Camping Newbie with a few questions....

[minniern]

We just purchased our first travel trailer and have already planned a trip to FW in June. Need some advice from you experienced campers, please.

What is the deal with the golf carts? What exactly are you using these for?

Do you leave your awning out all day while your at a park or roll it in so the wind does not damage it?

If we take our bikes, are they "safe" leaving out or do you somehow chain them to the trailer?

Other family members will be coming to WDW while we are there can they visit our campsite?

Is it easeir to go into town to do laundry or are the facilites at FW sufficient?

Any tips or things you wish you would have know on your first trip to FW would be greatly appreciated...


THANKS!!!!!

 

[JCJRSmith]

Golf carts: Fort Wilderness is quite large. One mile as the crow flies from the registration building to the boat docks. Some folks rent the golf carts to get around in the campground.

Awning: Unless it is REALLY windy, you can leave your awning up all day and night. Most of today's awnings are very strong, well-built devices - built to take it. A recommendation - when you set up the awning, don't set both ends at the same height. Leave one slightly lower than the other so if it rains, the rain will run to the low part of the awning and run off there. We usually leave the back corner slightly lower.

Bikes: I have found that most campers are really decent people, but you still get a fair share of scumbags that show up. Keep your stuff safe - lock 'em up. Also, keep in mind that non-FW Disney guests can easily visit the campground and have free run of the place. When we were at WDW last March, we stayed at the Contemporary, but took the boat over for dinner at Trails End (love that buffet ). Another time I was in Orlando for a Microsoft conference and I took a drive over to Fort Wilderness to look around because I had never been there. Parked in the overflow lot at the front gate, hopped on a bus and toured the joint. Lock you stuff up.

Visitors: You can have visitors. Ask at check in what the exact rules are.

Laundry: The laundry facilities should suit you fine, although they are expensive. Others here can give you the amounts.

You can get some good info about FW here: http://allearsnet.com/acc/faq_fw.htm

Congratulations on the purchase of the travel tailer. What did you get? We have a Jayco Kiwi - you can see it HERE

Jerry in PA

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

Just a couple of comments:

You don't "need" a golf cart unless you are disabled. We've never gotten one but they do look like fun. They're expensive and if you really wanted to rent one for a day or two would recommend you select a day that you'll just be goofing around the resort (non-park day). Otherwise it's a big waste of money.

Visitors: Let the front desk know when/who you are expecting. They will need to park in the front lot and take the bus to your site. (only one vehicle can be parked at a site) If they are staying overnight, you will need to register them as guests ... check the campground guidelines for cost, maximum per site, etc.

Laundry: Unless you have tons and tons, I think the comfort station facilities will be fine.

Bikes, etc: Lock anything you cannot afford to lose. We've never had a problem, but locking your valuables is just common sense!

I always try to keep the site tidy when we leave for the day and have things put away. If the weather report looks iffy, make those adjustments to the awning, etc as well so you don't have any surprises upon your return.

 

[rapriebe]

Dear minniern,

Most of your questions have already been answered. I just have a few comments.

The golf carts are extremely expensive ~$44 a day and it is a waste to use them just to ride to one of the outposts to catch a bus to a park. But it is fun to rent one for a down day - makes it easy to get to pool, shops, dinner or do laundry.

As far as laundry, it is very expensive, in my opinion. It costs $2 for the washer which is a pretty good size but the dryers are out of sight. It costs $1 for 15 minutes and the dryers are not very hot. It takes alot of quarters to get one load of clothes dry. So if you have several kids, I would take lots of clothes and plan on doing a lot of washing when you get home. Besides, who wants to spend Disney time doing laundry

If you have kids - a cool thing to do at FW is the campfire/movie. My granddaughter loves to do this every time we go.

Have fun.