Question on checking in @ FW.

[Badger Brent]

Try to stay with me on my timing questions. We arrive Friday January 1st, 2016 and will be staying offsite the 1st night and doing Disney Springs. Our plan is to get up and head to Walmart/Target and get supplies. Be at Fort Wilderness by 9am. Check in and if campsite isn't ready, park in overflow and head to HS. Anyone had luck being able to get into your camping spot that early? We're staying in the 2000 loop in a pop up. If we must come back to FW to set up, it would be after 3pm. Set up and back to HS hopefully by 5pm or so. We will bus it since parking with Osbourne Lights and Symphony fireworks will make it rough to get parked at HS. In a nutshell, how many have had success getting parked into their camping site at 9am. Only reservation is 11:30am @50sPrimeTime. Fast passes are made but not life or death. The nighttime activities are priority along with 50s. TIA!

 

[tiggerdad]

That's a busy time of year, if I was guessing I would say the Fort will be close to full and the chances of the site being ready at that time will probably be low, but not impossible. I usually arrive around that same time, staying in premiums. Only once in three visits was my original assigned site ready. That being said, your assigned site might not be ready, but there may be a chance that another one has opened up and you may be able to take it instead.

I would plan on the worst and hope for the best. It isn't out of the question. The person on your site might be like me and head out around 0400, meaning Disney can put a quick clean on the site bright and early in the morning. If this is the case, then you may get lucky.

Best of luck to you and let us know how it goes

 

[bjschil]

Try to stay with me on my timing questions. We arrive Friday January 1st, 2016 and will be staying offsite the 1st night and doing Disney Springs. Our plan is to get up and head to Walmart/Target and get supplies. Be at Fort Wilderness by 9am. Check in and if campsite isn't ready, park in overflow and head to HS. Anyone had luck being able to get into your camping spot that early? We're staying in the 2000 loop in a pop up. If we must come back to FW to set up, it would be after 3pm. Set up and back to HS hopefully by 5pm or so. We will bus it since parking with Osbourne Lights and Symphony fireworks will make it rough to get parked at HS. In a nutshell, how many have had success getting parked into their camping site at 9am. Only reservation is 11:30am @50sPrimeTime. Fast passes are made but not life or death. The nighttime activities are priority along with 50s. TIA!

Badger Brent, we are also hoping for early checkin, but not expecting it (10:00 am). Leaving Saturday from sw Wisconsin (yeah), and also will be going to HS. So hoping for the best, but expecting reality will set it! We are linking with our daughter,son in law and kids, so our chances are most likely a bit smaller to have two premium sites ready and waiting. Oh well, we are at Disney. Here is hoping your trip is safe, and the winter gods continue to stay away for this week, so at least the trip down will be without snow! safe travels, Go Badgers and Packers!

 

[peg110]

I cannot speak about January 1st (New Years day) but last time we were at the fort, we checked in on Thanksgiving day (2014) EARLY (I want to say about 7:30am) and our site was ready within about 45 minutes of checking in. Now I cannot say if that was our "Originally" assigned site or not as we really didn't specify a preference or desire for a specific site (just the type - premium).

 

[PaHunter]

Your plan to come back set up at 3 and make it back to HS by 5 might be a bit unrealistic. After all I have read about the crowds at HS for the lights, if I was there I would not be leaving. But that is me, best of luck with your plans and may there be some pixie dust help with your site and trip.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Be at Fort Wilderness by 9am. Check in and if campsite isn't ready, park in overflow and head to HS. Anyone had luck being able to get into your camping spot that early?

1) This one is a DEFINITE maybe.
2) It just depends on how many people want to check out early to get on-the-road, or overstay checkout time.
. . . I have seen holidays where getting the site by 3:00pm couldn't be done.
. . . I have seen holidays where getting the site by 7:00am was possible.

 

[Badger Brent]

Here is our plan for check in. Arrive at 9am and either get into site or come back after 2:30pm just my son and I to set up. Hopefully get back to Hollywood Studios by 5:30 or so. Catch Osborne Lights, go to second showing of Fantasmic and then fireworks at park closing at 10pm I'm assuming. Best plan I can come up with. Thanks for input everyone!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Best plan I can come up with.

Sounds good.

 

[Flametamr]

When I arrived around 730 the week of Halloween my site was ready and I was able to go right in. I got there before the CMs arrived to open the lanes. I had to go inside. Just depends on luck I guess.

 

[Badger Brent]

I definitely plan on giving a report back on my experience at least for reference. Hoping for the best.

 

[peg110]

I had to go inside.

I prefer to go inside, personally. Especially when you consider I have been driving for a long time. I feel better to get out and stretch my legs even if I am just standing in front of the counter. Also sometimes suggestions (or questions) are made about activities that I don't necessarily want discussed in front of the kiddos. (More because it could be surprise then about "appropriateness") Since the kids (young and old) generally stay with the TV and TT, it does allow some "Privacy" for DW and I to discuss these things with CMs (as they come up).