Are the Fort Wilderness Cabins worth it?

[Zooey72]

My family is going to be doing a split stay between Beach Club, The cabins, and Polly. I would have liked to have stayed at the Lodge, but there are 5 of us and that was not an option. Personally I think the cabins look like trailers with corny siding on them. The reason I want to stay in this general location is that we have 2 meals we really want to do (Hoop Dee Doo and Whispering Canyon).

Although they are listed as a moderate they pretty much price them as a cheap Deluxe. I really have no idea what it is I am getting for the extra money since from what I have read that once you throw the cost of a golf cart onto the price they are MORE expensive than some Deluxe resorts. The extra room and kitchen really does nothing for me. I am on vacation and I am not cooking, and if I wanted privacy I would have left the kids at home. (Kids will be 13 and 15).

So other than really long walks to get to the bus, what do you get for staying at the most expensive 'moderate' resort?

 

[pitpat]

sounds like you'd love staying there.

 

[tobikaye]

OP: In honesty, with the mindset you have, I would find somewhere else to stay.

I, personally, love to stay at FW Cabins and prior to the current cabins, they had a style that truly was listed as "trailers". What I love about FW is that I do not have neighbors on the other side of the wall and I have a large deck to relax on in the early and late hours. We pay the extra to rent the golf carts if we are going to do resort days and enjoy driving around looking at the decorations of the campsites. We drive when we stay at FW so having the car parked right at the cabin is great since we tend to drive to the parks, except MK.

The insides of the cabin have been redone since I was last there so I cannot comment on the current style. We sometimes would fix breakfast when we have stayed. Most of the time, we used only the coffee pot and fridge with the microwave on occasions for pop corn or heating up leftovers or pastries.

 

[luvdisney73]

My family just returned (4 adults) and we did a split stay between the Fort Wilderness Cabins and the Wilderness Lodge. I did not feel the cabin felt cheap at all and it had a lot of room for us. The pull out sofa was very comfy and the bunk beds worked for my grown daughters (26,24). We did not rent a golf cart since we only stayed one night before going over to the WL but if I was staying for any longer amount of time, I would recommend one. The bus loop seems like it would be hectic after a long day at the park trying to get back to your room. As far as room for 5, this will work perfectly for you. If you plan on eating at Whispering Canyon and the Hoop ded Doo, this is great. I do not regret our split stay. It was fun! Have a magical time!

 

[Zooey72]

My biggest complaint is the price. After the golf cart rental they charge more for the cabin than they do for a room at the Lodge which seems nutty to me. I just don't know how they justify the price of a deluxe and not give the service of a deluxe.

The kids are social and I am hoping that they can make some friends there. The Hoop Dee Doo is awesome, and Whispering Canyon is a lot of fun so I am not completely negative on it. I have it planned to eat at those 2 places while we are staying there. I also read here that we can use the lodge's pool which is nice. I wouldn't mind seeing what happened to River Country, I have a lot of great childhood memories of that (I know it is closed, just curious what they did with the entrance and stuff).

I have youtubed it and Disunplugged speaks very highly of the cabins, I just don't see what it is I am buying for the extra $.

 

[TwinkleKS]

We love the cabins. Fort Wilderness is where the cabins are and where the Hoop Dee Doo is. Whispering Canyon is at the Wilderness Lodge - I believe that the path between the two is still open. The price on the cabins is really good when you have six people - I believe it is the least expensive option for six people. If you have a car, you can park it right next to the cabin - which is a plus if you drive or need a rental for some reason. You don't HAVE to rent a golf cart, it just can reduce some of the time waiting for the bus. While we never cook in the cabins the full sized refrigerator is still nice for extra drinks, water bottles, etc. I don't think you can swim at the Wilderness Lodge pool when staying at Fort Wilderness (although I have never tried). The Fort has one large pool with the slide and one (I think just one, not two ... I'm not looking everything up right now) other pool in one of the cabin loop areas. We like the fact that our kids can be as loud as they want to in the cabin and run around and we don't have to worry about disturbing people sharing a wall with us, or right under us, etc. like you do in other hotels. You also have the option of boat transportation to the Magic Kingdom.

We have stayed at the Contemporary and Grand Floridian on the monorail - other than missing the monorail we haven't felt like we were without anything because the cabins were not a deluxe resort. It seems you have already made up your mind though and I doubt anyone is going to say anything that magically convinces you otherwise.

 

[lanejudy]

It would seem you have in mind that these are 2 parts of the same resort and that's not really true. The Cabins at Fort Wilderness are at a campground. They are completely separate "resorts" -- one is a nice campground and the other is a Disney deluxe level resort. You cannot pool hop; while staying at the Cabins you may use the campground pools but not the WL pools. You aren't required to rent a golf cart, so that's entirely up to you if you feel it's a necessary expense. I don't know that you can see much of River Country anymore, especially without venturing "out-of-bounds" so to speak. There is a path to walk between Fort Wilderness Campground and Wilderness Lodge, it may be a 10-20 minute walk depending on pace, or you can take a bus (and maybe a boat).

The Cabins offer more privacy and much more space than most resort rooms. There is a queen bed plus bunk beds in the bedroom, and a sleeper sofa in the living room. The cabin has a kitchen for preparing and eating meals, as well as an outdoor grill. Depending on your dining preferences, you may find limited dining options at the Campground -- it does not have the typical food court, counter service and table service options found at most of the WDW resorts. There are internal bus routes to help you get where you need to go if you opt not to rent a golf cart.

You've mentioned a couple of ADRs. Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue is in Pioneer Hall at Fort Wilderness campground. Whispering Canyon Cafe is at Wilderness Lodge resort. You may want to take a look at a map and see the areas in discussion.

The Cabins can be great, but it's not going to be a "deluxe" experience of staying at Wilderness Lodge. You may want to consider the experiences rather than the prices to determine what will be best for your family.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Hopefully]

I agree with PP. I don't think that the Cabin is a fit for you.
Whispering Canyon is at Wilderness Lodge.. Hoop Dee Doo Review is at Fort Wilderness. These are two separate and distinct resorts. If you are staying at the Cabins you cannot use the pool at Wilderness Lodge.
Good Luck

 

[rer1972]

I don't think the OP is comparing the FW Cabins and WL rooms properly; it's apples to oranges. The price for a cabin gives you sleeping accommodations for up to six plus a child under 3 (1 queen size bed, 1 bunk bead, and a sleeper sofa (double-size bed)). In order get 6 into a room at WL, you would need to reserve a 2BR Villa. The WL 2B Villa looks way more expensive than the FW Cabin from what I looked at; even points rentals for DVC room would be more expensive. It looks cheaper including the $59/night plus tax of golf cart rental.

Example Per Night without discounts(based on non-Disney sites)...
Dates FW Cabin WL 2BR WL 2BR-DVC(points rental avg price)
01/02-01/04 $348/$382 $736 $592
04/23-05/25 $404/$435 $857 $788
10/15-11/09 $381/$424 $840 $547
12/15-12/21 $457/$482 $968 $675

 

[tobikaye]

I have youtubed it and Disunplugged speaks very highly of the cabins, I just don't see what it is I am buying for the extra $.

Truthfully, the only reason these are listed as a moderate is that they do not have a category that fits. At one point, FW Cabins were their own category of "home away from home", but I guess Disney did not like the extra category.

As for priced like a deluxe, that is because the cabins are large and fit more people . This is really no different than the Family Suites at the Values being more closely priced to the moderate and deluxe resorts.

 

[Nancyg56]

Truthfully, the only reason these are listed as a moderate is that they do not have a category that fits. At one point, FW Cabins were their own category of "home away from home", but I guess Disney did not like the extra category.

As for priced like a deluxe, that is because the cabins are large and fit more people . This is really no different than the Family Suites at the Values being more closely priced to the moderate and deluxe resorts.

Exactly. The Cabins are a class of resort that does not have a fit when compared to the other resort levels. You are staying in a free standing unit that has more space, larger room occupancy, more privacy and a different experience.

I think you can quibble the value for your family, but you should not compare them to moderate or deluxe resorts.

Personally, based on your OP, I think you are going to hate it there, ad should choose a different resort.

 

[Bob Dolewhip]

I am also a big fan of FW and love to stay there, but it all depends on what will make you happy on your vacation. I liked having a full kitchen and cooking breakfast. The kids loved the bunk beds and all the wildlife. The drawback for us was the extra bussing.
If I were in your situation I would stay in the wilderness lodge because you have one meal booked there already and you want to use the pool. It's a short trip for HDDR. You won't need the kitchen if you're not cooking and with kids in their teens they likely will not be excited by the rustic touches that are a big deal to little kids.

 

[HopperFan]

You really need to look at what YOU are looking for in your lodging/resort. FW is great for some (like our relatives) and not so great for some (I don't see myself going back). It's the nicest campground I've ever seen but I would rather stay in a true resort style lodging.

The biggest pluses:
- Parking at your front door
- Kitchen for cooking meals
- Living room with dining table (great for meals)
- Ability to sleep 6
- Outdoor deck and privacy
- Campground atmosphere

The biggest negatives:
- Transportation and long bus rides
- No food court or ease in getting to dining options
- TINY bedroom with bunkbed & bed, little room left
- No ease in getting to pools etc.
- Remote, non-resort feel
- Campground atmosphere

PS Whispering Canyon will require you to walk a mile or so OR transport to dock and then take a boat. They are two completely different resorts and Disney made a big mistake by giving them like names. They are not sisters, don't share anything (you can not swim there) and they are not right next door to each other (lots of woods between them).

PSS Forget the "hotel level" as these are likely going away anyway ... exactly because of this. It's getting too hard to keep categories comparable and it makes more sense to price individually based on offerings.

 

[TxRunnerMom]

depends on how you want to vacation. We stayed at the cabins a lot when I was growing up- my extended family would all book on the same loop and it was like an awesome family reunion all the time (cousins running around together, cooking out, adults could relax outside) and then we'd go to a park for a few of the days.

There's a ton to do around Fort Wilderness and it's very charming, so much quiet wooded space so near to the park. Horseback riding, fishing, pools, campfire, Hoop de do and the Backyard BBQ. Easy to get to the MK, other lake area resorts and the lodge with the boats. I've done a long weekend with my husband, parents, and kiddo as a no park stay and we had lots of fun.

The interior of the cabins has been done very nicely. Downsides are only one bathroom, and the beds are on the small side. The bunk beds are adorable for kids though.

I think that a golf cart is really nice if you don't have a car. If you have one I don't think it adds as much, the busses are pretty frequent. You can bring bikes as well which is a great way to get around. It does add time onto your transport to other parks.

It sounds like this is not the vacation vibe you are going for. It's unique and I can imagine staying there more when I have teens or on a laid back trip.

 

[patty57]

The Hoop Dee Doo is awesome, and Whispering Canyon is a lot of fun so I am not completely negative on it. I have it planned to eat at those 2 places while we are staying there. I also read here that we can use the lodge's pool which is nice.

Other posters have already answered this, but to reinforce this to you...Whispering Canyon is not at Fort Wilderness. It is at the completely different, but nearby, resort of Wilderness Lodge.

No, you can't swim at the Wilderness Lodge pool, because it is a different resort. If you read it here, that poster was mistaken.

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

We absolutely love the cabins & stay there when possible. Our worst stay ever was actually at the Beach Club and we will NEVER stay there again. This trip since we couldn't get the cabins for November so we are staying at AKL again. But if you're not comfortable with sharing the bedroom with the queen bed & bunk beds and a queen bed fold out couch then the cabins are definitely not for you.

 

[Hopefully]

depends on how you want to vacation. We stayed at the cabins a lot when I was growing up- my extended family would all book on the same loop and it was like an awesome family reunion all the time (cousins running around together, cooking out, adults could relax outside) and then we'd go to a park for a few of the days.

There's a ton to do around Fort Wilderness and it's very charming, so much quiet wooded space so near to the park. Horseback riding, fishing, pools, campfire, Hoop de do and the Backyard BBQ. Easy to get to the MK, other lake area resorts and the lodge with the boats. I've done a long weekend with my husband, parents, and kiddo as a no park stay and we had lots of fun.

The interior of the cabins has been done very nicely. Downsides are only one bathroom, and the beds are on the small side. The bunk beds are adorable for kids though.

I think that a golf cart is really nice if you don't have a car. If you have one I don't think it adds as much, the busses are pretty frequent. You can bring bikes as well which is a great way to get around. It does add time onto your transport to other parks.

It sounds like this is not the vacation vibe you are going for. It's unique and I can imagine staying there more when I have teens or on a laid back trip.

The beds are no longer on the small side.
The bedroom has a Queen bed - not double - and a bunk set. The LR has a Queen sleeper sofa - not a double Murphy bed

 

[bama_ed]

OP, it doesn't sound like the cabins are a good fit for you.

The cabins are a great choice for people who want to relax on vacation while at WDW. They do have the full kitchens and deck with bbq grill but if you'd rather pay more hard money for Counter or Table Service (bland and overpriced) that's your choice. If you plan to use the room only to sleep in and plan to be in the parks or Disney Springs most days then you will miss the magic of Fort Wilderness Resort. They may not be what you are looking for - the cabins have advantages that don't appeal to your style of touring.

A golf cart is not required at the Fort but if you have the money to splurge on it then it does come in handy. Compared to the distance from the cabins to the bus pickups, it's not much different from other Moderate resorts.

The cabins are an option that can sleep up to 6 people with drive-up-to-the-door parking. I'm not aware of other resorts on property that can sleep 6 that offer the same amenities at the same price point. Given your comments, you might be better served by getting two rooms at Wilderness Lodge and riding the three minutes on the bus to Hoop Dee Doo.

Bama Ed

 

[jwfla422]

FW is our favorite resort. We have stayed at almost EVERY deluxe over the years and we go to WDW fairly frequently. The first place I look for availability is the cabins. I love the privacy, the coziness and the amenities. We drive so it is so convenient being able to practically drive up to the door (almost) and be able to unload the car in 5 minutes. Love walking the grounds...we can almost make a day of just hanging at the Fort. Quite honestly I think the cabins have more to offer than many of the deluxes and for sure have more to offer than any of the deluxes.

Sure there are some drawbacks like sometimes the transportation can be challenging and we do not spend the extra to rent a golf cart. We find the internal buses to be quite sufficient however the challenges sometimes can be the frequency of the park buses (always hit or miss but this can happen at any resort). The boat can tend to be over crowded during peak times and you can't walk to any of the parks from there (like if you were at BC) and you can't hop on the monorail from there although you can boat to CR & pick up the monorail but it will take a little extra time.

You may feel a little isolated but I love being able to find a quiet retreat after being at the parks all day As far as the interior of the cabin goes, they recently underwent refurbishment and look pretty nice. Love the full kitchen and the separate bedroom. I do however miss the murphy bed (replaced by a sofa bed)-murphy bed was much more comfortable however the giant flatscreen is pretty nice if you spend any time turning on the tv. The bunk beds are a little low-wish they'd cushion underneath the top bunk Miss the traditional oven (loved backing a cookie sheet of cookies in there) but haven't tried the fancy microwave/oven yet.

But I do love not hearing ANYONE above me, next to me or running and screaming down the hallways at night or in the early morning-I don't sleep as well as I do here anywhere else on property! I love seeing the squirrel hanging out on the tree outside the window or seeing the deer frolicking around the grounds. It is most definitely different than staying at the BC or the POLY for sure (and have stayed at both) but would still choose the cabins.

 

[Zooey72]

I agree with PP. I don't think that the Cabin is a fit for you.
Whispering Canyon is at Wilderness Lodge.. Hoop Dee Doo Review is at Fort Wilderness. These are two separate and distinct resorts. If you are staying at the Cabins you cannot use the pool at Wilderness Lodge.
Good Luck

I stand corrected. When I read this for some reason I read into it that the cabins would be included, and they are not. I had assumed it was a kind of French Quarter/Riverside type of arrangement, but I was wrong. Not sure how great the wilderness pool is, but on the split stay we will be at polly and beach club, so lack of good pools will not be an issue on this vacation lol.


I'm staying at a resort that shares facilities with another resort. Can I use the pools there, too?

In most cases, yes.

Guests at the All-Star resorts may use any pool at any of the All-Star resorts (Music, Sports, Movies).

Guests at Port Orleans Riverside and Port Orleans French Quarter may use any pool at either resort.

Guests at Wilderness Lodge and the Villas at Wilderness Lodge can use both pools.

Guests at Boardwalk Villas and the Boardwalk Inn can use any pool at either resort.

Guests at the Yacht Club, Beach Club, or Beach Club Villas may use any pool in this resort complex.

Guests at Animal Kingdom Lodge's Jambo House and Kidani Village may use the pools at both buildings.



The thing that annoys me is that we have 5 people and the Lodge does not fit 5, because I would much rather stay there. One of my bucket list things is to stay at every Disney resort once before I die and this will at least cross off the cabins for me. I really can't see me doing the cabins any other time. Is the Lodge the only Deluxe that does not 5?

I want to stay there because I try to avoid wasting vacation time going from bus to bus and there are 2 must do's for us that are at those locations (I know WC is in the lodge, but that is a short boat trip away, not a big deal).

It is only 2 nights, so not that big of a deal. I don't think I am going to hate it any more than I would hate staying at a value. Its just staying at a value I am getting what I pay for, and I don't get that sense of worth from the cabins. If the cabins were 225 bucks a night I would be fine with it.

For me, the idea of going on vacation and having to cook... yuck. When we had an 11 day stay 10 years ago it annoyed me that I had to do some laundry. Cooking and laundry are for real life, I am at Disney World!