campfire and other questions

[KyGirl]

We're planning a trip for this spring for right before my daughter turns three (while she's free!). While I'd love to stay at Fort Wilderness, I'm just not sure I'm up for a week of tent camping with a toddler, plus lugging all our equipment from Kentucky. In light of that, we're staying at Pop.

Anyway, my husband really wants to bring our daughter to the Chip n Dale campfire and I think it's a great idea. I'm just trying to think about the best way to make this work. My first thought was to book an ADR at Trails End, most likely on our Animal Kingdom day. BUT, the more I think about it, it seems like one more stop in our overly scheduled buffet heavy week. I love the idea of making our night at Fort Wilderness almost a "night off".

I noticed that Trails End does a couple of carry out options, including a pizza. Do you Fort experts think it would be a good idea for us to just grab a pizza and find a place to picnic? Are there plenty of picnic tables or benches in the area? We visited FW last December for the HDDR and loved that experience but it was dark when we were there so I don't remember a whole lot about the area. We could also bring a picnic blanket if there's a place we could use that. Are there play areas for the little ones? And would we be allowed to use those if we're not actually campers?

I was imagining a peaceful laid back late afternoon/evening with a pizza picnic (with a grown up drink from Crockett's Tavern!), some normal playtime for the little one, maybe a visit to the horses in the barn, and then a visit with Chip and Dale at the campfire. Does this seem like a good idea or would it just logistically not work?

Oh and if we bring our own marshmallows to the campfire should I pack our own roasting sticks too? Are you even still allowed to still bring your own smores makings?

Thanks in advance for any help! I know some of these questions are overly detailed but I wanted to make sure there would be enough to do and some places to relax before we make the trek over from Pop Century.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I would do the Trails To Go and get chicken.
2) Eat, then go to The Campfire.
3) Instead of lugging marshmallows buy them there.

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FORT WILDERNESS CAMPFIRE "411": (open to all)

1) Location:
. . . within the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds
. . . near Meadows Trading Post, behind swimming pool area
2) Transportation to Fort Wilderness
. . . car to Fort Wilderness parking lot
. . . bus to Fort Wilderness from almost anywhere inside WDW
. . . boat to FW from Magic Kingdom or Wilderness Lodge Resort
. . . monorail to Contemporary Resort, then boat to FW
. . . most resorts have a separate bus to Fort Wilderness after 5:00pm
4) Transportation to Campfire
. . . take internal bus and ask for Campfire bus stop
5) Time
November-1 thru February-28
. . . Fire lighting with Chip-n-Dale at 6:30pm nightly
. . . Sing-a-long starts at 7:00pm nightly
. . . Movie starts at 7:40pm
March-1 thru October-31
. . . Fire lighting with Chip-n-Dale at 7:30pm nightly
. . . Sing-a-long starts at 8:00pm nightly
. . . Movie starts at 8:40pm
All movies & characters are outside.
. . . campfire show is held nightly if weather permits.
. . . if rain, sing-along is on trading post porch
6) Activities
. . . two fire pits right of movie for roasting marshmallows (thru the movie)
. . . marshmallows/smores available for EXPENSIVE purchase at Chuck Wagon
. . . Chip-n-Dale at fire pit for photos and autographs (approx 40-min)
. . . sing-along in front of screen, usually with a solo guitarist (appox 40-min)
. . . animated or live action outdoor Disney film (approx 1½-hrs)
. . . short walk to a play area
7) Things to Know
. . . free to any WDW resort guest (yes, actually free ! )
. . . one of few places for autographs not requiring a meal or admission
. . . bring a light jacket, as it can get cool after sunset
. . . seating is on benches and bleachers, so a pad is nice comfort
. . . there are grassy areas to bring a blanket and sit on the ground
. . . better yet, bring folding chairs
. . . fortunately, they do not grade you on your voice during the sing-along
. . . there is no dress code
. . . plenty of CM's around for child safety
. . . excellent bus transportation before and after Campfire
. . . good activity after the early show at Hoop-Dee-Do-Review
. . . you many bring you own marshmallows-food-drinks-beer-coolers
. . . pizza, hot dogs, candy, nachos, popcorn for purchase at Chuck Wagon
. . . coffee, beer, soda, juices available for purchase at the Chuck Wagon
. . . for rain, they move the sing-along, but you will still get wet
. . . you can see A LITTLE of the MK fireworks from the FW beach

NOTE: We find this to be a really great activity for either the first night at
WDW, or the last night before going home. Good time for family bonding, and
nice to veg-out. Whether we eat at Trails end, or do Take Out, it's great.

 

[staceyrhood]

We get a pizza or chicken dinner from trails end to go every trip. We eat outside on the picnic tables next to Crockett's tavern and our son runs from the table to the playground and back again it's a nice relaxing time. The walk is nice to the campfire, or you could ride the bus. They do sell sticks and s'mores fixins at the campfire so no need to bring your own, but you can if you like. Have a great trip!

 

[KyGirl]

Thanks for all the info! My husband will probably be more excited about this than any other night of our trip!

 

[bama_ed]

KyGirl,

Here is a picture of the picnic tables on the side porch of Trails End. It would be a good place to eat your TE takeout.



This is the side of the building facing the playground and the lake/boat dock beyond. There are also tables/chairs down by the dock and beach area.

Between the Pioneer Hall/Trails End/Hoop Dee Doo complex and the Horse Barn is a fenced area. Your child might like a pony ride (one of you adults lead the pony around the coral area - trust me the pony knows where to go and they are very tame). Might be a Kodak moment.





Enjoy your visit at the Fort. Maybe next time you can rent a trailer like folks do and stay with us.

Bama Ed

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Enjoy your visit at the Fort. Maybe next time you can rent a trailer like folks do and stay with us . . .

1) So, if we rent a trailer, we can all stay with Ed.
2) Hope he doesn't snore.

 

[tiggerdad]

1) So, if we rent a trailer, we can all stay with Ed.
2) Hope he doesn't snore.

I call top bunk...

 

[Sur]

Sorry I'm already there!

 

[snowmedic]

I haven't finished the vacation I'm on, now I have to plan another. I'll never be able to get back to work, not that it's a bad thing.

 

[PEC]

I would go for the Chicken or Pork Sandwiches. We ordered a Pizza (yes sat at a Picnic table right in front) and watched individuals leaving with excellent Sandwiches and Chicken. We then got our pizza and it was the same that you can get in the frozen freezer area of any Grocery Store. Good? (yes if you like any pizza). Compared to other choices? Not close.
I know it will cost some but carrying around stuff for smores could be cumbersome. Plus if a Hershey Bar gets the least bit warm it will get very sofe very fast.

 

[KyGirl]

In the interest of full disclosure, my husband and I did camp at the Fort once before, maybe five years ago, before we had a little one. We loved it but our trip suffered from some bad luck and poor planning on my part.

We used to camp a lot locally and in the Smoky Mountains so I had this grand idea that we could pack up, drive all the way down, camp for three days to get a feel for the area and then drive back. Keep in mind that it's about a 13 hour drive for us so staying for three nights after all that packing and driving already put kind of a damper on the whole thing.

So my other great idea was to bring our bikes and use them to get around the Fort. Well there was some sort of record setting cold snap for November while we were there and we were tent camping. Even that wouldn't have been too bad. But because of our short stay we were really wearing out the parks and would get back late each night, find our bikes where we'd left them early that morning, and try to find our way back to our campsite through the deserted dark and cold. Those were some pretty miserable, lost, snotty, frozen fingered bike rides. My husband, who in reality is a much more enthusiastic camper and less enthusiastic Disney fan than me, will never get over how bad it really was.

Anyway, we just didn't plan well to enjoy the area and now, even though we've stayed there, it's hard for me to remember how to get around the place and what all was offered. I was hoping that if we were able to have a nice evening there it might help to erase some of those bad memories and encourage us to try again sometime in the future. Maybe when our little Mousketeer is older. Because I think with more realistic planning and better circumstances we would really love it. I still can't get over that we had cable tv in our tent!

So again, thanks again for all the help, info, and pictures. You guys are the best! I just didn't want to get into this sordid tale in my original question and post!

 

[bama_ed]

1) So, if we rent a trailer, we can all stay with Ed.
2) Hope he doesn't snore.

Scupper, buddy, don't you have a question over on the Restaurant forum that needs your attention?

Bama Ed

 

[KristinU]

I I was hoping that if we were able to have a nice evening there it might help to erase some of those bad memories and encourage us to try again sometime in the future.

Most definitely! We didn't have anything to erase, but our first exposure to the Fort was an afternoon visit to rent bikes and ride around to get an idea of the place for my parents since they have an RV. We fell in love with the laid back atmosphere, but as DVC owners at the time I couldn't convince DH to try tenting there (even though we were avid tenters in our neck of the woods). Once we bought our first camper many years later I had a much easier time convincing him

Hopefully your evening will prove to be as relaxing and happy as our afternoon and the Fort community will be seeing more of you guys!

Enjoy!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Scupper, buddy, don't you have a question over on the Restaurant forum that needs your attention? . . .

1) I am ambidextrous.
2) I can answer questions on 2-forums at the same time.