I'm a Newbie and need help!!

[mishlove68]

We just got a Coleman Popup and I need someone to explain to explain the difference in sites. I am not sure which I should choose or the difference in them, Preferred, premium and pop-up site? there will be 2 adults and 2 children 7 years old. I usually stay at a Disney hotel and get the dining package, do I need that if I stay at the campground? We are just going to do a short trip 3 days 2 nights to get the feel of it. What do I need to bring with us, chairs ect?

Thank you for any help you can give me

Michele

 

[CamperMomma]

I've not been lucky enough to camp at the fort yet (just cabins), but from our camping experience in general, depending how much you feel like packing, I would say bring some chairs to sit outside to enjoy the night w/out having to sit over a picnic table. Many say the grills are iffy, so bring foil if you plan to cook on them. From what I've read/seen, a tent/pop up site would suit your needs (I believe the only thing they lack from others is a sewer hookup). But you could partially be driven by if you have a preferred location within the resort you'd like to stay. To me, we wouldn't do DDP if we were camping. That's part of the "perk" is bringing our own food with us to cook at the site, and being choosy about where we go with some ADR a few times during the trip (even in cabins). Remember beach towels for the pool of course, good walking shoes, many bring bikes to ride around as driving vehicles is prohibited except for to and from your site to the front entrance.

 

[articfox676]

Remember to bring your mickey lights to hang on the awning. Of course anything else Disney to display.

 

[loislane]

I would skip the chairs - we brought ours and never used them for the 12 days we were there. Without a fire pit and a fire at the site, there wasn't much need for that seating. We sat at the table with no issues.

We had booked a full hookup site - being there that long, we wanted the sewer hookup for our bathroom. (We actually got upgraded to a premium site which was some nice pixie dust!)

If you don't have a bathroom, you probably don't need the sewer hookup unless you think you're going to generate that much waste water from your camper kitchen.

 

[bama_ed]

We just got a Coleman Popup and I need someone to explain to explain the difference in sites. I am not sure which I should choose or the difference in them, Preferred, premium and pop-up site? there will be 2 adults and 2 children 7 years old. I usually stay at a Disney hotel and get the dining package, do I need that if I stay at the campground? We are just going to do a short trip 3 days 2 nights to get the feel of it. What do I need to bring with us, chairs ect?

Thank you for any help you can give me

Michele

Michele,

Congrats on your pup! I have a popup too, a Jayco which we have used quite a bit especially for trips to Disney. I'll help with the site types.

In order of price (cheapest to expensive) it's Tent/Partial, Full, Preferred, and Premium. All have the same hookups (water, cable tv, elec, sewer) except Tent/Partials don't have sewer. The Premiums are the biggest sites, about 50 feet deep and 18 feet wide with no sand pad for a tent. The other sites are 12 feet wide, a little shorter, and have a sand pad for a tent. Keep in mind with the sand pad you can roll the camper back on to it, of course, but then folks might track sand inside which has to be swept out (been there, done that).

Loops are located all over the Fort. The Tent/Partials are only two loops (1500 and 2000). 1500 is close to the middle of the Fort where the pool and Meadow Trading Post is. 2000 sites are bigger but that loop is a little further away. Full are 1600,1700, 1800, 1900 and are set among tall trees in one of the more quiet corners of the Fort. Preferred are 100, 200, 300 and are down by the beach, Pioneer Hall, and Trails End restaurant. Everything else (loops 400-1400) are Premiums and are basically in the middle areas of the Fort.

Campers in the camp sites can BUY the Dining Plan if they so wish. Free dining is NEVER offered on the campsites but is available with the cabins when offered. I would say most folks DON'T buy the DP because the Fort has few table service options (just Trails End) and limited counter service options (the pool snack shack and a few take out items from Trails End). If you buy counter service then folks have to boat/bus to Wilderness Lodge or Contemporary and eat there as additional options.

You'll love camping at the Fort especially when your trailer offers you your bed, your stuff, etc. It has a different (better to us) feel from the hotels. Kinda feel sorry for those hotel folks a little.

Bama ed

 

[mishlove68]

Thank you all for all the help. We do have a full toilet and shower in the pup.
What about grilling, do we bring our own portable grill? Are there bathrooms and showers at every loop? To get to the pool and campfire if you are far from there, how do you get there? Another thing do you think I need to bring A portable screen room to put up?

Thanks again

Michele

 

[loislane]

Thank you all for all the help. We do have a full toilet and shower in the pup.
What about grilling, do we bring our own portable grill? Are there bathrooms and showers at every loop? To get to the pool and campfire if you are far from there, how do you get there? Another thing do you think I need to bring A portable screen room to put up?

Thanks again

Michele

All the loops have access to a comfort station. For grilling, we brought our little tabletop propane grill. We don't "do" charcoal. LOL. How long it takes to get to the pool and campfire area all depends on what loop you are in - 1400, 1500 and 1600 are all pretty close. We were in loop 500 and it was maybe 5 minutes or so to walk. Not a big deal. And if you're further away, you can always take one of the internal buses and get off at the Meadows.

Screenhouse is totally up to you. We really didn't have any problems with bugs when we were there in August and didn't have a screenhouse.

 

[RandolphNY]

Thank you all for all the help. We do have a full toilet and shower in the pup.
What about grilling, do we bring our own portable grill? Are there bathrooms and showers at every loop? To get to the pool and campfire if you are far from there, how do you get there? Another thing do you think I need to bring A portable screen room to put up?

Thanks again

Michele

It really is your decision what style site you need. Being in a class c motorhome, we have reserved a premium site just to have a full cement pad.

Portable Grill vs Provided Grill again is what you normally do. I charcoal grill everything, so we have used the grills provided with no problems.

Yes, there are bathrooms / showers / washer & dryers in every loop. Can be nice for the boys to use.

Chairs are nice, when you want to kick back and relax. Again, what do you take when you camp? Same with the screen room. If you think your going to enjoy some outdoor time at the fort, sure. Personally, I don't use one.

Most important is to enjoy. This will be our 3rd trip as a family and 2nd at the fort. Too me, the fort is as much of Disney as everything else.

47 days to go!

 

[Graciesmom77]

Michele,

I am another Michelle who's new to all this!

We are supposed to be getting our pop up sometime this weekend or first part of the week. I am already trying to decide when we can go to Disney!

In the pictures of the tent camp up sites on Disneyworld.com it shows a tent on the site. Is that just to show you where you put a tent up or is that something that's included on the site.

I'm so excited! Have fun!!

 

[Teamubr]

To get to the pool and campfire if you are far from there, how do you get there?

Lots of great answers already. I wanted to add in that the Fort is VERY big. About a mile from one end to the other. The "Meadows" with the pool, campfire, bike barn, canoes and one of the gift shops, is located in the middle. If you are in one of the close loops, walking is great. If you are in 100, 200, 300, 400 (Premium or Preferred) or in the 1500-1900 loops that are full and partial sites where a lot of popups like to be, it is quite a hike, especially with "pool stuff". We try to get in the 100 loop and always take the internal bus to the pool or campfire. They run often.

In the pictures of the tent camp up sites on Disneyworld.com it shows a tent on the site. Is that just to show you where you put a tent up or is that something that's included on the site.

The Fort does have tent rentals, but I think the one in the pic is just to show you how 'your' tent would look on a site.

j

 

[retired and happy]

I agree that taking some chairs can add comfort especially if you will be there more than a couple of days and plan to put in some leisure time around the campsite. Although the grandkids use the table often...ususally for texting friends back home... the adults have rarely sat there. We also use a tabletop propane grill, but have used the charcoal grill Disney provides a few times.

 

[bama_ed]

Thank you all for all the help. We do have a full toilet and shower in the pup.
What about grilling, do we bring our own portable grill? Are there bathrooms and showers at every loop? To get to the pool and campfire if you are far from there, how do you get there? Another thing do you think I need to bring A portable screen room to put up?

Thanks again

Michele

Michelle,

We use the grill that is provided at every campsite (even the cabins for that matter). In the Premium sites, the grill has a curved lid and the picnic table is square:



For the other sites, you get an uncovered grill and a regular rectangular picnic table:



Here is a Premium site. Note it's wide (paved) and no tent pad:



Here is a Full site (same as Preferred - only location is different):



Here is a Tent/Partial in 1500 (one of the smaller sites):



Here is a Tent/Partial in 2000 (generally bigger):



Note the little sand square cutout where the grill is - leaves more useful space on the main sand pad.

Hope these pix help. Like I said, I have stayed on all types of sites at the Fort with my popup. It just depends on what location you want and how much money you want to spend.

Bama Ed

 

[5stljayhawks]

If the camper and camping is new to your family, I would take a few test weekend trip before disney. This will help you understand what you need, what you forget and what is in the camper that shouldn't be.

If you planning on parking the time, the extras for the campground may be limited. If you are going only to stay with no parks, then extras - ball gloves, bikes.... water guns, chairs... may be more important. fishing poles are always good.

As for showers, 98.73745% of the time we are in the comfort stations for showering. They are nice and it would be a shame if you didn't see what they had to offer... It also prevents the set-up and tear down of a shower in the camper and may help keep things dryer. I am assuming you have combo shower/toilet with current set-up.

If you plan on using the dump station at the site, make sure your sewer line is long enough if you can direct connect from camper to hole in ground. a 20' sewer hose is just nice to have anyways... not all campgrounds are created equal in regards to utilities layout...

Some sort of shade device is a good idea, does the camper have a awning? bug seem to be hit /miss. You know if don't bring it you will need it and if you do bring it, you won't. Welcome to the paradox of camping.