Why no lights on the walkways?

[ngb2w]

This may have been discussed before..sorry for any duplication. What is the reason for not lighting the walkways? At night they can be difficult to navigate with the bumps in the sidewalk, turns, etc. Down lights would nicely light the way and shouldn't be a nuisance to anyone. Have they been tried in the past? We are new to FW (stayed there for the first time last fall with our new Airstream) but not new to the Disney...been DVC members for many years.

So....what's the scoop on the sidewalk lighting situation?

 

[clkelley]

I'm not sure, but I agree also. Even some of the pathways that aren't near campsites and have lights, half of those are burnt out. (I ride an ECV around Ft. Wilderness, so I know the sidewalks by heart).

Actually, the lighting doesn't bother me. What bothers me is constantly having to cross the road back and forth to get from one end of the campground to the other, and it's not always obvious where that crossover is. My first couple of trips I was scooting along and ran out of sidewalk, and actually had to backtrack a bit to get to the crosswalk to catch the sidewalk on the other side of the street.

Carol

 

[tim5055]

Remember, FW was built to be a camping retreat. LIghts would spoil the illusion.

Here is a short history:

Fort Wilderness opened November 1971 on 750 acres between the Contemporary Resort and the Walt Disney World Village. At that time it had 231 camping sites including loops 100 - 600.

June 1973 added 481 sites, loops 700 - 1900

April 1974 Pioneer Hall opened

June 1976 added 113 sites, loops 2000 - 2100

June 1976 River Country opened

April 1979 added Creekside Meadow group camping area

December 1986 added 383 trailer sites*, loops 2200 - 2800


* the current sites of cabins had rental Terry Trailers on them

The camping loops were built long before the ADA or ECVs were even thought of. I'm sure it is now a money issue. They would have to tear up a lot of ground to add the lights.

 

[agnes!]

I'm sure that it is a matter of money(lamps/buried wiring/etc), but was thinking that anchored solar lights would be eminently do-able and also be of some help with safety issues.

agnes!

 

[Talking Hands]

Remember, FW was built to be a camping retreat. LIghts would spoil the illusion.

Better to spoil the illusion a bit than to have a guest injured because they couldn't see the edge of the sidewalk and fell.

 

[SandrA9810]

Well generally when you do go camping, you bring a flashlight.
Is it that difficult to bring along a mini flashlight that could fit on a key ring? I always make sure we have a mag light in my bookbag when we head off to the parks. If not, just be very careful where you walk. And if you are gonna be out late, you should probably hop on a bus to get you as close as you need to be. And there are little lights every few sites or so to light the road.
If I ever come into the loops late at night driving, I turn off my lights and drive with my yellow lights on as to not disturb any one sleeping with my headlights. Makes me drive about two miles an hour, but hey what's a minute of sleep worth?

 

[ngb2w]

Well generally when you do go camping, you bring a flashlight.
And if you are gonna be out late, you should probably hop on a bus to get you as close as you need to be. worth?

Pushing a stroller and holding a flashlight could be even more troublesome...especially since the sidewalks are only wide enough for two people.

Not out late with our kids...it's just DARK! We stayed in loop 600 which was very convenient to Hoop de Doo, etc. It was simpler for us to walk than the hassle of waiting and loading up the stroller for a brief ride. Plus we enjoy walking off a big dinner...we logged over 85,000 steps on our last trip.

 

[dis4fun]

I am very careful not to make too many complaints about the Fort. I have this fear that someday, the big guys at Disney may decide that the realsestate that Fort Wilderness sits on is worth more than what a campground brings in. I know this is off topic, but I have that fear in the back of my mind.

 

[campingcorgi]

Shhhh! I think most of us have that fear.......

Really, though, they have lots of land and this is already fixed up for a campground and a very busy campground, at that. So I have hopes that we will be able to enjoy Fort Wilderness for many years to come!

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I think it's more likely that they are going to continue raising the fees as the campground increases in popularity.

 

[stillh2o]

Where has been some talk about moving FW to a new site and build DVC on the FW site. The new FW would in thinking would be better designed for the newer RV’s. I hope they do not do that but there has been talk.

 

[SandrA9810]

Pushing a stroller and holding a flashlight could be even more troublesome...especially since the sidewalks are only wide enough for two people.

I don't think it would be. Granted at 21 I don't have any kids yet, but I do help my sister out with her four kids. Plus you said it was you and your husband, so couldn't one hold the light?

There are so many varieties of lanterns I'm sure there is one that could hang on the bar. At Home Depot they sell these big ol' lights that have a handle on them. They have them in masses down here for hurricanes and they're only 5 bucks, with the battery. It would be easy to hold that and the bar for pushing. It might not light the sidewalk directly in front of you, but it would give you more than the moon light.
Flashlights are made in so many different ways now it's unbelievable. There's got to be at least one that could fit your needs.

 

[loriandmatt]

not pushing the issue about the flashlights, but if you want a simple solution until they (if ever) get some lights on the walkway......

go to your local wal-mart and check out the section with the bike gadgets. they more than likely have a bike headlight there that runs off batteries and has a clamp on it that can fit on any stroller handle or bike handle bars. i have one for 10 bucks and it works like a charm. can easily be adjusted to point up a bit, so you can see who's coming at ya' or pointed down to see the ground a bit better.

of course, i also have a mag light taped to my son's bike with some handy dandy duct tape. also works like a charm.

We use them both at the fort.

-lori

 

[clkelley]

I have a Head Lamp strapped to the handlebars of my ECV that I ride around Ft. Wilderness.

Carol