FW Campsite vs ASMu Family Suite

[LindsayMouse]

Hi All!
My friends and I are planning a trip next April as a much needed break from graduate school! There are 6 of us and we are trying to decide - tent camping or a family suite at All Star Music? There are a few first time Disney-goers in our group and I want to make sure they have the full Disney magic experience! The campsite is roughly $150 cheaper per person for our dates.
I have stayed at value resorts before but never the campsites. I don't know much about the campsites but am a bit worried about the time it would take for transportation and getting a restful sleep on the ground.
Any strong opinions either way? We're up in the air!
Thanks in advance!

 

[VAfamily1998]

Do you all have camping equipment already? Will it be easy for you to transport all of you plus the equipment?

I like the fact that the camp ground is "Original Disney." With the family suite at All Star Music, two people will share a "real bed" while everyone else will be on pull outs--is everyone ok with that?

Have you priced out the cabins at Fort Wilderness for your dates? They will probably be more expensive than the ASMU family suites, but you will get a kitchen, and 4 "real beds"* plus the pull out sofa.

*Editing to clarify: I should have said "4 bed spaces"--there are only 3 beds; a Queen and a set of bunk beds, but since two people could share the queen, it is 4 bed spaces.

 

[amylevan]

Are you campers? Do you already own equipment? If not, I'd be worried about a first time camping trip in WDW.

If you are worried about sleeping on the ground, I'd suggest buying air mattresses.

We love FW. We don't find transportation to be any more of an issue than any of the resorts we've stayed at. The boat to the MK is awesome. The internal bus system can add a little time to transportation, but it's not horrible (and not always required. You may find yourself within walking distance of some things.)

 

[HopperFan]

Indoor beds with air conditioning and two bathrooms is worth way more than $150.

Actually the suite bedding is for 2/2/1/1 but even that is nothing compared to side by side in tents. You’ll also get kitchenette you can bring breakfast foods and other to save money without hassle of coolers/ice. And again bathrooms vs hauling to a bathhouse ... take my money.

Have stayed at campground in cabins, transportation is much harder and time consuming. We began driving all over to avoid it.

 

[LindsayMouse]

Thanks everyone! We have all camped before and have the equipment.
What worries me most about the campground is the transportation - taking extra time/having to drive and pay for parking.

 

[VAfamily1998]

Thanks everyone! We have all camped before and have the equipment.
What worries me most about the campground is the transportation - taking extra time/having to drive and pay for parking.

If you choose to drive to the parks,you won't have to pay--that is included with your on site stay.

 

[stsomewhere]

What about 2 regular rooms instead of suite. It might be cheaper.

 

[Teamubr]

I am a regular at Ft Wilderness, but I've stayed at OKW, SSR and CBR before and have a trip in February planned to ASSp. (AP discount too good to pass up)

If you already have the camping equipment and are good with camping, DO THE FORT! It is amazing. As for transportation, there are lots of options and all are similar, time wise, to most of the other resorts. The Fort has the advantage of access to boats, buses and monorails. You won't get that at ASMu. The boat to MK is really nice and relaxing and it takes less time as getting there from OKW or SSR. There is a "resort launch" that circles from FW to the Contemporary to WL. You can catch the monorail to TTC and EPCOT. That trip takes a little longer than the Bus from FW to EPCOT, but is more fun. All the parks also have bus transport to and from the Fort. The only park I drive to when I stay at the Fort is AK. And that is because I don't like the extra stops the bus takes between FW and AK.

Last, if sleeping in a bed vs on the ground is a factor, there are very good thicker air mattresses that can be better than a resort bed.

j

 

[maxiesmom]

I love to camp. But I think for the first timers, a resort with beds is a better choice. Plus with either a suite or 2 rooms you will get 2 nice bathrooms all to yourselves. And real beds. Even with my camping gear I don't get as good of a night's sleep as I do on a real bed.

 

[Shanti]

Hi All!
My friends and I are planning a trip next April as a much needed break from graduate school! There are 6 of us and we are trying to decide - tent camping or a family suite at All Star Music? There are a few first time Disney-goers in our group and I want to make sure they have the full Disney magic experience! The campsite is roughly $150 cheaper per person for our dates.
I have stayed at value resorts before but never the campsites. I don't know much about the campsites but am a bit worried about the time it would take for transportation and getting a restful sleep on the ground.
Any strong opinions either way? We're up in the air!
Thanks in advance!

It mainly depends on if you're experienced campers or not.

If you've camped at least few times before and enjoyed it, then stay at the Fort. It is much prettier and more relaxed than a value resort. And it's a pleasant boat ride away from MK. And it has the nicest bathrooms/showers of any campground I've ever stayed at, by far. And its pool has a waterslide. And it's the home of Hoop Dee Doo Revue, which I recommend you go to. And they have the Chip & Dale campfire with s'mores. And they offer bicycling, horseback-riding, boating, etc. It's a full resort experience to stay there, whereas the All Stars are Disneyfied motels.

If you've never camped before, or you did but didn't much enjoy it, then stay at the All Star resort. Fort Wilderness is the nicest place we have ever camped (Scout family here), but it's still camping. Putting up a tent doesn't have to take very long, but you do have to put one up, and sleep in one. If you can't enjoy that, there's no point in staying at a campsite.

The other big criteria is the weather. Early April will likely be cool enough to pleasantly sleep outdoors in Florida (our Fort Wilderness campsite stay was in mid-March, and weather was perfect), but late April would be pushing it for me. And forget about summer, with its massive heat, humidity, and regular rain.

 

[Shanti]

Thanks everyone! We have all camped before and have the equipment.
What worries me most about the campground is the transportation - taking extra time/having to drive and pay for parking.

You don't have to drive to the parks. Fort transportation never made us late for anything. When we camped at the Fort we had flown in, and didn't have a car at all. Upon arrival, the Fort will take you & your gear to your campsite if you're lacking your own transportation. They will also pick you and your gear up from your campsite for the trip home (we needed pick-up before sunrise, and they had no problem with that). But even if you choose to drive, since you're Disney resort guests, you won't have to pay for parking at any of the parks.

 

[JennyDrake]

What about 2 regular rooms instead of suite. It might be cheaper.

Ditto this! MUCH cheaper! And you'll have 4 real beds!

I'd be concerned about a *possible* rainy vacation in a tent. I'd easily fork out $150 for a/c and beds.

 

[MamaJessie]

I would definitely look into two connecting/adjoining rooms first. I would probably fork over the $150 to stay indoors and have a bed if your only options are Ft. Wilderness or AsMu

 

[Bree]

I’d pick a hotel room over camping any day. I wouldn’t think going back to a tent and a sleeping bag would be very relaxing after all day in a park. Hotel rooms have real beds, A/C and indoor plumbing!