Tent in non-tent site

Brink67

Earning My Ears
Joined
Nov 15, 2015
Messages
1
I have tried to call Disney on 2 separate occasions, two different numbers, and I am being told that I cannot use a tent solely in any of the other locations, only a tent site. Is that true? I thought you could book anything but the premium locations. I went ahead and reserved two nights in a preferred site and wonder if I should chance it and go or if I should cancel it before it is too late. If I am willing to pay the higher price why should it matter to them what I use to sleep in?

Thanks for your wisdom.
 
There was a prefered tent site when I just looked. Only full hook up and premium looked to be non-tent sites.
 
I have stayed in the tent sites several times, and a full hookup site on this last trip, even seen a tent pitched in a premium site this past trip with no other camping unit. You can pitch a tent in any site that you want to pay for, but the premium sites do not have a place to stake down your tent.
 
I have tent camped in the 400 loop which is not one of the two primary "tent loops". But there is a caveat, this was a very long time ago...like 15 years ago. I don't know why they would care what equipment you put on the site. Some people reserve sites and don't even visit the Fort, they are just doing it to get the on-site benefits when they are actually staying off-site.
 

I have tried to call Disney on 2 separate occasions, two different numbers, and I am being told that I cannot use a tent solely in any of the other locations, only a tent site. Is that true? I thought you could book anything but the premium locations. I went ahead and reserved two nights in a preferred site and wonder if I should chance it and go or if I should cancel it before it is too late. If I am willing to pay the higher price why should it matter to them what I use to sleep in?

Thanks for your wisdom.

As snowmedic says, you can put a tent in any site at the Fort but there are some general expectation setting that Disney does. CM's on the phone give inconsistent and incorrect answers frequently.

Tent sites have a designated "sand pad" or "coquina pad" at the end of the driveway of the site. They have no sewer hookup. Thus Disney advises that these sites (aka Partial sites) are good for tents and popups. But could a small trailer book one? Yes they could and do knowing there is no sewer hookup.

Full and Preferred sites also have a tent pad AND have the sewer hookup. The only difference between Full and Preferred is their location in the Fort. Tents, popups, trailers, and RV's can use these. The driveway is 12ft wide paved.

Premiums have NO tent pad, all connections, and are 18ft wide paved and can handle the largest trailers and RV's with all their slide outs, etc. Disney doesn't prevent people from putting tents on a Premium - you can and people do. But Disney tries to set expectations that it might be awkward because Premiums aren't designed to handle tents. Most tents require stakes on the corners into the ground and in other places but others are self supporting and can get by without staking. Those kinds fare well on the pavement.

So bottom line is tents can and do go anywhere but Disney does not intend to make it convenient for tents to work in a Premium.

Bama Ed

PS - Oh, and Peach, the latest on the Throwaway Campsite thread is that now with MDE folks have learned that they can book the campsite, pay for 1 night, make ADR and FP+ like they were an on-site guest, and then they CANCEL their campsite reservation once they are inside 30 days of arrival. Their ADR and FP+ do not get cancelled (because off-site guests can book within 30 days of arrival too) and they get their deposit back. The only thing is once the campsite is cancelled, they no longer have free theme park parking. So the campsite fee only covers the daily $20 parking fee. Some people keep the campsite reservation to cover the parking but many don't.
 
Wow on the throw-away sites info! thanks Ed. My brain just doesn't run in that direction to have figured out all the "loopholes". I guess I'm just a rule-follower...
 
PS - Oh, and Peach, the latest on the Throwaway Campsite thread is that now with MDE folks have learned that they can book the campsite, pay for 1 night, make ADR and FP+ like they were an on-site guest, and then they CANCEL their campsite reservation once they are inside 30 days of arrival. Their ADR and FP+ do not get cancelled (because off-site guests can book within 30 days of arrival too) and they get their deposit back. The only thing is once the campsite is cancelled, they no longer have free theme park parking. So the campsite fee only covers the daily $20 parking fee. Some people keep the campsite reservation to cover the parking but many don't.

I am all for saving a buck and making the most of it, but I just think this is too much work in my book. (I guess that's why I let the DW do all of the reservations, FP+, etc...)

I guess it's like those folks who by discounted Target Gift Cards (saving 10%) then go through "Paypal" to shop on Targets Website (to save $5 on $50 or more purchase) to buy their Disney Gift Cards. Because they Have their Target "Red Card" as the default payment, they save another 5%, but just before paying, it offers you the option to pay with "gift cards" (Previously purchased at a discount). They will do this over and over (to get the $5 on $50 multiple times) to maximize their savings. Then they have to call (or online?) add EACH of those gift cards individually to pay off their balance.

If it works for you, go for it. (However the above Target/Disney gift card "loophole" I believe has been fixed so it no longer works.)
 
PS - Oh, and Peach, the latest on the Throwaway Campsite thread is that now with MDE folks have learned that they can book the campsite, pay for 1 night, make ADR and FP+ like they were an on-site guest, and then they CANCEL their campsite reservation once they are inside 30 days of arrival. Their ADR and FP+ do not get cancelled (because off-site guests can book within 30 days of arrival too) and they get their deposit back. The only thing is once the campsite is cancelled, they no longer have free theme park parking. So the campsite fee only covers the daily $20 parking fee. Some people keep the campsite reservation to cover the parking but many don't.
I do believe this is going away sometime, I think they will make it so if you cancel within 30 days, you do not get the deposit back. I have seen this at other busy campgrounds get implemented.
 
I do believe this is going away sometime, I think they will make it so if you cancel within 30 days, you do not get the deposit back. I have seen this at other busy campgrounds get implemented.
That can be challenging. A 30 day cancellation policy does seem long. I think to take care of this issue is that any ADRs or FP+s that were made in association with this reservation should be cancelled though. At least that would be a first good step to prevent the abuse.
 
IF you cancel within the time, all your ADR and FP's should also be cancelled. You could then attempt to rebook. Also if you never check in to the campground your ADR, FP's should also cancel. Just my 2 cents.
 
I hope Disney is working on closing that loophole. It's really unfair to those of us who truly stay in the campground. But I also don't understand - sometimes the All-Star resorts are even cheaper than FW. Wonder why people gravitate towards the campground.
 
They also hit the value resorts as when their prices are down. There are just so many of them that you really don't hear a lot of complaints. seen them post several times about doing this. Disney is a failure when it comes to acting on this mainly because they are still making money off of it.
 
OP, as mentioned I think the biggest challenge is tent stakes on a Premium site.

As for the "throwaway" bookings: Make it a 2 or 3 night minimum, problem solved. And that wouldn't be out of the question at all. I just went to book a 4 day weekend at a Vermont state park for next summer and the system kicked me back because the minimum at that park in July is 4 nights. Didn't strike me as odd at all given the popularity of the park and the peak season in which I was booking.
 
The other thing I picked up on explains (I think) the comment Stacey Hood and others commented on about dropping dates and CMs saying that that won't be allowed in the future (or words to that effect).

People also manipulate their ARRIVAL dates to game the FP+ and ADR systems. That as much as anything might be the tipping point for Disney to do something about this. I'm sure their powerful IT department is on top of it. :upsidedow

Bama Ed
 












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