On a budget, thinking about camping @ DW

[armomof3lvsdisney]

I posted this on the camping board, but I really wanted the budget boards input. We are remodeling our house, so our vacation money is tight this year. And I really want to go to DW. So I'm thinking about tent camping Spring Break March 20-24. DH and I really like to camp, and I have always wanted to try Fort Wilderness. But I have always worried it would be to much trouble, as busy as we are, when we go to Disney. We have 3 kids DS13, DD10, and DD8 all who love to camp too. If this is the only way we get to go to Disney this year I think its worth a try. What do you fellow disers think. I would really appreciate your input.

Have a Magical Day and a Happy New Year !!

 

[mum4jenn]

Camping at WDW is SO MUCH FUN!! However...it can be very expensive. Sometimes the campsites cost more than a budget hotel. Deals can be found if you look at all the ususal sites for deals on travel. There are other campgrounds in the area which are cheaper but we have not stayed at any of those yet We used to camp several times a year but prices have gone up so mush we can do better with hotels deals. There is alot to do though there at Fort Wilderness and sometimes you wold rather stay at the Fort rather than go to the parks.

 

[canwegosoon]

If you already have all possible needed equiptment(or able to borrow)and are able to drive there, then I think it would be fine. I would hate to see you having to buy something and thereby defeating your budget. I camp, but the distance and ability to bring enough equiptment is the problem. There is a poster on the camping board who has his own website with suggestions on what items to bring. I would also do what mum4jenn suggested, and check out off site possibilities...Disneysteve rents houses for a fraction of a hotel stay. I know with 5 you are in a difficult possition.

Look at your biggest budget(WDW) items and see if there are other possibilities. Eg for me: 1200-1400 in airfare(I would consider driving for a year or two),Hotel vs camping...price it out. Food 1000-1200 (I got the DDE, plus I have several rewards cards saved up totaling $350) Tickets this year I did AP, because we will get 18 days on the tickets...but you might want to consider not doing a parks every day(espically check in and check out day-and limiting your tix to only those days at the park...not buying extra for future trips- so you can keep your expenses to a min.

Another real long shot is if you live in an area that is fairly popular you might want to consider house swaping.

 

[VAN]

We tow our pop-up camper from SW Michigan to Ft. Wilderness just about every year. It sounds like your family is into camping so I think you won't have any problems whatsoever.

If you tent camp, try to get placed in the 1500 loop. It is right across the street from the Meadowlands Recreation area.

We save money by eating breakfast at our site and by only going into the parks for 3 or 4 days of our 2-week stay. The rest of the time (we do go in late March/early April) we soak up the sun at the pool and enjoy doing junk around the campground.

In the evenings, we will get cleaned up and ride the WDW transportation and visit the resorts ... checking out the giftshops, decor, etc.

We could afford a value resort, but enjoy having our own stuff with us ... also, we enjoy just sitting outside with our coffeepot and morning paper which can be difficult to do at a hotel (not impossible, but campers will know what I mean).

By all means, check out Ft. Wilderness ... I think you'll have a blast and wouldn't be surprised if you camp even when money is not so tight.

I'd suggest, however, getting your reservation made as late March can book up early.

 

[salmoneous]

Sounds like a no-brainer to me. You love to camp. You want to save money. What's not to love?

One additional way to save money is to NOT be " as busy as we are, when we go to Disney." Do less.

 

[nbodyhome]

I love camping at FW! The tent sites will not be more expensive than a value resort. That said, they can fill up quickly - so book soon.

Denise

 

[armomof3lvsdisney]

Thanks for all of the input. There are 5 of us, so we could not stay at a value resort unless we got two rooms.

 

[minkydog]

I agree with VAN. We love Ft Wilderness and it is totally worth it to have our own stuff. We tow a small pop-up, use the comfort stations, cook on the grill, and generally just enjoy our time. We save a ton of money by eating all breakfasts at the site and fixing snack bags to take to the parks each day. Each child is given a daily allotment of cash($5) so they can get a Coke if they want, or they can save it. We eat our lunch in the park or at a resort and a late snack, then we eat our dinner at our site unless we are staying late. Rarely do we eat two full meals a day at the park.

We have no mousskeeper expenses, few souvenier expenses, and I can make some tasty stuff without a lot of fuss & bother. Even if it rains Ft Wilderness is a lot of fun, Bring your bikes!

 

[nbodyhome]

The campfire is also a lot of fun - there is a lot to do, and the wagon ride is a fairly inexpensive way to spend some time as well.

Oh - I did stay at FW for a night this year, in my car. My sister has since given us a tent and air mattress (for my birthday and Christmas). But I only paid in the $30.00's to stay onsite, which was great! I stayed overnight for my birthday, in August - while hubby was out of town. I thought about doing the AKL or something, but I really couldn't justify paying so much more, and I love FW!

Denise

 

[mum4jenn]

I love camping at FW! The tent sites will not be more expensive than a value resort. That said, they can fill up quickly - so book soon.

Denise

There have been times using codes that the FW sites cost more than the values.


We love FW though. Don't forget that there is the petting "zoo' section,pony rides,hay rides etc.

 

[nbodyhome]

There have been times using codes that the FW sites cost more than the values.


We love FW though. Don't forget that there is the petting "zoo' section,pony rides,hay rides etc.

The petting zoo doesn't have much left anymore. It'd looked like they'd closed a few months back, but they may have a few goats again.

The most expensive that the partial hookup tent site went for this year was $72, the least was $38.00. Normally, you won't get the Pop for less at the different times of year than you will get the tent site for. Of course, there are exceptions - like the $38 Saratoga Springs rate Christmas day!

Denise

 

[westjones]

We tent camped there a few years ago. The bathrooms are so nice (and are air conditioned!). We brought an electric fridge that we kept in our tent. We ate breakfast at our site every morning and we had 'snacks' at our site when we got back at night. We tried to keep our meals to just 1 in the parks each day, and we did that by having a late lunch and then we would have a 'snack' in the early evening.

It was a lot of fun for us, and we have great memories from that trip. We won't be doing it again because we are not DVC members, but at that time we had such a tight budget. I do believe we got a AAA discount on our site, but at that time we had to leave on Friday morning in order to get that discount (by staying Friday night also the price for all the nights went up to the regular price--I don't remember why this was, I just remember this being the case, so we just stayed Sun-Thursday night).

I think you guys will have fun! Try to go to the campfire the first night. It is fun. That was the only night we made it there because we were at the parks the other night. There was also an Electric Water Parade on the lake that we went to see at the dock.

DJ

 

[armomof3lvsdisney]

Thank you for all your replys. My DH and I have been discussing our trip and he said if I could wait until July then we could stay where we wanted and we would be sure Expedition Everestt would be open. Yipee, no worries we're going to Disney!!!

 

[minkydog]

You're making me wanna go to Disney now

 

[welovedis]

Didn't see anyone mention it yet, and not to knock the Budget Board in the least as you've received some valuable advice here, but the DIS has a camping at FW board too:
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=24

Perhaps you'll see some more good info there. GL with your trip planning!