Question about restaurants at the Fort?

[Butterbunkins]

DH and I will only be at the Fort for two nights before we meet family at the BWV. We'll be getting in later in the day on the day we arrive, we'll have the whole day the next day and then we'll be checking out the following morning.

DH does not want to be tied into any ADRs while we're here. We also don't plan to cook anything because we don't want to bring charcoal or a fire pit and we usually do all of our camp cooking over an open fire or a camp stove. We'll be in a tent so no camper kitchen. And since we are not staying long we aren't bringing most of our camping gear (we usually have enough to live in the woods for a year). Since we are stopping for one night elsewhere we'll have paper plates, plastic utensils, a hotdog stick and our hobo piemaker.

So my question is about our meal options during our short stay. It's my understanding that some of the places are seasonal and we will be there in mid-November.

What will be available at night when we arrive? We have a back up plan to go to Captain Cook's at the Polynesian if we arrive too late since it's open 24 hours. We want to set our tent up before we worry about dinner so we understand we may be cutting it close.

The next morning we are going to have breakfast at Roaring Fork at WL, but then we will be back at the Fort for the rest of the day - no parks, just exploring the Fort. So will there be enough open to give us a few options for lunch and dinner? I'm guessing that with the Hoop Dee Doo Revue closed for renovation and since we will not be there on a night with Mickey's Back Yard BBQ, we won't get into Trail's End without ADRs and I don't want to run out of regular options.

The next morning we will be checking out and I would like to try Trail's End for breakfast and we don't mind eating a later breakfast, but is that also a lost cause without ADRs?

This is our first experience of any kind at the Fort so all help is very appreciated! And since our time is short, I don't want to have to waste time trying to figure this out while we're there.

 

[becky1960]

If you get to trails end at about the time they open for dinner(about 5 pm) you can usually get in without reservations, we have done that several times. They also have a take menu and you can eat on the porch with tables on the side facing the lake.

 

[sharadoc]

Trail's End has some great to go options, but you can almost always get in there. You may have to wait a little but the only time I've seen it really crowded is during Free Dining and Super Bowl in Florida. We were there in early December 2010 and it was a little busier but not crazy busy. Lots of walkups.

During the day, you can get food at the pool snack bar.

 

[jherauf]

Trails End. Order pep. pizza and bring a bottle of wine. Sit out under the porch and watch firework show = PRICELESS.

 

[CarolineB]

I visited Ft. Wilderness campground recently and had take out from Trailsend. I had the fried chicken and two sides (mashed potatoes and something else) -- it was very good -- I brought it over to the chip and dale campfire but you can eat it in the bar area too -- you just have to order it at a separate location.

Another option, is cooking a hotdog or a sausage at the chip and dale campfire. Bring your own roasting stick because for some odd reason, Ft. Wilderness charges for the sticks and sells s'mores and marshmellow kits. The other WDW hotel resorts give the sticks and marshmellows for free.

 

[North of Mouse]

Trails End meals are not the greatest value to us anymore (used to be). They've changed things so much (prices to be more in line with the whole park also) and the meals are less choices. We have never gotten reservations there and have always gotten in - the most we've ever waited was about 15min. but we didn't go there this last trip last week, because there are other places we enjoy more now for the $$. We used to go there for breakfast at least 3 times during our stay, but for the few $$ less they charge now, we opt to go to one of the other resorts and have much more choices and better ambiance.