Trip to Fort Wilderness end of June

[zackyboy3rs]

$1980 is the quoted price off of Fort Wilderness website. That is the full-hook up site & 5 day ticket for all 4 of us. I did not choose any dining plan or other options (please note that I have NOT made the reservations).
A few questions for those of you that have been.

1. Fort Wilderness as nice as folks state?
2. Is there transportation to and from Disney World without having to drive?
3. Could I easily return to campground to check on our dogs?
4. How much are drinks, water, food in the park?
5. Can I take above items in the park from our camper?
6. Any other info I need to know?

Thanks

[russkerri]

We really enjoyed our stay at FW a few years ago. The kids loved the huge pools. I think we could have skipped Disney World, and they would have had fun in the campground.

Our family saved money by carrying snacks and refillable water bottles and by being very strategic about food. We ate breakfast in the motorhome and bought food at the cheaper places in the park. We thought the food was usually decent, though expensive. Sometimes, we made it back to the motorhome for dinner, meaning we only ate one meal in the park. We sometimes shared snacks and meals, just to stretch it out a little. The park apps often have menus for the various restaurants so you can easily find a place in your budget.

We gave our kids a budget for the week we were there of their "own" money for souvenirs and snacks. This way, when they begged for a $5 lollipop, we could tell them they could have it but out of their money. They very quickly quit asking for all the junk and saved their money for bigger things.

We used the park transportation, which was great; however, it often took us much longer than we expected to get from place to place, especially since you do a lot of walking just to get to the gate. We found that once we made it to a park, we really did all we wanted to do and didn't go back and forth to the campsite since it was too much trouble.

[spro2395]

The wife and I will stick to state parks. Can do lots more than 5 days of camping for a couple of grand!

[joe_b_]

We got back from a week's stay at the Fort about two weeks ago. Try to get us to the Christmas Party every year with our pre-teen grandsons plus we spend roughly 30 to 40 nights a year at the WDW Fort. It is the campground which we compare all others to and so far it is still the finest campground. Well staffed, clean all the time, most of the sites have plenty of privacy due to the vegetation and lots to do in the campground.

Yes it is expensive but we feel it is worth the cost. We buy a Florida resident yearly pass for our extended family members living here in Florida. Expensive is all relative to each of us. Compared to what I have spent on aircraft, boats, sonw machines, river boats for Alaska, RVs, etc., WDW is not even in the top ten categories of expenditures. LOL Our last trip I was told there were just slightly over 70,000 employees working that day at WDW, that works out to be a payroll of over $6 Million a day so that money have to come from somewhere and have enough remaining for Disney to make a profit, which is why they are there.

We have never had them say anything about being snacks or water bottles into the Parks. They are really strict about chewing gum, (not sold on property) and smoking. I enjoy both of those rules and glad they enforce them. Water, cold by the bottle is expensive, $2.50 each. One night we attended the Luau at the Kingdom and my daughter , 38 years of age, had a beer with was priced at $8.10 tax included, LOL for that single bottle of brew. Beer at the campground trading post is about $6.50 a bottle so I take enough with me from home. I watched one guy buy a six pack of beer at the Trading Post and he paid right at $40 for it. He also purchased a couple of bottles of wine so his total was well over $100usd. In chatting with him in the cashier's line, he said his family came up from Columbia twice a year to WDW and rented one of the cabins. He commented on how nice it was to be about to come to the USA for a family vacation and not have to bring their bodyguards with them. Made me stop and be thankful for being born in this country.

[JoeTampa]

We also like FW. The boat goes to Magic Kingdom, NOT Epcot as mentioned earlier. As others have mentioned, the CG is very nice. I recommend the 900 loop if you can get it - puts you right at a bus stop (to the front of the park for busses to parks or to the back of the park for restaurants and the ferry to Magic Kingdom) and across from one of the stores (basic food items, basic camping items, etc). The have a campfire and you can buy smores ingredients there.

You CAN bring food and drinks into the parks. Plan on an hour to get out of a park and back to your RV, though.

[jfkmk]

We stayed at FW many years ago. It was the cleanest campground we've ever been to (as would be expected from Disney). Once parked, we never had to move the MH, transportation within the park is top notch. We did bring bikes, and used them to get around. When we were there, a River Country was still open. Sad that it's closed, it was fantastic for younger kids. Enjoy your trip!

[6_7_tow_rig]

I guess I'm the odd man out but we did not think it was anything special at all. Sites aren't worth 100 dollars a night, you are forced into using a golf cart or their transportation inside the campground or out. Yes their is transportation to and from the parks but you will wait in long hot lines just as long as some of the rides to get on a tram. Sometimes you have to switch to another tram midway and play the game all over again. We have a 6 year old and 6 month old, we hated every minute and would never waste money like that again. Save the money or spend it on a nice beach trip somewhere. Yes drinks and food in the park is ridiculously expensive but is to be expected. If you don't mind crowds, lines, and cramped camping it's ok. We were just used to COE and state parks, so this place was kind of a shock to us.

[RGar974417]

We were in the 400 loop. We could walk to the landing to get the boat to the Magic Kingdom.The Hoop de Doo Revue and store is there also. They have buses to Animal Kingdom and the water park. The 400 loop is within walking distance of the pool,the dog park and Chip and Dale show.I would agree on the Hoop de Doo Revue.Great show and decent food.

[wildtoad]

WDW also has a full service kennel so you have options for dog care while you're in the park or go offsite.

[wildtoad]

Leave your car at home and have a good time. Camp ground is great. You can rent a golf cart to commute within FW. Consider having breakfast at the campsite then go to the parks. Come back early afternoon to have lunch and a rest. Go back later in the day and then perhaps have dinner at one of the theme restaurants or wait till later and have dinner back at the campground. Food and drinks in the park have always been pricey. You can take water and snacks into the park, but I'd not try to take a picnic lunch.

Another thing to consider is not to get park passes for each day and visit one of the other parks in the area such as Universal. You can Arrange for a cab at the transportation center.

[Beaker]

By the way, we like to reserve an overnight somewhere in south Ga.

Check out Crooked River. Wonderful park!

[lawnspecialties]

Wow. My family still talks about our first trip to the Fort back in January, 2006. Wonderful, lifetime memories.

Fast Passes are a great idea to do now. If you can swing it, call right now and make reservations for Hoop-De-Doo Revue one night. Its expensive but in our opinion, well worth it (especially for a first timer).

Save every nickel and dime you can between now and then for the trip. Its Disneyworld. It's expensive but since most of us do it only every-so-often, go ahead and do it right and not try to skimp out cheap. You won't regret it.

By the way, we like to reserve an overnight somewhere in south Ga. so we can head down the day before our arrival. Then the day we're supposed to be there, we can arrive by noon or so fresh and ready to go. If you can add a day to your campground stay, you could spend that first afternoon at the Fort and Downtown Disney.

[Beaker]

2. Is there transportation to and from Disney World without having to drive?
Yes Bus to sites and boat to Epcot

Not sure about boat to Epcot but definitely to Magic Kingdom.

Also, no direct bus from Magic Kingdom to FW but you can take a bus to Wilderness Lodge(or any other ?) and then take a bus to FW.

[azdryheat]

FW is one of the finest campgrounds we have ever stayed at. The restrooms are top notch and there are plenty of fun things to do within FW. The free buses will take you anywhere within FW as it is huge. The north end of the park will get you a free boat shuttle to the Disneyland part of the resort. The southern end of the park are free buses to take you to the other parks. You can park your rig and not have to move it until you leave. Disney did this resort in a first class fashion.

[ford_truck_guy]

zackyboy3rs wrote:
$1980 is the quoted price off of Fort Wilderness website. That is the full-hook up site & 5 day ticket for all 4 of us. I did not choose any dining plan or other options (please note that I have NOT made the reservations).
A few questions for those of you that have been.

1. Fort Wilderness as nice as folks state?
2. Is there transportation to and from Disney World without having to drive?
3. Could I easily return to campground to check on our dogs?
4. How much are drinks, water, food in the park?
5. Can I take above items in the park from our camper?
6. Any other info I need to know?

Thanks

1- absolutely it is!
2- yes, great ground system , and boats.. You can park your truck and not drive it again till the day you leave
3- yes , all the transportation runs quiet Ofton , we do the same with our Black Lab..
4- expensive , but if you go to any place that has fountain soda , ask them for a cup of ice water... They have to give it to you for free... No more water bottles for us in the park
5- we take snacks and such in each trip ,the only place we have taken meals to were the water parks with no issues ...
6- fortfiends will answer all your questions.., we have been going for 2 weeks a year for the past 25 years... We love it