Fort BigRiggerness or Fort Snowbirderness? New addition to the Fort...

[CottontailCurl]

It has come to our attention that changes must be made to the current "filled to the seams" conditions at Fort Wilderness. My associates in the CottontailCurl Division of Disney Imagineering have come up with what we feel is a suitable solution that should please many. Please consider the following suggestions, make additions and/or changes you think would make improvements.

Problems noted as per comments on the Fort Wilderness Forum of Disboards:

1. Larger rigs are not able to fit easily into many sites throughout Fort Wilderness. Problems range from 5th wheels that are the right size for their sites but can't be positioned on the site easily because of odd angles, trees in the way etc, to rigs with slide-outs that don't fit comfortably due to trees or closeness of neighboring RVs.

2. Some feel that campers who like to stay at Fort Wilderness throughout the winter season should have an experience that is resort-like, that doesn't compromise on Disney Magic, but still will allow for vacationing families a chance to reserve campsites that are close to the Marina or even to get a reservation at all in these 'hard to get a site, any site at all' times at Fort Wilderness.

We propose that the area just to the west of the 700 loop be imagicleared to allow for a new loop to be called the 000 loop. It will be in a position that is close to the marina, and able to afford it's campers all the amenities used by those in the 100-700 loops. A fly-over on Google Earth shows an area with many trees that, if carefully cleared, can produce well-shaded sites on non-traditionally shaped concrete RV pads. Your usual RV pad at Fort Wilderness has a long lean rectangular shape that is only convenient for rigs made of rubber band material. A more trapezoidal shaped RV pad with the narrow end toward the back of the site will allow for easier maneuvering while backing in and more trees for shade at the far end.

The addition of this loop will make room for more campers who want full hook-up sites (possibly preferred) and allow for one to two more loops to be designated as partial hook-ups for tent and pop-up campers.

Example of proposed loop and sites:

Google Earth picture of proposed loop (note; new loop is near cart parking lot across from marina bus stop)

Unless that section of Fort Wilderness is home to an ancient Seminole Burial Ground or home to the rare Rainbow Striped Flamingo, there should be no reason why the Disney Company could not make these additions. One Man and His Mouse molded swampland into Magic before, it can be done again.

Respectfully submitted,
CottontailCurl and Co.

 

[John VN]

I think the WILDERNESS is disappearing from FW. I say leave it alone and build a new RV RESORT somewhere else entirely to cater to those who want that sort of thing.

 

[CCIntrigue]

Good idea, but I think you'd have to add at least ten loops!

 

[becky1960]

Sorry, that area is a Green area already occupied by wildlife (no peacocks). There is a nice area across the street from FW that would make a nice RV park.

 

[wdwbound]

Bravo for at least taking the time to review what is an ongoing problem and at least coming up with "some" kind of solution, which it seems that the "real" Disney Imagineers are not even trying to.
I do have to agree that the area directly across from the entrance of FW is a large enough area to work with to put in an RV friendly Resort designed for the larger rigs. More than likely a whole new resort that would have a better pool area, hot tub and maybe a 55 or older lifestyle preferred?

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I love your proposal, if I was king of FW I would make it so !
There are some VERY valid points in it and I wouldnt be too surprised to eventually see some form of this actually take shape.
With the oncoming retirement of all the baby boomers (I am at the tail end of it) the RV industry has flourished (except for that pesky $3 gallon fuel)
I know many of my friends who RV, talk of getting a bigger unit as they get closer to retirement. Our plan is to move up to a bigger trailer in the next couple of years.

Thanks for sharing that with us

Scott

 

[Colson39]

Great idea, and great place for an additional loop. I do agree there has to be an expansion, however, the problem I don't think will be solved with the addition of just a couple loops. There are SO many people trying to get into the Fort, that these additional loops would quickly fill up as well.

Of course, any change would help alleviate the pressure, so anything is better than nothing. I've also looked at the aerial maps, and I agree that is a good location for expansion. You can expand without getting rid of the wilderness feel, let's not forget that no one sees those areas anyways, it's not as if the proposed area was smack in the middle of the Fort.

I don't see any problem with expanding the Fort on it's edges, you're not degrading from the experience at all, and let's not forget ALL of the Fort was wild at some point. The other thing is, you can't exactly put another campground across the street because why would people stay there? You no longer would have boat access to all the resorts, you would have to drive/take buses to get to any of the Forts features.

Of course, you could make it a less expensive alternative without all the transportation options, that might not be a bad idea. I still think there is plenty of room to expand on the edges however without infringing on anything.

 

[Gatordad]

they are already doing that. They want to make a loop for bigger, wider rigs. The guy at the front desk told me they had a rig/trailer almost 90 feet long on Labor Day. It's coming. Also, they are adding a hot tub to the pool. River Country is never coming back. The reason it sits there like a rubbish heap is because the cost of cleanup is $4mm and although plenty of organizations within the Disney company want that land, they don't want ot pay the $$$ to clean it up.

 

[jason_rving]

As nice as the cabins seem to be I'd just vote to take them all out and make those campsites. The cabins were built before the Wilderness Lodge...which could be argued is an overlapping concept anyway. Imagine how many campsites could be put into the cabin loops!

Of course no one mentions that the pools would be filled to the brim as well as Trail's End, and all other facilities. Amenities would have to be added in these areas as well. Hook up those "trailer cabins" and roll em out!

 

[Gatordad]

amen to that brother.

 

[CottontailCurl]

I think the WILDERNESS is disappearing from FW. I say leave it alone and build a new RV RESORT somewhere else entirely to cater to those who want that sort of thing.

I agree, that's why I'm thinking if anything is done anywhere on Disney property it should be done by someone who is going to do the 'careful clearing' to make sure every effort is taken to preserve as much original nature as possible. I've been to a Celebration-like planned community where they left many many of the trees that were there before they started building. It takes more time and money, and definitely thought and planning, but in the end I think it's worth it.

 

[Colson39]

I seriously doubt you'll see the cabins going anywhere, that's quite the money maker for the Fort. And some people like to have that camping feeling without having to buy an RV or stay in a tent.

Although I do agree that sometimes there appears to be too many cabins, since I don't think their occupancy rate matches the camping sites on the whole. Don't worry, Disney knows that they are popping at the seams, they'll expand

 

[CottontailCurl]

I forgot to add that apparently you can post your own pictures on Google Earth now and someone added a picture of the fireplace at Wilderness Lodge to Crockett's Tavern. I can't figure out how to add a link to that here, but the coordinates are; 28 24 36.08 N 81 33 39.72 W (in the google picture added to my post, it's one of the pictures of the camera at the top left).

Gatordad; Did he say where they put a 90' rig? They'd have to stay parked in the road of the loop or over in the group camping area (or was that like a fishing story - my parents A is 34' and it's a monster by itself).

 

[Colson39]

The only place I could imagine they would put a 90' rig is in the group camping area, I doubt they would just put them on the side of the road somewhere.

Also, something tells me they will put a limit on the size of campers if they start getting more and more super long campers, at some point they just have to say that there is a limit.

 

[Gatordad]

There was a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEE trailer parked in the overflow lot. It looked like something you'd see in Nascar. The guy at the desk told me it held a dragster and some other toys.....

 

[LarryJ]

If Disney really wanted to expand FW, when you look at the FW area from the map at http://www.wdwmaps.net/ there is plenty of room to expand the CG along Frontier Way to the east and a simple bridge over the canal thru the area mentioned in the OP area there is a lot of room to the west between FW and the adjoining GCs. Once you get to the map you can recenter and zoom in on the FW area.

Larry

 

[Colson39]

The only problem with going east is let's not forget that is where the new resort is going (already underway I believe) so there probably won't be much room for expansion to the east. Plus Disney probably wants to keep some space between themselves and the new resort.

 

[kimluvswdw]

Sorry, that area is a Green area already occupied by wildlife (no peacocks). There is a nice area across the street from FW that would make a nice RV park.

I like this idea. Why can't they put in an rv park across from the fort that has cement pads and all the plug ins just for the snowbirds or people who want to stay for longer periods of time? Some of the snowbirds I have talked to don't run to the parks, campfire sing along, or the pools daily like people who are vacationing. Maybe they could discounted rates on those sites, depending on length of stay.

STOP taking the trees down in the Fort. It is starting to look too cleared out. It was once covered in beautiful trees and most sites were shaded. It is too hot for those who come in the hotter months to have their rig set up in the blazing sun all day. Because of all the trees that have been taken down, you can now see everything your neighbor does. On our last visit we got to watch our neighbor stick his finger down his throat and try to vomit for an entire week (I still have no idea why he was doing this). Talk about gross. Who wants to see that? Leave the trees.

Ok, I am done. Thanks for reading.

 

[Colson39]

Actually, Disney isn't taking the trees down. For the most part, they only clear out the underbrush. And they have to do that because of the risk of fire.

The 3 hurricanes a few years ago took down most of the trees at the Fort, had nothing to do with Disney. In fact, as much as I've seen Disney clearing underbrush, I've never once seen (or heard of) Disney actually cutting a tree down. I'm sure it happens from time to time, but it's not something Disney regularly does.

It doesn't benefit Disney at all to take the trees down, so they wouldn't spend any money doing it. Before the hurricanes, there were a lot more trees, since the hurricanes they have been almost cut in half it seems. Can't really blame Disney for that though :/

 

[LarryJ]

Actually, Disney isn't taking the trees down. For the most part, they only clear out the underbrush. And they have to do that because of the risk of fire.

The 3 hurricanes a few years ago took down most of the trees at the Fort, had nothing to do with Disney. In fact, as much as I've seen Disney clearing underbrush, I've never once seen (or heard of) Disney actually cutting a tree down. I'm sure it happens from time to time, but it's not something Disney regularly does.

It doesn't benefit Disney at all to take the trees down, so they wouldn't spend any money doing it. Before the hurricanes, there were a lot more trees, since the hurricanes they have been almost cut in half it seems. Can't really blame Disney for that though :/

I don't know how true it is, but when we were there in 2005/06 they cut down two trees right next to our campsite (1600 loop) and I ask one of the workers why since the trees did seem to need to be taken down. What I was told that while the hurricanes actually knocked down a lot of trees they were finding that because of the height of the pine trees and the wind they were see a lot of trees becoming unstable from root damage due to the swaying or were doomed to die shortly because of root damage and they were having to cut them down even if they weren't actually completely dead yet. This was happening several years after the initial damage and there were expecting it to continue for several years more

In fact I watched as they cut down a pine tree in the 1500 loop that looked like it was 60-80 feet high and they actually had to move some campers, close off part of the loop and bring in a crane and bucket to take it down from the top in like 10 ' sections.

Larry