Best Fort Wilderness Moment

[massmickeypal]

What is your best moment at the fort? Something that makes you want to go back again and again? While it has changed for us over the years as our kids grew my mother in law and I always found time for a Pina Colada on a rocking chair outside Crockett's Tavern while people watching. We were there this past Sunday and I can't wait to go again!

 

[serenitygr]

Mine was coming there in the middle of winter from cold snowy Minnesota for our first EVER family vacation ANYWHERE in 9 years- that's how long we saved- and sitting on the beach one night watching the fireworks in just tshirts. I sat there and cried- partly because I was so happy and partly because I'd already fallen in love with the fort and knew how much I would miss it. We are coming back this Christmas to make more wonderful memories!

 

[bama_ed]

Massmickeypal,

For me the Fort has the auditory experience to add to the visual experience. The Fort is a visually beautiful campground but I like the sounds it has to offer.

- boats whistles for arrivals and departures (down by the Settlement)
- background music at Outpost, Settlement, and Meadow areas
- MK fireworks
- Electric Water Parade
- Illuminations fireworks (up by the Outpost)
- the busses rumbling through the campground
- the steam train whistle from the MK (if the wind blows just right)

So like you I like to sit and watch but I also like to listen.

Bama ED

 

[KPSmithSr]

I think the best FW moment(s) for DW and me are:

The time just DW and I were there and we took lawn chairs and a cooler with wine down to the beach to watch the fireworks at MK. We were off to the right of the boat rental house (facing the lake), just the two of us, sitting in our chairs, listening to the music, watching the fireworks and sipping on wine. If you look up "relax" in my dictionary, you will see a picture of that evening.

Two other great moments for us were when the grandbeasties spent the week over Halloween with us at FW. We rented a golf cart and went looping to see all the Halloween decorations, DGD was 9 and DGS was 6. The look in their eyes and the sounds of excitement were priceless. On that same trip we made homemade ice cream and took it down to the pool. The kids had a great time swimming and eating ice cream and DW and I had a better time just watching.

A little less family oriented but fun just the same was a time I attended a conference at Shades of Green. My company paid for my week at FW (it was cheaper than the hotel) and we hosted a BBQ at the campsite with the rest of the people from our work. Showing them our 5th wheel and sitting around talking, drinking beer and eating hamburgers, BBQ chicken and all the fix'ins (thank you DW) was just lots of fun.

We love the Fort.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

What is your best moment at the fort? Something that makes you want to go back again and again? . . .

Sitting outside, banjo picking, having others join in.

 

[Bearikens]

Best Fort moment, for us was our first face to face meeting. We met online and talked online and on the phone for months when I was stationed in the USAF in Hawaii and my DW lived on the east coast. We decided to celebrate the completion of my military service by meeting at WDW. My DW had been many times and stayed at the Fort several times, so she got the reservation at FW and we would tent camp…however, this was to be my first trip to WDW. After flying in and taking Mears from the airport, we checked in, but in the excitement forgot to request a ride to our campsite. We sat and talked outside the Reception Outpost, drank a Mr Pibb, and my DW found a pinecone (she LOVES them) for at least an hour. Years later we were married in Orlando and had our honeymoon at the Fort (tent camping yet again). Even now, every trip to the Fort is extremely special to both of us and feels just like the first time.

 

[retired and happy]

It's the one place we have found we can take our special needs kids and find something for everyone to enjoy. We can stay "home" in the MH, or go looping to see who else is here. We can go to the parks and see shows or ride the rides the kids will enjoy. We can do our own cooking and sleep in our own beds. We can meet with friends we have come to know over the years. In short, what's NOT to like?

 

[Jennifer41]

best fort moment, for us was our first face to face meeting.

winner of the thread.

 

[DisneyDiva8401]

Not necessarily a 'moment'...but the smell of wood. the outpost and trading post has a specific smell. As soon as I arrive at check-in I take a big sniff.....aaaahhhh!!

 

[starjazz]

Not necessarily a 'moment'...but the smell of wood. the outpost and trading post has a specific smell. As soon as I arrive at check-in I take a big sniff.....aaaahhhh!!

Thats because Disney pumps it in. A la Disney themeing...Disney magic.

Of course, I love it to!

 

[Southern Bell]

Favorite memories:
1. The first time I came to Disney and stayed at Fort Wilderness was with my parents! Disney had just been open a couple of years and we stayed in a pop up with no air condition. The first morning we woke up we saw deer ! Just Like Bambi! It was so hot Dad went swimming with us in the lake! We went to river country.
2. My husband and I brought his parents camping one summer to the Fort. My father in law had stayed at the camper one day to relax while the rest of the family went to MK. When we were at Mk it started raining and we took shelter untill it was over and returned later that evening to the camper! My father inlaw was furious with us because it had been a very bad storm at the Fort! A big tree fell beside our campsite. He was very worried and didn't understand why we hadn't came back! We didn't know!LOL
3.My husband and I took my daughter camping at the fort when she was 10 & we spent about 2 weeks there. We saw all the theme parks, but spent alot of time with her at the Fort bike riding and swimming. It is the only time that we ever just took her to Fort Wilderness without family or friends.

 

[natmom]

Lots of great moments, but the best is sitting in a rocking chair at crocketts tavern with a piña colada knowing that I have two weeks to enjoy that beautiful campground

 

[jeffrey66]

In june of 2011 my son and I spent 10 nights at the fort and the entire trip was incredible. We brought home many great memories but one of them sits at the top. We decided to watch the MK fireworks from the beach of bay lake by the marina on our last night. As we were watching the fireworks a very intense thunderstorm was passing by behind the fireworks and there was a lot of lightning within it. The combination of the fireworks and lighting in the storm made for an incredible show. A show I will always remember.

 

[dalovett]

Mine was coming there in the middle of winter from cold snowy Minnesota for our first EVER family vacation ANYWHERE in 9 years- that's how long we saved- and sitting on the beach one night watching the fireworks in just tshirts. I sat there and cried- partly because I was so happy and partly because I'd already fallen in love with the fort and knew how much I would miss it. We are coming back this Christmas to make more wonderful memories!

Nice post. See you at Christmas!

Dave

 

[fanowalt]

I have alot of them but one is when we went to the beach for the fireworks the first time and I learned what the funny music I'd been hearing after the booms all week was coming from....
The other was our first evening bike ride (wife&kids)hearing the music along the path to the beach.

 

[serenitygr]

Nice post. See you at Christmas!

Dave

Hi Dave! You must be the one with the really neat stuff to see at Christmas! I hope we can find you then! I am so excited about coming back. And the neatest thing? I've talked my mom into making the trip with us- she thought she was too old, and would hold us up and all that, but we convinced her what it's really like at the fort, and now she can't wait to come too! My dad is looking down from heaven smiling, I know!

 

[jeepfreak]

A picture is worth a 1000 words!

 

[dbs1228]

Way too many GREAT experiences but here are a few:

Trip to trading past turned into being asked to come over to the Hoop De Doo Revue and watch the rehearsal and be there as the audience free of charge!

Watching the electric light parade and fireworks from the beach sitting in our golf cart (before the posted no golf carts beyond this point)

Leaving a "secret message" with the kids hidden just to go back the next year and see that it was still there!

Almost forgot we do miss the Peacocks!

We have since bought into BLT and as much as we love the resorts the FT will always have our fondest memories and we will certainly be back!

 

[dsdeleon]

My husband and I were on a secret golf cart mission and when he did a quick whip around at the beach, he buried us in the sand. We were frantically trying to dig ourselves out and hysterically laughing. It was way out of the way where no one was and my adrenaline was racing thinking how we were going to explain this one.

 

[rajak73]

Even though we have only been to the Fort 3 times, (3000 mile rd trip) the sights, watching and talking to kids getting on the bus and boat being so exited about going to MK. Walking the campground and the stores. Talking to people you know you will never see again. Taking our new puppy (actually about a year old) in 2012 that thought since we were someplace new he had to explore at 5am, 6am and 7am. Talking to the bus drivers on a mostly empty bus. Did you know FW is somewhere around 1 square mile in size? One funny story, early March 2012 when we were there, campers across from us pulled in for weekend, evening rolled around and I see they have a campfire going in a fire ring. Only problem was, FW was under a fire ban at the time and I tell DW they must not have known. A little while goes by and along comes this golf cart with 2 flashlights with red flashing lens tied to the posts and stops at this campsite, guy gets out with hat like state patrol and uniform, it's security. Talked to people the next morning and they had a lot of fun with the security guy but he made them put out the fire anyway, it was just kind of funny to see the golf cart with red lens flashlights coming through the loop. We are starting to plan a anniversary trip for Dec 2014, want to see the Xmas lights so hopefully will be back again then.