Current work at the Fort

[amcc]

Does the new pool look like kind of small? It's about the same or smaller than the existing and for all the disruption, it looks...basic? I was hopeful that they were making a showpiece pool that would replace the existing.

 

[rideswithchrist]

That newer pool looks more like a kiddie pool with that gradual depth entrance. It is perfect for sitting with toddlers actually!
I thought it was an additional pool rather than a replacement, right?

 

[Teamubr]

That newer pool looks more like a kiddie pool with that gradual depth entrance

I thought it looked pretty small too compared to the existing pool right next door. I guess we'll see what it really turns into.

j

 

[rideswithchrist]

I thought it looked pretty small too compared to the existing pool right next door. I guess we'll see what it really turns into.

j

My in-laws will be there at the end of May, I wonder what it will look like by then.

We hope to get back in 2027, hope all the construction is done

 

[bama_ed]

Well it is supposed to be a zero-entry pool so it's very shallow/gradual near the buildings but the opposite end looks deep enough to be 5-6 feet. It's an addition and not any kind of replacement. We will be there first week of May.

 

[rideswithchrist]

That's the word I was looking for Ed- Zero-Entry!

 

[team bradfield]

Hot and sunny today, 85
From 1300 loop

 

[Colson39]

I highly doubt they are going to allow golf cart reservations for people outside the Fort. So people are going to up a cart and then drive it all the way back to the hotel? Yea, that ain't happening.

Only way would be if they got their own golf cart rental location and then who cares (other than increased golf cart traffic but that will piss a whole other group off).

But even that I highly doubt, how many people that would rent a hotel would rent a golf cart tk drive around and look at other people camping. There are the Fort destinations but the Hotel is going to have their own.

I do believe we are going to see a shared bus stop based on all the drawings

Btw when do you get those drawings and plans? It looks like its from some website starting with an R****?? And then its censored.

My son just got accepted to college majoring in architecture. He has spent years drawing up new plans for Disney parks, it is his passion and I would love to share some of the plans, he would love those.

And yes some of you older posters might remember my son being born as I shared the pictures here 17 years ago. And now hes off to college, time really does fly. His dream of becoming an Imagineer is taking fruition, guess all those Disney trips will have a small return on investment lol.

P.S. One of his favorite thing to do is to walk around the Fort and take bus rides to other places so he will especially enjoy the plans and discussion regarding the bus stop.

 

[bama_ed]

And yes some of you older posters might remember my son being born as I shared the pictures here 17 years ago. And now hes off to college, time really does fly. His dream of becoming an Imagineer is taking fruition, guess all those Disney trips will have a small return on investment lol.

Chris, I for one am old enough on this board to remember the birth of your son. Wow time flies indeed! Good luck to DS on his education and future plans.

And you're right, Disney has already shut off cart rentals to anyone who is not staying at Fort Wilderness. No day trippers from other resorts to see Halloween decorations, for example. It was getting tough for us campers and cabin guests to be able to reserve a cart in advance so we supported that policy change.

My one regret is that with the zero-entry pool being built in the former big field (the "Meadow" as it was), the namesake for the "Meadow" Trading Post and the "Meadow" Pool or "Meadow" Recreation Area on the map handouts during checkin - will disappear. And 17 years from now or sooner, the kid might ask their dad why those things around the center of FW are called "Meadow"-something...

Bama Ed

 

[wiggy500]

Here now. I asked a cast member about the purple bus and was told it will not return. It isn't needed because the primitive sites are going away with the new resort next door.

 

[zackiedawg]

Here now. I asked a cast member about the purple bus and was told it will not return. It isn't needed because the primitive sites are going away with the new resort next door.

Primitive sites are going away? Did they actually say that? Meaning no more tent camping at Fort Wilderness? Why would a new hotel have any effect on tent campers? While I haven't camped in a tent in Ft Wilderness (or any campground) since the 80s, it's still an iconic and cheap way to stay on Disney property, that I have a hard time believing they'd phase it out.

 

[proudmomof4]

Primitive sites are going away? Did they actually say that? Meaning no more tent camping at Fort Wilderness? Why would a new hotel have any effect on tent campers? While I haven't camped in a tent in Ft Wilderness (or any campground) since the 80s, it's still an iconic and cheap way to stay on Disney property, that I have a hard time believing they'd phase it out.

I don't think they mean the tent sites that are in 1500 and 2000 loops, but rather the area called Creekside Meadow which would allow group tent camping. This area did not have electric hookups or sewer so it was called primitive, but they did have a comfort station.

Now I'm wondering, what will happen to that CS? Will they convert it for 2000 loop use? Tear it down? Or leave it to rot?

 

[bama_ed]

Creekside Meadow was used as a staging area/contractor parking during the recent cabin removal and replacement so they didn't want guest/camper cars/traffic in there. I am nostalgic about Creekside Meadow because if you look at my signature, that was the first place I camped in at Fort Wilderness when I was a teenager with my Boy Scout Troop. It was magical at the time.

I think there is still a need for a primitive group camping area (there has been one since the earliest days of Fort Wilderness). There are all kind of youth groups and other gatherings that would use the group space knowing there was no power.

When I last camped at the Fort in Nov 2024, I was in loop 2100 and I walked along the loop 2000 road next door and down through the woods behind the far end sites to the Creekside Meadow Comfort Station and the group sites (each site has room for several tents, a campfire ring/area, etc and each was designated by a different colored flag).

If you run the Orange bus line through the cabin area, it wouldn't be hard to swing over to CM - which had its own bus stop - or have CM folks walk to the 2000 loop bus stop (which still gets service on the Orange line now I believe).

CM also had the bridge on the backside over the drainage ditch into loop 900 which was a short walk to the 900 bus stop, Meadow Trading Post and the Pool/Campfire/Movie/Bike Barn area. Groups that used to book CM (and were happy to stay there) now are spread across multiple adjacent (sometimes) campsites in 2000 or 1500 as a first choice by Disney. They fill up the campsites that I would want to book with our popup.

Bottom line is, though, even if CM is never restored (hope it will be), the Purple line got yanked to save money because it was primarily for the cabin/dvc guests as a perk or plus for spending the extra money on the better lodging. Dropping the Purple line means savings of 1/3 on the internal bus cost and they force the cabin guests to ride down through the camping bus stops on Fort Wilderness Trail (1100/1200/1300, 900/Meadow, 600/800). So the cabin guest are paying more and getting less than they did in the past and the current guests don't even know it.

Bama Ed

PS - cutting the Purple line lowers the Fort DVC cabins operating costs which means lower dues/annual maintenance fees which are already pretty high without the added bus expense. Thus I believe it's all about lowering costs which saves cabin folks some dough but is also less convenient for them.