Not camping at Disney

[DisCamper]

I have to add this you will always see sites open. Disney keeps a % of their site open for VIPs, Res. problem and Site for life people. So FW will never be a 100% sold out. IMOP i think to extra hours suck. the 4 times I have done them there is more people than regular time you have all of the hotels people in one park for 3 hrs.

 

[mrsgus06]

Then you also need to criticize the guy with all those hokey decorations that stays months at a time. He's just as bad as the guy not using it.

O.K., I am not the guy with all the hokey decorations (I know that, because I am a female, and I don't have any decorations). I am, however, the person that stays for at least two months during the summer. I have done it every summer for the past few years and will be there again this summer starting in June. Why am I the same as a person renting a site, but not staying there? I am spending every night in my camper with my children and, as it stands right now, will be spending the same amount as every one else that is staying in a full hook up site? I stay with or without the ap discount. Apples and oranges dude!

 

[Disney Campers]

Disney keeps a % of their site open for VIPs, Res. problem and Site for life people. So FW will never be a 100% sold out.

Curious where this information came, that would seem to be a bad business decision not to rent a site for a "What If situation"

 

[Gatordad]

you are the same, because the other poster couldn't be there and get a site. The bottom line is, people that pay the money choose to do what they want with the site, be it camp there or not be there. It's sour grapes to whine and say it's not fair that they won't be there, just as it's not fair to say that someone's been there for 2 months and i can't get a spot. They got to the line first, and booked their stay.

 

[djblu883]

ok I haven't tried to look up rules for camping at the Fort but in ALL other places I've camped there has actually had to be some type of camp set up in order to have a site. Granted I prefer to stay in State Parks Freq. but seems interesting a site would be allowed to be paid for but remain empty when others are clamoring for sites !!!! ALso I could afford easily other resort camping Fort Wilderness is my preferred resort..for me its like having 2 vacations in one....with my busy work schedule I like the most bang for my buck and for me this is it if I'm vacationing in Fla....

 

[stacktester]

O.K., I am not the guy with all the hokey decorations (I know that, because I am a female, and I don't have any decorations). I am, however, the person that stays for at least two months during the summer. I have done it every summer for the past few years and will be there again this summer starting in June. Why am I the same as a person renting a site, but not staying there? I am spending every night in my camper with my children and, as it stands right now, will be spending the same amount as every one else that is staying in a full hook up site? I stay with or without the ap discount. Apples and oranges dude!

Can someone direct me to a smiley with the little guy senging something with his finger like sssssssssssssssssssss. That was a great reply. I would be disgusted if I found out someone reserved a site and only used the perks. If I was in that position I would offer the site to someone who couldn't afford it maybe. Even though they couldn't use the emh at least they could enjoy the site and all the fort has to offer.

 

[mrsgus06]

Exactly, and not only do I stay for months at a time, I also have friends with children come through out the summer to stay with me. I don't ask for money to help pay for the site. I just ask that they be able to buy the tickets for themselves and their kids while there. I am not breaking any rule because 10 people are allowed at the site. It provides my kids time with their friends and also allows people that could not other wise afford a trip to go to WDW. It is a win win situation. As for people that pay for a site and don't use it, it is a free country and they are allowed to do it. I would hope that someone did not, but they could. Still not the same as staying for extended periods of time.

 

[DisCamper]

The info came from the two summers I worked for Disney on the college program and the daughter of the family I met that has a camp site for life.

 

[campingcorgi]

Okay, I'll bite. What's a campsite for life? Sounds like the place I want to be!

 

[cinder1]

To me there is a big difference between someone who stays for 2 mths (wish I could!!) and someone who reserves the site but doesn't use it (technically allowed, I guess, but not very nice). I also don't think it will be very practical. If you are going during the summer, the parks stay open very late already. It is doubtful, even if the EMH hrs were at the parks you want to visit, that you will go to am and pm EMH. The pm hrs probably will mean the parks are open until 2 or 3 am. You won't be getting up then for an 8 am EMH. Also, I think you will be better off going to a non-EMH park and getting there at rope drop. Then the only real benefit would be parking. The camp site will be more than just paying the parking.

 

[Escape Artist]

To me there is a big difference between someone who stays for 2 mths (wish I could!!) and someone who reserves the site but doesn't use it (technically allowed, I guess, but not very nice)...

Well, I think all of this is just a symptom of Disney not having enough campground space in Orlando. As they increase the perks for being onsite, they encourage campers to be onsite vs. offsite and put the offsite campgrounds out of business. Then the onsite campground is so full that people can't get reservations and resent people who threaten to book one just for the perks and not for camping.

Hopefully, maybe, once they open more campsites, this won't be a problem anymore. But I'm having a hard time envisioning them creating enough sites to resolve the problem!

In my perfect world, Disney would open some new luxury lanes for the high-end campers, and another whole campground (maybe away from Bay Lake, over near where the new cheapie hotels are supposed to go) for the more budget-oriented among us. That would be great!

If Disney were a state/national park, they should limit the number of nights people could stay and also charge the going rate for each night, not just the rate from the night you check in for your whole stay. But, I recognize Disney is a profit-making venture, not a public-owned entity, so I guess I'll just have to keep my campground issues with fairness and ethics under greater control.

Sue in Texas

 

[DisCamper]

Site for life: I will give you a hypothetical situation. Let's just say, a drunk disney cast member loses control of a vehicle in my loop, and totals my RV or hurts my wife. As part of the settlement, I ask for park tickets, and a campsite for life. No payments, always available to me. Anytime, any day. That's a campsite for life.

 

[auntie]

Is it (reserving a site..and not staying on it)...any different than those who make ADR's in several different restaurants for the same days and times, only so that they have their choice of where they want to eat on a particular day. I think maybe they should start taking a credit card number and then charge for those who don't show..or don't at least cancel. The way they do Hoop Dee Doo Revue. I usually just made one or two reservations..and played the rest day by day. It seems that isn't much of an option (and totally out of the question during free dining promo's) any longer. It's my feeling from what I've read here on the boards and elsewhere that a good many people make several reservations..and just show up at the one they want to go to that day. This reserving a site and not using it..sort of strikes me the same way. Sort of inconsiderate. No one's gonna arrest you for it..but it just kind of stinks. I wouldn't at all consider someone lucky enough to be able to stay at FW for a month or two in the same category. They are my IDOLS!

 

[Gatordad]

if someone reserves a site, pays for it and doesn't use it, it is their business and theirs alone. It's not unethical, nor is it illegal, nor is it wrong. It doesn't make them a bad person, it just makes them potentially a foolish one. Next thing, you'll not want people to stay in a disney hotel and be able to go to universal.

 

[surferrat]

Finally someone stepping up to the plate and calling it as it is....

if someone reserves a site, pays for it and doesn't use it, it is their business and theirs alone. It's not unethical, nor is it illegal, nor is it wrong. It doesn't make them a bad person, it just makes them potentially a foolish one. Next thing, you'll not want people to stay in a disney hotel and be able to go to universal.

????????

This topic was discussed previously on this forum - you can do a search and find it. You are opening a real Pandora's box. Personally, I find it unethical and selfish to tie up a spot at the campground when so many people are having difficulty reserving spots they intend to actually use. I will say no more about this, since I can get myself into trouble and I don't want to use my get out of jail free card Rhonda gave me.

What is unethical here?

This belongs with the lets not let smokers smoke at their own campsites....

 

[Boomer1]

We stay for three weeks during the Christmas - New Years holiday at a preferred site. These reservations are made as soon as the dates become available. We pay for the site and stay at the site, not unethical IMHO. I know that we must give the names of everyone staying at our site when we check in. Does everyone have to do this for all people staying at their site and is this a safety issue? For example, if there was an evacuation could a person who had booked a site but was not staying cause problems? I'm just wondering?

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Site for life: I will give you a hypothetical situation. Let's just say, a drunk disney cast member loses control of a vehicle in my loop, and totals my RV or hurts my wife. As part of the settlement, I ask for park tickets, and a campsite for life. No payments, always available to me. Anytime, any day. That's a campsite for life.

I am officially calling BS on that one... sorry gotta do it. I dont believe you can make allegations of this magnitude about ANYONE with nothing more than hearsay.

If you were harmed in any way by such a grievous act as a "drunk Disney cast member" I doubt you would want to go back to the scene regularly, not to mention the fact that after Disney reached any (a big stretch but I use it to illustrate my point) settlement I would think they want you off of the property so as to insure you were never harmed again.

Scott

 

[mrzrich]

Site for life: I will give you a hypothetical situation. Let's just say, a drunk disney cast member loses control of a vehicle in my loop, and totals my RV or hurts my wife. As part of the settlement, I ask for park tickets, and a campsite for life. No payments, always available to me. Anytime, any day. That's a campsite for life.

I might be willing to "take one for the team" and jump in front of that drunken CM

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I think this "campsite for life" is about as likely as someone flicking a cigarette into your campsite and burning up your dog and your million dollar motorcoach.

 

[Rhonda]

ROFL!!

Ok...as hilarious as this is getting, I think the OP's question has been answered, so I'm going to close this thread now.

Have a great week everybody!