Admission of many one night reservations at FW

[ilovedisneymm]

I have been trying multiple times for several days now to pick up a couple extra days at the Fort in January. Ok trying way too many than I will admit but with the help of the ipad and My Disney Experience a date check takes all of 3 seconds or less. Every time BOOKED. Our original reservation date has us checkin in on a Saturday and I wanted to bump us up to checking in mid week with hopes to secure a good campsite. So today I decided to pick up the phone and call guest relations and vent my frustration. I told them that we come every year and at the same time each year and each time the tent sites are mostly open and unoccupied. One can only assume that the reason why I can't extend my families stay this time is due to the loophole of the throw away room at FW. She seemed legitimately oblivious to this loophole. Maybe she was just pacifying me, but maybe not. So I explained and while doing so she admitted going through reservations and seeing far too many one night only stays. FW has to be aware of this as Disney but I figured I would toss my two cents in about it. After a few minutes on hold she was able to extend our stay for the extra nights we originally wanted giving us a total of 17 days the fort!!! And checking in midweek!!!

Maybe if enough FW guests voice their frustration in this, Disney might change their policy. One way would be to have a large non-refundable deposit.

 

[cmullen]

Congrats on your extended stay! We call every day to try to book for MLL weekend/ my birthday but no luck I'll keep trying !

 

[Teamubr]

Great job on getting the extra nights you wanted.

What is going on in January that would make a "throw away" day so popular? I thought January was one of the slow periods. We've been down in early February a couple of times and it was nearly a ghost town... at least compared to our summer trips.

j

 

[4077]

January has marathons, right?

 

[bama_ed]

Well for one thing the MLK weekend toward the end of mm's trip is a long weekend.

I know off-property guests can buy Magic Bands and do all the FP+ planning etc. but why buy them for, what, $12 apiece when you can reserve a campsite which comes with free parking too? If there are 3-4 people in your party it's break even on a $50 a night campsite.

mm, I talked with a manager at the Fort back in March about the "ghost" reservations. They said they looked into it and it's not a big problem so they won't lift a finger to help. They get paid, there are no "ghosts" to complain, etc. I tried to tell them that ghosts don't rent golf carts, buy souvenirs at the Trading Post, or eat at Trails End. We do. They. Do. Not. Care.

As for the extra days you were looking for, I have a suggestion to make for others in the same boat as you were. I would ask if people have done this and tell us how successful it was. I'll do it by way of relaying a conversation I had with the check-in CM at the Fort on my last trip when I checked in at 11am which is also check-out time.

CM: Hi Welcome Home.

Ed: Thanks glad to be back.

........blah blah...... (Ed sees the line of cars & trailers in front of him creeping out of the Fort headed for home)....

Ed: Wow, look at all those folks leaving. Guess it's very busy?

CM: Totally full. In fact, we're overbooked tonight.

Ed: Overbooked? How can you when there are only so many sites each with a reservation?

CM: Some folks have extended their stays while they were here so I don't know what we're going to do with everybody....



So my suggestion is to go with the reservation you have but try to leave days afterward open. While you are at the Fort, try to extend your stay those two days. At worst Disney will probably charge you rack rate for the site. With all those "ghost" reservations they are probably comfortable that even though they are full on paper, there won't be a tent or camper on every site, especially the cheaper tent sites that you are trying to get.

Has anyone extended their stay while you were there? Was it during a busy period? Was Disney accommodating or did they force you to leave on the date specified on your original reservation?

I'm 90% sure this would work. Disney hates to disappoint or say not to a guest. The downside is that you might be limited in planning on MDE without those dates showing up on your reservation (don't know enough about MDE. and don't care to).

Glad you got some extra days.

Bama Ed

PS - so when's your new checkin day if I may ask? I'm coming in on Jan 8 Thursday.

 

[bama_ed]

January has marathons, right?

Yeah, that could have been impacting the days before her trip. Plus the snow bird migration....

Bama Ed

 

[ilovedisneymm]

I make sure to avoid the marathon at all costs!

As far as the MLK weekend goes, I considered that before jumping to my conclusion it was those damn ghosts. But while I was on the phone that is what I decided to rolled with and guest services came through for me! We did pick up those extra nights and she did confirm many one night reservations. I mentioned that too, that Disney I'm sure is very aware as FW and they probably don't care as long as the spots are filled with paying guests. But we are there daily in FW spending money (we use to rent carts before purchasing are own) drinking $6 over priced beers from the Trading Posts, odds and ends for our site and best of all Trails End for dinner most nights. You are right. They don't care. But I can only hope they see the big picture of how it really effects those that care the most. Fort Wilderness is a gem and I'm sure it becomes more popular with each year. I know I submit my loving opinion about FW to anyone I know that hints of Disney.

We did have Jan 17 - 31 and were able to pick up 15 & 16 putting us Jan 15 - 31. Coming in on a Thursday. We are coming from IL and hope to stop at Smokey Mountains on our way back for two or three nights hoping to see the mountains covered in white dust. Cabin stay there not tent.

Well for one thing the MLK weekend toward the end of mm's trip is a long weekend.

I know off-property guests can buy Magic Bands and do all the FP+ planning etc. but why buy them for, what, $12 apiece when you can reserve a campsite which comes with free parking too? If there are 3-4 people in your party it's break even on a $50 a night campsite.

mm, I talked with a manager at the Fort back in March about the "ghost" reservations. They said they looked into it and it's not a big problem so they won't lift a finger to help. They get paid, there are no "ghosts" to complain, etc. I tried to tell them that ghosts don't rent golf carts, buy souvenirs at the Trading Post, or eat at Trails End. We do. They. Do. Not. Care.

As for the extra days you were looking for, I have a suggestion to make for others in the same boat as you were. I would ask if people have done this and tell us how successful it was. I'll do it by way of relaying a conversation I had with the check-in CM at the Fort on my last trip when I checked in at 11am which is also check-out time.

CM: Hi Welcome Home.

Ed: Thanks glad to be back.

........blah blah...... (Ed sees the line of cars & trailers in front of him creeping out of the Fort headed for home)....

Ed: Wow, look at all those folks leaving. Guess it's very busy?

CM: Totally full. In fact, we're overbooked tonight.

Ed: Overbooked? How can you when there are only so many sites each with a reservation?

CM: Some folks have extended their stays while they were here so I don't know what we're going to do with everybody....



So my suggestion is to go with the reservation you have but try to leave days afterward open. While you are at the Fort, try to extend your stay those two days. At worst Disney will probably charge you rack rate for the site. With all those "ghost" reservations they are probably comfortable that even though they are full on paper, there won't be a tent or camper on every site, especially the cheaper tent sites that you are trying to get.

Has anyone extended their stay while you were there? Was it during a busy period? Was Disney accommodating or did they force you to leave on the date specified on your original reservation?

I'm 90% sure this would work. Disney hates to disappoint or say not to a guest. The downside is that you might be limited in planning on MDE without those dates showing up on your reservation (don't know enough about MDE. and don't care to).

Glad you got some extra days.

Bama Ed

PS - so when's your new checkin day if I may ask? I'm coming in on Jan 8 Thursday.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Last year, we left home (IL) when it was 30 below and a day early due to a storm coming in. Really glad we did cause that was the big ice storm in January that took out Georgia. We stayed ahead of that storm by hours. Then once we were down there it rained four or five days and for each rain day we just ended up adding a few days at the end. FW was very accommodating for us to come early and extend our stay. Never once did a "we are all booked" come about. So fast forward one year later and same time frame and all of a sudden booked before and after our original 17-31 stay. Totally GHOSTS! I tried to add days both ways. I AM SO GLAD that we booked a few months ago, I almost was just going to wing it and not plan a thing. Now, I'm crazy and over planning and trying to figure out those darn fast passes. I am considering just doing fast passes for our 10 day tickets for each day at MK. That way we have even more flexibility within our schedule. We have a few days set aside for the ocean, Sea World and Fort days. That way if all Fast Pass days are set to MK we are guaranteed Snow White Train and the Mountains. I don't really care about any other fast passes (nor my family) when it comes to AK, Epcot or Hollywood. Well Epcot for Soarin and Hollywood for Toy Story but if you time it right, you don't need a fast pass. Whalla! Even more flexibility in the trip and not a slave to the FS.

And now I have just turned into a "ghost" fast passer.....

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Happy early early bday to you! Keep checking MDE a few premium sites came open for that weekend that were booked just days earlier. We just have the basic tent site. They come and go quick.

Congrats on your extended stay! We call every day to try to book for MLL weekend/ my birthday but no luck I'll keep trying !

 

[ilovedisneymm]

I don't think it is confined to just January. I believe it is this new loophole that is making the appearance of being booked.
And thank you

Great job on getting the extra nights you wanted.

What is going on in January that would make a "throw away" day so popular? I thought January was one of the slow periods. We've been down in early February a couple of times and it was nearly a ghost town... at least compared to our summer trips.

j

 

[John VN]

Pretty sure I just saw a bit on the news that WDW was doing great and the $$$$$ were flowing in, so why would FW worry if a site can be rented without anyone showing up to use it, the water and the electricity yet the parks are still visited thereby bringing additional revenue.

 

[Kanda]

I have been trying to get in a day early -- TOMORROW! And the Fort is full. We tried ANY type of site, even though we have a preferred booked until the 23, we told them we would take tent site up to premium -- just any option to get us in a day early -- NOTHING AVAILABLE. I thought this was a historically "slow week". Oh well, a busy week at Disney beats a busy week at work!!!!

 

[John VN]

I have been trying to get in a day early -- TOMORROW! And the Fort is full. We tried ANY type of site, even though we have a preferred booked until the 23, we told them we would take tent site up to premium -- just any option to get us in a day early -- NOTHING AVAILABLE. I thought this was a historically "slow week". Oh well, a busy week at Disney beats a busy week at work!!!!

Tropical Palms, close to entrance and a nice place to stay.....http://www.tropicalpalmsresortfl.com/

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Sorry it is all full. If you gets chance (after your trip) I would love to know if it really was full or just the ghosts.

I'm taking no chances and decided to go ahead and book for 2016. I feel silly in doing so but you never know what changes are going to roll out next and I need my FW in January.

I have been trying to get in a day early -- TOMORROW! And the Fort is full. We tried ANY type of site, even though we have a preferred booked until the 23, we told them we would take tent site up to premium -- just any option to get us in a day early -- NOTHING AVAILABLE. I thought this was a historically "slow week". Oh well, a busy week at Disney beats a busy week at work!!!!

 

[bama_ed]

I have been trying to get in a day early -- TOMORROW! And the Fort is full. We tried ANY type of site, even though we have a preferred booked until the 23, we told them we would take tent site up to premium -- just any option to get us in a day early -- NOTHING AVAILABLE. I thought this was a historically "slow week". Oh well, a busy week at Disney beats a busy week at work!!!!

Weekends in the spring and fall fill up early. I think it's locals and almost-locals coming in for a weekend when the weather is very comfortable (on average that is). You are correct, though, that mid-week this time of year is slow but folks turn out for the weekends. I've been there before in spring when 30 campsites in loop 2000 were being used by Cub Scouts and their families and the same weekend about 10 sites were used by Girl Scouts and families also in 2000. It was kids and cars all OVER the place.

I hope snowmedic doesn't get overrun this weekend. Disney tends to put them in the back of loop 2000 and leaves sites up near the loop entrance for the individual reservations.

Bama Ed

 

[Kanda]

Thanks for the Tropical Palms advice. We're just going to get a hotel for one night, then head over early on Sunday.

Just as a "things that make you go hummmmmmm"...... After confirming the fort is completely booked for Saturday, I found out there are 60-70 golf carts available for rent Saturday!

 

[StormyCA]

As a DLR regular, these 'ghosts' are a new & puzzling thing for me. Took me a while to figure out why people would do that! I don't want to step on toes, but I think it's a shame that it's allowed. BUT I can see that Disney would consider it a 'win-win'. They get the money from the 'ghost' and when they don't show (assuming there's a time where the site gets released for a no-show), they get money from someone else, too.

Not sure what they can really do, unless they keep track of people who routinely book one night and then 'no show'. Even then Disney isn't likely to refuse their reservation. I guess they could shut down their Magic Bands or cancel everything on their MDE if they don't check in?

 

[cmullen]

Woooohoooo I booked mid January today yay!!

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Woohoo! Looks like it's going to be a magical bday for you!!!!

Woooohoooo I booked mid January today yay!!