Camp Kitchen set ups...what can stay outside?

[Garage Door Momma]

Hi all....Getting ready for our first stay at Fort Wilderness. We will be staying in our popup,which we never cook in,store food in or even eat in! We are from black bear country and are used to cooking, cleaning up the mess and locking everything away in our car to secure it. My question is how secure do I need to make everything while at Disney? Can I leave the coolers, toaster oven, cooking supplies and Keurig outside? What wildlife other than the squirrels might come into our camp? Or is it the two legged type I need to be worried about coming in and walking away with something?

 

[topiney]

We live in black bear country also, and I am very interested in the answers....thanks!

 

[tiggerdad]

I have always left my Keurig outside. I have been known to leave my griddle out after cleaning as well as the Crock-Pot. Nothing missing, but, it can always happen. Use your own judgement.

We have heard from time to time of things disappearing from sites.

 

[FtW Mike]

The old saying out of sight out of mind comes strongly to mind. Even at Disney some people are given into their baser natures. What you are not prepared to lose are best kept secure as you can make them

 

[2goofycampers]

Just a thought. You could get a pop-up canopy to go over the kitchen. When you leave lower the canopy over the table. I doubt anyone would want to look that suspicious.

 

[amcc]

We treat our popup the same way. We lock the large stores of food in the car at night but we have a couple of bins with staples that we leave under the canopy and just bungee cord every night. We also have a small refrigerator outside that we bungee shut. We do this at all the campgrounds we go to because in Florida the main problem is raccoons and squirrels. They once ate marsmallows and graham crackers from our bin hence the bungees.

We did once return to our campsite to find a small bear in the tree next to us (not at fort wilderness) but it's not the same level of danger and precautions as I understand grizzly and brown bear country. Have fun!!!

ETa. We leave all our stuff outside except for my purse and electronics. I understand the risks but we've never had anything go missing.

 

[daemom]

Someone else can jump in here, but I heard somewhere that last week Disney started putting flyers in all packets regarding alligators, snakes and bear..........We checked in a couple of weeks ago, so we had no flyers like this in our packet.

 

[Flametamr]

Be warned about Tiggerdad's squirel posse. They will steal any small food items left out.

 

[tiggerdad]

Just a thought. You could get a pop-up canopy to go over the kitchen. When you leave lower the canopy over the table. I doubt anyone would want to look that suspicious.

Hhhump... that's pretty good thinking there.

 

[snowmedic]

We put all our food products that are in bags in the car. The rest we leave in the cooler or in a tote outside the tent. As for all our camp stove and such, we leave those right on the picnic table. Never had a problem with things coming up missing.

 

[Garage Door Momma]

Thanks all for the great advise. I especially like the idea of lowering the canopy. We won't leave anything of value outside so I'm really not worried about that. More so I want to avoid any unwanted animal visitors. I had a heart attack the first time I saw the little lizards running through the grass! I definitely want to avoid any and all animal friends. I actually googled Florida Panther attacks to be sure I know how to avoid them! Lol

 

[TheRustyScupper]

alligators, snakes and bear

"Humphrey" the bear ????

 

[Judyfun]

We just returned and yes there are now the warning papers in the check-in packets as well as signs all along the creeks. I set up an outside table with all the coffee fixings. The only issue we have ever had was our paper towels being chewed up to make a nice lining to the squirrels nest.

 

[topiney]

Thanks for all the info and I love the idea about the canopy. This will be our first time camping at Fort Wilderness so we also appreciate your input. Cannot wait to get there in November with all the great posts.

 

[FtW Mike]

"Humphrey" the bear ????

That's really just a totally roided out member of Tiggerdad's NSS

We just returned and yes there are now the warning papers in the check-in packets as well as signs all along the creeks. I set up an outside table with all the coffee fixings. The only issue we have ever had was our paper towels being chewed up to make a nice lining to the squirrels nest.

Read what I quoted by Flametmr and you'll know what happened who to blame

Be warned about Tiggerdad's squirel posse. They will steal any small food items left out.

 

[5stljayhawks]

There are coons and dillos. And a few two legged dillweeds.... Clean camps helps minimize issues, being from bear country you understand. I have left out my coffee pot,dual burner, fan..... and have not had any problems. I have also put items in tote boxes under the camper. out of sight, out of mind...

 

[peg110]

out of sight, out of mind...

This is the key I think.

If they don't see it, they won't worry about it. Well all except the NSS