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.

 

[Teamubr]

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.

You were a teenager? How old aren't you!?! I was just about married in March 81. Was definitely putting the final plans on that August 81 wedding.

j

 

[bama_ed]

You were a teenager? How old aren't you!?! I was just about married in March 81. Was definitely putting the final plans on that August 81 wedding.

Dontcha dig the ol' guy?

Dude, I didn't graduate high skrewl till 1982 (and no, I was never held back). So doing the math I was 17 when I went to Fort Wilderness on spring break 1981 with the Scouts. Epcot was under construction so there was only the Magic Kingdom to go to. I recall it was not a long trip - we had two full days in Orlando. Half of us went to MK with adult supervision (check-in places and times IN PERSON) on day 1 while the other half stayed and goofed around at the Fort. On day 2, we switched up with the other half and repeated. I remember the FWRR tracks were still in place RIGHT IN FRONT of the Meadow TP entrance (arm's length from the fence where the sidewalk now runs). We walked the tracks everywhere we could. We cooked and ate our breakfasts and dinners at CM (hey, we're Scouts). People in the parks had to show up at the check-in meet-up just before mid-day to get their $lunch$ money (enough for counter service). People on their Fort day ate lunch at CM also.

Creekside Meadow had the first Spanish Moss trees I'd ever been close to (driving down into Florida I had seen the moss trees of course). And I had been to WDW in the prior years with my family staying in a hotel on 192. But Creekside Meadow and Fort Wilderness seemed magical to me. So I even brought some moss home from that trip.

That's why I hope CM makes a come-back.

ED

 

[proudmomof4]

New photos in post #39.

https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads...ong-with-new-pool.986035/page-2#post-11363461

 

[rideswithchrist]

It's a second snack bar that serves Dole Whip!

My in laws were at the Fort in 81 as well, much smaller then. I can't wait to see what they think of it now!

 

[ilovedisneymm]

I can’t wait to walk around the Fort and grumble like an old man complaining about all the changes and how it was back in the day. It will be hard to complain when I’m on vacation, sipping margaritas on my golf cart in sunny 70 degree plus weather..but I’m sure I’ll find away.

I see where things are going with the new complexes that are towering and ever so encroaching upon the settlement area. How long before the settlement is settlement no more? Not long.

But I’m perplexed about this new pool area. I haven’t been following along closely enough to figure out why. Why would they be adding to the meadows, but at the same time slowly chip away at other areas of the campground.

When I take the family to the meadows pool, I’m just going to do what I’ve been doing the last six years…use my left hand as shield against the left side of my face and pretend like that ain’t happening.

 

[bama_ed]

But I’m perplexed about this new pool area. I haven’t been following along closely enough to figure out why. Why would they be adding to the meadows, but at the same time slowly chip away at other areas of the campground.

I think the Zero Entry pool is to enhance the value of the DVC cabins and to make the Fort (as a whole) more appealing to people considering DVC. The annual maintenance fees for the cabins are very high (relative to the other DVC properties at WDW) and the sales of points for the cabins were very, very low in 2025. Thus something more has to be offered to justify the expense. That's my theory, anyway. But the new pool benefits us campers too.

Point sales have been low for the cabins, yes, but they are actually hard to book most of the times. Not all the loops have been released to DVC for points use - other loops are being held for cash bookings (like regular hotel rooms). The cash rates are only a few dollars higher than the old cabin rates (~$50). And for the DVC loops, owners at FWC (Fort Wilderness Cabins DVC) can book at 11 months but DVC owners elsewhere have to wait till 7 months and THAT's when the DVC loops fill up. Current DVC people/families want to try out staying at the Fort on their points and surprisingly, the reviews over at the DIS DVC forums and here have been pretty positive.

I still grumble, though, because the DVC folks in the cabins, nearly every one, recommends a golf cart rental (they love zipping around the resort). So I guess that makes me a grumpy old guy.

Bama Ed

PS - the first couple loops put into FWC were 2200, 2300, and 2500 the last time I looked but that's been a while ago so there may be others now. They move loops into DVC inventory as they sell points and eventually they will hold back a couple cabins for cash nights if/when most of the points are bought.

PPS - over at Settlement, the DVC under construction has been in the works/planning in some form or another for nearly 15 years or more. The old River Country property was ALWAYS going to have something built on it. Existing infrastructure, Bay Lake location, possibilities of cost sharing with Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness, and it can be labeled as a Magic Kingdom resort.

 

[Teamubr]

I think the Zero Entry pool is to enhance the value of the DVC cabins and to make the Fort (as a whole) more appealing to people considering DVC. But the new pool benefits us campers too.

I agree the new pool was added due to DVC. Lack of "DVC" level amenities has been one of the complaints I've read about impacting cabin sales (along with the very high maintenance fees). I fear the new pool will be made "DVC Only", but I don't think they would have built it so close to the current pool if it was going to be exclusive. We'll see.

I still grumble, though, because the DVC folks in the cabins, nearly every one, recommends a golf cart rental (they love zipping around the resort). So I guess that makes me a grumpy old guy.

I have read the same. I know they have added many more carts to the fleet. I wonder how long it will be before DVC gets a big discount on daily rates or even has one included in the cabin booking to justify the maintenance fees. As long as DVC users are paying the full rental though, there is no motivation for Disney to do anything unless they think it will help point sales.

j