Fort Wilderness in January

[ilovedisneymm]

Hello all!

First time poster, long time stalker! Well, I have been lurking for a few weeks now and finally joined. I was so happy to read all the posts and especially the picture-a-day post about Fort Wilderness. It look me about 4 days to go through all those pics It is so nice to know there are FW obsessed peps like me! We discovered FW three years ago when we decided to take our first family trip to Disney. We stayed at the Cabins the first year for a week and rented carts. Wow was that expensive but it sure was fun having that cart. The first trip we hit the parks hard (early up and out late) with wee ones we were forced to slow it down and then took a step back and discovered the beauty of FW. We used that cart a lot and with some an adult beverage and the cool wind in our hair we cruised the loops! And that is when we discovered the other side had RVs and tents too!! Our second trip almost to the day one year later we brought our RV and stay eleven nights. This summer we got some extra large cabin style tents 11x17 and our own personal golf cart just for FW. One tent will sleep us all and the second will be our kitchen tent. Travel will be a lot easier this time getting down and a fraction in fuel With this third trip we are staying two plus weeks and going full circle with the tents, I'm hoping it will be as enjoyable as the cabins and RV were. I'm really prepared with deluxe cots including shelving for clothes, tv, heaters and fans for the sleeping tent and then card table and chairs, shelving for the food, table top skillets, oven and camp sink set up for the kitchen tent. So pretty redneck like but with a glamping twist.

We are coming down mid January (same time as the last two trips) and I called today to add a few days to our stay. We booked 14 nights and I couldn't book 2 days before or after as it is completely booked, so they say??? The past two years in mid January have been very light so I'm wondering what is going on this year to be completely full. We come mid January because of the low people crowd. Anyone know what is going on or did the world just discover FW too?

 

[staceyrhood]

It could be because of the marathon or MLK weekend. I know we have a 4 day weekend for that, 17th-20th, for local schools to be out here. Keep checking, things open up all the time. Have a great trip! And... Welcome to the disers!

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Thank you Stacey. We are coming the week after the marathon and typically the runners have cleared out. I was hoping crowd control would be like the past two years and mild. Good to know about schools being out that weekend.

 

[tina.tina]

I would bring a mini-fridge, too! I hope you'll report back on how your trip goes. I've gotten recommendations for bringing electric blankets for added warmth in a tent in the winter.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Thanks Tina. We have two coolers. One we are using to bring meat (fresh from our farm) well frozen and packaging them individually in freezer bags too to protect against cross contamination. The second for milk and cold drinks. We have heaters and thick sleeping bags, long johns, and electric blankets too! I imagine there will be a couple nights that will get down to 30s - 40s. We have cots that will keep us off the ground to help with ground chill. We stay the same weeks each time we come and always have warm swim/short by day and a bit chilly by night. Last year when we left Illinois it was 30 below and the 40 temp for Florida felt warm. I'm hoping for the best but prepared for the worst.

One big thing that has me concerned is the wattage for the tent site. Hoping I can run two heaters plus electric blankets and not blow it.

I would bring a mini-fridge, too! I hope you'll report back on how your trip goes. I've gotten recommendations for bringing electric blankets for added warmth in a tent in the winter.

 

[jbrostek]

I have never looked to see how the partial sites are setup. But I would think they probably have a 30A RV outlet and a 20A GFI. If that is the case you can get a 30A to 20A plug adaptor and run the two heaters off that circuit and use the remaining circuit for lights, the blanket and such. that would avoid overloading the circuits.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Thank you so much!

I have never looked to see how the partial sites are setup. But I would think they probably have a 30A RV outlet and a 20A GFI. If that is the case you can get a 30A to 20A plug adaptor and run the two heaters off that circuit and use the remaining circuit for lights, the blanket and such. that would avoid overloading the circuits.

 

[jbrostek]

Somthing like This would allow you to use the outlet for the two higher draw items.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

Yes, thank you I'm so glad you responded and I am officially worry free about the power situation. I told my husband about the 20 amp 110 and the 30 amp 110 and your adapter solution. He knows exactly what you are referring to and can get that at our local hardware store. Thanks a million.

Somthing like This would allow you to use the outlet for the two higher draw items.

 

[jbrostek]

Local hardware store may not have that plug but can order it. If you have a RV store nearby they will have ever type imaginable. I have so many adapators now to run power to my coach only RVers understand the need for all of them (My RV is 50A.)

 

[ilovedisneymm]

We do have an RV store nearby too! We won't leave home without it

Local hardware store may not have that plug but can order it. If you have a RV store nearby they will have ever type imaginable. I have so many adapators now to run power to my coach only RVers understand the need for all of them (My RV is 50A.)