Check in Early but wait for site

[Yellowstonetim]

I will be arriving at the Fort with reservation for a full hookup site with our Clipper 17FQ (20' tip to tail) for our 12 night 35th anniversary celebration. We have specific sites and areas in mind - we want something with space to the door side of the RV and woods or water behind like the southern side of the 1800 loop. There are a few sites that seem perfect such as 1809 and 1722.

I know getting a particular site is not likely, and that's okay. I will send a fax 3 or 4 days before we arrive and ask for a few possible sites and/or areas. I will let them know that check in can be at anytime that day.

We will arrive in the morning from a local campground. So here is my question:

Do we do the drive through check-in or go park and walk in to the office? It will probably be between 7 and 9 am. I want to explain that we are willing to wait to later in the day. After will park the camper we want to head out to do a few things before returning to get our site.

 

[Corgidad]

You will have to go into the lobby as the outside check in lanes don't open until 9am, there is always a lane open so you can pull into and then go into the back door at the Outpost, its usually lane 4. Good luck and Happy Anniversary...........

 

[Yellowstonetim]

So, I should pull in Lane 4, stop, and go inside?

And thanks!

 

[PaHunter]

Sites are assigned about 3 days before your arrival. The computer places most reservations, a CM then goes back thru and checks to see if they can put you in a specific loop or not. This person also has to manually move reservation that the computer could not figure out.

We were down 3 years in a row, and in premium loops. We only got our loop choice once while there. We did not even get our choice when the Fort reopened after Hurricane Irma and the Fort was completely empty. Every trip we were willing to wait and did wait all day for our site to be ready.
Some folks I know have had better luck with loops and getting where they would like.
Our next trip will be interesting to see where they place us, as we have a premium site, but there are only a handful we will fit in, yikes.

Best of luck to you.

 

[team bradfield]

I will be arriving at the Fort with reservation for a full hookup site with our Clipper 17FQ (20' tip to tail) for our 12 night 35th anniversary celebration. We have specific sites and areas in mind - we want something with space to the door side of the RV and woods or water behind like the southern side of the 1800 loop. There are a few sites that seem perfect such as 1809 and 1722.

I know getting a particular site is not likely, and that's okay. I will send a fax 3 or 4 days before we arrive and ask for a few possible sites and/or areas. I will let them know that check in can be at anytime that day.

We will arrive in the morning from a local campground. So here is my question:

Do we do the drive through check-in or go park and walk in to the office? It will probably be between 7 and 9 am. I want to explain that we are willing to wait to later in the day. After will park the camper we want to head out to do a few things before returning to get our site.

Happy Anniversary!

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Thanks, I know it is a long shot, but no matter what we will have a great time!

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Happy Anniversary!

Thanks! It is going to be fun! We are both RV nerds and Disnerds.

 

[2goofycampers]

Happy 35th Anniversary!

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks! It is going to be fun! We are both RV nerds and Disnerds.

You're in good company here on this board. Congrats!

 

[MudQueen22]

Happy anniversary!!

 

[FtW Mike]

We just got back from our trip. On our arrival day we arrived early (This a relative early 0930 by that I mean early for us} We were slated for the 1700 loop but that did not work for us ads we would be near the main road and our Little Girl Sky doesn't like the sound of the buses. We asked if any sites were available in the 1600 or 1800 loops that would meet our preferences. We lucked out with the same site we had 4 years earlier 1811 we knew we would fit and be close to the dog walking area on the canal. I can only tell you what we had happen to us and suggest you try for the same sort of luck.
FYI Site 1809 is currently occupied by our friends Bill, Nancy and Kasey and will be for the foreseeable future.

 

[Corgidad]

So, I should pull in Lane 4, stop, and go inside?

Yes correct, you will be parked adjacent to to Outpost's (lobby) back porch which leads straight into the lobby where you will see a front desk CM.

 

[tigger92662]

Don't be shy, play the Anniversary card, just might get ya what you're lookin' for.
Happy Anniversary and enjoy your stay. Let us know how it works out for you.

 

[bama_ed]

Yes correct, you will be parked adjacent to to Outpost's (lobby) back porch which leads straight into the lobby where you will see a front desk CM.

Like Corgidad says, when you arrive you go wherever the Security Guard at the Fort gate directs you but if arrive early enough they only light up Lane #4 Outside (which is unstaffed so you have to go inside):



like they did me which is not staffed that early in the morning. The guard tells you to go in the lobby which is what I prefer to do.

This is usually what it's like when I arrive at 630am in the lobby:

1. nobody there but you, the CM, and a Manager;
2. time to chit chat, make request of (a) certain site(s) or loops, and engage in pleasant small talk;
3. have a high probability of getting your request (eventually)

Depending on how busy it is expected to be and what time you arrive, you might encounter a CM in the check-in lanes with a green light 1-6.

The CM's in the check-in lanes can do everything the CM's inside can do. That being said, I prefer to go inside early in the morning when the Manager/CM/me are low key, easy going, and ready to be helpful. But if you arrive later in the morning, the same pixie dust can take place.

I prefer to get there early, make my requests, and wait to get them rather than arrive later, take what's available (sooner), and get on the site. To each his own.

Bama Ed

PS - this is one of my favorite pix. It means I made it early, am inside, have a high prob of getting my request. There are other pix I've made from the overflow. Waiting. In the overflow (looking towards the old FW Kennel building) waiting for the sun to come up....

 

[MudQueen22]

Bama_Ed, is it easy to find the overflow lot from there? Is there a place to turn around from the covered lanes?

 

[bama_ed]

Mudqueen22,

When you turn in by the main sign when you first arrive,



it's two lanes in: one for returning guests (automatic gate arm-use Magic Band to get it) or if you got the early checkin text with your site number, and one lane for new guests checking in (not checked in yet-say hello to the guard).

There is a Y past the guard/return gate: veer left for the 6 lanes of check in (in my earlier photo) or veer right for the main parking lot (nearest the checkin building) or right of right (away from the checkin building) for the overflow. The overflow is the back half/third of the paved parking lot away from the checkin building with long pull through painted slots for trailers. There is a back gate on that side (for WDW buses and returning guests) if you go that far. But you can usually scrape a spot in the overflow to park (although there is usually someone with a 10 foot cargo trailer in a 40 foot pull through.

If you go through the numbered checkin lanes in my photo and are told to go to the overflow, its no problem. Pull out of the lanes, take the first RIGHT past the Outpost bus station, and that lane goes down to the back gate arm. Overflow parking is all the way down on the right. You'll see cargo trailers, flat beds for golf carts, and RV's with curtains drawn-that's the overflow.

It's not as hard as it sounds.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

You turn in on the bottom left where FW Trail meets Vista Blvd.

"The Campsites..." in green text is the checkin lanes with the lobby on the right side of it.

The vertical lines to the right of the lobby is the parking lot.

The part of the parking lot to the immediate left of "Golf View Dr" is the overflow (furthest away from the lobby).



I tried to post a marked up satellite photo but the screen grab was too big a file.

Best I could do.

Bama Ed

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. And of course, you come through with tons of info, Bama Ed! Directions, photos, and maps! Your suggestion is exactly my plan, to get there early and go inside. Don't know if I can make it by 6:30, but I will try.

Guess I'll skip 1809 and try for 1722 or another good site with space and woods behind. Thanks again!

 

[Northernlites]

We are going with our pop up camper the last week of August 2019. I called reservations the day after I booked the campsite and requested the desired lop and site. I was surprised when the CM said the site was available and she would record the applicable notes on the reservation. Is that because no one else requested that site? Or was that just a common reply from the CM? I still plan on sending a fax closer to our date of arrival.

 

[PaHunter]

We are going with our pop up camper the last week of August 2019. I called reservations the day after I booked the campsite and requested the desired lop and site. I was surprised when the CM said the site was available and she would record the applicable notes on the reservation. Is that because no one else requested that site? Or was that just a common reply from the CM? I still plan on sending a fax closer to our date of arrival.

Sites are assigned 3 days before your arrival, and are done by computer. Think giant game of Tetris. Then a CM goes thru and manually places and redirects those requests that the computer could not fit. They also look at requests at this time and see if they can honor them. Sometimes it works for everyone, sometimes it does not. Best of luck with your request, we have gotten one out of 3, and one year we came in after Hurricane Irma and the Fort was empty, still did not get our request.