Premium Campsite RV + Tent?

[Wubeachbum]

My family is planning a second trip to the Fort. We booked a premium site over spring break. We would normally just stay in a pop-up tent site, but my brother and his family want to join us for half of the trip. They have a 30“ camper. I was wondering if anyone had insights into putting a tent and camper on a premium site. Any thoughts or warnings? Any help is appreciate, thanks!

 

[4077]

30 inches should fit in a tent site no problem…

Sorry… could not help myself.

 

[4077]

There are no issues with doing it, per se (it is allowed), other than the premiums are mostly filled with the concrete pad and not necessarily a lot of soft space off the pad for a tent. However, if you are prepared with equipment to pitch a tent on the concrete and something softer to sleep on inside, should be plenty of space with a 30 foot camper.., can always leave tow vehicle in over flow lot (I assumed trailer and not class A, C, or B.. which would also leave plenty of room). Have fun!

 

[Teamubr]

Like Jimmy said, if the camper and tent fit on the site, you are good.

A reminder though. The Premium sites are all asphalt. There is no rock "tent" pad the way Preferred, Full and Popup/Tent sites do. Some of the Premium sites also don't have much room off the asphalt to put up a tent. It is probably 50/50 the Premium sites I have been on that had enough space off the asphalt for more than a small tent.

j

 

[4077]

Yeah… asphalt… not sure what made me think concrete….

 

[bama_ed]

Call the reservation line and ask the Cast Member to add a note that you will also have a tent (and size of tent if large/known). Not all Premium sites have convenient or large enough dirt/ground space next to the all-paved RV site. Trees and bushes are often in the way to provide some privacy between sites. A Fort Cast Member reviews those reservation notes before the day of arrival (requests for a specific site or location, an additional tent, etc.) and they really do their best to meet the request.

The other thing I will add is that when you arrive at the Fort, walk inside to check in and ask if the site they have pre-assigned for you will fit the tent. The front desk has a huge binder of each campsite with dimensions, obstructions, etc. and can use that to get one that works for you. The earlier in the day you can check in and have that discussion, the more sites they can look at to move you (and others around).

So with enough communication (the message on the reservation) and lead time (early on check in day) these things can work out. Just be patient with any CM trying to help. Finally, if you are given a site that won't work after you drive down and look at it, don't be afraid to go or call back to the Front Desk and see if they can swap you to somewhere else.

Bama Ed

 

[morrik5]

Call the reservation line and ask the Cast Member to add a note that you will also have a tent (and size of tent if large/known). Not all Premium sites have convenient or large enough dirt/ground space next to the all-paved RV site. Trees and bushes are often in the way to provide some privacy between sites. A Fort Cast Member reviews those reservation notes before the day of arrival (requests for a specific site or location, an additional tent, etc.) and they really do their best to meet the request.

The other thing I will add is that when you arrive at the Fort, walk inside to check in and ask if the site they have pre-assigned for you will fit the tent. The front desk has a huge binder of each campsite with dimensions, obstructions, etc. and can use that to get one that works for you. The earlier in the day you can check in and have that discussion, the more sites they can look at to move you (and others around).

So with enough communication (the message on the reservation) and lead time (early on check in day) these things can work out. Just be patient with any CM trying to help. Finally, if you are given a site that won't work after you drive down and look at it, don't be afraid to go or call back to the Front Desk and see if they can swap you to somewhere else.

Bama Ed

Also as mentioned in other posts here on Disboards, there are sites to check out each site for dimensions plus there are You Tube videos where people actually go through the loops pointing out specific pros and cons throughout The Fort.

 

[ScarletFire]

We recently did a tent plus camper on a full-hookup site. The full hook-up sites have an area that is small gravel/not swamp for tents. It looked to me that the other campsites are all concrete.

Fax (407) 824-3508 two weeks before check in. Request a site and say that you have a tent and camper. I know that requests aren't always honored but mine are. I request a certain site number or "something similar." If I have my dogs, I say so for extra shade. We like extra shade for the tent too.

The Wilderness Princess has reviews and pictures of every campsite. If the LINK does not work, google Wilderness Princess.

If you want to change to a full-hookup site and none are available, keep trying. People cancel all the time.

 

[tatkins]

I have been thinking that for our next trip I was going to try a travel agent for camping. Has anyone on here done this? I wasn’t sure if they even did campsites. Sorry wrong thread somehow

 

[morrik5]

I have been thinking that for our next trip I was going to try a travel agent for camping. Has anyone on here done this? I wasn’t sure if they even did campsites. Sorry wrong thread somehow

I have my CAA(AAA) representative make our reservations all the tiime for camping at The Fort. She has her own phone contact numbers and knows quicker sometimes of specials and can make changes so I rely on her knowledge. I have had to provide her some Fort Wilderness specific info at times but she has scheduled our last 3 vacations there so is now pretty knowledgeable. I'll always use her for booking.

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

We camp with a nearly 30' travel trailer (25'+hitch+spare tire etc) and we also set up a tent behind it, a fairly large one too. So far we've never had an issue with a Premium site, but I don't think a Preferred would work. Full hookups have gravel at the back for staking, but we usually put a few weights in the corners of the tent and stake one side in the ground and it's been fine. Except that one time we had to tie the tent to the trailer due to high winds

 

[Stratman50th]

I had a premium last year in the 400 loop and there wasn't any room in back off the paved area. There were trees right up to the pavement and what little space available was wetlands. If you did want to put something on the pavement, you might have been able to pitch a tent on the side but it would have been close. I had a flat bed trailer parked to the side but it was half on/half off the pavement.
Now I did back all the way in as far as I could, and we're a little longer than you would be. So there's that, but still not sure you could fit the tow vehicle in there too. Like others have said, all sites aren't created equal and you could luck out with longer, wider, or both.

 

[Stork]

One last consideration, max people per site is 10. Don't know how large a group you are planning but I know some families have their kids' friends join them on a trip to Disney. As with most FW rules, this is up to the individual to comply with...unless site neighbors complain.

 

[Wubeachbum]

Thank you for the input. I‘m wondering if everyone thinks a full hook-up site would be better and more spacious? We will have 5 for most of the trip with just the tent, but 9 when we have both the camper and tent. I also really appreciate the picture.

 

[Teamubr]

The Full sites have a rock (pea gravel) tent pad. Many of the Full sites are more spacious than the Premium sites, but the actual pavement is narrower (12ft vs 18ft) than the Premium sites.

j