Tri Circle D Ranch at Ft Wilderness

[lidec]

Has anyone gone to the Disney Ranch at Ft Wilderness. We are not staying on Disney property but would like to visit the ranch. The disney website said you can explore the ranch 8 am to 330 pm. I was wondering how you get there and where you can park. I have read that you have to take the bus from Ft Wilderness to the stables. Has anyone ever done this that could help me out with the procedure. I was also curious about the carriage rides and if they are worth the money.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Has anyone gone to the Disney Ranch at Ft Wilderness. We are not staying on Disney property but would like to visit the ranch. The disney website said you can explore the ranch 8 am to 330 pm. I was wondering how you get there and where you can park. I have read that you have to take the bus from Ft Wilderness to the stables. Has anyone ever done this that could help me out with the procedure. I was also curious about the carriage rides and if they are worth the money.

We stayed at Ft. Wilderness last summer and loved it. If you are staying off-property, you can drive to Ft. Wilderness. The stables are very close to the registration building. We did not do the carriage ride, but we did the horseback riding and thought it was fantastic. The horses are beautiful and the Cast Members who care for them are great and very knowledgable.

 

[mastermind307]

Has anyone gone to the Disney Ranch at Ft Wilderness. We are not staying on Disney property but would like to visit the ranch. The disney website said you can explore the ranch 8 am to 330 pm. I was wondering how you get there and where you can park. I have read that you have to take the bus from Ft Wilderness to the stables. Has anyone ever done this that could help me out with the procedure. I was also curious about the carriage rides and if they are worth the money.

We went to Ft. Wilderness last June for a carriage ride. We stayed on property and used Disney transportation. We caught a boat from MK and rode that over. We arrived around 4:30, I can't remember exactly but I think I'll carriage ride was at 5:30 and we wanted to get there early to walk around. My DD LOVES horses. I know they have pony rides, but they were over by the time we arrived. We walked around the outside and saw the ponies. Then we walked into the barn where the horses that pull the carriages are kept. We were able to see a couple of them. Then we went back and took our carriage ride. It took us through the campground. I thought the carriage ride was nice and it is a good way to see the grounds. When we go back, we will probably do one again.
The ranch and carriage rides are near Trails End. So if you drive, you'll have to take an internal bus over to that area.
We also took a carriage ride and Port Orleans once year. It was nice, but I prefer the one at the campground.

 

[Tallent]

A few years ago we had arrived to our HDDR too early so ds took a pony ride there. The people were very friendly!

 

[crazymomof4]

I'm confused....
This is on WDW site under "Tri Circle D Ranch" Exploring the Ranch
Stroll through the stables to see Cinderella’s Ponies and the majestic horses of Main Street, U.S.A.. You can watch the blacksmith make horseshoes and affix them to horses’ hooves, and discover the Dragon Calliope—the horse-drawn musical instrument that Walt Disney purchased for the Mickey Mouse Club Circus Parade at Disneyland Park in the 1950s. Animal lovers of all ages will delight in the variety of breeds that live at Tri-Circle-D Ranch, including Appaloosas, Arabians, Belgians, Clydesdales, paint horses, Percherons and quarter horses, plus Shetland ponies

What confuses me is that the "Tri Circle D" shows up on different maps at different locations. There a 2 "ends" so to speak at FW- the one bordering the road and the one bordering the water. We did the trail ride in '12 and the "Tri Circle D Ranch" we rode out of was located at the entrance bordering the ROAD end. But some maps show the Tri Circle D on the water end location.

Where are the stables with Cinderella's ponies Clydesdales, Belgians, etc? Are they at the WATER end stables? Is that also called Tri Circle D Ranch?

My DD and I are "horse people" and would love to see these Disney Equines!

 

[Denise W]

They are at the "water" end. So if you are driving to Fort Wilderness you park in the front lot and take the internal bus to get to the stables where the ponies and Clydesdales are. When we took our Segway tour there we stopped at those stables and visited the horses. It was great!

Denise

 

[MeMom]

We normally take the boat from Magic Kingdom when we go over to Fort Wilderness. Here are pictures from one of our visits that might help you at least know a little bit about what is there and where you are going.

When you get off the boat, go past this sign



and make a right.

Pass this area.





Wave at these folks.



Keep walking, and you'll see this.

 

[crazymomof4]

Thanks for the Photo Tour!!
The last time we were at the water end of FW my DD was "pony ride size" (3-4?) and now she's 13. We never knew about touring the barns back then, or maybe they didn't offer it(??)
It seems that both the barns where the trail ride horses are stabled and the barns where the others (Clydesdales, Cinderella's ponies, etc) are stabled are BOTH called "Tri Circle D" thus, my confusion.
We will have to figure out a way to spend time at each (trail ride and water end). About how much travel time should be allowed to use the inner bus to get from one end to the other?

 

[SmallWorld71]

We've driven to the Fort for the Hoop Dee Doo and it was easier than I was expecting. Just head towards the Magic Kingdom - you actually go through the MK toll booth. Tell the guard you are going to FW, not MK. (So you don't have to pay toll). Make sure you are over to the right - there are a ton of lanes and you don't want to have to cut all the way over from the left. Follow the signs for the Magic Kingdom resorts and/ or FW.
Once you get to FW, you will go through the entrance w/ the guard (like all other resorts) and just tell them why you are there. We then went and parked in the main lot and walked to the bus depot. (There were some horses in a corral by the bus depot). The signage for where to wait for an internal bus was clear and we waited <10 min.

It took us about 15 min. to get to FW from Pop, about 10 to wait for a bus, and about 10 more to get to the Hoop. There were not many FW people using the internal bus at this time of day. (About 7:30 pm)

 

[crazymomof4]

Has anyone gone to the Disney Ranch at Ft Wilderness. We are not staying on Disney property but would like to visit the ranch. The disney website said you can explore the ranch 8 am to 330 pm. I was wondering how you get there and where you can park. I have read that you have to take the bus from Ft Wilderness to the stables. Has anyone ever done this that could help me out with the procedure. I was also curious about the carriage rides and if they are worth the money.

Based on the "closing" time given on the webpage, I was going to forego a visit to the barns after our 1 or 2:30pm Trail ride on Sept 6th BUT.......
A friend of mine mailed me a bunch of recent (from her Feb trip) brochures/guides. One was a pamphlet for Tri Circle D Ranch. Inside it stated that the times the barn was open was until 8pm
I called the direct line to Tri Circle D and spoke with a girl who works in the carriage ride area. She had no idea why the website has 3:30 and said, "You can visit the horses right up until dark when we close up so they can sleep"
So it looks like we WILL be able to go hang out in the barns, maybe watch the Blacksmith, etc after our trailride!! YAY
Just wanted to post this so others won't miss out on horsey visits if they go by the website "closing" time

 

[SmallWorld71]

Based on the "closing" time given on the webpage, I was going to forego a visit to the barns after our 1 or 2:30pm Trail ride on Sept 6th BUT.......
A friend of mine mailed me a bunch of recent (from her Feb trip) brochures/guides. One was a pamphlet for Tri Circle D Ranch. Inside it stated that the times the barn was open was until 8pm
I called the direct line to Tri Circle D and spoke with a girl who works in the carriage ride area. She had no idea why the website has 3:30 and said, "You can visit the horses right up until dark when we close up so they can sleep"
So it looks like we WILL be able to go hang out in the barns, maybe watch the Blacksmith, etc after our trailride!! YAY
Just wanted to post this so others won't miss out on horsey visits if they go by the website "closing" time

This is good to know. It would probably be a fun thing to do before a Hoop Dee Doo show as well.

 

[lidec]

Before I posted this I called Disney and they transferred me to the Tri Circle and whoever I spoke with said the barns close at 3:30. I would love to go later so I could get my parents a carriage ride and we could still go through the barns. I wish I knew for sure

 

[crazymomof4]

Before I posted this I called Disney and they transferred me to the Tri Circle and whoever I spoke with said the barns close at 3:30. I would love to go later so I could get my parents a carriage ride and we could still go through the barns. I wish I knew for sure

Hmmm...... Maybe they connected you with the barn that houses the horses used for trail rides? I know the last trail ride goes out at 2:30, so stands to reason that THAT barn closes at 3:30. (???)
If I knew how to post pictures, I'd post one of the brochure page where it gives hours. Under the description of the various activities available, it says: "TIMES: Draft Horse Barn: Daily 8am-8pm"
The number I called was 407-824-2832. I chose "Carriage Rides" from the automated menu bc they originate on that end of FW, while the "Trail Rides" barn is located at the other end of FW.

 

[tsme]

Ok, so let me see if I've got this right. The horseback trail riding is in the front of the resort & Cinderella's ponies are by the water side. Is that right? We have ressies to do the trail ride in Sept. I'm planning on taking a cab (doing the 8:30am ride) from BWI to FW. Will I be able to find the right area to meet easily from where the cab driver will drop us off at?

 

[crazymomof4]

Ok, so let me see if I've got this right. The horseback trail riding is in the front of the resort & Cinderella's ponies are by the water side. Is that right? We have ressies to do the trail ride in Sept. I'm planning on taking a cab (doing the 8:30am ride) from BWI to FW. Will I be able to find the right area to meet easily from where the cab driver will drop us off at?

Yes, the barn for the trail horses is right there at the entrance from the road. You can google "fort wilderness trail ride" and get images that will help you see what the barn looks like

 

[tsme]

Thanks!