Just returned...

[kekee]

Do you think disney like many other local resorts ex {nikelodean suites] offer day passes to organizations such as YMCA , camps, local residents, during slow seasons to just use certain value resort pools. Have seen and been told by staff at nick suites that this is true.

 

[skyp4WDW]

Do you think disney like many other local resorts ex {nikelodean suites] offer day passes to organizations such as YMCA , camps, local residents, during slow seasons to just use certain value resort pools. Have seen and been told by staff at nick suites that this is true.

At times, Disney participates in well advertised charitable campaigns like "Give a Day, Get a Day". However the days offered are Park Pass days; not Resort days. Disney does not offer free access to any of the resort pools to local residents. Some people are simply pushing the limits to see what they can get away with. And some of them are so low that they won't even leave quietly when caught in the act.

 

[starbuc71]

How are these large groups of people getting into FW? If they are indeed local, is Fort security letting them past the security checkpoint and allowing them to park at the outpost and hop on a bus? The only other thing I can think of would be for them to hop on a Fort bus at Downtown Disney (or another hub) and then ride back to FW, but that seems like it would be a bit of a nuisance. Anyone know?

Ever since they moved the gate, the main parking lot is accessable to many. If you tell the guard you are going to trails end or the hoop dee do review, they will let you in. You sim ply park your car and hop the bus. Total BS. The worst part as mentioned on other threads is that now non- fort guest can drive thier cars right into the loops and safety, theft and unwanted parking becomes a hazzard.
We are going to write letter and I encourage all to do the same thing. I am game for a specific date for an email bomb or a time for all of us to complain about the same items. The pool is top on my list along with all other items that non-paying guest participate in.
Here's another idea. Guest should have to reserve the picnic pavillion by the hot tub/pool to have a party and BBQ. Then the lifeguards or security could check the names and reservations to make sure it's a fort guest using it.
I just think Disney does not care and thinks that the more people that come in, the more revenue they will make by thinking they will spend money on food and drink. If they free load to the pool, I'm sure thier bringing their owns Sams best cola and Milwaukees best brew to the fort

 

[kekee]

Was looking forward to our first trip to the fort this Aug 22-30 2011. Towing our 5th wheel from MA. Its a long way to go to deal with this, having second thoughts. Just don't know if I want to spend the time and effort to tow that far to deal with this BULL.

 

[2goofycampers]

I've got 1 email addy, for the guest services manager. I am still trying to get the manager's. Hopefully this weekend. Anyone happen to know it ? His name is Doug Lord I believe.

 

[MandMLUVMMandDVC]

Was looking forward to our first trip to the fort this Aug 22-30 2011. Towing our 5th wheel from MA. Its a long way to go to deal with this, having second thoughts. Just don't know if I want to spend the time and effort to tow that far to deal with this BULL.

This isn't a daily occurrence, but it can happen. Usually holidays (Spring Break, July 4th, Memorial Day & Labor Day) are the main times.

If it does happen, just call security. They'll deal with it & 99% of these people will quietly leave.

Remember though, not all locals are there to take advantage. Many, many or us are camping there.

 

[starbuc71]

This isn't a daily occurrence, but it can happen. Usually holidays (Spring Break, July 4th, Memorial Day & Labor Day) are the main times.

If it does happen, just call security. They'll deal with it & 99% of these people will quietly leave.

Remember though, not all locals are there to take advantage. Many, many or us are camping there.

I totally agree. Please don't let this thread get anyone the wrong idea of the fort. If the pool is packed with campers, we just have to deal with it. As everyone stated just about, call security and let them deal with it. And I agree let the managment know

 

[2goofycampers]

I have got 3 ways to contact Disney.
1.Voice mail for Fort manager - Doug Lord 407-824-2042
2. WDW email - wdw.guest.communications@disney.com
3. Fort guest services manager Jeff.C.Martin@Disney.com

I will take this week to formulate my concerns and let them know next Saturday.

 

[brat]

Just left a campground in TX because of loud, rude people, we just checked into a nice one that is more comfortable.

After reading this tread earlier I was shocked by what I heard these folks say to other campers about Disney.(A family at first campground, they were in van with a pop-up with FL plates)They were telling others how to use the Fort pool and where on Disney property to get free drinks if you stop at a thrift store and get a Disney drink cup.They said if people give you a hard time just get louder CMs are more worried about keeping thing calm than keep "freeians" out.As we were leaving we were waiting in line to leave, I read the bumper sticker on their van "freeian, why pay for anything when others have already paid for it, it it is there take what you want". Has anyone seen this bumper sticker before?

 

[WeCampDisney]

Oh my goodness! I can't believe what i am reading. We usually go to the Fort in Dec. so haven't been to the pool in a few years. Last time was May 2004. Sounds like we need to police the pool ourselves if Disney won't. As soon as we see loud, out of control outsiders we must call security. Also encourage others around the pool to call. I am very concerned. We will be there June 4th through June 12th. I know my son-in-law. If some hoodlems make things not fun around his 3 year old princess, there will be a scene alright. Security better get there fast. He will persuade the offenders to leave. We just spent $40K on a motorhome because we love the Fort. Disney better stop the outsiders from coming in. I remember last fall reading all the stuff here about how awesome Halloween is at the Fort. Then I read about the huge mobs of outsiders invading. It sounded like a nightmare.

 

[MandMLUVMMandDVC]

I have never seen the bumper sticker. Like we said before, this isn't the everyday occurrence at the fort so I wouldn't worry about it. I go several times a year & seldom see it.

 

[brat]

MandMLUVMMandDVC the bumper sticker was not at Fort we are not there yet, it was at a campground in TX. I posted because they were telling other "Freeians" how to cheat Disney. We ended up talking with Police about them after we got to our 2nd campground tonight. We got told they are a group of "Theives" and have stolen from campgrounds and campers alike.

Now I wish I had taken a picture of that bumper sticker.

 

[ZeroMyHero]

I wasn't happy to find this thread, since I'm currently wrapping up all the loose ends in preparation for our upcoming Fort visit in May. If I see anything like the OP saw on my vacation, I will say something, and I will continue to say it to anyone who will listen until the situation is fixed. It amazes me that Disney allows non-paying outsiders into their resorts and pools. There should be a wristband system like there is at Stormalong Bay at *every* Disney property pool, regardless of the so-called level of the resort. It's not cheap to stay anywhere on property so it's a slap in the face to hear about freeloaders making idiots of themselves and ruining everyone else's vacation. And by crowing about being "local", they're ruining it for the FL residents who are legitimate paying customers. Sorry to go on and on; I just really, really hate thieves.

 

[Running_Bell]

Of all the times we've been to FW, we've only encountered these issues a few times and they have been the more recent visits. The idiots most certainly stick in our minds... but our time at FW was not at all ruined or impacted that much, except for that particular pool visit (it was on a Saturday, the weekdays didn't seem to be an issue).

I do think freeloading is a problem and I do think it is getting worse, but don't let it give you negative opinions before you even go. There is so much positive to FW.... and all of Disney really, there is going to be a negative experience here or there. It definitely will not keep us from staying at FW... we're headed back again in Sept. I know we may enounter freeloading idiots... but it's a small portion of our really magical time. I have no problems reporting the issue to management each and everytime.

Hopefully we can make a difference by writing and emailing....

 

[starbuc71]

Once again, please don't take this thread as deterent to stay away from the fort. Fort Wilderness is one of the best camping places in the south. Everywhere you go you will run into people trying to pull a fast one. The only reason I posted this was to talk on how "us" as genuine paying customers can convince Disney to wake up and look at this. This does not happen every trip and we visit about 5 times a year. It just gets you frustrated.
I would like to thank everyone who posted to this thread and have inputted ways to fix this. Nothing is ever perfect but we can try to make it as close as we can. So to the few who have wrote "I wasn't happy to find this thread", come and enjoy this magical place. If you read my first post, you saw that I stated besides the pool debacle, we had an awsome trip.

 

[brat]

Starbuc71 Thank you for starting this thread.We are on our way to Fort.This thread makes it clear that "crashers" are not normal and gave me info in case it does happen while we are there.So to make Fort better for all of us add me to the list who will call if I see-hear "crashers".

 

[ZeroMyHero]

There's really nothing that could keep us away from WDW and the Fort right now. We need a vacation so badly, and we're so lucky that after two very rough years we can go back to one of our favorite places. I am currently in my worrying stage of planning for a vacation. It happens no matter where we are going - it's just the way I am. It drives DH *nuts*, lol. I'm glad you posted about your experience, starbuc, so I know what to do if it happens to us (call security, not the lifeguards!). I'm glad the majority of your vacation was magical. Here's hoping ours is, too!