# Ft Wilderness



## tdvffjohn

I have seen discussions in the past and finding them can be difficult so I am hoping that you will indulge me.

I have a trip to Ft Wilderness planned in July and I see quite a few others do also this season.

From experience, can all of you give us suggestions on Ft Wilderness, do's" and don"ts of the campground and Disney.










John


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## shake1969

I hear it's kind of a mickey mouse outfit.









Never been there myself, but I have checked out the website. The pics all looked nice. Have a great trip!


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## HootBob

John 
The biggest don't is no open fires so take a grill with you
they have do have charcol grill there(I'm not into charcol)
And if you have a shore line extesion cord make sure you have it with you also
I had to buy one down there(ouch)

The best do of all, wear things that are comfortable a lot of walking
If I think of anything else I'll e-mail you
Have a wonderful time









Don


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## damar92

tdvffjohn said:


> I have seen discussions in the past and finding them can be difficult so I am hoping that you will indulge me.
> 
> I have a trip to Ft Wilderness planned in July and I see quite a few others do also this season.
> 
> From experience, can all of you give us suggestions on Ft Wilderness, do's" and don"ts of the campground and Disney.
> 
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> John
> [snapback]80678[/snapback]​


 It is a great campground, If you want specifics let me know, my parents do the snowbird thing evey year there. They love it they head down in January with their little doggy and stay until late March. Do you know what loop you are in? Are you going to be going to the parks or just the campground? Make sure you see the fireworks from the beach. Take your bikes if you can. Being near a bus stop helps to cut down on the walking. The Hoop-dee-doo dinner thing is a blast try and get reservations. Anything else you want to know just ask.
Martha


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## Sexy Momma

For a really nice way to get to the Magic Kingdom from Fort Wilderness, take the boat (very relaxing and pretty). To get to the other parks, you'll have to take WDW resort buses.

Also, every evening after the fireworks, there's a little Electric Water Parade (floats all lit up with a ton of lights, floating on the water, with music playing), so be near the shore to catch a sight of it. (It'll come around at about 9:45 pm).

Also, take a stroll over to the Wilderness Lodge and check it out. Very spectacular lobby, and a really fun place to eat is the Whispering Canyon Cafe (whatever you do, don't ask for any ketchup or a refill of your drink because mayhem may follow - "giggle,giggle"







). Your kids will LOVE it!

Lot's of fun things going on at Fort Wilderness all the time - wagon and carriage rides, playgrounds, smores and storytelling, nighttime movies, pool, Hoop-de-Doo Review.

I'm SOOOOOOOO jealous! You'll have a great time!









(Also, don't forget to head over to the Animal Kingdom and ride the new Expedition Everest ride - I hear it's spectacular!)

(Remember to be prepared for rain every afternoon. Take ponchos with you to the parks, or hit the parks early in the morning and take an afternoon break back at camp during the afternoon rain showers, and then back to the parks in the evening.)

(If you don't want to walk or ride your bikes to the Wilderness Lodge, which is about a mile, you can always take a boat, which is the easiest and probably the prettiest way too.)

Here's a website that you can check out too.Fort Wilderness Camping


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## Katrina

When heading to Magic Kingdom, you want to walk to the Marina and catch the boat.
Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and MGM.....I find it easier to just drive to those. Parking is free when you are staying in the campground.
Only other choice is riding buses.


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## Dairy-aire

We stayed in the cabins at Ft. Wilderness last spring. We did take several walks through parts of the campground (it is huge!). Here is a link to check: Ft. Wilderness Fact Sheet

Have a great time!
Sue


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## Y-Guy

Sexy Momma said:


> For a really nice way to get to the Magic Kingdom from Fort Wilderness, take the boat (very relaxing and pretty). To get to the other parks, you'll have to take WDW resort buses.


Boats are great. You have 2 choices to get to MK. They have the larger boat that runs between MK and FW & WL (Magic Kingdom, Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge) or you can take the launch over to CR (Contemporary Resort) then walk or Monorail to the MK.

We didn't like the buses so when we went to Epcot we would take the launch to CR, then monorail to the TTC (ticket and transfer center) then hop from the resort monorail to the Epcot monorail. That worked great and the kids loved riding the monorail. We were never in a rush so it worked out great for us. We'd sometime take that route then catch a bus from Epcot to MGM.

A few other sites I highly recommend are:
The DIS the largest Disney Web site and forums
The Fort Wilderness FAQ
Deb's WDW Info Guide (allears.net)


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## luv2rv

We just left Fort Wilderness a week ago and the kids (DW and I of course) are still talking about it.

We were on site 333 in the 300 loop. We were within walking distance to the marina so we use the ferry to get to Magic Kingdom (bus to Animal Kingdom). We also were close to a little area that has benches and a Tee Pee so we sat there at night to watch the fireworks. Very cool.

The pool is great and the kids really liked the smaller splash pool. There is another pool in the park that we didn't make it to.

The outpost store is a neat little place to buy souvenirs. We bought a bunch of things for a bunch of money but the neatest is a Ft. Wilderness door mat for the TT. Really FUN.

Golf cart rental is a major do (the place is huge). We did some cycling as well. Take your bikes.

Armadillos were neat to watch. They are like raccoons are up north here. As soon as it gets dark they are everywhere.

Basically, a really great way to combine two excellent experiences ... Camping and Disney ... what could be better.

I'll be posting some pictures shortly.

Wayne


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## nascarcamper

Upgrade to the premium site. Well worth the extra $.


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## tdvffjohn

nascarcamper said:


> Upgrade to the premium site. Well worth the extra $.
> [snapback]81023[/snapback]​


That advice I did take when I reserved. And near transportation. When I had called I found out how important it is to let them know the length of your trailer including the rear slide.

John


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## kbrazielTx

We went to Fort Wilderness last May and loved it. The campground is great and when we arrived to our site it was so clean. It was if no one had ever camped there before. Premium sites run out quick so reserve one soon. We had more than enough room for our 26RS but the roads are not very wide so backing can be tricky. I got lucky and hit it right on the first time.

It was so great to have all the perks of the Wilderness Lodge and be able to come back to the camper for Luch and a nap. (Which is very needed every afternoon.) I will download some pictures of our site and let you know when they are ready.

We were there 5 nights and plan to go back next year for 10 nights.

Have a great time!!!!!!!


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## kbrazielTx

Here are some pictures!!!!!

Fort Wilderness 2005


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## tdvffjohn

Nice pics


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## Maldoro

tdvffjohn said:


> Nice pics
> [snapback]81407[/snapback]​


Hi All,

Don't take this the wrong way because I think Disney Ft Wilderness is a great place , especially if you have kids and are going to the parks. Last year, we didn't do the parks so we looked at other campgrounds in the area. I stayed at Tropical Palms and had a great time, very close to parks and right next door to Old Town. $$$ cheaper then Disney. Campingworld about 2 miles away.

http://www.tropicalpalmsrv.com


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## Excursions R Us

Maldoro said:


> tdvffjohn said:
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> Nice pics
> [snapback]81407[/snapback]​
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> 
> Hi All,
> 
> Don't take this the wrong way because I think Disney Ft Wilderness is a great place , especially if you have kids and are going to the parks. Last year, we didn't do the parks so we looked at other campgrounds in the area. I stayed at Tropical Palms and had a great time, very close to parks and right next door to Old Town. $$$ cheaper then Disney. Campingworld about 2 miles away.
> 
> http://www.tropicalpalmsrv.com
> [snapback]81418[/snapback]​
Click to expand...

With you on the tropical palms site. Wish we would have known about it BEFORE we paid huge bucks to stay at Fort Wilderness. We go back every March break to Tropical Palms. Yes, you are close to the parks when you stay at FW but we found we were so busy, and wanted to see it ALL, that we didnt' go back to our campsite. We had a 7 day hopper and spent all of our time at the parks and waterparks--we were never at our campsite--only to crash at the end of a very fun-filled day. The pools were busy, you had to walk and wait for buses everywhere and although the boat was relaxing, it was a long wait, a wait for a bus to get there, and then a long lineup to wait for a boat. I am glad we tried it once to say we'd been, but we will probably never go back. The hoop-dee-doo review was a blast (but you don't have to stay at the campground to go to it $$)We love Tropical Palms. You can drive to Disney (5 minutes) and park for FREE at the 2 waterparks (blizzard beach and typhoon lagoon) then bus it to the other parks.


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## luv2rv

I agree. We were at Tropical palms a few weeks back as well as Fort Wilderness. For the money Tropical Palms is a top notch camping resort.

Proximity to Old Town is awesome and facilities are exceptionally clean. Site we had here was twice the size of our FT. Wilderness site.

Would I do Fort Wilderness again? Absolutely, it's also a great experience ... just a bit more money.

Tropical Palms can count on my business again!

Wayne


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## kbrazielTx

Thanks for the info on Tropical Palms. Looks like a great place.....

Can you truly experience Disney World without being on property? There are many great resorts in the area but we prefer to be in the middle of it all. The Tropical Palms look great and we will have to visit there sometime. At this time our kids would hate not staying at Fort Wilderness if camping in the Disney area. Also I am a big kid and will only stay on property.

The boat and buses are only crowded if you come and go with the masses. I recommend if you do not like waiting plan to come early and leave during the fireworks or stay late after the fireworks crowds leave. Since you are staying on property you get extended hours to a given park each day.

Have a great time!!!!!!! action action sunny


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## kyoutback

kbrazielTx said:


> Thanks for the info on Tropical Palms. Looks like a great place.....
> 
> Can you truly experience Disney World without being on property? There are many great resorts in the area but we prefer to be in the middle of it all. The Tropical Palms look great and we will have to visit there sometime. At this time our kids would hate not staying at Fort Wilderness if camping in the Disney area. Also I am a big kid and will only stay on property.
> 
> The boat and buses are only crowded if you come and go with the masses. I recommend if you do not like waiting plan to come early and leave during the fireworks or stay late after the fireworks crowds leave. Since you are staying on property you get extended hours to a given park each day.
> 
> Have a great time!!!!!!! actionÂ actionÂ sunny
> [snapback]81580[/snapback]​


How do the extra hours work? I've read that it can be before the park opens or after regular closing. Couldn't really find a definite answer.


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## jgerni

I just got back from a week stay at Fort Wilderness myself last weekend. We thought about staying at Tropical palms but the Fort was $49.00 per night (including tax) in the value season. Since we were visiting the parks you can't get much more convenient with on site Disney transportation. If you factor in fuel to get back and forth to the parks and parking fees the Fort is the way to go.

Some of the Forts sites can be a little small and tight but the campground it self is definitely a resort with many amenities. I would say all in all it is the nicest campground we have ever stayed at.

Also the new Expedition Everest ride was well done. My 5 year old loved it.


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## zoomzoom8

WOOHOO!!! Four more weeks and we are there!!! Thanks for all the info folks!


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## RizFam

HI John,

We have gone to Ft. Wilderness the last 3 Febs & I highly recommend you go to Barnes N Noble & pick up " Birnbaum's 2006 Walt Disney World Official Guide" It will help you to prepare & not waste too much time. There is so much to do & see & the guide explains the best times to see certain events, rides etc...
I just can't seem to get this posting a pic thingy down .....








Please take a look in my member galley photos for a pic of the book! 
I buy one every year before we go.

You will love the campground it is very nice & clean! I recommend fastpass where available & the parades esp. Spectro Magic Parade & all of the Fireworks. We would go from the Magic Kingdom Fireworks hop on the Monorail & get to Epcot in time for their fireworks..... AWESOME!!! I would go early & try to get a position as close to the front of the World Showcase Lagoon as possible. Try to get situated in Mexico, or Canada. Also, the "Park Hooper" option a definite must have









I am SOO jealous wish I was going again!! 
Have a GREAT Time! 
Tami


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## Katrina

RizFam said:


> HI John,
> 
> We have gone to Ft. Wilderness the last 3 Febs & I highly recommend you go to Barnes N Noble & pick up " Birnbaum's 2006 Walt Disney World Official Guide" It will help you to prepare & not waste too much time. There is so much to do & see & the guide explains the best times to see certain events, rides etc...
> I just can't seem to get this posting a pic thingy down .....
> 
> 
> 
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> Please take a look in my member galley photos for a pic of the book!Â
> I buy one every year before we go.
> 
> [snapback]89893[/snapback]​


The book mentioned above is well worth it.
You can also find the online version Here

Online, you can find all the latest updates to the book.

Edit: Here is the pic that Tami wanted to post.


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## RizFam

Thanks Katrina


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## Oregon_Camper

kbrazielTx said:


> Here are some pictures!!!!!
> 
> Fort Wilderness 2005
> [snapback]81071[/snapback]​


Notice your camp site was number 857. Is this place really that big or do they simply have a strange numbering scheme?


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## zoomzoom8

WOOHOO!!! We leave Friday for the Fort for seven days!!! The kids (okay, the DW and I also) can't hardly wait!! Spent yesterday cleaning up and preping the lodge. Anyone know if they have wireless access in the campground?


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## Katrina

Oregon_Camper said:


> kbrazielTx said:
> 
> 
> 
> Here are some pictures!!!!!
> 
> Fort Wilderness 2005
> [snapback]81071[/snapback]​
> 
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> 
> Notice your camp site was number 857. Is this place really that big or do they simply have a strange numbering scheme?
> [snapback]89948[/snapback]​
Click to expand...

The CG is broken down into loops.
100 loop, 200 loop, etc.

The property is a mile across with about 500 sites.


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## Remove_B4_Flight

When in July are you going? We also just put a deposit on our trip for the last week (24th-28th) of the month. We will have four kids, two dogs and two grandparents in tow. Grandparents are sort of local, so they won't be staying with us, but we would love to make more friends during our visit.



tdvffjohn said:


> I have seen discussions in the past and finding them can be difficult so I am hoping that you will indulge me.
> 
> I have a trip to Ft Wilderness planned in July and I see quite a few others do also this season.
> 
> From experience, can all of you give us suggestions on Ft Wilderness, do's" and don"ts of the campground and Disney.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> John
> [snapback]80678[/snapback]​


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## tdvffjohn

July 9 to 16, close but we will miss. I ll leave the light on for ya.

John


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## WillTy3

HootBob said:


> John
> The biggest don't is no open fires so take a grill with you
> they have do have charcol grill there(I'm not into charcol)
> And if you have a shore line extesion cordÂ make sure you have it with you also
> I had to buy one down there(ouch)
> 
> The best do of all, wear things that are comfortable a lot of walking
> If I think of anything else I'll e-mail you
> Have a wonderful time
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don
> [snapback]80695[/snapback]​


Don

When you say "shore line extension cord" do you mean the 30 amp camper extension or the standard extension?

Will


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