Is the wildernessy gone from FW?

[John VN]

A long time ago there were no golf carts or scooters or massive holiday light displays. Life at FW was much slower and wildernessy, my own discription.

Now there are golf carts flying by at all times with individuals who have no business being behind the wheel driving them. People aren't satisfied with the pool so they want to pool hop. Instead of children just playing they are driving around these battery operated 4x4 mini vehicles that make as much noise as a Harley.

Wish I could have the old FW back.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I hear ya, John.

 

[jason_rving]

I agree but I think Disney is largely responsible. IMO much of it can be attributed to the disappearance of the:

Swamp Trail
Petting Zoo
Peacocks
At least one playground
Discovery Island
River Country
etc., etc, etc.

Less Wilderness activities to explore led to these things.

I have to say, the electric golf carts are fun though. We did not think so until we rented one. I do wish some would mind their manners on them and I do not care for the gasoline powered ones.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

I agree but Disney, not guests are, largely responsible. The disappearance of the:

Swamp Trail
Petting Zoo
Peacocks
Discovery Island
River Country
etc., etc, etc.

Less Wilderness to explore lead to these things.

unfortunaly some of these were "removed" because of guest complaints/issues
Some found the Peacocks to be loud and annoying not to mention "harmfull".
The petting zoo went the way of many other petting zoos, too many concerns with e-coli and like illnesses not to mention the goats eating Jr's pant leg. Discover Island and River Country just did bring in enough $$ to justify the expense.
Mother Nature did in the Swamp Trail, but if you believe some rumors on this board we may see that rehabed in the future.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

I do miss the days when bikes FAR outnumbered the golfcarts and when you could pop up a big batch of popcorn, put it in a paper grocery bag and go into the petting farm and actually feed the goats(if they didn't knock you down and help themselves).

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Gone?

No Way!

Maybe there is a little less of it, but FW is still magical. Have you ever sat at the edge of Bay Lake with your choice of beverage and taken in the view? How about hiked or jogged the trail between FW and WL? I'll bet if you tried this early in the AM, you would see a deer! It is amazing that you can be in the middle of the most popular vacation destination in the world, and still see so much space and beauty! Ft. Wilderness may have less amenities than it used to, but it still has trees, and space, and fresh air. It is clean and well maintained.

We camped on the 1000 loop this past Thanksgiving week. The parks were absolute madhouses, and the campground was full, but we could still come back to our site, and relax in the beautiful surroundings.

The Wilderness gone? Nope!

TCD

 

[ftwildernessguy]

It's not so much that the wilderness is gone as it is the atmosphere. It's kind of hard to enjoy the peacefulness when there is a parade of overloaded golf carts touring your loop with a boom box blasting and everyone screaming - and this was at 8 am. Also hard to enjoy a walk when you are dodging an errant golf cart driven by someone's "mature" 11 year old, or trying to pull into your campsite but in order to get there you have to move your neighbor's kid's bicycles which were left in the road while mom and dad just stand there watching drinking beer. Or how about that magical moment when a fellow camper tells you to mind your own **** business when you remind her that not only is it her responsibility to clean up after her dog but that it shouldn't be doing it in the playground by the pool? Is it Disney's fault? Maybe, since Disney seems to have little interest in enforcing their rules, but it really is a reflection of the attitude of our society today. No one cares about the enjoyment of others, they are just interested in doing whatever they feel will make them happy at the moment, no matter what affect it has on anyone else, and in some cases just because it will have some affect on someone else.

 

[John VN]

It's not so much that the wilderness is gone as it is the atmosphere. It's kind of hard to enjoy the peacefulness when there is a parade of overloaded golf carts touring your loop with a boom box blasting and everyone screaming - and this was at 8 am. Also hard to enjoy a walk when you are dodging an errant golf cart driven by someone's "mature" 11 year old, or trying to pull into your campsite but in order to get there you have to move your neighbor's kid's bicycles which were left in the road while mom and dad just stand there watching drinking beer. Or how about that magical moment when a fellow camper tells you to mind your own **** business when you remind her that not only is it her responsibility to clean up after her dog but that it shouldn't be doing it in the playground by the pool? Is it Disney's fault? Maybe, since Disney seems to have little interest in enforcing their rules, but it really is a reflection of the attitude of our society today. No one cares about the enjoyment of others, they are just interested in doing whatever they feel will make them happy at the moment, no matter what affect it has on anyone else, and in some cases just because it will have some affect on someone else.

That is what I was referring to. The way it feels at FW now compared to many years ago when there was more care and thoughtfulness by others and also the quiet atmosphere.

To me it was much more natural and Davy Crockett like.

 

[DisCamper]

Not enforcing their rules is Disney's fault when I was A CM from the first day of Disney University they told us the guest is always right,the guest is always right. Every day of are 3 day training the guest is always right. I worked at the fort wilderness. When we took someone golf Cart for underage driving all the guest had to do is all a supervisor they would get their cart back.

 

[Donna]

If i could bring back just one of the no-longer existing things at FW, it would be the swamp trail. We used to have so much fun wandering around on that. Felt like we were in the middle of the amazon sometimes.

 

[PenskeSth1]

It isn't just kids who misuse the golf carts either. DH and I actually seen a man driving his family over to the lodge on the back walk path on a FW golf cart. DH and I just looked at each other in disbelief.

 

[stacktester]

I will have to look at the swamp trail when we go next month and see if anything exists or is going on with it.

 

[DisCamper]

Stacktester I posted Pictures that I took over New Years. Just look for them

 

[Smooshdog]

Just to make it easy, here are those pics. Thanks for posting those by the way. If you don't want me to put the link here let me know and I'll remove it.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1324512&referrerid=&highlight=swamp+trail

 

[jenjunsan]

If i could bring back just one of the no-longer existing things at FW, it would be the swamp trail. We used to have so much fun wandering around on that. Felt like we were in the middle of the amazon sometimes.

Dang, I must be reading old stuff. I am an avid trail hiker and was looking forward to this. Are there hiking trails at all?

 

[pooh4me]

There are two trails that go to the Wilderness Lodge plus a lot of paths to walk in around Fort Wilderness.

 

[AuburnJen92]

I sure wish the trail would be refurbished. I miss going out in the "old Florida." Being in South Florida, you don't see that much anymore, unless you go way out west.

 

[DisCamper]

Walking the swamp trail I found the biggest Cypress Tree i've ever seen it was about 8/12 feet around.

 

[PJ]

Count us among those who REALLY miss the days BGC (before golf carts). We really think they have significantly detracted from the atmosphere. That, and the noise from the speedway.......