Please tell me why staying in a FW Cabin is great?

[Disneyfan1977]

Hello All
I am booked at the cabins in Sept. I have been to disney many times, however, we have never stayed in a cabin. I am very open minded. We defaulted to a cabin because the size of our party increased and the cabins sleep 6. We will have free dining when we go.

I am excited about being so close to MK since my kids are still young and love the rides there. If you dont mind though, please share with me some of your favorite things about fort wilderness in general.

Thanks

 

[bama_ed]

Well, the cabins and the Fort in general are a great place to stay because it is so relaxing. If you are the go-go-go family every day in the parks from open till close, then the Fort is probably not for you. If you like to relax a little while on vacation, the Fort is for you.

We liked staying at the cabins for a number of reasons. First, we liked having the kitchen so we could make our own breakfast in our jammies or save some money and cook our own suppers. Since you are using the DDP that may not be as big a deal for you but we enjoyed the flexability.

Their layout means that people in the living room area (Mom and Dad maybe) can close the door to the bedroom where the others are (kids maybe) and have a little seperation.

The Fort is great for kids. Ride the ponies, see the Electrical Water Parade on the beach each night, roast marshmellows at the sing-along, watch the free movie each night outside under the stars, visit Chip and Dale and get their autograph, rent a canoe and paddle a loop around the canals, hit the redesigned pool, fish in the lake, ride a bike, take a nighttime hayride, and on and on. They have kid activities each day free (slight charge when they have bingo). Visit the horses that work in the parks relaxing in their stalls.

Campers are generally a friendly bunch. People walking past each other who are total strangers will nod or say hello or start a conversation. It's a different attitude.

Sure it's big and spread out. Use the buses or rent a golf cart. Visit the Trading Post early in the morning just as the sun is coming up (I always get a USA Today there to see what's happening in the real world). Sit in the rocking chairs on the Trading Post porch. Take a walk in the evenings. Go through some loops to see how people decorate their sites in Disney style. Have a cookout and eat on the deck outside your cabin. Ride the boat to the Magic Kingdom. Watch the fireworks show at night over the Magic Kingdom from the Fort's beach.

I could go on but you get the point. Heck, you might even find time to squeeze in a visit to the Magic Kindom!

Bama ED

 

[Disneyfan1977]

wow...thanks for the great response. We dont' do the parks 24/7 and we didn't buy park hoppers this time so I totally intend on doing some of the things that the Fort has to offer. My kids love nature and animals so I think that this resort will please them. I am also excited about catching the water parade. My dad is coming with us and I think it will be real special to have him sit with us and watch it considering he was the first person I ever watched it with many moons ago.

 

[Skyw]

These are my reasons:

-It is very quiet. It is such a nice change from the parks.
-Our family spends a lot of time searching for animals and keeping track of what we saw. (otter, eagles, bunnies)
-Kitchen and Grill- We don't DDP. We eat every breakfast in our jammies, Lunch the first day and a couple of dinners.
-You can park your car right up to the cabin. We drive to some parks. We DS falls asleep it is an easy move to the cabin.
-The deck.
-Separate rooms
-Two TV's
-We love the fort activities too. It is great to drive you golf cart around (see gold cart thread for cheap prices)
-FW people are nice. And take the time to talk. It is not a "hurried" atmosphere.
-DId I say quiet!!! It is soooo quiet.
-The pool updates are great
-The beach, and watching the firework from the beach
- Easy access to restaurants outside of WDW.

The only thing that I don't like...one bathroom. We had 6 in a cabin last May. It is possible but you have to plan a little and sometimes things just come up!!

I am sure there are more but this really is our preferred place to stay. We hit the parks in the AM,have lunch and are back by 2-3pm to enjoy the fort. Rarely to we go back to the parks.

 

[fla4fun]

I like FW because in my opinion it offers a lot more privacy, and at the same time, it feels more like a community than a resort. You could spend your entire trip in FW, never leave the Fort at all, and still have a great trip.

If you plan to spend a lot of time in the Fort, you should probably consider a golf cart. Although you can get around very easily using the bus system (I either use the buses or take my bike, as I can't justify the cost of a cart for a solo trip) if you have a family it can be more convenient to use a cart. There is a great thread about cart rentals, covering both on site and off site rentals. I've found the buses to be an efficient way to get around. Transportation at the Fort is one thing that often gets a bad rap, but I prefer the internal/Outpost system they use at the Fort to, say, the system they have at Port Orleans, where the theme park buses make the rounds to all the stops. I can't tell you how many times we were passed by because a bus was at capacity when we were unlucky enough to be near the last PO bus stop. At least at the Fort, everyone has an equal chance of getting a seat, or even getting on the bus.

If you are driving, it's great to have your car right outside your cabin. I find that I go more places by car, because I know I won't have to circle the parking lot looking for a space when I get back.

Another thing that sometimes gets a bad rap, at least from those who are on the dining plan, is the lack of CS dining. I found the snack bar by the Meadows pool to be more than adequate for a lunch break if you happen to be in the Fort looking for food. It was also very easy to get to WL to have breakfast at Roaring Forks using the bus system, or to WL and CR using the boats. I haven't heard of anyone at the Fort going hungry yet!

The only concerns I have when recommending the cabins to a large family, is that the bedroom is a little on the small side, and there isn't a ton of storage space. Otherwise, it's one of my top picks for a resort (I'll be back there myself in January).

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

If you're driving and can bring your bikes, I'd really consider it! That's one of the things we love about the Fort -- we rode and rode and rode the whole time we were there the last visit. So much fun!

I agree with PPs about the benefits of the cabins. That's one of the reasons I prefer to camp rather than stay at a hotel anyway -- at a hotel, you all come back to the room and just sit on the beds, watching TV or something until bedtime. In the cabins, you can spread out more. And at the Fort, you can go exploring!

Have a great trip.

 

[CarolinaBlue]

We've stayed in the cabins twice and camped twice. We're staying in the cabins again in December. We've stayed at alot of WDW resorts and Fort Wilderness is definitely our favorite. When I say "our", I'm talking about me, DH, and our two teen daughters. It is peaceful and quiet. There are plenty of things to do to keep busy. The cabins are spacious and we've never been disturbed by any loud noises. DH and I just stayed there a couple of weeks ago for 2 nights before moving to the Polynesian for the other 4 nights of our 25th anniversary celebration. I wished that I had stayed at the Fort for the entire trip. The Poly is beautiful and it's always been my dream to stay there, but I guess I set my expectations too high. We were on the 1st floor and it sounded like a herd of elephants above us every night. We really missed that peace and quiet that we had at the Fort. The CMs and guests were friendlier at the Fort, too. So, after staying at so many different resorts, we've decided that Fort Wilderness is the one for us. We're already booked for next Christmas, too!

 

[MadFF]

you should probably consider a golf cart. Although you can get around very easily using the bus system (I either use the buses or take my bike, as I can't justify the cost of a cart for a solo trip) if you have a family it can be more convenient to use a cart.

What we did last fall when we went was plan one day that we spent the whole day at the Fort. That day we rented a cart for the day. Great fun! and you can really explore all the nooks and crannies of the Fort.

 

[tam626]

It's like a home away from home & FW is a vacation within a vacation. We just love it.

 

[Wanna go to Disney?]

Thanks this is a great thread!

 

[cmcvean]

Great thread! We are SO excited for our 1st trip to the cabins - and have NO DOUBT we are going to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!! We have wanted to stay there for years!

 

[tlenzendorf]

I agree with all the other posters above We just got back a little over a week ago and loved it. We didn't even do that much fort exploring, but we can't wait to go back and spend more time next time.

PS. If you do love it, don't tell too many... We like it not jam packed with people and easy reservations

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Stay'n inna cabin makes it convenient to go fishing,.

 

[cmcvean]

Stay'n inna cabin makes it convenient to go fishing,.

That is all my 7 year old is talking about - going fishing!!!

 

[Dillonmom]

My boys cannot wait to get to the cabins. They are looking forward to fishing at the fort more than MK!!!

Anyone else coming that week?

 

[lklasing]

My boys cannot wait to get to the cabins. They are looking forward to fishing at the fort more than MK!!!

Anyone else coming that week?

Nope, but I'll be there.... TOMORROW!!

If the technology gods smile on me, I'll be reporting live, hopefully with pictures, so keep an eye out!

Leslie

 

[cmcvean]

Nope, but I'll be there.... TOMORROW!!

If the technology gods smile on me, I'll be reporting live, hopefully with pictures, so keep an eye out!

Leslie

I'm so excited for you!!! I hope you can give us some updates!!!!

 

[disbabyndaddy]

It's like a home away from home & FW is a vacation within a vacation. We just love it.

I agree with this and all the previous posters!! The Fort Wilderness cabins are Q-U-I-E-T, as are the resort surroundings. SO peaceful and calm...a wonderful break from the rush, crowds and noise of the parks.

I stayed at the Fort with my sister's family: three adults and three kids. We loved the rustic, outdoors setting AND being so close to the MK -- also why I adore the Wilderness Lodge. Being within the trees and among nature is amazing...again, peaceful and quiet compared to the rest of our time in the parks.

We rented a golf cart that, while a little costly, was extremely helpful and a much quicker way to get to the boat dock, Outpost, etc. Still, parking our vehicle (and cart) right next to our cabin was great and a big 'plus'.

Though we didn't use the outdoor grill, we saw lots of neighbors using theirs. Our deck (railing) was used to dry beach towels, which was nice not to have them all over the cabin or taking up space in the bathroom.

This Disney Baby LOVES the Fort and is trying to convince Disney Daddy to stay there some trip. (Two weeks from now, we're at POR...super-excited about that too!)

Enjoy!!

 

[starbuc71]

I have to admit, My family and I are very fortunate especially these days with this great economy that we own a beautiful travel trailer and can enjoy the fort not only because it's Disney but because the fort makes you feel like a real vacation. I have never stayed in the cabins and I think it's great for people to enjoy the fort who don't have an RV. My only minimal complaint is the price of the cabins. I know Disney supposedly changed thier status one lower to help with pricing, but most people will opt for a cheaper resort. True they would probably change thier mind once they saw the fort but most think of cabins as a price alternative. A few trips back, we invited some friens to the fort while we were there. We told them what a great place it was and thier family would have fun. Since they do not have a RV they looked into the cabins. They almost fell over when they saw the price for 3 nights. Low and behold, they stayed near Downtown disney at a resort for a fraction of the price. I have to say, we visit the fort frequently and always see many, many empty cabins. Wouldn't you think a more reasonable price with more ressies would be a little more profitable than expensive rates and less sold? Just my venting thought of the day.