Fort Wilderness Cabins

[scottcpa]

I have heard that the bus transportation from Fort Wilderness can be confusing. Is this true? Do you have to take an internal bus to the main bus stop to get to the parks and Downtown Disney? Is there bus transportation directly from FW to all parks or do you have to switch at the TTC?
I have a family of 5 and am trying to decide between FW Cabin and Polynesian.

 

[debster812]

I have heard that the bus transportation from Fort Wilderness can be confusing. Is this true? Do you have to take an internal bus to the main bus stop to get to the parks and Downtown Disney? Is there bus transportation directly from FW to all parks or do you have to switch at the TTC?
I have a family of 5 and am trying to decide between FW Cabin and Polynesian.

It's not terribly confusing, just a tad more time consuming. We had no problems the last time we stayed there. You take an internal bus to one of the Outposts, and then you transfer to the bus that is taking you to your final destination. Or to a boat if you are going to MK.

 

[scottcpa]

My wife and I have 3 kids - ages 6, 5, almost 3 when travelling next year. Do you think that the Polynesian would be a better selection based on transportation?

 

[debster812]

Personally, I think the cabins would be better in terms of space, and letting the littles run around a bit. Plus there's lots to do there as well. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the Polynesian, and would stay there in a heartbeat, but you get lots of extra room in the cabins, and can eat some of your meals in if you choose.

 

[Grumpy92]

It really isnt that bad. We have never had to wait more than five minutes for a bus. There is an internal bus that takes you to one of two main bus stops where you can board a boat or bus to the parks.
Here is a description.
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/fwtransportation.htm

 

[wldmtnflr]

We have stayed at the cabins 3 times and never had to wait more than a few minutes for a bus. The internal busses run about every 15 minutes. Depending on where you are going, you transfer to the bus you need. No need to transfer at the TTC. We have found their transportation to be better than some of the other resorts. I think they are pretty efficient because they have to transport guests to the Hoop-Dee-Do Revue and Mickey's Backyard BBQ.

I agree with the other poster...the cabins will give your kids more room to spread out.

 

[scottcpa]

Are the golf carts at FW worth renting?

 

[bellenbuzz]

We stayed in the Cabins last year !! Which are awesome by the way and loved them !
Reservations for the Golf Cart rentals can be are taken a year in advance at the Bike Barn at Ft. Wilderness. It is the only Disney resort that offers this.
You reserve and pick up the golf cart upon check in and arrival and keep it until the day you leave. People decorate them too !!
There are special "parking lots" for the golf carts and electrical outlets to plug them it when you are away! You park it right in your driveway at your cabin and plug it in to charge, there are outlets just for this!
You can drive you golf cart anywhere around Ft. Wilderness resort...zip zip zip you can go anywhere when you want, the pools, the store, the front desk etc....It's Great !
You drive your golf cart right to the main entrance.....park it in the parking lot at Ft Wilderness Just for All The Golf Carts, plug it in....And hop on the main busses, NO INTERNAL bus waiting !! It was great whizzing by all the people waiting for busses around the resort....your golf cart charges while you are gone all day and when you come back at night NO INTERNAL BUSSES to wait for, just hop into your golf cart and cruise back to your cabin !! I wouldn't have done it any other way !!! Thats my 2 cents !! BUT, they reserve quickly so call ASAP !

 

[MotherOf2Princesses]

This is great to hear. I recently posted a thread trying to decide if I should do a cabin or rent points. Transportation was a big concern. So Thanks for the great input.

 

[clkelley]

One warning though about the golf carts is make sure you park the golf cart at the end of the campground where you are going to END your day.

I have an electric scooter that I use like a golf cart around Ft. Wilderness. I park hop quite a bit. My first trip there, the first couple of days, I would drive my scooter to the bus area and park it. and head off to the parks for the day. At the end of the day, I was dropped off at the OTHER end of the campground and had to take an internal bus back to my scooter. After two days of this, I finally learned to plan my day to where I would end up at the same end of the campground at the end of the day.

Carol

 

[psiprez]

I think the best part about transportation from FW, aside from avoiding the TTC, is the SHUTTLE BOAT!

You take the internal bus to the Trading Post/Hoop-De-Doo stop. Go to the marina, and boat will take you right to MK!

It makes a stop at WL, then CR before going to MK, and you get a close look at Discovery Island. The boat only seats about 40, but is never filled, so the ride is intimate.

If you get off at CR, you can get on the Monorail to EPCOT! We had breakfast at Chef Mickey's, then headed to EPCOT after. That way, the kids (and adults) got to ride the Monorail!

On the way back home, there is not a long wait at MK for the shuttle boat, and we would look pitifully at the crowds jamming onto the TTC ferry. The shuttle felt like our own water taxi back to the resort!

IMO, having the internal bus system, and getting onto direct buses to the Parks, ends up being quicker than going through TTC.

 

[spikesmom]

As an older parent who has stayed at these cabins with children from3 yo to now at 22, 20 and 16, there is not better place to stay.. Your own ktichen cooking what the kids know, cookout in Feb, breakfast without showers, so much better. Stressfull in Disney is eating out with kids, not fun ever. A cookout in Feb with burger and 'dogs while the kids are out playing with the "neighborhood" kids is priceless. Away from noise and crazieness, it is a good thing...

 

[TChris]

We did a split stay at Fw and Polly the last week in July. We were also a fammily of 5, 3 kids ages 3, 14, 17. We had a great time at both places. The biggest plus for the Polly is the locaion. FW is very quiet and this helped our 4 yr old to wind down a little bit each afternoon. We had a golf cart fort the whole time we were at FW, this did help with the amount of time that we spent waiting for transportation. The bottom line is that you will have a great time at either of the 2 resorts.

 

[vossjemi]

What do the golf carts cost? And are the cabins cheaper than renting points and staying at Beach Club Villas? We have 2 kids who will be 5 and 7 our next trip in 07 and trying to decide where we want to stay. This past trip we just spent 2 nights at the Poly for the convenience of our 1 day at MK, but our next trip won't include a cruise so is all about WDW!

 

[mrsgus06]

The golf carts are around $45.00 per day or cheaper by the week. I am not sure about the renting of the points. I stay in the cabins once a year, but bring my own golf cart. During the summers, we take our camper because it is much, much cheaper to camp. My kids love the campground and I hear that there are at least 2 new playgrounds (1300 loop and the marina playground). We also take their bikes which they ride everywhere.

 

[Grumpy92]

Cant say enough good things about this resort. Many guest come and never go to the park. There is just so much to do at FW. Biking, fishing, campfire movie with Chip and Dale, boating, petting zoo, electrical water pageant, I could go on. The Golf carts are a wonderful extra.
It is a very relaxing just to sit out on the cabin deck and enjoy the quiet surroundings, or people watch.

 

[bellenbuzz]

As I mentioned previously, The Cabins are fantastic! Very comfortable, lots of space, a feeling of a little seclusion......our cain was surrounded by trees, the kids could run around outside on the deck, sit outside at the picnic tale, run around the trees in our "yard", our golf cart was parked in our driveway !!! It was really fantastic!
Again I would highly recommend renting the golf cart for the week, we did and it was worth it ! It was great to hop in our cart and go when we were ready, zip to go eat breakfast, zip to the playground, zip on over the the store etc.....ENJOY !!!
Any other questions on the golf carts or cabins, just let me know !

 

[vossjemi]

What about crowds, weather and the pools? We're contemplating early May, late May, or late Oct/early Nov. When is the best time to go to really enjoy the cabins? Not too cold to swim in either of these months? I would think this would be a fun place over Halloween. Anything special then? What are the pools like? Any slides or anything fun for the kids? What about the Murphy bed? How big is it? If we put the kids in the bunk beds and we are used to sleeping in a queen, will the murphy be big enough for us?

 

[bellenbuzz]

We stayed in Cabins in Mid-November....Beautiful, perfect weather !!
Sunny and Warm, 80's during the day, shorts and tank tops. Definately swimming weather.....maybe a light jacket or sweater in the late evening.
Kids loved the bunk beds ! Bed in bedroom with bunks is just regular size. I am used to a king bed at home, but had no trouble sleeping with hubby in this bed at all. After day at parks, basically passed out from exhaustion
Pull down bed in living room (murphy) is a standard double size. Nothing great or fancy, but a place to sleep!
For some reason the swimming pools at Ft Wilderness are very very simple. No theme, no fancy frills, no water slides....it is nice, but just a plain pool. I don't know why Disney doesn't elaborate on that more??!!
The crowds won't matter much any time at Ft Wilderness cause of its vastness !! It is nicely spread out and very enjoyable. Lots of trees, trails etc....Lots of room too stretch out. And Cabins give you really good space and privacy !!