Tent camping with Owner's Locker - anyone do it?

[Puget Peach]

I would love to camp at Fort Wilderness, but flying from Seattle to Orlando severely limits what I can take. I was reading about all the things people store in their Ower's Lockers and it occured to me that a small tent, sleeping bag, and air mattress might fit? Has anyone done this? I would have the order shipped to Ft. Wilderness on my initial camping trip, then fill the Owner's Locker and have it picked up at the end of the trip. They are 22 inches by 20 inches by 13 inches deep. Next trip, I would just have the locker delivered when I arrive at Fort Wilderness!

 

[bama_ed]

PP,

I have two questions:

1. How often do you go camping at the Fort? or, if you had the locker, how often? That's a cross-country trip for you. You'd have to be dedicated to make it worth it.

2. Do you go camping anywhere else? Your tent and sleeping bag would be in Florida. I would think there are great places to camp in the NW. If you bought a second tent/bag for the Fort then that is an added cost.

If you didn't want to get the locker you have two options:

A. Pack the tent/bag/mattress in a second suitcase and pay the airline the extra bag fee

B. Ship the stuff UPS ground ahead of you to the Fort so it will be there when you arrive and then ship it back out when you leave.

Owner's Locker is a neat concept but I think it is geared more toward the frequent WDW visitor. Out of fairness, I must tell you I'm a geek/beancounter as you can tell by my questions; maybe even if it doesn't make financial sense but it gives you peace of mind then by all means try it.

I'd like to get to the point in life where I can make frequent visits to the Fort annually and have a good business reason to use Owner's Locker. Maybe someday when I win the lottery!

Bama ED

 

[Puget Peach]

Hey Bama Ed, thanks for your thoughful answer! I used to live in Birmingham, AL (Homewood). If you look at my signature, you will see that frequency of visits is not an issue. I should explain a bit more of my thinking on this:

I don't camp near home. It's wet and cold. All the time. And then there's the bears and cougars. I know people who do it, but I'm not comfortable doing it. I own a flexible timeshare for those trips.

I enjoy visiting Florida mid winter, when our days here are only 7 hours long and those are wet and grey. It helps with seasonal affective disorder and if you live here, you have it! I have NEVER spent more than $257 for a round trip ticket because I plan ahead and can be flexible. Ticket for my next trip was $219 NONSTOP SEA to MCO.

If I pack the gear in an extra bag, I then have to lug it on a public bus, then on a ferry (I live on an island) and then onto another bus to the airport. I generally travel with a smallish backpack and carryon for this reason. Airport parking is cost prohibitive plus the ferry charge is $20 per auto. Asking a "friend" to take me to the airport is not a reasonable request. We have no taxis or shuttles.

Owner's locker is $99 per year. Extra bag fee is $25 x 2. Shipping is not inexpensive, either. And if the box/bag goes missing? Seems the $50 net is not that expensive? Am I missing something? With two trips, it makes even more sense and I frequently do that.

I was looking more for information about how campers have dealt with issues like wet gear, suggestions on compact equipment, and experience with the service. Anyone else have some ideas here?

 

[chartle]

I was looking more for information about how campers have dealt with issues like wet gear, suggestions on compact equipment, and experience with the service. Anyone else have some ideas here?

I think you need to look into using backpacking gear. The size of the locker seems to be about the same size as a backpack without your clothes.

If you don't plan on cooking at your site you really don't need more than you have already listed. Cooking gets a bit dicey since you will most likely not have a way of keeping your food cold with a cooler. Though I think you can get a cheap Styrofoam one with a Garden Grocer order.

 

[Puget Peach]

I think you need to look into using backpacking gear. The size of the locker seems to be about the same size as a backpack without your clothes.

If you don't plan on cooking at your site you really don't need more than you have already listed. Cooking gets a bit dicey since you will most likely not have a way of keeping your food cold with a cooler. Though I think you can get a cheap Styrofoam one with a Garden Grocer order.

Thanks! I have been checking out tents and the limiting factor seems the packed dimensions (generally the tent pole length). The only cooking I plan to do is roasting marshmallows at the Chip 'n Dale campfire. That's the beauty of camping at the Fort!

 

[yoopermom]

I'm following this avidly, because I've just sold my class C and am definitely "downsizing"! I've been trying to figure out how to get tenting "stuff" there often, so this may work for us as well. Keep answering, people, please!

Terri

 

[Puget Peach]

I knew I couldn't be the only one thinking about this! Being from the Michigan UP, you know about those short winter days, don't you? At least around here we rarely get snow in the winter.

I've been looking at the campmor.com site because they include the package sizes of their tents. I'm finding that not many have poles short enough to fit in the locker, but they do exist! Part of the reason I'm thinking about doing this is the option of having others join me for at least part of my stay. I have many family & friends within driving distance of WDW with their own camping gear!

I have thought about going to Kmart/Target/Walmart and grabbing a storage tub of about the same size as the Owner's Locker and seeing how some gear fits. Sort of a trial run.

Here's a question for other tent campers - What kind of tent stakes work best in the sand at the Fort? I've seen the screw type and I've also experienced some pretty strong winds while at WDW. With so little gear, I certainly don't want what little I have to blow away!

 

[peggyN]

I got special stakes for sand from REI. They are aluminum, wide and flat with big holes. I asked for sand stakes. I used the regular pointy ones to tie down my tent fly etc... By the way, Carol has a great thread for camping by plane. Followed her advice and had a near perfect camping trip. Search camping but by plane.

My tent is also from REI. Doesn't weigh much and is waterproof with bathtub floor. Got it all on the plane as Carol suggested.

I used a folding insulated cooler and filled it with ice. The machine at the comfort station was quite generous and overflowed the bag!

I brought a hot plate and extension cord for my good coffee in the morning. Still got a refillable mug. Worth every penny.

The heater from Walmart was a must. It was darn cold in March, even with my down sleeping bag.

I just pay the extra baggage fee and chalk it up to the experience. If you fly United, it's free on the way home. Trust me, I am a cheapskate by necessity. I will do anything to stay at the Fort. Well, most anything!

 

[jdvm]

It doesn't show up on our site, but we'll store just about anything that doesn't move for our Members--such as golf clubs. And I'm sure this would work as well for oversize camping gear. If you have any questions, just contact us through the Owner's Locker site.
john

 

[clkelley]

Here is what I was thinking. Since there is a possibility that your tent may be wet/damp on the day you leave, instead of packing the tent in your Owner's Locker, pack everything else. (Some clothes, sleeping bag, air mattress, lantern, tent stakes, poles, mattress pump, laundry supplies, toiletries, towels, etc., ) Then bring the tent cloth home with you in your one small bag. That way you can dry it out properly at home. I have thought seriously about this also, as I love camping at the Fort and pull my camper down quite often, but for quick weekend trips, we usually hotel it cause pulling the camper 13 hours each way for a 2 night trip is just not doable any more. Also, if you are serious about doing this, then perhaps for your first trip, you could rent a car, and pick up the items you want here locally in Orlando, instead of shipping.

 

[CampingChristy]

Why not just fly down and rent a pop up from www.makecampingeasy.com? Everything you needed would be supplied with the exception of your clothes and personal items.

I know from personal experience that the pup is awesome!

 

[Puget Peach]

Here is what I was thinking. Since there is a possibility that your tent may be wet/damp on the day you leave, instead of packing the tent in your Owner's Locker, pack everything else. (Some clothes, sleeping bag, air mattress, lantern, tent stakes, poles, mattress pump, laundry supplies, toiletries, towels, etc., ) Then bring the tent cloth home with you in your one small bag. That way you can dry it out properly at home. I have thought seriously about this also, as I love camping at the Fort and pull my camper down quite often, but for quick weekend trips, we usually hotel it cause pulling the camper 13 hours each way for a 2 night trip is just not doable any more. Also, if you are serious about doing this, then perhaps for your first trip, you could rent a car, and pick up the items you want here locally in Orlando, instead of shipping.

I had thought about this strategy. Even if the tent "feels" dry, it would have been outside for some time and a good dry out period would be a must.

 

[Puget Peach]

It doesn't show up on our site, but we'll store just about anything that doesn't move for our Members--such as golf clubs. And I'm sure this would work as well for oversize camping gear. If you have any questions, just contact us through the Owner's Locker site.
john

Thanks for weighing in here! I hear great things about your service and I am definitely impressed with your entreprenural (sp???) efforts. You rock!

 

[Puget Peach]

Why not just fly down and rent a pop up from www.makecampingeasy.com? Everything you needed would be supplied with the exception of your clothes and personal items.

I know from personal experience that the pup is awesome!

This sounds like a great service! For me the $85 per day plus the cost of the site is a bit cost prohibitive. Besides enjoying the Fort, this idea was also born of the need to keep the cost down to stay l--o--n--g--e--r!

 

[Puget Peach]

I got special stakes for sand from REI. They are aluminum, wide and flat with big holes. I asked for sand stakes. I used the regular pointy ones to tie down my tent fly etc... By the way, Carol has a great thread for camping by plane. Followed her advice and had a near perfect camping trip. Search camping but by plane.

My tent is also from REI. Doesn't weigh much and is waterproof with bathtub floor. Got it all on the plane as Carol suggested.

I used a folding insulated cooler and filled it with ice. The machine at the comfort station was quite generous and overflowed the bag!

I brought a hot plate and extension cord for my good coffee in the morning. Still got a refillable mug. Worth every penny.

The heater from Walmart was a must. It was darn cold in March, even with my down sleeping bag.

I just pay the extra baggage fee and chalk it up to the experience. If you fly United, it's free on the way home. Trust me, I am a cheapskate by necessity. I will do anything to stay at the Fort. Well, most anything!

Love the foldling cooler thing! Any suggestions about extension cord safety? How long does it need to be?

The primary reason I was trying to travel light is my transportation issues to and from the airport. Public bus, ferry, public bus.... not very luggage friendly. I live on an island and we have no airport shuttles or taxis, and parking fees at Seatac airport are astronomical.