What are your best tips for a first timer?

[tinkerbell34]

Hello everyone! I am taking my son tent camping for our first time at Disney in March. It will be just the two of us. We have only ever gone camping twice in our lives (both times with the boy scouts so no frills). Can you offer me any advice so I can make this a great weekend for my son and also so I don't look like an idiot trying to figure things out. We will not be going into the parks .....just appreicating the campground. I appreciate anything you have to offer!!

 

[Colson39]

1) Check out the campfire

2) If the wagon ride is around, he would have a blast going on it

3) Take him fishing around some of the canals/etc...

4) Depending on what time of year you go, sometimes the campsites will be decorated per whatever holiday it is

5) Have fun!

 

[Born 2 Fish]

I agree with Colsons tips.

Also every night on Bay Lake, at 9:45 PM , the is a musical light parade for all to see.

Also if you go to the lake when the MK sets off their fireworks, it's very beautiful from the campground lakeside.

You can fish the lake, the ponds and the canals. If you don't have fish poles you can rent them at the bike barn. The bke barn also sells bait, but I would bring my own worms or use bits of hot dogs or dough balls.

If you can, bring bikes, lots to ride around at.

They have real nice hike trails.

Go to the Marina , take a boat over to the Wilderness Lodge, it's a awesome resort take a camera.

Then take a boat to the Poly Resort, look around, then board the monorail and ride it around back to the Granf Fla. Resort, look around.
GREAT TIME .


Go swimming,,pools are heated.

Bus to Down Town Disney, go into Planet Hollywood and look around.



Then of course there are the things that cost $.

Guided Fishing Excursions

Horse Drawn Carriage Rides

Arcarde

Archery



and much more.

 

[Cindy F]

Be prepared to fall in love with Fort Wilderness and become instantly addicted!

Like other PP have said:

We (including 13 year old DD) LOVED watching Wishes from the beach-they pipe in the audio so you can hear it all as well. Then one night we rode the boat over to Magic Kingdom and the boat driver stopped in the lake to let us watch-BEAUTIFUL!

The nightly campfire movie is great with the fire pits to roast marshmallows for s'mores and hot dogs.

Chip and Dale Sing-A-Long

Have a great trip!

 

[Brer Bear]

I would suggest trying to camp a few weekends close to home (backyard even!) prior to your Fort trip to ensure you've got all the gear you need and you know how to use it properly...Sorry, seen too many scouts have a horrible experience camping because of poor preparation or lack of knowledge.

You will love the Fort!

 

[Colson39]

Cindy has a good point, I highly recommend going to watch the fireworks down by the beach, you'll have a blast, and it's free!

 

[LarryJ]

Hello everyone! I am taking my son tent camping for our first time at Disney in March. It will be just the two of us. We have only ever gone camping twice in our lives (both times with the boy scouts so no frills). Can you offer me any advice so I can make this a great weekend for my son and also so I don't look like an idiot trying to figure things out. We will not be going into the parks .....just appreicating the campground. I appreciate anything you have to offer!!

Everyone has made great suggestions and the only one I have is just relax and do what you did with your son with the scouts.

Larry

 

[FlaFortCampster]

Another fun thing to do is the Electrical Light Parade which will be at the marina on Bay Lake at 9:45 PM. So you can check Magic Kingdom closing time and if it's at 9pm, you can have a double feature.
Also, at the Settlement, near the marina, you can go to the stable and checkout the horses. Gorgeous animals indeed. There are ponies rides right in this area also. I believe that runs about $9.
Directly across the street is the exercise trail which leads over to the Wilderness Lodge resort. If you enjoy nature, it's a great walk where you have a very good chance of seeing deer. It's about a 20 minutes walk over to the Lodge.
You can also catch a bus right at the Settlement bus Depot that will take you over to the Lodge. It's a great place to visit and walk around inside the lodge and outside where the falls are located.
You can then catch a boat over to the Contemporary, check it out, then catch the monorail for a neat trip around the Seven Seas Lagoon. Ask to sit up front with the driver and you will get the best view in the world AND your son will probably get a special copilot's pass from the driver. Then you can catch a boat from the Contemporary back to the Fort. All this free of charge.
Have a great trip and enjoy.

 

[tinkerbell34]

Thank you all SOOO much for your suggestions! I'm well versed in the parks and the resorts but the campground is all new to me. Besides going there for the Hoop De Doo Review about 9 years ago, I have not ever been to the campground. Thanks to the cub scouts we have fallen in love with camping...even the back yard variety. I'm not use to camping with water and electrical hook ups or even comfort stations. With the cub scouts we were lucky to have a port a poty and tried not to stink for two days (with no showers) I think we are going to feel like we are camping in luxury. This weekend trip is a gift to my son for raising his grades from D's to A's and I want it to be a special mommy and me weekend. I told him about the fishing many of you mentioned and he got really excited. He has been begging me forever to take him fishing. I'm not really good at getting the fish off the hook but I'm sure I'll figure it out. I'll just have my little sedan so I have no way of bringing our bikes. I was hoping you could rent them for a day without it being TO much money. We will definitly hit the campfire. Does that get really crowded? We LOVE to hike so I'm happy to hear there are many hiking trails. I have heard for years about the water pagent but I have never seen it so I'm excited to be able to see that and we will also be sure to check out the fireworks. I am really excited! I'll be putting these suggestions to good use as well as any others you have to offer! Thank you Thank you!

 

[FlaFortCampster]

Part 2 Tent Camping
Bring air mattresses, sheets or sleeping bags on top of them and blankets, just in case it's chilly.
What about meals? Eating out or fixing at the site?
Bring items for showers, teeth, hair, etc.
Bring a TV and a 50' coaxial cable and you have cable TV.
Bring a cooler, (ice machines are at the Comfort Stations), snacks, paper towels, paper plates, utensils, etc., broom for keeping tent clean, small rug for tent entrance, ground cover for under tent, etc.
Also, flashlight and lights for the site.
If you bring a couple of extention cords, at least 25', the type rated for outdoor use, they are usually orange, you can hookup a small fridge, microwave, toaster, TV, etc. You'll have 4 seperate plugs to use at the electrical post. It can really make things very nice.
There's a picnic table and grill at every site so maybe a dining fly or screen room, charcoal, matches, etc.
It really depends on what degree of tent camping your shooting for, semi-roughing it, semi-luxury or luxury.
Check out the thread that shows some awesome tent setups for more ideas.
Good luck and enjoy your trip.

 

[LONE-STAR]

Everything has been covered that I can see except for one. If you are going to spend all your time at FW you may want to think about renting a golf cart for a day or 2. They are lots of fun plus its a great way to get around. The only down side is the cost about $54.00 a day buy if you want to explore every inch of the fort its a great way. Have a great trip.

 

[LMC]

You could probably rent the cart for what two bikes would cost for a day.

Everything has been covered that I can see except for one. If you are going to spend all your time at FW you may want to think about renting a golf cart for a day or 2. They are lots of fun plus its a great way to get around. The only down side is the cost about $54.00 a day buy if you want to explore every inch of the fort its a great way. Have a great trip.

 

[LMC]

They also have some mini golf courses in the area. You could ride the boat over to wilderness lodge and have a meal at their restaurant (the name escapes me right now). I have heard the restaurant is good and alot of fun.

Also, to save $$ you can take your own popped popcorn/drinks/smores fixins/etc to the campfire. We have never taken hotdogs but I think I saw a family roasting dogs last time we were there.

 

[KeepSwimmingDory]

My boys always enjoy basketball, tetherball, and have played catch (football) with some other kids a few times. They like to bring hot dogs/sausage to the campfire. Riding the boat is fun from Ft. Wilderness to Wilderness Lodge. Mine like to pin trade, so we do that over there as well as the trading posts at the campground. They also like to play checkers at the trading posts.

It is so relaxing and fun to be at Ft. Wilderness. I hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

[FlaFortCampster]

Since your veteran parkies (Ignore Part 1 post) and veteran campers (Ignore Part 2 post) you are going to do just fine.
Of course if you want to feel like your roughing it, you could check in, park your vehicle at the Outpost parking lot and walk to your site..... . That's about as rough as it will get at the Fort.
You'll love it....enjoy.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

You could probably rent the cart for what two bikes would cost for a day.

I believe that you are correct,,I may be wrong, but I think that bike rentals are 25.00 per day , per bike.

And in that case, I would rather have a Golf cart.

 

[tinkerbell34]

You guys are awesome!
I would love to cook out but I have never grilled anything in my life and I'm really afraid I would start a fire.....and not in a good sense. We will be eating out. I think it is far to late to get ressies at the hoop de doo and I don't think Mickey's back yard barbecue is going on around now. We have been to the Whispering Canyon many times at the Wilderness Lodge. It is a lot of fun. I have never been to Artist Point before. I think we will check out the path from one FW to WC. Thank you Thank you Thank you for all your tips!!!