Fort Wilderness Campground

Liv4sun

New Member
Just got home after a week stay at Fort Wilderness. Campgound was nice and very clean but very disappointed with the check in. They give you the paperwork and a map and you are on your own to find your site...would be nice to have a Disney escort! The transportation was great, buses always around as well as the boats. The pools were clean with lifeguards only at one pool. The prices at the campground store and restaurants was a little high ---$ 8.00 for a six pack of Coke, but you are on Disney property so its expected. Disappointed also with Disney closing the kennels at the campground and parks. There is a brand new one built on Disney property, but prices again are on the high side at $34 for the day! Guess what I'm saying is overall, Disney is getting extremely high in pricing....$94 for a park ticket, $86 for camping, $50+ for the Hoop De Do Show...and so on and so on. Not sure if I would return.
 

bethymouse

Well-Known Member
Just got home after a week stay at Fort Wilderness. Campgound was nice and very clean but very disappointed with the check in. They give you the paperwork and a map and you are on your own to find your site...would be nice to have a Disney escort! The transportation was great, buses always around as well as the boats. The pools were clean with lifeguards only at one pool. The prices at the campground store and restaurants was a little high ---$ 8.00 for a six pack of Coke, but you are on Disney property so its expected. Disappointed also with Disney closing the kennels at the campground and parks. There is a brand new one built on Disney property, but prices again are on the high side at $34 for the day! Guess what I'm saying is overall, Disney is getting extremely high in pricing....$94 for a park ticket, $86 for camping, $50+ for the Hoop De Do Show...and so on and so on. Not sure if I would return.
Oh dear. I hope you do return, but I certainly feel your pain. Maybe try a value resort package next time, if that fits your budget.:)
 
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bluewings

Member
We never had a problem with how the check in is done at Fort Wilderness and as a family we are horrible with directions and maps lol. I think the signage there is great and easy to follow. As far as the prices....it is what it is, I'm willing to pay it because I love the place and I'm not going to let money ruin my Disney experience.
 
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NYwdwfan

Well-Known Member
Just got home after a week stay at Fort Wilderness. Campgound was nice and very clean but very disappointed with the check in. They give you the paperwork and a map and you are on your own to find your site...would be nice to have a Disney escort! The transportation was great, buses always around as well as the boats. The pools were clean with lifeguards only at one pool. The prices at the campground store and restaurants was a little high ---$ 8.00 for a six pack of Coke, but you are on Disney property so its expected. Disappointed also with Disney closing the kennels at the campground and parks. There is a brand new one built on Disney property, but prices again are on the high side at $34 for the day! Guess what I'm saying is overall, Disney is getting extremely high in pricing....$94 for a park ticket, $86 for camping, $50+ for the Hoop De Do Show...and so on and so on. Not sure if I would return.

Disney is expensive. There are stores within driving distance where you can get necessities at more reasonable prices (Walmart, Target), but there's not much to be done about the dinner show and camping prices. Did you enjoy your trip?
 
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dave&di

Well-Known Member
Even staying at Deluxe resorts all they do at check in in draw in felt tip pens the route to your building and point you in the right direction. It's no big deal. They did this at the GF but actually when we stayed at the Poly a CM drove us to our room in one of the carts!
 
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flynnibus

Premium Member
Even staying at Deluxe resorts all they do at check in in draw in felt tip pens the route to your building and point you in the right direction. It's no big deal. They did this at the GF but actually when we stayed at the Poly a CM drove us to our room in one of the carts!

Yeah, but walking to your building is way different then navigating the FW network of roads and paths
 
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flynnibus

Premium Member
I'm sure your right, FW is massive! what's the answer though?

Depends on how cool you want to be

Imagine if every sign post had a digital board.. and for a time after you check in, each sign on your way would be customized to point you to your way. Imagine if RFID saw you approaching an intersection and the sign adapted to tell you which way to go.

Imagine having a hand-held token that via GPS guided you to your location.

Imagine having a simple system where checkin automatically text'd you the directions to your site or a google maps link, etc if you had a smart phone.

Having a bellhop is not unheard of.. every major hotel has them and are more than capable of guiding you to your room.
 
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dave&di

Well-Known Member
Depends on how cool you want to be

Imagine if every sign post had a digital board.. and for a time after you check in, each sign on your way would be customized to point you to your way. Imagine if RFID saw you approaching an intersection and the sign adapted to tell you which way to go.

Imagine having a hand-held token that via GPS guided you to your location.

Imagine having a simple system where checkin automatically text'd you the directions to your site or a google maps link, etc if you had a smart phone.

Having a bellhop is not unheard of.. every major hotel has them and are more than capable of guiding you to your room.

Sounds good but it's not gonna happen! I've never visited FW so forgive my ignorance, isn't the point of staying there that's it's rustic and has a basic living feel to it? It's not a major hotel, do they not have buses that travel the camp?
 
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bluewings

Member
There's a long road cutting through the center and a circularish road around most of the campground if I'm remembering the map correctly, nothing is that hard to find. Though I have stayed there seven times so maybe that's why I don't find it too confusing. I think It all makes sense though, and there's plenty of bus stops that will get you to the Trading Posts, the boat launch, or to the Parks.

And I agree, having a "bellhop" at Fort Wilderness would feel a little out of place, it's camping.
 
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Epcot-Rules

Well-Known Member
We rented a cabin there in 07. It was the week of Thanksgiving. We loved having our own little house there. We would come in from the parks, take a swim in the pool, then I would knock back a few cold ones on the deck while the smell of the steaks I was grilling drifted through the neighbors cabins. I had many compliments.

Disney really made me mad that trip because I had rented a golf cart to cruise the property on and they took it away from me on Thanksgiving day because I didn't reserve it far enough in advance. Said they were all booked up. FYI a golf cart is the bomb at the camp ground.
 
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Laura

22
Premium Member
The transportation was great, buses always around as well as the boats.

Surprising. We stayed there in November and left saying "NEVER AGAIN" because the bus transportation was so bad. Usually a 15-20 minute wait for a bus to the front of the campground, and another 15-20 minute wait for a bus to the parks. We spent more time waiting around for buses than we did in the actual parks.
 
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pixiesteno

Well-Known Member
We have stayed at FW twice now and we love it. Yes, it can be a little confusing when you look at the map the first time, but our CM was excellent at describing how the roadways work. She even made sure to tell us that all the site loops are one way and you enter the loops on the right. Once we entered our loop and got a hang for how the numbers run we were fine. Our second trip last spring they put us in a spot that due to where it was located on the loop and the fact that we are a trailer with large tow vehicle there was no way we were going to fit into the spot (probably would have helped if the neighbors were not parked all over). A CM in a cart observed the issue, called the front desk, and got us re-assigned in about 10 minutes. He then stopped by the new site about 15 minutes later to see that we were okay and settled. What I would love to see is the CM assigning sites and taking ressies for the campground have some extra training so that their job in assigning rigs to a site could be easier based upon what the guest was driving/towing. I will admit that we did not have issues with the buses as we rented a cart. There were times that some of our party used the buses and had little wait time and that was Memorial Day weekend. We love the boat to the MK!! We actually rode the boats just to take a boat ride! We did avoid getting our supplies at the campground, because just like at the other resorts things are pricier on property; as with any other theme resort.
 
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Meeko's Mom

Member
Ft. Wilderness is our favorite place to stay. Love the rustic feel and the peacefulness. I never minded the check in. Half the fun was finding your loop and getting settled in. Definitley recommend a golf cart. Love being able to ride around the resort and check out all the sites that decorate for different holidays/seasons. Never had any issues with the buses either. I do miss having the Best Friends Kennel on site as we have traveled with our dogs in the past. As Liv4Sun said, it has gotten expensive at $34 also would have to rent a car to get them to and from. We used to be able to drive over in the golf cart. Doesn't stop us from staying though. Our furry little ones just stay home now with our oldest. We will be staying Oct. 7th through the 17th. First time during the Halloween/Fall season.
 
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flynnibus

Premium Member
Sounds good but it's not gonna happen!

You asked for ideas... I gave you some :) Chances of it happening are a different subject :)

I've never visited FW so forgive my ignorance, isn't the point of staying there that's it's rustic and has a basic living feel to it? It's not a major hotel, do they not have buses that travel the camp?

People play on their ipad, etc when they camp now.. and like to poop in real bathrooms. Camping isn't only about living without... some chose to camp because they want THEIR environment with them, etc.

They do have buses (they used to have a train too) - but the complex is quite large.
 
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