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Camp Fire at Night

RESORT & CAMPGROUND

Fort Wilderness

This beautiful 750 acre resort will make you feel like you are on a back country adventure instead of visiting one of the busiest places on Earth. There are so many amenities right on site that while it is one of the most affordable options on property it certainly does not feel that way. 

I recommend this resort if you want an outdoorsy experience and are traveling with a larger party. You won't find on site accommodations for 6 to 10 people for the price of the cabins or tent sites. It is a larger resort, so unless you have your own transportation and/or plan to rent a golf cart for the length of your stay, this resort probably isn't for you. Even if you get a preferred site by the boats, you are far from other amenities, including check-in. 

When to visit? 1. Take into account the weather. Central Florida heats up as early as March and stays hot well into the fall. Also, the later in summer and into fall you travel, you are looking at more rain than usual. I would recommend avoiding the worst of the hot months, unless you are staying in a cabin or really love hot, humid weather. The resort is fairly well shaded, which offers some relief. 2. The holidays at Fort Wilderness are a lot of fun. If you're into Halloween, you at least need to visit Fort Wilderness, if not stay there. The campers go all out decorating their sites and putting on the best kept secret at Disney, the Fort Wilderness Halloween parade. It ends at the campfire where the winners are announced. They also have an event on select nights in late September till Halloween known as the "Return to Sleepy Hallow." Spooky films are shown and the Headless Horseman has also been known to make an appearance. Christmas is made just as fun by the campers. Decorations abound and make Fort Wilderness a wonderland you don't want to miss. If you plan to go during these times, I would book early as people make it an annual tradition and some of the best camp sites might be hard to snag.

 

For detailed information on the lodging, transportation,

dining, and recreation...... keep reading. 

TYPES OF LODGING

There are three distinct types of lodging at Fort Wilderness: Tent camping, RV, and Cabins. All are great for accommodating larger parties.

CAMPING & RV SITES

For camping and RV stays, there are four different types of sites that all accommodate up to ten people. They are fully equipped with water, cable tv, and electric hook-ups. The landscaping is done to help increase privacy at each site. Within each site you will also find a charcoal grill, picnic table, and a concrete pad to accommodate an RV or pop up. There will also be an area to stake a tent in every site, except the premium meadow campsites. Avoid those if tent camping. All premium sites accommodate up to a sixty foot RV so make sure to select a premium site if extra space is needed. The Tent or Pop-Up sites do not have a sewage hookup which is something to keep in mind when booking. This category will also be the least expensive. Some sites will permit pets, please make sure you note that you will be bringing Pluto along before booking so you can be assigned a pet friendly location.

Since Fort Wilderness is such a large resort, choosing your location is very important, especially if you will be frequenting the parks. The preferred sites are the closest to the boats to Magic Kingdom. I would suggest these if you have small children and need to bring a stroller to the parks. Otherwise, you will have a longer walk or need to use the internal bus system to get to the boats which is an added hassle. The most prevalent type of site are the premium. These are scattered throughout the center of the resort. If you need a premium site for space, request sections 700 and 400 to be close to the boats. The tent or pop-up and full hookup sites are the furthest from the boats. 

Interested in staying in a tent or RV but don't have either? That's perfectly alright, you can rent both! Tents and cots, but not bedding, are available through Disney. Tents are $45 per night after taxes and cots are $5 per night. Simply call (407) 939-7807 to make your reservation. They will set everything up so it is ready for your arrival, including pitching your tent for you. The price per night is a little steep. If you are planning on flying and are looking for an easy way to get your tent to Fort wilderness, consider shipping it ahead of you. For RVs, there are plenty of outside companies in the Orlando area that are easy to work with when staying at Disney. Some of the favorites include Florida Camper Rental, Greenberg Rent A Camper, and Moore Camping Rentals.

CABINS

The cabins at Fort wilderness are considered moderate level lodging. They are further from the boats than the tent and RV sites, making getting to the boats inconvenient. You can rent a golf cart to make getting around the resort easier, more on this later. The cabins are fully furnished and sleep up to six adults. The best part about the cabins is that they are one bedroom suites. The bedroom sleeps four in one queen bed and a set of twin bunk beds. The living room is equipped with a sleeper sofa for two additional adults. Another plus to the cabins, is that they have a complete kitchen and mouse keeping will even do your dishes. Add the private patio, charcoal grill, and you are set for an amazing experience in an unbeatable setting.

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TRANSPORTATION

Fort Wilderness has many options for transportation around the resort and to the parks. First, it is one of the only places that has free on site parking. Every site gets to park one vehicle at their site for free. This will save a ton over the other resort options. Second, the resort has internal transportation options as well. It is the largest resort on property, which can make getting around a little difficult. You can rent bikes or golf carts daily to help. Golf carts are especially important if you are staying out in the cabins. They are $60 per day and I would recommend calling ahead to ensure you get one. If you would prefer not to spend additional money on transportation, there is a free internal bus system to help get to where you want to be. Third, there are two ways to get to the parks. There are the Disney buses that will take you everywhere and then there is a boat for Magic Kingdom. This makes this resort super convenient if you have little ones or plan to spend a lot of time at Magic Kingdom. The boat ride is short, fun, and you don't have to fold up strollers. 

DINING

Fort Wilderness offers an array of dining experiences that won't leave you disappointed. For table service, you have the Trail's End Restaurant in Pioneer Hall. This offers family style, buffet dining for breakfast, dinner, and brunch on weekends. Also found in Pioneer Hall is, P & J's Southern Takeout, a quick service option that is open from 7:30 am to 10pm. Another quick service option is The Chuck Wagon. It's open for dinner only and found in the campfire area. It serves hearty camp favorites, moonshine cocktails, and all the essentials for s'mores. There's more moonshine cocktails and wings at Crockett's Tavern over by Pioneer Hall. It's a walk up window open from 3pm to 10pm. You can enjoy your libations and eats in a rocking chair right on the front porch. For lighter options and frozen cocktails, head over to the Meadow Swimmin' pool where you'll find the Meadow Snack bar open from 11am to 5pm. Finally, a must do is the dinner theater experience, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. At this hearty, all you can eat meal, you'll be entertained by the Pioneer Hall Players. It's quite the event and in order to not miss out, you must reserve in advance. Reservations can be made as early as 180 days before check in or 180 days before you wish to dine if staying off site and prepayment is required. Categories 1 and 2 are recommended as they are seating on the first floor and will provide the best views. Category 3 is on the second level and not handicap accessible.   

RECREATION

The highlight of Fort Wilderness is the amount of activities available for all ages right at your resort. You could spend multiple days at the resort and still not partake in all it has to offer. You'll find the same amenities most resorts offer: arcades (there are two here), pools, bike rentals, movies under the stars, nightly bonfires, playgrounds, running trails, and sports courts. However, it doesn't stop there.

There are two pools at the resort, which is actually not a lot considering the sheer size of Fort Wilderness. The largest is the Meadow Swimmin' Pool. This main pool features a corkscrew slide. You'll also find a whirlpool spa and a splash area for the little ones with slides and other fun play structures. For a more tranquil experience, you'll want to head to the Wilderness Swimmin' pool, which also features a whirlpool spa. This pool is found off Peacock Pass by the cabins.

Tri-Circle-D Ranch, is a completely unique experience and has so much to explore and do, although it's currently closed for a refurbishment. When open, you can explore the barns and see Cinderella's horses and the horses used on Main Street, watch blacksmiths work on horse shoes, and see the Dragon Calliope, a horse drawn musical instrument purchased in the 50's. You can make reservations for horse drawn carriage rides, wagon rides, holiday sleigh rides, horse riding, and pony rides (during the refurbishment, this is done on a walk-in basis only) by calling 407-WDW-PLAY.

Another pretty unique experience are the segway tours. It is a two-hour circuit with plenty of fun photo-ops. You'll check out Wilderness Lodge, Bay Lake, and Tri-Circle-D Ranch. You'll be able to follow along on the tour with your guide through a headset. Never ridden a segway before? No problem. There is a thirty minute training prior to heading out. There are some restrictions for this experience so be sure to read through all the information on the Disney website.

CHARACTER EXPERIENCES

Fort Wilderness is also home to the only FREE character experience. As at other resorts, you'll find a nightly bonfire and marshmallow roasting, but that's not all. At Fort Wilderness, prepare yourself for the crazy antics of Chip n Dale. They join you for the campfire and host their own sing-a-long, after which, you can meet the duo. Grab a build your own s'mores kit from The Chuck Wagon and you'll be all set.

There are all kinds of rentals at Fort Wilderness, as well. You can grab bikes to explore the resort or head out in a golf cart. If you'd like an aquatic adventure look into boat rentals at the Fort Wilderness Marina and go explore Bay Lake. For a little more of a workout and slower pace, hit the Bike Barn and rent either a kayak or a canoe. Both are $13 an hour. 

Disney's Wilderness Lodge Pools, Slide, and Splash Area

Disney's Wilderness Lodge Pools, Slide, and Splash Area

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