Disney's FORT WILDERNESS CABINS & CAMPGROUNDS Thread

[msimoneaux]

We will be staying in a cabin for the first time on the dining plan. Do you recommend ADR for trail's end or can you easily be seated. This would be for days when we leave park and want to relax

 

[staceyrhood]

We will be staying in a cabin for the first time on the dining plan. Do you recommend ADR for trail's end or can you easily be seated. This would be for days when we leave park and want to relax

It really depends on when you are going. We went the first week of February and were seated right away. The last week of March the line was crazy and they were all booked up.

 

[MandiC]

I'm going to have to catch up on this thread in the next few months
We are a family of 6 and it is looking like the cabins are in our future. We stayed at POR for our trip in February and just loved it. I loved how beautiful the grounds were, how quiet it was and all the things they had to do (carriage rides, boat rides, nightly movies and campfires) and it seems as though Fort Wilderness is as close to POR as we will get with a family of 6 (our kids will be 11, 9, 5/6 and 4; we are thinking of going the week of our older son's 6th birthday which is December 13). I'm really hoping that we catch free dining and we might switch our dates based on when free dining runs next year. We're open to anytime between October and December except major/busy weeks).
We also plan on renting a car for our next trip, because of my husband's job we can get one pretty cheap. We were kicking ourselves for not just doing it last time, the buses are a nice bonus but I would have preferred driving ourselves around. Sounds like it is nice to have with the cabins anyways. For those who rented a car or had a vehicle at the cabins, was a golf cart still necessary? We will probably plan one resort day but otherwise don't plan on being at the resort much. I am sure we will do the musical or backyard BBQ as our meal one night, I really haven't looked into either at this point. What is everyone's thoughts on them? We did a princess filled trip this year for our girls and next year plan to focus more on our sons (I am sure we will do some princesses as well )

 

[DylHayd]

The golf cart was just charged to our cabin and will be part of our final bill .... I am not looking forward to that!

. We just got back from a 7 day trip with my parents and my 2 kids.... So 4 adults, a 7 yr old and a 9 year old and we were not cramped at all. Only time it was an annoyance was at night when we all wanted to shower and had to wait ... But we dealt with it.

Also, we did totally love FW and would stay again... But it was annoying being there without a golf cart. You basically had to catch a bus everywhere because there was no parking. So opt for a cart!

 

[Bethannk511]

OK so here's my question. Sorry if it's already been answered but I'm at work and looking through 40 pages is not feesable right now!

I'm checking in on July 2nd. But, for some reason, I booked at 6am flight out of Newark so I'll be landing around 830, taking the ME to FW and probably getting there around 930 or 10am. The rest of my party wont be arriving until around noon (they live in FL). Assuming I do not check in until they get there, can I still gain access to the resort so I can go nap by the pool until they get in?

 

[hstrickland]

Hi there!

We're back from a fabulous vacation at FW/WL!!! Lots of catching up to do on this thread!!

Thanks for the info. How can I request to be close to a bus stop? Can a scooter go on the smaller boats? Thx

Scooters cannot do the smaller boats...just the bigger yellow boats. Also, I asked while riding the buses about scooters. I was told that some buses carry two, and some can accommodate three.

Is there a good place at Ft. Wilderness to watch a football game besides our cabin? During our December trip the Seahawks play the 49ers in Seattle and we are going to try to watch it at ESPN club. However, I worry our girls might get bored so we'd like an alternative. Our oldest is 12, so she could watch her sisters in our cabin if we're at the resort.

I did ask the bartender at Crockett's Tavern about the game. He said you could certainly watch the game as long as someone else hasn't already "claimed" the TV for another event. You might want to ask when you arrive at FW.

We are currently booked in 2 rooms at CBR( Me, DH, 3 kids, DH mom and my mom, but are considering moving to the cabins at Ft. Wilderness. I have a couple of questions, before making the jump.

1) Will an average 5'7" adult be able to sleep comfortably in the bottom bunk bed?

I think you'll be fine...I'm 5'5 and had plenty of room.

2) Are there places to park you car near the boat dock, restreraunts, pools, etc or do you have to use the internal bus system or rent a cart?

You can park one car at the cabin. There are 3 or 4 spaces to park at the Meadow Trading Post, but it's only 15 minute parking. You have to walk, ride an internal bus or drive a golf cart to the boat dock, Pioneer Hall, and pools.

3) Is there enough room to park 2 cars at a cabin? If not is there someplace else to park the other car that will not cost us?

One car at cabin, and other cars in the main parking lot up front.

4) How is the pool compared to CBR, we have one/possibly 2 resort days planed and I am a little worried the kids wont be thrilled by the pools?

Of course this is just my opinion, but we totally loved the pool. My kids really enjoyed the waterslide...actually more than the slide at the WL. If you're comparing the "theme" aspect of the pools, then CBR will probably win out. They also enjoyed the games in the afternoon...lots of fun for them.

5)Overall do you think 4 adults and 3 kids(one in pack and play) will feel cramped in a cabin?

Of course this is subjective, but when my husband arrived on Friday night, it was a bit cramped with 4 adults. We're use to queen beds, and it's just doubles in the cabin. I slept on the bunk and my DD8 slept with the hubby. We really had to manage the bathroom situation carefully Some took showers at night and some in the morning. If we go back with my parents again, we'll probably get 2 cabins.

It looks so beautiful and peaceful! I don't think I will survive until next summer! I hope you are having a great time!
Cathy

VERY peaceful! That's one reason I love it so much!

So: there should be a leftover grocery thread
I'm gonna have quite a bit left from our Garden Grocer order. Leaving on Saturday and definitely not going to finish all this

Hope you had a great trip!!

I'm going to have to catch up on this thread in the next few months
We are a family of 6 and it is looking like the cabins are in our future. We stayed at POR for our trip in February and just loved it. I loved how beautiful the grounds were, how quiet it was and all the things they had to do (carriage rides, boat rides, nightly movies and campfires) and it seems as though Fort Wilderness is as close to POR as we will get with a family of 6 (our kids will be 11, 9, 5/6 and 4; we are thinking of going the week of our older son's 6th birthday which is December 13). I'm really hoping that we catch free dining and we might switch our dates based on when free dining runs next year. We're open to anytime between October and December except major/busy weeks).
We also plan on renting a car for our next trip, because of my husband's job we can get one pretty cheap. We were kicking ourselves for not just doing it last time, the buses are a nice bonus but I would have preferred driving ourselves around. Sounds like it is nice to have with the cabins anyways. For those who rented a car or had a vehicle at the cabins, was a golf cart still necessary? We will probably plan one resort day but otherwise don't plan on being at the resort much. I am sure we will do the musical or backyard BBQ as our meal one night, I really haven't looked into either at this point. What is everyone's thoughts on them? We did a princess filled trip this year for our girls and next year plan to focus more on our sons (I am sure we will do some princesses as well )

Again, this is very subjective, but for our family a golf cart is necessary for convenience. We had a car, but rarely used it. You can't drive the car to the dock, pools, MBYBBQ or the HDDR....only a cart. If you don't have a golf cart, you have to take an internal bus to get to these places. I did walk from our cabin to the Meadow Pool one day just to see how long it would take....8 minutes. And that was without towels, backpack or kids. It would have been a long haul to walk from our cabin to Pioneer Hall. The resort is huge! Again, many people don't use a cart and they say it's totally fine and works for them. We've been to the Fort several times and always add a cart into the budget.

OK so here's my question. Sorry if it's already been answered but I'm at work and looking through 40 pages is not feesable right now!

I'm checking in on July 2nd. But, for some reason, I booked at 6am flight out of Newark so I'll be landing around 830, taking the ME to FW and probably getting there around 930 or 10am. The rest of my party wont be arriving until around noon (they live in FL). Assuming I do not check in until they get there, can I still gain access to the resort so I can go nap by the pool until they get in?

If you're name is on the reservation, you can go ahead and check in. It's possible that the cabin will be ready. If not, they will store your luggage for you until the cabin is cleaned. Once you're checked in, you have access to all the Fort's activities.

 

[hstrickland]

Just some FYI for all of our Fort Followers....


Since the WL pool will be closing after Labor Day, the Fort Wilderness Pool will be one of the options for those guests staying at the Lodge to use while on vacation. The link below - provided by WDWKOOK - gives more info about the closure.


Link for Pool Rehab at WL


I really don't see this impacting the crowds at the Meadow pool to any significant measure especially since the CR pool is the other option.

 

[digiMom]

Hi. I have a quick question. (Sorry if this had been answered on earlier pages. I tried to look through and didn't see anything with a quick look).

My family's staying at VWL for the first time in August. I've always wanted to visit the fort, but have never made it over. We want to see the ranch and maybe fish some of the canals (I realize these are in two separate areas). Maybe grab a bite to eat. If we're feeling particularly adventurous we might even rent a canoe. My question is do you think there's a better time to visit, morning or evening? I'm assuming the horses are out for part of the day. TIA.

 

[ElenaJane]

Howdy! We will be at WL on July 4th and were hoping to get a good view (but away from the insane crowds) of Wishes that night. Anyone ever experience the view of Wishes on July 4th from the FW beach? Is it really packed? Do we need to get there really early?

TIA!

 

[kaybird]

Oh no. My sister and brother in law just decided to join us and I just switched us to the cabins. 4 adults and 3 kids. Anyone have a positive experience with this crowd of people.

Easy peasy! There is a double bed and bunk beds in the master. In the living room is a double pull down Murphy bed, as well as a couch. We had no problems finding a place. Would be room for an air mattress if you preferred in the kitchen. Yes, there is only one bathroom, but you can shower at the comfort stations if you need (we never did), and our practice was to utilize the kitchen sink for quick wash ups, and teeth brushing. We love being in the cabins for our crowd much more than 2 rooms anywhere else!

 

[hstrickland]

Hi. I have a quick question. (Sorry if this had been answered on earlier pages. I tried to look through and didn't see anything with a quick look).

My family's staying at VWL for the first time in August. I've always wanted to visit the fort, but have never made it over. We want to see the ranch and maybe fish some of the canals (I realize these are in two separate areas). Maybe grab a bite to eat. If we're feeling particularly adventurous we might even rent a canoe. My question is do you think there's a better time to visit, morning or evening? I'm assuming the horses are out for part of the day. TIA.

Well....let me give you this info first. The Bike Barn is located behind the Meadow Trading Post and rents bicycles, canoes, kayaks, and equipment for fishing and tennis. When I inquired about renting a bike, the lady told me they opened at 9am. I wanted to have one super early (around 7:30ish) and ride in the morning because of the heat, but couldn't get one any earlier. You might want to give them a call and find out. The phone number is (407) 824-2742. She also told me they closed at 5pm.

We visited the horses in the morning and afternoon....really cool to see how huge they actually are! You can walk through part of Tri-Circle D. It's in eyesight of Pioneer Hall. The other stables are up front by check-in.

Maybe you could have breakfast over at Trail's End, then rent a canoe around 9ish, fish, see the horses??? In the afternoon around 4ish, crowds start to gather for the HDDR, then again at 6. You'll have less people earlier in the day.

Also, remember you'll have to take the internal bus once you get to FW to get to the Meadow Trading Post (Bike Barn is behind it)....very easy Nothing to it. If you have any more questions, fire away We'll be happy to answer.

Howdy! We will be at WL on July 4th and were hoping to get a good view (but away from the insane crowds) of Wishes that night. Anyone ever experience the view of Wishes on July 4th from the FW beach? Is it really packed? Do we need to get there really early?

TIA!

We've never experienced Wishes from the Fort beach, but many do watch from there. The music is piped in so you can hear. Discovery Island blocks the view of the lower fireworks, but you can see the bigger ones. Your crowds will definitely be less than that of the Poly or CR, but your view might not be quite as good. We spoke to a couple on our recent trip that's been camping at the Fort since 1985. She said they LOVE Wishes from the beach simply because they don't like big crowds. Guess it just depends on what you want...crowds or a perfect view Sorry I can't give you first hand info...

Easy peasy! There is a double bed and bunk beds in the master. In the living room is a double pull down Murphy bed, as well as a couch. We had no problems finding a place. Would be room for an air mattress if you preferred in the kitchen. Yes, there is only one bathroom, but you can shower at the comfort stations if you need (we never did), and our practice was to utilize the kitchen sink for quick wash ups, and teeth brushing. We love being in the cabins for our crowd much more than 2 rooms anywhere else!

Lots of fun, isn't it?!!

 

[digiMom]

Well....let me give you this info first. The Bike Barn is located behind the Meadow Trading Post and rents bicycles, canoes, kayaks, and equipment for fishing and tennis. When I inquired about renting a bike, the lady told me they opened at 9am. I wanted to have one super early (around 7:30ish) and ride in the morning because of the heat, but couldn't get one any earlier. You might want to give them a call and find out. The phone number is (407) 824-2742. She also told me they closed at 5pm. We visited the horses in the morning and afternoon....really cool to see how huge they actually are! You can walk through part of Tri-Circle D. It's in eyesight of Pioneer Hall. The other stables are up front by check-in. Maybe you could have breakfast over at Trail's End, then rent a canoe around 9ish, fish, see the horses??? In the afternoon around 4ish, crowds start to gather for the HDDR, then again at 6. You'll have less people earlier in the day. Also, remember you'll have to take the internal bus once you get to FW to get to the Meadow Trading Post (Bike Barn is behind it)....very easy Nothing to it. If you have any more questions, fire away We'll be happy to answer.

Thanks for the info! For Trails End, do you have to get the buffet, or can you also get items separately? My DS isn't a breakfast person. At all. Would seriously have a cinnamon roll and milk. He doesn't like eggs, sausage, bacon, oatmeal, waffles.. Definitely wouldn't get his money's worth.. Maybe lunch would work out better. How's lunch there?

 

[ElenaJane]

We've never experienced Wishes from the Fort beach, but many do watch from there. The music is piped in so you can hear. Discovery Island blocks the view of the lower fireworks, but you can see the bigger ones. Your crowds will definitely be less than that of the Poly or CR, but your view might not be quite as good. We spoke to a couple on our recent trip that's been camping at the Fort since 1985. She said they LOVE Wishes from the beach simply because they don't like big crowds. Guess it just depends on what you want...crowds or a perfect view Sorry I can't give you first hand info...

Thanks! That is actually perfect info! I would take less crowds over better view anyway. No waiting for buses or boats to get back to WL, just can walk!

 

[Haygar2]

I was wondering, when you reserve a golf cart from Disney, do you pay for it at the time you reserve it, or do you just pay a deposit and pay the balance when you get there and pick it up?

I reserved my golf cart last week. They told me that they would charge my credit card 2 days before check in. So if I wanted to cancel the cart, I needed to do it before then.

 

[Haygar2]

According to my ticker, we have 2 months, one week, and 6 days until we check in. I am beside myself with excitement. If only we could figure out how to stay an extra week (or two, or three, well you get the picture). Get to make our FP+ 2 weeks from today. Hoping they are working at midnight. I don't want to have to stay up until 1:00 a.m. I am an "in bed by 10:00" kind of girl.

 

[nardoneje]

Have some disappointing news guys.. DH just got off the phone with Beachline and Disney has put the kabosh on all outside rentals unless you can haul them in yourself. Apparently Disney went so far as to confinscate a golf cart from some company who was foolish enough to rent a campsite and do business from it.
So basically, unless you have your own vehicle and can pull a trailer you are SOL.

 

[Luv_Tink]

Have some disappointing news guys.. DH just got off the phone with Beachline and Disney has put the kabosh on all outside rentals unless you can haul them in yourself. Apparently Disney went so far as to confinscate a golf cart from some company who was foolish enough to rent a campsite and do business from it.
So basically, unless you have your own vehicle and can pull a trailer you are SOL.

I'll have to have DH call Beachline about our December rental then. We won't have a vehicle so I wonder if they will let DH drive their truck and trailer in to FW to take delivery.

 

[nardoneje]

I'll have to have DH call Beachline about our December rental then. We won't have a vehicle so I wonder if they will let DH drive their truck and trailer in to FW to take delivery.

The gentleman DH spoke to wanted him to meet him somewhere outside of DTD (Goody's or something like that). So, I don't even know how you would get there?

 

[KatiesDisneyPlanning]

Hi all! (This is my first ever post!) I apologize if this is somewhere else, I couldn't find it in my search. Anyway, we will be returning to Ft. Wilderness in December for my birthday and my son's (we share a birthday!) and last year we randomly got to see the golf cart parade and it was such a highlight of our trip that I am planning around it this year! Do you know about what time this parade usually kicks off? If we do dinner at 630pm on Saturday at Trail's End, do you think we will see it (as long as the weather holds.) Thanks so much!

 

[Luv_Tink]

The gentleman DH spoke to wanted him to meet him somewhere outside of DTD (Goody's or something like that). So, I don't even know how you would get there?

DH just talked with Bill, the owner at Beachline, and he is obviously stressed about trying to figure out how to help those who have reservations with him. He said that Disney has gone so far as to not allow a vehicle in to FW if it's not tied to your campsite or cabin which means that at this point you can't even drive Beachline's truck in to take delivery of a cart.

Bill really wants to get this figured out so he can continue to server campers at Beachline and we will keep our December reservation with him for now. But I think I will look into reserving a FW cart just in case.