Best/Worst times of year to Camp at Ft Wilderness?

[gcbsdad]

We have been to Fort Wilderness the last 3 years camping with my sons Cub Scout Pack.
We have a 6 man tent and broke it in at Fort Wilderness.
First time we stayed in the Meadow in early May and it was hot and during Grad Night so you heard Music all night. This affected DW's ideas on camping so she has not been back.
Second time we stayed in the Meadow in April and it was pretty warm during the day but nights were fine.
Last year we went in early March and stayed in the loop just east of the main pool. Weather was crazy. Hard rain storm the first night and it got really cold the second night.
This is our last year in Cub Scouts and they changed the location so we will not be going to Fort Wilderness.

That being said, I love Fort Wilderness campgrounds and would like to plan future camping trips.

Can anyone give me some advice as to what the best time of year is and why?

 

[2goofycampers]

Best time to camp would be mid Oct till mid Nov, this would be optimum. Great temps and hurricane and rainy season is over.

 

[phins_jazy]

I'm glad to hear this. I've been worried about rain ever since we decided to camp this year. LOL I remember it raining almost every day in the afternoon the last time we went but we went in june/july.

 

[SunshineCamper]

I would say mid-October through mid-December. Note-Hurricane season ends Nov. 30.
My favorite time is Thanksgiving-you get the see the Christmas decorations and the lower prices per night vs. christmas holidays! It's like the best of both worlds! the weather is pleasant and it's not the rainy season. It can be cold (40's) and it can be in the lower 80's. But it won't be HOT.
January-mid-February is a great time to go as well. the price is right and the weather could be like listed above.
We love too camp at the ft. Can't beat it!

 

[BradyBz12]

We love the first 3 weeks of Dec. Reasonably quiet (although it seems to be picking up each year as the word spreads) and SO festive with all the holiday events/decorations!

Also nice weather typically (dry and not too hot). Then again this year those first 2 weeks were wacky! Not much rain, just one day of downpours, but it was C-O-L-D. (And I'm from NH and spend a lot of winter weekends in ME!)

 

[jadedjojo]

I personally like December as well (not the week of Christmas though, of course!), because of the decorations and festive atmosphere. Since I live here and normally wear shorts on Christmas Day, it is nice to be at the Fort and have it feel like Christmas. January is nice as well because of the light crowds and cool weather during the day, but night can be very cold (atleast to us Floridians lol). I prefer the cold over heat and crowds though. That being said, the times I refuse to go are mid-summer (July heat is SO awful, even in a camper- just going outside feels like you are frying to death), and spring break.

The first experience I had with camping was in a tent at Fort Wilderness, the week of July 4th in 2001 (I didn't pick the dates ). Needless to say, I did not enjoy myself very much and never thought I'd return. It took five years, but I did return, and I had such a fantastic time that we decided to buy a camper (and so far we've only used it at the Fort lol). So I tell anyone who has had a bad experience to give it another shot, because you could be like me and need to keep away from the time with the most people/heat/bugs.

 

[LarryJ]

Best time to camp would be mid Oct till mid Nov, this would be optimum. Great temps and hurricane and rainy season is over.

I would agree and now that we have done the mid Oct till early Dec and the mid Dec to late Jan those are our two favorite times to stay at FW both weather and crowd wise. About 22 Dec till 1 Jan SUCKS for crowds, but hey you can't have everything

Larry

 

[FlaFortCampster]

Ditto on the October to mid December suggestions.
I've been every month of the year and these months are by far your best chance of having fantastic weather to match a fantastic place. The crowds tend to be lighter, in Disney terms, than the rest of year. You are also hitting the Value season, so you can save some $$$$ which always helps.
The toughest months IMHO is June, July and August...hot, hot, hot and then at night hot, hot, hot with afternoon thunderstorms thrown in making it sticky, sticky, sticky.
You just need one good experience and any other tough times will be forgotten.
Good luck.

 

[Tnbob]

I like Jan,Feb,Mar,Apr,May,June,Jul,Aug,Sep,Oct,Nov,Dec I hope this helps you make you discision

 

[FlaFortCampster]

I like Jan,Feb,Mar,Apr,May,June,Jul,Aug,Sep,Oct,Nov,Dec I hope this helps you make you discision

Very good point.

 

[njcamper95]

We went oct. 12-27 this past year and the first 2 days were very warm low 90's then it went into the low 80's which was nice
we have camped from early oct -early feb.
oct-mid -nov is nice for the halloween decorations
mid-nov. to mid dec. you get cooler weather and get to see the xmas decorations which are great
jan.-feb get cooler yet you can get some warm days or you could get 40's
crowds wise jan-feb is lightest but weather can be chilly