*Truck and Towing thread........ask your questions here.*

[jbrostek]

@Teamubr Thanks for the info on the tires. After my 2016 trip of the blow outs on 3 year old DOT dated tries the rig came with, I actually ended up on LT LOAD E tires by chance for a good price. So far they been holding up, but after I parked the rig for the winter I now see a tire low. I need to go look into that to see if these now 3 year old tires are done as well. My buddy maintains a hauler and stacker for a SM racer now and put Sailuns on the stacker. Said it made a difference since he carriers 2 fully prepped SM, a golf cart, tools, spare, etc. I think for the runoffs they squeezed in even more stuff for the week.

@mickeyfan0805 Congratulations on the new truck! I was there in 2016 when my 2006 F350 kept asking for repair money regularly. I bought a 2012 F350 DRW, what an upgrade but another payment. In the end it was well worth it as it tows the trailer beautifully!

 

[Teamubr]

@Teamubr Thanks for the info on the tires. My buddy maintains a hauler and stacker for a SM racer now and put Sailuns on the stacker. Said it made a difference since he carriers 2 fully prepped SM, a golf cart, tools, spare, etc. I think for the runoffs they squeezed in even more stuff for the week.

@jbrostek

I'm still very happy with the Sailuns after a full year. I know how you "squeeze" things in for Nationals/Runoffs. We had a 48 ft gooseneck enclosed hauler that we put 2 Mustangs in, along with tools, 16 mounted tires (in ceiling racks), 8 fuel jugs, generator, air compressor, welder and spares for suspension, shocks, drive shafts, brakes and more brakes and anything else that might break. That was for a regular race weekend.

Going to Nationals, we had a spare engine, engine hoist, transmission and some body panels. We scaled the trailer on the way out to Miller, in Utah... 22,000 lbs. We ended up going with load range H tires for this one.



j

 

[Makeminemusic]

We are planning our first trip to Ft Wilderness campground in July 2020 with our 5th wheel. 3 adults and 3 grandkids. I will drive the rig and my wife will drive another car with grandkids.
Question - Will there be an extra parking fee for the car? Hope to keep the truck connected and just use the car to get around WDW as needed.

 

[PaHunter]

We are planning our first trip to Ft Wilderness campground in July 2020 with our 5th wheel. 3 adults and 3 grandkids. I will drive the rig and my wife will drive another car with grandkids.
Question - Will there be an extra parking fee for the car? Hope to keep the truck connected and just use the car to get around WDW as needed.

Depending on the site you would have room for the car on site. Also depending on the site, you would not be able to stay hooked up as the site may not be long enough. Some of the loops are tight, and personally I tried to keep my truck as far from the road edge as possible. Never know the person coming in after you may never have driven something that big. Just how my mind works.
The truck could also be taken out to the overflow lot at the front and left in a parking spot there.
Disney transportation is very good and we have used it for almost everything. They even sent a bus just us to the Fort one night when I made the mistake of staying too late and missing all the boats.

 

[Makeminemusic]

Depending on the site you would have room for the car on site. Also depending on the site, you would not be able to stay hooked up as the site may not be long enough. Some of the loops are tight, and personally I tried to keep my truck as far from the road edge as possible. Never know the person coming in after you may never have driven something that big. Just how my mind works.
The truck could also be taken out to the overflow lot at the front and left in a parking spot there.
Disney transportation is very good and we have used it for almost everything. They even sent a bus just us to the Fort one night when I made the mistake of staying too late and missing all the boats.

Thanks for the reply PaHunter,
We will be staying in the preferred loops (100,200,300) 5th wheel is 36ft with slides on both sides.

 

[PaHunter]

Thanks for the reply PaHunter,
We will be staying in the preferred loops (100,200,300) 5th wheel is 36ft with slides on both sides.

The 100 loop is tight. We stayed there had a 3500 DRW and a 25 foot travel trailer and had a fun time getting in to a site. 200 and 300 have a little more room but are still tight. Biggest issue is if people are parked toward the end of the site and you lose the trailing room for the trailer to track. Enjoy the stay.

 

[jbrostek]

The 100 loop is very tight, I have never been able to keep my truck in spot there. The 300 loop was hit or miss. I could keep my 5th wheel and run in 1 site, but the rest left zero room to move around so I just took it down to overflow. I was happy to have the extra space.

 

[WeLovePluto]

I was able to keep my truck in my site (111) pretty easily and would have had more room if i had a longer hose and sewer lines, but I couldn’t back all the way up to the back.

With some arranging, we had a friend meet us from a different resort and they were able to park with us too. That would not have been a comfortable way to live, but it did fit.

This is with a 30’ TT and F150

 

[bama_ed]

Makeminemusic,

Unsolicited advice from a nobody towing an 18-foot popup . But I have camped in the Preferred loops a lot.

300 is the tightest of the three loops in general. It is the ONLY loop that has "git back" stripes painted on the site pavement where it meets the road. See the yellow paint in this picture from Halloween 2017:



The loop road is windy, the pavement is not long enough for your two vehicles and the 5er (unless you want to be THAT GUY who tries to put the vehicles side by side and drops two wheels in the dirt), and if you get to your site on arrival day and your site is across from somebody taking liberties with the "git back" stripes, it could be tough backing in. There are pedestals, trash stands, all sorts of obstacles to navigate backing in.

100 is next tightest (down at the far end from the entrance to the loop). Some sites are long and some aren't.

200 is probably your best bet. Still close, the least tight curves of the loop roads,

It is all very site-specific. Some sites (like 125) are nearly 75 feet long paved (loved that one at Halloween2017). Another like 201 is so short I had about 8 feet behind my popup to the split rail hard fence adjacent to the Comfort Station. 110 is probably the shortest and tightest to back into in 100.

The problem I see is that most Preferred sites aren't paved long enough to leave the truck hitched to the 5er and also pull the car in front of the truck. Not unless you roll the trailer tires back onto the gravel tent pad at the back of the pavement then you might have a chance. Preferred are only 12' wide paved generally so not wide enough for two side by side (Premiums generally are).

You should make a request (add it as a note/request on your reservation) that you want a LONG paved site if possible. If you don't get one, I suggest you unhook the truck and park it up in the main Fort lot and park the daily drive vehicle at the campsite.

Now FWIW I've also stayed in 400 loop (a Premium loop right cross Big Pine Road from the 100/200 loops) and they were plenty wide and plenty close to the Fort boat dock. For a few dollars more per night, you could get more space (if you can get placed in 400 that is).

It is what it is. Flexibility is key.

Bama Ed

PS - Charging for parking in campsites is hit-and-miss. I've not heard anyone recently say they've been charged. But you'll need two car passes (one for each dashboard) and that might tip them off to charge you. Who knows, by 2020, the enforcement may be completely different.

 

[tiggerdad]

I second 400 loop. Closer than 300 and more room than 100 or 200 and very near just as close. It will change the cost, but in my opinion, if you're concerned about room I'd choose 400.

 

[jbrostek]

400 loop is my fav for distance to the pup park as well (400 is a pet loop). Last trip was without the pup, and we stayed in the 1000 loop. I have to say, not bad though I would not pay the extra cost with the new pricing as the walk to the 400 loop wasn't all that bad from the pool to begin with.

 

[InBassAngler]

I've probably over looked some posts on this question, but we've considered on pulling our 5er down at one point and staying on property for a visit with the family. We've got a 42' with 5 slides. Question is, are there some sites that can accommodate that and how available are they?

 

[Sjm9911]

Probably plenty of sites that can accommodate you, availability for spots, thats any spots, need to be booked early. Others will chime in on what can fit tour 5th best. I know i had a site with my TT that would have had room for you. Tight, but very doable.

 

[Stratman50th]

I've probably over looked some posts on this question, but we've considered on pulling our 5er down at one point and staying on property for a visit with the family. We've got a 42' with 5 slides. Question is, are there some sites that can accommodate that and how available are they?

No problem on the number of sites but you'd probably be looking at a premium. Also, you wouldn't be able to leave your tow vehicle hooked up.

 

[Teamubr]

I also have a 42ft 5er and a longbed, crewcab, dually. 65 ft in total.

Yes, there are plenty of sites you/we will fit on. I would recommend a Premium site vs a Preferred or Full. The Preferred loops are fairly tight. There are sites where we fit on (although they are typically narrower), but navigating to the site is the problem. The Full loops feel more open, but I think the really long sites are limited.

The best strategy (it has worked for most of us with big rigs) is to book a Premium and then call down and have the length of your setup (truck and trailer) put on the reservation. If all else fails, the check in booths have a book with the dimensions of each site. In 2018, I arrived early (no site text yet) and pulled up to the drive through station. I asked for the longest site that was already available. She pulled out the book and found a great site in the 600 loop. 67 ft long, I fit fine.

Here is a link to my posts in 2018 with pics of the site. https://www.disboards.com/threads/s...toy-story-land-visiting.3691226/post-59700420

I also did a little scouting for PA Hunter. He has a similar 5er, but pulls it with a Class 7 (semi) truck. He needs a few more feet. HERE are pics of the sites in the 600 Loop where he (and we) would fit.

j

 

[PaHunter]

Sites are plenty long enough for a 42 ft trailer.

Our is 43 and has six slides. We were in 1100 last trip down. The only issue we had was backing in Disney had paced recycle containers along the road where your truck needs to follow to hit the site. Not ideal, but we got in and then I got her straightened out. With the new Semi, I am very confident we can hit a lot more spots as I have a better turning radius of 50 degrees in my front wheels. Our Crew Cab dually maxed out at 30 degrees. I can also get to a full 90 degrees from my trailer, something I could not do before with a pickup bed.

 

[Stratman50th]

I also have a 42ft 5er and a longbed, crewcab, dually. 65 ft in total.

Yes, there are plenty of sites you/we will fit on. I would recommend a Premium site vs a Preferred or Full. The Preferred loops are fairly tight. There are sites where we fit on (although they are typically narrower), but navigating to the site is the problem. The Full loops feel more open, but I think the really long sites are limited.

The best strategy (it has worked for most of us with big rigs) is to book a Premium and then call down and have the length of your setup (truck and trailer) put on the reservation. If all else fails, the check in booths have a book with the dimensions of each site. In 2018, I arrived early (no site text yet) and pulled up to the drive through station. I asked for the longest site that was already available. She pulled out the book and found a great site in the 600 loop. 67 ft long, I fit fine.

Here is a link to my posts in 2018 with pics of the site. https://www.disboards.com/threads/s...toy-story-land-visiting.3691226/post-59700420

I also did a little scouting for PA Hunter. He has a similar 5er, but pulls it with a Class 7 (semi) truck. He needs a few more feet. HERE are pics of the sites in the 600 Loop where he (and we) would fit.

j

We're fans of the 800 loop, but to be honest that's the only loop we've been and only twice. And if memory serves (and it isn't all that reliable I admit) the first time we were in 834, and the second time 836. They call it Meadow Premium sites. My understanding is so they can charge more?

 

[PaHunter]

We're fans of the 800 loop, but to be honest that's the only loop we've been and only twice. And if memory serves (and it isn't all that reliable I admit) the first time we were in 834, and the second time 836. They call it Meadow Premium sites. My understanding is so they can charge more?

Yes they split the premiums last year and now you have some that cost more. Honestly, I believe 1400 is part of the Meadow Premium and I certainly would not pay more to be in those loops.

 

[Stratman50th]

Yes they split the premiums last year and now you have some that cost more. Honestly, I believe 1400 is part of the Meadow Premium and I certainly would not pay more to be in those loops.

It's really nice not knowing any better on some things. We just deal with it and move on! LOL

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

These recent discussions have me thinking now...since we are about to pick up our new 40.5' 5er this weekend. I'm currently assigned to a FHU site (had a 28' TT originally). I'm confident in my ability to back into just about anything and having the truck in overflow isn't a deal breaker, but seeing other fellas that pull long rigs say they stay premium exclusively gives me pause. Seeking advice if I bite the bullet and upgrade to premium?