Golf cart or not? Disney transportation? Early arrival?

[mommy2paris]

Thanks for everyones input so far on camping at the fort. We have made a ressie for May and are very excited. we have requested the 1500 loop, near a bus stop and cs. A few more questions for those more experienced though, if you don't mind...

We are driving overnight and will arrive around 8am or so. should we see if the campground can accomodate us that early? If not, can we "check in" and head onsite somewhere for a few hours? Bad timing, but works best with sleeping kids lol.

Is a golf cart worth it? We won't be able to bring bikes, so it's golf cart or hoof it. Will we have trouble getting to pool, cs, buses etc?

How do you like the disney transportation system? We really haven't made use of it in the past, b/c we had two very small kids wtih strollers etc and just didn't want to fight it. We are looking forward to giving boat and buses a try.

Thanks for any input.

 

[stillh2o]

I would never do the Fort without a golf cart it just makes things easier to get around but that is just me. If you fell confinable spending $65 a day for something that will sit 85% of the time than do it

 

[sapdaddy2]

I arrived early one year (11:30am) not 8:00am and I was allowed to leave the RV in the parking lot and we all changed into swimsuits and hit the pool for a few hours until our site was ready.

As far as the golf cart I don't feel the cost makes it worth it. I have had no problems using the internal buses or just walking.

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks for everyones input so far on camping at the fort. We have made a ressie for May and are very excited. we have requested the 1500 loop, near a bus stop and cs. A few more questions for those more experienced though, if you don't mind...

We are driving overnight and will arrive around 8am or so. should we see if the campground can accomodate us that early? If not, can we "check in" and head onsite somewhere for a few hours? Bad timing, but works best with sleeping kids lol.

Is a golf cart worth it? We won't be able to bring bikes, so it's golf cart or hoof it. Will we have trouble getting to pool, cs, buses etc?

How do you like the disney transportation system? We really haven't made use of it in the past, b/c we had two very small kids wtih strollers etc and just didn't want to fight it. We are looking forward to giving boat and buses a try.

Thanks for any input.

Here is my two cents...

If you arrive early you have two choices -

First, understand that your reservation gets downloaded a few days before arrival and a site is assigned to you. The big "IF" is if someone is on your site and is checking out of your site that day before you are supposed to check in. So you can choose to wait till they leave (they have until 11:00 a.m. I think) and the Fort has people that check the site, blow it, wash down the concrete pad, then "release" it for availability around 1:00 p.m. (when check-ins can begin). You can get your KTTW cards and go to the theme parks, use the pool, etc until you can get your site. You will be directed to the Fort parking lot while you are in a hold if you choose to stay.

Second, if your site is not yet available for assignment (the previous party has not left yet) and you want to get to a site immediately you can asked to be moved to a different site that has immediate availability (no one was on it the previous night).

In the second case you may be moved to different loop of the same type so a little foreknowledge of the loops/types helps. So if you requested 1500 you've got a Partial site reservation so you might be put in 2000 instead (more than 3x as many sites as in 1500). Personally if I was assigned a 1500 site and had to wait for it I would as long as I could get in 1500. But last trip I was in 2000 and had a great time.

Golf carts are a personal choice. Disney rents their for $65/day. Outside vendors (such as Kenny at Tee Time) rents his for $35/day or so (he delivers to the Fort). Kenny has a 3-day or 4-day minimum whereas Disney allows you to rent in 1-day increments (1 day minimum). Busses work if you're not in a hurry. You might want a cart for the days you don't plan to be in the parks but that requires some pre-planning. In May you should be able to get a Disney cart on short notice (May is not a busy time).

You can drive to the theme parks or DTD since you have a Fort parking pass (we do all but MK where we take an internal bus to the Fort marina/beach and catch the boat).

Don't be in a hurry and have fun.

Bama ED

 

[stpetedisneydad]

We've never done the golf cart thing as we've always used bikes we brought with us but then again our kids were older. As for transportation we too usually only use it to get to MK, we drive to all other parks. Early arrival we have done several times anywhere from 7:15 A.M. to noon. We've lucked out most times and been given an available site right away, I think once we had to park in the overflow and we went to DTD and they texted us when our site was ready

 

[beagles7278]

We arrived at the Fort for our last trip at about 8:30 am. Our site was still occupied so we were told to go to the parking lot and they called us when the site was ready. Unfortunately it wasn't ready until 12:30 but we did park the MH hopped the busses to look around and check things out.

Our first day we did not have a cart because they were booked so we had to wing it and use the busses. While very manageable it is a lot easier to walk out and hop on a golf cart and go where you have. Plus they are fun to drive.


As far as the transportation to the parks we always use Disney and the waits are not bad at all.

 

[Angie1027]

We were there this past Dec. I would totally recommend a golf cart for serveral reasons. It can save your feet after walking in the parks. Even if you're just going to the pool or one of the shops or restaurants, you will still be doing a lot of walking!! You're not lazy just bc you have a cart. It will make the kiddos much happier & you will hear less complaing.

You are in totally control of your own destiny. I hate waiting for anything so I couldn't imagine waiting for a internal bus to pick us up to take us to wait yet again for another bus or the boat to MK. We went to the parks early so were moving in the morning & I think the waiting would have had me stressed out. But if you have a more layed back attitude & don't care when you get where you're going, then a cart probably wouldn't make much sense.

My daughter (7) loved the cart. We rode around each night looking at the christmas decorations. She wanted to take the cart home. It was just fun for all of us. We loved zipping around on that thing. It made the whole Fort experince that much better!!

Good luck!!

Angie

 

[goofym]

How do you find Kenny at tee time?

 

[motherwild]

===============

TEE TIME GOLF CART RENTALS
Contact: Kenny
Phone: 407-276-0809

Email: ttimegolfcarts@aol.com
Website: www.****************.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook....183001445132187
Carts available: 4 & 6 passenger *see below
Reported rates: Discounted rates offered for longer term rentals
Includes: delivery (6am - 9pm), taxes, plastic rolldown rain shield, head & tail lights, and a windshield.
Minimum Rental: call
Cancellation: 30% cancellation fee within 2 weeks of scheduled delivery.

 

[parrothead64]

Glad to see Kenny got a website.

 

[bama_ed]

WHOA! K-man has a webbie. Wow.

Good for him.

Bama ED

 

[SCGDisney]

Can't comment on the early arrival, but can on the golf carts.

We stayed at the Fort in October for 7 days and never rented a golf cart. We found theh bus system/boats/etc. more than adequate.

 

[twoWDWfools]

We've arrived before noon before and sometimes get the site, sometimes have to come back. Like others have said, just depends on if the site is ready or not. If it's not, we just park in the check in lot and either head to the pool or wander and get lunch. Depends on what time it is.

Never got golf carts as we've always had bikes. We also drive to all parks except MK as that has to be a boat ride. One of my fave things.

 

[bama_ed]

It depends on what type of personality you are. If you are a "Type A" person who is go-go-go then a cart would probably be for you to get you to the bus stops quickly each day or to the various Fort areas quickly. We bike sometimes and walk others (the Fort is very walkable). In all my stays at the Fort (see my signature below) we got a golf cart only once. Naturally a cart saves you walking but then again some of us like the walking. (I'm always trying to burn calories from my Theme Park meals )

Bama ED

 

[motherwild]

I didn't mean to cause a stir. This is where I found the info. The question was for info how to contact Kenny. I thought that is what I provided for the person asking.

http://www.***************/_/info/golf-cart-rentals-disney-fort-wilderness-and-r100

 

[bama_ed]

You're in the clear, motherwild. No worries.

Bama ED

 

[mikron]

We always use Disney trans. but on our last trip to the Fort we rented a GC and it was a blast. Set our own time sch. and just drove around looking at all the the set ups. Liked being able to go to the marina, park and go to the store or get the boat.