This is our first trip!! need input

[Robinbare]

This will be our first trip to WDW!!! We are planning to take our 30 ft motor home. I have friends that say we should stay in a hotel instead.....why I dont know exactly. I figured even though the gas is sky high...we could save some money on food by taking the motor home. We have 2 children 6 and 9. The motor home tends to make our travels easier because everyone can spread out and my children fight less! We are staying 4 nights. I guess i am somewhat overwhelmed wondering how we are going to cram so much into 4 or 5 days. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Robin

 

[campingcorgi]

Hi, Robin and welcome to the DIS!

Here is your first advice: go to this website and start learning!

http://allearsnet.com/

It is a non-official Disney site that has TONS of information.

You didn't say when you plan on going to Disney/Fort Wilderness--that will make a difference in your plan of attack. Some times of year are busier than other times and you'll need to plan for that.

Definately take the motorhome--Fort Wilderness is a divine place to stay and your family will have a blast there. Lots of people go there and never even hit the parks. You will have fun even with only 4 nights--you'll just be able to hit the 'must-dos' on your list. Don't worry about that--you'll have fun and probably get the Fort Wilderness bug and be back! Some of us live and work to be able to go to FW--that's me!!

Have fun planning!

 

[house_of_princesses]

Welcome to the DIS, Robinbare!

I think the motorhome is a great idea for all the reasons you mentioned. FW is a wonderful place all on its' own! Many people camp there for a weekend get away and never go to the parks! (Of course, they live closer so they can go to the parks on other occasions.)

Anyway, you could stay in an on site resort. It would cost more per night, you'd have to eat out for every meal, the children wouldn't be in their own beds.

Hope you have a wonderful trip and lots of fun here on the DIS!

 

[rapriebe]

I totally agree with everyone's post.

You must stay at FW - there is no other place like it for camping. It's great for kids, you have your own bed, it's cheaper for meals and did I say - FW is a great place to camp. I see that you are also from NC so it's a short 10-11 hour drive and you can check into FW as early as 7am. Last time we drove to the KOA south of Jacksonville and then it was a short drive the next morning. This way you get to FW early and even if your campsite is not available, you can check in then park at the lot by checkin and catch a bus to the parks. This allows you an extra day.

Being a die-hard camper, I find motels are so impersonal and I like having my own "stuff" around me.

 

[Robinbare]

we are trying tp book the first or second week in March. Will that be a bad time???

Thanks for all the advice.

Robin in NC

 

[tim5055]

First of all, March will be Peak Season (2/12 - 4/17) so you will be paying a premium for the site.

Resist the impulse to "cram so much into 4 or 5 days". Pick at least one day to just relax at the campground. Remember this is a vacation, you will always be comming back.

I remember when Walt Disney World first opened, 4 or 5 days would have been fine. Not any more. With kids 6 & 9 you need at least one day at the Magic Kingdom, but 2 or 3 are needed to see everything for a first trip.

The Animal Kingdom is at least 1 day, EPCOT at least 2 days (maybe 3) and MGM is 1 or 2. Add to that Downtown Disney, shopping and visiting hotels you can spend weeks and not see everything.

Pick a few things that are "must see" on you list and work from there.

Something I like to do is buy park hopper tickets for more days than I plan to go so that I know I'm going back!

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Here is my 2 cents. We first went to WDW in 1983 and stayed in hotels until 6 years ago. We were always campers, but to be honest, I never knew FW existed until then. Since our first trip to FW 6 years ago, we have not stayed anywhere else. Whenever we drive through the outpost check in and into our loop, my family's response is always the same - "we're home."

 

[StarPM]

Here's my opinion, too....We were originally planning to spend a week in a moderate resort. We recently purchased a bigger towing vehicle, and thought...what the heck, let's do Ft. Wilderness instead. Since pullling from PA will take much longer than flying, we decided to check the prices on a longer stay. Imagine my suprise to find out that we can be at the World for 10 days, and get alll our passes(thanks to the 30 day fun in the sun pass)plus tickets to Universal, Sea World, and Nasa for about 1/2 of the 1 week trip alone. I know gas will be expensive, and it's a VERY long drive...but 2 weeks is SOOOOO much cooler than 1.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

You sure are right about the cost. My wife wants to stay at WL for our 20th anniversary, so we are headed out there on Saurday. I just made our reservations for 6 nights at FW. Well, the six nights at FW cost less than one night at WL. Talk about sticker shock! Hope she enjoys it!

 

[mom2bandp]

You've gotten some great advice here. I agree with the thought that there's so much to do at WDW that it's impossible to cram it all into 5 days, and having a must do list is a really good idea. You might want to allow some down time at the campground, just to enjoy the rocking chairs at Crockett's Tavern, the petting zoo and pony ride, the movie and campfire sing-a-long, etc. FW is not just any other campground, and you won't regret your decision to camp there. Have fun!

 

[mixsap]

We just made our reservations from May 13 to June 13. We will be staying at FW the whole time and driving down from PA. We tend to do the parks less on the weekends due to the influx of locals. Otherwise there is alot to do in and around Orlando.

FW is just a great campground and it is nice to be able to go back to eat and not have to pay WDW food prices. There are 2 Super WalMarts within 10 miles of FW where we buy all of our food supplies. Gas off property ( only about 4 miles from FW) is 10 to 15 cents per gallon cheaper too. With a 31 gallon tank, that adds up!

 

[HuckFinn]

By all means use your motorhome. It may be too late to get a reservation at Fort Wilderness in March, but you should try it anyway. Since you've never stayed at FW you can't imagine how nice it is. The prices may seem high compared to other RV parks, but believe me, it's worth every penny. The cost is a fraction of staying at any Disney hotel, even when you factor in the gas from NC. Staying at a Disney resort, which FW is, is so superior to staying outside the park you will never consider doing that again.