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Tell me all about Fort Wilderness!
- Thread starter DebbieL
- Start date
fmingo36
Well-Known Member
I stayed there for 7 days last year with my family. I loved having a kitchen and the ability to put my little ones to bed and shut the door and just relax and watch tv and another room. The space of the cabin in very nice.
That being said, I don't think I'd stay there again. I never really got the "Disney" feel from the cabins. I missed having interactions with the cast memebers and other guests (no elevator rides, front desk conversations, etc).
And the transportation can be a bit tricky too. We had a car and used it to go back and forth to the parks. I thought the buses were inconsistant.
I would recommend a golf cart to get around the campground-a bit pricey but so much fun!
The campground also has the free campfire sing-a-long and movie every night. What a great way to end the day!
That being said, I don't think I'd stay there again. I never really got the "Disney" feel from the cabins. I missed having interactions with the cast memebers and other guests (no elevator rides, front desk conversations, etc).
And the transportation can be a bit tricky too. We had a car and used it to go back and forth to the parks. I thought the buses were inconsistant.
I would recommend a golf cart to get around the campground-a bit pricey but so much fun!
The campground also has the free campfire sing-a-long and movie every night. What a great way to end the day!
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ypur car will help going to parks but no car parking near pool which can have a long walk esp if a storm moves in. if doing Hoop Dee Doo again no car parking and a long walk for site or cabin. wait for internal bus can take awhile. very little parking at store in center of campground for shopping or package pickup. think of car driving as in and out of campground easy but not able to drive around the campground.
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yoda_5729
Well-Known Member
I've stayed at Fort Wilderness several times and very much like it. When I was little, that was the resort my folks took me to, so I have a lot of memories of it, as well as Discovery island.
The transportation around the campgrounds can take some getting used to. The campgrounds are a mile across and they do have busses that stop at the front of the grounds, the back (near Pioneer Hall and Settlement trading post) and near meadows trading post. They also have bus stops along the main driving routes that are nearby cul-de-sacs of cabins.
The golf cart is a pretty big plus as you can then avoid all the interior busses and just concern yourself with the busses that go to the parks. Those are usually at the front of the campgrounds, and the marina is where you can catch a boat to magic Kingdom, Wilderness Lodge, or the Contemporary.
The cabins are nice, and are one of the few places you can get your own building to yourself which offers a bit of privacy, and allows you to be a bit louder then usual. Also you can park your car immediately next to the cabin which makes unloading the car much easier, and transport to the car. Each cabin usually has a kitchen, bathroom, and two TVs. The back room has a bed, and two bunk beds in it, and the front room has a murphy bed that can be pulled down. Outside on the porches you have a picnic table and each cabin has it's own barbecue. The golf carts can also be parked on the driveways.
Settlement and Meadows are the stores of the resorts, and meadows at least usually has a checkers board set up for kids or adults to play on. Meadows also has rocking chairs outside it that you can rest in and watch the scenery. FW has the most recreational activities available including horseback riding, biking, hiking, basketball, archery, as well as others, and there are some shetland ponies in the former petting zoo. There is also a nighttime campfire where you can roast smores and see Chip and Dale and a movie shown outside for all disney resort guests. You can also see the water parade out on Bay Lake, and occasionally see fireworks through the trees. They also have a horse drawn carriage the last time I was there, and the horses that pull the trolleys in the Magic Kingdom live at Fort Wilderness.
If you have any questions I have a lot of pictures of the place, and it's my favorite Disney Resort. let me know if you need any help
The transportation around the campgrounds can take some getting used to. The campgrounds are a mile across and they do have busses that stop at the front of the grounds, the back (near Pioneer Hall and Settlement trading post) and near meadows trading post. They also have bus stops along the main driving routes that are nearby cul-de-sacs of cabins.
The golf cart is a pretty big plus as you can then avoid all the interior busses and just concern yourself with the busses that go to the parks. Those are usually at the front of the campgrounds, and the marina is where you can catch a boat to magic Kingdom, Wilderness Lodge, or the Contemporary.
The cabins are nice, and are one of the few places you can get your own building to yourself which offers a bit of privacy, and allows you to be a bit louder then usual. Also you can park your car immediately next to the cabin which makes unloading the car much easier, and transport to the car. Each cabin usually has a kitchen, bathroom, and two TVs. The back room has a bed, and two bunk beds in it, and the front room has a murphy bed that can be pulled down. Outside on the porches you have a picnic table and each cabin has it's own barbecue. The golf carts can also be parked on the driveways.
Settlement and Meadows are the stores of the resorts, and meadows at least usually has a checkers board set up for kids or adults to play on. Meadows also has rocking chairs outside it that you can rest in and watch the scenery. FW has the most recreational activities available including horseback riding, biking, hiking, basketball, archery, as well as others, and there are some shetland ponies in the former petting zoo. There is also a nighttime campfire where you can roast smores and see Chip and Dale and a movie shown outside for all disney resort guests. You can also see the water parade out on Bay Lake, and occasionally see fireworks through the trees. They also have a horse drawn carriage the last time I was there, and the horses that pull the trolleys in the Magic Kingdom live at Fort Wilderness.
If you have any questions I have a lot of pictures of the place, and it's my favorite Disney Resort. let me know if you need any help
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LOVE IT. Golf cart a must, we have some great memories driving around at night, also had fun at the Chip and Dale campfire/movie, they have every night. You can pick out which loop you want to stay, just research it and call ahead. We wanted to be near the laundry and a pool, so we were just across from the small pool in loop 2500. Didn't really matter though because we had the golf cart. Don't rent a golf cart from Disney, there are outside places that are way cheaper. Wish I would have know that last time. We are staying again in October. Disney is like61 w/taxes a day, we got one for 35.00
LOVED that our car could pull right up to the cabin after a long day. Privacy is great compared to hotel.
They have a grill at every cabin, though we never used it. Fun to go to the beach at night and watch the fireworks.
It is a whole different experience. Everyone should do it once. Loved getting up early and sitting on the picnic beach drinking coffee. Kitchen is nice, but I don't cook on vacation, but nice for coffee, and having breakfast. Maids clean up every day just like a hotel, even do the dishes! Murphy bed is ok to sleep in. We did but then I can just about sleep anywhere. The only complaint I have is the bed in the bedroom, the one side is smack up against the wall. So if you have to get to the bathroom at night you have slide down to the bottom of the bed. Dh and I decided to take turns sleeping on Murphy bed because of that. LOL
Pools are not fantastic, but they are quiet compared to other resorts. My son loves water, doesn't matter to him what the pool looks like.
Secrets, don't know any other than FW seems to be Disney's best kept secret in my opinion. I am surprised more people don't go there.
We don't use the buses either, but that is a big pain too. There are two bus routes. One runs around FW and the other runs to the parks. So if you want to get to a park, you have to board the one that will take you to their transportation center and then catch another to parks. If you got to MK you can go down to the mariner and catch a ferry. That is what we did. If you have a golf cart you can park it at the marina (they even have chargers, so you can charge it all day) Oh another thing about golf carts, each cabin has a charger at your parking space. There is enough space for a golf cart and a car at your cabin.
If your children like animals their is lots of wildlife, frogs, deer, peacocks, birds, that type. At night we saw lots of deer near the marina.
It's just so much fun, I could have spent a whole week there and never gone to the parks! Now that would have been a relaxing vacation!
LOVED that our car could pull right up to the cabin after a long day. Privacy is great compared to hotel.
They have a grill at every cabin, though we never used it. Fun to go to the beach at night and watch the fireworks.
It is a whole different experience. Everyone should do it once. Loved getting up early and sitting on the picnic beach drinking coffee. Kitchen is nice, but I don't cook on vacation, but nice for coffee, and having breakfast. Maids clean up every day just like a hotel, even do the dishes! Murphy bed is ok to sleep in. We did but then I can just about sleep anywhere. The only complaint I have is the bed in the bedroom, the one side is smack up against the wall. So if you have to get to the bathroom at night you have slide down to the bottom of the bed. Dh and I decided to take turns sleeping on Murphy bed because of that. LOL
Pools are not fantastic, but they are quiet compared to other resorts. My son loves water, doesn't matter to him what the pool looks like.
Secrets, don't know any other than FW seems to be Disney's best kept secret in my opinion. I am surprised more people don't go there.
We don't use the buses either, but that is a big pain too. There are two bus routes. One runs around FW and the other runs to the parks. So if you want to get to a park, you have to board the one that will take you to their transportation center and then catch another to parks. If you got to MK you can go down to the mariner and catch a ferry. That is what we did. If you have a golf cart you can park it at the marina (they even have chargers, so you can charge it all day) Oh another thing about golf carts, each cabin has a charger at your parking space. There is enough space for a golf cart and a car at your cabin.
If your children like animals their is lots of wildlife, frogs, deer, peacocks, birds, that type. At night we saw lots of deer near the marina.
It's just so much fun, I could have spent a whole week there and never gone to the parks! Now that would have been a relaxing vacation!
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Hi all! Thanks so much for the tips; I really appreciate them!
I have two questions about the golf cart rental: 1) To the poster who mentioned renting from an outside company: can you provide details? Company name/phone number? 2) If I take the golf cart from my cabin to Mickey's BBQ, for example, where do I park it? Are there designated golf cart parking areas throughout the Fort?
Thanks again!
I have two questions about the golf cart rental: 1) To the poster who mentioned renting from an outside company: can you provide details? Company name/phone number? 2) If I take the golf cart from my cabin to Mickey's BBQ, for example, where do I park it? Are there designated golf cart parking areas throughout the Fort?
Thanks again!
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Mr Wizard
Active Member
It's lush, it's quiet, it's pretty, it's relaxing, it's just great. Just spent a week there last December and can't wait to go back. There is nothing to not like. And you kinda even have a leg up staying in a cabin and not having the set up and tear down and lug home of an RV to deal with. It is a resort like no other in WDW ( and we have stayed in many different Disney hotels ) , you will love it.
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I don't know the guy we rented from is doing right now :shrug: He said that Disney does not approve of it but cannot stop it.
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I don't know the guy we rented from is doing right now :shrug: He said that Disney does not approve of it but cannot stop it. Now you have me worried!:veryconfu
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I will PM you when I get home with his name and number. Also just do a google search there are others.
Plenty of spots to park,, we did not a problem anywhere.
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Meeko's Mom
Member
Even though we are DVC (home is SSR) we have stayed at Ft. Wilderness in our RV every year since 2008 and Love it!! We are heading back there this Oct. for 2 weeks and can't wait. As stated above, it is a very different vacation. We reserved a site with points but have also payed cash and banked our points. I would definitley recommend a golf cart just to cruise around and check out all the different sites (very fun). Some decorate and it is very convienient to get around (store, Trails End, etc) and they have designated parking for them. No more waiting for internal bus. Have a Magical vacation!
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dramamama
Member
We love camping there and staying in the cabins when we have a bigger group and want to splurge. We have never rented a golf cart. I was pregnant on two trips there and now have two little boys along. We were always able to do whatever walking was necessary. The buses are pretty consistent, but you do need to pay attention to the large signs at every bus stop. They will tell you which bus you need to take. There is a "yellow" route, an "orange" route, and a "purple" route depending on whether you are in the camping area or cabins. It is easy to maneuver around. That being said, I have seen many guests just run up to the bus stop and jump on the first bus that stopped, then got mad because it wasn't going the direction they wanted to go. We rarely wait more than 10 minutes for a bus. Enjoy your trip!!!
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Great new article here about FW
http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/
http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/
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If you like a smaller, quieter area, try for the 2500 loop. Those cabins are right next to the smaller of the two pools at FW, but it is still very nice. And what's more, attached to the pool area is a laundromat, so you can swim and enjoy yourself while taking take of the wash. :wave:
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pixiesteno
Well-Known Member
One important thing I didn't see mentioned, you can go down to the beach at night and watch the fireworks from the MK come up over the trees and reflect on the water. There is also the electric water pagent every night out on the lake, it has been done nightly since WDW opened. It consists of barges with light displays set to music. We have been known to be there numerous nights during our stay to just relax on the beach and enjoy.
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