Road 535 (not SR 536). The Wal-Mart is located on Apopka-Vineland Road (SR. 535) just south of the Central Florida Greeneway.

Well it is legal to park in any wal-mart parking lot... there's the wal-mart closest to FW on the 536 (vineyard)... just south of hotel plaza blvd. Then the two further out on 192.

 

[SandrA9810]

I dunno... I know it's one of those 530 roads that go north and south (connects i-4 to 192)... I don't always pay attentions to names, I've just learned where to go.