Brief trip report: flying to the Fort and camping

frankp01

Earning My Ears
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
39
I'm finally getting around to an update on our 7-day fly/camp trip to Fort Wilderness in February. Thanks to Southwest's two-free-checked-bags-per-passenger allowance, two of us were able to fly from Philadelphia with two Brompton folding bikes, a tent, a screen room, a week's worth of camping gear and our clothes, all for one $50 baggage fee each way. What a deal.

Not having a vehicle meant relying on the Magical Express. The Fort's bell staff drove us to our site, and the tents and gear showed up a few hours later... delivered right to the site. At the end of the week it was just as easy. We made arrangements the night before with the bell staff, and the next morning they showed up with the van right on time. We loaded all of our luggage into the van for the ride to The Outpost, where we got our boarding passes and checked all of our luggage through to Philadelphia. It couldn't have been easier.

I had worked on our gear list, refining it and making sure nothing would be forgotten. As it turned out, we used everything we took, and took everything we needed. We took clothes for 4 days and did a laundry run midway. I shipped a USPS flat-rate box full of camping food in advance. That, along with a few additional supplies from the trading post, kept us well fed through 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners. The remaining meals we enjoyed at several of the resorts.

This was hardly our first camping trip, but I was a bit apprehensive beforehand... over how we'd get everything to the airport (we don't own a car, and I wasn't sure it would all fit in one taxi. But it did), how we'd get our stuff from the reception desk to the campsite (the bell staff happily delivered us and our gear), and what we'd do if it rained on the day we were leaving. Not because we'd get wet, but because it's mighty hard to pack a sopping wet tent. Fortunately, we lucked out weather-wise for the entire week.

So, if anyone is considering camping at Fort Wilderness, you don't want to (or can't) drive and you have the option of using Southwest, I say 'go for it'.

Photo of our site:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hf9fSnMIdhBL4MgQDvh43A?feat=directlink


hf9fSnMIdhBL4MgQDvh43A
 
We do the exact same thing at least once per year. (We don't camp anywhere other than Ft Wilderness.) FYI: Depending on how far you are from the airport; you might do better with the Rapid Rover.
What site did you have? (Looks like one of my favorites in 1500 Loop). I'm glad you had fun. Now you get to start planning for next time!
 
We were in the 1500 loop, which is where I'd sort-of hoped to be. Although, with bikes, we could have been OK in either camping loop. I've already forgotten our site number: was it 1504? It was very close to the bus stop. In fact, when we got dropped off I thought "Ugh, this is too close to the road, we'll be hearing the busses all night". But, either I was too tired or the busses ended their runs early enough, because I didn't hear them and they weren't a problem at all.
 

Wow! I am impressed. Did your bikes count as a piece of luggage each? Were they oversized?
 
When I started to read this I was like OK yea its been done before, then I read what you took.

BIKES!!!!! :worship:

Then I saw the photo and you had a screen tent too!!! :worship::worship:

I'd love to be able to fit all that stuff in my car. :goodvibes

Did you cook, if you did, how did you handle the stove or did you just bring an electric hot plate. Also what about a cooler?
 
Did your bikes count as a piece of luggage each? Were they oversized?

Yes, each bike counted as one of the pieces of luggage (we had 7 bags in all). We have the largest suitcase Samsonite makes, and the bikes just fit into those cases. The case is just under the 60" total dimensions that you're allowed, and easily under the 50 pound per bag limit. The photo Chartle included below is just like our bikes.

One of our duffles was over the 60" total dimensions limit, and also a touch over 50 pounds. But we checked everything with the skycaps going down, and at Disney coming back, and neither time did they care about the slightly oversized bag.

Chartle: We did cook, a lot actually: Just about 1/2 of our meals. I had hoped to bring our backpacking stove, but it uses white gas. We couldn't ship the gas, and it would have added another logistical worry trying to get the gas once we got to Orlando. So we brought along a cheap electric hotplate.

We didn't need a cooler because we relied just about exclusively on dehydrated foods that just needed water to be added, or shelf-stable 'pouch-packed' foods. You can get chicken breast, salmon steaks, tuna, and spam in lightweight aluminum pouches. Shelf-stable milk, just-add-water pancake mix, pre-cooked bacon, tortillas, granola, and lots of other food rounded out the menu, none of which needed refrigeration. This was a backpacking-like trip, foodwise. The food, however, came from the grocery store and not outdoor outfitters. It's amazing how much shelf-stable food there is in a grocery when you start looking for it.
 
Chartle: We did cook, a lot actually: Just about 1/2 of our meals. I had hoped to bring our backpacking stove, but it uses white gas. We couldn't ship the gas, and it would have added another logistical worry trying to get the gas once we got to Orlando. So we brought along a cheap electric hotplate.

So you decided not to bring your optimus (sp?) and do the 20 miles bike ride to Walmart for coleman fuel. ;)

I looked back at my old posts and realized I was the one who suggested the hot plate. Did you bring the white noise generator so you could get the full white gas experience you wanted?:goodvibes

I would have brought some sort of cooler just for some cool drinks but I guess in Feb thats not really necessary.

As for the food yes as long as you are not worried about weight there are tons of things you can take.

On another camping board I read a post where someone was freaking out because they were going (car) camping for the first time and didn't want to have either eat all dehydrated backpacking food or like fish they had to catch, gut, fillet and cook on the end of a stick. :lmao:

I basically told them, when you go to the supermarket just stay away from the refrigerated and frozen foods and you will be amazed at what you can find that doesn't need a refrigerator.

I too like the precooked breakfast meats. We precook as much as possible like taco meat, seal a meal it and then freeze it. I've taken newbies camping and they think they are going to bring a lot of raw meat and cook it over an open fire (not at FW obviously). First raw meat and coolers don't mix and cooking over an open fire takes some skill.
 
So you decided not to bring your optimus (sp?) and do the 20 miles bike ride to Walmart for coleman fuel. ;)

I looked back at my old posts and realized I was the one who suggested the hot plate. Did you bring the white noise generator so you could get the full white gas experience you wanted

Nope, no Optimus stove. I remember your white noise post, and thought it hit the nail right on the head. I really didn't like using an electric stove while camping. We've been out a few times since, with the Optimus. I *really* prefer it. But it's just like the gas/electric debate when it comes to household stoves: gas really is more controllable. Our percolator boiled over a few times until we got the hang of just the right settings on the hotplate.

As experienced a cyclist as I am, I knew I didn't want to risk Disney's internal road system. And that's frustrating... the Disney grounds could really be a cyclist's paradise with some bike lanes/routes added. I did go to the effort of looking up the local transit system's bus routes. It wouldn't have been that hard to get to a Walmart, actually. But I was afraid the stove might get confiscated by the TSA, and just didn't want to risk it.

Fortunately, we had such a great time at the Fort (it's a relatively inexpensive warm getaway for late winter, and it satiates the camping urge, too) that we'll be going back. So the hotplate'll be getting more than just that one use.
 
I would have brought some sort of cooler just for some cool drinks but I guess in Feb thats not really necessary.

At one point we had a collapsing insulated bag in the pile of stuff to take. My thought was we'd use it as an ice chest to store ice for drinks, or for any items we bought at the trading post that needed refrigeration, just in case. When the duffle carrying all our "miscellaneous stuff" had to shed some weight, the insulated bag was one of the first things to go. As it turned out, we didn't need it. We were drinking red wine and coffee in the evenings, mostly. For breakfast and lunch we made tang or lemonade, and the water, as it came from the spigot, was actually pretty cool. You're right, though. If it had been any other time of the year we'd have been drinking margaritas or something that would have benefitted from being cold.
 
You're right, though. If it had been any other time of the year we'd have been drinking margaritas or something that would have benefitted from being cold.

So since you always camp "Off the Grid" I guess you use on of these. :goodvibes

TailGator-Gas-Blender-Med.jpg


Not sure how it fits in a backpack?
 
Wow! I can't believe you were able to bring all that on the plane! Question: what did you sleep on/in? We use a double high airbed when we camp out with two sleeping bags zipped together. We don't rough it. :) They take up so much space, though, that I can't imagine putting them on a plane!
 
Question: what did you sleep on/in? We use a double high airbed when we camp out with two sleeping bags zipped together. We don't rough it. :) They take up so much space, though, that I can't imagine putting them on a plane!

You're right. We have an airbed that we had planned to use for guests, at home. It's bulky and really heavy.

Much of what we took is normally used for backpacking or bicycle touring. We use Thermarest Neoair air mattresses, which are lightweight air mattresses. They weigh less than a pound, and rolled up they're a touch smaller than a 1-pound coffee can. Inflated, they're about 3" thick, and quite comfortable. They have a reflective surface, to keep cold from the ground from migrating up through the mattress and to reflect body heat back towards you. They're not cheap, but no backpacking sleeping pad/mattress compares, and we tried two other cheaper ones before settling on these.

Here's a video review on Backpacker's website:
http://www.backpacker.com/editors_choice_thermarest_neoair/videos/71\
and a written review:
http://www.backpacker.com/editors_choice_2009_thermarest_neoair/gear/12872

The air mattresses are topped wth either a sleeping bag (if it's cold enough) or Thermarest 'fitted sheets'. The fitted sheets have snaps, so that you can snap two mattesses together, You can also snap on a lightweight quilt, which is what we use when it's more of a shoulder season. Thermarest really has a complete sleep system (I sound like a salesman!)
 
If we camped more often, I would SO get those Thermarest pads! We have a pair of the cheap foam ones that just don't cut it. We lend them to our teenaged friends and relations who are just glad not to sleep on the floor at a sleepover! I told my husband about your flying to the Fort and he's intrigued. :) I may get to camp at the Fort again after all! My last time there I was 9, and we drove from Maine with the whole family in the station wagon, pulling our new-to-us pop up camper. Great trip, LONG drive. Hubby doesn't want to drive all the way to Florida if he can avoid it!
 
Sigh! I'm Dis-Tent dreaming now!

Will be down beginning of Oct at POR, but reallllly want to stay at the Campgrounds at some point.
Great reading your info - I'm going to start a 'logistics' file and who knows, maybe next year I can swing it: flying down and bringing camping gear with me.

I'd consider the cabins, but they're so expensive!
 





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