Need some info on cabins - we're newbies :)

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Hi and Good Morning,

Dh is interested in staying in a FT Wilderness cabin in late October. I'm a little nervous about it as I'm usually more of a hotel kinda girl but the day we'll arrive will be his birthday so I'm trying to make the trip special for him (and the cabins do look cute). We are a family of 4 with two kids: DS - 9 and DD - 5.

From posts I've read here - can you request a certain cabin loop from someone other than CRO? Are you able to call Ft Wilderness Front Desk for a request? It seems like the 2500 is popular, any other recommendations and could you tell me why you like it?

I feel like I need "Ft Wilderness Cabins for Dummies". I've been to WDW resorts many times but never the campground!

I also wanted to make sure there are some non smoking cabins available (allergies, asthma)? I know I can ask CRO but I'm actually more confident in answers from DIS'ers.

And do you recommend renting a golf cart? How far in advance can you reserve them? We will be going to the parks every day but we'll take some afternoon down time at the campground. We will have our own car. I know we can't drive around the campground but will probably drive to the parks most days (except MK, we'll take the boat). DH and DS experience motion sickness very easily, they don't even do well if in the back of a bus

Thanks for your help!

 

[DisneyMom5]

We were newbies too when we went to Ft. Wild. We requested (with CRO) loop 2500, non-smoking, near bus stop and pool. (Make sure you mention that non- smoking is a medical necessity with asthma/allergies.)
When we arrived at 8:30 am, we were told our assigned room was not ready (probably 2503 or 4), would we take 2514? I said sure. We were only a bit down the loop, maybe a 1/4 of a block, and the cabin was handicap accessible, which worked out great with our dbl stroller.
We LOVED this site, and the buses. We didn't get the carts (too many kids) and didn't need them, but we didn't spend too much time in the cabin. We drove down, so had our van, but didn't use it, and brought food with us for breakfast and a couple of meals. Wouldn't take as much food if I did it again.

The buses are efficient, and even with having to switch buses to catch the park buses, we loved them. The boat to MK was ok, but a pain when we had to return to the campground with a sick child. (Buses would only have been better due to queasiness enhanced sea-sickness.)
2500 is right next to the laundry and pool. Very handy. It is also a shorter loop than others.
Any other questions, let me know.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Thanks so much I think we'd enjoy the space of a cabin and I hope it all works out for us. I'm still waiting to see if discounts come out for our timeframe - otherwise we'd probably stay at a moderate.

I'm assuming you had a ramp since your cabin was handicap accessible. Were there any other differences?

Thanks again - I appreciate it!

 

[DisneyMom5]

Thanks so much I think we'd enjoy the space of a cabin and I hope it all works out for us. I'm still waiting to see if discounts come out for our timeframe - otherwise we'd probably stay at a moderate.

I'm assuming you had a ramp since your cabin was handicap accessible. Were there any other differences?

Thanks again - I appreciate it!

Ramp, yes. I don't think there was any other difference.
We loved the space also. It was nice for the kids to have space to roll around, LOL. We were spoiled by the cabins. (We got the 2004 Winter special where 2 of the kids went to the parks for free -- they haven't had that one again!)
Pop Century will probably seem small, but our kids are getting older and we will appreciate the 2 bathrooms!
For what its worth, my friend and I were discussing the moderates today -- she has stayed in them all--and she recommends the Coronado springs. Hope you get the cabins though!

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Hi DisneyMom5

Thanks for helping me out with this. I hope we get the cabins too. I've stayed at POFQ and CBR so if we have to go with a moderate it'll be CSR or POR as I'd like to try a different one. Thanks for the recommendation. Hope some kind of discount, or the free dining, something comes out to make a cabin more affordable.

You'll have to let us know how you like Pop Century - it looks so cute (and obviously I love Lady & the Tramp).

When you mentioned bathrooms I started thinking - what are the ones in the cabin like? I haven't seen pictures of that part of the cabin. Double sinks? Is the vanity outside the actual bathroom like some of the other Disney resorts?

I appreciate your answers. Have a good weekend

 

[OhioTony]

We stayed in the 2600 loop..close to the pool..the kids LOVED riding the boat to the MK and the bunk beds! you would think BUNK BEDS were actually a RIDE!

 

[mamatojon]

Hi DisneyMom5

When you mentioned bathrooms I started thinking - what are the ones in the cabin like? I haven't seen pictures of that part of the cabin. Double sinks? Is the vanity outside the actual bathroom like some of the other Disney resorts?

I appreciate your answers. Have a good weekend

Not DisneyMom5 but I'll chime in here since we stayed there in February this year, there are pictures of the cabin at http://www.allearsnet.com and at http://fly.hiwaay.net/~jlspence/photogal.htm - the bathroom is a completely separate room, one sink.

I think the greatest thing about the cabins with kids is that they have so much room to move around and you can really decompress when you get back. I never feel very relaxed in a hotel room and I can say I really felt at home at FW. When we took the trip in Feb we were discussing future trips and we decided to buy DVC so that we could continue to enjoy larger accomodations without having to stay at FW every single time. I just won't do a long stay without a kitchen and separate living room after staying there.

Make sure you do Trail's End Buffet, it is a great value! And if your kids are young enough they have pony rides too. We rented a little watermouse and zipped around the lake too, I know you will have a blast if you stay there. They really are like a hotel room, airconditioned and daily mousekeeping, not "rustic" as the "cabin" name implies. They are themed well though so you will still feel that staying-in-the-woods feeling.

Have fun planning!

 

[DisneyMom5]

I had to laugh when I was reading the Un. Guide as they stated that the cabin bathrooms are small. I don't know where they live, but the bathroom at the cabin was bigger than either of mine!

Oh, and another perk is that the kitchen is fully loaded with cookware and dishes, and that the mousekeeping runs the dishwasher every day, even if it is just for a couple of bowls and spoons.

We loved being able to put the kids to bed and stay up and watch tv. The pull down bed in the liv. room is very comfortable. I was afraid it would be like a pull out sofa, but no.

There are no plastic cups in the kitchen. There is a good website for FW that lists the contents of the kitchen and what is lacking, if I can find it I will post it for you.

 

[DisneyMom5]

This is a website by a frequent poster to this board. This link should take you directly to his FW page. A couple of paragraphs down is a link for a kitchen inventory. One other thing that is not included is a cookie sheet if you are making something that requires it.

http://home.hiwaay.net/~jlspence/faq_fw.htm

I would also study his campground maps and busing info. I felt very prepared to utilize the buses (internal and external) after studying this.

 

[mja451]

We leave in 13 days! (a 2 day drive) 5th year in the cabins. Needless to say we love them. Everyone can decompress after the parks. As to the kitchen, DS has food allergies so we tend to cook more than I would like. But I bring down our favorite staples, and stop once at Winn-Dixie and that sets us up for our 12 days. We drive, but the only place we drive to is DTD and Typoon Lagoon. We also request loop and non-smoking and have never had a problem. Usually fax request a couple of days ahead as reminder. The Trails End Buffet is great, usually eat our first nite there and maybe a breakfast on a down day. My husband even brings his fishing gear and fishes on the nites we don't go back to the parks.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Thanks everyone for the replies and all the info/links - it's a great help. I know what you mean about the decompressing. In a hotel I'm always "shusshing" the kids, when they get a little loud in our room or hallways, guess that wouldn't be a problem in the cabin! They'd really enjoy that I think I'm going to call today and see if I can at least get a AAA rate, then see if something better comes out.

We're getting really excited, the pictures look great and that bathroom actually looks bigger than most resorts. Great info about what's in the kitchen too.

Whoo Hoo! We've got just over 3 months to our trip and we can't wait!

Thanks again. Have a great weekend everyone