Any tips for First Timers??

[Winston1204]

We are the proud new owners of a Class C motorhome. We were going to rent one for our upcoming trip, but for $2,000 we found an older model that was for sale. It would have cost $1,500 in expenses to rent one, so we thought for $500 more why not buy one!! It's nothing fancy, it's an older model but in great condition, perfect for the two of us. Anyway, I am wondering what tips, suggestions, advice that you have for First Time visiters to FW. It will be us and our 4lb little dog. Are there things we MUST do, bring, see, any recommendations of which loop, should we cook or eat out, do we need outdoor lights for at night,etc? Any help would be greatly appreciated!! I'm sooooo excited AHHHH!!

 

[lawnspecialties]

Right away, order The Next Exit from Amazon or something similar. The best book ever for making the traveling easier; especially in an RV.

For "Fort" life, give us some details of your trip.

Where are you coming from?
When are you going?
How long are you planning to stay?
That kind of stuff.

This is the best place ever to ask what you're asking and no matter what, you'll have an unbelieveable time.

 

[Winston1204]

Right away, order The Next Exit from Amazon or something similar. The best book ever for making the traveling easier; especially in an RV.

For "Fort" life, give us some details of your trip.

Where are you coming from?
When are you going?
How long are you planning to stay?
That kind of stuff.

This is the best place ever to ask what you're asking and no matter what, you'll have an unbelieveable time.

Hi, we're coming from Connecticut. We will be there in about 10 or 11 days and we plan on staying for 4 or 5 nights. We have family we will be visiting in Florida, but we may stay a few extra nights in Disney before going to see them, hehe. We go to WDW every few months, but this is our first time staying in an RV and we are soooo excited!! FW looks like such a fun place!! We usually hit the parks in the afternoons, go out to dinner, and then either go to a park for EMH or just come back and have a few beers, etc.

 

[lawnspecialties]

As for the basics, just remember you're "at home"; not the hotel.

If you don't have one, get an electric space heater. No sense using your gas to heat the RV when the electricity is already paid for. Temperatures in Fla. in January can go from 80s to 30s. Prepare for all temperature ranges.

Call and see if the Hoop de Doo Revue is booked. It's a little pricy but a fun show and a good meal.

Don't know if you have a golf cart (or can borrow one), but if so, pull it down there on a trailer. Cruising around the Fort is always fun.

The bath houses at the Fort are most likely cleaner than your's at home. Take something you can carry your showering stuff back and forth. They also have very nice laundry rooms if you want to do a little laundry.

Some here on the dis like driving to the parks but we love the Disney transportation. A ferry boat runs you straight to Magic Kingdom and busses run you to the other parks and Downtown Disney.

Remember, if you buy anything in the parks or Downtown Disney, you can have it "shipped" to the Fort for pickup the next day. No sense carrying souvenirs around all day.

I'll probably think of more later. Activity on disboards is a little light today, I guess since it's Christmas. Keep checking back over the next couple of days and I promise there'll be many more great suggestions from others here on the "Dis".

 

[AuburnJen92]

Since you are first timers, I would suggest you take a test run for a weekend somewhere close to camp. This way, you will find out all the things you have forgot to purchase or bring with you. We did this and it really helped and saved us a ton of $$. The stores at Disney are not known for discounted items.

 

[Winston1204]

Thanks for the tips!!

 

[drafthorsecrazy]

You've got good tips so far . One thing I want to add... No matter how great of shape your new to you RV appears, age and prolonged sitting without use can cause many problems you might not be able to detect until you are actually using it. I strongly recommend a short dry run trip just to make sure everything is in good order. Enjoy your new RV, you'll love having it at the fort

 

[PolynesianPixie]

You have had some great advice so far! Since you are first timers, it may be fun for you to take a day to spend at the fort. Explore, try Trails End and Hoop Dee Doo or Mickey's Backyard BBQ. Check out the Holiday lights that will most likely still be up. If you have a cart or bikes, just ride around and wave! Take the trail to WL, enjoy the horses and other wildlife. To end your day, try a wagon ride.

Everything is lit up for safety and ambiance around FtW. Traveling to the bathhouse and such is fine. You may want lights on your camper to add your own personality and to see your beer when you are hanging out!

Most of all, enjoy yourself! We just came home and are already talking about our next trip!

 

[Shannone1]

We are the proud new owners of a Class C motorhome. We were going to rent one for our upcoming trip, but for $2,000 we found an older model that was for sale. It would have cost $1,500 in expenses to rent one, so we thought for $500 more why not buy one!! It's nothing fancy, it's an older model but in great condition, perfect for the two of us.

Sounds great. You can always sell it for what you paid for it if you don't end up liking it and you've lost nothing. Sure beats renting one

Anyway, I am wondering what tips, suggestions, advice that you have for First Time visiters to FW. It will be us and our 4lb little dog. Are there things we MUST do, bring, see, any recommendations of which loop, should we cook or eat out, do we need outdoor lights for at night,etc?

Bring a couple of outdoor chairs if you like sitting outside and people watching. And of the loops are nice, you will need a preferred pet loop. Some loops are closer to the settlement (Trail's End restaurant, marina, beach, Hoop Dee Doo Review) and some are closer to the meadows area (trading post, pool, bike barn, campfire program). If you plan on walking you will probably want to request a loop closer to what you will be using more often. If you are riding bikes or renting a golf cart, it won't matter where you are.

I would suggest doing a combination of eating out and cooking at your site. Trail's End is the only restaurant onsite and they have a good buffet that is more reasonably priced than some other Disney places. You can also take an internal bus or a boat from the Marina to the Wilderness Lodge. They have good places to eat there too (Artist's Point and Whispering Canyon Cafe). You can also take a boat to the Contempory for more dining options. I don't know if you are going to any of the parks, but one nice thing about camping is that you can make a nice breakfast in the camper before heading out for the day.

Awning lights are nice for ambienance but aren't necessary.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!! I'm sooooo excited AHHHH!!

You will have a great time. One thing I would make sure you do is go down to the beach to see the fireworks from MK and the electric water pageant.

 

[terri01p]

First of all I love your doggie in your avatar.
Second congrads on your motor home.
Third I also agree you should at least spend one day in it before taking it off to WDW, you really never know what you need until you spend some time in it.
Whenever we first got our tt I went out and bought all kinds of throw pillows and cute things to sit around the tt after our first trip all that crap came out and then I knew what items I really needed.

Every family is different what I need may not be something you need so one overnighter might give you some insight.

Have fun !

Sounds like you got a steal on your Class C , good for you !

 

[wdwbound]

Congrats on the great deal on your Class C! You said that you go to Florida a few times a year, do you drive each time or fly? One thing to remember is that motorhomes cannot go through tunnels because of the propane and if you have AAA they will route you around those areas with Trip Tik. The fines are huge if you do.

Nancy

 

[prowlerregal335m]

Check the age of the tires on your rv.If they are 7 years or older replace them before you drive down to disney.Go to a tire store to find out how to read the code on the side wall of the tires.The tires will dry rot before they wear out.Don't go by the tread.Good luck and have a safe trip.

 

[CaptKen]

Liquor, lots of liquor.

 

[clkelley]

This may be a dumb question, but do you have reservations at the Fort??

The way you posted "We will be there in about 10 or 11 days and we plan on staying for 4 or 5 nights. We have family we will be visiting in Florida, but we may stay a few extra nights in Disney before going to see them, hehe."

It almost sounds like you're planning on just pulling into the Fort to see what's available. That's NOT gonna happen. The Fort books up way in advance, especially over weekends and the holidays.

 

[LarryJ]

This may be a dumb question, but do you have reservations at the Fort??

The way you posted "We will be there in about 10 or 11 days and we plan on staying for 4 or 5 nights. We have family we will be visiting in Florida, but we may stay a few extra nights in Disney before going to see them, hehe."

It almost sounds like you're planning on just pulling into the Fort to see what's available. That's NOT gonna happen. The Fort books up way in advance, especially over weekends and the holidays.

So True and all the other tips especially the dry run for like a weekend is IMHO a must. You don't want to head out fm Ct and get to like SC and find out you have a problem that HAS TO BE FIXED like broke furnace, etc. I like to cook out when camping since DW does it all at home and give her a break and if you do that get something in the line of lights to use so you can see what you are doing when cooking. Most factory installed outside lighting leaves a lot to be desired and there is no way a amber porch light can tell you how pink your steak is .

We're at FW right now and today it's supposed to be close to 80, but within a week they are looking at highs in the 50s and their first good freeze so you have to pack for both summer and like fall from where you are from.

A good ceramic space heater will help a lot and we used ours for the first couple of days we were here when the temp dipped into the 40s and never had to run the factory furnace. You certainly don't have to get this fancy, but I now have three power lines into my trailer. One if for the factory 30A service that is on a 50A to 30A dogbone, one line off the 30A on a 30A to 15A dogbone and another from the 20A campground service. This way I can run two electric heaters off the last two sources above and not worry about coffee pots and hair dryers popping a circuit breaker when the heaters are on.


Larry

 

[SunshineCamper]

Congrats! FtW is the best place on earth!

I have to second the advice on a trial run in your Class C. We bought a brand new TT 6 months before our trip to CO (we live in Orlando) and we took it on 4 trial runs thank goodness. the first time out-they forgot to seal the shower/tub and water leaked through the wall (yes, brand new TT), second time the power went out-the cord had a short in it (yes, brand new TT)- the third-the crank as I call it-crank the TT up and down for hitching stopped working (yes, brand new TT)-finally got all of it fixed as we brought it back to the dealer each month (under warranty-WHEW!!!)-all was good after the 4th month. For a while I thought we bought a "lemon" (it was right after Hurricane Katrina and all those RV being sent to LA).

It was also mentioned someone bought a bunch of stuff they thought they'd need for camping-we did the same and after a few runs-I ended up buying more stuff that we needed. I had originally bought stuff we didn't need. Yes, everyone is different so a few trips if possible is really good advice!

I would also suggest catching the electric water pagent on Bay Lake at 9:45p and the MK fireworks. My kids love doing that as much as dh and I. The ft. is so much fun-I don't think you can have a bad visit.

 

[Winston1204]

Congrats on the great deal on your Class C! You said that you go to Florida a few times a year, do you drive each time or fly? One thing to remember is that motorhomes cannot go through tunnels because of the propane and if you have AAA they will route you around those areas with Trip Tik. The fines are huge if you do.

Nancy

Wow, thank you so much for telling me this!!

Check the age of the tires on your rv.If they are 7 years or older replace them before you drive down to disney.Go to a tire store to find out how to read the code on the side wall of the tires.The tires will dry rot before they wear out.Don't go by the tread.Good luck and have a safe trip.

The person we bought it from just put brand new tires on it, yay!!

Liquor, lots of liquor.

Oh yes, we will be sure to stock up!!

This may be a dumb question, but do you have reservations at the Fort??

The way you posted "We will be there in about 10 or 11 days and we plan on staying for 4 or 5 nights. We have family we will be visiting in Florida, but we may stay a few extra nights in Disney before going to see them, hehe."

It almost sounds like you're planning on just pulling into the Fort to see what's available. That's NOT gonna happen. The Fort books up way in advance, especially over weekends and the holidays.

We do have reservations, for 5 nights, but we aren't sure if we will be there all 5 nights or only 4 nights because of our schedule when we will be in Florida. We have to visit Family and Friends, so we haven't decided how many nights to stay yet, but I have a feeling we're going to love it and stay all 5 nights!!

Thank You every for all of your Tips and ideas, I really do appreciate it!! I am getting so excited I can't wait any longer!!

 

[Gatordad]

Liquor, lots of liquor.

YOU are a wise man.

 

[CaptKen]

Always remember, AA is for quiters.

 

[Winston1204]

While we're on the subject of Alcohol, can anyone tell me if it's alright to bring beer to the Campfire?? We thought it might be fun one night to sit around the fire drinking some beers and mingle with others. We're like big kids so I of course want to get my picture taken with Chip and Dale, hehe. I just didn't know if we're allowed to bring beer or if there are any rules such as it has to be in a cup and not in a glass bottle, etc. Or would it be really wrong of us to bring a few beers knowing there will be a lot of children around?? Just don't want to make anyone mad, ya know?