Introduction- Not new to WDW. Semi-New to camping. Tips and Hacks for Fort Wilderness welcome!

[crazymomof4]

Hello. Even tho I've been on DISboards for decades, I feel like a newbie here. My DH and I are 66 and 60. We did WDW several times before kids (1987-1989). Then when our 4 kids were growing up (1990-2012). We stayed mostly on property throughout this time. [Cue the passing of time type background music]. Now our kids are all adults!! . DH is retired (July '24) and he and I are traveling, on the cheap (Because who has extra $$ after raising 4 kids???) in our truck topper with "SUV tent" (Napier 84000). See pic for our set up this month in Watkins Glen State Park. We would like to do WDW as campers. We feel we have a lot to learn. For warmer weather camping (ahem..... FL!). we plan on getting a portable a/c unit for use when we have access to elec. hookup. Any tips, info and hacks about Ft Wilderness in general or in a set up like ours, will be greatly appreciated! Hope to be spending a lot of time here on this section of DISboards!!!

 

[wxinms1]

Hi! My wife and I (both 56) have done Fort Wilderness now several times with our 2002 VW Eurovan camper, and the last couple of times added a tent to the setup. Here is a pic of our setup from our most recent trip last October:



I love Disney/WDW - but Fort Wilderness takes it to a whole new level for me. I just love the vibe. The Meadow area is just a ton of fun, and Pioneer Hall and the beach area is wonderful. A few quick pointers that jump to mind (and sorry if you already know these)...

Fort Wilderness is huge, and has a bus system for getting around. A lot of people rent golf carts from Disney, but we actually rent bikes from a local place in Celebration and use them to get around. Good exercise and fun, very easy to ride bikes anywhere you need to (weather permitting of course).

We have never been in summer due to the heat and not wanting to mess with A/C, although when our kids were young we did do it with a pop-up and A/C and it was fine. October through December are great times to be there though when people decorate for Halloween and Christmas - it really takes the place to a whole new level. You can ride through the loops and see all the decorations. One picture example



Finally, we have had a load of fun participating in the Fort Wilderness scavenger hunts. You can find a Facebook page where that is organized, people hide all sorts of prizes for people to find, mainly the kids but adults too! We look for cheap Disney items at our local Disney outlet during the year and take them to hide while we are there. So fun.

BTW, I recently retired from NOAA as a meteorologist and am starting some sites on central Florida weather to help people plan their trips - and obviously a trip to the Fort is particularly weather sensitive. There are links in my signature if you want to check them out.

Hope this helped a little - it's a lot of fun!

 

[crazymomof4]

Thanks so much! I love your tips and info, especially about riding bikes. I knew about renting golf carts but riding bikes will be more economical. I will check out your weather info. My DH is a big weather watcher..... Often WEEKS before a scheduled vacation. LOL

 

[proudmomof4]

Welcome to the camping boards from one mom of 4 to another!

Our kids are grown now too, but they sometimes join us for trips to the Fort every now and then. But our favorite trips are when it’s just the two of us.

Like wxinms1 said, bikes are great! Most people will tell you to get a golf cart, that it’s a must have, but we didn’t see the sense in paying for something that sits parked most of the time.

We started out tent camping, moved to a popup and now have a travel trailer. As far as crowds go, the best time to go is late August, but it is HOT and HUMID! We love October - March, but we also go in the summer months. It’s just a matter of expecting and preparing for the heat and humidity. We find a misting system of some kind works great to cool us down in the summer.

 

[Disneypeach]

Welcome to the camping forum!
The 2 loops for tenting (the only 2 without a sewer connection) are 1500 and 2000. I’ve tent camped in both and prefer 1500 due to smaller number of sites and closer to the Meadows area. I’ve never rented a cart, just used my bike and the buses. The Fort also has nightly movies with a preshow singalong and visit by Chip and Dale. Roast marshmallows there too.

It’s like 2 vacations in one: camping and Disney.

 

[ScarletFire]

We have a travel trailer but our adult children occasionally fly down and sleep in a tent with a portable A/C. They are comfy and cool. I am in love with Fort Wilderness! We ride our bikes; I recently rode every loop and it was almost 10 miles!

It can get hot and humid in the spring, summer and fall. Know your bug seasons haha. Disney is good with mosquito mitigation but you need to be prepared. Bug spray, screen tent, citronella candles and whatever it takes!! I wear boots when I walk my dogs to keep my ankles bite free.

 

[crazymomof4]

Welcome to the camping boards from one mom of 4 to another!

Our kids are grown now too, but they sometimes join us for trips to the Fort every now and then. But our favorite trips are when it’s just the two of us.

Haha Our adult kids have always come with us to Disney. One son is married and his new wife came with us for her 1st Disney Parks trip ever, last Sept! So these planned camping trips will be the first with just the two us since 1988!

 

[crazymomof4]

Welcome to the camping forum!
The 2 loops for tenting (the only 2 without a sewer connection) are 1500 and 2000. I’ve tent camped in both and prefer 1500 due to smaller number of sites and closer to the Meadows area. I’ve never rented a cart, just used my bike and the buses. The Fort also has nightly movies with a preshow singalong and visit by Chip and Dale. Roast marshmallows there too.

It’s like 2 vacations in one: camping and Disney.

Good information, thx! I will make a note of that!

 

[crazymomof4]

We have a travel trailer but our adult children occasionally fly down and sleep in a tent with a portable A/C. They are comfy and cool. I am in love with Fort Wilderness! We ride our bikes; I recently rode every loop and it was almost 10 miles!

It can get hot and humid in the spring, summer and fall. Know your bug seasons haha. Disney is good with mosquito mitigation but you need to be prepared. Bug spray, screen tent, citronella candles and whatever it takes!! I wear boots when I walk my dogs to keep my ankles bite free.

Can I ask which month(a) your kids slept in tents using the portable a/c? We would love early Sept, bc of low crowds but that might still be too hot in a tent, even with a/c.

 

[ScarletFire]

Can I ask which month(a) your kids slept in tents using the portable a/c? We would love early Sept, bc of low crowds but that might still be too hot in a tent, even with a/c.

We've done September with the a/c in the tent. And April, May and October. We keep the rainfly on the tent.