First Timer

[cwgamer]

Hi all! Been enjoying lurking the site for the past week or so, and decided to join up. We decided to get back into camping, and just picked up my 'new-to-me' pop-up yesterday. Decided for our first trip out we may as well try the best (from what I hear) and visit FW. Was able to book two nights starting July 4th this morning.....a few days ago it showed being booked up...so we are quite pleased to be able to get reserved. Looking forward to some of the best fireworks (again...from what I hear) you can see.

I grew up on the east central Florida coast, so visited Disney many, many times, but haven't been there in 12 years or so and never camped.

I'll probably be picking your brains a little about any info you may have....I've already learned a ton just in lurker-land. Not ashamed to admit it....I'm getting a little excited to be visiting Disney again!

 

[njcamper95]

First welcome to dis boards if you have any ? by almeans ask away i'm sure someone can answer and yes the fireworks are the best and so is the campground nothing comes close to the fort

 

[2goofycampers]

you will have some fun and learn alot here. Some of it might even be usefull.

 

[bama_ed]

oops, fat fingered and double posted. see below.

Bama ED

 

[bama_ed]

Congrats fellow pop-up owner! Welcome to the club

Tell me a little about your pop-up. Does it have a/c? What's your tow vehicle? You don't have far to go pulling to the Fort. Have you ever camped in a pup before? If not, you might want to hook it up and practice backing/spotting it before you leave town. Also set it up in the driveway to make sure you know what to do.

While you're there you ought to get some "tacky lights" to hang on your awning. I bought a string of indoor/outdoor lights at the Christmas Store in the Magic Kingdom that have globes every foot or so of Mickey's head/ears in a single color; just the silhouette shape (about 10 of them) each in a different color. I also got a string at Lowes during Christmas season with Mickey and Minnie globes. Attached it via spring-action clothes pins. Or you can try the Christmas store at Downtown Disney. I snake an extension cord up one of the poles and tuck the plug up under the corner of the awning. I have tacky lights for most occasions. I have a string of palm trees for when we go to the beach; a string with the Alabama Crimson Tide logo for camping at football game weekends; an American flag string for holiday weekends; and a red kerosene lantern string for general camping. Also, I hang a string of the big C7 clear lights for general outdoor lighting since the Fort doesn't let me/us bring tiki torches.

Did you ask for a particular loop or what level of site did you get? Was it a Partial Hookup (loop 1500 or 2000) which is cheaper and good for pups (but no sewer hookup)? You might want to call Disney reservations and add a request to get in loop 1500 to your ressie. It is closer than 2000 to the core part of the Fort (trading post, pool, bike barn, campfire). If you got something other than a partial then it's whatever you get unless you make a request. A request is just that and not a guarentee but my experience has been that if you request a loop or a position (near a comfort station, for example) the Fort site planner is usually accomodating. I've always gotten the loop I've asked for or an adjacent one.

I like hearing about other popup camper experiences at the Fort so give us an update after you get back here on the Camping Board and let us know how it went.

Good luck!
Bama ED

 

[cwgamer]

Congrats fellow pop-up owner! Welcome to the club

Tell me a little about your pop-up. Does it have a/c? What's your tow vehicle? You don't have far to go pulling to the Fort.


Good luck!
Bama ED

Hi Ed and everyone else...thanks for the kind welcome!


My pop-up is a Coleman/Fleetwood Pioneer-Arcadia. It's older, a '92, but it's in great condition. The fella I bought it from kept it in the garage most of it's life....it seriously looks more like an '02 than a '92. YES it does have roof top AC...that's a must here in Florida. It's a decent size but not a monster. Box is 11' or so, and it's about 21' fully open. I actually picked it up yesterday close to Sanford (not far from Mickey-land) an towed it back....barely felt it behind my '05 Z-71 Chevy Avalanche. The camper has a a small shower, but not a cassette toilet.....port-a-pottie only, but we'll only use either for extreme ocassion anyway. It's got freshwater tank, etc. and I bought a 15 Gallon store-n-tote for catching grey water. Amazing how much I've learned from sites like this, Popupportal.com, etc. Ahhh the wonders of the internet!

As for my site at FW, to be honest I'm not even sure yet. I talked with the girl on the phone and she gave me a confirm. #, but has yet to email me all the pertinent info. I did ask if they had any preferred, but she said they didn't. I figured I'll take what I get for now, being this is my first time and it is July 4th weekend, and then I'll check out the place and log mental info for future reference. Once I get the site info, I'll check back in and see if anyone is familiar with it.

Thanks again for the welcome aboard everyone!

 

[stacktester]

Welcome to the board. There will be several Jacksonvillians there during the 4of July. We're actually having a grand gathering and cookout the 5th I believe so try to make it to the 900 loop.

 

[cwgamer]

Cool! Glad to see a fellow Jacksonvillian! What part of town you in? I'm in Mandarin.

Just received my confirmation email, but there is no exact site, loop, etc. listed. Just called to find out what's up, and they said sites are not assigned until check-in. Anyone know if this is standard operating procedure?

 

[stacktester]

Cool! Glad to see a fellow Jacksonvillian! What part of town you in? I'm in Mandarin.

Just received my confirmation email, but there is no exact site, loop, etc. listed. Just called to find out what's up, and they said sites are not assigned until check-in. Anyone know if this is standard operating procedure?

Butler/Hodges area. You can request a loop but not a site. It's no guarantee for a loop. If you want to be apart of the grand gathering in the 900 loop with all us other nuts on here and be subjected to beer drinking, kungaloosh (kinda the forts marquee drink) golf cart driving while drinking and just plain ol fun you can call and give them your ressie number and they will add you. AuburnJen has the details. You can read just about any thread on here and you'll see her. She's a bit chatty and has made a part time career on the Dis. I'm looking for a tiara for her for the 4th of July party as I have nominated her the 4th of July GG Queen.

 

[bama_ed]

For future reference, when you make a ressie there is no loop or site assigned at that time. What seems to happen is a few days before arrival your ressie is sent to the FW planner who matches people arriving in sites with the planned departures or current vacancies. At that time if you have added a comment to your ressie they try to accomodate that. You can add the loop request when making the ressie over the phone (what I do) or call back and have it added later.

If you want to be part of the Grand Gathering, one of the benefits is they try to put people in groups as near each other as possible. So if you want to hang out near these "sophisticates" from this board, call the GG phone number and add the GG number (a slightly different process than requesting a loop).

I keep my popup in the garage too and so that is a good thing for you, it's probably in great shape. Sounds like your truck should be able to handle the towing no problem.

Good luck!

Bama ED

PS-don't get too chummy with Stacktester! He is trouble from the word "GO"

 

[CCIntrigue]

Congratulations on your purchase! Wish you many miles of happy travels!

 

[Goingtoseethemouse]

Your gonna love your camper and the "Fort!" Welcome and enjoy every minute!