Fort Wilderness spoiled me

[blemon]

Now that we're back, I'm starting to plan my next trip!
We won't be able to drive (14 hours+) so I'm looking into staying at a resort.

FW had everything -- close to pool, boat to MK, quick to Epcot, quiet.

Unless we want to pay $$$, we will have to stay in a value resort. And the reviews aren't that great. Not only do you have to wait for buses for everything, it seems like they're noisy.

Should I shell out the big bucks to stay in the Lodge?

I don't think I want to fly with camping gear. I want to do a shorter trip and not have a lot of luggage. It will likely just be me and my daughter this time.

The campground was really such a great option for us. I will be sad to be elsewhere, that's for sure.

What other options do I have? Can I rent a camper for less than the cost of a decent resort?

 

[Westcoastwild]

I flew with my camping gear. I'd do it again! Because I really enjoyed FW.

I looked into camper rentals. You can't do that cheaply. It was too expensive, and frankly I think you'd be better off getting a deal on a moderate resort.

Pop Century has its own buses and that would be my pick if I decided I needed a/c. I don't think you'd be waiting longer there than at FW. I went to take a look at the value resorts- I don't think there's that much of a risk for noise unless you get terrible neighbors. But I didn't find the campground all that quiet except for the days I left very early and came back after park closing.

 

[blemon]

I went to take a look at the value resorts- I don't think there's that much of a risk for noise unless you get terrible neighbors. But I didn't find the campground all that quiet except for the days I left very early and came back after park closing.

I wish I had done this! We just didn't have time. Why Pop Century?

 

[peg110]

I have also heard that, while the pop century may have it's own buses, because the resort is value and tends to be crowded, the buses ALSO tend to be crowded. I cannot say this from experience just from what I have read other users describe, so please keep that in mind as well. Of course YMMV, and what you consider "Crowded" and what others consider "Crowded" may be 2 very different things.

 

[Madonna3]

We don't stay at value resorts because of the fact that it is SO chaotic and noisy and the buses are ALWAYS packed. Can you rent a cabin at the fort? Over 4th of July week, I got a cabin for around $230 a night.

 

[Westcoastwild]

The own buses thing (sure they were more crowded than FW, but I don't mind that or waiting for the next) and the fact that it's walking distance to art of animation- I'm too cheap to stay there but I liked the food court.

Another thing about the buses- I rode nearly every resort bus and honestly I think every hotel bus was significantly more crowded than the FW buses. But that may also be (in the case of the monorail resorts) because the monorail was shut down a lot when I was there.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I don't think I want to fly with camping gear.

Fly with it, or send it, in advance, via UPS.

 

[Westcoastwild]

That is a genius idea! Has anyone shipped theirs before? Because that would save me so much hassle next time.

 

[Shanti]

Now that we're back, I'm starting to plan my next trip!
We won't be able to drive (14 hours+) so I'm looking into staying at a resort.

FW had everything -- close to pool, boat to MK, quick to Epcot, quiet.

Unless we want to pay $$$, we will have to stay in a value resort. And the reviews aren't that great. Not only do you have to wait for buses for everything, it seems like they're noisy.

Should I shell out the big bucks to stay in the Lodge?

I don't think I want to fly with camping gear. I want to do a shorter trip and not have a lot of luggage. It will likely just be me and my daughter this time.

The campground was really such a great option for us. I will be sad to be elsewhere, that's for sure.

What other options do I have? Can I rent a camper for less than the cost of a decent resort?

I stayed once at Pop & can't honestly recommend it- just too much of a motel experience. Some people don't care where they sleep & shower, but we do, especially when paying the rates Disney charges. We loved camping at Ft. Wilderness in 2015, but even that is getting overpriced ($130 per night to pitch & sleep in my own tent next March, really?), plus I don't always want that much work.

Stay at Hilton Bonnet Creek. It is on Disney property, close to Pop Century and only a little more expensive, but with rooms at least as comfy as a Disney deluxe. It has a complimentary shuttle to the theme parks, and a big pool complex that includes a long lazy river.

Given the choice between that and a Disney value, or paying much more than I'd want to for a deluxe, I'd definitely pick HBC (not the same as the Disney Springs Hilton, btw). Here's a link:

http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/florida/hilton-orlando-bonnet-creek-ORLHHHH/index.html

 

[Marbel]

I totally relate to being spoiled by Fort Wilderness! I have also stayed at Pop Century and it was fine. I chose Pop because of cost and dedicated buses. Crowded buses ... yes, sometimes. But I have also been on more than one crowded boat coming back to FW from MK, and THEN having to wait for an internal bus. For our next planned trip, we're staying offsite in a townhouse in the Windsor Hills area, booked through VRBO. We are driving down so we will have our car.

But I do hope to stay at FW again some day!

 

[Westcoastwild]

$130??? Really?? Is that just a tent site? Because I thought that 88 on weekends was a bit much

 

[Shanti]

$130??? Really?? Is that just a tent site? Because I thought that 88 on weekends was a bit much

For mid-March 2017, yes. That's when we would have been able to go, during spring break.

http://www.mousesavers.com/2017-fort-wilderness-campsites-rates-season-dates/

I laughed at those prices for do-it-yourself camping that doesn't even provide towel service, and booked a cruise instead.

 

[Westcoastwild]

For mid-March 2017, yes. That's when we would have been able to go, during spring break.

http://www.mousesavers.com/2017-fort-wilderness-campsites-rates-season-dates/

I laughed at those prices for do-it-yourself camping that doesn't even include towel service at the resort pool, and booked a cruise instead.

I looked. Dear sweet lord. 126 for partial and 158 for full. I like my tent but not that much. I haven't been all that sympathetic to the claims I've seen here about Disney pricing folks out, business is business, but that's just highway robbery. I know, right, they could at least provide towel service I mean, when you've got to "set up" your room and walk further than a few feet to the toilet in the middle of the night, for that price...

Now I'm afraid to look at the values...but it's like a train wreck, I can't look away

 

[Westcoastwild]

My tent rate for July weekend- 88 this year, 109 next year. $21 difference??? I think I'll have to go to Disneyland and stay in a motel instead. Oh, the sacrifices

Seriously, for that price, combined with my plane ticket, I could go to Tokyo Disney. Craziness!

 

[peg110]

So when making comparisons you also have to consider the time of year. Disney as well as all the other lodging locations will have seasonal pricing During the week of spring break (A PEAK time) the rate is one of the highest rates for that type of site at $112/night PLUS 12.5% tax. A tax which you will pay at other hotels as well. So it would be $126/night. If you don't consider the tax with the OTHER hotels, then the comparison won't be the same.

A quick look at the Tent/Popup sites.
The highest rate seems to be during the Christmas Holiday at: $120/night plus tax of 15 total of $135/night
The lowest rate is as low as $53/night plus tax of $6.625 total (rounded) of $59.63/Night

 

[Westcoastwild]

So when making comparisons you also have to consider the time of year. Disney as well as all the other lodging locations will have seasonal pricing During the week of spring break (A PEAK time) the rate is one of the highest rates for that type of site at $112/night PLUS 12.5% tax. A tax which you will pay at other hotels as well. So it would be $126/night. If you don't consider the tax with the OTHER hotels, then the comparison won't be the same.

A quick look at the Tent/Popup sites.
The highest rate seems to be during the Christmas Holiday at: $120/night plus tax of 15 total of $135/night
The lowest rate is as low as $53/night plus tax of $6.625 total (rounded) of $59.63/Night

I considered that, and I was trying to figure out the tax thing. I looked up 2016 year rates, tax included. There's definitely a 10-15 dollar increase for the same dates, on which adds up over, say, a nine night stay. MAYBE they're adding new perks and MAYBE they have increased costs, but I'm doubting it. I guess I just keep going back to the fact it's tent camping, and true, it's very nice tent camping, but the actual sites themselves are not much different than what I'd get for about 1/3 of the price elsewhere.

Unless....this is the first price hike in several years?

 

[peg110]

Don't get me wrong, I know the price is high. I guess it's the whole demand thing. They don't seem to have a problem keeping the Fort filled up, so they can get away with the pricing. You are right though, it is a lot of money for being able to Pitch a tent. The other side, however, is that while you may only pitch a tent for sleeping, someone else may pitch a super LARGE tent, bring the Full kitchen (Refrigerator, microwave, Chest Freezer, etc...) and consume a lot of the other resources (Electricity, water, etc...)

I too would not be happy to pay that price for the "Luxury" of setting up my OWN tent (not even housekeeping, turn down service, fresh towels, etc...)

 

[Westcoastwild]

Don't get me wrong, I know the price is high. I guess it's the whole demand thing. They don't seem to have a problem keeping the Fort filled up, so they can get away with the pricing. You are right though, it is a lot of money for being able to Pitch a tent. The other side, however, is that while you may only pitch a tent for sleeping, someone else may pitch a super LARGE tent, bring the Full kitchen (Refrigerator, microwave, Chest Freezer, etc...) and consume a lot of the other resources (Electricity, water, etc...)

I too would not be happy to pay that price for the "Luxury" of setting up my OWN tent (not even housekeeping, turn down service, fresh towels, etc...)

Yup. And I do appreciate that their site limit is crazy high...10 people, I think, so it's definitely an awesome deal for the glamping folks. I just don't have 9 family members that I could beg, bribe, or blackmail into camping there lol. It's funny, I'm usually the last person to care about amenities like towel service or turn down, but I guess I feel like there's not enough of a gap between the motel price and the campsite price. Setting up and taking down your own tent is a whole lot more work than dumping your suitcase on the floor of your motel room...and a whole lot less work for the staff, I'd assume.

 

[Shanti]

So when making comparisons you also have to consider the time of year. Disney as well as all the other lodging locations will have seasonal pricing During the week of spring break (A PEAK time) the rate is one of the highest rates for that type of site at $112/night PLUS 12.5% tax. A tax which you will pay at other hotels as well. So it would be $126/night. If you don't consider the tax with the OTHER hotels, then the comparison won't be the same.

A quick look at the Tent/Popup sites.
The highest rate seems to be during the Christmas Holiday at: $120/night plus tax of 15 total of $135/night
The lowest rate is as low as $53/night plus tax of $6.625 total (rounded) of $59.63/Night

But we camped there at the same time of year in 2015 for reasonable rates. $130 per night for a spot to pitch your own tent, at any time of year, is ridiculous. We have to haul in our gear, set it up, and pack up and haul it out on departure day. In 2015 it rained on our last day, so after our flight home we had to dry out the tent & other gear in the backyard, etc. And of course you're spending your whole trip sleeping in a tent, using a communal bathroom, etc. Not worth it at such a high price.

If they at least offered towel service, I might consider it, but they don't, and that's part of the deal breaker for me, as it also requires me to put in time doing laundry, no matter how brief my stay.

When there are great hotels like Hilton Bonnet Creek actually located on Disney property for less than I would have to pay Disney to pitch my own tent, I would much rather just stay offsite.

 

[peg110]

But we camped there at the same time of year in 2015 for reasonable rates. $130 per night for a spot to pitch your own tent, at any time of year, is ridiculous. We have to haul in our gear, set it up, and pack up and haul it out on departure day. In 2015 it rained on our last day, so after our flight home we had to dry out the tent & other gear in the backyard, etc. And of course you're spending your whole trip sleeping in a tent, using a communal bathroom, etc. Not worth it at such a high price.

If they at least offered towel service, I might consider it, but they don't, and that's part of the deal breaker for me, as it also requires me to put in time doing laundry, no matter how brief my stay.

When there are great hotels like Hilton Bonnet Creek actually located on Disney property for less than I would have to pay Disney to pitch my own tent, I would much rather just stay offsite.

I do not disagree with you.... AT ALL!
However, The Fort does NOT have a hard time keeping things filled, even at that rate, so there is no motivation for them to lower the rates. Certainly if you (and many others) move to other "Off Site" resorts, it might have a bigger impact on the price, but at the moment, it's not.