Ft Wilderness?

[Roadrunner]

Anyone at Ft Wilderness Disney this week? Just pulling in to feed the mouse.

Bob

[moosetags]

We're planing an Airstream trip over there soon. We have not camped there before. We would appreciate recommendations on campsites or sections to ask for.

Thanx, Brian

[HiHoAgRV]

As of 10 hours ago, I was booked and ticketed for a work trip to Germany for a week...

9 hours ago and I'm scrambling to cancel the trip and re-direct to an Orlando conference...darn the Hotel is full...but I have a solution....

Me and the misses head out in the morning towing the 34'er to Ft Wilderness for a week! (well that IS the closest campground to the conference...)

ROAD TRIP!

[nynick52]

We were there the week before in the 1800 loop!

[moosetags]

Boy, that really sux!! Having to go spend a week at Fort Wilderness in the Airstream on company time. That sounds like employee abuse to me.

Brian

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by moosetags

Boy, that really sux!! Having to go spend a week at Fort Wilderness in the Airstream on company time. That sounds like employee abuse to me.

Brian

But it's below Per Diem!
Tonight we are 308 miles away, 390 behind us. The 34'er tows great but one of them big-o-fancy hitches might be an ok addition....

Just under 13mpg with the cruise at 65 on the state roads, 70 on the Interstate.

With some luck, tomorrow is a m-i-c-k-e-y-m-o-u-s-e kinda evening

[wxbuoy]

Please let us know where the good spots are. We made our reservations for 22 - 28th of May. We have reservations, but told we could ask (not guarunteed) for a particular loop or sight. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[63air]

We are thinking about spending some time with the mouse and of course our dog will be on the trip. Understand they have pet loops. Also we would not leave him in the trailer while we are gone so has anyone used the kennel facilities at Disney?

[clancy_boy]

OK - here is the Clancy_boy report on FW but I would really ask Minnie's Mate for real guidance - he is the pro.

We have stayed in the pet loops in the 1600 and 1800, both were fine. Great level concrete pads, water, sewer, TV at all the sites - gravel fill off the pads but really nice. The bathrooms - if that is an issue for you - are REALLY REALLY REALLY clean and have laundry in them, 2 RR per loop. We also were in the 400 premier loop once with pet but Daisy is 9 lbs wet so we snuck in (not un-common). 400 is close to the boat launch with easy access to Magic Kingdom, the way to go with small kids since the bus service requires you to catch the campground shuttle and then the park bus with a changeover at the CG gate area. I would say that there are no bad loops - Disney does it right.

Camp Store is great - fair prices if you factor in going offsite to Walmart to get stuff, they have allot. Nice thing to remember - FW is a Disney resort location - with all the privilages of all the other resorts. We take advantage of the delivery of your purchases of park items to the CG store so you do not have to carry things around that you buy during the day (and risk breaking).

Camp fire with Chip and Dale (with movie), pools (yes plural and heated) tennis, bring a golf cart (they do rent but it's not cheap).

Back to pets, the campground has a kennel for now (soon to move to a central location) very clean, AC, feed, walk, good people and CHEAP - all day is $16 - that includes after hour pickup until mid-night by security - BRING SHOT RECORDS. It's a real deal for big dogs, the little one we leave in the tralier. We left Boudreaux there for several days during the day - always back in the campsite at night, but they do have continuous kennel care there and at the other kennel near the transportation center - we have used both - both are very nice.

Get the "Un-official Guide to Disney" for about $16 from you local book store - it will pay you back in big bucks for the advice you get.

Questions????? We have stayed there 8 times, never had a bad loop but do prefer the 100-400 loops - the big Moho's always have Wifi and we just love free internet.

Mike

[HiHoAgRV]

Exactly what Clancy boy said...We are in pet loop 600, top dollar site, $80+ per night...even with the bigger sites it's kinda close draggin a 34' in...we watched a 5'er towed by a full sized Freightliner (brakes that go PFFFFFF) twist for a bit getin into a site...
They won't let you pick a site, we were less than 2 hrs out when we called and still couldn't get them to let us claim one.
i will try to post some photos tomorrow after I get the 'lay of the land'
No wifi here, workin' off the air card and the wilson amp, still good for 4 bars on 3G.
13+ mpg at 70mpg on the flat land today.
I could toss a beer can and hit $1M of RV's...

[Victorialhq]

a trip to see Mickey sounds fun hope you are having a great time

[nynick52]

I agree with Clancy boy, not a bad site in the place. I have been staying here since the late 70's when there was only the Magic Kingdom.

A few notes; the Magic Kingdom is only accessable through watercraft now. So best loops for that are the 100-400. However, the higher loops are closer to the Outpost where bus service is available to the other three parks, Typhoon Lagoon (one of our favorites), Blizzard Beach and Downtown Disney. You can transfer from any of the above to get to the Magic Kingdom.

We beat all of the crowds out of the MK after Dreams fireworks and parade one night by taking a watercraft to the Grand Floridian, Monorail to tickets and transportation and then watercraft to Ft Wilderness.

Sounds convoluted, but I can bet that people waited for hours to get the monorail from the Magic Kingdom to tickets and transportation. Ya gotta be creative when the mouse is crowded!

[HiHoAgRV]

This place wouldn't be my cup of tea if I could find one single thing wrong...but I can't!
We normally go for the state and COE parks and this one is a diferent beast.

The only suggestion, try to avoid a site that backs up to the main road...the busses run real late and start early. The water shuttle is a real neat way to get to the parks.

I have lots of photos from Magic Kingdom but this is the campground thread...

[HiHoAgRV]

The Misses did a bike tour of 1/2 the campground today while I was working...it took her 2 hours...the place is HUGE.

She counted 10 Airstreams, mostly newer, smaller trailers. I think I spotted a 34' during tonight's after-dark bike ride.

I highly recommend the experience...It's Magic!

[Minnie's Mate]

Sorry to being chiming in a little late, but I have been away from the airforums for a while.

There is a loop that I would recommend avoiding if possible. That is the 1200 and 1300 loops. They back up to the intersection at the first 4-way stop sign. The buses run on both of those streets and, consequentially, stop and start at the 4-way. You get twice the bus noise.

We like loops 300 (directly adjacent to the largest playground and off-leash dog park), 1400 (there is a direct walk way to the Chip-n-Dale camp fire sing-along/outdoor movie theater and easy walk to the pool (just renovated and has a new water slide and tots' water park) and Meadows Store), 500 (close to marina/water craft to MK) and 400 (same as 500 and across the street from major playground and off-leash dog park).

The pool has just been upgraded with new children's/tot water slide and water playground. My kids loved the new water slide at the main pool when we were there last month for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Most of the sites have been upgraded to "Premium" sites that include a larger parking pad and patio with all of the coarse sand being removed. Supposedly, the newly renovated sites are large enough for up to 45' motor homes. The sites are a little easier to get into now than they were before. Also, they are in the process of making all loops pet friendly.

Also, if you have a golf cart and it will fit in your truck, take it. They make getting around the camp ground soooo much easier. The rental units from Disney are $49 or $50 per day and approximately $250+ per 7 day week. We have been to Fort Wilderness 16 or 17 times since we bought our Airstream in 2006 and love it. The first time we went we didn't have a golf cart nor did we rent one. Within three weeks of returning home we had a golf cart! Over the many trips we have stayed at Fort Wilderness we have more than paid for the golf cart and the upgrades we added to it.

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by Minnie's Mate

...we have more than paid for the golf cart and the upgrades we added to it.

is this it?





LOTs of highLY modified carts at FW...

cheers
2air'

[Distantdrummer]

Originally Posted by Minnie's Mate

We like loops 300 (directly adjacent to the largest playground and off-leash dog park), 1400 (there is a direct walk way to the Chip-n-Dale camp fire sing-along/outdoor movie theater and easy walk to the pool (just renovated and has a new water slide and tots' water park) and Meadows Store), 500 (close to marina/water craft to MK) and 400 (same as 500 and across the street from major playground and off-leash dog park).

The pool has just been upgraded with new children's/tot water slide and water playground. My kids loved the new water slide at the main pool when we were there last month for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Most of the sites have been upgraded to "Premium" sites that include a larger parking pad and patio with all of the coarse sand being removed. Supposedly, the newly renovated sites are large enough for up to 45' motor homes. The sites are a little easier to get into now than they were before. Also, they are in the process of making all loops pet friendly.

Also, if you have a golf cart and it will fit in your truck, take it. They make getting around the camp ground soooo much easier. The rental units from Disney are $49 or $50 per day and approximately $250+ per 7 day week. We have been to Fort Wilderness 16 or 17 times since we bought our Airstream in 2006 and love it. The first time we went we didn't have a golf cart nor did we rent one. Within three weeks of returning home we had a golf cart! Over the many trips we have stayed at Fort Wilderness we have more than paid for the golf cart and the upgrades we added to it.

Can you be more specific as to what you need the golf cart for? Is it just to be used in the campground? Where exactly do you ride in it to?
Where do you store it when you are away from it?
Is there a loading (unloading) platform at the campground to offload the carts or must you bring ramps?
Any fees or special rules for bringing your own cart?

Are Chip & Dale the only Dis-characters to be found at the campground ever?
Are reservations close-ended or can you always stay extra days if you choose? If you can, do you have to move to another site?

thanks

[bob34787]

not having stayed there yet but having visited it a few times there are places to go like a camp restaurant and swimming that have no parking area for cars so either you walk, and its a long walk, or you rent a cart. I know that as far a staying longer than your reservation, that probably cannot happen as these sites are booked up to 6 months in advance.

[mustang]

I have never stayed at Fort Wilderness mainly because of the cost. However right down rt192 behind camping world I think it is considered Old Town. is an Airstream Park. I havent been there in a few years, but the saveings is significant, and you pull right out of the CG onto the B-line, and are 7 min from Disney. I paid for 10 days with full hookups and a family of 6, $127.00 total. Last time I stayed there was in 03?.

[HowieE]

Originally Posted by moosetags

We're planing an Airstream trip over there soon. We have not camped there before. We would appreciate recommendations on campsites or sections to ask for. Thanx, Brian

Brain

If you have not already gone may I suggest. Loops 1,2,3 and 400 are premium loops, a bit more expensive and smaller sites do to age, but will worth the difference. You can walk to the ferries and hope to the Kingdom and several of the hotels for dinning. The buses are not what they used to be and you can lose an hour each way to the other parks. The last 2 times there I drove everywhere other than where the ferry would take me.

If you are not traveling with kids I strongly suggest booking the Underground tour. It is an all day deal with top of the line lunch and dropped off in the Kingdom just in time for the parade at a choice spot for viewing and your are in the Kingdom for the night with at admission. 3 years ago it was $195.00 per head but the best time I have ever had there.

Another advantage of these loops is depending on what park you are in Epcot, the Kingdom, or at one of the three hotels on the Monorail you can easily get back to the trailer for a mid afternoon nap and then back in the evening when most of the day traffic has gone home. Ah yes you can walk to the beach in the evening for the light show, or better yet schedule to be on the ferry and mid lake as the light show goes by. That is upfront and personnel.

If you are interested in dinning at a given restaurant you want to make your reservation as soon as possible. Maybe even before you get there. The better ones tend to fill.

Try and get there as close to check in as possible because you will spend the afternoon just figuring out the system.