What do you use a golf cart for?

[DisneyMom2000000]

During our stay at the Fort, we are planning on renting a golf cart. Debating between booking for the whole week using an off-site rental place, or just through Disney for a couple of days during our stay.

We are planning two family days at the Fort, not leaving the grounds, and I think that's when we'll love having the golf cart. All the other days will be at the parks, so not sure that renting the golf cart the whole stay is worth it.

What do you use the golf cart for during your stay?

 

[North of Mouse]

During our stay at the Fort, we are planning on renting a golf cart. Debating between booking for the whole week using an off-site rental place, or just through Disney for a couple of days during our stay.

We are planning two family days at the Fort, not leaving the grounds, and I think that's when we'll love having the golf cart. All the other days will be at the parks, so not sure that renting the golf cart the whole stay is worth it.

What do you use the golf cart for during your stay?

Most people that rent carts do so for transportation to/from Settlement area/Outpost, also for riding around the campground.

We have never rented one as we prefer walking, or riding the internal buses. We have never had issues with waiting too long for bus transportation.

We would not use one enough to justify the expense even if we did get one as we don't spend whole days around the campsite - too much around the parks/resorts that we enjoy doing/seeing.

Definitely a personal decision on what you enjoy and how you plan to spend your time there.

 

[jknezek]

There are two main uses for the golf carts. The first is letting your 14 year old try and run down everyone else that is walking or enjoying the campground. The other is to let your 14 year old try and run down everyone else that is trying to get to the docks, pool, Trails End or Trading Post.

Every now and then you come across someone using a golf cart to responsibly to transport their family to the pool and back. I suppose it is possible. I just have had very bad experiences, including one of my twin five year olds being clipped by one in our loop last year while we were walking. Luckily he wasn't injured, just badly scared. I was also almost run over one night by two kids racing them through a loop.

In my opinion they should be banned, but people love them and Disney prints a mint on them, so until someone actually gets run over and badly injured we are stuck with the menaces. Worst part of Fort Wilderness by a mile.

 

[G719]

Only licensed drivers are supposed to be driving the carts but rule breakers are everywhere. I haven't seen any terrible golf cart behavior except for at the parking near the boats. People will park their carts and block the entrance into the fenced in parking areas.

We get a cart because it's easier to get around the campground. We like the freedom of not waiting on the bus when we return from the park. I like it to haul my laundry to the comfort stations. We stay at the cabins which are a good distance away from the boat dock. I could save the money and skip the cart. We've used the internal bus on check in and check out day when we are without the golf cart. They run frequently but we do enjoy the freedom of driving ourselves around the campground.

 

[FtW Mike]

There are two main uses for the golf carts. The first is letting your 14 year old try and run down everyone else that is walking or enjoying the campground. The other is to let your 14 year old try and run down everyone else that is trying to get to the docks, pool, Trails End or Trading Post.

Every now and then you come across someone using a golf cart to responsibly to transport their family to the pool and back. I suppose it is possible. I just have had very bad experiences, including one of my twin five year olds being clipped by one in our loop last year while we were walking. Luckily he wasn't injured, just badly scared. I was also almost run over one night by two kids racing them through a loop.

In my opinion they should be banned, but people love them and Disney prints a mint on them, so until someone actually gets run over and badly injured we are stuck with the menaces. Worst part of Fort Wilderness by a mile.

I just checked Disney's site regarding GC rentals and same basic rules do apply to private owned and outside rentals Operators must be at least 16 and a in possession of a valid drivers license. I have seen Disney remove a rental from those operating them unsafely and assume they revoke operating privileges of others. Disney requires same standards of operation of a Golf Cart on property as any other Motor Vehicle on a public roadway in the state of Fla
We use a cart for a wide variety of reasons. Our older dog is no longer willing to endure the trek to the Bark Park visits our younger ones need So load them into cart and off we go. Convenience of returning to coach late at night after a long Park day, running off to Trading Post for unexpected staples need, transport to dock for early am fishing before internal buses are running and of course touring the fort to enjoy the decorations

 

[jknezek]

I know the rules. I also have my own experiences in how often they aren't followed. CM's really aren't in the business of ticking people off, so unless they catch them, in the act, they aren't going to do anything. As for ages, can you tell a 16 year old from a 14 year old by sight? Neither can most CMs, neither can I, but asking how old the driver is really isn't in the customer service game plan.

I know I'm in the minority. I know people love having them and will defend their use as responsible. I've had bad experiences. It's not limited to FW either. Any kid friendly campground with golf carts has the same problem. The Fort is just so much worse because there are so many golf carts and parents letting kids drive. I don't expect it to change, I just wish it would.

 

[Judyfun]

based on the time of year of your visit, if there 4th of July, or September - December, you use your golf cart to do the loops in the evening and see everyone's seasonal decorations.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Thanks all for the information! Can you rent six seaters from FW?

 

[G719]

Thanks all for the information! Can you rent six seaters from FW?

Yes they have a limited number of them. Or at least they used to. On the wdw webpage, it only mentions 4 seater. You can't reserve a six seater though. You can make a reservation for a 4 seater and then ask about a 6 seater when you go to pick it up. Here's the number for cart reservations that you can call and ask about the 6 seater to be sure: (407-824-2742

 

[FortForever]

Fort Wilderness is notorious for not enforcing the rules. I have personally seen some real dangerous stuff going on with golf carts at the Fort, even with adult drivers.

We don't rent a golf cart. There is really no need, with the internal buses running as often as they do. It might save you 5 minutes getting to the bus or back. Not worth it, in my opinion.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Thank you all. I'm thinking I will just rent one for one day so we can explore the campground. Anyone know the process for turning them in? We will want to pick up the golf cart Sunday morning and turn in 24 hours later, but we'll be at the parks at that time, and we won't want to waste the morning turning in a golf cart.

 

[snowmedic]

Pick up of the golf cart from Disney is from 1 p.m. and have to be returned by 11 a.m. of the return day. You return the cart at the Outpost, where you pick it up, but when returning stay to the right side of the road, there is a little cobblestone cart path that leads you out to the return area, right directly across from where you pick it up, the CM will tell you where. When you pick up your cart they will ask for your license and then go over some of the do's and don'ts, bring your cart up to you, show you how it works and then send you on your way.

We rented a Disney cart in March and loved it. We picked it up on a Friday afternoon and returned it that Sunday, a short rental but I thought it was worth it. With tax we paid about 125. and change. They will charge your card about 2 days before your rental date.

We used ours to get the most out of it, went looping and up to the Settlement, took it to the Outpost to catch the bus to the Springs, (was nice not having to wait for a bus when we got back at 11 p.m.) DD loved it and it helped push DW toward buying one, that we would probably only use when we are at Disney.

 

[JETS70]

We really enjoy having a golf cart at the Fort so much that we ended up purchasing one. Nothing fancy but does a good job of getting us around the Fort which we love looping and meeting other campers. Kentucky campgrounds now allow them and they are super to make those runs to the bath house or going to get a couple of bags of ice. If you have older members of your camping party, it allows them to enjoy much more of the campground than they could have if you did not have a cart. There will always be those who will break the rules but we shouldn't allow them to ruin a good thing for those of us who do follow the rules.
A cart at the Fort is great for looping, quick runs to the Meadows or the Settlement Trading Post, to the pool, to the marina to watch the fireworks, to catch the boat to the Magic Kingdom, to get to the Outpost to catch a bus to the parks, and really nice when you come back from a long day at the parks on a standing room only bus and you get in your golf cart and take that nice leisurely drive in the fresh air back to your campsite.

As far as safety is concerned, I believe that Disney is more concerned with the amount of car / truck traffic that would result if golf carts were not allowed.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Pick up of the golf cart from Disney is from 1 p.m. and have to be returned by 11 a.m. of the return day. You return the cart at the Outpost, where you pick it up, but when returning stay to the right side of the road, there is a little cobblestone cart path that leads you out to the return area, right directly across from where you pick it up, the CM will tell you where. When you pick up your cart they will ask for your license and then go over some of the do's and don'ts, bring your cart up to you, show you how it works and then send you on your way.

We rented a Disney cart in March and loved it. We picked it up on a Friday afternoon and returned it that Sunday, a short rental but I thought it was worth it. With tax we paid about 125. and change. They will charge your card about 2 days before your rental date.

We used ours to get the most out of it, went looping and up to the Settlement, took it to the Outpost to catch the bus to the Springs, (was nice not having to wait for a bus when we got back at 11 p.m.) DD loved it and it helped push DW toward buying one, that we would probably only use when we are at Disney.

Do you know if we could drop it off before going to the parks -- early in the morning?

 

[bama_ed]

Yes you can. Drive it to where you picked it up and there is a key drop box. It is very close to the bus stop.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Yes they have a limited number of them. Or at least they used to. On the wdw webpage, it only mentions 4 seater. You can't reserve a six seater though. You can make a reservation for a 4 seater and then ask about a 6 seater when you go to pick it up. Here's the number for cart reservations that you can call and ask about the 6 seater to be sure: (407-824-2742

G719 is on the money. They do exist but they are hard to get.



We don't get a golf cart most times because we can walk, bring our bikes, or take internal buses. I've gotten one twice in 17 trips because we had some senior citizens with our group (and when we did we rented offsite). Carts are an expensive convenience but not a necessity. That being said, everyone is free to spend their money however they want to.

Bama Ed

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Thanks! I'll ask about the 6 seater. Thinking about renting offsite -- but concerned about pick up and drop off that way as well.

 

[peg110]

We have done trips with and without the cart. To us, it is a convenience and not a necessity. We do spend some time as "Non-Park" days and that's where it's real useful. Plus we like to do "Looping" which you are technically not allowed to do with the regular vehicles.

It's kind of nice to come back from a park and NOT have to wait for the bus back to your site. While we usually haven't had that long of a wait, we have had times where the wait was quite long (upwards of 15 minutes). One time in particular the wait was quite lengthy, and the evening turned very cool (as compared to what it was when we WENT to the park). In the end we just walked to our site. Mostly to build up some "heat".

We can take it or leave it as far as the carts go. For us, it is by no means necessary, but when we DO have the cart, we do NOT let our younger DD12 drive it although she begs us too. We tell her it's a violation of the rules. She points out others that have younger kids driving (most safely, some not so much), and we tell her that it's still against the rules pointing out that she doesn't want "Mom and Dad to get in trouble, right?"

I do feel the frustration of @jknezek but I think the loss of carts at the fort, particularly because of it's size, would have a HUGE impact on their bottom line (and not just because of the rental income) plus you would likely see an increase of people needing "Mobility" devices (although they don't go quite as fast, they can be just as crazy sometimes, but that's a whole other topic.)

 

[5stljayhawks]

we use outside vendor. usually book entire trip. It's for loop tripping, easy back from late nights at the park. Early morning drives when the sun is rising. If holiday time, checking sites. Headed to the pool or trading post. Even for a late night cruz, why, cuz your at the fort!!!

 

[a2gismon]

We hate waiting for the bus and the kids love it. Its almost an attraction in it self.