Disney Fort Wilderness Resort/Campground

[Bones]

We are going to be staying here late this year for a decent trip. Don't know if we will be back so I wanted to take our time and enjoy. Does any one have recommendations for the campground? It looks like you can have Disney approved fire-pit but I don't know if they actually have any fire-pits there. Can you rent them?

 

[rdufek]

We stayed there last year in the 300 loop. If you have a dog it is convenient to the dog park which was great to let our Saint Bernard "Penelope" a chance to stretch her legs and run around, and very well kept. The loop is close enough to the boat dock which transports you over to Magic Kingdom, the fastest way to get to Magic Kingdom. Disney runs several buses within the park which is a must to get around and connects you with transportation to the other parks, wait times for the most part are reasonable and allows you to leave your TV parked if you so choose. You must bring in your own screened fire pit if you so choose as the park does not provide any fire pits. I have to say I don't recall seeing anyone with a fire pit. Keep in mind you can only stay a maximum of 14 days. As Disney always does, they strive to make your visit a pleasant one, and it certainly was. 1st campground I have ever been too where you stay in your vehicle while they check you in at the gate, very nice. Make sure you check out Mickey's backyard BBQ located in the back of the park, a really fun time and well worth the cost. I highly recommend the Magic bands, very convenient also. We paid for the photo package which also to me was well worth the additional cost to have memories of our wonderful trip, and very easy to use. I could go on and on, so if you have specific questions please feel free to message me and I will try to answer them. Enjoy your trip.


Bob and Valerie Dufek
And our beloved Saint Penelope
2015 BH 3750FL
2014 Ram 3500 DRW
HOC # 2858

 

[Bones]

thanks. Our trip has been booked for over a year now. So we are waiting. I think we are there for 10 days so we won't hit the max time. Good thing to know though. Thanks for the fire pit info.

 

[VKTalley]

We stay in Ft. Wilderness every January now for at least a week. Love the location and convenience to WDW and other Disney parks and shopping (Disney Springs). Ask any and all questions you have and I'm sure either I, Malcolm (aka MCTalley) or Bob will be happy to answer them.

 

[Westwind]

I don't know how my neighbor's do it, but they have been staying in Ft. Wilderness for at least 2 months ( Jan, Feb ) for years and they weren't the only ones. They do have a 1 year Disney pass also. Very expensive, but they are very frugal. Unfortunately he passed suddenly 2 weeks ago. They loved it and the family has great memories.

 

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

We've stayed there once for a week with the grandkids. Great place and the convieince is wonderful for visiting the park. It's above our pay garage now as retired fulltimers so we take advantage of or membership and stay for free at the Thousand Trails Orlando. We spent three weeks their last year with family and had a 14 day pass to Universal Studio.

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

 

[MCTalley]

I don't know how my neighbor's do it, but they have been staying in Ft. Wilderness for at least 2 months ( Jan, Feb ) for years and they weren't the only ones. They do have a 1 year Disney pass also. Very expensive, but they are very frugal. Unfortunately he passed suddenly 2 weeks ago. They loved it and the family has great memories.

We were chatting with a couple there this year that stays for a couple months in January/February. They said that for years there has been a group that works with Disney to let them stay for more than two weeks. In years past, it has worked out pretty well, but they said it is getting more and more difficult to work it out with Disney. They generally don't get any discount, but at least get the extended stay privileges. The base sites that go for around $60 a night during January/February are in line with a lot of RV resorts in Florida that time of year.

 

[Birchwood]

We use a $100 propane fire fire pit that will not annoy your neighbours.

 

[ram_1955]

We haven't missed at least one Disney trip in the last 16 years, last year we stayed at Ft Wilderness campground for the first time. IMHO it was nice but not really worth the extra expense. We have stayed off property at Sherwood Forest and been very happy there.

 

[GWRam]

There are no fire pits there. You can bring your own disney approved fire pit. The campground store does not sell firewood, you will have to bring your own.
The approved pits have to be off the ground,(ie have legs) have a bottom, a top, and surrounded by a wire mesh. On one trip there a disney vehicle pulled up to our site
and 4 disney employees came over and asked if we had a fire pit, and they said they had to see if it was acceptable or not. They looked, then talked among
themselves for a minute and said thanks and left. That only happened on one trip, no-one has said a word on any of out other visits.

Enjoy your trip!!

 

[Bones]

Thank you all for your replies. So it sounds like I either bring a fire pit with me or I don't have a Fire pit. I may be pretty busy with the Disney parks anyway to even notice.

 

[VKTalley]

Thank you all for your replies. So it sounds like I either bring a fire pit with me or I don't have a Fire pit. I may be pretty busy with the Disney parks anyway to even notice.

Bones, that's what we have noticed...we stay busy visiting the parks and Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney), that we are not at our rig except to sleep or drop off stuff between locations.

 

[Bones]

Bones, that's what we have noticed...we stay busy visiting the parks and Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney), that we are not at our rig except to sleep or drop off stuff between locations.

We are scheduling our days there as day on and day off to help keep the kids from wearing out. I really like the fact about not having to drive anywhere except when I will eventually need to go out and get food for the camper

 

[Dennyha]

In lieu of having a fire at your site, you may want to consider their bonfire. Every night at 7 or 7:30, they have a big fire ( I think it's at the meadows area, back behind the pool) where you can bring your own smores stuff, or buy smores supplies there (after all, it is Disney...). They have Chip and Dale characters there at the fire, and then it is followed up by a Disney movie on an outdoor screen. Kinda trumps sitting around a fire at your camper.

 

[Bones]

In lieu of having a fire at your site, you may want to consider their bonfire. Every night at 7 or 7:30, they have a big fire ( I think it's at the meadows area, back behind the pool) where you can bring your own smores stuff, or buy smores supplies there (after all, it is Disney...). They have Chip and Dale characters there at the fire, and then it is followed up by a Disney movie on an outdoor screen. Kinda trumps sitting around a fire at your camper.

Yeah I would definitely agree with that trumping my own campfire. Thanks

 

[VKTalley]

We are scheduling our days there as day on and day off to help keep the kids from wearing out. I really like the fact about not having to drive anywhere except when I will eventually need to go out and get food for the camper

I agree! I love the convenience of not having to drive anywhere unless we want to. I second the nightly Campfire Sing-a-long with movie. We, personally, have not done this but have walked by when it was going on and it looks like lots of fun. We are planning on a two week stay in Ft. Wilderness this coming January so we will be in a more relaxed mode...might check out that Campfire.

 

[Abear79]

Thank you all for your replies. So it sounds like I either bring a fire pit with me or I don't have a Fire pit. I may be pretty busy with the Disney parks anyway to even notice.

When we go we always take 2 days off. A day here and a day there. We go 8 to 10 days. If you do bring a pit it has to have a solid top with screened sides. Eat at Cape May Café also, and catch the hoop-dee-doo revue. My profile pic is fort wilderness before the Disney cops made me put my screened topped gas pit out. lol

 

[dalspot]

We stayed in the 500 loop in '14. I believe the 300 loop is a 'preferred' site and therefore more expensive. 500 is right across the street from the dog park. Best thing to do at FW, if you can swing it is to rent a golf cart, and rent it from someone off property, not Disney. Then you can go 'looping' and check all the other places out. FW is huge! We rented a cart from Kenny at Tee-Time Golf Carts. You have to meet him and bring the cart back to your site, then return his trailer to him. Bit of a pain, takes a good hour of your time, but a lot cheaper than Disney. If possible, he will try and arrange an in-park swap between you and someone leaving. Definitely plan a day or two to enjoy FW. fortfiends.net is a great place to learn all about FW, and we made some great friends there.

 

[2TrakR]

Stayed there when I first went in 76 with my parents, stayed there with our kids and motorhome in 09; stayed there with our kids in one of the Disney cabins in 12. The cabin was pretty cool and I felt it was nicer than the motels as you have "your own place".

We never had time to camp or have a fire, like at a regular campground. Always on the run and when we weren't the kids were crashed pretty hard.
Disney transportation worked well for us and it's cool to have the boat or bus option right there.
Never did the golf cart, but thought about it. Bikes are also important to get around, due to the size of the place.

We ordered grocery delivery and found that was a great time-saver. Fresh food, snacks & more delivered to our door with no time spent shopping when we got there.

 

[VKTalley]

Stayed there when I first went in 76 with my parents, stayed there with our kids and motorhome in 09; stayed there with our kids in one of the Disney cabins in 12. The cabin was pretty cool and I felt it was nicer than the motels as you have "your own place".

We never had time to camp or have a fire, like at a regular campground. Always on the run and when we weren't the kids were crashed pretty hard.
Disney transportation worked well for us and it's cool to have the boat or bus option right there.
Never did the golf cart, but thought about it. Bikes are also important to get around, due to the size of the place.

We ordered grocery delivery and found that was a great time-saver. Fresh food, snacks & more delivered to our door with no time spent shopping when we got there.

Jeramey, who did you use for the grocery delivery? Malcolm and I are planning on staying for two weeks in January, 2017 and I would like to check that option out.