Fort Wilderness Campground

[Born 2 Fish]

Did any of you know where the NAME Fort Wilderness came from ??

The name "Fort Wilderness" came from the fort on Tom Sawyer Island located at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California.

I did not know that !!

Dick Kline at Walt Disney Imagineering was the architect who designed Fort Wilderness.

When the Resort & Campground opened in 1971 guests had their choice of 232 campsites, two "comfort stations" and an assortment of themed activities and experiences. There were 40 cast members at that time.

 

[FLDisneyFan]

Thanks for the background! I'm going to FW for the first time on Sunday. There are more that 232 campsites and 40 castmembers? The place must be huge!

 

[2goofycampers]

I bet those were some busy comfort stations.

 

[2goofycampers]

There are now 800 campsites and 13 CS.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Didja know that there are four miles of canals in Fort Wilderness ?

YEAH BABY ! Four miles of fishing !!

 

[tim5055]

Did any of you know where the NAME Fort Wilderness came from ??

The name "Fort Wilderness" came from the fort on Tom Sawyer Island located at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California.

I did not know that !!

Dick Kline at Walt Disney Imagineering was the architect who designed Fort Wilderness.

When the Resort & Campground opened in 1971 guests had their choice of 232 campsites, two "comfort stations" and an assortment of themed activities and experiences. There were 40 cast members at that time.

Actually, to be precise (or as precise as I've been able to put together) when it opened there were 231 campsites. For the first 15-20 years site 118 contained a VIP cabin/trailer and was not included in the site count.

Not sure about the comfort stations, but two sounds awfully low. The original sites were the 100 - 600 loops. That area is now serviced by 3 comfort stations and I can't for the life of me figure how 2 could have handled it without a long walk for someone This site says 3 comfort stations at opening (which I tend to believe) while this one (which I think you already found) says two.

While I visited WDW about a month after opening, my first camping trip to FW was not until spring 1974.

When I camped there in 1991 they gave me this history/price sheet. pardon the angle of the scan, that was how they gave it to me

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Didja ever wonder what they do with the gators they catch in the Fort Wilderness campground ?
Well, I don't know where the alligators are relocated too now'adays,
BUT,
"Celebration",in Florida, now sits on Disney-owned land that had previously been undeveloped ...and used for relocating alligators which had been caught near Disney guest areas!


I think now they just catch the gators and make belts, suitcases, shoes, etc. outta them. (just kidding!)

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Sooo, how many of you got to experience RIVER COUNTRY WATER PARK at Fort Wilderness before it closed many years ago ??

On this day, June 20,1976,
Walt Disney World's River Country (a water park, next to/part of, Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground) opens. It is Disney's first attempt at a themed water park. Positioned on the shore of Bay Lake near Discovery Island, River Country is filled with rocks and manmade boulders and features water slides and an inner tube river.
On this day, U.S. President Gerald Ford's daughter Susan helps with the official opening. (River Country will close in November 2001 due in part to Florida Laws prohibiting the use of natural bodies of water for water park use.)

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Hey,, I just found out that Walt Disney World's , Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground (located at 4510 North Fort Wilderness Trail) in Florida opened in 1971 on the same day as my birthday !! Nov. 19 !!!

What a honor !!


(still looking for that street or loop named after me.).

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Now I'm not try'n to promote the Fishing Excursions for Disney,,BUT, I would like to let everyone know that Fort Wilderness Campground is home to the Guided Fishing Excursions.
While I do like to promote FISHING , some of the best fishing can be had by doing a Guided Fishing Excursion.
Up to 5 people can go onna excursion for one price $$. It's not cheap, but if you split/share the price$$, or consider the price is for 5 people, it's really not bad.
They provide EVERYTHING needed to fish, all you have to do is make a appointment at the Fort Wilderness Marina and show up at your ressie time.

Not only is fishing fun, but it makes for a GREAT family experience !

During construction of the Magic Kingdom theme park in the late 1960s, more than 70,000 native, purebred Florida largemouth fingerlings were released into Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon.
To date, the heaviest largemouth caught in Florida weighed 14 pounds, 6 ounces (I think thats correct). By all accounts, there is likely more than one of these trophies swimming in the waters of Bay Lake.

Friends of the Fort routinely hook and release bass weighing from 2 to 8 pounds, with guides telling of catches in the 12-pound range. My beautiful bride once caught a 9 lb swimmer, and I once caught a 8 lb swimmer outta Bay Lake on Guided Excursions.
On an average outing, most anglers catch five to 10 fish, depending upon time of day and number of people onboard.

You can also fish the shores of Bay Lake if you bring your own equipment.

After all, how many Friends of the Fort do you know that can say,
"I went to Disney World, and caught a FISH !"

 

[disneychck]

I can say I have caught a few! We have done the excursion twice. SOOO much fun