Empty spaces at FW made me mad

stacktester

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
3,704
When we went to FW last Thanksgiving there were a lot of empty sites. I made my ressie in March and was told that was 1 of the last ressie's available. A friend of our's wanted to bring their family too and we called every dang day at 0700 for 5 months and they never got a site. When I arrived at FW there were empty sites all over the 900 loop. I taked to a couple across from us who made their res. after Halloween. I was like how in the world did they do that when we called so much.

On another note we ran into a couple from LA and they called late too and were told if they stayed 7 days it was no problem. I'm just wondering how many sites really are available. I could see a few sites empty because something came up and the guests couldn't come but I am not kidding, there were 10 sites in 900 loop alone that were empty from Friday until Monday when we left.
 
It may depend on whether you were trying for 1 day reservations, 2 day reservations, 3 day reservations, etc. If you were looking to book a certain amount of time, it may be that one day out of that block had no availability, but the other days were open. Not sure if this is what happened, just a possibility.
 
I used to work for CRO in the late 90's, and we always noticed that FW frequently has 'minimum night stays' much more often than the other resorts, so when I am looking for availability at FW and the dates I want are not available, I look for a longer stay and very often it opens things up.

I notice that a lot of people get frustrated with trying to find weekend openings but there are probably 'minimum night stay' requirements. Also the 2007 holiday season will probably show a lot more availability later this year too.

The other thing is that there are guests who book FW to get on-site priveleges but then stay in a hotel off-site, they check-in to FW and get their resort id cards (remember they can get up to 10 guests for each site) and then just never use the site. This subject has been much debated with some people saying "if they are paying for the site then they can use or not use it as they see fit" while others state it should not be allowed because it takes space away from those who would really use it.
 
That I guess is pretty clever Proudmom of the people who do that. For a minimal fee you can get the extra magic hours to mention one thing. A lot of people complain that people make ressie's and are not sure whether they are going to use them or not but they tie up times people want to use for sure. I guess 1 thing you could do is start off with a week or something and then cancel some of the days. At least do it within a couple weeks so others could get the days u really don't want.
 

There are definitely minimum stay requirements for the reservations. I have run into that on two different situations. However, you don't have to keep all the nights you reserved. If you can't get those weekend nights, try booking 7 or 8 nights from Wed - Wed. Then on a later call, drop the nights you don't need.
 
Also, there might have been empty sites because folks left early, or more than they anticipated left on time.

I think I read somewhere that once you are in a hotel room, that by law, you can extend your stay indefinitely as long as you pay the fee. The resort or hotel can tell you they don't have openings for the additional nights, but if you push it and pay the fee, they can't make you leave. (This is something I "think" I read somewhere, so if I am wrong, sorry).
 
That I guess is pretty clever Proudmom of the people who do that. For a minimal fee you can get the extra magic hours to mention one thing. A lot of people complain that people make ressie's and are not sure whether they are going to use them or not but they tie up times people want to use for sure. I guess 1 thing you could do is start off with a week or something and then cancel some of the days. At least do it within a couple weeks so others could get the days u really don't want.

For the rates that they charge at Ft. Wilderness, there is no longer much benefit to booking a site and not using it. Before MYW tickets, you couldn't get a park hopper for less than 4 days without a being an onsite guest. So I could see it happening many years ago, but not much now.

I bet you that is the main reason they don't allow free dining for the campsites. 10 folks per site eating $50+ per food per day and not even staying there!!!
 
I think I read somewhere that once you are in a hotel room, that by law, you can extend your stay indefinitely as long as you pay the fee. The resort or hotel can tell you they don't have openings for the additional nights, but if you push it and pay the fee, they can't make you leave. (This is something I "think" I read somewhere, so if I am wrong, sorry).

While that may be the case in some states, in Florida it is not. As a state that bases a lot of it's income on touist business, the laws support the businesses. Hesre is the Florida law (I have bolded a couple of sections):

509.141 Refusal of admission and ejection of undesirable guests; notice; procedure; penalties for refusal to leave.--

(1) The operator of any public lodging establishment or public food service establishment may remove or cause to be removed from such establishment, in the manner hereinafter provided, any guest of the establishment who, while on the premises of the establishment, illegally possesses or deals in controlled substances as defined in chapter 893 or is intoxicated, profane, lewd, or brawling; who indulges in any language or conduct which disturbs the peace and comfort of other guests or which injures the reputation, dignity, or standing of the establishment; who, in the case of a public lodging establishment, fails to make payment of rent at the agreed-upon rental rate by the agreed-upon checkout time; who, in the case of a public lodging establishment, fails to check out by the time agreed upon in writing by the guest and public lodging establishment at check-in unless an extension of time is agreed to by the public lodging establishment and guest prior to checkout; who, in the case of a public food service establishment, fails to make payment for food, beverages, or services; or who, in the opinion of the operator, is a person the continued entertainment of whom would be detrimental to such establishment. The admission to, or the removal from, such establishment shall not be based upon race, creed, color, sex, physical disability, or national origin.

(2) The operator of any public lodging establishment or public food service establishment shall notify such guest that the establishment no longer desires to entertain the guest and shall request that such guest immediately depart from the establishment. Such notice may be given orally or in writing. If the notice is in writing, it shall be as follows:

"You are hereby notified that this establishment no longer desires to entertain you as its guest, and you are requested to leave at once. To remain after receipt of this notice is a misdemeanor under the laws of this state."

If such guest has paid in advance, the establishment shall, at the time such notice is given, tender to such guest the unused portion of the advance payment; however, the establishment may withhold payment for each full day that the guest has been entertained at the establishment for any portion of the 24-hour period of such day.

(3) Any guest who remains or attempts to remain in any such establishment after being requested to leave is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(4) If any person is illegally on the premises of any public lodging establishment or public food service establishment, the operator of such establishment may call upon any law enforcement officer of this state for assistance. It is the duty of such law enforcement officer, upon the request of such operator, to place under arrest and take into custody for violation of this section any guest who violates subsection (3) in the presence of the officer. If a warrant has been issued by the proper judicial officer for the arrest of any violator of subsection (3), the officer shall serve the warrant, arrest the person, and take the person into custody. Upon arrest, with or without warrant, the guest will be deemed to have given up any right to occupancy or to have abandoned such right of occupancy of the premises, and the operator of the establishment may then make such premises available to other guests. However, the operator of the establishment shall employ all reasonable and proper means to care for any personal property which may be left on the premises by such guest and shall refund any unused portion of moneys paid by such guest for the occupancy of such premises.


So, in Florida if you are requested to leave for almost any reason (except the usual race, creed, color, sex, physical disability, or national origin) you have to go. All the establishment has to do is call the police, and in their presence ask you to leave. If you refuse the officer does not have a choice, they are required to arrest you.
 
For the rates that they charge at Ft. Wilderness, there is no longer much benefit to booking a site and not using it. Before MYW tickets, you couldn't get a park hopper for less than 4 days without a being an onsite guest. So I could see it happening many years ago, but not much now.

If it was one person paying for the site then what you are saying is true but what if it is 2 or 3 families splitting the cost? then it really is not costing them much at all to get on site privileges, especially at a busy time like Thanksgiving.
 
That's a good point. With 10 people on a site you are paying $4 a day per person to get early entry privileges and parking. The early entry part is a big deal since it can add up to 4 hours per day to your hopper.
 
And if you booked it as a MYW package you could get your tickets and dining plan for the minimal hotel $$. And you'd get a parking pass.

jenny
 
When we were there and noticed the empty spaces, I wondered if some of it was due to people booking room-only reservations. That way, as I understand it, they just put down a deposit of the first nights rental. If they don't show, all they would have lost is the one night. Can somebody confirm?
 





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