Fort Wilderness 2018 Campsite Rates and Price Increases

bama_ed

It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
Joined
Sep 23, 2004
Folks,

For the third year in a row, I have compiled the newly released next year's FW campsite rates (2018 in this case) and have run a comparison against the previous year's rates. Some interesting changes and a few new rate periods have been created (which made some year-over-year comparisons challenging). These rates come courtesy of the good people at Mousesavers:

https://www.mousesavers.com/2018-fort-wilderness-campsites-rates-season-dates/

and the rates shown include the 12.5% tax and are rounded to the nearest dollar.

Let's get the data on the table then I'll lay out some comments:

2018 FW Rates.png

FW YoY18 Changes.png

My observations:

1. The January secret is out. The Marathon, MLK, and Value (more on Value coming up) rate periods all had the biggest increases.

2. The Value rate period used to occur in January & February then later again the fall (mostly in September). For 2018 there is a Value-2 period in the fall which appears to take the prior Value rates and just increases them. But the January Value period kept the old name but got a massive price increase. So for 2018 the Value period is only in January and February and Value-2 takes the place of Value in the fall.

3. The Spring rate period in 2018 is only 4 days long in March with fixed rates all days. In 2017 that period was rated Peak with different rates for weekdays and weekends which makes the Spring percentages vary widely. Most of what had been Spring in the past now carries the Spring-2 rate period which is more comparable (with a healthy rate increase).

4. The Regular rate period is mostly the time now after President's day weekend. It was listed as Peak last year and with the price reductions for that time of year, it appears to be a rare admission by Disney that they overdid past price increases for that time period and are correcting them this coming year. Like Spring and Value periods, Disney created a Regular-2 rate period for later in the spring and into summer which appear to carry on the past Regular rates with, again, healthy increases.

There are also tweaks to the dates associated with rate periods: for example the Value-2 rate period expires September 22 but in the past went out to September 30. The time around spring break and Easter saw name changes but the rates are still high.

Personally I thought we would get our first $200-a-night campsite in 2018 at either Easter or Holiday times but we came up JUST short (which means it's coming in 2019 for sure).

Finally, for 2018 in the WDW resort hotels, Disney has expanded yet again. Instead of the weekday/weekend rates in the past, there is now a third tier of rates in some rate periods that will apply to Thursday and Sunday nights (priced between the weekday and weekend rates). So the 3-day weekend stay which used to have two expensive nights and one cheaper night just got a little more expensive. (FW campsites still only have the two rates - weekdays and weekends. (for now....)

I've got only three nights planned in 2018 for the Fort (during that more expensive Marathon rate period). 2018 might see my first WDW hotel stay later in the year possibly. We'll see.

Bama Ed

PS - as I said with the new rate periods (-2's) it made YoY comparisons a little tougher so if you think you see a mistake I made (and DW says I make them all the time) please PM me and I will check it out.

PPS - here are the 2017 rates for comparison: https://www.disboards.com/threads/for-reference-concise-2017-fort-wilderness-campsite-rates.3559276/
 
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Figures that marathon is getting popular. I am in for 2018 already but 2019 I am not sure. Kind of hoping for an April 2019 trip to Boston which will trump Disney that year . Plus it is not an anniversary year so not as many reasons to run.
 
Those are some kind of rates! I wonder if they are doing this to discourage the throwaway room trick people use at the Fort. With these rates, it really doesn't behoove someone to book a campsite just for benefits.
 
Those are some kind of rates! I wonder if they are doing this to discourage the throwaway room trick people use at the Fort. With these rates, it really doesn't behoove someone to book a campsite just for benefits.

Not if they are staying off site to save money.....
 


Actually, BamaEd has tracked the increases one year to the next for the past couple years. This year really seems to not be much different than previous year increases, anywhere from 5 to 25 percent.
 
But it seems like people who like to actually *camp*, are paying for it in some way or another. What could cause the rates to shoot up like that?

maxine,

I will give you my opinion (opinions are like noses - everybody has one).

Disney has built lots of hotels over the years. Then they started adding DVC properties. All these "rooms" could accommodate the growing demand to visit WDW. People might shift between Value --> Moderate --> Deluxe --> DVC levels but capacity always grew.

Contrast that to Fort Wilderness. It last expanded in the 1976-1977 time frame to add additional spots (not counting cabins here). Meanwhile the baby boomers raising families and camping in their tents, popups, and trailers. Then they have been retiring and taking to the road in their RV's and trailers. But no additional camping/trailer/rv facilities have been added in over 40 years.

Just this week at the D23 event we heard of a new Star Wars themed hotel and a DVC that will take rooms away from The Caribbean Beach Resort (a Moderate hotel). No announcement of additional camping/trailer/rv sites. And there never will be.

Disney doesn't want more of us cheapo's at WDW. They want land converted into lodging that costs hundreds of dollars a night. Hotel/DVC rooms can be stacked several stories high - can't do that with camper/rv sites.

That's why I said in a previous thread that we are lucky to have the Fort as it is - warts and all. It would NEVER be built today. And I predict it will never be added onto.

So simple economics says that demand, which has grown over the decades, will result in higher prices if supply is constrained.

It's ECON 101. :teacher: :teeth:

I'm not trying to be a smart ***. Just have seen enough of the decision making to bet somebody's tow truck on certain outcomes.

Bama Ed
 


maxine,

Disney has built lots of hotels over the years. Then they started adding DVC properties. All these "rooms" could accommodate the growing demand to visit WDW. People might shift between Value --> Moderate --> Deluxe --> DVC levels but capacity always grew.

Disney doesn't want more of us cheapo's at WDW. They want land converted into lodging that costs hundreds of dollars a night. Hotel/DVC rooms can be stacked several stories high - can't do that with camper/rv sites.

That's why I said in a previous thread that we are lucky to have the Fort as it is - warts and all. It would NEVER be built today. And I predict it will never be added onto.

Bama Ed

Was there a rumor a few years ago that there could possibly be a DVC property built on Fort Wilderness territory?

I guess we are lucky to have a place like the Fort to enjoy. I've never been able to instill a love of camping to my children---so sad, I know. We did enjoy a stay in one of the cabins years ago when the Fairy tale Package was offered. (What a deal that was!) But I still love the Fort, and will try to visit when I can. Hopefully, the Fort will be in existence in some form or fashion for years to come.
 
I know the economics of why they won't expand the Fort. That still doesn't change the fact that more and more folks want to use it (making it more challenging to get).

Personally, I think a way to resolve "some" Issues is to have a "Tiered" pricing structure based on the number of days staying. If you stay 1 or 2 days, you pay a PREMIUM price but as you add more days, the overall rate goes down. Much like they do with the Park tickets. That way it's profitable AND it helps to avoid the abuse that we all know exists (but don't dare talk about :rolleyes1)

I have no doubt that, for the most part, the sites will still remain filled and probably more so, which I think in the end, would be more profitable for Disney. That is, after all, what they are in business for.... Making $$$$.
 
Wow....the prices are up there, but I do think there is value to camping at Disney that you don't get in a hotel, at least for those us who enjoy camping. We just got confirmation that our trip planned for September 16-22 is going to happen and I can't wait to have all 6 of my grandkids together enjoying the parks and the Fort!
 
so, those of you that adore the fort...why do you pay the price? And, I am not being snarky...I am really curious...especially between this thread and the pool with the locals thread, it makes me wonder, is it worth it? Because, let's be honest, there are a lot of nice places out there to camp.
 
so, those of you that adore the fort...why do you pay the price?

I do it just for a getaway from work. We are tent campers, for now, and really enjoy the Fort. Just the peacefulness that it offers makes anything and everything back home disappear, even if it is for only 2-3 weeks.

Because, let's be honest, there are a lot of nice places out there to camp.

There maybe a lot of nice places to camp, but do they offer up what the Fort and Disney can do? Take a nice realizing boat ride, have transportation to a great shopping and dining experience, get to see different resorts. The campgrounds around here are just that, campgrounds, unless you have your own boat / jet ski then you are pretty much hanging out at your campsite or using your gas to go places.

I guess I just never had the desire to go out and camp around where I live, nothing else would even compare to the Fort.
 
so, those of you that adore the fort...why do you pay the price? And, I am not being snarky...I am really curious...especially between this thread and the pool with the locals thread, it makes me wonder, is it worth it? Because, let's be honest, there are a lot of nice places out there to camp.
Well, it's still cheaper then the "Value Resorts".......
Plus, for us because we drive bringing our TT with us, we have more room for "Stuff". Things like clothes that could be appropriate for the weather. (For example, we like Thanksgiving time frame and we can have very hot to very cold and everything in between. Having multiple outfits for the weather is not as conducive with "Flying" as you have limited luggage space.) You have less of a concern about the souvenirs (size, weight, etc..). You know the quality of the "Facilities" (No bed bugs, you know when the linens were last changed, when and how the bathroom was last cleaned, etc...)

We have never really looked at camping anywhere else when we go to Disney because we like the convenience of the transportation (boats, buses, etc..), the EMH, the free parking, the MagicBands, and quite frankly the Fort is probably the nicest campground we have stayed at and is well maintained. Even though we are still fairly tight in the campsites, I have been to other campgrounds (not locally to that area, but elsewhere) where they are litterally just large enough for you to camp and your neighbor is not a stones throw away but a "Feather" throw away. (Yes, THAT close)
 
We also love camping at Disney! We have stayed at many Disney hotels for short stays, but as others said, it's just so nice for us to have our camper as "home".
 
bama_ed, Doesn't look as if any discounted rates are included. such as the Florida Resident Rate. Looking at the 2017 spreadsheet, our September trip is about 10% less than what is posted. Not trying to bust your bubble, just letting folks know that the rates can be somewhat cheaper. All you got to do is move to Florida :sunny::smooth:

Ooops, my bad, didn't include the 12.5% ... never mind.
 
Well no worries, tripleb, and i left out the statement that these are RACK RATES plus tax rounded to the nearest dollar. So if anyone can get a discount by any means, I hope they can.

Bama Ed
 
to come back to this....the rates do seem high...but while checking out some KOA's on the beach, my campsite is actually cheaper at Disney but ten dollars this current year. Also, if you want tons of honest opinions, I do recommend TripAdvisor.
 
Ed, can you hit the total button and tell us what it would cost to live at The Fort for 1 year?
 

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