First Time Campers at WDW Help!

[BB&J]

We are finally ready to take our 37 ft travel trailer on a long trip from Texas. I want to come to WDW Fort Wilderness while I am off the two weeks after Christmas. We will be bringing 3 small dogs. What advice do you have about which loop is best? What do I need to know? Will it be crazy at that time of year? Is it too late to get good or any reservations? ETC. Please any advice is appreciated. I'm sure I will have extensive questions.

 

[Teamubr]

Congrats on the trip and

to the DIS boards.

You are going to LOVE the Fort. If you haven't yet, scroll through some of the old topics here on the Camping Forum. Tons of great info.

As far as "best" loops, everyone has their own favorites. That's the neat thing about the Fort. It has enough variety to satisfy everyone. My favorite loops are the Preferred loops. (Loops 100, 200, 300). They are close to the Settlement, the boat dock with boats to Magic Kingdom, Wilderness Lodge and the Contemporary. It is an easy walk to the Settlement bus stop and the Trading Post, Crockett's Tavern, Trails End restaurant and the Hoop-Dee-Do Revue. Your 37 ft TT should be able to make it into a Preferred site. They are narrower and not quite as big as a Premium site. Unfortunately, I'm probably sized out of my loved Preferred sites with my new 5er. It is a little over 42 ft. Premium sites are spread throughout the Fort. They are well paved, much wider than the other types and generally accommodate the "big rigs", although nothing stopping a popup from hanging out with the big dogs if they want.

As for being busy, the weeks around Christmas are some of the busiest of the year. If you literally mean the 2 weeks following Christmas and you don't have reservations for this December, you may need to push back a week or 2 into January. By the week after New Years, the Fort (and WDW) settle down some and reservations are easier to get. If you don't have reservations yet, get on the web site or give them a call.

Let us know what else you want to hear about. This place is full of great people with lots of opinions... I mean, knowledge.

j

 

[FtW Mike]

Welcome to the boards We too have 3 dogs and for us the 1800 loop works well. It is a full hook up loop with easy access to the canal area that they designate for dog walking. The dog park by the 300 loop is a bit too far for our older one but should be great for tiring out two little ones

 

[mickeymom22]

We have stayed twice at the Fort with doggies. Both times we were put on loops that aren't considered pet loops. I am not sure why they gave us those spots, but they did. Once we were on the 1000 loop and another time we were on the 1100 loop. We liked both of them because they are close to the main pool, Meadow Trading Post, and campfire. There is also a bus stop close by.

Do you have a golf cart? Or planning on renting one? The campground is so spread out, that having one makes it so nice to get to everything. The buses will take you, but I feel like that would get old if you were there for an extended time.

 

[tiggerdad]

Disney will utilize typical non-pet loops as pet loop sites if they have already filled the usual pet friendly loops at the time of your arrival.

 

[bama_ed]

We are finally ready to take our 37 ft travel trailer on a long trip from Texas. I want to come to WDW Fort Wilderness while I am off the two weeks after Christmas. We will be bringing 3 small dogs. What advice do you have about which loop is best? What do I need to know? Will it be crazy at that time of year? Is it too late to get good or any reservations? ETC. Please any advice is appreciated. I'm sure I will have extensive questions.

Well, first howdy BB&J.

Be aware that the weekend of January 7, 2017 is The Disney Marathon weekend and the Fort is booked full. The weekend after that is the 3-day MLK weekend and the Fort is booked full. Christmas-to-New Years books up to a year in advance. Have you checked the availability on Disney's reservation tool?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/#/campground

Weekdays between those two weekends are available.

Other than those two weekends January is a pretty slow time both at the Fort and in the parks. It's also the month with the most difference in the weather. Some days very warm, others very cold.

So you might want to nail down if you can get a trip planned for available days and then follow up. Requests about "Best loops" are answered with "It depends". What's important to you? Close to transportation? A remote and quiet corner of the Fort? Near the pool? The convenience of a Comfort Station nearby? As others pointed out, you would need a pet loop.

Check on your dates and let us know.

Bama Ed

 

[BB&J]

We have decided to wait until June to go to WDW. We are planning to stay at FW 7-13th so that the trip from Texas is shorter than the stay. I requested Loop 900 based on videos I've seen but I'm sure others are roomy for our long RV with pets. I'm so excited and it is months away. We got the 4 day hopper tickets and I would like to visit Universal Studios one day. How does this sound for a first time visit? I may have to bring my mother who will have to be in a wheel chair in the park. We will have to leave her in the RV for short periods alone. I'm concerned about that. I wish they had elder care as well as child and doggie care. It's a way off so things can change. I always think ahead. I don't know if we should get Fastpass or make dining reservations though. Thank you all for your help and expert advice. Please keep it coming

 

[2goofycampers]

Sounds very ambitious for a first time visit in the warm weather and pushing a wheel chair. I'd focus on WDW only this time.

 

[amcc]

We have decided to wait until June to go to WDW. We are planning to stay at FW 7-13th so that the trip from Texas is shorter than the stay. I requested Loop 900 based on videos I've seen but I'm sure others are roomy for our long RV with pets. I'm so excited and it is months away. We got the 4 day hopper tickets and I would like to visit Universal Studios one day. How does this sound for a first time visit? I may have to bring my mother who will have to be in a wheel chair in the park. We will have to leave her in the RV for short periods alone. I'm concerned about that. I wish they had elder care as well as child and doggie care. It's a way off so things can change. I always think ahead. I don't know if we should get Fastpass or make dining reservations though. Thank you all for your help and expert advice. Please keep it coming

There is no down side to making Fast pass reservations when they become available so go ahead and make them and change them if required. Same for dining.

 

[PaHunter]

Sounds ambitious for a first trip. Just remember that even on property, it is not a simple thing to go from the park to the campground and back, etc. A round trip can take a couple hours to complete. Just a thought, if you think you would leave the park to go check on Mom, check pets, lunch, etc....

 

[peg110]

To the Disboards and to the Fort.

As you probably have seen, you will get lots of input and opinions.

First let me say that I am glad to see that you booked "Premium". We made our first trip in August with our new 37' TT. As luck had it we arrived a day earlier then planned. They did have a "Preferred" spot available for us. While our TT COULD fit in the spot assigned, the problem is that the combination of the 37' TT and my F-250 Crew Cab, made negotiating turns and angles difficult at best. At least in the premium spots you (tend to) get more room to maneuver. Either way, if you have issues with the site you are assigned, you can always go back to the check in and request a new site.

As for your plans in June, 4 day Hopper and Universal for a day. I have to agree with others that it's ambitious for a first timer. If you can do it.... great. We (personally) have not found a lot of value in the Hopper passes and have never gotten them. There is just too much to do (for most people) in each park, that when you couple "Travel Time" and temperaments of your group/family, Hopping to another park just doesn't seem worth it. You and your crew maybe a bit more aggressive in getting around the parks, so really only you can decide the value of it.

I will also say that you should NOT try and see and do everything in the parks. Take your time... enjoy it.... and plan to come back on another trip. We have been there several times and we still find things we haven't done or seen. Trying to rush your way around to all the attractions are just going to frustrate you and crew.

Read through some of the trip reports of others and the threads... Check the "Crowd Calendars" too. Many make suggestions, based on the crowds, on how to maximize seeing the attractions.

I am sure you will love the Fort. So enjoy it and keep us posted as well. Also note.... we LOVE LOVE LOVE pictures too.