Never been to the Fort...nervous to try out the cabins...help!

[barefootMom]

[
B][/B]
Can people talk me into staying at the Fort in one of the cabins? We've always wanted to try it but then end up at WL instead. This year we are going the first week in Feb. and it will be me, dh, and 2 dds (5 and 8) so are thinking we need to try something new for a change but are nervous about a few things:

-will it feel like Disney as much as the other resorts?
-does it get old having to take a golf cart (or bus or walk) just to get to the pool?
-if we don't also rent a car will the transportation to the other parks (other than MK) be a hassle?
-since we want to stay in a cabin and are not exactly "campers by nature" would it feel too much like a campground and not enough like a resort to us?

We love the space of the cabins, extra things to do, the new pool area, etc. and are just nervous to take the plunge!
tell me we will love it!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

You will love it.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

There's a 99.9% chance that you will never want to stay at another resort again! You'll love the Fort,the cabins are GREAT!!! And you'll gain so much interest in the campground itself,that taking a cart or bus becomes part of the charm. Relax...you just made the best decision you could have ever made.

 

[barefootMom]

keep the replies coming! So if I get a golf cart can I skip getting a rental car to go to the other parks? if I do that, can I just pay a few more bucks for groceries at the shopping place at the Fort (only breakfast stuff and snacks and drinks probably)? is it weird driving to go to the pool?

 

[cat83]

I agree that you will love it! But we never get a golf cart.
Granted, we never stay cabins- but for the type of stay we do (mostly parks with some relaxation at the resort), we've never needed it.
I've never stayed near the cabin loops (always stay 100/200/400 on the other end)- but from where we stay, it doesn't feel like a long walk to the pool area. Maybe 10-12 minutes?

The buses are no worse than staying at any other resort. Yes, you do have the internal buses to deal with as well, but in my experience, they are extremely frequent.


I can't tell you how it will "feel" to you! I love FW, but also love other resorts We stay here about 2/3 of our trips; it does feel very much like Disney, but I love the lighting, fountains, courtyards, etc of other resorts as well.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Central Grocery will deliver groceries to your cabin. Someone willl chime in soon on how to get ahold of them and place an order. You do not NEED a golf cart....but they sure are alot of fun,especially if you have kids!!! Its like your own personal disney ride that you control! And it gives you an incentive to cart around and see the entire campground...the Fort has ALOT to offer. Many people vacation at the fort and never even bother with visiting the parks...I personally would rather NOT visit the parks,but my kids have a different idea of what a vacation is supposed to be like, so they get theirs, and I get mine with a Fort Wilderness vacation.

 

[tungpo1]

You wont want to stay at the WL anymore

 

[gchockeymom]

The cabins are our favorite place to stay in WDW. I am not an outdoorsy kinda girl but love it there. It's just enough of the camping scene but with a maid.
You will not be disappointed at all.
We have stayed with a cart and without one. I personally like getting the cart so that you don't have to wait for the internal buses but they really do come around continuously.
Have a great time!

 

[freshlybarked]

One misconception that I don't think has been addressed is that you can't take the golf carts off property. You can catch a boat to MK and take the monorail to Epcot. For the other two parks you will need bus transportation, which depending on the crowd levels can take some time. I would recommend renting a car. It is much quicker. You will love the Fort. Much more relaxing than at the Resorts. You will also be a short walk (.7 miles) from WL. We are going back in 3 weeks and this will be our 6th visit in 2 years. It is well worth exploring all the Fort has to offer.

 

[fla4fun]

This is the camping board, so you'll find a lot of prejudice toward the cabins.

I've stayed at both WL and FWC and enjoyed both immensely. But the experiences are totally different. WL feels like a resort hotel, and has a definite hotel feel to it. FW feels more like a community. It's a lot more laid back. There are some amenities, like room service and the fitness room, at WL that you don't have at FW. You won't have the same kind of CS dining options that you have at WL. You will gain space and privacy that you don't have at WL.

Personally, I stay at FW when I'm looking for a more laid back trip. It does feel more like a vacation home than a hotel room. I've always got my car since I drive to WDW, but I've never found the FW transportation to be any better or worse than any other Disney resort, despite what some people may say. I do not rent a golf cart, so I can't comment on whether that would be best for your family or not, but I can say you can get around the Fort fine without one. I like having a full size refrigerator to keep plenty of beverages cold and the microwave for snacks. It's nice to have two televisions and two separate sleeping areas if you're traveling with several people. There are two pools - the main pool and a pool in the cabins area. If you want to be closer to the main pool, you'll want to request something in maybe the 2100, 2200, or 2300 loop. All of the cabin loops are close enough to walk to the cabin pool.

The important thing is to keep your expectations realistic. Like I said, WL and FW are two different experiences. If someone went to WL expecting FW, they would be disappointed. If someone went to FW expecting a WL experience, they would be disappointed. If you read the posts on the camping board and enjoy FW for all the great things it is, you'll have a magical trip.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Why do you feel you need reinforcement for your vacation choice? If you take a chance on a resort and it doesn't meet your needs or expectations, your life is not ruined, you just choose a different resort next visit. If you have a favorite resort and it works for you and you have consistantly positive experiences, why go through the anxiety of trying the unknown and risk a bad experience? Other peoples experiences, good or bad, will not necessarily translate into a good or bad experience for you and your family.

 

[lklasing]

I'll chime in with another encouragement about the cabins. We would have never stayed at FW except that (several trips ago), we had family who was camping there so we stayed in a cabin to be more near them. Ever since then, we haven't stayed anywhere else, even though we haven't had anyone camping on either of our two trips since.

The space in the cabins in wonderful. Since you mentioned that appealing to you, I definitely think you will love it. We love being able to spread out, have a separate area to watch TV, eat, chat, etc. in separate from the bedroom. The porch is great to hang out on too. Plus, you get all the benefits of a regular resort (housekeeping, pools, etc.), while having all the extra benefits.

FW itself is great too. There are so many more things to do there than at most if not all of the other resorts - horseback riding, "looping" (checking out all the campsites while on your golf cart), Chip and Dale's campfire, nightly movies, etc. Your kids will love it.

About the golf cart going to the pool - it's not something that detracts from going to the pool at all - the golf cart itself is a lot of fun.

Honestly, I think you'll love it. Feel free if you want to check out any of the last 3 trip reports in my signature - they're all about our stays at FW.

Regardless of where you stay, have a great trip!

Leslie

 

[Born 2 Fish]

I agree with Jim.
You'll either like it or not. If you don't , then you learned that you like the WL better. But it's still Disney no matter how ya look at it.

 

[sinnika]

We just returned from our very first cabin stay and we loved it! We have stayed at WL, CR, POR, ASMU, AK, and at least 10 visits at SOG. Since this was our umpteenth time to WDW, we chose to relax and visit a few favorites in each park. We also took off one day just to enjoy the campgrounds. I highly recommend this! We always rent a car and this time was no different. We picked up groceries on the way and pre-ordered a birthday cake for DD from Publix. Even though we had free dining, we chose to have breakfast in the cabin. It was fabulous being able to scramble up some eggs and sausage in the morning and have coffee made in a full size pot, not those teeny hotel ones. And those dishes are all handled by housekeeping! Its not the cooking I mind so much, but the cleanup! If you decide not to rent a car, consider having your groceries delivered from one of those services like garden grocer. The food items at Ft Wilderness post were definitely on the high side!
We did do a one day golf cart rental on the first day since we checked in early and wanted explore some of the loops and get our bearings. Plus we drove it to the marina to go to the MNSSHP that evening. It was nice to have it there for us to ride back to our cabin at midnight. And we had it for a couple of hours the next morning since return time is at 11am. The walk to the Meadows pool is not really far if you get a cabin in either 2100, 2200 or 2300 loops. The internal buses are also very frequent. There were 5 of us (3 adults and a 12 and 14 yr old), and there was more than enough room for us. Loved having 2 tv sets! And DH loves to nap on vacation so being able to close the bedroom door for this was great! One downside is having just one bathroom. Even if the sink area were split off it would be a help. We are looking forward to a future stay here! Definitely a relaxing vacation for us!

 

[barefootMom]

Thank you thank you for all the input! Do some of the things close in early February (ie, Mickey's Backyard BBQ? campfires? movies?)

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Thank you thank you for all the input! Do some of the things close in early February (ie, Mickey's Backyard BBQ? campfires? movies?)

Not sure about the BBQ- I think that is seasonal, but everything else in the Fort operates the same all year. During the months where it is standard time (November through March), the campfire and movie start earlier, but there is also a second movie played on Friday and Saturday nights.

TCD

 

[PrincessNP]

Born 2 Fish and Jim are right ( as usual) The Fort will either be the best "resort" experience ever or you will not book there again. But even if you decide it is not for you in the long haul it is certainly worth giving it a try.

And remember that this "resort" has lots of "amenities" like the others just with a different flare. Try our the campfire sing-a-longs, the nature walks, or just tooling around on foot or in the golf cart visiting with the neighbors and seeing the sites.

And Mickey's Backyard BBQ is mostly March-Dec and only a select few nights each week. One of our favorites!

We'd be glad to have ya!

 

[phnguyk]

It's definitly FUN! If you can afford it get a golf cart, it will make getting around a little easier and its fun to explore the entire campground this way. I would recommend staying at campground
The boats are great to have too. Can head over to WL or Contemporary for a bite to eat, hop on monorail, or head to MK. We always have a great time!

 

[homebrew2]

Thank you thank you for all the input! Do some of the things close in early February (ie, Mickey's Backyard BBQ? campfires? movies?)

Nope!! Peak season starts in Feb.

 

[Memph1s]

I think it depends on your vacation style. If you are on the go all the time at parks or other attractions and just need a place to sleep, WL would be a better choice. The more time you plan to spend at the resort the better FW becomes. You can't beat the peace and quiet of the cabins. It's great to have a place where you do not have to worry about the kids having fun or being too noisy. But you have to actually be there to enjoy its charm. Another great thing about the cabins is each cabin has it's own drive and you park your car and/or cart right outside your cabin. If you want to have a relaxing vacation and return home with renewed energy plan at least a couple of days to just hang out at the fort.