Wilderness Cabin Info

[CarolinaBoy]

I am looking for some feedback on the cabins at Fort Wilderness. We have 2 kids, 2 and 4, and will be there the first weekend of Feb. I have stayed in some swanky places and some not so swanky ones, what should I expect. I just hope it is clean and big enough to put the kids to bed and relax in the evenings with the wife.
what items are a necessity for staying there?


Thanks

 

[Drake]

Well, CarolinaBoy, you made the right choice! The cabins are wonderful for families! The bedroom has a double bed and bunk beds....also, a sink and mirror! It has a door that you can pull -to for when the kids are sleeping. The adults can have their time in the living room area, watching TV, planning the next day, and relaxing! The kitchen is full size ...and even has a dishwasher! Plates, utensils, pots and pans are all there!! Linens, too. It's as nice as a hotel only with lot's more space! They even have maid staff come in every day!!

My family loved our stays there...and, even though the kids are grown, my spouse and I will definately stay in the cabins again!

We also love the Trails End Buffet and the little bar with porch and rocking chairs to just relax and enjoy the view.

There are many sites with photo's of the interior of the cabins.....

Have fun!!

 

[Simba's Mom]

We've stayed there several times when the kids were small, and although we're now DVC members, we're going back in May 2003. It was great to get up in the morning and have your coffee already, and to have the cereal and juice for the kids (our kids tended to want to eat while they were still in their PJs). And there was daily maid service, a dishwasher, and yes, even hot running water (someone once asked me)! The biggest drawback is probably that the bathrooms are really small. But overall, every kid I've known has loved the Cabins (even our younger DS used to call it his "Village" and after a few hours in the theme parks, he was ready to go back to his "Village").

 

[jwfla422]

I think they're anything but "swanky"

Friends of ours stayed at the cabins while we were at WL last August. I was quite impressed with their cozy cabin and was looking for the opportunity to stay in one for one of our trips.

Now that my family from another state wants to meet up with us at WDW I thought that would be the best place. We need more than just a regular studio type of hotel room, for the $$$ they can't be beat. I even requested cabins either next to each other or close by.

Plus I remember feeling like I was in the mountains (no mountains though)...but close to the action of WDW. Plus there are a ton of activities to do at the campround itself!

As Drake mentioned there is a lot of information & pictures on various websites. There's even a thread on the DIS here that is just about Camping in Disney, make sure to check that out.

I'm sure your 2 & 4 year olds will be fine with the bunk beds or even the bottom bunk and the double, you can always sleep in the murphy bed in the living room.

 

[magicplace4me]

We stayed at the cabins and really enjoyed them. I enjoy, (actually I need), some time to wind down after the kids go to sleep and this is the most economical home away from home option.

My only complaint about them is there is very little storage space in the bedroom. Only one small chest of drawers and a night stand for drawer space. Other than that - and I can live with a few clothes in my suitcase - this is a great place. There are tv's in both the bedroom and the living room. The bedroom is well away from the living room so the kids can sleep and you can still talk, watch tv or make phone calls.

The kitchen is great even if you eat alot of meals out, its wonderful in the mornings and to have drinks for the kids available. I brought a 2 liter insulated drink container with me and since I had a full size freezer, at night I would fill it half full with water and let it freeze overnight. The next morning I would fill it the rest of the way with water, zip it into its insulated jacket with the shoulder strap and take it to the parks. This saved us alot of money on drinks in the parks and if we only needed a few sips it was better than constantly buying those $2.50 (maybe more now) bottles of water.

One thing I would do, especially with small children, is to request a cabin on a small loop. This will cut down on the walking to and from the bus. We requested and were put on the 2100 loop (I believe 2138 specifically) and it was a very short walk to the bus. We were also only steps away from a laundry facility - a short path and I could put in my laundry then return to the cabin while it washed or dried. Some of the loops are quite large, I'm sure there is someone on this board who can tell you were to find a map of the campground.

When we were there the cabins were very clean. Maid service daily if you want it and they even load your dishwasher and run it for you if you leave dishes in the sink. They are not swanky but they are very comfortable, much more spacious than a regular room, and the kids love them!

 

[JulesMom]

There is a VCR in the living room. We didn't know that & wished we had brought some of the kids video tapes.

We all took turns sleeping in the Murphy bed--just for fun. My DD thought the bed coming out of the wall was the cutest thing. It was surprsing very comfortable-not like a sofa couch at all!

You'll have a great time. The cabins are very close but because of all the foliage, it's hard to see the other cabins, so you really feel like you are in the wilderness.

Have a magical trip!

 

[Gillian]

no TV or sink in the bedroom anymore! The sinks were not included in the new cabin design (old ones were Wilderness homes, I think). I believe that even the new cabins did have TVs originally, but they were removed.

Still, I think it's a great option for a family with small children! Even if you don't get a small loop, ask to be near a bus stop. That will put you close to the beginning or end of a loop. Just check the location on a map before you head out to your assigned cabin!

here are some pictures and the campground map -
http://home.hiwaay.net/~jlspence/photogal.htm

make sure you scroll down to the cabin pictures. the wilderness homes are all gone now!

 

[OhMickey]

Just wanted to add another thumps up for the cabins. We stayed there last May and LOVED them. I was (like you) worried about the accomodations - but after walking through the door, I saw how nice the cabins were.

I agree that the only downside of staying here was the lack of storage space for clothing. The kitchen had plenty of cabinets.

 

[CarolinaBoy]

Thanks to all that took the time to reply, we are very excited about the trip. My rate is 144.00 a night, which I thought was a super deal for the cabins. Now, we can only hope for some nice weather

Cboy

 

[confal1]

I am going in May with my Mom and my 4 year old. We rented a golf cart for our stay. The grounds are pretty big and it may be worth it for you to look into. Have a great time. Did I read the post right that says there is no TV in the bedroom?

 

[Gillian]

Well, our cabin didn't have a tv and others have said they didn't have one either. But I could see where it had been on the dresser. I remember reading that they were all taken out. I suppose a search of the camping board would tell.

The Disneyworld.com website is wrong. It still shows a floorplan with a sink in the bedroom. There is clearly no sink in the new cabins, just a very small vanity with a hairdryer. I think it also shows a second TV.

Maybe calling Ft Wilderness would get an accurate answer. I don't really trust CRO to know

 

[colleen costello]

We stayed last March in one of the new-design cabins and there was definitely no extra sink in the bedroom. You could see the plate on the wall for cable hookup but no second TV, either. Regardless, we had a ball. Fort Wilderness is magical. Laid-back, green and lovely. I have such fond memories of camping there as a kid, and as an adult have stayed in the cabins many times. Never had a bad experience!

Loop 2100, "Bobcat Bend" IS a good one. We were in 2140 and only a few steps to a main bus stop. Also just a few steps on a wooded path to one of the "comfort stations" of an adjoining loop, with a nice laundry room. The whole place is rustic, woodsy, charming. My kids (8 and 4) LOVED the whole area. The new cabins are roomy and furnished so nicely. Housekeeping was great. It was wonderful to have breakfast on the deck each morning! My children also enjoyed the petting zoo, playgrounds, and "Trading Posts," where we went many evenings for ice cream.

Have a wonderful time!

 

[FreeTime]

We just returned from a stay at the FWC and I was not impressed. The bathroom had dust and cobwebs all over the ceiling. I guess that it is hard to clean rough wood. When the murphy bed was down in the living room it blocked the couch (not a big deal since you will be sleeping anyway.) The cable went out near the end of the stay. There is no tv in the bedroom and definately not a lot of storage space. We had a pack in play in the bedroom as well and there was no room to turn around. I dreaded going back to the cabin at the end of each day. That being said, I think that you will be fine with it! Our biggest problem was that we had 3 adults. With 2 adults and 2 kids you should be fine. Just be sure to move the knives and dishwasher detergant out of the drawers in the kitchen as they are right at curious kid level!

 

[brittsmum1998]

We can't say enough good things about the cabins. Me, DH and DD who was 17 mos at the time stayed in a cabin for a week. Now we are NOT "woodsie" people and DH walked into the cabin and asked if we could add on a couple days. There is not much room in the bedroom I agree but the full kitchen is wonderful, DD could take naps each day and not be bothered by the noise of our tv, talking etc. I loved sitting w/ my tea on the deck in the am listening to the birds. Relaxing!! We loved the buffet (VERY kid friendly) and reasonable. The petting zoo was while not big perfect size for little ones. Pony rides, boat rentals, walks on the beach or just sitting on the porch in a rocking chair while DH and DD were at the playground....PRICELESS. We looked into and bought DVC while on that trip purely on a "whim" but I think because we created such good memories while at FW. We plan on staying there again in the future. Whenever anyone mentions they are going to DW I always inform them about Disney's best kept secret,...... the cabins. Have a great time!

 

[mat2672]

Three words........"trails end buffet" . I dont care what resort ive stayed at. Id be in heaven as long as I can find my way to trails end buffet as much as possible. Its not that expensive and the food is awesome. Ive stayed at wilderness lodge a couple times last year and I really enjoyed coming over to the campground area. Im doing a split stay this year and Im also going to try out the cabins. They look really nice in all of the pictures ive seen. As long as I know im within walking distance of trails end buffet, things will be right in the world.

 

[PamNC]

I've always wanted to stay at the Cabins...me and my hubby. Although we don't need that much space for the two of us, we always end up going to FW to hang out and do the hay rides, the singalong, or a dinner show. We love being away from it all as we live on a farm in NC and it feels like "home".

question - We drive so my big question is can you drive your car up to the cabin. I've heard the bus service is slow. I've also heard at certain cabins you can't drive your car in...I don't like that.

What kind of deals have historically been available for the cabins? Like the codes that I always hear about...

Thanks!

PamNC

 

[Gillian]

You can park your car in your own driveway at the cabins. BUT, you need to take the bus to get around FW. If you've been there before you know that there are limited places to park a car. You can also rent a golf cart and park it outside your cabin. I think it's the type of resort where you need to settle in for a while and learn all of the tricks to getting around.

I've frequently seen prices for under $150, with codes.

 

[ebhurleys]

Just got back Sunday. We were a party of 6 so we didn't have many other options. We had more fun at the campground even with all the rain. We were in the 2400 loop and our maid was just awesome. Everyday my children would run back just to see what kind of animal she made for us. We did have a golf cart and enjoyed riding around in it. I have stayed many times in the cabin and was extremely surprised to see that they now heat the pool to a point that there was steam coming off them at night. Even in the cold weather the pool was so relaxing. We were definately at maximum capacity with 3 adults a 13, 10 and 4 year old but never felt crowded. The one downfall is that when the murphy bed is down the living room is crowded but that is livable. We also did the carriage ride in the evening and it is one of our fondest memories.

 

[Gillian]

Which pool(s) did you use? What did you think of them?

Did all 6 of you fit in the golf cart? How far in advance did you reserve it?

The carriage rides sound great! Thanks for the report

 

[colleen costello]

My Mom has trouble walking, so I know exactly where cars can and can not go at Ft. WIlderness.

Every "camper" gets a car ID which you put in your windshield. There is room for one vehicle at every cabin "campsite." While you can drive around most parts of Ft.Wilderness, the "main" area -- near the Hoop-Dee-Do and the access to boat service -- is roped off and only open to foot traffic. If you want to take the boat to the MK, for example, you would have to use a Ft. Wilderness bus or walk down to the boat area. In general, camping loops are closer to the boat area and most of the cabin sites, added years later, are farther out.

The Meadows Trading Post has a few "10 minute" spaces for cars so you can run in during morning for coffee. There is also a space near the laundry facility for the cabins. If you want to go anywhere outside Ft. WIlderness you can take your car and park in THAT lot -- at the MK, Epcot, etc. You can also get a bus to the main entrance of Ft. Wilderness and then take another bus to the parks. Descriptions of transportation troubles usually refer to travel "within" the campground as it is large and the buses make lots of stops. The pace overall here is slower; this may be seen as a problem for some and a plus for others.

I believe the golf carts come in two sizes but I can't recall the rental cost. Lots of families zip around in these and there are lots of places to park them.

Ft. Wilderness has one large pool, adjacent to the Meadow Trading Post, and a smaller pool near the cabin loops. Both pools are basic and neither has a slide. I believe the main pool is guarded. When we visited last March, the cabin-area pool was heated enough that we could swim even when it was cool.

Hope this helps!