River Country news

[bama_ed]

I also read that it's a permit started in 2011 and it was just withdrawn

Could be. Actually I would be happy if they never did any of the above. Bama Ed

 

[peg110]

1) Yep.
2) Let's call this and "Senior-Thing" typo.
3) Fast Internet connection, and slow typing fingers.

No worries, I have made my fair share of the "Senior-Thing" typo's as well, and I don't consider myself to be in the "Senior-Thing" quite yet. (Although the kiddos think I am!)

 

[tiggerdad]

Yeah, Ed linked it but here is the design from 2011.



I can't help but wonder if the article alluded to above is actually old news but they are just now coming around to it. Evidence of this is found in this article, on a different site on the same day alluding to the same information. If you look down at the comments underneath they also relate that the designs were from 2011 and have been pulled so it looks more like old news, just slow authors...at this point.
http://wdwnt.com/blog/2016/08/dinin...soon-to-fort-wilderness-and-wilderness-lodge/

Personally folks I have no liking for what I see in this design. It is just exactly what most of us like the least, large parking lots, multi story buildings, oh, and it only adds two pools that I have a sneaking suspicion the campers would not be appreciated at.

They got people clamoring for campsites 499 days in advance, certain months of the year impossible to book less than 3 months out. You know what this means?

YOU NEED MORE CAMPSITES

Not more upidy, nothing more than an overpriced Family Inn rooms, filled with people who scream and cry at the site of a mosquito. Oh, but wait...Disney could charge extremely overpriced rates for these no bigger than a room at Ramada Inn locations which is more than they would make on the campsites.

Camper sales are at an all time high and projections say it will only continue to grow. We have all seen over the years how campgrounds have become harder and harder to book due to popularity increases, such as GSP in Alabama and I'll bet you know of a few near you that are the same way. If you wanna add to the Fort, keep it what it is, a camping centered resort.

One of the main reasons I like it there is the trees, wildlife, calm, and being surrounded with people who are mostly there for the same reason as me...to escape the hotel room appearance, crowded loud halls or balconies. Where all you get is a small college refrigerator (preset to a temperature that is not cold enough) and a small microwave.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

made my fair share of the "Senior-Thing" typo's as well, and I don't consider myself to be in the "Senior-Thing" quite yet.

1) Yes, but I have been claiming "Senior Thing" since the age of 25.
2) it ahs saved me in many embarrassing situations.

 

[peg110]

They got people clamoring for campsites 499 days in advance, certain months of the year impossible to book less than 3 months out. You know what this means?

YOU NEED MORE CAMPSITES

Agreed!

Oh, but wait...Disney could charge extremely overpriced rates for these no bigger than a room at Ramada Inn locations which is more than they would make on the campsites.

It's funny that as soon as I read your post (the part I quoted first) my though was pretty much this. in the same space of real estate they can put a multi-story building and get 10 times as much out of it then they can in the camp sites. Still, I am with you on the camping and keeping it more in "Nature". I believe it was Ed (or one of the other regulars) that suggested a few (or rather several dozen) pull through sites (even across the road) would be ideal and could still probably command a higher price to boot.

 

[tltay2005]

Yeah, Ed linked it but here is the design from 2011.

View attachment 186602

I can't help but wonder if the article alluded to above is actually old news but they are just now coming around to it. Evidence of this is found in this article, on a different site on the same day alluding to the same information. If you look down at the comments underneath they also relate that the designs were from 2011 and have been pulled so it looks more like old news, just slow authors...at this point.
http://wdwnt.com/blog/2016/08/dinin...soon-to-fort-wilderness-and-wilderness-lodge/

Personally folks I have no liking for what I see in this design. It is just exactly what most of us like the least, large parking lots, multi story buildings, oh, and it only adds two pools that I have a sneaking suspicion the campers would not be appreciated at.

They got people clamoring for campsites 499 days in advance, certain months of the year impossible to book less than 3 months out. You know what this means?

YOU NEED MORE CAMPSITES

Not more upidy, nothing more than an overpriced Family Inn rooms, filled with people who scream and cry at the site of a mosquito. Oh, but wait...Disney could charge extremely overpriced rates for these no bigger than a room at Ramada Inn locations which is more than they would make on the campsites.

Camper sales are at an all time high and projections say it will only continue to grow. We have all seen over the years how campgrounds have become harder and harder to book due to popularity increases, such as GSP in Alabama and I'll bet you know of a few near you that are the same way. If you wanna add to the Fort, keep it what it is, a camping centered resort.

One of the main reasons I like it there is the trees, wildlife, calm, and being surrounded with people who are mostly there for the same reason as me...to escape the hotel room appearance, crowded loud halls or balconies. Where all you get is a small college refrigerator (preset to a temperature that is not cold enough) and a small microwave.

Ugh, don't like the look of that at all!!! Way too close. I agree with you 100%.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Sounds like more DVC headed our way near us

1) It will make a lot of money for Disney.
2) But (IMHO) will destroy the ambiance-cordiality-flavor of The Fort.
3) Non-Fort-Types" will invade us.
. . . they will have no idea what RV-ing is like
. . . they will have no idea what The Fort means to us
. . . they will have the mindset of typical time-share folks and/or renters
4) I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO A DVC AT FW.

 

[Maligator]

We are campers first and Disney fans second. A big draw for us to come down annually is that we can camp there and it's a great campground. If they ruin that experience, we certainly won't be down every summer anymore. I am hoping this is all just malarkey!

 

[tiggerdad]

For now it appears it is malarkey. Eventually however, something will have to happen.

 

[Boomer1]

I would like to think that they would provide more campsites. Having to book so far in advance and the new rules in regard to reservations changes make it difficult to secure a campsite. At work our vacation requests must be made by the end of April to cover June to June. Requests are granted by seniority so when making my plans I must first check to ensure I haven't asked for the same time as a co-worker with more seniority. Guess I could book several blocks and then cancel what I don't need but that seems unfair.
I always think of FW as one of the original resorts and perhaps what Walt invisioned to provide an unique family experience at WDW.

 

[Teamubr]

I would like to think that they would provide more campsites.

Boomer,

I think we all would like more campsites, but DVC is liquid money for WDW. And it's crack dollars that keep on giving through annual maintenance fees and resales. I understand Disney's motivation. As long as people keep buying into the "dream", I don't see much of an expansion of the Fort.

j

 

[bama_ed]

Boomer,

I think we all would like more campsites, but DVC is liquid money for WDW. And it's crack dollars that keep on giving through annual maintenance fees and resales. I understand Disney's motivation. As long as people keep buying into the "dream", I don't see much of an expansion of the Fort.

j

I agree with Teamubr/jim.

Disney will feed the DVC beast until people quit buying them. They are converting Wilderness Lodge rooms now and building cabins - it won't be long before those are ready to start selling and the construction side will turn its hungry eye on its next target.

There has been speculation that an add-on or conversion might occur at Caribbean Beach Resort but let's face it. Prime land on Bay Lake with something of a view over the MK between Wilderness Lodge and the Fort is screaming for a build.

It's just a question of maximizing the Benjamins.

Bama Ed

 

[Teamubr]

This has me thinking a little. And Ed's reply made me think of his well organized Fort Campsite DVC proposal again.

WDW (the Fort) needs more capacity. Disney won't build anything without a huge ROI. Ed's proposal for a super, duper, premium site/resort complex, adjoining the current Fort, that would be sold for a 99 year DVC style lease, might just be the ticket. About once a year, I do the math on the various DVC buy in options. The economics just never quite add up for me, but a Super Fort DCC (Disney Camping Club) might get me to bite.

The biggest challenges I see are:

One, this won't generate the gobs of cash a true hotel/condo style DVC would, but the initial capital to construct would be much lower. So it might stand a chance of making it past scrubbers. Second challenge would be no direct trade up options. DVC offers many options to stay places outside your home resort, even places outside WDW. TDC doesn't have any other similar campgrounds where you could expand your purchase possibilities. If TDC did come up with a "points trade" system that incorporated the Super Fort, allowing Super Fort to trade up into a hotel/condo DVC, I'm sure 7 Super Fort nights would trade up to 1 1/2 nights at Saratoga Springs. Hardly a reasonable option. This would, unfortunately, allow hotel/condo DVC owners to trade "down" to the Super Fort. Sadly, the conversion would probably be something like, 2 nights at Bay Lake Tower would convert to 27 nights at the Super Fort, making it impossible for a Super Fort owner to actually get a super, duper premium site when they wanted.

Oh well.

j

 

[mash]

If they actually did a DVC for campers I would be interested.

 

[amcc]

They did just convert cabin sites to camping sites so that tells me that the camping sites generate a good amount of income otherwise, they could have just boarded up the cabins. One night throwaway rentals may be putting pressure on longer term stays thus the site expansion.

I do agree with Ed, though, that the prime waterfront location that the Fort has is very tempting to DVC and will eventually be sacrificed to the highest-paying guests. I'm using this as an excuse to my husband to visit the Fort as often as possible

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

One of the main reasons I like it there is the trees, wildlife, calm, and being surrounded with people who are mostly there for the same reason as me...to escape the hotel room appearance, crowded loud halls or balconies. Where all you get is a small college refrigerator (preset to a temperature that is not cold enough) and a small microwave.

I agree with and everything else said, maybe someone we know, ((hmmm) Scupper), could send this thread link or we all could voice our opinions to higher powers that be. I don't have a problem with DVC but not at the Fort. Pull the over priced cabins and make them camp sites like they did in the 2100 loop, and maybe add some loops, if Disney "moto" "is do whatever to make the guest happy during their stay", a DVC at the Fort would be breaking their #1 rule.

If I wanted to deal with crowds, I'd spend more time in the parks and less time at the Fort...

 

[bama_ed]

Now the latest rumor on the DVC board is that the Beach Club convention building/area will be expanded (permit has been filed) to take in the business currently going to the Contemporary Resort convention area between the tower and the Seven Seas Lagoon. Then the CR convention area would be be removed and BLT#2-of-some-variety would go up there. Sounds like the South Garden Wing would remain.

Makes some sense I guess if it is true. But they would need more parking. At least the WL-FW stretch of property is maybe not next in line.

Bama Ed

 

[tiggerdad]

Now the latest rumor on the DVC board is that the Beach Club convention building/area will be expanded (permit has been filed) to take in the business currently going to the Contemporary Resort convention area between the tower and the Seven Seas Lagoon. Then the CR convention area would be be removed and BLT#2-of-some-variety would go up there. Sounds like the South Garden Wing would remain.

Makes some sense I guess if it is true. But they would need more parking. At least the WL-FW stretch of property is maybe not next in line.

Bama Ed

They can have it. I agree, maybe they'll stay out of our "neck of the woods".