Family Trip - 2 week once in lifetime vacation, looking for advice on resort options - narrowed down to Cabins at Fort Wilderness or BWV

[Disney2027]

Hi, I’m new here but starting to plan a family vacation for fall 2027 (5 adults, 2 preteen, 3 kids). It’s a once in a lifetime trip for our family (my mom, my brother’s fam and mine).

I’ve looked at lots of resort options and planning to try to book DVC through owner on the discussion boards here for either 2 cabins at Fort wilderness or 2 rooms at Boardwalk. Cabins at FW is our preferred choice (due to room size and setting) but I’m worried about the size of the resort and how practical it is to get around without golf cart (we will not be renting since it would be at least 2 carts for a party our size and that cost isn’t something we want to take on). BW meanwhile seems great in terms of transportation/getting to and from parks but more expensive to get a similar amount of space/amenities. We are planning on getting the 7 or 8 day park pass so getting to and from parks is important to us (as opposed to spending more time hanging around resort), but we don’t necessarily need to be rope dropping every day.

I’ve got a couple questions I would love insight on, any insight on any of the questions below is appreciated or if you could direct me to a good thread or discussion that has already taken place that would be great, still trying to figure out the best way to navigate and find information on here.

1. If I am renting from DVC owner who is booking for me, does the 5 per room apply to the 1Bedroom at BW? Or is it still only 4?

2. What are the odds of actually getting 2 1Bedrooms for BW since I know this resort is popular and there are only a certain amount of rooms allocated to Owners? Odds of getting 3 studios?

3. If you’ve stayed at Fort without golf carts and regularly went to the parks, how did you find it? Did transportation/travel time eat up your day?

4. We are flying in from Canada- is it worth getting a rental vehicle for easier transportation to and from parks (can can book this on points so the cost wouldn’t effect us as much as getting golf carts)?

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[holden]

I own DVC but have never stayed in the Cabins so I can't comment on that. There is an internal bus at Ft Wilderness and bus transportation to parks/DS. There is also a water taxi that goes to Magic Kingdom.

Disney bus transportation is very slow (in my opinion), so as far as that eating up time, I'd say yes, relying on buses will eat up time. Disney says to allow 1.5hrs for transportation to/from parks, etc. I have experienced long wait times for buses. My rule of thumb is: if the bus is at the bus stop, take the bus. If not, we use Lyft or Minnie Van.

BW is great because you can walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios from there (so no need for the bus). I think the 1 Bedroom sleeps 4. You can probably bring a blow up mattress for a 5th. I think 5 in a 1BR would be super tight, plus there is only one bathroom.

For reference, we've done 10 people in a 3 Bedroom villa at both Bay Lake Towers and Kidani. It was fine for the week, but it is really nice to get some time apart. Next time I'd book separate rooms.

With ten people, half of whom are adults, I'd look into either larger rooms or split up more. Depending on the grouping, maybe a 2BR and a 1BR? One family plus the grandmother in a 2BR and the other family in the 1BR?

One of my main concerns would be bathroom access. If you are open to other resorts, Bay Lake and Kidani both have two full bathrooms in the 1BR units. The 2BR units have three full bathrooms.

If you are renting points, members can book 11 months in advance. I'm not sure if renting points is refundable (in case you have to cancel), so that's something to keep in mind.

As far as a rental car goes, I think you'd need two cars for that many people. The parking lots are huge. I think you can pay extra for a closer spot (I forget what it's called). The nice thing about having a car is that you can come/go as you please. We've rented cars before, but our family is smaller so Lyft/Minnie Vans work fine for us.

Whatever you decide I hope you have a great trip!

 

[LynnTH]

I will try and help some also. We have stayed at BWV many times (on Rented points). It is our favorite resort and love the area. It is so convenient to walk/boat to Epcot and HS. And it is so pretty right there on the Boardwalk. We always say we are going to branch out and stay somewhere else, but we just can't do it and end up staying at BWV. I have stayed in Studios, 1 Bedroom and 2 Bedrooms there.

Studios: These hold 5 guests. 1 Bed, 1 Couch that converts to a bed and a pull down from the wall. Has a kitchenette. These go very fast so you do need someone who can book at 11 months out and even then you may not get one.

1 Bedroom : These hold 4 guests. King Bed in the Bedroom and I think they now have Murphy Beds that pull out of the all in the living room. Full kitchen and Washer Dryer. One bathroom with shower, toilet and sink another bathroom with sink and tub. These are the easiest of the rooms to get and I have had good luck getting 1 Bedrooms - even at 7 months out, when anyone can book these.

2 Bedroom: These hold 9 guests. There is no dedicated 2 Bedroom Units at BWV. So, basically a 2 Bedroom is a combination of a 1 Bedroom and Studio that has a connecting door. These can be harder to get since the Studio's book up so fast.

I think if you are flexible in what rooms you want - I think you should be able to get something at 11 months out no problem. Just be open to a few options/rooms.

The owners do the bookings and then get you the confirmation # for you to put on your My Disney Account. They are in control of the bookings at all time. You will definitely want to get someone set up in advance with enough points at BWV to book at 11 months - if that is what you decide.

I have not stayed at the Cabins, so can't comment on those.

I would not get any rentals. Just take Disney Transportation. So much easier.

 

[jimmymc]

1. If renting points, you can put 5 in a room, with the caveat that Disney won't provide any bedding for the 5th person.

2. The odds are very good if you're renting. A Boardwalk owner can book at 11 months for you, and any view for a 1 bedroom should be available.

3. Haven't tried this. I've heard mixed reviews, with some people claiming a golf cart is necessary while others don't think it is.

4. At Boardwalk, I don't think you need a car just to get to and from the parks. It's in a prime location for park access. At Fort Wilderness, you could go either way. It would save you time getting to Epcot, Studios, and Animal Kingdom, but you can't use a car to get around the cabins. To park at the Magic Kingdom boat or restaurants, you need a golf cart.

My general opinion is that Fort Wilderness is not a great place for a once in a lifetime trip. It takes a while to get in and out of the fort to the parks, even with a car. And if you're not going to do a lot of the activities there, you're probably better off at another resort. Boardwalk is in such an amazing location, literally just steps from Epcot and a short ride to Studios, that I think it's worth spending the extra money to stay there. You could theoretically do it in two studios or one studio and one 1BR if that would save some money. Boardwalk standard view rooms also have very low point costs, if you're booking at 11 months and can get them.

 

[lanejudy]

Cabins at Fort Wilderness is very new to DVC -- at this point only a few of the cabins have been converted. Also I believe there are not very many owners yet, which could impact ability to book at 11 months. I don't know what the 7-month booking might look like especially until all cabins are converted. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Dave006]

Cabins at FW is our preferred choice (due to room size and setting) but I’m worried about the size of the resort and how practical it is to get around without golf cart...

FW is only convenient to MK all the other Parks are bus only access. FW is very large and is great for a large Family gathering that is not Park focused. The layout of the FW Cabins are not really spacious. The Bedroom has a Queen bed and 2 bunk-beds.

There is only 1 small bathroom per cabin. Having group gatherings for barbecues on the deck of the Cabins is fun and good outdoor space is available for your group to spread out. Without Golf cart rentals you will be walking or waiting for the internal bus quite often for your larger group.

However any other DVC 1 BR will have 2 bathroom options available and multiple dining options near by. The BW area has multiple transportation options to 2 parks (Epcot/HS) and you would only need bus service to MK and AK. The BW area also has more than 15 dinning options just around Crescent Lake not to mention the many dining options in Epcot.

Cabins at Fort Wilderness is very new to DVC -- at this point only a few of the cabins have been converted.

OP is looking at a Fall 2027 visit so Disney will have 2+ years until Fall 2026 to convert many more FW Cabins to DVC and have owner availability for an 11 month or even a 7 month advanced points rental.

Dave

 

[lanejudy]

OP is looking at a Fall 2027 visit

Thanks -- somehow I overlooked that!

 

[NicoleLarson]

For a once in a lifetime trip? BWV, no question. The location cannot be beat. The resort is lovely, tons of dining close by. The boardwalk itself is full of fun at night with street performers doing little shows, magic, etc. Theres a dueling piano bar at the BW or Karoke at the Swan which is fun for a night out. Putt putt is walking distance as well. You can walk to 2 parks which is super convenient. There's also a gas station within walking distance if you need snacks, etc.

Can you expand on who would sleep with whom? We can offer better advice when we know the sleeping arrangements.

Studios will have 3 sleeping spaces. 1 queen, 1 full Murphy bed, 1 twin Murphy bed (these are very small, so a small kid would work.
1 beds- just have a bedroom with a king and the full Murphy bed, no other sleeping space.
2 bedrooms would be a combination of both, so 5 sleeping surfaces. However, you would only have 1 "living room" and kitchen, that might get really old after 2 weeks.
3 studios might work better but then you would lose a kitchen and living room area. Plus you could be very spread apart.

I would get a rental car. Parking is free at WDW plus you can get groceries, etc when you need things.

 

[Anthony1971]

Maybe consider 3 studios at BW the split up I not ideal but will save you money. If you’re looking for a kitchen a 2br and studio will work as well. BW will only give you a walkable option to EPCOT and HS. I personally like the walk to HS but it is not as popular as some make it seem as it is a walk…. MK and AK will be bus. If you are dealing with strollers the walk to either is less than ideal.
Can’t comment on the cabins.
You may also consider in this price range… if you want a kitchen a 2br at Kidani as it has 3 bathrooms with an additional studio. All bus but we enjoyed that with younger kids.
Also similar 3 studios at other DVC resorts. Depending n your park preferences.
I will say in going to Disney for 35 years there is no ideal transportation or magical way of getting around. Travel time evens out among all parks with all resorts. The exception may be the cabins as I can not comment. If the actual minutes not 10s of minutes matter to any park matter which are lost on another are important…… if not choose where you want to be based on theme and budget.

 

[Marthasor]

For a once in a lifetime trip, I would consider taking Ft. W off the list particularly if you don't plan on spending a lot of time at the resort. Ft. W is huge and getting to the parks from there is not terribly convenient. If you like the setting or theming of Ft. W, you may want to consider Copper Creek or Boulder Ridge instead. We just stayed in a newly renovated 1-bedroom at BRV this past March and it was fantastic.

If the choices truly are BWV and Ft. W, BWV gets my vote, though Beach Club Villas is my preferred DVC property in the EP resort area as it's closer to the Skyliner and EP entrance and, with YC being right next door, offers better QS options, IMHO. I am not fond of the food set-up at BWi/BWV as all restaurants are only accessed by going outside to the Boardwalk area.

 

[Disney2027]

Wow, first thank you all for such quick and detailed responses, what an amazing space to be able to be apart of.

Secondly….. I think I’ve been convinced on BWV, it was my first choice initially but I liked that I could potentially have 1 family to each cabin at FW (2adults, 2kids and then 2 adults, 3 kids, with Grandma being able to take a bed at either) for cheaper then 2 1Bedrooms or 3 Studios at Boardwalk. And my parents took me there 30+ years ago as a toddler so the nostalgia did pull on me a bit but reading your comments it really does feel like Boardwalk is the better choice, even if it stretches the budget. I was worried about availability at Boardwalk too as I’ve read lots of posts about how difficult it is to book, but hopefully if I’ve done my homework and can find someone with BWV points 11 months out I can get them booked.

Thank you all again

 

[CarolynFH]

Something that might add to complexity of booking this trip is finding a BWV owner with enough points to book the multiple villas you want for 14 nights. You may need to work with two or even more BWV owners. Even though your trip is so far in the future, you might want to start making the acquaintance of some of the BWV owners on the Rent/Trade forum now.

 

[Disney2027]

Something that might add to complexity of booking this trip is finding a BWV owner with enough points to book the multiple villas you want for 14 nights. You may need to work with two or even more BWV owners. Even though your trip is so far in the future, you might want to start making the acquaintance of some of the BWV owners on the Rent/Trade forum now.

Thanks for this tip- I hadn’t considered this, reaching out in advance and making acquaintances now makes a lot of sense.

 

[katyjeka]

We are not owners so I'm not an expert but have rented points for several trips. One advantage to renting points from an owner, which is often overlooked, is owners have a wealth of information on everything Disney. They have often been able to answer questions for me that Disney was unable!! We've rented BWV a couple times. It's a beautiful resort and transportation is a breeze. Its a great place to celebrate "a trip of a lifetime". We've also stayed in the cabins booked through Disney. We enjoyed them but hated the internal bus system. We felt half of our trip was spent on buses. If you're not willing to rent golf carts I would not even consider it. I do admit that the redesigned cabins look awesome and the Fort Wilderness campground is a lot of fun. Have fun planning, sounds like a great family time.

 

[Willow Ufgood]

Here are a few things to know about the cabins.

First, they are separate from one another and there are no guarantees that your 2 cabins will be close to each other. If you go through 2 separate owners to book them the owners will both have to contact member services to have a "traveling with" note attached to the reservations. Even then, the cabins may not be together but possibly in the same loop.

Second, the bathroom situation is kind of odd. While every other 1br DVC villa has at least one bathroom accessible directly through the bedroom the cabins have a bathroom on the opposite side. This means traversing the entire cabin to use it and possibly disturbing whoever is sleeping in the living room.

Third, no laundry machines in the cabin. Two weeks with kids and you will probably need to do laundry at least once. That means hauling it back and forth from the communal laundry room. Without a car or golf cart that could end up being a real chore.

Lastly, transportation can be time consuming. There are internal buses and then there are buses to take you to the parks and Disney Springs. There's a boat dock for the MK. If you aren't going to have golf carts you can expect to spend a lot of time commuting.

Finally, FWIW the fall is the start of a very busy time for DVC. And the Fort is especially busy in October. Getting 2 cabins might be difficult.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

Either way that you go remember that you will have a kitchen. It's nice to either bring or order some groceries. Sometimes with a larger group it's hard to get everyone moving. If you have fruit, breakfast bars, cereal in the room some can be eating while others are showering and dressing. It can also help with the chaos of getting ready for RD. You can also order plenty of water and freeze it to bring to the parks. A few snacks, soda or adult beverages are nice to have as well if those are of interest to you. It can be fun to have a sleep in, stay at the pool late and just through in pizzas kind of night as well. A few meals in can be a huge savings.

 

[Willow Ufgood]

And now for BWV.

The studios can sleep up to 5 + 1 infant up to (but not including) age 3. The 1br sleep 4 + said infant and owners can add a 5th person but there is no bed for them.

Both studios and 1br villas have only one bathroom. The bathroom in the 1br is accessible thru both the bedroom and the living room so people need to remember to unlock both doors when exiting so that others can get to the facilities.

Studios have very little storage space. Guests have to be very creative with how they store luggage, clothing and miscellaneous personal items. The studio can get very cluttered quickly especially when there are 4 or 5 people sharing that space.

Most studios and 1br villas are lockoffs. That means that they have an inner door that connects them to another unit. A 1br connects to a studio and visa versa. There are no connecting studios. I mention this because those inner doors are nor very soundproof. If you happen to have a studio with noisy neighbors you will likely have your sleep disrupted. No a great way to spend a 2 week vacation.

The 1br villas have a w/d and a full kitchen with a full size refrigerator freezer and dishwasher. The studios fo not have a w/d and you would have to use the communal laundry to wash clothes. The studios have a kitchenette which does not have a range or even a hot plate. There may be a dorm size refrigerator with or without a freezer section or you might have a beverage cooler.

An odd thing about BWV is that there is only one bank of elevators and some very long hallways. During busy times there can be quite a wait especially if you have a stroller or ECV. Also, the lobby is actually on the second level (as is the bus stop) but if you want to walk/boat somewhere you need the ground level.

As of right now the quick service options along the Boardwalk are very limited. Not much is available inside. There is a lounge with limited hours and a coffee shop. Otherwise you need to go outside to get food. Having said that it is still better than the options at the Fort where most guests there are camping and bring a lot of their own food.

Transportation at the BWV is fairly good. Buses to AK and MK. Boats or walking to both HS and Epcot. You can also walk or boat to Epcot and take the Skyliner to HS without having to enter Epcot itself.

An added note about booking. 3 studios in the fall would be a very hard accomplishment. Especially if you want the cheap standard view. My personal preference would be a 2br villa and 1 studio. The 2br villas are all lockoffs so those family members can move freely between the two rooms. Standard view is still a hard to get reservation most times of the year but a garden/pool view should be easiest. And just like the cabins the owner(s) would need to contact member services to put in a request for the rooms to be near one another (no guarantees).

 

[CarolynFH]

@Willow Ufgood has given you a very good introduction to BWV. As he mentioned, standard view is difficult to get, and I agree that you should budget for Pool/Garden view, sometimes known as Preferred view (but does not include Boardwalk view!). You didn’t say when in the fall you plan to go, but you need to know that it’s an extremely popular time of year for DVC owners known as Fall Frenzy, and competition for BWV can be difficult. All the 2BR villas are lockoffs, meaning composed of a studio and a 1BR, and as a result when the studios book up, no more 2BR are available. But if you have your BWV owner lined up to book when the 11 month window opens, you should be able to get P/G view, especially if you’re wanting two 1BR - they’re easier to book than studios or 2BR at BWV.

Let me add that our first family visit to WDW was in a FW cabin. The cabin itself was comfortable, but we quickly got tired of riding the internal bus from our cabin to where we transferred to transportation to whatever park, so after the first day or two we used our rental car.

 

[Disney2027]

And now for BWV.

The studios can sleep up to 5 + 1 infant up to (but not including) age 3. The 1br sleep 4 + said infant and owners can add a 5th person but there is no bed for them.

Both studios and 1br villas have only one bathroom. The bathroom in the 1br is accessible thru both the bedroom and the living room so people need to remember to unlock both doors when exiting so that others can get to the facilities.

Studios have very little storage space. Guests have to be very creative with how they store luggage, clothing and miscellaneous personal items. The studio can get very cluttered quickly especially when there are 4 or 5 people sharing that space.

Most studios and 1br villas are lockoffs. That means that they have an inner door that connects them to another unit. A 1br connects to a studio and visa versa. There are no connecting studios. I mention this because those inner doors are nor very soundproof. If you happen to have a studio with noisy neighbors you will likely have your sleep disrupted. No a great way to spend a 2 week vacation.

The 1br villas have a w/d and a full kitchen with a full size refrigerator freezer and dishwasher. The studios fo not have a w/d and you would have to use the communal laundry to wash clothes. The studios have a kitchenette which does not have a range or even a hot plate. There may be a dorm size refrigerator with or without a freezer section or you might have a beverage cooler.

An odd thing about BWV is that there is only one bank of elevators and some very long hallways. During busy times there can be quite a wait especially if you have a stroller or ECV. Also, the lobby is actually on the second level (as is the bus stop) but if you want to walk/boat somewhere you need the ground level.

As of right now the quick service options along the Boardwalk are very limited. Not much is available inside. There is a lounge with limited hours and a coffee shop. Otherwise you need to go outside to get food. Having said that it is still better than the options at the Fort where most guests there are camping and bring a lot of their own food.

Transportation at the BWV is fairly good. Buses to AK and MK. Boats or walking to both HS and Epcot. You can also walk or boat to Epcot and take the Skyliner to HS without having to enter Epcot itself.

An added note about booking. 3 studios in the fall would be a very hard accomplishment. Especially if you want the cheap standard view. My personal preference would be a 2br villa and 1 studio. The 2br villas are all lockoffs so those family members can move freely between the two rooms. Standard view is still a hard to get reservation most times of the year but a garden/pool view should be easiest. And just like the cabins the owner(s) would need to contact member services to put in a request for the rooms to be near one another (no guarantees).

Thanks so much for such great detailed descriptions of each resort (good and bad), that’s exactly the kind of info I was hoping for. I think BWV is the way to go and thank you for the tip about saving for a garden/pool view. I was intending on standard but if I can budget for a garden/pool then I’ll have more options for sure.

 

[Disney2027]

@Willow Ufgood has given you a very good introduction to BWV. As he mentioned, standard view is difficult to get, and I agree that you should budget for Pool/Garden view, sometimes known as Preferred view (but does not include Boardwalk view!). You didn’t say when in the fall you plan to go, but you need to know that it’s an extremely popular time of year for DVC owners known as Fall Frenzy, and competition for BWV can be difficult. All the 2BR villas are lockoffs, meaning composed of a studio and a 1BR, and as a result when the studios book up, no more 2BR are available. But if you have your BWV owner lined up to book when the 11 month window opens, you should be able to get P/G view, especially if you’re wanting two 1BR - they’re easier to book than studios or 2BR at BWV.

Let me add that our first family visit to WDW was in a FW cabin. The cabin itself was comfortable, but we quickly got tired of riding the internal bus from our cabin to where we transferred to transportation to whatever park, so after the first day or two we used our rental car.

Hoping to go 3rd week of Sept. Ideally Sun Sept 12 to Sat Sept 25, hoping to take advantage of slightly smaller crowds and cheaper prices. Thanks for the tip on 1 bedrooms likely being easier to book!