Last minute items!

[FLkid]

Hey guys!

Next Wednesday we will be heading to the fort for 5 days. We have stayed at the fort three times now in a tent (with ac) but this time we are bringing our travel trailer! We have never camped in it before so this should be pretty interesting. We bought it as a fixer upper and have spent the last four months remodeling it.

I booked a tent/popup site because last time we were in the tent loop we saw several travel trailers about 2-4ft longer than ours and we have no plans to use the septic for this very first trip (I bought the fiancé a luggaloo so I don’t have to suffer anymore 3am half asleep strolls to the comfort station for her to pee)

Can anyone give me any pointers or items youve found essential when camping in a travel trailer at the fort?


What’s the rule on citronella candles?

Do you typically leave your trailer attached to the vehicle if you’re gonna be using internal transportation?

I have the normal things like surge protector, levelers, wheel chocks etc

 

[bama_ed]

Citronella candles are ok.

We always unhitch because the site might be a tad not level and you would need to unhitch to level it. Plus you might need to make a grocery run at some point.

Congrats on moving up to a camper, FLkid. Been there myself.

Bama Ed

 

[RamblingMad]

Here are some ideas:

https://www.outsideonline.com/2400040/luxury-car-camping-gear

 

[Jorjabelle]

Congrats on the Travel Trailer!

We’re staying in a pop up (26 ft long) on a tent site in October.

Have you done Camp Driveway? If you have that’s great! If not, you might want to sleep ON on the bed to see if it’s comfortable - we upgraded our to a cool memory foam mattress.

If you are running AC and a frig - unhooking and leveling a trailer is best. Especially if it’s a 3 way frig.

Do you have a water line to hook up travel trailer to the water available on the tent site? If you are hooking up so you can wash dishes/hands/cooking water - Wally World has a white 25 ft water line. Be sure to get a water regulator!! It’s a brass fitting at Wally World (Amazon prime has this stuff too) that makes sure the campground water pressure doesn’t break the pipes (tubing) in your trailer. As an extra, we have an in-line water filter - that attaches to our water line. And then I filter our tap water in a Brita water jug for drinking. FL water tastes bad.

Since the squirrels take no prisoners at the Fort - we’re keeping food in our pop up or in our grizzly proof Lifeline cooler outside.

We are bringing our Blackstone griddle. Between that and the Instant Pot and our microwave - that’s our meals at the camper.

I’m pre making a couple meals to freeze and throw in the Instant Pot with its slow cooker lid while we are spending time out during day - to come back to pulled chicken ready to go.

Whatever frozen or dry foods I don’t bring down with us - basically fresh vegetables and anything I forgot to pack - I plan on ordering for delivery to the Fort front desk.

You probably know from camping in a tent - we are bringing our Clam easy up shelter and guide lines and corkscrew stakes to batten that sucker down. I guess corkscrew stakes are better than reg metal stakes in the sand pads.

Safe travels, have a great trip!

Added: Cruising spud reminded me that we are taking a waste tote on wheels that attaches to our hitch to drive our waste water over to an empty campsite to dump. We’ll be there for a week - so I’ll practice water conservation - but we will need to dump. That’s a personal choice - to “dry camp” w no water or not - but we are comfortable using our waste tote - I’ve used it at other campgrounds.

There is no dump station at Fort Wilderness. So any pop up or trailer in the tent sites needing to dispose of gray water (or black) will need to use other sites or leave with their tanks still full. Cassette toilets can dump in bathrooms.

 

[cruising spud]

FLkid,

You said you didn't plan to use the septic system in your rv, so I am assuming you have a gray and black tank, or at least a gray tank. If so, I would see if I couldn't get a full hook-up site. Please, just my opinion, but to have to watch my water consumption for five days (in order to avoid dumping the tanks), would be a pain in the neck for me.

 

[peg110]

I kind of agree with cruising spud. We camped locally at a campground when we first got our camper, at a campground (Knoebels) and they do not have water or sewer hookups (They do have a fill and dump station though), and although our trip was only a long weekend (4 days), it's amazing how quickly those tanks can fill up.

SO... If you plan on using them (black/grey water tanks), just be mindful of this. Also don't necessarily trust the "Gauges" particularly for the Black water tanks. It's easy for something to get "Stuck" on one of the sensors and give a false reading. My black water tank says 2/3 full even after I dump it. (4 marks. Empty 1/3, 2/3, and Full)

 

[chartle]

What’s the rule on citronella candles?

Curious do some campgrounds have rules on citronella candles?

But my general tip is if you plan on cooking layout all the food you plan to cook and then everything you need to cook it. Stuff you may miss like a colander to drain mac n cheese noodles. We also buy a lot of pre cooked food like sausage and bacon and also pre cook and seal a meal stuff like taco meat. We always did this when we tent camped to cut down of the grease.

 

[Christine raynor]

Curious do some campgrounds have rules on citronella candles?

But my general tip is if you plan on cooking layout all the food you plan to cook and then everything you need to cook it. Stuff you may miss like a colander to drain mac n cheese noodles. We also buy a lot of pre cooked food like sausage and bacon and also pre cook and seal a meal stuff like taco meat. We always did this when we tent camped to cut down of the grease.

Good grocery stores are only 8-10 minutes out the back road near the fort and a much cheaper/better way to shop then delivery. They are all on Google maps.

 

[Stork]

What’s the rule on citronella candles?

With a name like FLkid, I'm confident you know how quickly mosquitos come and find you, and how many they bring to the feast.

I have four candles, one for each corner of the patio rug and four incense type sticks to plant around the entrance to our RV. The only rules I know of are more is better and to light them early to prevent / deter the pesky things from showing up.

Disney has a No Open Flame rule for fire pits, but I'm sure your candle collection would be okay...as long as you are present and don't leave them burning without being there.

 

[sambuster]

Not sure about anyone else, but in the 20+ years of camping at the Fort I don't remember ever even seeing a mosquito. Disney does an excellent job at insect control. SamBuster

 

[Stork]

....I don't remember ever even seeing a mosquito. Disney does an excellent job at insect control. SamBuster

I agree they do a good job of mitigating the menace. But we have experienced them, especially on the outside of Big Bear Loop up against the creek/water.

 

[RamblingMad]

Don’t forget stuff for s’mores.

 

[cruising spud]

Hey peg110,

We are about an hour or so from Knoebels. A great place.

 

[Sjm9911]

Not sure on where the disney hook ups aee, as i havent been yet, but its a good idea to have an extention cord for the pup. Just in case your factory cord isnt long enough to reach the hook up. Also make sure your tires are aired up and not out of date. That would ruin your trip real fast.
Leaving the trailor attached probably will not work , as stated you need to level it. Front to back and side to side. You said you have levelers , make sure you have a jack and tire iron that fits on the pup. And the extra weight on the TV is probably not a good idea.

 

[Christine raynor]

Not sure on where the disney hook ups aee, as i havent been yet, but its a good idea to have an extention cord for the pup. Just in case your factory cord isnt long enough to reach the hook up. Also make sure your tires are aired up and not out of date. That would ruin your trip real fast.
Leaving the trailor attached probably will not work , as stated you need to level it. Front to back and side to side. You said you have levelers , make sure you have a jack and tire iron that fits on the pup. And the extra weight on the TV is probably not a good idea.

The power "tree stumps" are located on driver side about in the middle of site. A good heavy power cord with splitter end is perfect for multi tasking. And maybe a couple of smaller cords to plug in.

 

[FLkid]

Thank you to everyone for your awesome replies!

We felt the fury of mosquitos during our last FW trip which was abnormal for our Disney trips so we’re coming prepared this time with candles. We prefer to eat outside so when we’re camping we like to be bite free!

We will be utilizing the comfort stations as we have done in the past for showering etc. our next trip we will be using our own unit and will then get a full hook up site!

We were given one of those portable tank things on wheels with the trailer.

 

[team bradfield]

you will enjoy the step up to the travel trailer, congrats.

 

[4077]

Thank you to everyone for your awesome replies!

We felt the fury of mosquitos during our last FW trip which was abnormal for our Disney trips so we’re coming prepared this time with candles. We prefer to eat outside so when we’re camping we like to be bite free!

We will be utilizing the comfort stations as we have done in the past for showering etc. our next trip we will be using our own unit and will then get a full hook up site!

We were given one of those portable tank things on wheels with the trailer.

Picture of your new to you home away from home would be awesome if you have it. Or perhaps when set up atvthe Fort if you have a chance

 

[Jorjabelle]

Have a great time!