One night camping with a minimum of "stuff"

[MalkaR]

I'm planning a trip for the last week of January 2017. Staying offsite, but paying for one night at the campground, probably Tuesday night. I want to do our day at MK on Tuesday, go back to the condo, dinner, bath, clean clothes, then go to FW for the campfire and sleep in a tent rented there (seems like they're $30?). I'd leave DH and my mom at the condo because they don't camp. So it'd be me and my three boys. How horrible of an idea is it to sleep in our clothes on pool rafts and just leave them there, since we'd go directly to Epcot the next morning? I'd like to not have to bring anything, make this as easy as possible for myself. My kids have been begging to go camping, and the campfire and sing-along and a CM-setup tent sounds really fun and easy. Any good ideas for a super cheap sleeping surface other than pool rafts?

 

[bama_ed]

It's a workable plan.

The tents are pretty tight for 3 adults so if there are 4 it will be tight but might be manageable for one night if the kids aren't adult-sized.

Disney rents cots so you don't have to sleep on the ground but 3 of them are tight in the tent. I don't believe 4 would fit at all. As fyi that cot cost is $5/person/day or it was.

Just bring some good blankets. Pool-like rafts on the ground will be cold on your backside because the ground is one big cold heat sink that will suck the heat out of you. The layer of air in the raft will act as something of an insulator but you would still loose heat. So you would want a blanket or something beneath you as well as on top of you. A sheet under you won't do IMO.

Heck I've slept in my clothes before on campouts . So no biggie. Hope the weather will cooperate on your one night. Key is for the boys to have a good experience with it so they look forward to "camping" more in the future.

You're a good mom to try to line this up.

Bama Ed

 

[MalkaR]

Thanks, Bama Ed, for the info!

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

How cold would the weather be like at night if tenting at the end of January? Our family love to camp and have thought about trying this out at Disney.

We've been to Disney in January, and the daytime temps are great, just not sure about sleeping outside.

 

[bama_ed]

How cold would the weather be like at night if tenting at the end of January? Our family love to camp and have thought about trying this out at Disney.

We've been to Disney in January, and the daytime temps are great, just not sure about sleeping outside.

YES!

(oh that doesn't answer your question? I didn't have the heart to say, "it depends").

Here is the screen shot of the January 2016 actual high low temps for Disney World along with the historical averages.



During the week of Jan 24-30, the average high is 72F and average low is 48F. But the high varied anywhere from -17 to +5 of the average and the low varied from -15 to +14. So bring your mittens, stocking caps, shorts, and t-shirts. Sorry there is no simple answer!

Bama Ed

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

hmmm, not sure I would enjoy camping in January LOL

Perhaps October/November LOL

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks, Bama Ed, for the info!

Oh and I have used electric blankets in the tent too. No sense suffering...

 

[MalkaR]

Oh and I have used electric blankets in the tent too. No sense suffering...

Is the place where the tent is set up close enough to the outlets to use an extension cord? Is it safe to run an extension cord through the site?

 

[peg110]

Is the place where the tent is set up close enough to the outlets to use an extension cord? Is it safe to run an extension cord through the site?

This is another "Depends". While I haven't been at the tent sites, it does seem that the utilities are relatively appropriately placed. Using an extension cord on high amperage items can be problematic if you don't have the right cord. The regular indoor extension cords sitting on a potentially wet ground are not a good idea (at all neverbmind higher amperage devices like an electric blanket.) but a good heavy duty outdoor 12 gauge extension cord of 25' will probably work well if the end is INSIDE the tent (as opposed to outside on the ground.) The downside of course is they aren't always cheap or light. Using a lighter gauge could work but if you crank up an electric blanket (or 2 of them) on high and it gets cold outside (making them work harder) you could have an issue.

No real simple answer.

I agree with a lot of what Ed said above, but I do think that a "Pool Like" raft could work okay assuming it's of descent size and quality. An "air" gap between you and the ground will help keep the ground from sucking the heat out of you. I just feel it could be challenging sleeping on one of those (again depending on the size and quality). That said, however, I'd still give it a shot. I have slept in all kinds of weather in all types of conditions with various types of equipment (although never an electric blanket for camping). I think for 1 day though... Most boys (and many girls) can deal with it for the short term. However it goes for you, I hope you have a wonderful and successful time.

 

[MalkaR]

So, we had our Fort Wilderness experience last week and I thought I'd add an update. I'm doing a trip report over on that forum, but thought I'd add a quick synopsis of how it went here.

I called beforehand, asked them to set up a tent and four cots for us. When we got there it was all set up. Four cots was tight but doable for one night. We put our bags on the floor under the cots. I ran a 25' outdoor extension cord with 3 outlets at the end into the tent. I plugged in a space heater and my phone charger. I packed sleeping bags in our checked baggage. Kids' sleeping bags are quite a bit less bulky than adult ones, so one adult and 3 kids sleeping bags fit in a suitcase with room to stuff small stuff and some packing cubes. I brought pjs and it was warm when we went to sleep. At some point during the night it got windy and it seems like every once in a while a gust would blow the warm air out of the tent (all windows, doors were fully zipped, it was coming in through the tent material) and it would take a while to warm up, so it was a bit of a chilly night, although the kids didn't even seem to notice, only I did. The kids enjoyed making s'mores and the singalong, meeting Chip and Dale. I also brought two led lantern/flashlights and a package of glowsticks so we were fine as far as light. I'd planned to eat breakfast at the picnic table at our site, but the kids were up at their normal time, 6:30am, and it was still dark and very cold so I gave them breakfast to eat in the car while I drove back to the townhome to get ready for the day. Last night I asked the boys if they'd go camping again. The oldest and youngest said yes. The middle said, very emphatically, "No!" So I guess two out of three isn't bad

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I love this! I just love a great adventure, and how you went out of your way to give your kids an authentic camping trip. We're tent campers, ourselves (I also have a 7 and almost 5 year old), and I just love how connected you feel to the outdoors when you sleep in a tent..... even when it can sometimes be a bit unpleasant.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear that it all worked out! I didn't know that you could rent cots and tents at the Fort - that's good to know! We drive down when we camp, but it's good to know that if we have to fly at some point, I can still get a few days of my Fort Fix.

 

[Teamubr]

Thanks for the update. I'm glad it went well for nearly all of you.

j

 

[bama_ed]

Glad it worked out for you, MalkaR.

I have 3 kids and the benefit of camping in a tent (like you) or a tent/popup (like us) is that you can test yourself and at the end you say, "that wasn't so bad - I could handle it". It's all about being able to handle whatever life throws at you. Camping in-less-than-perfect-conditions makes you flexible and adaptable.

That's what you need to be in life.

We camp in less than less-than-optimal conditions and it's a lesson in preparation, dealing with change, and making the best of a bad situation. It's a life lesson.

Glad to hear you pulled this trip together.

Bama Ed

 

[MalkaR]

Thank you all so much for your kind words! Everyone else in "real life" thought I was crazy for doing this, but why not? It gave the kids an experience they've never had before and we all survived! When we got back, my mom said "Did you regret doing that? You seemed stressed."

I forgot to add in the funniest part: As the boys were trying to fall asleep, we heard the fireworks going off. My oldest says "This is really loud! Why are they doing fireworks at night?! Don't they know people are trying to sleep?!"

 

[peg110]

Glad it worked out for you, MalkaR.

I have 3 kids and the benefit of camping in a tent (like you) or a tent/popup (like us) is that you can test yourself and at the end you say, "that wasn't so bad - I could handle it". It's all about being able to handle whatever life throws at you. Camping in-less-than-perfect-conditions makes you flexible and adaptable.

That's what you need to be in life.

We camp in less than less-than-optimal conditions and it's a lesson in preparation, dealing with change, and making the best of a bad situation. It's a life lesson.

Glad to hear you pulled this trip together.

Bama Ed

I love this outlook ed. Now if I could get me DW to be more flexible with it. She stresses to easily over things that don't go the way she expects. I think it makes her even more upset when I am like "Okay.... This too shall pass" and a much more casual attitude towards things.

"This is really loud! Why are they doing fireworks at night?! Don't they know people are trying to sleep?!"

Love this. By the way, did you know they now can do "Daytime" fireworks?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPV8zdiySlI

 

[jknezek]

My wife and I went tent camping exactly once. After that I bought our 1976 GMC motorhome. I actually get tent camping in some primitive area that requires hike in and hike out and you are there for the solitude or the natural beauty that would otherwise be spoiled by a bunch of giant toaster looking metal things spitting out noise and fumes. I'm 100% on board that some experiences are simply better done simply. But for me? If I'm paying for a campground with electric, I'm taking my motorhome! All that being said, good for you for giving your kids the experience. We should all be so lucky to try out so many fun things!

 

[North of Mouse]

I forgot to add in the funniest part: As the boys were trying to fall asleep, we heard the fireworks going off. My oldest says "This is really loud! Why are they doing fireworks at night?! Don't they know people are trying to sleep?!"

Love this - kids can be so down to earth!!

My wife and I went tent camping exactly once.

Boy, can we relate - exactly 'once' - actually only 2 nights!! I was 7 months pregnant, it rained, and dd 3 got sick - we then moved into a motel - end of tent camping story!!
(By the way Ed, we were 'tested' enough to last us a lifetime )

46 yrs. ago - from then on it's been roughing it 'gently' from TT's to MH's. Both love it!! Kids did too while home.

 

[peg110]

My wife and I went tent camping exactly once. After that I bought our 1976 GMC motorhome. I actually get tent camping in some primitive area that requires hike in and hike out and you are there for the solitude or the natural beauty that would otherwise be spoiled by a bunch of giant toaster looking metal things spitting out noise and fumes. I'm 100% on board that some experiences are simply better done simply. But for me? If I'm paying for a campground with electric, I'm taking my motorhome!

Ah... but camping at many other locations have different options. Growing up, we used to go camping all the time. While we had a camper, it was a BASIC pop-up. (No electric, no water, no sewer/toilet, no gas... Just beds on the wings and a dinette that dropped down to another bed). The four of us kids slept in the pop-up and mom and dad slept in a canvas tent. It was about a 10x10 tent that was also about 6' high in the center. We had sites that were "primitive". However the price was MUCH cheaper then those sites with the utilities. At the Fort your choice is about "Size" as opposed to services. The exception being that the "Primitive" sites don't have a sewer connection. So yeah, I get it at the Fort.

I love having our TT but I also love roughing it with a tent. But when I "Rough it" with the tent, it's usually back in the woods where you can truly enjoy nature and not see all those "Toasters" . Unfortunately the DW does NOT want to do the the Tent thing. She is most certainly a GLAMPer.

Either way, I still enjoy the outdoors whether with the TT or the tent.

 

[Westcoastwild]

I love your report! Wonder what the middle kid's reaction would have been to a less luxurious campground- Fort Wilderness is definitely one of the best I've been to.

I didn't enjoy camping as a kid. I do as an adult- and part of it, I think, is that I discovered camping gear stores are pretty much the adult version of toys r us! Don't really get the camper thing, though. Takes away the "wonder" for me. I only stay in campgrounds with showers, though! Roughing it is really only fun as long as I'm clean and caffeinated, lol!

 

[bama_ed]

I didn't enjoy camping as a kid. I do as an adult- and part of it, I think, is that I discovered camping gear stores are pretty much the adult version of toys r us! Don't really get the camper thing, though. Takes away the "wonder" for me. I only stay in campgrounds with showers, though! Roughing it is really only fun as long as I'm clean and caffeinated, lol!

So true, Westcoastwild!