First time in a pop-up

[camping pancakes]

First time to the fort, going over spring break. How long are the lines for showers? Do we really need a golf cart? Going with a teenager and seven year old, in a pop-up. First time in a pop-up, normally stay in a time share, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[5stljayhawks]

First time to the fort, going over spring break. How long are the lines for showers? Do we really need a golf cart? Going with a teenager and seven year old, in a pop-up. First time in a pop-up, normally stay in a time share, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Cakes,

Welcome to the site, there is a lot of great info you can search and read. Showers lines, normally not the earlier you are. Is this your first time camping ever? or just to FW?

Golf Cart, cool to have but costly, maybe a day or two if you have off days scheuleded.

 

[kent285]

I usually shower during my break in the mid-afternoon because, yes, there sometimes can be a line in the morning. You don't "need" a golf cart-there are internal busses that get you to just about anywhere you need to go. We have never gotten one, but they look like a lot of fun. Have a great trip-we used to have a pop-up...still my favorite way to camp!

 

[stacktester]

I would suggest bringing some of those mesh shower bags for your shampoo and liquid soap. you can also store you're toothpaste and other essentials in there. I usually hang the bag outdoors until it dries out. I also suggest the plastic tubes for your toothbrush as well as some cheapy flip flops to wear in the showers. Even though the comfort stations are clean I'm picky about sitting things in the shower and on the sink basin.

I would also suggest bikes if you don't get a cart. If you get assigned to the 2000 loop it's a long way from the pool and stores to walk or be hassled by a bus ride. I'm assuming you asked for a partial hookup.

 

[Lyndria]

First time to the fort, going over spring break. How long are the lines for showers? Do we really need a golf cart? Going with a teenager and seven year old, in a pop-up. First time in a pop-up, normally stay in a time share, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You will have a great time! We camped in a pop-up during the 2nd week of Oct. '09. I NEVER waited for a shower or toilet stall. I showered in the morning, before 9 a.m. We also requested a site near a bathhouse. We ended up being right next to one, which was good for me and our two small children. I was worried about the loudness of the bathhouse area, but it was fine. Also, the showers/toilets are extremely clean and nice!

I would recommend a golf cart for days that you will be hanging at the Fort most of the day. We spent a couple of days at the Fort: swimming, riding the ponies, going to the scheduled craft activities, etc. and the cart made it much easier on those days. On the days that we went into the parks, we didn't need it.

We did a lot of eating in our camper: all breakfasts and most suppers. We were generally back from the parks before supper time. We grilled at the campsite in the evening. We tried to pack our lunches on park days. This saved us some money!

We have stayed on property before, but this was our 1st time camping at the Fort. Our plan is to camp from now on. There is so much to do there.

Have a great time!

 

[bama_ed]

Pancakes,

What type of site did you reserve? Whas it a Partial Hook-up? If so that means you'll be placed in either loop 1500 or 2000. I've camped in both and my unscientific opinion was that loop 2000 (which is further away from the core area in the middle of the Fort where the pool, Trading Post, and campfire area is) had a shower line in the morning (it has two bathhouses but it's a big loop with lots of sites and people nearly all tent campers or pop-up people). The 1500 loop has a bathhouse shared with loop 1600 (which is a full hook-up) site and 1600 has more RV'ers who might use their own shower rather than the bathhouse since they have the sewer connection. Plus 1500 is a smaller loop with about 22 or so sites and NO shower line. Do what I did and call the Disney ressie line and ask them to place a comment on your reservation requesting the 1500 loop (I did and we got the 1500 loop at Thankgiving 2009). It's closer to the core area, quiet, and more shaded overall than 2000. But that's just my personal preference. It's just a request and not guarenteed but the campsite assigners try to honor those types of requests if possible.

Golf carts are a convenience and not a necessity at the Fort. If you have bikes I would suggest bringing those instead. If you're in the 1500 loop you're close to the core area (walking distance) and would need a bus to go down to the Pioneer Hall/marina area to catch the boat to the MK but the buses ran on time just fine when we were there last. I got a golf cart for the first time on this last trip and while it was nice to have I won't get it next time around. Foot power was just fine for me.

Also for your kids, every day at the core area of the Fort the lifeguards will run some activities that the kids can take part in and it's fun. When we were there we saw them set up a flag football game (sides evenly matched with little kids to grown ups on each side), a hula hoop contest another day, bingo sometimes, and other activities. You'll get an activity sheet when you check in and it's also posted outside the aforementioned bathhouses. It'll be a good way for the kids to mix it up with other kids there. Plus at the campfire/singalong/movies you can bring marshmellows to roast (you can even buy a stick or bring your own) and we've even taken hot dogs/buns/condiments and roasted those too.

Relax and enjoy your time at the Fort. Leave a day or two just to hang out around there.

Bama ED

 

[ftwildernessguy]

How long are the lines for showers? Do we really need a golf cart?

In the 20 some years I have gone to the fort, I have never needed a golf cart in the shower line.

 

[jaydhelms]

You will have Zero trouble showering if you do it before 7am or after 9pm.
As you probably know, the golf cart are expensive! We decided to get one for one day and learn from the experience. We decided that it was worth it for one day. It was great fun. We made sure to get a site in the 1500-1700 loops so as to be within a reasonable walking distance of the pool.
Make sure that you use the have a plan to use the cart a lot, if you get it, to get your money's worth. You don't want to pay for something that just sits at your site waiting to be used.
The days we didn't have a cart, we spent time enjoying the atmosphere and meals at other WDW resorts... including Dole Whips & Wishes from the beach at the Poly as well as Boma & animal sightseeing at AKL, riding the monorail resort loop and getting dessert, going to PO-R for YeHaa Bob's singalong. Otherwise, staying at the resort all day without a golf cart can make getting around more difficult. It really, really is spread out.

 

[clkelley]

I take my shower at night and have never waited for a shower stall. I've been going to the Fort since 2001.

 

[TOGA]

We {2 adults, 2 kids ages 6 & 2} had the pleasure of staying at Fort Wilderness in our pop-up and loved every minute of it. We landed in the 1500 loop as I recall and never 'needed' a golf cart and never waited for a shower or stall.

Have fun!