News Disney Vacation Club announces plans for more than 350 new cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

[Prince-1]

Well I for one am very excited for this. My fam loves FW and can't wait to stay at the new DVC cabins. I just wish that Trails End wasn't closing as that was a great hidden gem...at least it was before covid.

 

[lentesta]

Anyone know who manufactured the current lineup of cabins? I think Fleetwood did the ones before these, but I could be wrong.

 

[lentesta]

New question that occurs to me - there are currently around 407 (or 409) cabins at Fort Wilderness. This is promoting 350-ish cabins. What do we think accounts for the loss of 50-ish cabins? Increased size of the new cabins? Reconfiguring the layout? Additional amenities? Just a strange difference for a quick turnaround.

I think the current cabin cound is around 364. It was 409 when they had cabins in the 2100 loop, I think. Those are campsites now.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Not sure if mentioned already but close to a quarter will be kept as cash rooms

 

[Virtual Toad]

Again no. NO! I hate this criticism because it is just not true.

The current cabins offer zero views from the inside. ZERO!!!!

Honest, There is no part of the current cabin where you can just sit and look outdoors. Every single window is either in a hallway where there is no furniture to sit and look out of, or if not in a hallway there is a piece of furniture in front of the window so you cannot stand at the window and look out of it.

But every piece of furniture that there is inside the cabin, there is no view of outside the cabin.

Perhaps it is a matter of semantics and perception. While the windows in the current cabin do not provide panoramic views, there is almost no place you can sit and not see the outdoor surroundings as there are literally eye-level windows on all four sides of the existing cabin layout. The windows in the current cabins are definitely smaller than the central floor to ceiling door/windows in the new design. Those will decidedly offer a view out one side from a specific angle, but I see this being more like a traditional hotel room view. Tastes and opinions differ and that's just fine. I have serious reservations about the new design (of which the window placement is just one element of many) but your mileage may vary and that's totally okay.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Anyone know who manufactured the current lineup of cabins? I think Fleetwood did the ones before these, but I could be wrong.

Who manufactured the cabins at the Fort?

My dad loves the cabins and wants to have one built for him now that he's retired:rotfl:. Anybody know who makes them? Aren't they just a mobile home with wood siding or are they modular homes?

www.disboards.com

 

[CastAStone]

Who manufactured the cabins at the Fort?

My dad loves the cabins and wants to have one built for him now that he's retired:rotfl:. Anybody know who makes them? Aren't they just a mobile home with wood siding or are they modular homes?

www.disboards.com

That address is coming up as a company that makes water treatment products now. Ocala has several manufactured home manufacturers but as far as I can tell none of them today are called Liberty. I assume they’ve gone to that great modular castle in the sky.

 

[Calmdownnow]

What weirds me out about this DVC move is that DVC contracts are usually 50 years long. Solid structure builds like SSR are still going to be standing at the end of their contracted life, but I struggle to imagine the modular units depicted in the artwork lasting 50 years. The existing cabins had no more than a 25-year life before needing to be totally replaced. If you buy a cabin DVC contract, are you on the hook for paying for a re-build/replacement half way through the life of the contract? And what are the insurance costs (feeding into annual dues) likely to be in a state prone to hurricanes?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

What weirds me out about this DVC move is that DVC contracts are usually 50 years long. Solid structure builds like SSR are still going to be standing at the end of their contracted life, but I struggle to imagine the modular units depicted in the artwork lasting 50 years. The existing cabins had no more than a 25-year life before needing to be totally replaced. If you buy a cabin DVC contract, are you on the hook for paying for a re-build/replacement half way through the life of the contract? And what are the insurance costs (feeding into annual dues) likely to be in a state prone to hurricanes?

This is a non-issue. Replacing trailers is almost certainly LESS expensive than the 14 year hard goods refurbishments that the other resorts get, not more. Those rooms are gutted down to the studs.

 

[Calmdownnow]

This is a non-issue. Replacing trailers is almost certainly LESS expensive than the 14 year hard goods refurbishments that the other resorts get, not more. Those rooms are gutted down to the studs.

So are you saying those trailers are "cheap as chips"? Sorry, but you do not demolish and then re-build a solid wall structure with every refurbishment. This is a potential issue -- not necessarily a fatal commercial issue -- but one I would want to explore as a risk factor when investing long term dollars, and one any commercial lender might balk at if I was borrowing to buy. I would certainly want to see what warranty the modular builder was providing and what the insurance quotes were. I assume DVC will publish the relevant reassurances in advance of anyone buying contracts at the cabins. It's what a sound, ethical, business would do.

 

[CastAStone]

So are you saying those trailers are "cheap as chips"? Sorry, but you do not demolish and then re-build a solid wall structure with every refurbishment. This is a potential issue -- not necessarily a fatal commercial issue -- but one I would want to explore as a risk factor when investing long term dollars, and one any commercial lender might balk at if I was borrowing to buy. I would certainly want to see what warranty the modular builder was providing and what the insurance quotes were. I assume DVC will publish the relevant reassurances in advance of anyone buying contracts at the cabins. It's what a sound, ethical, business would do.

I think it’s very likely that replacing the cabins in 25 years is going to be built into the cost structure upfront. The cabins were built in 1971, replaced 26 years later in 1997, and, 26 years later, are due to be replaced again. It’s not too hard to guess what will happen in 2049.

 

[nickys]

I think it’s very likely that replacing the cabins in 25 years is going to be built into the cost structure upfront. The cabins were built in 1971, replaced 26 years later in 1997, and, 26 years later, are due to be replaced again. It’s not too hard to guess what will happen in 2049.

Added to which the other scheduled hard goods refurb will be a lot cheaper than normal, leaving money in the coffers for the replacement. Really these will just gets a soft refurb every 7-8 years and then be replaced.

 

[Big T 1963]

DVC DVC DVC and I do mean DVC Long Long ago in a far away galaxy (1983 or so) I stayed at Fort Wilderness when they had trailers in a section I believe was call Jack Rabbit Run and it was the best time with my sister and her friends that graduated from high school...Then they were replaced with the log cabins which I would've loved to stay in .. Seems like this is another area that the Magic is slipping away in WDW . These look like sheds you can buy at your local Home Depot anyone agree?

 

[correcaminos]

This is a non-issue. Replacing trailers is almost certainly LESS expensive than the 14 year hard goods refurbishments that the other resorts get, not more. Those rooms are gutted down to the studs.

Most full refurbs are not gutted to the studs. It's pretty evident when you look at baseboards and such. PVB and and CCV conversions were to the studs. VGF resort studios were not. VGF building was very obviously not done to the studs. Pretty sure same for BRV.

 

[peter11435]

Most full refurbs are not gutted to the studs. It's pretty evident when you look at baseboards and such. PVB and and CCV conversions were to the studs. VGF resort studios were not. VGF was very obviously not done to the studs. Pretty sure same for BRV.

That’s why he said 14 year hard goods refurb. The resorts typically undergo hard goods refurbs every 7 years with a soft goods refurb half way through. Every other hard good refurbs (14 years) often sees work down to the studs. Sometimes depending on conditions this is pushed to 21. DVC rooms (VGF and BRV you mentioned) are on entirely different schedule and scope that only recently reduced the interval between refurbs.

 

[correcaminos]

That’s why he said 14 year hard goods refurb. The resorts typically undergo hard goods refurbs every 7 years with a soft goods refurb half way through. Every other hard good refurbs (14 years) often sees work down to the studs. Sometimes depending on conditions this is pushed to 21. DVC rooms (VGF and BRV you mentioned) are on entirely different schedule and scope that only recently reduced the interval between refurbs.

I am talking the 14 years refurbs. VGF refresh was sooner. BRV was delayed. DVC owner for almost 20 years, so I follow this in case you are unaware. VGF was not done to studs (eta my mistake it was a refresh not full). Nor was BRV from what people can tell OKW had some tile removed but not done down to studs as a whole. Even some goods were kept (table) from a soft goods redo. Not even conversions always go down to studs.

 

[peter11435]

I am talking the 14 years refurbs.

The 14 year refurbs are often extensive and down to the studs. The examples you mentioned that were not are DVC properties. As I said DVC resorts operate on a different much slower refurbishment timeline.

 

[correcaminos]

The 14 year refurbs are often extensive and down to the studs. The examples you mentioned that were not are DVC properties. As I said DVC resorts operate on a different much slower refurbishment timeline.

Every property I stated are DVC

OKW last had some tile work done but evidence of not stripped to the studs in the bedrooms. They even reused tables and seemingly left tubs untouched. Honestly the look of the baseboards of SSR had me wonder as well. They say "typically to the studs" but many question that. YMMV

 

[CastAStone]

The 14 year refurbs are often extensive and down to the studs. The examples you mentioned that were not are DVC properties. As I said DVC resorts operate on a different much slower refurbishment timeline.

But this is a DVC thread talking about what is likely to happen at a future DVC resort

 

[correcaminos]

But this is a DVC thread talking about what is likely to happen at a future DVC resort

And not guaranteed to be what they've said. Many have questioned the idea that they strip to the studs based on time lines. Maybe stripped to the walls, but to the studs feels unlikely now. Stripping out old cabinets is big, but that doesn't require removing walls. Nor does tile work. Those guessing this might be wrong, sure, but many question what "to the studs" really means or if they mean strip to the walls.