Quick Fort Wilderness question

[kfp673]

I know there are a million threads but I have a specific question. Is there any easier way to search for site availability other than set a date range? We are flexible with dates and want to go this spring but every date range we enter is sold out. It could be that all of the days in the range are sold out or only 1 and it will still show not available. I could sit here for hours trying all the combinations of dates considering we are happy to go in February, March, or April 5-7 days. Am I missing a calendar of site availability the way state parks have? Thanks!

[ependydad]

MetalGator wrote:
1) In reading their pet policy, I did not see a mention of a pet limit. I have 4 small dogs that always travel with us. I called them on the phone and the person I spoke to said he didn't know if there was a pet limit. He put me on hold for awhile and then asked how big the dogs were. I told him they were small and he said it wouldn't be a problem but if they were large dogs, they would only allow two. This is odd to me as I thought I saw on their website that they didn't allow dogs over 40lbs. Has anyone ever stayed there with more than 2 dogs? Even though he said 4 small dogs were OK, I don't want to arrive and be sent away.

Don't have pets, but seems like you should be fine. I know we saw a pet pig there once. 🙂

MetalGator wrote:
2) I saw someone mention that golf carts could be rented for $50 a day. Is this something you do beforehand or can you rent one once you arrive?

You can do both.

MetalGator wrote:
3) The reservation person said that I might be charged $13-$19 extra per day for an extra vehicle. I have a motorhome and will be towing our Jeep. I asked him if this was considered an extra vehicle since someone towing a 5th wheel or travel trailer would have an extra vehicle. He said he didn't know. For people who have been there in a motorhome and a towed, did you have to pay extra?

Unfortunately when you call, you get a generic reservations person for all of Walt Disney World and not just Fort Wilderness. There will not be an extra parking/car fee.

MetalGator wrote:
4) If you have a towed, are you able to park it at your site? I have reserved a premium site.

Yes. Sometimes they enforce rules that you can't park on the grass/sand, sometimes they don't. Keep it on the pavement and you shouldn't have issues.

[MetalGator]

I was actually able to get reservations for 3 days in May. I couldn't believe it when I did a search on their website and sites were available. I do have a few questions though.

1) In reading their pet policy, I did not see a mention of a pet limit. I have 4 small dogs that always travel with us. I called them on the phone and the person I spoke to said he didn't know if there was a pet limit. He put me on hold for awhile and then asked how big the dogs were. I told him they were small and he said it wouldn't be a problem but if they were large dogs, they would only allow two. This is odd to me as I thought I saw on their website that they didn't allow dogs over 40lbs. Has anyone ever stayed there with more than 2 dogs? Even though he said 4 small dogs were OK, I don't want to arrive and be sent away.

2) I saw someone mention that golf carts could be rented for $50 a day. Is this something you do beforehand or can you rent one once you arrive?

3) The reservation person said that I might be charged $13-$19 extra per day for an extra vehicle. I have a motorhome and will be towing our Jeep. I asked him if this was considered an extra vehicle since someone towing a 5th wheel or travel trailer would have an extra vehicle. He said he didn't know. For people who have been there in a motorhome and a towed, did you have to pay extra?

4) If you have a towed, are you able to park it at your site? I have reserved a premium site.

Thanks,
Burch

[ACZL]

Congrats and enjoy. As you may have seen on their park map, they have 2 pools. 1 is right behind the middle trading post and this one geared more-so for little ones and may get awful busy. The 2nd one is more off the beaten path next to cabin rentals and is a lot more quiet. We stayed in the 900 loop and found it to be a easy walk to most everything. Golf cart rentals were 50 bucks/day. Shuttle stops a plenty throughout the CG.

[kfp673]

Thanks Doughboy. There does appear to be openings in April. Feb & March seem to be filled although that was my original complaint. Still mind blowing to me that they don't have an availability calendar. Even when you call to ask they tell you they have to use date ranges. I'm sure there is some marketing guru reason for it, but its frustrating. I use the availability calendar all the time on state park websites and some private RV parks to help us plan. Oh well. Enjoy your trip and thanks again!

[doughboy]

good morning all
just made reservations for fort wilderness last Thursday,jan 17,2019 for april, the 2,3,4,5, 2019. found the sites on their webpage, called to make sure they were available, and booked them.
just lucky i guess.

[Acampingwewillg]

Hammerboy wrote:

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
A related question....a few years back I happened upon the Disney site and found discounted rates at the Fort for a particular set on time. I was lucky and made reservations saving, as I recall 30% during a Sept/Oct time frame. (made those reservations probably 10 months before). I ended up having to cancel and I have yet to hit the WEB site again at the right time sooo, is there anyway to be notified when Disney is offering discounts? On some of the Disney Forums, they talk about discounts every year but no one seems to know when they appear.


I know about the TA's (Travel Assistants at Disney) but I was surprised to find out that if you have or plan to have an Annual Passport, they can't help with that), I didn't think of it at the time but I guess I still could have used a TA and just upgraded my tickets after arriving although the Annual Passport does give certain before arrival benefits.

PS
After posting this I just went over to my Disney site and low and behold they have the Sun and Fun package at 30% off during Sept and a few other select dates!

While there are a lot of different discounts for the hotels, it's very rare to see them if ever for Fort Wilderness. I periodically check the Disney website for discounts for our resort stays and never seen one that included the Fort.

Dan

Yep, your right...very seldom do you see discounts but as I added above check out the "Sun and Fun" package/deal listed on their WEB site now. 20-30% off for booking sites in two different blocks of dates. I checked out Sept and Full Hook up sites were in the Average 65.00 range, my 14 days came out to 950-960 +/-. No I didn't book but I was tempted.

[Hammerboy]

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
A related question....a few years back I happened upon the Disney site and found discounted rates at the Fort for a particular set on time. I was lucky and made reservations saving, as I recall 30% during a Sept/Oct time frame. (made those reservations probably 10 months before). I ended up having to cancel and I have yet to hit the WEB site again at the right time sooo, is there anyway to be notified when Disney is offering discounts? On some of the Disney Forums, they talk about discounts every year but no one seems to know when they appear.


I know about the TA's (Travel Assistants at Disney) but I was surprised to find out that if you have or plan to have an Annual Passport, they can't help with that), I didn't think of it at the time but I guess I still could have used a TA and just upgraded my tickets after arriving although the Annual Passport does give certain before arrival benefits.

PS
After posting this I just went over to my Disney site and low and behold they have the Sun and Fun package at 30% off during Sept and a few other select dates!

While there are a lot of different discounts for the hotels, it's very rare to see them if ever for Fort Wilderness. I periodically check the Disney website for discounts for our resort stays and never seen one that included the Fort.

Dan

[Acampingwewillg]

A related question....a few years back I happened upon the Disney site and found discounted rates at the Fort for a particular set on time. I was lucky and made reservations saving, as I recall 30% during a Sept/Oct time frame. (made those reservations probably 10 months before). I ended up having to cancel and I have yet to hit the WEB site again at the right time sooo, is there anyway to be notified when Disney is offering discounts? On some of the Disney Forums, they talk about discounts every year but no one seems to know when they appear.


I know about the TA's (Travel Assistants at Disney) but I was surprised to find out that if you have or plan to have an Annual Passport, they can't help with that), I didn't think of it at the time but I guess I still could have used a TA and just upgraded my tickets after arriving although the Annual Passport does give certain before arrival benefits.

PS
After posting this I just went over to my Disney site and low and behold they have the Sun and Fun package at 30% off during Sept and a few other select dates!

[RGar974417]

We stayed in the 400 loop. You could walk to the landing,store,the dog park,Hoop De Doo Review,the pool and Chip and Dale show.

[ependydad]

kfp673 wrote:
One more thing. If/when I do get a site is it worth while to go preferred or even premium when they are available? We typically like quiet areas further away which I understand is actually the standard full hookup sites, but being closer to the pool etc with a nice large site is not bad either. Thoughts? Thanks again!

I talk about the site differences here:
http://learntorv.com/camping-at-disney-world-fort-wilderness/

I find the Full hookup sites to lack the most privacy between the sites though the sites themselves can be spaced a little wider from each other. The entry to the sites themselves can be a little more narrow.

Preferred sites generally have the same size paved pads as the full hookup sites but are on older campground loops. This means that parking can be trickier. But Preferred sites are closer to the marina and Disney's boat transportation.

Premium sites are usually wider and deeper than Preferred + Full hookup. Plus, their picnic tables are nicer (4 sided and square) but table clothes don't fit them as well. The entry to the sites are also flared out making backing into them easier. Privacy between sites is better than Full hookup but there are some where it's died off a bit.

My favorite loop is 800 when I'm on the outside. I try to get spots where I don't have people camped behind me.

For me, it's worth the extra cost to be on a Premium spot. Not for the location as I could careless about being close to campground amenities but I like the sites themselves better.

Here's a walk-through of our most recent campspot. It's been my favorite so far:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJGwDv_gVyM

[kfp673]

One more thing. If/when I do get a site is it worth while to go preferred or even premium when they are available? We typically like quiet areas further away which I understand is actually the standard full hookup sites, but being closer to the pool etc with a nice large site is not bad either. Thoughts? Thanks again!

[kfp673]

Thanks all. Didnt think a travel agent was needed for a campground but it sounds like many of you have good experience going this way. Will give it a shote!

[reelcamper1]

We had the same problem trying to book for 10/18. I looked every morning & got the site we needed! When we arrived, they tried to get us to take a non-premium site because they overbooked!(Premium sites were never available during our time frame online!) You may have to move sites during your stay? GOOD LUCK

[ACZL]

We called about this time last year and spoke w/ a WDW agent and she gave us many suggestions and really didn't have a problem getting in. Course we went in 1st week of Aug but not sure if that had any bearing or not. CG was full while we were there. But like what others have said, call directly to WDW.