There was some interesting parking at the Fort Sunday

[Stratman50th]

We had some friends visiting from the frozen north last week. Sunday the 9th we had planned a day of resort hopping then a cart ride through the loops to look at decorations. When we got there I saw probably 25 or more vehicles parked on the grassy area facing the vehicle unhook pull off. Class A's, Class C's, bumper pulls and 5th wheels. Even individual cars were parked there. Never saw anything like that before. Is that what they use as overflow for people who came in and their sites weren't ready? Just park and go to the parks maybe, then come back and move to the site?
It could have been people who moved out and stayed for the rest of the park day before heading home? Ha! maybe Disney found a new way to cash in and now offer primitive campsites! Ok, I digress. Were you there Sunday and one of the folks parked there, or has anybody seen this before. Ultimately I'm guessing whatever the reason it's because the overflow lot had overflowed.

 

[bama_ed]

Stratman,

It has happened before mostly during the Halloween and Christmas periods. I think Disney considers that grassy field the "overflow of almost last resort". I've seen it pretty darn full before (down to the 4-way stop almost).

I think during the holiday times you have larger groups, maybe multiple family units staying together, and you just can't put all the vehicles on the campsite pavement even if it is a Premium-wide site. Plus a portion of those folks bring golf carts on open trailers and it just adds up. There will be cars there through New Years at least. And it could have been folks waiting for a site too.

I think the final option is to send them over to Wilderness Lodge to park if that grassy lot was filled and then those folks would have to bus back the long way around (now that construction has hosed the direct bus road between Settlement and WL).

Bama Ed

PS - oh and I'm sure they've figured out who to charge for parking on all those extra vehicles.....

 

[Stratman50th]

PS - oh and I'm sure they've figured out who to charge for parking on all those extra vehicles.....

Interesting, Thanks!
Hahaha! Quoted is the best line in your post!

 

[WeLovePluto]

It was very full the day after thanksgiving when we arrived and had some vehicles parked on it every time we passed for the week.

 

[garneska]

We have parked there before with the RV when waiting for a site. We checked in on Jan 1 that year and it was nuts.

 

[BeachMama13]

We had some friends visiting from the frozen north last week. Sunday the 9th we had planned a day of resort hopping then a cart ride through the loops to look at decorations. When we got there I saw probably 25 or more vehicles parked on the grassy area facing the vehicle unhook pull off. Class A's, Class C's, bumper pulls and 5th wheels. Even individual cars were parked there. Never saw anything like that before. Is that what they use as overflow for people who came in and their sites weren't ready? Just park and go to the parks maybe, then come back and move to the site?
It could have been people who moved out and stayed for the rest of the park day before heading home? Ha! maybe Disney found a new way to cash in and now offer primitive campsites! Ok, I digress. Were you there Sunday and one of the folks parked there, or has anybody seen this before. Ultimately I'm guessing whatever the reason it's because the overflow lot had overflowed.

From what I've heard, it's the new temp overflow. CM's can't park down by the Settlement due to construction so they are parking near the back gate, where the old overflow is.

I've also seen them use this same area (near hitch/unhitch) for additional parking during holidays when FW is packed and people need places to park to get to HDDR, etc.

 

[H3OHIO]

They've been using that area as overflow for a couple years now. But more now since the overflow up front is being used for cast member parking. That grassy area was pretty full the whole week after Thanksgiving, some were huge motorhomes that didn't move for a few days (I'm guessing they were on a Disney cruise?).

 

[H3OHIO]

I was joking with my wife when we were checking out, I said we should park there and see how long we can stay at The Fort before they tell us we have to leave! LOL, I'm sure we could have stayed a couple days in the field next to all the other rvs parked there!

 

[serenitygr]

I was joking with my wife when we were checking out, I said we should park there and see how long we can stay at The Fort before they tell us we have to leave! LOL, I'm sure we could have stayed a couple days in the field next to all the other rvs parked there!

Perhaps a 2021 DIS meet in the overflow lot?

 

[Sjm9911]

During Halloween, i did see campers set up. Slideouts out , awnings extended, no tavle and chairs outside though. Im sure people get in a day early, and use it or the old i thought our stay was today.