Tent camping at FW UPDATE!! Trip booked Advice needed!

[dis4harley]

I would like some ideas/advice on tent camping. I have never camped in a tent. Have been in a pop-up quite a few years ago. I would like to try it in the future with my kids.

My dad has a 3 room tent we are going to try to try out this summer at home.

We wouldn't want to cook. We would just use ready to eat foods(poptarts, ect.)

My biggest concern is rain. Do you put something under the tent? A tarp over the tent?

Please give me any useful info. I would like to know everything you can tell me. (Possibly including that I am crazy )


Thanks

Alisha

 

[tkd lisa]

What time of year are you looking at?

In general, you'll want some sort of ground cloth under the tent (visqueen works well). I assume your tent has a rain fly. If not, you'll need a tarp over it. Regardless of the time of year, expect rain in FL, and you'll probably be prepared. You'll probably need a fan to move the air around. All the sites at Ft. Wilderness have electricity, just bring an extension cord/power strip.

Unless you're particularly tough (or very young), you'll want to take air matresses to sleep on. I have used pool rafts since they are cheap, but I'm used to camping. If you're going in the hot months, maybe use sheets and a light blanket instead of sleeping bags. It's more comfortable that way.

Realize that you'll be using a comfort station for showers and bathroom. You'll need something you're comfortable wearing to/from there (flip flops for the shower, maybe a robe if you're modest, etc.) You will need to take your soap, shampoo, etc. to/from the comfort station with you, so a bucket works well. And you'll need a flashlight for night time bathroom runs.

Bring rope to hang up towels and swim suits to dry. Folding chairs to sit in (unless you're comfortable on a wooden picnic table). Bug spray (even if you don't use it anywhere else at Disney).

I tent camped at Ft. Wilderness last Memorial Day weekend, and am going again this July. And I'm an experienced scout camper. Ft. Wilderness is a NICE campground, but camping isn't the easiest way to experience WDW. However, many people wouldn't go to WDW any other way. If you want details, I can pull up my trip report and give you a link.

Good luck!

 

[dis4harley]

We have stayed at the FW 2 times in a cabin and we LOVE it.

I am looking at going in the fall. Probably not till 2008, though. We are fairly flexible on dates. Really needs to be on a 3 day weekend so its 1 less day to be off. I would love to do it this fall, but I don't know if we can afford another trip this year. We have been to WDW in Sept before and the weather and the crowds(non crowds) were wonderful.


When is the best time of year to tent camp at FW??

 

[clkelley]

The fall is a great time to camp at Ft. Wilderness and so is December. The Christmas decorations are amazing.

Definitely need a groundcloth and I would also recommend a "disposable" groundcloth to go under everything. That cheap painters plastic works well. The sand gets gummy when it gets wet and it is so nice just to throw that messy gooey plastic away at the end of the trip.

 

[Jill in Chicago]

We've never camped at Disney, but we have done tons of camping. The more you camp the better you get. Practice setting up the tent at home. Sleep in it. Test for water leaks.

- No food in your tent. Food draws in the animals.
- Dome tents are the best. Any kind of a square tent will be harder to keep dry.
- Rain Fly. MUST have.
- Nothing touches the side of the inside of the tents. Do not lean things against the side of your tent, such as your air mattress, backpack... this will make the entire area wet.
- Open up your tent during the day to air it out. Unless, or course there is rain predicted.
- Throw away ground cover. Cheap plastic at hardware store. Cut to fit and pitch.
- Throw away rug. Put outside your "front" door. Helps keep the dirt out.
- Skip the sleeping bags unless it will be very cold. Instead fitted sheets will fit your air mattresses, and a top sheet.
- Store all food in your car. Do not leave it out. Do not store in your tent.
- Plastic tablecloth for your picnic table.
- Large water jug. We take water for granted. You need it to wipe up spills, brush your teeth, drink in the middle of the night.... A gallon of water on your picnic table is great.
- Baby wipes. When water is not available these are great. Also work to wipe off suntan lotion where plain water will not do the trick.
- Ear plugs. You will hear every single little noise.

Campers are generally very helpful. If you forgot it chances are your neighbor has remembered it. Ask.

 

[clkelley]

Skip the sleeping bags unless it will be very cold. Instead fitted sheets will fit your air mattresses, and a top sheet.

Sew the top sheet to the bottom fitted sheet. That top sheet won't stay "tucked" under an air mattress like a regular mattress. It will end up around your waist otherwise.

Also you have electricity at Ft. Wilderness, so an electric blanket works better than a sleeping bag there

 

[Colson39]

Definitely get a groundsheet for under your tent, the ground that the tents lay on can hold a lot of water. I've seen very large puddles form in them, you don't want to be stuck without some kind of protection underneath your tent.

 

[bumbershoot]

A 3 room tent sounds nice and big. That's good.

When you're ready to buy your own, buy bigger than you think is needed. We slept in a 3 person tent once, it was horrid. When we bought, for the 3 of us (and one of the three is a toddler) we bought a 7 person tent. OK OK that was a BIT of overkill, we now realize that, but we don't run out of room! And we can stand up in it. When I couldn't stand to get dressed in the 3 person tent, and I'm only 5'3", I knew we needed to get a BIG tent.

The ground cover needs to be *just* a bit smaller than the tent, so it doesn't pull rain in and under. Once you buy a new tent, get one with a rain fly. That way it will include everything you need to install it. We bought a Coleman Montana (again, a 7 person one) (or is it 9? it's big), and it has the rainfly included.

Before we went camping, I read many books from the library about camping. Beginners guides and so on. I highly recommend that.

As for not cooking, well, you're going to Disney-camp, so you can do that. Going to State Parks, not as easy. Someday we'll have to go to FW, sigh.


To those who use airmattresses, what do you put under them? We brought one once on a trip to Montana, during the summer. At night I was colder than I've EVER been. I actually slept one night with my head under DH's shirt! I can't even sleep under the covers, let alone pressed against someone's chest under their shirt, and yet I was SO cold that I did! Later we figured it was because the air in the air mattress got super-cold. No one else on out trip (family reunion) was as cold as we got, and we were the only ones with an air mattress. So what's the difference, do you think?

 

[Colson39]

We usually put a blanket under the air mattress, and a blanket on top of the air mattress. Should help keep you insulated from whatever temperature the air in the mattress is.

 

[SunshineCamper]

Pack everything in PLASTIC containers. The 33 gal sterlite kind. So if it does rain all is protected.
-Remember no propane lanterns in the tent.
-Showers wear flip flops
-place toiletries in a bucket like mentioned or if you need a softer kinda of bag-get a "shower bag with handles from BB&Beyond with a 20% coupon. I purchased the those kid garden bags at Target when they marked them down to about a $1 and my kids love them. I like the "soft bag b/c it's great in the bathrooms and easy to pack)
-a FAN with extension cord-a must!
-bug spray-a must
-wet ones or baby wipes as mentioned a MUST!
-suntan lotion-a must!
-gal jugs of water-lots!
-small bottles of water just to have on hand
-keep food in the car
-bikes for getting around
-sheets no sleeping bags-again a MUST!
-bath towels & pool towels
-rope to hang dry (humidity will take longer to dry)
-cooler for drinks-it's hot all the time
-WM has ice packs in the sporting goods section-these keep our cooler a bit colder (not a whole lot in the summer months but it works great in our TT fridge and freezer too)
-if you're a coffee drinker-a coffeemaker with coffee cup or throw away-or the refillable mug from TEnd.
-maybe a canopy of sometype to more shade from the sun to sit under in the evenings

ALL great advice from everyone-I like the sewing the flat sheet to the fitted-now why didn't I think of that!

 

[Colson39]

-Showers wear flip flops

Ask Shannone1 who is at the Fort right now how important it is to wear flip flops in the showers....lol. You never know is all I'm going to say

 

[clkelley]

A 3 room tent sounds nice and big. That's good.

When you're ready to buy your own, buy bigger than you think is needed. We slept in a 3 person tent once, it was horrid. When we bought, for the 3 of us (and one of the three is a toddler) we bought a 7 person tent. OK OK that was a BIT of overkill, we now realize that, but we don't run out of room! And we can stand up in it. When I couldn't stand to get dressed in the 3 person tent, and I'm only 5'3", I knew we needed to get a BIG tent.

Absolutely get a larger capacity tent than what it states.

Personally 3-4 person tents are really only good for 1 person.

Shoot I camp by myself and for my longer Ft. Wilderness trips I use a 3-room 13x13 Coleman. But, I can put a set of plastic drawers in there, a little table and chair for my laptop,a hangrod for my clothes, and a plastic bin serves as my nightstand.

 

[ctpooh]

We found it better to not put anything under our tent, there are crushed seashells or whatever they are that soak up the rain. The tarp we used just piled the water up..

 

[clkelley]

We found it better to not put anything under our tent, there are crushed seashells or whatever they are that soak up the rain. The tarp we used just piled the water up..

Yeah, but then you have to get that sand off the bottom of your tent. For me it was much easier to lay the tent upside down over the back of my truck for a bit and let it dry, than it was the first year I camped there and had to use a couple of towels and some of my dirty clothes to wipe that sand off the bottom of my tent so I could pack it up. Then wait on the laundry to run, so I could pack my clothes and towels up.

 

[Colson39]

We found it better to not put anything under our tent, there are crushed seashells or whatever they are that soak up the rain. The tarp we used just piled the water up..

They will only soak up the rain if it's a small rain. In any kind of downpour, the rain will puddle quite extensively across the sand area, I've seen tons of little ponds in empty sites.

Be sure to roll up the sides of the tarp and that it is smaller than the area of your tent floor, this will keep the water from piling up.

 

[mmcguire]

You guys are great! On Sunday we made our first FW reservation for tent camping in June 2008. We've tent camped before, but you all have such great ideas!

I love the idea of packing the clothes in plastic containers -- big dopes we are, we lug suitcases, and then wonder why our clothes always feel so damp. Dur. I also never thought about sewing the top & bottom sheet together -- I will use stitch witchery (iron-on stuff) because I am not so handy with the sewing (and don't own a sewing machine). And putting a blanket under the air mattress!!! No WONDER we were freezing when it got cool at night. Never thought about the air basically becoming the same temp as the cold ground!

We will have such a better trip thanks you all of you!

 

[bumbershoot]

And putting a blanket under the air mattress!!! No WONDER we were freezing when it got cool at night. Never thought about the air basically becoming the same temp as the cold ground!

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who has frozen with an air mattress. And I'm glad we both found out how to solve this for the future, should we decide to use a mattress again.

 

[dis4harley]

UPDATE!!

We were checking dates for everyone and figured out the only time everyone schedule will go together is this JUNE. I just booked it. We did a package with dining.

So, now I really need all the tips you can give me. We have six people, 2 adults, 2 teens, a 9 and a 5 yr old. We will have 2 3-room tents and 3 air mattresses. We are going june 12-19. How hot should it be? Will we need an airconditioner or will just a fan be enough?? Does anyone know wht temps usually are? Does it still get really cool at night? We will not be cooking any, just have some snacks on hand. We will have a cooler for drinks.


So, tell me anything and everything that I need to know!.

I can't wait. I hope to see some of you there.

Oh yeah! We will be putting all kinds of lights up. And the kids want us to make 1 of the mickey heads to put up in the trees(with the hula hoops).

 

[lisaviolet]

Hi,

Dis4Harley, or anyone, can you tell me the prices for tent camping? Or where I can find it. Thanks so much. Have a wonderful trip Dis4Harley.

Lisa

UPDATE: Found the rates.

 

[rimmer]

Lived and camped in Fl all my life. June can be hot, especially if you are not use to our humidity. Nights are pleasant, not really cool, I would suggest fans in each tent. We use battery operated fans from wal-mart in the camping section, that way everyone gets enough air. Careful with the amount of lights you use they do attract bugs. Bug spray is a must! Also the advice about keeping food out of your tent is a must, putting it in the car at night is a good idea. With that said and the rest of the comments you have recieved you guys should have a great time. Only other advice I might have is doing a trial run with camping even if it's in your backyard, just so you pretty much will know what to expect.

Ok i'll stop rambing now!