Best and worst of Fort Wilderness

[proudmomof4]

Here is a solution for walking from 2000 loop; if you go through the group camping area, at the back of the area is a path and a bridge. This will bring you to the 900 loop, walk around the loop and you will arrive at the road which runs through the center of the campground and you’ll be right across from the Meadows TP.

 

[Stratman50th]

I love the Fort for the atmosphere and the fact it's a destination all it's own. We like to cart around the loops and use the quiet pool (or whatever Disney calls it). It's a great jumping off point for resort hopping and heading off to a meal at one of our favorite restaurants. Really enjoy Trails End for dinner. As someone who has stayed at the resorts for years, you aren't stuck in a cramped room. Your site has loads of space, a picnic table outside and a grill. The biggest plus for us is coming back to our own "home" after we're done for the day.
So far, I can't think of any dislikes. Our first trip was Christmas 2018. The site across from us had 3 vehicles in it and one was parked out in the roadway making it tough to back in. That was on the site tenants not the Fort so it can't be counted as a dislike.

 

[WeLovePluto]

Biggest plus is the boat to magic kingdom, especially from the preferred loops. And the extra boat from the contemporary if the fort boat line is crazy. So far, with little kids, we haven’t done any days staying at the fort, so it’s a more reasonably priced way to enjoy the parks and allows us to come back to a room our kids are familiar with.

biggest dislike: having to cobble together a reservation day by day if you decide you want to visit within a year of the date.

 

[loves to dive]

I'll get the nasty dislikes out first:
The particular site we had was difficult to back into because there was a big ole box on the curb across the road and it was a passenger side back into. We have a 35 ft. fifth wheel and a Ram dually which has 0 turning radius. Hubby got it in with a lot of back and forward turn a little back and forward turn a little spotter in front and spotter in back and loads of frustrations. We are not novice campers but that was a toughy (in the Fts. defense he is very picky about where he puts it and it had to as close to straight as could be). We are thinking if we were in that situation again, we would unhook so he could reposition the truck and rehook to straighten out the RV. Frankly, I thought he had it in good enough the first try but that's me.

We rented a golf cart but the place is huge. In hindsight, I'm thinking my son and I would probably have been fine taking the internal bus when we went off on our own or even walking but having to rely on hubby to come pick us up in the cart was a pain.

We don't like to drive to the parks so having to rely on the buses to get to the parks other than MK was a pain. We tend to stay in the Epcot resorts when we are staying in a resort and walk to both Epcot and HS and missed that.

The good:
It is a beautiful park, having stayed at just about every kind of RV park, as far as the park itself, it is probably the best we have stayed in.

We have a little yorkie and the Fort is very dog friendly, she is not a dog park kind of girl but they have a great one there. Even not going to the dog park, there were plenty of friendly dogs and their people.

Like most RV people, the people who stay there are friendly and pleasant to be around and so were the Disney staff.

We were only there for 4 nights (that was all I could get at 60 days out) so we spent most of our time in the parks and didn't use much of the facilities but what we saw of them were first rate.

 

[WorldWacky]

I usually cant watch their videos. I wont even try this one. There was a video of one of the DIS Ladies reviewing the Fort with a camper she rented. She said their was an issue with the camper but the company fixed it right away, but refused to say which company it was because she didn't want to give her stamp of approval. She said, don't even ask or email what company she used! I don't understand why she wouldn't say the company name even though they fixed the only issue she had right away. I stopped watching DIS videos after that.

I’ve been listening to the podcast since 2009 and years ago, when they were taking idea requests, I actually wrote in. It was the only time I made a suggestion and it was to have a Fort Wilderness episode. I mentioned what great folks we have here on the camping forum and actually mentioned that they should try to get BamaEd with his vast knowledge of the Fort on to talk about it. Didn’t happen and it’s a shame. They really missed the mark not utilizing the great resource they have right here at their disposal.

 

[2goofycampers]

There is a video on post 1 the OP intended for everyone to watch.

 

[penel3]

Today I booked 10 days at Ft. Wilderness!! Aug 26-Sept 4 2021. We plan to rent an RV. I’m so excited after reading this forum!!

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Love most everything about the Fort except letting 10 people, multiple groups, multiple tents, multiple cars to a site. Don't know any campground personally that allows that many people to one site.

 

[Stork]

......Don't know any campground personally that allows that many people to one site.

I initially agreed with this comment about never seeing a campground allow that many people. Upon reflection (I used to say, "after further review...," but with football season in total jeopardy I've got to expand my vocabulary) I must say I've never seen a limit per se. I have seen additional fees or charges for more than 4 or more than 6. But never a not-to-exceed number of campers.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

I initially agreed with this comment about never seeing a campground allow that many people. Upon reflection (I used to say, "after further review...," but with football season in total jeopardy I've got to expand my vocabulary) I must say I've never seen a limit per se. I have seen additional fees or charges for more than 4 or more than 6. But never a not-to-exceed number of campers.

I guess you are right then. I thought there was a 10 limit but I have been where I thought there were more than that on one site.

 

[bama_ed]

I mentioned what great folks we have here on the camping forum and actually mentioned that they should try to get BamaEd with his vast knowledge of the Fort on to talk about it. Didn’t happen and it’s a shame.

Just reading this for the first time today. Sorry - I don't read every post in every thread.

My stock response, WW, is "that guy can be a real horse's rear end" but he tries to play it down the middle on the DIS Camping Board. I'm not on Twitter, Instagram, Fakebook, or any other social media. With the DIS Camping Forum, I just try to help people starting out on the DIS like I am.

But DW will confirm I can be a horse's rear end. Oh yes.

I guess I'm just old.

Been coming to the Fort nearly annually for 20 years (and as a kid before that). Plenty of other folks have come more frequently and for a longer period of time, I'm sure. Sometimes I reflect on the posters that I look up to who don't post as often. I miss them and their wisdom/advice. We are all on a journey in life at different stages and the future direction is always up in the air.

Anyway, the Podcast folks are driven by Dreams Unlimited and they don't WANT to book campsites since the percentage for commission is generally less than the commission for hotels and cabin rates because daily campsite rates are less than the others. I fully understand the business side.

The Fort is a gem and let's enjoy it while we can. We will complain and moan about the prices until we realize we have to stay off-site in some sort of campground or pay for a prison cell like those folks in the Disney resorts (although I WILL say the Theme Park side room of the Contemporary Tower I stayed in during my 1995 stay had a GREAT view of the fireworks while giving my now-25yo his bottle while we watched together).

It is what it is. Let's appreciate the Fort while we can.

Bama Ed

 

[Stratman50th]

Very nice Ed!

 

[tiggerdad]

You tell em Ed.

Grand Floridian was a roach motel!

 

[Stork]

....a bunch of cockroaches crammed into a site.

...Grand Floridian was a roach motel!

I think some of our threads have definitely gone down the sewer...

 

[penel3]

So I am now contemplating moving my Contemporary Atrium Club Theme Park view Aug 29-Sept 5 this year to Ft. Wilderness and renting an RV. Club level:extremely doubtful it will be back by end of Aug....theme park view: no fireworks...elevators to room:slooooow due to 1 family at a time...standard hotel room 4 adultsarks closing early, what are we going to sit on our beds and stare at each other???? Thoughts????

 

[WeLovePluto]

Of course you should go to the fort.

(we may be biased on here)

 

[2goofycampers]

The Fort, either rental & site or a cabin over a hotel right now.

 

[Stork]

Of course you should go to the fort.
(we may be biased on here)

The Fort, either rental & site or a cabin over a hotel right now.

Really guys? You're encouraging others (I'm assuming they are first timers) to rent the already limited, hard-to-get campsites? FW is wonderful, generally little-known, and probably the best kept SECRET (or should be) about Disney World. Key word being SECRET! What are you thinking? Shhhhh!

 

[2goofycampers]

Really guys? You're encouraging others (I'm assuming they are first timers) to rent the already limited, hard-to-get campsites? FW is wonderful, generally little-known, and probably the best kept SECRET (or should be) about Disney World. Key word being SECRET! What are you thinking? Shhhhh!

I mentioned a cabin.

 

[Stork]

I mentioned a cabin.

2Goofy: I acknowledge you cabin comment, you are correct!
My error in logic is that I can't find that super-secret icon for the "sarcasm font". I guess one has to be a "moderator" level member to see it.