Best Tent Sites

[PastorJosh]

What is the best tent sites at FW? Just curious...

 

[clkelley]

There are two loops of partial hookup sites at Ft. Wilderness. Loop 1500 and Loop 2000.

There are pros and cons to each loop.

Loop 1500 is centrally located in the campground, just right across the street from the Meadows pool, the bike barn, the Meadows trading post, etc. It is also on the Yellow bus line which seems to run the fastest through the campground. It is also a small loop with only 21 sites, so even the farthest site from the comfort station is not that far away.

The cons of Loop 1500 for tent campers is it is an older loop and as such, some of the sand areas can be small and not well designed for some of the larger tent/awning setups. There are a couple of sites that even have trees in weird spots that make it difficult to set up a large tent/awning. The grills can also be in a weird location that can hinder a large tent setup.

Loop 2000 is kind of remote in the campground (which can be good or bad depending if you want peace and quiet, or to be in the center of the action.)

It is a large loop with over 60 sites. It does have two comfort stations, but some of the sites can be a good distance from those comfort stations.

However, the layouts of Loop 2000 are ideally suited for tent setups. They have large square, level sand areas, and a separate little "L" jutout for the grill, so the grill is never in the way, and I have yet to see a site in 2000 where there are trees in a bad spot.

If you want to get to the Meadows area from Loop 2000, then it is a bit longer, cause you have to take an Orange Settlement bus, which runs all through the cabins, then over to Meadows. (Although there is a way to walk by cutting over to the group camping area, then walking over the bridge to the 900 loop, then walk out across the street to the Meadows area.)

You also have a couple of other options as a tent camper if you want to spend more money. The full hookup loops (1600 - 1900) have decent sized sand pads, They are fairly close to the middle of the campground, but you will have some larger RVs around. They do have sewer connections in those loops, so if you are doing a lot of cooking, and possible also have a portable toilet, you have an easy way to dispose of grey water.

If you absolutely MUST be close to the marina, then you could spend even more for a preferred site and be in Loop 100, 200, or 300. However, some of those sites have very small sand areas and it will be difficult to set up a decent tent/awning combination.

Then there are the premium sites, which are really nothing but concrete pads and very difficult to set up any type of tent setup, but tents ARE allowed.

 

[clkelley]

I just bumped a 1500 and 2000 Loop Pictorial Thread for you!!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Welcome PastorJosh!

I don't have a thing to add to ckelley's excellent answer. But I will say that it is excellent, and right on the money.

The only slight clarification is that the current orange bus route does not stop at the 2000 loop bus stop, so you would have to walk a bit to another bus stop to catch the orange bus, or just take the purple bus the long way to the Meadow area. That is another con on the 2000 loop. But, the 900 loop bridge shortcut really is a good shortcut. And there are other unofficial shortcuts that make it even easier to get to the Meadow area from the 2000 loop.

Also, if you want to really immerse yourself in researching loops and locations around the Fort, check out Shan-man's Google Earth Map, which you can find as a sticky at the top of this page, or by clicking here: Click here for Shan-man's Google Earth Map thread

So, are you really a Pastor? What kind?

Oh yeah, Welcome to the Disboards!

TCD

 

[clkelley]

Welcome PastorJosh!

I don't have a thing to add to ckelley's excellent answer. But I will say that it is excellent, and right on the money.

The only slight clarification is that the current orange bus route does not stop at the 2000 loop bus stop, so you would have to walk a bit to another bus stop to catch the orange bus, or just take the purple bus the long way to the Meadow area. That is another con on the 2000 loop. But, the 900 loop bridge shortcut really is a good shortcut. And there are other unofficial shortcuts that make it even easier to get to the Meadow area from the 2000 loop.

Also, if you want to really immerse yourself in researching loops and locations around the Fort, check out Shan-man's Google Earth Map, which you can find as a sticky at the top of this page, or by clicking here: Click here for Shan-man's Google Earth Map thread

So, are you really a Pastor? What kind?

Oh yeah, Welcome to the Disboards!

TCD

TCD - When we were there in April, the Orange bus did stop at the 2000 bus stop.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

TCD - When we were there in April, the Orange bus did stop at the 2000 bus stop.

It did? It must have taken forever to get anywhere, then. So, coming from the Outpost, would the Orange buses come all the way through the cabin loops, and then turn left after the 2200 loop bus stop, and then come to the 2000 loop? Then what? To Creekside Meadow, and then turn around and head back to the 1200/1300 bus stop? I have never seen this, and I can't imagine it worked very well if that is what they were doing.

TCD

 

[clkelley]

It did? It must have taken forever to get anywhere, then. So, coming from the Outpost, would the Orange buses come all the way through the cabin loops, and then turn left after the 2200 loop bus stop, and then come to the 2000 loop? Then what? To Creekside Meadow, and then turn around and head back to the 1200/1300 bus stop? I have never seen this, and I can't imagine it worked very well if that is what they were doing.

TCD

Honestly not sure of the route it took, cause we had a golf cart, BUT our site was the one right next the roadside comfort station and the 2000 Bus stop, and we frequently saw the bus that said Settlement Orange/Meadows trading post). But I'm pretty sure that's what it did. Stop at 2000, then go through the turnaround near Creekside Meadow, then proceed to the main drag. I'm almost positive it had been through the cabins already at this point.

Yep, looking at the map, the Settlement Orange takes the same route as the Purple all the way to Creekside Meadow, then instead of heading down the backroad to Settlement, it turns around at Creekside Meadow, then takes a left on Ft. Wilderness trail, then continues the old Orange Route.

 

[FWHappyCamper]

I have been wondering about this also. We have a large pop-up and would like to have a woodsy, some what private feel and my son loves to fish. With all that said I was thinking of requesting the outer side of the 1500 loop. I love the idea of being some what close to CS and bus stop along with the pool. I was at the fort last year for the campfire and didn't go much further than that since we were at a different resort. I wish I would of taken more time to look around. But I can say the fireworks and electric parade were a treat to watch from the beach. Ok back on the topic. Can you fish the canal behind the 1500? And do you think that that loop sounds like the best to fit our needs? I would love to hear from some of you that have been there and know the layout. I must say the last time I camped there was probably in the late 70's . And it was so COOL then. Thanks for your help.

 

[clkelley]

Here is the direct link to the 1500 and 2000 Pictorial Thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2083091

 

[FWHappyCamper]

Wow! Thank you for the quick reply. I will check that link out and make up my mind. I appreciate everyone on here being so helpful. And we can not wait to get down there and have some fun. And by the way ClKelley your Tab and set up ROCKS!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Honestly not sure of the route it took, cause we had a golf cart, BUT our site was the one right next the roadside comfort station and the 2000 Bus stop, and we frequently saw the bus that said Settlement Orange/Meadows trading post). But I'm pretty sure that's what it did. Stop at 2000, then go through the turnaround near Creekside Meadow, then proceed to the main drag. I'm almost positive it had been through the cabins already at this point.

Yep, looking at the map, the Settlement Orange takes the same route as the Purple all the way to Creekside Meadow, then instead of heading down the backroad to Settlement, it turns around at Creekside Meadow, then takes a left on Ft. Wilderness trail, then continues the old Orange Route.

Well, that's weird, because usually the Orange bus turns right at the 2200 loop bus stop, and then left onto Fort Wilderness Trail and heads toward the Meadow Trading Post, and then on to the Settlement. I have never seen it stop at the 2000 bus stop or the Creekside Meadow bus stop. If it did go this way, then it would end up passing the 2000 loop and 2200 loop bus stops twice on the same route. So, if that's what you saw, then they must have been experimenting or maybe they combined routes or something. As I said, though, it must have taken forever to get anywhere.

TCD

 

[clkelley]

Well, that's weird, because usually the Orange bus turns right at the 2200 loop bus stop, and then left onto Fort Wilderness Trail and heads toward the Meadow Trading Post, and then on to the Settlement. I have never seen it stop at the 2000 bus stop or the Creekside Meadow bus stop. If it did go this way, then it would end up passing the 2000 loop and 2200 loop bus stops twice on the same route. So, if that's what you saw, then they must have been experimenting or maybe they combined routes or something. As I said, though, it must have taken forever to get anywhere.

TCD

You'll probably get back there before I do, but I will make sure to ride it a couple of times in October just to see what it does.

As I said, my campsite in April was right behind the bus stop for 2000 and I saw the Orange Settlement bus stop there many times.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

You'll probably get back there before I do, but I will make sure to ride it a couple of times in October just to see what it does.

As I said, my campsite in April was right behind the bus stop for 2000 and I saw the Orange Settlement bus stop there many times.

I believe you. What you described is exactly what the Orange Settlement buses say on them. So, in April, the Orange buses were stopping at the 2000 loop. But, this was not the case in July or August of this year, or on any of my previous visits. I am going to look for my map from August, and see what it shows. I know for sure that the Orange bus did not turn left at the 2200 bus stop in August, because I rode an Orange bus to the Meadow Trading Post after I turned my golf cart in on my August visit.

TCD

 

[PastorJosh]

Yes I am really a Pastor and of the exciting kind...I am a Student Pastor! I get to hang out with teenagers and watch them develope and grow in their relationship with Christ! I work at a United Methodist Church, however, we are only Methodist by name not by tradition!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Yes I am really a Pastor and of the exciting kind...I am a Student Pastor! I get to hang out with teenagers and watch them develope and grow in their relationship with Christ! I work at a United Methodist Church, however, we are only Methodist by name not by tradition!

Good for you! Keep up the good work! May God bless you and your ministry!

And, for any of you wondering about bus routes (I think clkelley and I might be the only ones who care about this), here are copies of the maps with bus routes from two of my visits to the Fort in 2009.

This first one is from my May 2009 visit:

And this one is from my August 2009 visit:

Neither one of these shows the orange bus stopping at the 2000 loop bus stop. So, what Carol saw in April was an anomaly. These maps do raise another negative about the 2000 loop- it is not easy to get a bus to the pool from here. On the other hand, this loop has just about the fastest bus access to the Settlement area. And, as already noted, access by foot or bike to the Meadow area is pretty convenient via the 900 loop footbridge.

Also, note that they have not updated the maps to show the new location or the entrance to the 600 loop. I thought they might have done this by now, considering the 600 loop extension was completed in late March.

TCD

 

[FlaFortCampster]

Although the bus routes seem to change daily, I've caught the Orange line a couple of times while staying in the 2000 loop. When coming from the Outpost it just turns right at the 2100 loop, to the 2000 stop up past the group camping and uses the turn around circle and heads back to the 4 way stop and then to the left.
When they use this method, the Purple line doesn't need to run, so I think they only do it doing slower times. I don't like it because they skip going the back road to the Settlement which is really pretty early in the AM.