Camping at the Fort without camping.

[kinghorse]

We love Fort Wilderness and go over alot just for the day, eat at a restaurant, ride the ponies. Once we were lucky enough to get a fantastic deal on a cabin and loved it but unfortunately it is out of our budget and the deal we had was difficult to come by. I would love to buy a tent and camp but don't think I would be to comfortable at my size on the ground and more importantly having to use the bathroom a couple times during the night with a 6 year old with me, would not want to wake her up or leave her alone. So I have been thinking about renting the campsite which will then allow us to use the pool, BBQ, etc but drive home to sleep and come back the next morning. Has anyone thought of or heard of anyone doing this and do you think Disney would care?

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

You can do everything there that you've mentioned- except for the pool- without even renting a space there. Is the pool worth the nightly rate when you're not even staying there? That's up to you.

you can still book the bbq, hoopdedoo review, and any other activities there (including the campfire singalong) without staying there. I know because I myself -and another time with the entire family- have gone there to do that when we were staying at another resort. They don't keep everyone out if they don't have a "room key" proving they stay there- the only way they'd check is if driving a vehicle in or maybe/probably in the pool (especially if it starts to get crowded once it's a pool with slide and also being a boat ride from MK- similar to how the POly seems to have pool hopper issues) but everything else you can do even if you aren't staying there. Just use the buses within FW.

Was there something else besides the pool that you wanted to do? I really can't think of anything else that you'd have to rent a "site" per night in order to partake of those things- just the pool. If it's only the pool (and maybe just to be able to drive your vehicle to your site instead of using buses) only you can decide if that's worth the cost to do that while staying at home. Someone else with more experience will have to say whether or not it becomes an "issue" of paying for a site then never being there at the actual site and whether or not that Disney might then assume you no showed or left early or something if they notice nothing at that site? I have no idea if that would be an issue. But I do know you can do all the other stuff (besides pool) without actually staying there.

 

[hopeisb4u]

Oh my gosh...I totally understand where you are coming from!! From my experiences camping as a kid (totally primitive!) I never wanted to do it again! Mostly because of the sleeping situations....Until a few years ago when someone talked me into going to FW. They let me in on a total different type of camping that I never knew of!!

About your sleeping arrangements....You can find awesome inflatable beds. Mine sits up almost as high as my 'real' bed. the back will even do this weird adjustable bed like thing if you set it too. So, you can find a bed where you are no where NEAR the floor. Inflatable beds are not what they used to be.

I have found that when i wake in the middle of the night, if i ask my DD if she needs to go, she usally says yes, and is more than happy, although half asleep, to go to the rest room with me. It is like a midnight adventure, and she gets to hold the flashlight & the 'room' key.

But...I have had friends that have set up their site, and had to leave for the night for whatever reasons, to return the next day. They've never had problems with doing that.

I hope that you'll be able to work something out so you can stay the night there though. There is nothing like the smell of fresh bacon in the air when you wake up!

 

[Elliott]

A couple of years back there was alot of discussion about people renting a site to get free parking and EMH capability and then not using the the site at all. There was much arguing over whether that was "okay" or not but apparently Disney does not have a problem as long as they got their $$$. (They would probably prefer if we all paid for a site and then didn't show up!) That was also when sites were a little more than half what they cost now. So to answer your question you could absolutely do that. As I understood your OP you would actually go to your site, park, cook on the charcoal grill and use the pool from there, right?
Now if I were you I would consider renting a trailer. Some of these outfits will take it out, set it up and then haul it out when your done. I don't know the exact cost but my guess is it would probably be less than what you could rent a cabin for and less than what you would spend on decent camping equipment to camp in a tent (tent, sleeping bags, lanterns, matresses, cooking equipment, dining fly, storage containers, etc) and you only need to take your clothes and your food in.

 

[becky1960]

Maybe I am wrong on this, but what about parking your vehicle, I know you can park in the overflow and take buses but other posters have said they tow from there without parking slip from a resort. You can also rent a travel trailer and they will setup for you from locals..

 

[TheFlame]

Now if I were you I would consider renting a trailer. Some of these outfits will take it out, set it up and then haul it out when your done. I don't know the exact cost but my guess is it would probably be less than what you could rent a cabin for and less than what you would spend on decent camping equipment to camp in a tent (tent, sleeping bags, lanterns, matresses, cooking equipment, dining fly, storage containers, etc) and you only need to take your clothes and your food in.

Rog knows......

I'm sure he'll be along shortly!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Elliots right...www.CampAtTheFort.com rents their 5th wheel RV and delivers it to your site, sets it up and shows you how everything works. Its as nice as the cabins(if not better in many ways), and will give you an idea about what its like to own an RV...which can be the best way to spend all of your vacations. The owner of the Rv rental is a regular here on the boards...her name is tinah159. You could send her a pm just for some info...she'd be happy to answer any questions for you...she's really cool.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

lol.....I LOVE you Flame!!!!

 

[PrincessMom98]

I think BibbidyBobbidyBoo answered your questions about using the facilities, but I wanted to post to encourage you to find a way to stay overnight. I think you would have so much more fun. You said that you would love to buy a tent and camp there. You would be surprized to see all of the available gear that is out there. There are lots of options for air mattresses and if you go to a site like www.cabelas.com and search for portable toilet you will find lots of options for those midnight potty issues .

ETA - I just went back and read Elliott's post (I type slow with my DS3 helping me) and I agree. If you can afford to rent a trailer that would be my first choice (we have a trailer). If budget is a concern I would buy a tent and start with basic gear then add to it as you can. Camping gear can get quite expensive but I look at it as an investment that can be used again.

 

[TheFlame]

lol.....I LOVE you Flame!!!!

 

[2goofycampers]

I agree, the right time of year, a good air mattress and a potty bucket, you will enjoy the Fort alot.

Someone here is also putting together a pop up rental biz, for 2 people this would be a great way to camp.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Right. The first post sounded like they wanted as economical as possible and while the site + renting the trailer is a great idea -it's not exactly economical all costs considered. Is it really that much cheaper to rent site plus rent the trailer than staying in a cabin?
And it sounded like they were close enough to sleep at home yet thought they had to rent a site at FW in order to do the things they wanted. The only thing I think they'd need to rent a site for- is the pool. And this is just my opinion-but even the cheapest site is kinda expensive JUST for the pool access when everything else you can do without renting a site. If I lived close enough to drive home and sleep- I wouldn't pay for a site just for the pool access but that's just me. LOL

ofcourse it's better to actually stay there though. (I'm assuming. I hope so! We've got our first "stay at FW" trip coming up LOL)