No tents allowed in premium sites

[KristinU]

You know, this makes me wonder if this is to simplify the booking for folks who are only using tents. When I was booking for next year it was made so very clear that "it may be impossible to set up a tent because of the concrete slab" (well, something like that) on premium sites. So it makes me wonder if there were enough problems with people not being able to properly set up their tents that they just decided to make them not allowed rather than to try to scramble to find a suitable spot for people who literally couldn't set up their accomodations. Just my theory.

 

[loislane]

We just left today from the 500 loop. We had a small tent on our site and no one said anything to us about it. But there really was hardly any room for it - I was glad I hadn't brought the big one. Of course we also reserved full hookup and got bumped to a premium loop.

 

[amylevan]

We just left today from the 500 loop. We had a small tent on our site and no one said anything to us about it. But there really was hardly any room for it - I was glad I hadn't brought the big one. Of course we also reserved full hookup and got bumped to a premium loop.

That begs the question, if you had reserved a full hookup knowing that you needed a tent for some of your party to sleep, and you got bumped to premium, were is the rest of your party to sleep? (under the stars?)

And what about people who reserved prior to the policy change?

 

[schmitty]

The only reason I can think of for this change would be if someone gets a premium site and has just a tent on it. I dont get the not being staked BS. A couple cinder blocks would fix that.

 

[loislane]

It wasn't an issue for us as the tent was just for storage not sleeping. But it would be a problem if people needed that sleeping space. There really was not much room on our site for the tent either - no sand pad for it so we just had it in a cleared area.

 

[serenitygr]

I sure hope they will change this back- we made our reservations way last Christmas, and we've been so excited about this trip! After many conversations with Disney reservations, they helped us decide on a premium site, and they put in the notes to put us in a site where we could fit our tent. All 6 of us would be pretty uncomfortable in our motorhome for 2 weeks, so we had already bought a tent on clearance LAST summer in preparation for this trip! Our 2 older boys have been super excited about sleeping in the tent- that way they get a little space away from their parents AND their younger siblings! I'll be especially unhappy because originally we wanted a preferred site, and they told us we'd be more comfortable with a premium. And I know now there's no CHANCE of getting a preferred instead at Christmas time! THERUSTYSCUPPER- is there anything we can do? I'm heartbroken, because I don't know what we can do now...

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . THERUSTYSCUPPER- is there anything we can do? I'm heartbroken, because I don't know what we can do now...

1) As I have said, many of us have developed a case of color blindness.
2) We can't see the colors green or tan.
3) It is a pity that that is the color of tents.
4) So, we, unfortunately can't see if anyone put one on a Premium site. *
5) As for your question, IF someone decides to enforce the rule, nothing can be done.
6) But, even right now, there are tents on several Premium sites.


* Right now, CM's are confused as to whether or not to enforce the rule.

 

[serenitygr]

Does anyone have an explanation as to WHY they did this? I know some people are making their own guesses, but what does the higher ups at DISNEY say as to why?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Does anyone have an explanation as to WHY they did this? I know some people are making their own guesses, but what does the higher ups at DISNEY say as to why?

1) No reason was given to the CM's by managers.
2) And, yes, there is a lot of speculation (and confusion).
3) The "consensus" among CM's casually talking is that
. . . Premium sites aren't big enough for RV & tent to fit comfortably
. . . the tents frequently "spill over" into the neighbor's site
. . . plus, it helps to restrict Premium sites to less than 10-people
. . . where people "spill over" to the neighbor's site
4) BUT, THIS IS ALL A GUESSWORK BY US FOLKS "NOT IN THE KNOW". *

* Yes, sometimes we feel like mushrooms.

 

[serenitygr]

1) No reason was given to the CM's by managers.
2) And, yes, there is a lot of speculation (and confusion).
3) The "consensus" among CM's casually talking is that
. . . Premium sites aren't big enough for RV & tent to fit comfortably
. . . the tents frequently "spill over" into the neighbor's site
. . . plus, it helps to restrict Premium sites to less than 10-people
. . . where people "spill over" to the neighbor's site
4) BUT, THIS IS ALL A GUESSWORK BY US FOLKS "NOT IN THE KNOW". *

* Yes, sometimes we feel like mushrooms.

But aren't the preferred and full hookups still allowed tents? And if so, aren't they smaller than the premiums? If so, that doesn't make sense... Or are all sites not allowed both a motorhome and a tent?

 

[happycamper47]

But aren't the preferred and full hookups still allowed tents? And if so, aren't they smaller than the premiums? If so, that doesn't make sense... Or are all sites not allowed both a motorhome and a tent?

They have the sand pad the allows you to properly stake down the tent. As with many things too many guests probably encroached on their neighbors in the premium loops in order to put a tent off the concrete and the rules to stay on your own site were not enforced.

Again a few ruin it for the masses.

Won't be long and the same thing will happen with golf carts since the rules against Mules, Gators, Gem cars aren't enforced. Disney will ban all private carts.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Won't be long and the same thing will happen with golf carts since the rules against Mules, Gators, Gem cars aren't enforced . . . ban all private carts.

1) Funny thing.
2) We were just talking about that a couple of weeks ago.
3) Of course, talks were with line managers and not staff managers.
. . . these were not policy talks
. . . these were ad hoc conversations at breaks or during down-times
. . . so, they have no importance and may not ever happen
4) But, the thought was outlawing ALL non-WDW motorized park transport.
. . . camper-owner private golf carts, gators, etc *
. . . locally rented off-site golf carts (eg. Kenny's)
5) With the popularity of the campground, vehicles are causing hazards.
. . . kids under 16 driving carelessly, and not controlling the vehicle
. . . excessive speed of off-site-rentals and camper-owned vehicles
. . . parking in unauthorized areas
. . . driving on grass or other areas off the roadways
6) Plus, we assume, WDW wants the rental profits.

* Some had vocal opposition to scooters, but doubt that would happen,
but only Lamont Cranston and Tom Morrow know for sure.

 

[tiggerdad]

Have bike, will pedal...

Sent from my Desire HD using DISBoards

 

[jon1992]

We put the tent up for four nights and never had any problems at all. I did notice that there are several sites that would have zero room for a tent though, so I could see where problems could come from.

Rusty, our friends had a golf cart stolen from the Pioneer Hall area while they were eating breakfast. The FW front desk said this happens more than we think. Have you heard anything about golf carts being stolen?

 

[loislane]

Rusty, our friends had a golf cart stolen from the Pioneer Hall area while they were eating breakfast. The FW front desk said this happens more than we think. Have you heard anything about golf carts being stolen?

Was it one of the green rental ones? We saw so many of those, not sure how people that didn't decorate them in some way could tell them apart. I could see, especially in the dark, confusing or even forgetting your cart number and driving off in the wrong one!

 

[jon1992]

Was it one of the green rental ones? We saw so many of those, not sure how people that didn't decorate them in some way could tell them apart. I could see, especially in the dark, confusing or even forgetting your cart number and driving off in the wrong one!

No, he owned it and it was blue. You just don't think of things like that being stolen from Ft Wilderness. Lesson learned

 

[retired and happy]

Rusty, How many readers know who Lamont Cranston is/was? The Shadow knows.... Bwahaha

 

[jbrostek]

Sadly if you ban private carts, it wont really detract from most of the offenders I have been wintness to. The majority of them have been on disney rental carts, though some where not disney and I cannot guess if they where rentals or owned either.

The gators and similar carts are already well defined by the existing rules, if they where enforced. I specifically borrow a friends 4 seater to bring a second cart that is "non utility" down because my personal one cart does not fit the rules. (2 carts shared by 3-4 sites ever year.)

Of course, if the rules become rent from disney or else they better drop the price by half or more as I will never pay that price for a cart. I am sure there are many others that if it was disney pricing or else, disney will have to expand its internal bus system to handle the additional load and crowding.

 

[loislane]

No, he owned it and it was blue. You just don't think of things like that being stolen from Ft Wilderness. Lesson learned

That just makes me sad. So sorry that happened to them.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Rusty, How many readers know who Lamont Cranston is/was? The Shadow knows.... Bwahaha

1) Some might not.
2) If not, they can call for explanation assistance
. . . they can Call For Tom Morrow
. . . or, they can call 867-5309 and ask for Jenny.