Best Cabin Loop

[cruising spud]

We used to camp at Fort Wilderness. Then, we sold the rv. We are looking to return to Fort Wilderness in 2027, this time in the cabin section. I have no experience with the cabins. Does anyone have an opinion to share as to what would be the best cabin loop to choose?

Are the cabin loops 2200 to 2800?

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[Teamubr]

Hi Spud!

"Best" is a personal thing. I've never stayed in the cabins, but have been down with friends that did. They requested 2200 because it is just across the road from the 2100 Full loop where we requested. I think it feels a little busier, being close to the main road and camping loop. If I was going down by ourselves, I think I would prefer a more remote loop. 2500, 2600, 2700. 2500 is closest to the little pool.

j

 

[Becky2005]

I do think it depends on what you are looking for. We were in the first loop nearest the main outpost (2800), which I personally liked for ease of busses/return to all the other parks except MK. I easily just walked back to the cabin vs. taking a bus to get on another bus. It was also an easy walk to a pool/laundry facility. I liked the loop and if we had eaten breakfast in the cabin every morning would have been even better (we had the dining plan so ended up at Trail's End every morning).

However, going to MK was more involved and if you plan on going to Trail's End for breakfast, that also involves a bus ride and/or very long walk. If you were planning on spending the majority of your time at MK I don't think it would have been as good as a location.

In our case, we didn't rent a golf cart & had the dining plan, we were also had an accessible cabin although I did see non-accessible ones in this loop. The golf cart could also sway your opinion because you aren't relying on the internal busses.

 

[cruising spud]

Thanks for the help. We are hoping to have the grandkids with us, so being in a busier section of the resort might be a good thing.

On the other hand, I see there is a swimming pool by loop 2500. Is that pool any good/fun?

 

[fla4fun]

I agree that it depends on what parks you are going to and how often you plan to dine in the FW restaurants. The 2200 loop is the most centrally located cabin loop, so if you are spending a lot of time at MK and/or the Settlement to dine, it is a good choice. If you don't rent a golf cart, be aware that the 2200 stop is the last cabin pickup before going to the Settlement (there are other stops after the cabins), and 2800 is closest to the Outpost where you go to the other parks. Depending on when you are riding, the buses can be full, or nearly empty. Personally, since we do not try to go to the parks by bus at park open or return at park close, we haven't had issues getting a seat on the bus.

We rented a golf cart primarily so we could drive around the campground to admire the Christmas decorations. We could have used it to drive to the Settlement or Outpost depots but we drove to all the parks except MK.

I have stayed in 2200, 2400, 2500, and 2700. All of them have their pros and cons, but none of them were bad in any way. We don't request a specific loop, preferring an early check in request to a loop request.

 

[cruising spud]

Becky, how long did it take to walk from the cabin in the 2800 loop to the bus stop at the settlement?

Thanks.

 

[cruising spud]

Still another question-since the cabins are now part of the DVC, does the laundry area in the cabin loop offer free washers and dryers?

Thank you.

 

[Becky2005]

Becky, how long did it take to walk from the cabin in the 2800 loop to the bus stop at the settlement?

Thanks.

We were cabin 2819 and if you went the correct way (i.e. closest to the beginning of the loop! LOL! We messed up one time and that seemed to take forever!), I want to say it was about 10 minutes if that. It felt less than that but I didn't exactly time it either. I was also pushing a wheelchair several times & am a slow walker and we were going at a leisurely pace to get there. Each time we were there fairly quickly.

I just asked my son and he didn't remember but said it wasn't very long. We were fairly close to the first entrance to the loop though, I don't think we were fully in the middle of the loop.

I feel like the walk to the pool/laundry was longer than the walk to the bus stop for us.

Still another question-since the cabins are now part of the DVC, does the laundry area in the cabin loop offer free washers and dryers?

Thank you.

When we went once I got into the laundry room (you had to use the room key (whatever you use to open the door - I used MB & my boys had cards - both worked)), the machines were free. There was no sign on it indicating it was for the cabins though but based on location (i.e. in the middle of a bunch of cabins) it would make sense.

Also a perk of the cabins is the extended evening hours that deluxe hotels get, you get that too. I tested it because I was curious and sure enough, the tablet went green and let us on through for a ride. I think *all* cabins are now DVC, I think the confusion came when it was during the change-over.

 

[Teamubr]

The Fort is huge. Over a mile from the Outpost to the Settlement. Google maps says it is 1.2 miles from the 2800 loop to Hoop-D-Do at the Settlement.



2800 to the Outpost is just under 1/2 mile, so 10 minutes or so.



j

 

[cruising spud]

Becky, thank you for the info on the cabins.

Teamubr- I appreciate the maps. This gives me a better perspective.

 

[zackiedawg]

There are some variables that may affect which loops are best, and it's all up to what one prefers and what things are more important. I stay in the cabins usually once a year, sometimes twice, so I'll explain my personal choices and why it works for me.

I generally request 2800 loop, will accept 2700 loop, or 2500 loop - all requests are specific that I want 'back of loop, outside'. By back of loop, I mean farthest from the main road - because those cabins tend to back up to wooded areas vs other cabins. Outside of loop again means your against forest, rather than the inside cabins which look across to the other side of the loop. In 2800 loop, any of the cabins from about 2810 are OK as there's no loop on that side, but once you get past the cabins around the back of the loop, the cabins back up against he 2700 loop. I just like feeling more like I'm in woods, and seeing wildlife out the back window rather than other cabins.

I don't use the pool facilities at all, so proximity to that isn't important to me. Also, I generally am on 4-5 day stays, so laundry isn't needed. I always rent a golf cart, so internal bus service isn't something I need or use - I honestly don't know if I would even want to stay in the cabins without a golf cart - it just makes getting around so much more relaxing and convenient - I don't mind being at the back of a long loop, and I can ride to Outpost or Settlement on the cart as needed to get around to the parks and busses...and can hit the stores or pop over to the restaurants for food anytime.

I'd say for those to whom pool, laundry, or bus proximity is important, 2500 and 2700 loops are probably best, being closest to the pool - I'd probably avoid the first 5 cabins or last 5 cabins in the loops, as those are too close to the main road and busses so can be a little noisier - but if you don't have a cart, you might not want to be all the way at the back of a loop, at least the big ones like 2800 and 2700.

The walk from 2800 loop to the Outpost bus stop is about 7-8 minutes at a normal pace and there are sidewalks the whole way. I only know that from checkout day, when I bring the golf cart back to Outpost and walk back to the cabin.