Requesting a loop can be a waste of time

[starbuc71]

We had a great mini vactaion at the fort last week from Wednesday through Sunday. We frequent the fort about 5 times a year. When I make my reservations online, I then call and ask the CM to put a note to say that we prefer the 800 loop. We then fax a week before arrival the loop and site request letter. For the 10th time now the CM at the check-in window stated that there was nothing mentioned on my reservation about a loop or a site request and always end up on lopp we don't prefer like 400 or 500 (just our opinion). I know loops and sites are never guarenteed but it seems to me the loop and site assigner for Fort Wilderness must laugh at these request. I know a lot of you have had awsome luck with this and maybe I'm just unlucky. We did get the 800 loop after requesting a change, but a crappy site in 805. It seems Disney tries to clump all the campers in a certian area since 800 through 820 was full and the sites we like back near 840 were empty all the time. Again, I guess we just have bad luck with favorite sites.

 

[gmflanigan]

We have requested and always been assigned loop 500. I even request a 1st and 2nd choice site and have been in one or the other every time. Don't get discouraged--just keep trying.

 

[anolefan]

We saw you leaving yesterday. I think we have seen your rig a couple of times here. We love the concept of the loft. We really like it! What has worked for us is to wait until we arrive then request our loop preference. We then drive to our site and if we don't care for it we check out any empty sites that we would like and will call from the loop to request. I don't know if we have been lucky or not but It is worth a try.

 

[becky1960]

Over the past several years we have got the Loop we requested, usually 800. This past Apr we had to make a trip to Fla and stopped at the Fort for a week, we had requested 900 and got it, we liked it about the same as 800. We always make our loop request when we make reservations..

 

[des1954]

To the OP....call the front desk 5 days ahead of arrival & then again on the day you check in to tell them your loop request. I honestly don't think a lot of the ressie agents know how to request loop numbers. Not that they aren't intelligent, just not trained.

Here's the # to call: 407-824-2900

 

[lledman]

We’ve only camped at the Fort once before and now have our upcoming reservations for Thanksgiving. Both times I made a loop request when I booked our reservations and it has been noted on the reservations that were emailed to me. Our first visit we were placed in our requested loop, this coming trip I’m not holding my breath as we’ll be arriving on Thanksgiving day I assume everyone that is staying for the holiday will have arrived the weekend before so we’ll just be placed in what ever is left – since we are camping with my cousin (as a grand gathering) I just hope they are able to place us side by side as we also requested.

 

[RocklandRVers]

Last time we requested 1905 (Memorial Day week) and when we arrived were assigned to 1905. Previous trips we requested 1918 and got it each time (including 2 Christmas visits) except for 2 times. Once we got the site directly across from it and at another time we got a site in 1600 because the entire 1900 loop was closed while they were doing repairs.

Not sure why you haven't been granted your wishes. I think a lot depends on the time of year, how crowded the Fort is and the popularity of particular loops/sites.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

starbuc71- I have to wonder if you are maybe using the wrong fax number or something? I have found sending a fax five days (not a week-five days) before arrival works like a charm. I never bother with requests when making the reservation- I don't think that does any good- but the fax has almost always worked for me.

And, if you don't mind explaining, why didn't you like site 805? It is on the inside of the loop, with a path between it and 808. So, you have a wooded area to the rear and to the side. Seems like a pretty nice site to me.

TCD

 

[YodaGirl]

Requesting has always worked very well for us except for one time. In 2004, we tent camped. Although we were going to be staying in a tent, I booked a preferred site. Upon arrival, they put us in the 1500 loop.

It took quite a bit (including my mom calling to verify that there reallly WAS a preferred site available) to get us put in the type of site that we had paid for - they claimed that they didn't have any preferred sites available.

I think that had something to do with wires being crossed in the computer more so than requesting a loop not working.

 

[Lightgician]

Not sure what your problem might be, but I have always received the loop I requested. I am an annual passholder and call that number, don't know if that makes a difference. Go there about three times a year.

 

[starbuc71]

starbuc71- I have to wonder if you are maybe using the wrong fax number or something? I have found sending a fax five days (not a week-five days) before arrival works like a charm. I never bother with requests when making the reservation- I don't think that does any good- but the fax has almost always worked for me.

And, if you don't mind explaining, why didn't you like site 805? It is on the inside of the loop, with a path between it and 808. So, you have a wooded area to the rear and to the side. Seems like a pretty nice site to me.

TCD

TCD your right, 805 is not a bad site. We just thought Disney crampped all of us in the first 20 sites and left the back empty. My wife was wigging out that we would get a site that backed up to the road like the dreaded site near the side walk in the 600 loop (your favorite) We had a great vacation and I hope I didn't come off like I was mad. I think your all right that the CM at the reservation desk may not know what a desired loop is. I have always tried to bank on the reservation CM taking care of it. We are going in August next and I will try the fax again and also call the day before. Again, everyone has their favorite sites and ours just happen to be in the back section of the 800 loop. A wrong site will never get us down.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

TCD your right, 805 is not a bad site. We just thought Disney crampped all of us in the first 20 sites and left the back empty. My wife was wigging out that we would get a site that backed up to the road like the dreaded site near the side walk in the 600 loop (your favorite) We had a great vacation and I hope I didn't come off like I was mad. I think your all right that the CM at the reservation desk may not know what a desired loop is. I have always tried to bank on the reservation CM taking care of it. We are going in August next and I will try the fax again and also call the day before. Again, everyone has their favorite sites and ours just happen to be in the back section of the 800 loop. A wrong site will never get us down.

Great. That's the spirit!

I think you are right that when things are slow at the Fort, it does appear that they intentionally attempt to group campers together. Maybe they think people want it that way, but I think the real reason is that it makes it easier for the maintenance people to do the trash pick-up and maintenance.

Since it has been mentioned here before, I have, on a couple of visits, used the house phone to call the front desk and request a site change. They will try to accommodate you. So, if you should happen to be assigned to a "dud" site in the future, I would not hesitate to look around for a better empty site and call the front desk.

TCD

 

[HotMouseLove]

We had no problems getting our requested loop (sadly I don't remember what one it was??) and side by side campsites by faxing the request I believe 5 days in advance. (Figmentfan1 will know for sure). We were a "Grand Gathering" so I don't know if that helped. ???