Some Questions about Fort Wilderness

[PaPa Doc]

Planning a trip to WDW in January/February '06, with mom, dad, 6yo, 1yo, and grandpa.

I have stayed in the "trailers (now cabins, I guess) at FW twice, but the last time was in the late 80's, so I suppose there have been some significant changes.

Questions: last time we found the transportation to/from the MK and Epcot pretty simple - and had a rental car to get to hotels off the monorail. Is this still the case?

Are the pools at FW heated (January, you know)?

Do FW guests still have the same range of privileges as other WDW resort guests in terms of access, transportation, etc.?

Oh, and about the murphy beds - how do they rate (on a scale from concrete with exposed rebar to clouds), Grandpa has a bad back....

Thanks for any advice....

 

[tim5055]

Well, I think I can answer all of the questions other than the murphy bed (but I think they took the rebar out).

The last time I stayed at FW in anything other then my own camper it was also in the trailers. I kind of miss them, I think it was more like camping than the cabins.

Transportation from FW is as good as it has ever been. But, with that said other then the MK I always take my own car to the parks. I just find it better to have my own car waiting outside for a quick trp back to FW.

I know the main pool at the meadows is heated. I have spent plenty of time in it in December and January! I think the small pool at the cabins is also heated.

FW guests have all the privleges as other Disney guests. Your "room" key is the same as theirs.

Check out my FW web page (link below) for more information.

 

[jlcd]

We found the Murphy bed to be comfortable. It has a regular matress, not a thin one like on a pull out sofa bed. It just doessn't have a box spring. Hope this helps. Have a great time!

 

[PaPa Doc]

Thanks for the quick response - sounds like the murphy beds aren't gonna be a problem, and the access around WDW will be the same as I remember from the 80's.

I seem to recall that the trailers were spread around - are the cabins concentrated in certain loops?

Also, there was frequent ferry service from the FW marina to the Contemporary / monorail / transportation center. Is there still a ferry service? I get the impression from reading these posts that busser are the main or only route from FW to MK or Epcot....

 

[mrsgus06]

Also, there was frequent ferry service from the FW marina to the Contemporary / monorail / transportation center. Is there still a ferry service? I get the impression from reading these posts that busser are the main or only route from FW to MK or Epcot....

There is a boat that goes from FW to the MK and another that goes from FW to the Contemporary. You have to take a bus to the transportation center or a boat to MK or Contemporary then a monorail to transportation center. However, if you are going to the transportation center to go to another park, I think FW has a bus that goes from MGM and AK straight from the campground. You may also want to check out the golf cart rentals and FW. I know at one time they had the train, then trams but I don't know how long they have had the bus system or golf cart rentals, but the carts sure are fun!

 

[PaPa Doc]

We will certainly get a golf cart - and plan to have a vehicle as well.

Thanks, all, for the information. Any other tips will be much appreciated.

Enjoyed your website, tim5055!

 

[auntie]

If you stayed in the cabin loops..then"trailers" back in the 80's ..you should also check out a map of the campground. As the cabin loops are now located further back in the campground than at that time. It is my understanding from a neighbor who also went to the trailers in the 80's that some were located closer to the Meadow Trading Post area. They actually recommended the trailers to us back in the 90's when we went, and were quite surprised when we told them they weren't located near the meadow or bike barn area..as some had previously been. Currently, they are located further away in a group of loops just for cabins. It is my opinion that from where they are currently located a golf cart is a good thing to have. We went to the cabins(also then trailers) in the 90's...and was a bit put off by their location...and did rent the golf cart to make getting around easier. Of course it was also August and the heat was bad..not to mention the afternoon rain. We also had two kids in strollers at the time, and didn't care for using the bus transportation just to get to the pool. The golf cart was a real convenience under those circumstances.
We hope to take our own travel trailer down..and of course our kids are now 13 and 17..so I'm assuming that bike riding will get us around just fine now!
I personally think it's a shame that the cabins were moved..it must have been nice to have them located so conveniently to the other campground amenities.

 

[risy]

DH & I always sleep on the Murphy bed. Several folks have reported that it has a "regular mattress", but it's not like any mattress we have ever owned!

After one particularly uncomfortable visit, we started bringing a foam topper for the murphy bed. It helps alot!

Other than that, we LOVE the cabins, and have no desire to squish into any of the other conventional hotel rooms.