Newbie Question: campsites

[winewooltravel]

I'm on a frustratingly slow computer, so my research has been slow. I'm hoping someone can help before I start pulling my hair out ...

This will be our first time at WDW, and we'd like to camp. We have a trailer that we tow all around the Pacific NW, and we tent camp-primitive, hike in, canoe camp, campsites....you name it. We'd probably fly to FL, rent a car, and bring everything to tent camp in our packs. Which makes us sound like a couple of nuts, I'm sure, but we're really very normal people. We have real jobs and everything!

Anyway, our plans are very flexible. My husband has vacation for three weeks in May, but he has up to 6 days off at a stretch at other times, so we could pull the kids out of school and go.

I'm becoming VERY frustrated with plugging in dates to see if there are tents sites open. There are thousands of possibilities, and I can't possibly put them all in. Is there an easy way to see when sites are available without plugging in dates? Do I have to call?

I'm still researching the trip, so I'm not ready to reserve. I just want to see what's available and when so I can go from there.

Any ideas?
Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[YodaGirl]

You didn't say what days in May you would be traveling.

I plugged in May 1, 2011 to May 28, 2011, and all four weeks were available for a tent site at $66 and $69 a night ($66 for Sundays-Thursdays, and $69 for Fridays and Saturdays).

While we tent camp in WDW, we drive, but I know of several on here who have flown. Don't think that you're alone.

The Fort is awesome, and I'm sure that you'll fall in love with it.

 

[Judy in Texas]

Although I have not tried it, the general recommendation here is to put in for longer than you need and then to delete the extra as soon as you know your exact days.

 

[bord1niowa]

If you call in, which is what I do, use AAA if you have it. If you don't, it's a good thing to have anyway and the discount will probably pay for it. June still had AAA discounts available for partial sites as of a couple of days ago. May could be as good, if it's not the holiday weekend of course. Good luck!

 

[winewooltravel]

Thanks everyone!
I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong...everytime I plug in a date it says that there is nothing but cabins available. Maybe it's because I'm looking it up as a package? I'll look under "lodging only" and see if I can get it with that...

We've thought about AAA for a few years-maybe this is the year to do it!

 

[winewooltravel]

Oh! I almost forgot-I'm looking at pretty much any date in May. My husband's schedule can be manipulated to give him days off surrounding his vacation, so we're very flexible. Also, with his stretches of days off during "normal" months we could go whenever we have the money together and the space at the campground-it's just a lot more last-minute (about 30 days notice) I'd like to not do more than a 4 day park ticket so we can spend some time doing other things like Universal/Harry Potter.

Thanks again! You guys are all so helpful

 

[mnsprk]

Click on the "Advanced Search" then you will see prompts for the Campground.

 

[Bearikens]

Sounds like you are getting good advice concerning your issues with obtaining a site. My DW and I have flown and tent camped at the fort several times and I thought I would pass on some of our experience. We used two large duffle bags to hold our camp gear. For you gear selection think "minimal". We took a single large tent, folding camp stools (instead of folding camp chairs), single burner propane camp stove, bedding (instead of sleeping bags), paper bowls and plates, plastic silverware, small perk coffee pot, electric rope light, photocell timer, outdoor extension cord, power strip, and my 5 inch black and white tv (I've even taken my laptop with a TV turner card). The timer and rope lights are really nice for when you get back to your campsite after dark...and it also makes it easier to find the tent door zipper! Now, we would also have exchanged the stove and backpacking cookware with a single electric skillet and also packed a 5 cup electric coffee pot (with a steel carafe instead of glass).

Also, Disney express doesn't make any stops enroute to WDW...however, it may be possible to convince a towncar driver to make a short stop at a grocery store (be sure to ask nicely). Off property prices are better and so are the choices for grocery and adult (alcohol and tobacco) items.

I also recommend waterproofing your tent BEFORE you go and also bring some raingear (poncho or jacket) and small umbrella. You will most likely need these in the campsite and the parks.

Hope this helps.

 

[YodaGirl]

Also, Disney express doesn't make any stops enroute to WDW...however, it may be possible to convince a towncar driver to make a short stop at a grocery store (be sure to ask nicely). Off property prices are better and so are the choices for grocery and adult (alcohol and tobacco) items.

You can also obtain food through places like garden grocer. We've never used it, but other people on here have and found it to be very useful. You can probably google it to find their site. I think that they have grocery items listed on their site, as well. From what I've heard, it's fairly reasonably priced.