Using Points for Fort Wilderness Cabins

[Steve G]

Just curious if anyone has had experience using their DVC points to stay at the Fort Wilderness Cabins ('Disney Collection' resort option). It's probably not the most economic use of points, but at 505 square feet, it strikes me more as a villa than a pure hotel room. Was it worth the points and $95 fee? Were the amenities and ambience worth it? Thanks!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Smaller beds (one queen, set of bunks and queen sleeper), no washer and dryer.

 

[meekey7197]

If it’s less points than a 2 bedroom it makes more sense for families of 6.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If it’s less points than a 2 bedroom it makes more sense for families of 6.

A 2 bedroom Standard is cheaper at Saratoga and OKW. Cheapest points for Fort Wilderness in 2018 (can't find 2019 right now) was 34/39 points (weekday/weekend). On similar dates, a 2BR at Saratoga is 30/37, with no $95 exchange fee. This holds true across all seasons.

 

[maryp]

I own at Boulder Ridge but love Fort Wilderness! I think it depends on your family. The cabins can feel a bit cramped with 6 people. If you have refillable mugs, I think you have to go to Trails End to fill them. Are you going to get a golf cart? That also figures into the cost.
Also, are you a family that spends all day in the parks? If not, it's great to open your cabin door and let your kids head outside. The trading post has fun shopping. To me. it's a very relaxing feel to be in the cabins, and my family really enjoys it there, we have used our points there several times.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Just curious if anyone has had experience using their DVC points to stay at the Fort Wilderness Cabins ('Disney Collection' resort option). It's probably not the most economic use of points, but at 505 square feet, it strikes me more as a villa than a pure hotel room. Was it worth the points and $95 fee? Were the amenities and ambience worth it? Thanks!

I've wanted to stay at FW since I was young and I want to stay in the Cabins. When we do I will be inclined to rent out my points and pay cash for the Cabins. No $95 fee which if you want to change anything is charged again. Plus if you do have a change of plans the points are then reservation points and can no longer be used for a DVC villa.

The cabins themselves are not going to be better than a 2BR - just different in a different setting. The amenities are less than a larger DVC villa but better than a hotel room.

 

[drusba]

Have not used points for them but have stayed in the cabins before. They are small. There is a living room that leaves only a little room to move around in once you pull out the double-size couch, a little kitchen area with a table, one rather small bathroom, and then a bedroom with a queen bed and bunkbeds with only a little space to move about. No w/d. The reality is that the cabins were once (in the 1990s and before) just silver colored, mobile home trailers that then got covered with artificial logs to make them look like cabins; thus, particularly in width, their size is limited. Putting 6 in one is a real tight fit, particularly with only one small bathroom; putting four is OK.

If you have a car, you can park right at the cabin; however, as to driving internally, a car is of limited use, except for possibly a quick trip to the store that is about in the middle of the resort (a second store is at the Settlement Depot area), because parking space is very limited to non-existent for the activity areas of the resort. As far as going anywhere, other than by car, the resort has an internal bus system consisting of three different routes, so if using a bus, make sure you return to your cabin in the same designated bus that you used to get wherever you are.

All the internal buses go to the main activity areas: (a) the Outpost Depot at the south end where you enter the resort, from which Depot you can get buses to Disney Springs and water parks; (b) the Settlement Depot at the north end, which has the boat to MK, and another to Contemporary and WL, buses to the other theme parks and WL, Pioneer Hall with its Hoop Dee Doo review, Trail's End buffet restaurant (one of the best and priced somewhat less than other buffets at WDW), Crockett's Tavern (for drinks inside or out on the porch area. an excellent kid's playground, horse drawn carriage rides, a barn for getting pony rides, and the nearby Backyard Barbecue dinner with band; and (c) the Meadow Recreation area, in about the middle of the resort on the east side, which has the main pool, game areas, snack bar, and nearby is a place to rent bicycles and another place for the nightly Chip & Dale sing-along campfire.

For internal travel you can also rent a golf cart (I never did). You need to reserve one well in advance (they start taking reservations up to a year in advance).

The areas where the cabins are, and most of the resort is, heavily wooded. It is generally quiet in the cabin areas, and pleasant to actually walk around them. Animals such as racoons, deer, rabbits and armadillos can appear. Each cabin area is a loop where both sides end up at a street where the nearby, local bus stop will be located. The resort is an excellent place for kids, including because of the many activities provided, and excellent for adults who are not in a hurry, like quiet, like ease of access to Hoop Dee Doo and Backyard Barbecue, favor a good buffet with a somewhat lower price, like a horse drawn carriage ride, like taking the kids or grandkids to a campfire, and can sit outside Crockett Tavern with a brew while watching your kids or grandkids in the playground in that same area. As far as traveling to a park via the bus system, you always need to take the internal bus and then switch to an external bus (or boat to MK) and thus you should never assume you will be able to get to a park quickly.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I loved our cabin stays. These were before we bought DVC. Besides the above animals, we saw a snake. Not unusual, we’ve seen these in nearly every resort.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Have not used points for them but have stayed in the cabins before. They are small. There is a living room that leaves only a little room to move around in once you pull out the double-size couch,

In their last refurb they got a pull down murphy bed for the living room sleeping arrangement.

 

[Steve G]

Good feedback, thank you all for your replies.

 

[PatMcDuck]

We stayed over Halloween a couple of years ago, great seeing the golf cart parade! We rented a golf cart, and that was my favorite part of the week using that golf cart. We took it to the bus stop, to the boat launch, to eat dinner, grocery runs, DH used every am to get his coffee, and I even used to drive to the pool with my laundry basket loaded on board. We had 3 adults, me, DH, and my adult special needs son. My DH LOVED it there, he likes to go camping so he felt at home.

I do not like camping. I did not really like the cabin, smelled musty to me. Bathroom just adequate. Bunks squeezed in same room as queen bed, and the bottom one has a super low clearance, DS could not sit up and forgot each morning and bonked his head. I liked the overall atmosphere of the resort. Renovate those trailers into actual cabins and I would LOVE it. DH really wants to return, so I guess we will someday. We paid cash (but I am a CM so get a big discount).

 

[Beachmom0317]

We loved the cabins! If staying with converted DVC points we don’t pay for parking still, correct?

I’d add that in considering cabins or not I wouldn’t look at room size only. I’d look at the experience you want. If this isn’t a park commando trip FW has amazing amenities. You can fill an entire Disney vacation there alone. I’d only stay there renting a golf cart which is $60 a day if renting through Disney. Good luck! Either way you are at Disney!

 

[jarestel]

In their last refurb they got a pull down murphy bed for the living room sleeping arrangement.

I believe in the last refurb they got rid of the murphy bed and replaced it with a queen sleeper sofa to accommodate a larger tv. We stayed at the cabins in 2017 and I had watched youtube videos about the pull down beds, but alas, when we got there we had the sleeper instead.

 

[quandrea]

We had an unplanned visit in October. I had rented out the points we planned to use in October and then plans changed. Our rental paid for our dues and the full price of the cabin at Fort Wilderness with money to spare. If you want the cabin (I’d only do it for the FW experience), tent out the necessary points to cover the cost. I loved FW, but the cabin had horrible beds and a very basic kitchen and bath. No where near the comfort of even a studio at dvc.

 

[keishashadow]

Have not used points for them but have stayed in the cabins before. They are small. There is a living room that leaves only a little room to move around in once you pull out the double-size couch, a little kitchen area with a table, one rather small bathroom, and then a bedroom with a queen bed and bunkbeds with only a little space to move about. No w/d. The reality is that the cabins were once (in the 1990s and before) just silver colored, mobile home trailers that then got covered with artificial logs to make them look like cabins; thus, particularly in width, their size is limited. Putting 6 in one is a real tight fit, particularly with only one small bathroom; putting four is OK.

If you have a car, you can park right at the cabin; however, as to driving internally, a car is of limited use, except for possibly a quick trip to the store that is about in the middle of the resort (a second store is at the Settlement Depot area), because parking space is very limited to non-existent for the activity areas of the resort. As far as going anywhere, other than by car, the resort has an internal bus system consisting of three different routes, so if using a bus, make sure you return to your cabin in the same designated bus that you used to get wherever you are.

All the internal buses go to the main activity areas: (a) the Outpost Depot at the south end where you enter the resort, from which Depot you can get buses to Disney Springs and water parks; (b) the Settlement Depot at the north end, which has the boat to MK, and another to Contemporary and WL, buses to the other theme parks and WL, Pioneer Hall with its Hoop Dee Doo review, Trail's End buffet restaurant (one of the best and priced somewhat less than other buffets at WDW), Crockett's Tavern (for drinks inside or out on the porch area. an excellent kid's playground, horse drawn carriage rides, a barn for getting pony rides, and the nearby Backyard Barbecue dinner with band; and (c) the Meadow Recreation area, in about the middle of the resort on the east side, which has the main pool, game areas, snack bar, and nearby is a place to rent bicycles and another place for the nightly Chip & Dale sing-along campfire.

For internal travel you can also rent a golf cart (I never did). You need to reserve one well in advance (they start taking reservations up to a year in advance).

The areas where the cabins are, and most of the resort is, heavily wooded. It is generally quiet in the cabin areas, and pleasant to actually walk around them. Animals such as racoons, deer, rabbits and armadillos can appear. Each cabin area is a loop where both sides end up at a street where the nearby, local bus stop will be located. The resort is an excellent place for kids, including because of the many activities provided, and excellent for adults who are not in a hurry, like quiet, like ease of access to Hoop Dee Doo and Backyard Barbecue, favor a good buffet with a somewhat lower price, like a horse drawn carriage ride, like taking the kids or grandkids to a campfire, and can sit outside Crockett Tavern with a brew while watching your kids or grandkids in the playground in that same area. As far as traveling to a park via the bus system, you always need to take the internal bus and then switch to an external bus (or boat to MK) and thus you should never assume you will be able to get to a park quickly.

Nice review. Didn’t realize you could park at the cabin.

Is the cabin area ‘walkable’ to Trails End/boat docks?

 

[Hoosier1967]

Location! Fort wilderness is a short boat ride to the magic kingdom! Well worth it