driving and having a golf cart

[rbrainerd]

We are going to have a car while at the cabins. My question is if we go to the beach area to watch Wishes or to take the ferry to Magic Kingdom, do we drive our car to the marina area or do we walk there or take the bus? It looks like quite a hike and I didn't see any parking except for golf carts. It seems that if you can't drive a golf cart would be a blessing.

 

[LONE-STAR]

The only place you can take your car in FW is to your cabin or campsite. To go anywhere else in FW you take a bus, bike, cart or your own 2 feet.

 

[becky1960]

Buses run frequently and you can save money without, its not a necessity but a lot of people enjoy them to check out other loops etc.

 

[bama_ed]

I would suggest renting a cart on the days you plan to hang around the Fort. It seems like a very expensive taxi to use it in the morning to go down to the marina to catch a boat to MK and then use it again in the evening when you are done for the day. But if you've got the "bling" then go for it. When we were in the cabins we never got one - just brought the bikes from home instead.

Bama ED

PS-you're correct: no automobile parking. only walk, bus, cart, or bike to the marina area

 

[stacktester]

I would suggest renting a cart on the days you plan to hang around the Fort. It seems like a very expensive taxi to use it in the morning to go down to the marina to catch a boat to MK and then use it again in the evening when you are done for the day. But if you've got the "bling" then go for it. When we were in the cabins we never got one - just brought the bikes from home instead.

Bama ED

PS-you're correct: no automobile parking. only walk, bus, cart, or bike to the marina area

When I was at the front desk the other day I heard a man renting a cart for one day and then reserving it for another day later in the week since they weren't going to be using it.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

I believe there is 15 minute parking for cars at the meadows trading post. Other than that...vehicle traffic is discouraged by the park. Instead of renting a cabin...look into renting a camper in order to save a bundle and have plenty left over for a cart rental. www.CampAtTheFort.com rents a very nice, large 5th wheel camper, delivers it to your site and sets everything up...all you have to do is move in for your vacation stay.....www.MakeCampingEasy.com also rents out inexpensive campers and offers the same service....these are very lost-cost,high quality options to cabin rental and the world of "looping in a golfcart" become much more within your reach.

 

[rbrainerd]

Thanks for the info. We are staying at the Cabins at my daughters discounted price because she is a cast member . My first chioce was one of the deluxe resorts but since we have 5 adults I opted to give the Cabins a try...plus last time we were at Disney we had very loud neighbors and with the cabins we won't be able to hear through the walls The parks seem to have shorter hours than when we usually visit during the holidays, so the activities at Fort Wilderness appealed to us as well...we are night people. Really debating about the golf cart. We will have a car and I do not care to wait for the busses so we will be using the car to get to the parks. I am just wondering how long of a hike it will be to catch the ferry to MK if we wanted to, how far to pools and the campfire activites at night. I am not one to complain about walking after all...your at Disney...therefore you walk...plus with all the dinner reservations we made we might need that extra walk!

 

[PrincessNP]

walking to the Ferryboat just depends where you are staying in the campground. I think it is really just a matter of what you have more of.......time or money. We have never done a golf cart but are this year not really to go to the ferry but to be able to drive from our camper to the grandparents cabin. My experience with the buses is the internal ones are much faster than the ones going to the parks.

Dont forget to consider outside agencies for your golf cart rental. There is a separate thread for that discussion!

I like your comment....in the end nothing really matters except that your at Disney!!!

 

[Donna]

I will never rent from disney again after renting from kenny at tee time. why pay $57 a day when you can pay $29 a day.

 

[bord1niowa]

Kenny's cart was much faster too. Don't know if it was newer batteries or what but it moved along faster than the WDW ones and most others. My wife clocked me at 23 mph. Ooops, over the speed limit.

 

[Donna]

i noticed that too. i felt like we were going faster than we should have been without seatbelts, lol.

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

We have a truck camper - how would this work if we want to use this to drive to the parks? Would we be able to do so? Or would we have to park it at the campsite and leave it and take Disney Transportation? Sorry if this is a stupid question but I didn't realize that you were unable to drive your vehicle around FW. I don't mind walking around the area or walking to the trading post etc. but then I got to thinking about driving out every day to visit the parks and was wondering if that was allowed. Especially since the camping vehicle would then be off the site. Could we just leave our camp chairs or something to save the site? At the national parks we just leave a little "site occupied" sign on the post. Would this be allowed? Sorry for all the questions and for highjacking this thread. And thank you so much for any help that you can provide - it's much appreciated.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

You are certainly allowed to drive into and out of the Fort as often as you need....they just dont allow "Fort sight seeing" in regualr vehicles. You can even drive a regular vehicle to the trading post with 15 minute parking...Disney isnt going to risk losing a sale to those who want to drive licensed vehicles!!

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

Thanks for such a quick reply. I'm glad to hear it - I like the control that taking my own vehicle to the parks gives me. Yes, I'm a control freak .

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Have you ever been to the Fort before?

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

No, I'm trying to talk my DH into going sometime between the beginning of November and the middle of December (minus the week of Thanksgiving, too crowded). I looked at the map on wdwinfo and thought maybe bringing the bikes would be a good idea if they fit in the camper which is pretty small.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Well...you're in for a GREAT treat....its my favorite campground, hands down...and that has NOTHING to do with it being so close to the disney parks. There is just so much to do there...or so many reasons NOT TO DO ANYTHING. You guys are gonna LOVE it!

 

[Shan-man]

The Fort is a GREAT place to bike ride... shady, scenic and pan-flat! I highly recommend bringing bikes as the Fort is a BIG place. Also, you are looking at a perfect time to go... the best time of year at the FORT IMO is early December. Temperate weather, little rain, and Christmas decorations GALORE... both in the Parks and Resorts by Disney and tons at the CG by the Fort denizens! It is so much fun... be sure to pack at least a modicum of decor, you don't want to be out of fashion! Best luck planning.

Oh, and to the camping boards!

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

Thanks for your help everyone. I still haven't talked him into it. We are used to backpack camping in the wilderness. Then we moved up to the truck camper and camping in the National Forests or Glacier/Waterton Parks. So we are not used to camping at places that have amenities or people - just critters . But I think it would be a nice way to go to Disney and it wouldn't be so expensive. I can cook our meals and the price of the site would be cheaper than a hotel room. Maybe that would sway him.

 

[DisneyRose&Boys]

Thanks for your help everyone. I still haven't talked him into it. We are used to backpack camping in the wilderness. Then we moved up to the truck camper and camping in the National Forests or Glacier/Waterton Parks. So we are not used to camping at places that have amenities or people - just critters . But I think it would be a nice way to go to Disney and it wouldn't be so expensive. I can cook our meals and the price of the site would be cheaper than a hotel room. Maybe that would sway him.

My 3 (teenaged) boys and I do the backpacking thing, as well (I gotta do SOMEthing to burn their energy off! ), so when we go to the Fort, it's not a hardship for us to pitch a tent and camp there, unlike some of my horrified family members seem to think. It's actually a luxury to be able to pee on an honest-to-goodness flusher, and to shower and everything!

They love going to the Fort, and cooking a couple meals for those hogs... I mean boys ... saves me a bundle.

This year (NEXT WEEK, as a matter of fact!) we're taking some of those NJ softies with us for a glorious week of Disney tent camping. There'll be 14 of us between the ages of 9 and 45. YIPPY!!!

Anyway, tell hubby he'll love it, and let him sleep on the ground so it feels more like "roughing it."

Take care,
Rose