cost of camping verses hotel

[LMC]

We have never been to FW and the theme parks while the parks have had extended hours. We usually go when the parks close relatively early (7) so we do eat dinner back at the camper. I usually have something ready in the crock pot or throw some steaks on the grill (dogs for the kids since that is quick and they are hungry by then).
IMO it eats up too much time going back and forth from the resort to the park during the day. We eat b'fast at the camper and either take in some sandwiches or buy counter service for lunch. THIS trip we are doing things a little differently.
We will take in sandwiches at MK and EPCOT and do a sit down dinner that evening. But, I think that the meal vouchers at AK and pizza planet at MGM are such good deals we will have that for lunches then dine on our DDE at restaurants those evenings!

 

[etblank]

It really sounds as though all of you love this campground!!!! I think when we are there in May I will hope over to it and check it out! I think we will be camping there next year. Once we get back from this trip I will have a better idea of how many days I truely need in the parks, but it sounds as though there is so much to do in the campground I may have to add a day just for that as well. Which is fine we love camping! We do take little weekend trips through the year, but I still think we would like a week in FW. Hotels are nice but it is more of an expense. Do many of you find that you actually do head back to the campsites for meals? I know breakfast would be there, and I was thinking maybe eat lunch in park and head back for dinner. Is that what most do? Also I see some of you take your dogs. How is the dog with you being gone all day? We have 2 dogs, and I would love to bring them! Thanks for all this great advice and help!!!!!

Went on our first trip of the year with the trailer this past weekend, and I think the dogs ran faster to the camper than DS. They love going with us. Although I could be wrong, I assume they sleep all day. They are home during the work week without us, so I think they do fine. Our plan is to come back to the camper mid afternoon to let them out, and either have a late lunch or snack at the camper. My kids will be 4 and 18 mths respectively, so it will be a good time for them to nap too. If you are heading over to check out FW, why not try to make a reservation for the Hoop Dee Doo revue during your next trip? It is a blast!

We try to camp either the week of or the week after Thanksgiving. We gain an extra vacation day from work, which lets us extend our trip a bit. If you go Thanksgiving and the week after, the Christmas decorations are up.

 

[DMRick]

is FW worth the extra cost it seems we would be paying to drive from PA verses flying?
************
Not for us anymore. We keep thinking of dragging the RV down for a month in January, and then think about the several trips we had this year. We've not paid but once, more than $49 each way plus tax, via Southwest. We have stayed either in Pop for $49 or $59 (codes and AP) or Por for $79 (all plus tax). We bring oatmeal, etc for breakfasts, because that is what we prefer, and eat it in the foodcourts. We generally have a big noon meal, and a small dinner, an dwe often share..we're cheap eaters (because we prefer it). Even when we had the RV, we often decided it wasn't worth going back and eating up the time to prepare meals. First of all, it was either work just before I left, to prepare and freeze, or it was work while we were there..along with clean up. And time..it takes a lot more time than you realize to leave the park and get to the campground. It's not a simple "catch a bus" like at the hotels. We generally had to include some walking to our site, and back out to the bus, as we seldom wanted to bring our tow vehicle to the parks (their spots are small, our truck is big). We prefer driving, and use a rental (which have been running less than $120 for each 8 day visit).

And the time..the ride there and back, is a drag. We are usually exhausted by the time we get there, and immediately start regreting the ride home. We hate to waste the two days each way, when we could already be relaxing. Did we do it when the kids were small? Yup, we did, an dhow much more I love hoteling it LOL. We camp a lot in the summer. We have two nice meets already in May one with IRV2.com (at Normandy Farms in MA, which we've heard great things about) and one with Trailerlife..and that's just the first month out. So we get to camp a lot. For Disney, I'd rather hotel it. Just my .02. If we didn't have to come all the way from NY, or had time for a very leisurely vacationing trip down, I would prob rethink it again.

 

[goofytime2000]

I totally love Fort Wilderness!!!! Even on trips when we don't stay there, I still find a way to get over to the camp ground. I love the atmosphere, and IMO Pioneer Hall is the best meal in Disney!! Plus I really enjoy watching the MK fireworks and the Electric Water Pagent from the beach.
Being a single college student, it depends on whether I'm traveling by myself, or if I'm going with somebody else. Since whoever I'd go with would either be a friend (spilt cost) or family (no cost) it is cheaper if I would drive. If I'm the only one going, driving vs. flying, it comes out to about even, if not flying being a smige cheaper. I know that when I fly I pay more at for a hotel room, but I'm not one who would want to camp at Disney by myself.

 

[yoopermom]

I really agonized over this, because for the last three summers DS and I have driven the mh from MI's UP to FW, and loved it each time. This summer, though, we're flying, and staying in a cabin at FW. I hate the idea of leaving the dog at home (he's a Disney Dog!), but due to time limitations, and ever increasing gas prices, we're flying. We'll be camping closer to home the rest of the summer, though!
Terri

 

[Mac and Us]

Lovin' Mickey

I have been to Disney several times staying offsite and onsite in hotels. We just got back from our first camping trip to Ft. Wilderness. This was my husband and DD3 first trip to Disney. My husband and I have camped for over 20 years.

We spend (13 nights) @ Ft. Wilderness. We have a motorhome. We live in NH and the rising gas prices had us worried about our trip. We left at noon on Fri 4/1. We arrived at the fort @ midnight on Saturday 4/2. For the return trip we left @4am on Fri 4/15 and arrived home at 7pm Saturday. We stopped at a Walmart in Hagerstown, MD for a few hours rest each way.

I kept a log of gas prices and MPG (our motorhome is new). We averaged 8MPG. Gas prices ranged from 205.9 to 2.199 per/gal. We traveled a total of 2960 miles roundtrip. We used a total of $848. (includes $23. for rental car) in gas. We still have a full tank since we filled up 9.5 miles from home.

We stayed at the fort for 13 nights $816.74 ($69.13 night-annual passholder discount) during peak season. Full hookup (no cable). I'm glad we didn't get cable as we didn't spend a lot of time in the motorhome.

We had 3 character breakfast PS and went to Mickey's backyard bbque. We also ate at Trails End Buffet 1 night. The rest of the meals we ate in the motorhome. We brought snacks to the parks (granola bars, fruit chews, raisins, juice and water).

We didn't buy a lot of things to bring home so we really didn't spend much more than $400. total on other things.

We bought annual passes to Seaworld and Disney because we plan to get 3 trips out of them.

This trip all total cost approx. $3000. (includes 1/3 of the park tickets).

One major plus, that you can't put a price on is that we had our own beds and our own space. Also, our DD was able to bring more things to keep her happy.

As others have said. It's your comfort level. You need to decide if you want to spend the time driving.

One other thing. We took a cruise in January. We flew to Orlando as we left from Port Canaveral. We had 1 stop on the way down which was delayed by a couple of hours. On the way back we were stranded in Ohio for 24 hours because of the storms. We much prefer to be in control of our destination.

Hope this helps.

 

[Tricializ]

If you consider diesel gas for our new motorhome it would be actually cheaper to fly. That in itself kills me. Add a campground and food for the one night down and back and it makes it even cheaper to fly. We like a golf cart. The cart plus the preferred site makes it somewhere around a moderate priced hotel. So far, we are behind BIG TIME pricewise. HOWEVER, the added room, peacefullness of FW outweighs the cost. Then add food to the mix and I feel at least like I am getting a better value. There is nothing more frustrating to me than ordering the kids their $10.00 chicken fingers and fries and then they don't eat them. (crap anyway. LOL) At least I can pick what foods to have in the MH. I will do some outside the park eating, but all the breakfasts and most of the lunches/early dinners will be at the campsite. Bring in pop and water and saving that $2.50 / pop also makes my heart feel good. No matter how you slice it, most things at DIsney are not budget. I'm sure there are ways to cut costs like the golf cart and site, but I really like those ammenities so choose to add them. I also love that my whole family fits at FW and the boys can go exploring and not have to so quiet all cooped up in a hotel room. Plus we can put the little ones to bed and still have space unlike a hotel room. ANyway, that's my 2 cents.
Tricia

 

[Carrie Ellis]

Tricializ...yep yours is pretty close to not being worth camping! I think you have to consider 1) the experience you want, 2) the number of nights you are staying, 3) the number of people in your group and 4) what time of the year you are going (value season vs peak season). There are 6 of us so flying would be around $1200. Plus there is the trip to the airport which is 1 hour from us and we would either have to pay parking or have someone drop us off. There would be the gas of getting to and from the airport if someone dropped us off. We are 800 miles from WDW and we get 10 mpg,so it is around $180 each way for gas. So far our site is $37/night this coming October and we are staying 13 nights. Anyway, to the OP, you have to consider all factors!

 

[auntie]

I've often thought that camping or RVing is more a lifestyle choice...I don't think anyone gets into the RVing because it's going to be cheaper. It's just they way you prefer to vacation. We have vacationed many times in Disney...however we have yet to vacation with our trailer in the campground..only because we haven't had the time needed to make the trip.
It's something I really look forward to..not to save money..just to be able to enjoy the campground FW experience. I've got an 18 year old daughter..who wants to stay at the Beach Club and thinks we're crazy! Then again..she hasn't been camping with us in quite a while. But hey..got a 24 year old who is coming along on the trips again..and the 13 year old still enjoys our company...they'd both love FW!

 

[lovin'Mickey]

Well we have decided that after this trip comming up we will go to FW next year! Thank you for all your help!!! we love camping so i think we will enjoy it in Disney too!!

 

[Bichon Barb]

I've often thought that camping or RVing is more a lifestyle choice...I don't think anyone gets into the RVing because it's going to be cheaper. It's just they way you prefer to vacation. We have vacationed many times in Disney...however we have yet to vacation with our trailer in the campground..only because we haven't had the time needed to make the trip.
It's something I really look forward to..not to save money..just to be able to enjoy the campground FW experience. I've got an 18 year old daughter..who wants to stay at the Beach Club and thinks we're crazy! Then again..she hasn't been camping with us in quite a while. But hey..got a 24 year old who is coming along on the trips again..and the 13 year old still enjoys our company...they'd both love FW!

ITA! I like the RV experience better than the hotel experience for a few reasons. I like having food and beverages right at my fingertips rather than having to get dressed and head out for three meals a day. I also like the fact that the kids can outside and play and we can sit outside and not be cooped up in a hotel room.

But, there is something to be said about flying versus towing 1300 miles.

 

[DMRick]

...I don't think anyone gets into the RVing because it's going to be cheaper.

My reply was just based on the original question..cost of camping versus hotel. I love to camp (although I'm not sure I can call it that anymore, when I travel with my well equipped home LOL!). I'd much rather be camping. However, coming from NYS and the great rates we get on South West, and the wonderful AP and code rates of the hotel, and 20% off using my DDE card, it's cheaper to come and stay via hotel. It also means the vacation is much longer, as I don't have the traveling days, and the stress of a long tiring trip.

 

[Laura_Lewis]

While it may be a bit more expensive to drive down - we are in IL - I like having all my 'stuff' with me. Our MH is already packed with essentials (sun screen, bug replent, band-aids, etc.) from our other trips we take throughout the season. With the airlines getting more restrictive on carry-on and stowed luggage, it would be impossible to bring everything that we have packed in our MH. I also bring my laptop, handy for keeping an extra copy of my schedule and dumping pictures taken with the digital camera. I would think that with kids, having all their stuff with you would be more convenient.

We don't have kids, but 2 bassett hounds. I hate leaving them behind when we are gone for 2 weeks +. They enjoy their camping adventures - all those great new smells . They are well seasoned travelers, they've done the Great Lakes tour, as well as up and down the east coast.

Also, as OP mentioned, you can bring your own food and save extra $$. We usually rent a house when we go to Disney and I can tell you that even at the Publix store, groceries are more expensive down there than they are at home.

Finally, (sorry didn't mean this to be so long) there is the 'sleeping in your own bed factor' I travel for work quite a bit and I don't even like to think about cleanliness. After seeing some of the news stories about what is actually left behind in your hotel room...

JMHO

Laura