No Theme Parks -Just Staying at the Fort During Vacation

[bronk]

We recently returned from a one week stay at the Fort. I was wondering how many of you have just remained at the campground for the entire time and not visited any of the theme parks.

Bronk

 

[articfox676]

We are AP holders and have done the Fort for Spring Break week and rode our bikes, DTD, and IKEA (since it is closer from Disney then from home, good for a rainy day). Love to sit and read under the awning and enjoy the quiet time.

 

[tcherjen]

We have stayed for a weekend at the Fort and did not theme parks. We loved it ad there was so much to do. Have fun!!!

 

[North of Mouse]

We recently returned from a one week stay at the Fort. I was wondering how many of you have just remained at the campground for the entire time and not visited any of the theme parks.

Bronk

i would think it would depend (partly) on how often you go, or how far you travel. Everyone has different opinions/likes on what they want to do.

We, personally, would never just go to the Fort and not the parks as much as we enjoy the campground. There are lots of cheaper, nearly as nice, campgrounds much closer to us if that's what we wanted to do.

We love the parks and after traveling 600+ miles we definitely spend most of our time in them.

Not a 'one size fits all, for sure'!!

 

[bama_ed]

bronk,

I was at the Fort in April (met DIS poster NorthofMouse) and didn't do a Disney park the whole time. We did spend half a day at Universal Studios to watch my son's high school band march through the park but we left by 3pm to head back to the Fort.

Personally at $100 per day per person to do a Disney theme park, I'd like to get something new to see or do. We go annually so this past year we skipped the Disney parks (still want to see the new Fantasyland though). We found plenty to occupy our time.

Like NoM said, depending on how often you come and what you want to do, it's very possible to have a good time without the parks. When we were there, the HDDR show had open rehearsals during the day for free (no food) so we did that. We boated to the Contemp and road the monorail to Epcot and back stopping at the Poly and GF to sightsee. One morning I jogged to the MK front entrance. We saw the fireworks from the beach and did the campfire singalong. So we still had a great time.

Bama Ed

 

[jhomuth]

We do Disney between T.Giving and Christmas every other year, driving 1100 miles from Dallas. Every trip, I tell my dh that I wish we were close enough to come a few times a year and just stay at the campground and not do the parks each time.

 

[Ddude]

We've found that when it's just us - no kids or grandkids - we don't spend that much time in the parks. Last time - our first time at FW, we only did one day in MK. Enjoyed the fort so much that we now know that's where we will always be from now on. Also, there is so much to do without the parks not just in FW but Downtown Disney or whatever it's called now, Put-Put and just exploring the other resorts. This trip we have very inexpensive tickets to Universal so having never really done that we'll see how it is over there. However, other days will be spent just enjoying the fort. We certainly don't have a campground that even approaches FW anywhere around us so the 600+ mile trip is worth it.

 

[gillenkl]

Spent a week in October camping at the Fort - no disney parks but instead decided to do things we've never done before. SeaWorld and Aquatic (fall discount gave us 1 day in each park for around $50 per person). Other than that we went to the pool, DTD, monorail loop, watched fireworks from the Poly beach, kids played in the game room at CR, road golf cart around. We had a great time just mostly relaxing and taking a slow pace.

 

[super_camper]

We have been going to the Fort for two weeks over Christmas for several years. We used to visit the parks a lot but less and less each year. Last year was the first year we didn't go to any parks.

Now my kids are saying maybe we should do something else this Christmas

 

[WDW1979]

bronk,

I was at the Fort in April (met DIS poster NorthofMouse) and didn't do a Disney park the whole time. We did spend half a day at Universal Studios to watch my son's high school band march through the park but we left by 3pm to head back to the Fort.

Personally at $100 per day per person to do a Disney theme park, I'd like to get something new to see or do. We go annually so this past year we skipped the Disney parks (still want to see the new Fantasyland though). We found plenty to occupy our time.

Like NoM said, depending on how often you come and what you want to do, it's very possible to have a good time without the parks. When we were there, the HDDR show had open rehearsals during the day for free (no food) so we did that. We boated to the Contemp and road the monorail to Epcot and back stopping at the Poly and GF to sightsee. One morning I jogged to the MK front entrance. We saw the fireworks from the beach and did the campfire singalong. So we still had a great time.

Bama Ed

Sounds like a good time. The idea of sometimes visiting Fort Wilderness without visiting the Disney theme parks would make it financially possible to visit Disney more times, especially staying at a campsite where the cost of a stay can be lower than other Disney resorts if one already owns a pop-up camper or RV. Fort Wilderness is wonderful place to relax & have fun.

I have even thought of staying at Port Orleans Riverside for a few days with no visits to the theme parks or maybe one day at MK, as Riverside has lots of great pools and bicycle paths, a playground, a nightly campfire/marshmallow roast and Yee-Ha Bob playing several nights a week in the Riverside lounge.

 

[articfox676]

Always looking for more places to ride our bikes.

Please tell me more about PO biking paths.

Thanks

 

[PPink]

We went to Fort with two kids over the spring break in 2012 first time since probably 2006. We did not go to any parks and loved it! We went the same year over the Thanksgiving and did only one park. We came back for spring break in 2013 and we did not go to any of the parks again and we are doing the same thing this year as well. We love the camp ground and drive down about 1000 miles all the way from MD. I think our next trip will be Thanksgiving - yeah - can't wait! I am sure that Mouse is not too happy that he do not drop $$$ for the park ticket but the lines during peak season are way too long!

 

[2goofycampers]

We just got back from 8 days at The Fort, no parks, never got bored.

 

[Napria]

I have even thought of visiting Port Orleans Riverside for a few days with no visits to the theme parks or maybe one day at MK, as Riverside has lots of great pools and bicycle paths, a playground, a nightly campfire/marshmallow roast and Yee-Ha Bob playing several nights a week in the Riverside lounge.

I don't know if Port Orleans checks, but pool hopping isn't allowed. I know last time we stayed at the Fort and swam I really wished they were checking... The pool was PACKED! I was fairly sure some of those people weren't staying at the Fort.

I would love to stay at the Fort and not go into the parks -- and we alway say we'll do it some trip -- but we never do. The lure of the parks is just too great.

 

[PEC]

This summer we are planning to just go to Water Parks and Seaworld while staying at the campground.

 

[WDW1979]

I don't know if Port Orleans checks, but pool hopping isn't allowed.

When I wrote "visit" Port Orleans, I meant visiting there by renting a room...I thought it was clear I that I meant renting a room when I wrote visit "for a few days" but I guess I could have been more clear: I should have written "staying at" or "renting a room at" instead of using the word "visit". I like Fort Wilderness and in the past I have rented a cabin or a campsite there, but usually we stay at (i.e. rent a room at) Port Orleans Riverside.

I'm aware that pool hopping is not allowed. In all of my 20 visits to Walt Disney World, I have never pool hopped. If I was a pool hopper, I think there are more elaborate pools to hop to than at Port Orleans.

On the issue of busy pools, whenever a pool is busy does not mean that a significant number of people in the pool are pool hopping. The pools at Fort Wilderness and the pools at Riverside are nice, but I can't imagine large numbers of people "hopping" to those pools from whatever hotel they may be staying at. Sometimes pools are busy because people renting a room/site at the resort like to swim.

 

[Napria]

Nah, it wasn't so much because it was crowded that I thought people weren't guests at the Fort. And I'm not sure "hopping" is the right term, either. I believe there were non-Fort Wilderness guests there that visit because I overheard two different (large) groups talking about going back to their non-Disney accommodations. One group was renting a condo and with the other I overheard someone say something about their plans when they got back to their room at one of the cheaper motels (can't remember which one anymore.)

I meant no disrespect to you. Some people know pool hopping isn't allowed, some don't realize it. We never pool hopped, but didn't know it isn't allowed till we'd already been to WDW a few times. Just never occurred to us one way or another.

 

[KristinU]

One morning I jogged to the MK front entrance. We saw the fireworks from the beach and did the campfire singalong. So we still had a great time.
Bama Ed

So, Bama Ed, tell me the route you took...were you on the roads? If so, doesn't the infamous Security team pick you up and haul you back to your resort? Or is that just myth??? Or is there a secret trail from WL to the Contemp???

And here's a thought on this thread...there is the other thread going with the discussion of thwarting the throw-away reservations...I'm thinking from Disney's perspective they'd rather "fill" the CG with the phantom reservations and get the site fees plus all of the park revenue. Not saying that one shouldn't go and only enjoy the Fort, I'm just thinking that they'd prefer all of us being in the parks all day and spending our dollars all over.

 

[bama_ed]

So, Bama Ed, tell me the route you took...were you on the roads? If so, doesn't the infamous Security team pick you up and haul you back to your resort? Or is that just myth??? Or is there a secret trail from WL to the Contemp???

KristinU,

No, there's no secret trail.

From loop 100 where I was, I went down the exercise trail to Wilderness Lodge and out its entrance to the old Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) in front of the monorail station. I then turned right and ran out the TTC lot in the back where the busses park and went down the road toward the Contemp. There is a sidewalk under the waterway beside the 2-lane road. Then I went up and hung a left into the old Magic Kingdom bus drop area (waved at the guard shack).

I went right up to the bag search area of the MK (few security people was all) and snapped a few pix. Then I went out the way I came to the Contemporary around the side of the tower and took the boat back to the Fort. That run is approximately a 5k and you can cool down with a nice breeze on the boat ride back.

It's a good route. And it was early - I hit the MK about 7 am.

Bama Ed

 

[KristinU]

KristinU,

No, there's no secret trail.

From loop 100 where I was, I went down the exercise trail to Wilderness Lodge and out its entrance to the old Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) in front of the monorail station. I then turned right and ran out the TTC lot in the back where the busses park and went down the road toward the Contemp. There is a sidewalk under the waterway beside the 2-lane road. Then I went up and hung a left into the old Magic Kingdom bus drop area (waved at the guard shack).

I went right up to the bag search area of the MK (few security people was all) and snapped a few pix. Then I went out the way I came to the Contemporary around the side of the tower and took the boat back to the Fort. That run is approximately a 5k and you can cool down with a nice breeze on the boat ride back.

It's a good route. And it was early - I hit the MK about 7 am.

Bama Ed

Cool, thanks! I will try it on our next trip! And, FYI, you can take the walkway a bit beyond the entrance to the MK. The initial vision of those bricks was a promenade all around 7 Seas Lagoon. It goes only as far as the access waterway that I believe the EWP uses, but still it might add an extra .1 or .2 mile each way. Found that when we stayed at the Contemporary...talk about a lot of parking lot looping to get some decent mileage in!