Do you need an oven?

[ebtready2go]

I have 2 options for our trip:

24 ft. travel trailer with bunks (kids will be thrilled) and dinette area that will become double bed. No microwave or oven.

20 ft. travel trailer without bunks (kids will be bummed), but microwave and oven and more convenient hot water switch (?) and quiet A/C unit... according to the owner, it's more luxurious.

I'm leaning toward 24 ft. b/c the bunks are in the back and I can close the door and put kids to bed while we can stay up. But, I am worried about not having a microwave, but wonder how much I'll be using it anyway if we have disney dining plan.

TIA!

 

[BradyBz12]

We had SO much food on the DDP, the only appliance we needed in the camper was the fridge for all the extra desserts.

You can bring a toaster for breakfast stuff if you like, and you can always make Jiffy Pop and heat stuff up on the stove.

 

[AuburnJen92]

If you have the DDP, you have way too much food to consume to worry about things to cook with. Go with the bunks.

 

[TheFlame]

I would go with the bunk house.

We have a 35ft. 5th wheel and we would give anything to do it over and sacrifice the Living Room area for a closed off bunk room. Too late now! We can't get $10k for a two year old camper on a trade now, so we just make do. Actually I love my camper, just not at bed time!

I don't use the oven in my camper at all. I use the microwave only occasionally.

What I can't live without is my toaster oven. We set it up outside on a table with our small fridge and cook most of our meals outside on the griddle and in the toaster oven.

We don't do the DP. We camp to save money on food and the DP cost too much IMHO and takes up too much time and we don't like to spend time eating. We eat a quick breakfast at the camper and always eat either lunch or dinner at the camper and the other meal at a park or off-property. Depends on what we are doing for that day.

Hope this helps!

 

[redcubfan]

We have a bunkhouse with a microwave and oven...never use the oven but do use the microwave a lot. Having said that, I don't use it when camping in Disney World because we also get the dining plan and it's plenty of food. The most we eat at the camper is a quick breakfast when we're there, and that can be done easily without a microwave. We have two young boys and they love their bunks!!

 

[2goofycampers]

I also think with the DDP you probably won't need a microwave, but there is always the $50.00 microwave from Wal-Mart you can buy and bring with you while you enjoy those bunks.

 

[dfchelbay]

My suggestion would be to look at your two trailer options vs a hotel room. You would not have a microwave or an oven in a hotel room. Then, make your decision based on what's the most important to you to have...closed off kids bedroom with no microwave or oven, or open kids bedroom with a microwave and oven. If you are driving, can you take your home microwave and put it in the trailer to use while you're there? Personally, I'd go with the fully loaded camper...kids will probably be so exhausted by the end of the day that they'll be fast asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

 

[auntie]

I have 2 options for our trip:

24 ft. travel trailer with bunks (kids will be thrilled) and dinette area that will become double bed. No microwave or oven.

20 ft. travel trailer without bunks (kids will be bummed), but microwave and oven and more convenient hot water switch (?) and quiet A/C unit... according to the owner, it's more luxurious.

I'm leaning toward 24 ft. b/c the bunks are in the back and I can close the door and put kids to bed while we can stay up. But, I am worried about not having a microwave, but wonder how much I'll be using it anyway if we have disney dining plan.

TIA!

Are you renting one of these or purchasing..and is it specifically for a FW
trip and no other?

 

[Cindy F]

A family member gave me this for Christmas and it is perfect as an oven for the camper (not that I'll be using it too much ~grin~)

We also have one of these, which is nice because it's all in one. They come in a bigger size as well. The little griddle on top makes perfect pancakes and fried eggs.

An electric skillet and a crock pot come in handy too.

 

[ebtready2go]

You guys are awesome! Thanks for all of the great responses.

To answer some questions, yes we are renting. We would like to buy a camper if this goes well, but thought we should try it out first. Here's our plan:

Driving from DE to Jacksonville. Renting camper in Jacksonville. Driving to Destin (actually, Santa Rosa Beach) for a wedding - my kids are flower girl and ring bearer. We're camping at Topsail Hill Preserve SP.

Sunday drive to Orlando and check in at Ft. Wilderness!!! We're there from Sunday to Saturday (can't wait!) then it's a little up in the air after Saturday. My in-laws live in the Keys and we had hoped to drive down there for a week with them but now after a 40% lay off at my DH's company last week, he's questioning if he can do an additional week of vacation. If he can't, I'll see if we can extend Ft. Wilderness by a day. Then it's to Jacksonville to return the camper and home to DE.

Yes, I looked into renting here but there weren't any convenient options and I liked the idea of renting in FL so we aren't towing down I-95.

As far as the DDP, I know it's expensive and we could save by cooking in the camper, but we will be there the holiday week when they raise the meal prices and with the character meals alone, we'll save money by having the DDP instead of paying for the meals out right. If I can actually get DH to agree to another Disney trip in the future, we won't do the DDP but since he's a Keys fishing vacation guy, I'm assuming this may be my only Disney trip for a long time and I want to go all out with the character meals. We are doing Cinderella's Royal Table, Crystal Palace, Fantasmic Dinner Package, Chef Mickey for a cousin's birthday dinner, and the Biergarten at Epcot.

Well, thanks to your suggestions, I'm going to look at bringing a crock pot and/or toaster oven and get the bunks!

THANKS!

 

[DaveInTN]

Here's my two cents:

First, I agree with everyone else. Get the bunk model. We have never done DDP and I still could live without my oven at FW. I really prefer to cook outside anyways, which you could do with a cheap grill or even use the one at the campsite. With DDP that won't be necessary.

Second, you are setting yourself up for some major disappointment. First camping trip and you have selected Topsail and Fort Wilderness. It's pretty much all downhill from there! jk...but seriously those are two BEAUTIFUL campgrounds which you will love. Have a great trip!!

 

[mrsscooter]

I, like everyone else as well, vote for the bunks. We have a 24ft. w/bunk house in the back as well, and our kids love it. It gives each of them their own private space to read or play, as well as sleep. Just a few things we do: each one sleeps at opposite ends so that if the one down below is reading, the light wont bother the top, and vice versa, the bunks are long enough that they keep their duffle bags at the foot of the bed, one for dirty one for clean, then just grab the dirty and its off to laundry. As far as the bathroom and having hot water.....the comfort stations are awesome so really no need for the hot water. Use paper plates so your not having to wash, and if you have a few to do, cold water isnt too bad as long as you have soap....LOL One other thing that we learned when having to bread down our table for guests to sleep, is that we make it up in the morning so its ready to fall into at the end of the day and your not clammering around putting it together while the kids are trying to sleep. We also bring a folding camp table to put outside undre the awning and set up a little "kitchen" so we have our coffe pot, and our toaster oven and sometime we bring an extra dorm size fridge to keep outside for beverages so that the kids aren't going in and out of the camper all the time. Ok, so I went on longer than I had wanted so I will stop here. You guys will have sooooo much fun no matter how you do it. I cant wait until our trip this October!!!! Have a great time!!!!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Your DDP line up sounds GREAT!!! We LOVED the Royal Table and Crystal Palace. ARe you doing Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner at the Royal Table? If youre doing Dinner..request a window seat if possible....its a beautiful view.

Just curious, what company are you renting a camper from?

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I buy the microwave, then take the camper that's wrapped around it.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Jim..you might be onto something here.


"Honey....I'll be back, Im gonna go pick up a few camping supplies!!"

 

[ftwildernessguy]

A microwave in a camper is a most valuable appliance. Those little propane ovens they stick in, however, are pretty much worthless. I have never seen anyone baking cookies on a camping trip. I have, however, seen many people reheating food or popping popcorn in a microwave. If the microwave had never been invented, my kids would never have lived to adulthood.

 

[2goofycampers]

I use my oven all the time.

biscuits
chocolate chip cookies
tater tots
keep pancakes warm while I finish cooking the rest of the stacks
reheat leftovers that would get soggy in the microwave

 

[nana2tots]

I would say microwave for sure, we have had our camper 2 yrs, and camp a lot and never have used the oven, of course we grill out everyday.

 

[elizablake]

I vote for the bunk beds. Kids will have a blast.

We use our microwave a little. Mostly to heat up leftovers. My oven sucks. It burns everything. So the one in the rental RV might be as bad as mine. Then you would have given up the bunk beds for nothing.

I would just plan meals and snacks that you can make on the stovetop and grill.

 

[elizablake]

One more thing....You are going to LOVE Top Sail Hill Preserve! Have you ever been there before?