Make-M Pay

[John VN]

I think it is about time that FW puts a meter on every site and after a specified amount of electricity is used an additional charge is added to the site fee. If someone wants to light up their site with 10,000 bulbs, blow up figures and anything else that uses the power that normally would not be used, they should foot the bill and not get assistance from me. Could be that some of the site rate increases is due to all the displays.

Flame suit on from head to toes.

 

[becky1960]

When Cap & Trade goes into effect, look for large increases in site cost as Electricity is supposed to double according to Electric generating Ceo's. Disney uses a huge amount of electricity.

 

[Abagpiper5]

 

[3gr8kids]

 

[k4dcf]

So let's say I am a thirty amp coach paying for a premium fifty amp site can I burn an additional twenty amps (2,400 watts) of decorations before I get charged extra.

 

[stacktester]

Who really gives a **** John? Why don't you do a little homework to see how little electricity lightbulbs and fans actually draw. I wanted to see exactly what my camper a/c pulls and with the assistance of a friend who works for the power company he measured it running on a 24 hour basis. It costs about $7 a day for our rates here. An a/c pulls a heck of a lot more power than these displays at the fort. FW actually gives sites to certain people during Christmas and other holidays. 99% of everything you've ever posted is negative BS that you have no idea what you're even posting.

 

[mnsprk]

I thought we were supposed to enjoy WDW and the FORT...Let's not start a feud!!!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Im pretty sure John was given empty boxes for christmas as a child.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I got a rock.

 

[VACAMPER]

I like turtles.

 

[big kahuna1]

I think it is about time that FW puts a meter on every site and after a specified amount of electricity is used an additional charge is added to the site fee. If someone wants to light up their site with 10,000 bulbs, blow up figures and anything else that uses the power that normally would not be used, they should foot the bill and not get assistance from me. Could be that some of the site rate increases is due to all the displays.

Flame suit on from head to toes.

 

[DaveInTN]

I'm not typically one to jump into the fray of threads like this, but I will say that the site decorating at Christmas (not to mention the other holidays) is one of the top draws that brings us back to the Fort each year. We do a minimal amount of decorating ourselves (mainly as I don't have to means to acquire, store and transport a ton of decorations from TN), but we LOVE looping around the resort viewing all of the displays that folks put together. We make hot chocolate for the DD's, something a bit "warmer" for my wife and me, and make a night of it. Several nights in fact. It is one of the things that makes FW magical for us. If the "over the top" decorating was not allowed or discouraged, our trips would likely be shorter and less frequent. I imagine others would feel the same way.

For just my family, if we reduced our stays by one week per year, or 7 nights, that would eliminate $525 in site revenue at an average rate of $75/nt. I don't know what the rate per kw hr is in central FL, but I would guess $525 would light a lot of lights and run a lot of blow up fans. And that's just me! And that doesn't include all the money I spend besides the site fees on tickets, food and souveniers, which are typically several times the actual site fees per trip.

Furthermore, I think Disney is way smarter than that anyways. Throughout WDW, they go all out with decorating the resorts and parks for the Holidays, mainly Christmas and Halloween. They spend a ton of money on this, as they know it creates magic which pulls the people in. And yet, at the Fort they have somehow gotten a situation where the guests do most of the decorating for them! All they do is supply the electricity. WE do all the work! I really doubt they would discourage that.

So, that's my opinion and I'll shut up now and get back to the sidelines.

 

[stacktester]

Excellent response. They hardly do any work at the fort so it's a great trade for them. If they didn't allow decorations it would be pretty bland. One of the reasons we book Thanksgiving weekend is to experience the decorations all over Disney.

 

[SandrA9810]

I love how the 300 loop decorates to the hilt for Halloween. It definatly makes the carriage ride that much cooler.

I love all the decorations for the different holidays, or the golf cart parade for the 4th. I really don't think the amount of decorations for the holiday have any effect on the price of the campsites. All the Disney resorts seem to go up a steady price every year, and the fort is no exception.

 

[laura-k]

Oh please ,I don't bring all my decorations with me ,but i do enjoy the ones that
others do and at around 100.00 a night (i usually stay in the 300 loop) I am quite sure that covers the electric cost quite easily !

Laura

 

[laura-k]

Oh please ,I don't bring all my decorations with me ,but i do enjoy the ones that
others do and at around 100.00 a night (i usually stay in the 300 loop) I am quite sure that covers the electric cost quite easily !

Laura

 

[mamaloya]

The cost is high over the holidays because it is the holidays and one of, if not THE, busiest times of the year.

And yes, the over the top decorations is one of the big draws of the fort. They were even feature on that travel show with Samantha Brown. Do you actually think they would discourage something that gets them free attention?

 

[ftwildernessguy]

The cost is high over the holidays because it is the holidays and one of, if not THE, busiest times of the year.

And yes, the over the top decorations is one of the big draws of the fort. They were even feature on that travel show with Samantha Brown. Do you actually think they would discourage something that gets them free attention?

That show and Sam's T-shirt sparked quite a bit of discussion when it first aired. Ahhhhhh......the memories.

 

[des1954]

Just for anyone who is interested.... WDW power, water, and sewer is all provided by Reedy Creek Improvement District, a company created by, owned by & operated by Disney. They do not buy power from anyone. As a matter of fact, Tampa Electric Company (TECO) connected a sub-station into the RCID power grid near the Disney Studios in 1995 and the two companies signed a contract stating that TECO would pay RCID a 25% capacity fee, annually. I don't know the time terms of this contract, but just to give you a hint of what the terms might be, when the U.S. Armed Forces took over the old Disney Inn and created Shades of Green, the Gov't signed a 99 year lease on the property with WDW.

When driving from Tampa east on I-4 towards Disney, the signature "Mickey Ears" power tower you see on the north side of I-4 was designed, built by and paid for by TECO. So, I don't think the WDW/FtW "suits" are losing any sleep over campsites being decorated to the hilt.

As another matter of fact, towards Christmas the hay wagon ride will sometimes go through loops they ordinarily don't go through so the guests can see some of the great decorations.

So John, you can rest easy now. Or...if you still feel you're being ripped off because someone else's joy of decorating is giving you sorrow, then take your business to another campground. Nobody makes you stay at Ft. Wilderness. That'll leave a site open for someone else to enjoy.

 

[AuburnJen92]

I think it is about time that FW puts a meter on every site and after a specified amount of electricity is used an additional charge is added to the site fee. If someone wants to light up their site with 10,000 bulbs, blow up figures and anything else that uses the power that normally would not be used, they should foot the bill and not get assistance from me. Could be that some of the site rate increases is due to all the displays.

Flame suit on from head to toes.

I just got home from CVS, found a useful item on the shelf...