Last minute options

[SusanDK]

We would like to get a campsite at Fort Wilderness for one specific night next week to join some friends who will be there in the cabins. Of course, there is currently no availability, but I wondered how often cancellations pop up at the last minute and whether there is a best time to search. For example, based on cancellation policies, when would people most likely cancel at the last minute? We can use any size site, include a tent site, because we have a camper van.

 

[morrik5]

I would check regularly all day, every day - I've heard of people getting those last minute reservations. Perhaps even phone in?

 

[bama_ed]

I agree with morrik5. Keep trying several times a day.

You must be trying for Friday or Saturday night this coming week because there is availability Mon-Thur before and at least Sun-Mon nights after. Only those 2 days were empty in all site categories.

That being the case, the cancellation policy of 5 days prior to get a deposit back should be happening in the next 24-48 hours for other guests arriving on Fri/Sat. So I would be checking hard/often over the next two days.

As we say here, weekends are often the first to book up because locals/closeby folks with Annual Passes come in to camp and visit the parks. So they are the hardest to get when Sun-Thur nights are often available.

Good luck and let us know if you get one.

Bama ED

PS - and yes you could call also but with the wait times recently I would be searching online. If you got within the 5 day window and still nothing, then I would try calling.

 

[morrik5]

I agree with morrik5. Keep trying several times a day.

You must be trying for Friday or Saturday night this coming week because there is availability Mon-Thur before and at least Sun-Mon nights after. Only those 2 days were empty in all site categories.

That being the case, the cancellation policy of 5 days prior to get a deposit back should be happening in the next 24-48 hours for other guests arriving on Fri/Sat. So I would be checking hard/often over the next two days.

As we say here, weekends are often the first to book up because locals/closeby folks with Annual Passes come in to camp and visit the parks. So they are the hardest to get when Sun-Thur nights are often available.

Good luck and let us know if you get one.

Bama ED

PS - and yes you could call also but with the wait times recently I would be searching online. If you got within the 5 day window and still nothing, then I would try calling.

Or keep refreshing the web page while you're on hold

 

[bama_ed]

Yes and there still might be cancellations up to the last minute but then those folks would lose their deposit so just keeping banging away.

 

[SusanDK]

Thanks for all the tips! Our friends are possibly changing their plans re: the cabins, so we may not need a campsite after all. I've been refreshing throughout yesterday and today, however, and so far nothing popped up for our night (could get the prior night!).

We do hope to try out the campground some day.

 

[BarbLynnM]

On the road so will keep this short...we picked up 3 extra days, one the day of and 2 a few days before. As others have said, gotta check often as people cancel at the last moment.

 

[BarbLynnM]

Oh, and btw, I called, didn't rely on the website.

 

[SusanDK]

That's the way we usually roll! Spontaneous and catching other people's last minute cancellations at normally hard-to-get campgrounds. Thanks!

 

[SusanDK]

Just bumping my previous thread with a new question.

Our friends have now reserved a campsite and we are invited to join them for a cook-out while they are there. Only one family is going to have an RV and the others are just joining for the evening. We are a total of 8 adults for the cook-out (only 2 adults actually staying overnight) and see that it is allowed to have 10 adults at a campsite, so that should not be a problem.

Assuming that we need to be on the reservation to get access to the campground, the person who made the reservation has added me as a friend & family member and added me on the campsite reservation so I can now see it in my MDE. However, my husband's name does not appear on the reservation. He does not have his own MDE account because I manage everything for him in my account. His tickets are listed in my account and I make all of our park reservations, dining reservations and [previously] fast passes.

So right now, his name is not on the campsite reservation with the rest of the group of 8. The friend who has booked the campsite said it didn't need to be there, as long as one member of the family is on it (me), that we will be ok.

Is this correct? I don't want to turn up at Fort Wilderness and have them ask our names and say that he does not have a reservation. Are there any other things to be aware of if he is not on the reservation?

 

[bama_ed]

Names on a reservation are only necessary for overnight guests. The 10-person limit applies to overnight guest counts.

For non-Fort guests, just roll up to the guard shack and tell him you are here to see the "Smith" family in site "1101" (use the name and number they will have provided you before you arrive). He will verify that info and advise you to park in the lot and bus/walk to their site.

This kind of thing happens all the time. The main thing is not to take 4 cars down the campsite. Park them all in the main lot, walk to the big Outpost bus depot there at the main lot, and use whatever bus line needed to get to your friend's site (lines are Orange, Yellow, or Purple). They should know what line they are on and at which stop to get off at that is closest to them. Or they can drive up to pick you up in the main lot and shuttle you to the site (we've done that too).

Adding names to a reservation works but unnecessarily complicates things. Unless you're going at a crazy parking/crowd Fort time like Halloween, just using their name/number to get past the guard works.

Good luck and have fun. Don't over-think it.

Bama Ed

 

[SusanDK]

Thank you - appreciate the good advice!