HELP! FW Cabins for a noncamper??

[busymama224]

HELP! We need advice on our upcoming trip...First of all, our party consists of me, my dd (4), my bff and her mom and 2 daughters (2) and (6). We currently have reservations at POR but are concerned about being cramped in one room. Now we are considering the cabins at FW. I am NOT a camper, so the whole camping atmosphere scares me. Also, the bus situation concerns me too, as we will be hauling around 2 strollers. Our trip isfor 6 days, and we are planning to do MK, Epcot, HS, and AK and would like to come back to our room for naps in the afternoon. I'm afraid this will be difficult and time consuming staying in the cabins. Any advice??

 

[Skyw]

It is a great place for non campers. I have stayed at the cabins 4 times. So you can check that off of the list. I have recently stayed there with 5 adults and 1 kid. There is a Murphy bed and a full size bed for two. And then two bunk beds. The separate bedroom is great for naps. It is very quiet too.

I have never taken the internal system. We rent a golf cart (from Kenny) and drive our car. Hopefully, someone can comment on the internal system. My next question is would you be park hopping? MK is a very easy boat ride from the Fort. We usually hit MK for one full day and then hop there after naps on other days. So that would be a plus for staying in a cabin too.

Now my 2 cents. My son has been to Disney 3 times and he is now almost 6. We have found that after nap time, we don't always make it back to the parks. Sometimes, he just wants to hang out at the cabin and swim. There is so much to offer like movies etc, that we rarely go out in the evening. (other then MK...fireworks etc). This works really well for us. We don't hit every ride or show but still have a great time.

hope this helps...

 

[retired and happy]

We have never stayed in the cabins, but we have always stayed at FW. There is plenty to do there, and there are days we stay at FW and not go into the parks. We never have driven to any of the parks, but always use the Disney transportation. When we do go to parks, we take the boat to MK or take a boat and two monorails to Epcot. HS and AK are bus only, using the internal FW bus and the park busses from the Outpost. Sometimes coming back from Epcot, we take a monorail to the TTC, then hop on the Ferry Boat to the MK, then either stay at MK or catch the boat back to FW. We travel with 3-5 kids in wheelchairs, so two strollers should be a breeze. To and from the boats and cabins there are busses within FW that run the length of the campground. Others can tell you which bus goes to the cabins. We don't come back for naps, but if some of the children need it, we have split our party and brought them back.

If this is your first trip, come to the Fort, enjoy your stay, feel the freedom and openness of the Fort.

 

[FlaFortCampster]

Seriously, staying at Fort Wilderness even in a tent isn't REAL camping like in the woods with only what you bring in is what you use and you live off the land, no showers, no restrooms type of camping.
Like my humble PUP has AC, TV with cable provided by WDW, microwave, 2 frigs, one for cold drinks, one for food, sink, stove, toaster and coffee maker. When you want a shower you head over to the Comfort Station which is air conditioned, clean, nicely tiled and has hot showers.
The Fort is nothing short of a treasure.
Now, about the Cabins. That's not camping, that's have a house in the woods. Full kitchen, AC, deck, grill, full bath, TV with DVD player, etc. Very, very comfortable.
The buses, IMHO, are easier to get to than PO are. There's a stop on just about every loop and run about every 10 minutes, give or take. The Outpost, at the front of the Fort has buses coming in to take you to all the parks on a very regular schedule. Driving is definitely the quickest way. Coming back to the Fort from the parks, except MK, is about 45 minutes one way. MK is quicker because of the boat launch.
I agree with Skyw, when many folks get back to the Fort, you nap and then have a whole list of fun things to do right there. Although, heading back to one of the parks is quite doable.
IMHO, I think you would really fall in love with the cabins.
Good luck and have a great trip.

 

[busymama224]

Thanks for all the great information. I think I'm sold on the idea of the cabins vs. POR. It really does sound like so much fun! What is the best loop to stay in as far as proximity to bus stops? We will not have a golf cart and don't want to walk forever to get to a bus stop...

 

[Skyw]

There is a loop that I stayed at last time. Loop 2100. I hope i am right. Please correct me if I am wrong. Shan man has an interactive map on this site, take a look at it. Anyhow, we were in the first cabin but the road. Very close to a bus stop but also walking distance from the pool with all of the slides etc. Just aks for a cabin that is closest to the bus stops. They are really good at doing that.

 

[hhowe2003]

Whatcha thinking?? Are we going to go campin in the woods?????? lol

 

[FlaFortCampster]

The 2100 loop is a good choice for being close to a bus stop if you ask for a cabin near the bus stop. Depending on the mood of the Fort, the Purple bus and Orange bus might be stopping at the same stop making the wait even shorter. This changes weekly, seems daily sometimes, but you'll be very near to the heart of the happenings in the 2100 loop. The Meadows area has the BIG pool, trading post, movies, rentals and recreation.
The 2300 and 2400 loops are serviced by the same bus stop and are close to the 2100 loop so you can request a cabin close to the bus stop in these loops if 2100 isn't available.
If you want to be close to the LITTLE pool, a second much smaller and very basic pool with the only other recreation being a basketball court, the 2500 or 2600 loops would be a much better choice. There is also a bus stop that serves both these loops as well.
Have some fun and checkout Shan-man's Fort map on google to get a GREAT idea of the campground and proximity of everything. Plus, it's just a lot of fun to see how big the Fort is and how beautiful it is.
Have a great trip.