RV Rental?

We are almost definitely planning our first "camping" experience for this summer, and Disney is the only place that I can even start to think about trying such a thing.

We know we're going to rent an RV, but now I found out that they can be rented from a company that basically delivers them to FW. It'd save the cost of the rental and additional miles that we'd need on the drive from Chicago, and I wouldn't be behind the wheel of the behemoth!

Are there any Intercot sponsors that we should consider? Any experience in renting an RV in Florida? Or renting one and making The Drive?

All advice accepted!

:mickey:

I'm not aware of a sponsor that handles such rentals. I do know there are companies in the Disney World area that will, as you say, deliver the RV and set it up for you on-site at Disney. You might search the camping forum as this topic has been discussed in the past. You might also google for companies in the area that do this.

I'd suggest comparing costs for such a rental with staying in one of the cabins at Fort Wilderness.

Good luck!

I have heard of this company and here is the link. they are on Youtube as well showing how they hook everything up. link removed[/url]

Its a great idea if you dont want the hassle of driving a big RV down. :mickey:

I'm assuming you are talking about an RV unit with a motor - either a Class A, looks sorta like a bus, or a Class C, which looks like a pickup truck with camper, but it's all one unit. There is also a Class B, which is basically a van set up with a convertible bed and miniscule bathroom facilities.

A major thing to consider in your almost definite planning is how large is your family? Most of the Class As and Class Bs are not very family friendly - don't sleep many, tho we did meet a family of 4 (two were teenage boys) at Arches Nat'l Park who had been traveling full time in a Class B. Talk about togetherness! The Class As are usually long on room and short on actual beds.

Class Cs, especially the larger ones, have a bedroom as well as sleeping over the cab. Smaller ones don't have the bedroom but do have a dining area that makes into a sleeping area.

As faline mentioned, check into the costs of the Wilderness Home as opposed to renting the RV. Especially from Chicago. If you're still interested in actually staying in an RV (and why not, I say :D ), it may be very worthwhile not to drive the behemoth, as you say, from Chicago. Some folks do travel as fast with their RVs as they do without, but I'm not one of them.

Short trips to local campgrounds with a new behemoth is a much better way to break into camping.

But, there isn't much better camping than at Fort Wilderness, in my experience.

If you're looking to get into camping, have one delivered and set up (leveled, hooked to electric, water, and sewer) at FW and see how you like that experience. Be sure to read whatever intructions on systems that come with the rental. Then if you want to get your own rig, do the short camping around northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Lots of good places to go.

We did also, one trip, rent a travel trailer to stay in at FW. This is a towable trailer - no motor - which has more room inside. This particular one had a front bedroom, back bedroom, sleeper couch and I suppose a dining area that made into sleeping. We didn't need that. I called around to RV dealers around the central Florida area until I found one that would rent a trailer and set it up at FW. I think the dealer was in Plant City. The trailer was a display model.

We had our own travel trailer at FW that trip and used the rental for extended family. Next trip the extended family stayed in a Wilderness Home. DH says we're not hauling the travel trailer down to FW anymore for only a week's stay. We can drive down, trailer-less, in a day and a half but with the trailer, we like to take 3 days. But as I said, some RVers drive the same, camper or no.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Jan

Thank you SO much! We've narrowed it down for SURE to an Orlando based rental company. I'll check out the options and ask questions, I'm sure!

Now it's just the questions of whether we need preferred or premium sites; and if we're going to bring bikes or rent a golf cart (or both!)

My boys are SO fired up. The twins are 9, and we're letting the 14 year old bring a buddy so it'll be great for everyone.

Thanks for the input!!!

Enjoy your first camping trip! FWD is the best campground ever. We, 're campers but haven't made that drive in years due to high gas prices. Wise choice to rent one in the Orlando area. Havre fun!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DisnIse

Now it's just the questions of whether we need preferred or premium sites;

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We've camped in loop 800 and loop 1100 and enjoyed both. Especially loop 800 is near the pool and one of the trading posts. We merely requested to be near the Meadow Trading Post and got loop 800.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DisnIse

Now it's just the questions of if we're going to bring bikes or rent a golf cart (or both!)

My boys are SO fired up. The twins are 9, and we're letting the 14 year old bring a buddy so it'll be great for everyone.

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We have brought bikes - FW has LOTS of bike paths. They're so fun to utilize. We would ride our bikes to the Marina and dump 'em in the sand (along with a gazillion other bikes) while we got on the boat to Magic Kingdom. For busses to other parks, we would bring a chain and lock, when we'd bike to the Outpost bus stop area.

We did one trip rent a golf cart. Probably need to reserve ahead. They're not cheap, but neither are they plentiful. (There are off site cart rentals too.) The golf cart will only seat 4. We had at least 9 in our group, so the cart would take off with some folks while the rest of us would start walking until we met up with the cart coming back to get us.

Your kids would love the bike trails.

Jan

An inexpensive way to stay is in a large pop up. You can be in a partial site and have all the sounds of nature while there too, including the sounds of the boat horns! We love those. If you search pop up rentals fort wilderness campers, that should get you places. There are even themed campers rented there.