I just fell out of my chair!

[Magic Fanatic]

Over the last 16 years we have made 14 trips to Disney and been on 3 Disney Cruises. Today I just booked our trip for next May. Nine nights at the Fort, Dining for the 4 of us and 7 day park hoppers with water park. This trip is going to cost over $5,000 and we will be CAMPING! For the first time I really am starting to question if it is really worth it. My wife and I are fortunate that we bring home a decent income, but this really hit home with me today. I realize how fortunate my family has been to make theses trips over the years and I am painfully aware of how many families simply cannot afford these type vacations.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) What can I say ????????
2) Dining and ticket prices are excessive.
3) GROSSLY EXCESSIVE.
4) Until people start balking at the prices and put off going, don't expect a downward change.
5) In fact, the price of DDP and meals are skyrocketing next year.
6) Can you imagine $75/adult for dinner at Cindy's Castle starting Jan-2015 ?!?!?!?!

7) Lots of campers I know are just not doing the parks, especially if they come often.
8) There is enough to do at The Fort, that going to the parks is not important.
9) As for eating, Walmart and Green Grocer have bunches of food to prepare.


NOTE; When we stay in the cabins, we do the parks AT THE MOST every
other day. And, we get in free! Frankly we enjoy The Fort that much!

 

[jbrostek]

DDP has never been worth it for the group I travel with. We tracked every food related expense while at Disney and it still was less then half of a DDP that would allow us to enjoy the meals we pay for in cash. I am staying at the fort for 2 weeks, that is 1100 for the entire two weeks. We are getting 10 day park hoppers, but we don't need to get them as the fort does have a lot to offer and we enjoy just being able to take it slow with the parks. But in the end tickets and the DDP add up quickly over just the FW costs with the camper. The savings I see come in the form of airfare, kennel, and reduced dinning expenses since we have the RV and can cook in.

 

[Readerbug]

I think there are enough people who will continue to pay any price to have a place to "feel everything is still, and is going to be, ok". Maybe the Fort is an expensive Briar Patch for "my happy place", but I am glad I have an option Brer Fox hasn't found. Appreciate Rusty Scupper's heads up, it's helpful. Sure wouldn't complain if things changed, but not waiting!

 

[davettewellmaker]

We get a season pass every other year which cost about $1800 for four. When we don't have a pass we don't visit. We camped in a tent and just got a pup. We do all of our cooking at the site to save money. We did splurge on our fall trip and made ressies for trails end lol.

 

[princesspiglet]

When we camp at the fort, we don't do the dining plan as it's not worth it to us. We only hit up the parks in the evening and will have dinner there. All other meals are at our RV. We stop at Publix and pick up breakfast/lunch and snacks to make for the week. Saves us a lot of money. Last trip at the fort was only $2000 and that included a TS sit down every night, 7 nights at a Premium site, 5 day park hoppers, gas down and back and souvenirs.

 

[loislane]

We are currently pricing out a trip for next year - 11 nights at the Fort in a full hookup site, 4 people with 10-day tickets with hoppers and water parks option, NO dining plan will run us about $2,750. Adding the quick service meal plan would add almost $1,850 to the trip - so obviously we don't go that route. We plan a few specials meals out while there and pay OOP. Then we have the rest of our meals at the campsite.

 

[Teamubr]

Last trip at the fort was only $2000 and that included a TS sit down every night,

I wish I could do it that cheap. Just fuel to get there and back is almost $1000.

But no matter how I do the math, it is cheaper to tow down and eat 1/2 my meals in the RV than it is to drive a car down and stay anywhere else on site. PLUS we get to enjoy the Fort!

j

 

[Disneylovers2000]

Cost is the reason we choose FW over other resorts. It is cheaper for us to rent an RV and pay for a site than it is to stay in a value resort. $4800 for the family suite at Music or $3200 for rv and site. We have never been to WDW but after the cost of this trip, I can sadly say, it will be our only trip. We are looking at close to $10,000 for Disney and universal ( not including our spending money.) We feel the same as you, we are very blessed to be able to make this trip once with our families - sister's fam and mom and dad. But the cost is simply too much for us as well. I am a Disney fanatic but the cost is just too excessive. It breaks my heart really....

 

[mkoerner]

My family will be at FW starting August 8 (1 more week!) for 15 days and our premium site is costing a little over $1,300. Because we will be camping, we will be eating the majority of our meals and snacks in the camper. Plus, we each have AP. I have no doubt the gas will cost about $1,000 round trip. I figure the entire trip from start to finish should cost about $4,000, and that's for more than 2 weeks. I agree with others who've said the price for the DP is very high. That may be something you could drop. Also, remember with the AP there are discounts on many things while you're there.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Frankly that is not a bad vacation price for 10 days and 7 parks days and meals?....not really bad at all.

With all WDW has to offer, no one resort area ahs nearly as much as WDW.

AKK

 

[MattFromPA]

I would never consider a dining plan when camping. We bring a 50 pound bag of dry food that includes kid snacks/lunch on the go/pasta, etc. Our camper rental folks buy our cold food for us and the fridge is stocked when we arrive. We cook breakfast and dinner at the pop-up. We like to hit Trail's End for breakfast once during each trip. We might buy a hot lunch in a park once during a 7 day trip. Its not necessarily as "fun" and convenient, but for us it makes the trip a lot easier to manage. And we eat a little healthier too.

 

[betmust]

We also go to the Fort every year. Just 2 of us and stay in the cabins. I would never buy the dining plan. We just do not eat like that and I don't want to schedule my days around where I am eating. We generally eat breakfast at the cabin - maybe go out one or twice, lunch is usually just a snack and then an early dinner, either at the cabin or at a park or out of the park. We do not eat enough to make it worth getting a dining plan. It may be cheaper to go without the plan. Guess you just have to figure what works best...

3 Years ago we bought park ticket from AAA. We bought 4 10 day tickets that do not expire. Yes it was a chunk to put out. In the long run per day it is much cheaper and they never expire. We also have missed out on 3 price increases.

 

[jbrostek]

When I went as a single, it cost me around 2500 for the entire trip. That was around 800 for fuel, 1000 for the 2 weeks stay, 400 and change for the 10 day park hopper. And usually spent about the rest on food, items and incidentals. But it still beat a value resort, DDP or other arrangement, air fare, still needed the ticket, and boarding for the dogs for just a weeks visit.

 

[TinCanTee]

I wish they would do away with (so-called) free dining plans; they're not a good value. Instead, I wish they would do what they offered me several years ago (don't remember which year) and that was a $600 Visa card with my room/tix package for two people, 6 nights. You could use the card for anything in WDW: TS, CS, snacks, souvenirs, anything at all. THAT was a value...I spent all but 57 cents of the 600 bucks.

 

[jayhawk74]

My DW, DD, and I stay at the cabins and never do the Dining Plan. It is cheaper to eat in the Cabin and bring sandwiches into the Parks. We do eat a few meals in the Parks. Also we save money by not doing the Psrk Hopper and The Water Parks. Of course we go in Nov, Dec, or Feb which aren't months that you would want to do the Water Parks.

 

[MichaelaF]

As others have pointed out - you can easily save a heck of a lot of money by just doing things a little differently if you want. Taking off the dining plan would my first step - I don't know what kind of dining preferences you have, but it's almost always cheaper to do OOP. (That doesn't mean it's nicer. I REALLY like being able to pay at flat fee and order what I want for my whole vacation....but you pay for that luxury.) Bringing in or ordering some of your own food is also a good idea, as would be cutting back on your tickets (getting rid of park hopper, some days, or the water parks options). I would guess you could easily shave that $5000 down to $4000 or less.

While we pulled out all the stops last year, this year we decided to bring in a lot of our own food, cook in the RV, limit our TS meals, and spend a lot more time enjoying downtime at the Fort. We are spending 10 days at the Fort, only 5 in the parks. The other days we are looking forward to canoeing, biking the trails, looping, resort hopping, DTD, and watching movies as a family. We are just as excited about this trip and we are spending much less!

 

[JandD75]

We get a season pass every other year which cost about $1800 for four. When we don't have a pass we don't visit. We camped in a tent and just got a pup. We do all of our cooking at the site to save money. We did splurge on our fall trip and made ressies for trails end lol.

We are planning a trip in September and have never camped there before. Are the tents comfortable enough with just sleeping bags or blankets? Or will we need cots to sleep on? Any info, or tips you can give me will be deeply appreciated!

 

[RandolphNY]

I follow you and can understand your concerns. Since you are asking for input and we were at WDW and the Fort in April, here are my thoughts.

- To me park hopper AND water parks are not necessary. Your at the Fort. Enjoy the pools and relaxation there.

- This was our 2nd trip with the RV and we try to manage our food at the Fort. We planned three nice meals at Hollywood, Epcot & Animal. Otherwise with the "boat and buses" getting back and forth for meals is pretty nice.

- With that being said, I feel that the dining package is not worth the money for "campers".

- Vacation cost can be a shocker when you add it all up. The biggest thing is do your best to make it enjoyable AND relax.

 

[Teamubr]

Are the tents comfortable enough with just sleeping bags or blankets? Or will we need cots to sleep on?

This partially depends on what type of site you get. The "Full" sites have a nice area for a tent. "Premium" have concrete and mostly hard ground.

The rest depends on how comfortable you are sleeping on the ground. Many/most seem to use air mattresses. I think they take up less room than cots and are more comfortable.

j