Experienced Campers - Some Questions

[wdwmo]

Hi All!

We have reservations for August for Pop Century... I was just thinking if we go camping instead of sleeping in the hotel, we would have extra room to bring my nephew. Anyway, we are planning to visit from Aug. 13 to 22 and would be in a trailer tent.

How is the weather to sleep at night? What about the pool?

Where can I find the rates for camping?


What about the gators??

Thanks!

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[my3princes]

The evenings in August are hot and sticky. Air conditioning is nice if not necessary. You can find the rates on www.wdwig.com or on the Disneyworld site. I have never seen any gators anywhere in WDW. FW has peacocks, rabbits,aradillos, but I have never seen any gators or snakes for that matter.

 

[1018scr]

Just because you haven't seen snakes and alligators, doesn't mean they aren't there. This is Florida.

 

[dtum]

We've camped for years at FW in a pop-up and never saw gators or snakes. Most wild animials will avoid you unless you surprise them. My kids swore they saw a gator when they were canoeing at FW, but my DH and I never saw it. The campsites aren't near any water, gators don't usually go that far inland. That said, I wouldn't do a lot of creeping around in the woods in the middle of the night. I think the biggest thing we've seen on a "potty" run at night was an armadillo. I really wouldn't worry about it. Also, A/C is a great thing, but our pop-up never had one. We used lots of fans and seemed to manage ok, so if you don't have A/C bring fans (at least one for each bed). We actually found cooking in the middle of the day a bigger problem because turning on the stove really heated things up, but my kids loved the buffet at FW so we took advantage of a big mid-day meal and a snack for dinner. Go for it! There's nothing better in this world than camping at FW.

 

[Live4FW]

I hate to argue but I do need to point out a thing or two from my personal experience. Many of the campsites do, in fact, back up to a canal. That being said, I have never seen a gator at FW. But I do agree, this is Florida and no body of water in Florida is completely safe from gators. Also, I have seen a snake or two at FW. They were not in the campsites and not poisioneous (sp) as best I could tell.

I wouldn't worry about either one at FW. I have camped much closer to wildlife in other parks and have been left alone if I leave them alone.

Go and have fun. But that heat in August will be an issue.

 

[tim5055]

I have seen snakes on almost ever trip to the Fort. But, with that sid they usually want to get out of you way quickly!

Fort Wilderness is well within the range for the American Alligator.

On the "Real Wild Animals at Disney World" web page you find the following:

Reptiles
American Alligator
American Alligators are in the Walt Disney World area. My wife and I have seen alligators in the canals, basking on the shore of Bay Lake, swimming in the lake you can see from the monorail on your way to Epcot, and even once basking on the warm asphalt of one of the smaller roads on property. DOn't worry. Alligators are docile, solitary creatures and are usually not easy to see.
REPORTED: Tom and Renée Shaw

Tom Sawyer Island hosts have encountered even alligators while roaming the island. Two alligators once even delayed the opening of the attraction when they decided to spend the morning lounging on Tom Sawyer Island's main raft dock. Cast Members have to capture the alligators and other critters that might scare guests so that pest control can take them outside the park and release them elsewhere on property. (Well-worn Cast Member in-joke: Critters can stay if, any only if, they present you with a valid World Passport. Otherwise, the slimy freeloaders have to leave.)
CONFIRMED: Robert Niles 24 JAN 96

My family was taking a waterskiing trip on Seven Seas Lagoon and in the middle of the trip we stopped to dive in and cool off. As I dove into the water, I asked the boat driver if there were any "gators" in the water. He replied with, "Yep, we pulled an eight footer out last week!" I laughed, b/c I figured he was teasing me while I was swimming, and he replied again with a serious,"No, Really, we pulled an eight footer out last week!" I quickly swam back into the boat, however he reassured me that they are timid animals and are generally scared by the boats, but they do keep metal screening installed before the shorelines to weed out any of the gators from getting into the swimming areas or onto the resort shores. We also were chased by tiny baby gator while trying to retrieve a golfball from the Magnolia Course water.
UPDATE: anon 27 SEP 00

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I think the reason most folks don't see snakes and gators while camping is that they make so much noise it gives the critters enough time to get out of the way. Like Tim, I have seen snakes and gators every trip to FW. If not at the campground, on the golf course. Florida is host to several types of poisonous snake, and unless you are well versed in snake identification (can you REALLY tell the difference between a coral snake and a king snake?) then the best advice to give your children is to steer clear of anything crawling on the ground.

 

[FWFamily4Life]

well for as many times as i have been to FW i have never seen an alligator, but will agree that doesnt mean they are not there. Also for the first time in a long time I saw a red water snake,( that is what the CM called it, Perfectly harmless ) in the 2200 loop. He was about 2 feet long and slithered right down the road. I called the front desk and they were there in 5 mins to pick it up. Back when the park first opened you used to see water mocasins around but I think over time theey have been weeded out.

 

[VAN]

We saw a snake at Typhoon Lagoon in Castaway Creek a few years ago. We told a lifeguard and I believe they got it out right away.

Also, while down there a couple weeks ago, my DH went golfing at Osprey Ridge (next to Ft W) and saw an aligator.

In all our years camping at Ft W though, we have not seen any snakes or aligators at the campground.