I know that Fort Wilderness Campground is still closed, and for that reason there are no pictures circulating around showing the damage, but do we know what is exactly wrong with it? it there just a ton of trees and all down? or is there their damage to the pool, etc?
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Fort Wilderness Damage
- Thread starter fvrs7189
- Start date
got2lovedisney
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Rumormongers on Facebook already saying that Disney has decided to close it permanently. I doubt that. Disney is saying they expect to reopen next week.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/en_GB/hurricane-irma-info/
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/en_GB/hurricane-irma-info/
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sxeensweet
Love a little Disney every day!! ;)
Supposed to reopen in a week. Lots of trees and branches etc to clean up as expected in the wooded area. 
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
Yeah the rumor strikes me as highly unlikely. I'm not a camping guy but I know Fort Wilderness is consistently rated one of the best campgrounds in the USA
Figgy1
Well-Known Member
^^^^This. My idea of camping is SOG
AMDPhenomX4
Member
There are a couple snaps showing damage to the Campfire Sing-a-Long area. A tree crushed the stadium seating area.
MotherofaPrincessLover
Well-Known Member
I hope they can get this fixed quick. I was hoping to go there in a little over a week.
MySmallWorldof4
Well-Known Member
Having stayed there often enough at this point, even without downed trees, FW is prone to flooding in many areas just with an ordinary rainstorm. I have seen CM's pumping water out from some huge puddled the size of ponds after a regular thunderstorm. I am sure that was an issue also.
, even without downed trees, FW is prone to flooding in many areas just with an ordinary rainstorm. I have seen CM's pumping water out from some huge puddled the size of ponds after a regular thunderstorm. I am sure that was an issue also.
HoraceHorizons
Active Member
I arrive at FW in a little over a week. After speaking to the resort directly, and relaying my inability to reschedule our trip, I was told that if the resort doesn't open, or if full operations are not up an running, Disney will contact me to help find other accommodations in WDW. I told them that since we are 3 grown men, we would require more than 1 room and I was assured that should this happen we will be "taken care of."
This is the source of some consternation for me, because there isn't really much by way of comparison to the Wilderness Cabins at WDW Resorts, without a considerable upgrade, apart from maybe a suite at the Art Of Animation resort. While this doesn't sound terrible, we are 3 grown men, so a CARS or LION KING ROOM, is a bit... not our style for this trip when compared to FW.
They further advised that since we are looking forward to FW (Ive heard great things about the place) and specifically the Resort Amenities, that we hold onto our reservation until they contact us.
I've never had anything bad to say about WDW Customer Service, but this is my 5th trip in 8 years and 4th year in a row traveling there. Disney itself, does have a reputation for some degree of nickel and diming guests, though. And I can say for sure, without blaming Disney for these unforeseeable tragedies of course, that their business model is very logistics heavy for those planning trips. In some cases, to get my trip right Ive worked for weeks tweaking plans. Given that, I have to imagine they are smart enough to have some system in place for situations like this, and assume they wont shy away from upgrades or DVC resorts, should our resort not be fully operational. A refund doesn't really cut it when you've been planning a trip for 2 months on your free time.
Worse is that Fort Wilderness as a resort, in particular, isn't an example of WDW's Accommodations, where it's acceptable to expect guests to travel outside for Dining and Recreation. If you're at any of the Boardwalk resorts, or say Pop Century you can walk across the lake to Art of Animation. Or if you're at Riverside, you can easily walk to the French Quarter. Its not even easy to get to the pool IN RESORT at Fort Wilderness, and that isolation and recreation options are the draw there. It will be interesting to see how Disney handles it. I wish someone who's reservation is currently being effected could report their experience here.
This is the source of some consternation for me, because there isn't really much by way of comparison to the Wilderness Cabins at WDW Resorts, without a considerable upgrade, apart from maybe a suite at the Art Of Animation resort. While this doesn't sound terrible, we are 3 grown men, so a CARS or LION KING ROOM, is a bit... not our style for this trip when compared to FW.
They further advised that since we are looking forward to FW (Ive heard great things about the place) and specifically the Resort Amenities, that we hold onto our reservation until they contact us.
I've never had anything bad to say about WDW Customer Service, but this is my 5th trip in 8 years and 4th year in a row traveling there. Disney itself, does have a reputation for some degree of nickel and diming guests, though. And I can say for sure, without blaming Disney for these unforeseeable tragedies of course, that their business model is very logistics heavy for those planning trips. In some cases, to get my trip right Ive worked for weeks tweaking plans. Given that, I have to imagine they are smart enough to have some system in place for situations like this, and assume they wont shy away from upgrades or DVC resorts, should our resort not be fully operational. A refund doesn't really cut it when you've been planning a trip for 2 months on your free time.
Worse is that Fort Wilderness as a resort, in particular, isn't an example of WDW's Accommodations, where it's acceptable to expect guests to travel outside for Dining and Recreation. If you're at any of the Boardwalk resorts, or say Pop Century you can walk across the lake to Art of Animation. Or if you're at Riverside, you can easily walk to the French Quarter. Its not even easy to get to the pool IN RESORT at Fort Wilderness, and that isolation and recreation options are the draw there. It will be interesting to see how Disney handles it. I wish someone who's reservation is currently being effected could report their experience here.
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Look, I'm the farthest thing from a Disney apologist. But this was a massive hurricane. Sometimes there's only so much you can do.
I recommend not booking during hurricane season next time.
This was a false rumor started
Lets Respect
Well-Known Member
There are other family suites that aren't themed so heavily at All Stars I believe? Should be enough space for three grown men, I think there are three beds
HoraceHorizons
Active Member
Yeah, nah. You might be a Disney apologist? Sorry. But this is far from "all they can reasonably do."
FOR EXAMPLE: Currently, their website states that the resort I'm checking into in less than a week is closed indefinitely. Guess what? They haven't even contacted me yet. After 4 days, I had to call them and waited on hold for 3 hours to get little to no answers. Think about that. Does that sound like they are doing "all they can reasonably do" to you?
This is DISNEY. There is plenty more they can do. Saying 'there is only so much they can do' when I havent even received a phone call, and can't get someone on the phone is rather silly. Anyone with the slightest interest in this Company can see that they have the resources to amend for situations like this.
I don't know what your experience has been with Disney in the past, but Ive stayed there 5 times as an adult and was there 4 or 5 times in my youth. I know and love this company. I also know WDW. And I know they have what it takes to accommodate their guests in these circumstances.
Do you really believe that issuing refunds and downgrading people is t "all Disney can reasonably do" here? Come on. Think about it for a minute... Im guessing you know they can do more.
Are you a Corporate apologist? Because you must realize that a massive corporation like Disney can more than certainly afford to take a slightly bigger hit, until they fix FW.
When you say the hurricane was massive,.. you have to realize that in the end 400mil worth of damage may as well be 450mil. It's called contingency and Disney def has plenty of it.
Its quite simple to see what's happening.
The employees and hierarchy at WDW, dealing with this are following protocol, trying to keep their numbers tight because the word still hasn't come down from above that they should address this problem by spending more money yet. Why? The higher ups, are holding out on the CM's and their managers, hoping they will work harder and resolve it without having to send word down, and spending more, because they only care about quarters and shares and investors and etc. So meanwhile, everyone working there now, is still following protocol.
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John park hopper
Well-Known Member
Hurricane season begins in June and ends Nov 30 notbooking during this time may not be possible
Sure, but it peaks in late August and September. It's a matter of degrees of risk.
You clearly haven't been around here long.
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
True, but you can't rule out October which has had just as many hurricanes as August. Get trip insurance and don't worry about it and have a good time @ WDW
Lets Respect
Well-Known Member
That's horrible to be left on hold for three hours. Totally unacceptable.
What resort switch would make you happy with the situation?
wdwfan22
Well-Known Member
You will be contacted when a decision has been made on whether operations will continue or not. It's not really that difficult to comprehend that a major weather event has taken place. You know this already and If you are that concerned then cancel otherwise deal with it. If you have to be relocated most likely you will be moved to a disney moderate resort.