First camping trip to disney!

[teal]

Hi,

I'm new to the forms and realized that maybe this should be here instead of the main fourm??

Thanks!


Hi!

Someone just directed me to this site and it looks great!

Here's the brief info on our trip:

My friend and I are planning to take our kids to Disney World together.

Both of us have returned to univerity after seperations so funding it tight, but our boys are getting older and we don't want to wait a few years to take them.

It will be my son (10) and I.
And her, her son (8) and her daughter (4).



We were thinking if we drove down and camped it would make for a much cheaper trip.

Campsite for 5 days $250 (just tenting)
Gas $700 (We are coming from Canada)

So about $500 for me since we are spliting it down the middle.

So :
Gas and camping - $500
Park pass for 5 days for 2 - $500
Plus food and misc for 2 - $500


Any and all opinions and advice welcome!!

We don't have a date set yet and are very open to different options!

I should also note that I have been to disney twice when I was younger, but no on else going on the trip has been there before. One of the times I was there we camped, I was 10 at the time.

Thanks!!!

 

[clkelley]

Welcome!!

It sounds like a great plan!! Early in the year (before about Feb 15th) and later in the year (mid September - mid December) are the least expensive times at Disney.

If you don't have a membership, join AAA. That is about the best discount for the campsites at the Fort.

Also, contact rhonda@dreamsunlimitedtravel.com She is our expert travel agent and knows a LOT about Ft. Wilderness. She is also an avid member of this board.

Figure out the dates that are best for your group and book early!!

If you have any more specific questions, ask away!!

(FYI, specific planning and Fort Wildernes camping questions really need to be on the Camping forum, not the Camping Community forum.) This side is for general silliness, socializing, and general camping outside of Ft. Wilderness.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

This side is for general silliness, socializing, and general camping outside of Ft. Wilderness.

I am always dead serious and antisocial.

 

[teal]

Welcome!!

It sounds like a great plan!! Early in the year (before about Feb 15th) and later in the year (mid September - mid December) are the least expensive times at Disney.

If you don't have a membership, join AAA. That is about the best discount for the campsites at the Fort.

Also, contact rhonda@dreamsunlimitedtravel.com She is our expert travel agent and knows a LOT about Ft. Wilderness. She is also an avid member of this board.

Figure out the dates that are best for your group and book early!!

If you have any more specific questions, ask away!!

(FYI, specific planning and Fort Wildernes camping questions really need to be on the Camping forum, not the Camping Community forum.) This side is for general silliness, socializing, and general camping outside of Ft. Wilderness.

Oops! Sorry about that.

Thanks for the information!

How far in advance should we be looking to book a tenting site?
What kind of discount does the AAA offer?

Thanks for any info!!

 

[clkelley]

Oops! Sorry about that.

Thanks for the information!

How far in advance should we be looking to book a tenting site?
What kind of discount does the AAA offer?

Thanks for any info!!

AAA offers anywhere from 10 - 20% depending on what time of year.

You can book as early as 500 days from your departure date. I would say no later than 6 months from your planned dates, especially if it is a busy time of year. You only have to put down a 1-night deposit and can cancel as late as 6 days from your arrival date.

If you are wanting a tent site, make sure you ask for a "partial hookup"

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Being Canadian, wouldn't you have to join CAA? I don't believe AAA discounts are available to CAA members, either.

 

[clkelley]

Being Canadian, wouldn't you have to join CAA? I don't believe AAA discounts are available to CAA members, either.

Good catch Jim, didn't realize they were from Canada.

Not sure about CAA??

 

[disney4dan]

Also remember that the cost of the site each day can vary now; where as it used to be set by the price of the site on the first day of your reservation. Now, if it switches from "value" season to "holiday" season during your stay, the price will go up (or down).

Good for you, being able to manage so much and take this on while going back to school. I wish you luck and many happy trips to the Fort. Here's hoping the college degree lands you a job where you can return to the Fort in a custom Class A RV with a customized golf cart and annual passes!

Dan

 

[teal]

Thanks for all the wonderful replies!

I've noticed there are a lot of good deals being talked about around here, with dinning plans and pin codes and what not, when staying at the camp ground are you able to use any of those kind of deals??

Thanks!


Oh and when I was on the disney site to put in our information for the date we wanted, it wouldn't let we add park tickets after I had put in the partial hook up camp site.... Any ideas what I might be doing wrong? Or can I just not buy tehm at the same time??

Thanks again!!!

 

[clkelley]

Thanks for all the wonderful replies!

I've noticed there are a lot of good deals being talked about around here, with dinning plans and pin codes and what not, when staying at the camp ground are you able to use any of those kind of deals??

Thanks!


Oh and when I was on the disney site to put in our information for the date we wanted, it wouldn't let we add park tickets after I had put in the partial hook up camp site.... Any ideas what I might be doing wrong? Or can I just not buy tehm at the same time??

Thanks again!!!

The campground is not eligible for most of those offers.

There is a way to add park tickets to your reservation, but honestly, the least expensive way to purchase park tickets is to do the following:

First go to Mousesavers.com

Sign up for their monthly newsletter.

The newsletter will come by email on the 15th of each month.

In that newsletter there will be a special link to UndercoverTourist.com

In that special link, there are the best prices on real, official, Disney tickets.

(Undercover Tourist asks that we don't share the link, but just encourage folks to register for the newsletter.)

 

[teal]

The campground is not eligible for most of those offers.

There is a way to add park tickets to your reservation, but honestly, the least expensive way to purchase park tickets is to do the following:

First go to Mousesavers.com

Sign up for their monthly newsletter.

The newsletter will come by email on the 15th of each month.

In that newsletter there will be a special link to UndercoverTourist.com

In that special link, there are the best prices on real, official, Disney tickets.

(Undercover Tourist asks that we don't share the link, but just encourage folks to register for the newsletter.)

Thanks!

I just signed up.

 

[Judy in Texas]

To save a bit more $$, you might consider 4-day passes instead of 5. I don't like to waste an entire day's ticket on just a partial day at a park and there is a good bit to do at The Fort, itself. I didn't budget enought time there on this year's trip.

We get to Disney whether we stay at a resort or the campground early afternoon. After we get settled, we go to Downtown Disney. The Earl of Sandwich is a good relatively inexpensive place to have supper and there's a McDonald's, also. You can be back to The Fort for the Chip and Dale campfire & movie or the fireworks/boat parade at the beach. Then you can get up bright and early the next morning and hit the ground running.

 

[chargincharlie]

Go with AAA diamond that will not only give you dicounts on your camping but also discounts at resturants and stores also and if you have a disney visa card and you spend 50$ at a store you get 10% discount...