The July 4th, 2024 Fort Wilderness Golf Cart Parade Video

[bama_ed]

It's time once again to sit back and watch a holiday parade! Here is the Fort's Independence Day golf cart parade for 2024 courtesy of our friends at Mousesteps / JWL Media:

https://www.youtube.com/@MouseStepsWeekly .

THANK YOU! The video is approximately 20 minutes long. Anybody want to tell us your location in the video?

Bama Ed

 

[Cybertruck]

Thanks for posting this. What a wonderful experience. Our first trip to Fort Wilderness will be Christmas week. What day is the parade that week? Any advice on where and when to grab a spot? Did not even think about bringing chairs.

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks for posting this. What a wonderful experience. Our first trip to Fort Wilderness will be Christmas week. What day is the parade that week? Any advice on where and when to grab a spot? Did not even think about bringing chairs.

@Cybertruck,

The Christmas and Halloween Golf Cart Parades have usually been the day BEFORE the holiday (October 30 and December 24). The 4th of July is the only one that usually occurs on THAT holiday itself. They are usually held in the late afternoon around 4pm.

I say "usually" because the official word comes out when the Activities Calendar (with that month's movies, activities, and special events) comes out on the 1st of each month. The calendar is usually posted in display cases at all comfort stations, maybe the pools too, and usually there is a big folding sign on the ground in front of the Bike Barn near the Meadow Trading Post. A copy of the calendar is given to you if checking in in person or available if you go to the lobby and ask for one (if you did online checkin and bypassed the lobby experience, for example).

Some folks put down blankets and empty chairs along the route starting an hour before (or more) but I've only been to the Halloween parade and always managed to find a last moment spot (usually further down towards the lake). In the map below, the carts gather in the grass at "A" on the right side of the road and roll down the yellow route to "B" down by Bay Lake. Judging is usually done at a table near the Meadow Trading Post.



It's fun to watch and even more fun to be in if you're bringing or renting a cart during your stay. Bring decorations to give your cart that holiday spirit.

Bama Ed

 

[Cybertruck]

@bama_ed I appreciate all the details. We already have reserved our golf cart and plan on decorating it. For at least this year we will be spectators. Not sure we are up to the challenge of cart decorating based on the professionals in the 4th of July video.

 

[bama_ed]

@bama_ed I appreciate all the details. We already have reserved our golf cart and plan on decorating it. For at least this year we will be spectators. Not sure we are up to the challenge of cart decorating based on the professionals in the 4th of July video.

I hear you, @Cybertruck .

All I will say is I've been to the Fort 2X for Halloween and was a spectator 1X and a participant 1X. I just wanted to know what it was like to be "in" the parade one time. I had some Halloween decorations for my campsite that I used on the cart and a fellow DIS'ser had some extra decorations that I found a place for on my cart.

I wasn't the best decorated cart but I wasn't the worst either.

My dad was with me and he drove the cart in the parade while I wore a cheap costume in the passenger's seat. Yet another DIS'ser and his daughter rode in the back of the golf cart facing the rear (it was a simple Disney 4-seat cart) waving and (I think) tossing candy.

So sure, in 2024, watch the Christmas parade and see the energy that it is but honestly - I hope you get in "the game" at least once.

Have fun on your stay this winter.

Bama Ed