If I even can...

[Mom24Princesses]

I booked a site for 9/2020 back in the summer. I had a Premium and then later changed it to a Preferred. We are a later 50s, no kids with us, couple and we most want to reduce extra walking to transportation and we don’t want the added expense of renting g a golf cart. I think we’ll have bikes with us. Should I keep the Preferred??? We have tended to end up with a few blisters by week’s end.

 

[tiggerdad]

Preferred is likely your best option given your description. I think you'll prefer it as it is closer to marina, but there is bus access close by as well.

 

[bama_ed]

Mom,

I am in your world (mid 50s here). I'll give you my opinion (which is worth what you are paying for it).

I like Preferred sites at Fort Wilderness because that generally puts us in loops 100/200 which is easily walkable down to the boat dock to get over to MK. We typically drive to the other parks (EP, HS, AK) so walking/internal transportation is not a question.

We do bring our bikes but they are for leisure riding around the Fort on our non-park days and not for saving us steps to the boat dock. Like you I don't pay for a golf cart (I have when my elderly parents have traveled with us but that's 3 times in 20 year) .

We tend to go to MK more than any other park so being in a Preferred makes sense for us. But if you using the internal Fort/external WDW bus system to go to the other parks, it's not much more walking to do so (although it is more time). Do you drive to the non-MK parks? Or use the bus network?

It occurs to me that the steps taken to get to a bus stop to go to non-MK parks (or the MK boat dock) is small relative to the number of steps you will take in the course of the day (especially in Epcot which is big/wide/spread out). When we go to MK, I think I wear out a pair of Dr. Scholl's inserts in a single day going from Space Mountain to Big Thunder to Buzz Lightyear to Splash to 7DMT to Pirates. <back and forth - you get the point>. But the steps in FW in a day IMO pales in comparison to the number of steps in a theme park (but I have no actual data to back that up).

So IMO what site type you have (Preferred vs. Premium) depends on what parks (MK vs. non-MK) you plan to go to and whether you will use Disney transport to the non-MK (internal/external bus or drive).

Bama Ed

PS - I have NEVER had a blister from WDW. Tired, yes. Flat feet, yes. Blister, never. I walk miles in my shoes regularly so that angle is not an issue for me.

 

[Mom24Princesses]

We did 4.5 days back in September - stayed at All Star Movies. Walked 45 miles. 20K steps last day at Epcot and 3 small blisters. Probably from fast waking in Teva sandals.
We do treat all 4 parks equally.

 

[WeLovePluto]

I find the added bonus of preferred to be that you can walk to the settlement bus stop and then are free to catch whichever bus shows up next to go to the other parks. More bus options = shorter waits.

Though I didn’t know that you can drive to the other parks for free, so may do that next trip.

 

[2goofycampers]

For blisters go to the foot department of any store and buy some moleskin. Amazing stuff, use it where you usually get blisters before they start.

 

[Mom24Princesses]

We have never driven to parks in 25 years! Always used the busses. Two weeks ago (10/11) we drove down to catch the Fantasy and stayed Friday night at Saratoga Springs on DD and SiL's DVC. We drove straight to the Wilderness Lodge for supper when we hit town. Then we drove to SS only to realize that DD left her purse at WC. So we drove back to WL and then back to SS. I say all of that to say driving around the property was not a big deal.

On 11/7-11 we are staying with another DD and SiL in Maitland and will be driving to parks 3 days so I will get a feel for that. We talked about driving back in Sept. (9/26-10/1) when we were there for the end of Illuminations, but never did. Registered guests park free at the parks but we also have APs and parking is included.

 

[Tallis]

Doesn't matter since the internal buses stop at every loop.