Do you ever feel looked down upon when staying at FW?

[pooh4me]

Travelitis don't tell anyone but you don't have to love camping to stay at Fort Wilderness.They have these wonderful cabins that are a home away from home with all the conviences including a ice maker in the fridge.They even come in and do your dishes for you daily.Wait this is better then home where I have to do it myself. If word gets out on how great the cabins are we won't be able to get all those annual pass discounts.

 

[auntie]

You are right..those cabins go for more than the Deluxe resorts..over $300.00 per night..depending on time of year. That is just as much as any deluxe resort..and probably more than the people with the rude comment who were staying at the WL. Ignorant.

 

[YellowXterra]

They can say what they want! I like to sleep in my own bed. I know how clean it is!

 

[sigillaria]

I love Ft Wilderness-it is so relaxing and laid back-stayed in Fleetwood trailers many years ago (twice). Was OK but nothing like the cabins.
Joined DVC in 1991, so I have stayed at 3 of the Vacation Club resorts on property.
Recently I have stayed in the cabins (twice) using DVC points.
It costs extra points to do this and if you cancel-the points do not go back to your DVC account.
Was worth it.

 

[SamRoc]

We are DVC members and love the Villas Wilderness Lodge, but my all time favorite place to stay is Ft. Wilderness in a motorhome. The best part is we can bring our 5 lb yorkie Bundles (who we miss when we are on vacation!) Also, Ft Wilderness seems so much cooler than any of the other resorts, with all the trees and shade. We love driving the golf carts around, going to the campfire movie at night and Pioneer hall. To our family, Fort Wilderness is our favorite place at Disney.

 

[ZPT1022]

"I'm sure most of you have noticed that there is not a marked difference in the rooms between the resorts; sometimes the view may be better, but you will pay a lot more to see very little of it. The fixtures may be a little nicer, and maybe the room is ever so slightly bigger, but the big difference comes in the resort common areas and amenities."


SO TRUE!! The only hotel I would pay extra for location would be the AKL- to me that is the only one with a real value added. Seeing the animals from your room instead of seeing the parking lot- that I can argue the money spent for but say the difference between standard and preferred at the All Stars- NOPE! Can't fathom why that is worth $10/night

 

[ZPT1022]

That's terrible. And people with nicer cars probably have no money left for a nice tip.

Okay this one cracked me up!! I know we all have our things to splurge on but people get so nutty about cars. DH had been driving my car (honda cr-v) to work while his was having some issues. He started driving the minivan (Honda Odyssey but older than the cr-v) to work again. Bear in mind he works 10 minutes away. Some of the guys were razzing him, make your wife drive the van, ooh Ryan drives the minivan, so on and so forth. DH just shrugged it off and was like, what a bunch of barbarians- of course I want my kids in the newer, safer car. Sheesh.

I've also had people think that there is something odd about wanting a Honda. "What if you won the lottery? Would you still drive Hondas? You wouldn't get a BMW or a Mercedes or something better?" To which I answered NO. What works for us works for us and it's not going to work any worse just because our financial picture changes a bit. How silly is that. We personally like Hondas anyhow but 2 1/2 years ago I was in an accident in my Honda Accord and that car literally saved my life. To DH and myself there's a lot worse reasons to have brand loyalty than that.

 

[ZPT1022]

Okay so I'm an on and off poster on the Disboards but tonight I decided to take a peek over here. I was looking through the list and said to myself WOW a whole board just for FW!!!! Then I saw this thread and just felt What is wrong with people? Since when is it anyone's business except each individual family's? I personally wish we could afford to camp at FW the way we would like which would mean owning our own RV/camper and a truck for DH to tow it with. Not only could we camp at FW that way but we could do so much more camping at home. It would be a dream to have DH help me and the kids set up somewhere and the kids and I just camp all summer. What could be better? I wouldn't be too keen on camping at FW in our present situation just because I don't want to find myself in a sopping wet tent with nowhere to go- that doesn't sound like a fun vacation It's one thing to tent camp when you are within a few hours of home and if the weather is bad enough you just go home and no big deal but WDW is a 24 hour drive so that's not good. If we had an RV or camper of some sort you'd have to pry me out of FW with a crowbar. As for rude people at WDW- we have one incident which sticks out in my mind. It was DH's birthday and we were eating at the Cape May Cafe Clambake and the people sitting near us had a son about DD's age and so we were chatting and they asked us where we were staying. When we told them we were staying offsite they seemed horrified and told us that really, we must try onsite sometime, that we owed it to ourselves and to DD. Even if it was 'just' the value resorts We tried to explain to them that this was actually our first time ever staying offsite and it really was no big deal since it was a quick stop off on the way to go visit my grandparents further south. We just decided at the last minute that we couldn't bear the thought of driving right past WDW and not going so we snuck in a day at Epcot and a day at MK. We were surprised that being offsite bothered us less than we thought it would but we do prefer onsite. They just couldn't move past the offsite thing though and it was hilarious. DH thought I should have told them all the places we'd stayed prior to that (AKL, BC, CBR, Disney Cruise, and I did college program) to prove how much more Disney knowledgable I was. LMBO- he is kind of on the quiet side but don't make him mad!! haha! I just can't get over why people seek to judge others for their vacation choices- obviously everyone is happy with the choices they're making or they wouldn't do it. For us for right now we've decided we love Pop Century and are going back for our second time there this year- we would love a moderate or deluxe but don't feel we justify it with the time we spend in the room. Plus two weeks at Pop is better than 6 days at a deluxe! I hope you all have fun on your FW trips and keep your fingers crossed that someday we will be there too! You can all come on over for a nice blender drink at the end of a nice day at the MK

 

[LauraAnn630]

I have been considering camping at Disney. I have a few questions.

If you tent camp, where do you shower?

Do they rent MHs?

Can you drive your car right up to your site?

TIA

 

[mrsgus06]

I have been considering camping at Disney. I have a few questions.

If you tent camp, where do you shower?

Do they rent MHs?

Can you drive your car right up to your site?

TIA

You shower in the comfort station. Each loop has access to at least one. They are very clean and the showers are wonderfully hot!
Ft. W does not rent MH's, but they do rent the cabins.
You can keep one car on your site. Any other cars must be parked in the overflow lot at the front of the campground.

I just have to add that this time next week, I will be waking up in my camper at Ft.W!! Everyone will have the chance to "look down upon me" for the next 8 weeks!! Have a nice summer every body!!! Hope to meet some of you over the summer!

 

[ZPT1022]

Do they rent MHs?

When we were looking into renting a camper or motorhome we looked into outside companies and man is it expensive. Lots of them wouldn't deliver either so unless your normal vehicle has that sort of towing capacity you are stuck with one that you can drive to Ft Wilderness. For the price of renting you could pretty much stay anywhere on property once you figure in the motorhome rental and the Ft Wilderness costs. We had thought it might be cheaper than staying in a hotel I guess it will have to wait until we have our own camper.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

MrsGus06........ Wont you have to get FL tags for your suburban soon, or are you still considered a resident alien ?

 

[ZPT1022]

I just have to add that this time next week, I will be waking up in my camper at Ft.W!! Everyone will have the chance to "look down upon me" for the next 8 weeks!! Have a nice summer every body!!! Hope to meet some of you over the summer!

Lucky duck!

Seriously, I am jealous! What a wonderful way to spend the summer. I know I've talked to you about that in the past (you're the one with 5 kids right?) and it sounds like such a blissful way to spend the summer. I have a question though. Do you allow your kids to roam free at FW? Obviously not the really little ones but do the older ones get to take off on their bikes and just check in once in a while? I remember when we were kids we loved that about camping- wake up, eat breakfast, take off on your bike and we only came back for lunch and then dinner. Is FW that kind of a place or do you spend more time in the parks?

 

[mjmcca]

You shower in the comfort station. Each loop has access to at least one. They are very clean and the showers are wonderfully hot!
Ft. W does not rent MH's, but they do rent the cabins.
You can keep one car on your site. Any other cars must be parked in the overflow lot at the front of the campground.

I just have to add that this time next week, I will be waking up in my camper at Ft.W!! Everyone will have the chance to "look down upon me" for the next 8 weeks!! Have a nice summer every body!!! Hope to meet some of you over the summer!

Does being totally jealous count??? I wish I could do that have a great trip and think about those of us who cant go to Disney for the WHOLE SUMMER once in a while!

 

[jmurphy625]

We loved FW (stay in the cabins for two weeks back in '86)... ate there on Thanksgiving day a few years back. We rocked on the porch..it was very relaxing. It was not cheap. Many people tell me immediatly..."oh that's not for us"...or "oh, the campground"...Sometimes even when I tell them we stayed at W. Lodge, I get the same answer. Oh, well to each their own.

 

[mrsgus06]

No, Scott, I don't have Fl tags on the car, but I bet they would look great!

Yes, I am the one with 5 kids (really 6, but the oldest is 20). I do let the older ones have the run of the campground. The 11 yo got a cell phone for her birthday so I have access to them all the time. They can only go as a group and must stay together. Last year they had their bikes, but Santa brought them all scooters and they are looking forward to finally getting them to Ft. W. It is really sad that all the employees get to know my kids as well as they do. Oh, one more thing, they refillable mugs? I totally get my monies worth out of those babies!!! The 4 yo does stay with me at all times until my parents get there. They will be there for 2 weeks at the end of June and that is my time to run with the older ones. The 4yo is happy just hanging out at the MH with my parents.

 

[mjmcca]

No, Scott, I don't have Fl tags on the car, but I bet they would look great!

Yes, I am the one with 5 kids (really 6, but the oldest is 20). I do let the older ones have the run of the campground. The 11 yo got a cell phone for her birthday so I have access to them all the time. They can only go as a group and must stay together. Last year they had their bikes, but Santa brought them all scooters and they are looking forward to finally getting them to Ft. W. It is really sad that all the employees get to know my kids as well as they do. Oh, one more thing, they refillable mugs? I totally get my monies worth out of those babies!!! The 4 yo does stay with me at all times until my parents get there. They will be there for 2 weeks at the end of June and that is my time to run with the older ones. The 4yo is happy just hanging out at the MH with my parents.

...SIGH....SO TOTALLY JELOUS!

 

[ZPT1022]

Yes, I am the one with 5 kids (really 6, but the oldest is 20). I do let the older ones have the run of the campground. The 11 yo got a cell phone for her birthday so I have access to them all the time. They can only go as a group and must stay together. Last year they had their bikes, but Santa brought them all scooters and they are looking forward to finally getting them to Ft. W. It is really sad that all the employees get to know my kids as well as they do. Oh, one more thing, they refillable mugs? I totally get my monies worth out of those babies!!! The 4 yo does stay with me at all times until my parents get there. They will be there for 2 weeks at the end of June and that is my time to run with the older ones. The 4yo is happy just hanging out at the MH with my parents.

Well if the 20 year old doesn't come that's his or her loss I think it sounds like a ton of fun. I would love to go to a place so often that we know the staff- sounds like it would just increase the enjoyment factor. As for the mugs How could you not with being there for so long. I have to say I envy you- this sounds like a wonderful way to spend the summer.

 

[mrsgus06]

Well if the 20 year old doesn't come that's his or her loss I think it sounds like a ton of fun.

That's the best part! When I leave on Thursday, hubby will go and stay for a few nights, but my son is coming down on Saturday with a buddy of his and they willl stay for a week. The others will be with my parents in a totally different state. I get one whole week with just my 20 yo and no little ones to fight for my attention! I have not had that opportunity in a very long time! Thanks, Mom and Dad! How will I keep myself occupied for 11 nights without having anyone scream, "Let's go to the parks". I have stocked up on a couple of James Patterson's new books and the final book of the Left Behind series will be out that week. I am going to read a ton.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

No, Scott, I don't have Fl tags on the car, but I bet they would look great!

If I was in Vegas I would be betting that its only a matter of time.