Consider camping next August - will we die of heat stroke?

[mikron]

Have lived in Ocala for over 20 years and IMO YES.

 

[loislane]

By the way, pretty well told our age, but we are young at heart.

Age is just a number.

 

[rjpete]

I agree with the go for it! We will be camping at the fort in 3 weeks from today! Yay! It's a spontaneous trip we just booked this week. We will be in a tent with no a/c. While we've never camped there in August, we have in July. Again with no a/c and with a baby at the time. It was fine. We had a great time. We enjoyed the parks (which are full of a/c) and pool during the day and had fans at night. We love the fort anytime.

While when we visit most times of the year, we do nearly all of our meals at the tent, in the summer heat, we eat our lunch as our big meal of the day in a restaurant (usually offsite because it's cheaper & more variety) in a/c and have an easy to prepare meal in the evening after it cools off a little bit.

When we get back, I'll let you know how it goes. I'm confident we'll all survive the heat.

Sounds like a plan!

 

[Lyndria]

1. I would NOT camp w/o AC! Ouch!

2. We love the Fort and prefer it over a hotel.
a. The surroundings are gorgeous. We saw a deer family last time. The kids loved it.
b. I would suggest a golf cart (off-site rentals are better priced) because that place is big!
c. There is a large sandy beach to play on.
d. The pool is top-notch!
e. There are activities scheduled all day long! Crafts, games, etc. Plus, you can rent bikes, canoes, etc.
f. I've never seen a nicer comfort station.
g. Boat service to the MK.

I am sure there is more, but this is what I can think of at the moment!

 

[StitchyPoo81]

We currently have a 1989 Coleman Newport and its small. My husband rigged our pop-up with a stand up air conditioner. We took it to Assateque Maryland since we reserved a electric spot and we used it at night. Seeing that we hardly had any room as it is with a family of 4 in a little pop-up the AC took up some room and it cooled down the pop up but not enough for August florida temps.
We tried this becuase we also wanted to go camping at Fort Wilderness around the end of August next year well its nto happening in our pop-up in fact we are trading our pop up in for a Jayco Hybrid model.
But if you put in a AC unit in ur pop-up im sure if you add some fans it could circulate the cold air a little better and maybe it will get cold.

 

[gillenkl]

We currently have a 1989 Coleman Newport and its small. My husband rigged our pop-up with a stand up air conditioner. We took it to Assateque Maryland since we reserved a electric spot and we used it at night. Seeing that we hardly had any room as it is with a family of 4 in a little pop-up the AC took up some room and it cooled down the pop up but not enough for August florida temps.
We tried this becuase we also wanted to go camping at Fort Wilderness around the end of August next year well its nto happening in our pop-up in fact we are trading our pop up in for a Jayco Hybrid model.
But if you put in a AC unit in ur pop-up im sure if you add some fans it could circulate the cold air a little better and maybe it will get cold.

Can you please tell me your secret for getting an elect site at Assateague? We can never seem to get one. If I want to go next summer when do I make the reservation?

 

[StitchyPoo81]

You need to book exactly 1 year advance and do it first thing in the morning I think like 8am. Every year we get one, pain in the butt but worth it

 

[gillenkl]

You need to book exactly 1 year advance and do it first thing in the morning I think like 8am. Every year we get one, pain in the butt but worth it

thanks - I didn't know that. I was able to go on today and get 5 nights next June - it was the only available week I even saw with electric. Better than nothing! Thanks for the heads up on the "how to"!

 

[ctpooh]

We tent camp every year in August and we do not have an AC!!! What we did is we bought a fan and ran the fan. WE would make sure we were out of the tent by 7:30 am so we would not bake in the tent but by the night with the fan going we were comfortable. Make sure if you get a fan to leave it running during the day to keep the air flowing. Yes it is do able and so much cheaper!! And it is Disney and very magical. One thing to remember too if it is really hot go into the comfort stations to get dressed and put sunscreen on.

 

[Running_Bell]

We've camped in FL in August in tents... it's really not that bad. BUT.. it is whatever you are used to. We camp in tents all the time from NC to FL in the summer.... and even backpack camped with no electricity at all. We've learned how to stay cool and what works for us. It is not for everyone.... but camping at FW with no AC in August is better than not going at all.

 

[loislane]

Well, we took the new-to-us popup to Hershey Highmeadow Campground earlier this week and the a/c kept the camper nice and cool. So cool actually that I woke up freezing yesterday and had to go outside to get warm!

 

[North of Mouse]

We've camped in FL in August in tents... it's really not that bad. BUT.. it is whatever you are used to. We camp in tents all the time from NC to FL in the summer.... and even backpack camped with no electricity at all. We've learned how to stay cool and what works for us. It is not for everyone.... but camping at FW with no AC in August is better than not going at all.

I'm glad that you can enjoy it, but I'm one of those that would rather stay home! I grew up in S. LA and know what heat is also (now live in Triangle), but I could never endure the heat even here without AC at night.

I would venture to say you would definitely be in the minority.

 

[North of Mouse]

Well, we took the new-to-us popup to Hershey Highmeadow Campground earlier this week and the a/c kept the camper nice and cool. So cool actually that I woke up freezing yesterday and had to go outside to get warm!

Glad you had a nice trip and everything worked great. Maiden voyages sometimes come with surprises So now you can look forward to the Ft.

 

[loislane]

Glad you had a nice trip and everything worked great. Maiden voyages sometimes come with surprises So now you can look forward to the Ft.

Our surprises came on the way home. First the 4WD on the car locked up/got stuck. Then after we got home and went to open the camper back up (lots of condensation on it when we had to close up) the battery for the camper was completely dead. The same battery that's *supposed* to charge while it's connected to the car. So we had to hook it up to the charger to get the camper open to dry out.

 

[North of Mouse]

Our surprises came on the way home. First the 4WD on the car locked up/got stuck. Then after we got home and went to open the camper back up (lots of condensation on it when we had to close up) the battery for the camper was completely dead. The same battery that's *supposed* to charge while it's connected to the car. So we had to hook it up to the charger to get the camper open to dry out.

Oh no, sorry you had so much trouble. We've had our share of mishaps over the years so understand completely how frustrated and upset it can make you
Owning an RV of any kind is not entirely "stress free", but it has many rewards that make us keep at it anyway
Just this week my DH had to drive 80mi. one way for a new AC compressor - it was leaking oil slowly and had to be replaced. Thankfully it was warranty, but even at that, at 10 mpg. gas it still cost us (closest Ford dealer for MH warranty).
Anyway, glad you had a enjoyable trip and it "waited" until return trip. Hope your vehicle is ok.

 

[Running_Bell]

I'm glad that you can enjoy it, but I'm one of those that would rather stay home! I grew up in S. LA and know what heat is also (now live in Triangle), but I could never endure the heat even here without AC at night.

I would venture to say you would definitely be in the minority.

I'm sure I am.... My husband would agree with you... he likes camping in winter... now that's where I draw the line. We tent camped last November at the Peaks of Otter in Va... with freezing rain, strong winds and night time temps down to 30... it wasn't fun.

 

[North of Mouse]

I'm sure I am.... My husband would agree with you... he likes camping in winter... now that's where I draw the line. We tent camped last November at the Peaks of Otter in Va... with freezing rain, strong winds and night time temps down to 30... it wasn't fun.

Nope, don't like camping in winter either - just summer, but with AC We haven't camped at Peaks of Otter yet, just stayed in the Lodge once right after a big snowstorm

 

[ctpooh]

We have tent camped at the Fort in August (gasp!!!) with no ac and just a box fan and we were totally fine. In fact we have done it 4 times!

 

[canopynut66]

my sister and DBL went for two weeks and my daughter and her husband and two kids camped for the same two weeks over to FtWC and it was almost to the penny the same price and we in the resort POP had free dining and they did not plus they had to buy groceries. and to your question on being hot in August--yes it will be and very humid

 

[North of Mouse]

We have tent camped at the Fort in August (gasp!!!) with no ac and just a box fan and we were totally fine. In fact we have done it 4 times!

I would have to stay home first! I can deal with heat during the day, but not while I'm trying to sleep