New to FW - Advise??

[bicyclemark]

Greetings -

My family (Me, DW, DD9, and DS7) and I will be staying at Fort Wilderness the last week of January. We have a pop up which I will be towing from Minnesota. This will be a new experiance for us as we have never had water or electrical hookups.

Which sites/loops do you reccomend for a pop up?

Should I set up the screen room or will the awning be enough?

Using WDW transportation, about how long does it take to get to each of the theme parks?

We will have breakfast every morning at our site. Is it worthwhile returning at least once per day for another meal?

Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for all your help

 

[campingcorgi]

Oh, you are going to have such fun!

Now, I won't even say anything about someone brave enough to drive from Minnesota in January--Heck, I'm a Tennessee teacher and we've gotten out of school before just because they predicted snow! But once you get there, loop 1500 is a nice close loop with partial hook-ups--ie no sewer or cable.

Can't help you about the screen room--another pop-uper will help you on this, I bet!

Using WDW transportation-(all of these are my most recent experiences), going to MK--about 30 minutes, MGM, Epcot, AK, Downtown Disney--about 45 minutes. Now remember--if you are lucky and a bus is waiting the time will be shorter and if you see the bus pulling out when you get to the busstop the time will be longer. Heck, it's vacation--enjoy the wait!

If the park hours are shorter you may want to stay longer. If the hours are longer you may want a break. Just play that by ear. It would definately save you money. We usually do take a midday break because we go more for FW than the parks. Make sure you take enough time to enjoy all that FW has to offer!

Have fun planning!!

 

[Rhonda]

Welcome to the DIS!!

I am from Minnesota too and we tow our popup down too.

We really like the 1500 loop. It's close to the Meadows Recreation Area (pool, trading post, bike barn, campfire program, etc.) and pretty centrally-located in the campground.

The Magic Kingdom is only a short boat-ride away! The other parks have buses that go to them. You can catch a bus right at the entrance to the 1500 loop and take it to one of the main bus stops where you can transfer to a park bus. It's very simple, and you usually don't have to wait for long for the bus to come along!

I would plan on setting up the screen room also. It's nice to have in case of rain and it keeps the bugs out (even though there won't be many bugs in January). We don't have a screen room on our popup, but we always bring along a screen tent that we set up over the picnic table area.

 

[welovemickey]

Hi, we stayed in the 800 loop in April. It is a full hook-up site. We enjoyed the loop and it was close to most everything. On other trips we've spent the xtra $$ and stayed at one of the preferred sites. It's just closer to most things (marina, bus depot, etc). We have always used our screen house. It adds "another room".

When there are shorter park hours, we tend to have a big breakfast at our campsite and bring snacks for the kids into the parks. At night we cook at the campsite. Bringing a crockpot is always a good idea. Dinner will be done when you return and it's easy clean up!

Have a great time at FW! We're leaving tomorrow with our new RV for a 2 week stay!

 

[DianeRD]

If you are in the 1500 loop with a popup what do you do with the grey water? We will be there next week and just found out that they have no dumping station for water from the dishes.

 

[mkandk]

If you are in the 1500 loop with a popup what do you do with the grey water?

We've had this problem virtually everywhere we camped and I wonder the same thing. The only solution I've seen is to drain the grey water into a bucket, like a 5 gal size that you have left over from cheap laundry det. bought in bulk at Sam's . Then if you can carry it to the dump site, you're in business.

 

[Memph1s]

Yes, you should collect you gray water in a container. For smaller containers there is a large sink in the laundry room that you can dump 5-10 gallon sized containers. For those that have the larger wheeled gray water containers the only option is to tow your water tank to an empty full hook up site and dump in the sewer connection. FW, believe it or not, does not have a dump station like most campgrounds. Even when FW is sold out there are always people checking in and out and it is very easy to find an empty site to dump at. When we get a partial hook up site I use a collapsible 5 gal set up that I can dump in the laundry sink. For those that have a shower in their rig I suggest getting a full hook up site. We end up with full hook ups most of the time. The sites tend to be a little larger and for the most part the location of the loops are better.

 

[tim5055]

Mark,

The "best" loop is very subjective, it depends on what your family likes. I always stay in 1800 or 1900, but then again we always have Natasha (our German Shepherd Dog) with us. I would personally stay away from the 1500 loop because it does not have sewer. Worrying about gray water is something you don't need to do when you are towing that distance. It's just more stuff to carry.

There is nothing more I like than towing my pop up to FW! I have never found a need for a screen room. You wil be there in January and the bug population should be fairly low at that time of year.

As to the transportation to the parks. This is how we handle it, take it for waht it is worth. If we are going to the Magic Kingdom we got to the marina in FW and take the boat. Very quick and easy. For any othr parks we drive our own vehice. The parking pass from FW allows you to have free parking at all parks, so why bother with the busses?

We also have breakfast at the campsite and usually return for dinner. Lunch is in a park.

I have more information you may be interested in on my web site, here are some selected pages:


Fort Wilderness Fun Facts and Information This includes a FW map as well as a FW bus map


Gray Water Containment

Camping Journal Entry, Fort Wilderness 2001


Have fun, you will love FW ºOº

 

[TomM]

You will love FW/
We eat breakfast at the popup, counter lunch or take snacks into the park and supper at the camper. We take a microwave for this trip and have prepared or easy microwave meals.
A screenroom really isn't necessary in Jan., no bugs.
We take the boat to MK and drive to other parks.
Have a great trip!
Tom

 

[MontanaCowgirl]

I had a blast riding the busses to & from the parks, as well as the boat to MK! It got to the point where we would watch for our favorite driver & laugh the whole ride there! You meet so many people from all over. LOTS of fun!

We have a huge truck camper & I can't be bothered taking the camper off the truck once it's on there, so I take full advantage of the WDW transportation system. They are pretty dang efficient!!!

Also I have family in Orlando that visit us & they can park in the public lot at the gate of FW & join us on the Disney transportation. They don't have to worry about finding us in the crowds & if my mother wants to rest midday she can do that in the camper!

You are going to have sooooo much fun!!!!!! Be sure to take the kids to the campfire movies & singalongs! The smores are fun! I would get a site with water/sewer/electric even if I were in a tent! The power, faucet & dump right there ...well the convenience outweighs everything else. After all you ARE there to relax & have fun!

I can't wait to get back there!!! We will be driving down from Montana next November. Praying for good roads & safe travel for everyone out there!

 

[Plan Man]

I too am from Minnesota.

If my guess is right the biggest worries you will have is a possible snow storm on your drive. If you make it without a storm through the first half of Illinois your trip will be perfect.

Forget the screen room - not worth the extra work. You will laugh at what Floridians and others call mosquitoes. Trust me - they will absolutely not be a problem.

Daily break. A break is etter but it is hard to get everything in with short park hours. maybe plna one of the middle days with a break?? The parks don't open until 9 so it is not as if you are tired at lunch time.

Transportation. Like some of the others. Take the oat to MK and dirve to everything else. Driving around is very very easy. Everything is very well marked and you will save a to of time. Forget the bus people - I am at the park doing my first ride while they are getting off the bus!! Trust me again on this one - you just drove 24 hours to get to Disney a little more is no big deal!!!!

The campground is the greatest!!! The best you will ever experience!!! People are always in suh agood mood!!

Last - I love Disney - it is the most fun place on earth. You will enjoy your stay no matter what plan you follow!!! The Dis is a big help!!!

 

[MontanaCowgirl]

"Forget the screen room - not worth the extra work. You will laugh at what Floridians and others call mosquitoes. Trust me - they will absolutely not be a problem. "



LOL In Montana up here by the river we have a saying. "Never tie your horse up along the river. The mosquitoes will try to carry it off & hang it."

 

[beaglebiz]

we are going to FW in April, for Easter....We have one of those plastic little tykes wagons (my guys are too big for a stroller, 3 and 4)...can we get this thing onto the buses and the boat to MK? or do you think we should come up with alternative means of kids-portation (they tire easily)
PLMK if anyone has any experience with this, or two kids this age in a similar situation....

 

[MontanaCowgirl]

It would be a problem if it didn't fit in the stroller spot they have on some of the buses. I've seen lots of 4 year olds in strollers...also if it's busy (& April usually is) they ask you to fold up the stroller on the buses. I'm guessing you can't do that with the wagon. Also if the wagon will take up the entire isleway it won't be permitted since folks won't be able to get by it. If you can swing it may I suggest one of those strollers that seat 2 kids that the folks jog with & fold up like an umbrella? They seat much bigger kids usually & are sling backed slightly so they can sleep comfortably when it's nap time on the spur of the moment. I've seen these strollers where one sits behind the other. Seems that would be your best bet! Good luck!

 

[Gillian]

beaglebiz, about jogging strollers - I have read that they are somtimes not allowed in the parks. Check over on the faimily board. People there will know I believe wagons will not be permitted either. They aren't good for crowds. I've never seen any at WDW.

The rental strollers, while not inexpensive, seem to carry larger/older children with no problem.

 

[RhondaS]

We have one of those plastic little tykes wagons...

Disney doesn't allow wagons on their boats/busses or in the parks. But, I'm sure it'd be fun to pull them around FW in it.

If you want to bring your own 'kid transportaton', I'd start shopping around for a larger 2seater umbrella stroller.

The kids will also have to get out of the stroller and the stroller must be folded when getting on the busses, so practice opening and closing that puppy so you'll be prepared ahead of time.

Other than bringing your own, Disney rents 2 seater strollers at the parks and at Downtown Disney, but you can't take them with you from park to park. They are plastic, like your wagon, so if you want some extra comfort for the kids, bring a little comforter or something for padding.