Disney upgrades Fort Wilderness Campground

[grmpy]

Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer August 25, 2008 Roughing it is not what it used to be, especially at Walt Disney World's Fort Wilderness Campground.

Disney is quietly undertaking its broadest campground-improvements program in two decades, adding extra-extra-large camper pads for recreational vehicles, cable-TV and Internet service throughout, Segway scooter tours, a mini-water park, a dog park, and an improved electric-cart rental operation.

The program also is taking aim at invasive plant species such as potato vines, replacing such vegetation with fresh native plantings.

"The fort is a treasure at Walt Disney World. There really is so much history with the success of Walt Disney World that stems back to Fort Wilderness," said Jean Gallagher, general manager of both Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort Campground. "And because of the nature of this property, and the theming, we really haven't done a lot of changes. ... We have not made a lot of investment from a site perspective in the 37 years we've been open. So this opportunity to meet what our guests are asking for, and how the industry has changed, this is more than we could expect."


Disney installed TV and Internet cable to select areas several years ago, and created three Wi-Fi hot spots. But now, Gallagher said, "What we are seeing is, everyone has a computer when they come here."

Never mind the people who cannot leave work behind, even in a campground, and feel a constant need to check e-mail, news and market updates on a regular basis. For today's teens and pre-teens, roughing it without the Internet is often going too far. That's why even veteran campers like Matthew McKown, 15, and his sisters Caroline, 13, and Nicole, 10, from Charleston, S.C., all said they missed having an Internet connection during their latest stay at Fort Wilderness a couple weeks ago, and look forward to having it next year. Their father, Phillip McKown, however, was less interested in the cable and Internet connections, still preferring to keep some semblance of being able to get away from the real world.

"It adds to the experience, camping here," he said. "It's like camping and you get to go to the parks. Going to a hotel room is just like going to a hotel room."

Linda Profaizer, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds, praised Disney's efforts to upgrade Fort Wilderness, saying her recent visits had told her it was time for some updating.

"It's a great property, but the sites are older," Profaizer said.

In particular, she said, campers' appetite for Internet service and cable TV has been growing for several years.

"All the parks do that today; it's very much a required service. It's a great thing to do," Profaizer said.

Do TV and Internet hookups at every campsite detract from a desire to get away from it all?

"Sadly, here's the deal," Profaizer said: "People want to be connected no matter what. You have to offer what the people expect."

Disney is also catching up with the trend toward larger RVs. The rolling vacation homes, which now often exceed 40 feet in length, have become wider in recent years, too, thanks to the popularity of "slide outs," those room extensions that pull out from the sides when the vehicle is parked.

For that reason, Disney is creating areas with what it calls "premium campsites," which will include much larger paved pads plus upgraded amenities such as grills and picnic tables. Those sites will cost $66 to $116 a night, depending on the season and day of the week.

Disney also is adding a themed water-slide and splash-zone attraction to The Meadows area pool. Fort Wilderness abuts River Country, Disney World's original water park, which closed a few years ago. Now designers and engineers are looking over what's left of that park, and they're thinking about moving and recycling the park's signature water tower to the Fort Wilderness pool and building a slide into it.

The Fort Wilderness overhaul comes as the industry wonders about what near-record-high gas prices will do to RV camping.

"For years we've been telling everybody you have to expand your sites because the industry is building the larger RVs in larger numbers. Now with the gas situation, we're wondering," Profaizer said. "We're wondering, No.1, will the manufacturers continue to build the big units? And two, the consumer, is that what people will still be wanting?"

For now, she said, the question is moot. There are plenty of house-size RVs on the road, so campgrounds need to accommodate them.

Disney does not release occupancy numbers for its individual resorts. But while Fort Wilderness seems as vulnerable as any resort to consumers' reactions to gas prices, the campground appeared to be holding its own, at least last year, according to remarks made by Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger during an earnings call last fall.

"We have a big RV park in Orlando, and I would think that they would be hit the hardest, because it's pretty expensive to fill up a tank in one of those babies," Iger told investors. Yet "those parks have been completely full. And there's demand going forward from a bookings perspective."

[casey@bat]

Wow! I can't wait for a slide at the Meadows Pool! I wonder when it will be completed! I guess they are just talking about it right now. We are going next summer so I hope they hurry!

Thanks for the info grmpy!

[medic9016]

The rumor for pool rehab is to start in Jan 09. I have seen pictures of the rehab of the camping loops on another board, that schedule has already changed as they got behind.

[Melanie]

Here's another article:

Disney World upgrades campground


ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Walt Disney World says it's starting a large-scale renovation of its Fort Wilderness Campground in Florida, improving its Internet and cable television access.

The campground upgrade will also feature new "extra-extra-large" recreational vehicle pads, Segway scooter tours, a mini-water park, a dog park and an improved electric-cart rental operation, the Orlando Sentinel reported Monday.

"The fort is a treasure at Walt Disney World," Jean Gallagher, general manager of both Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort Campground, told the Sentinel. "There really is so much history with the success of Walt Disney World that stems back to Fort Wilderness. And because of the nature of this property, and the theming, we really haven't done a lot of changes."

That's now going to change, she added, saying Disney is responding to requests by guests for improvements. Gallagher said Disney installed TV and Internet cable into some parts of the campground previously, but that's not enough in an era when everyone arrives with a computer, she said.

"It's a great property, but the sites are older," Linda Profaizer, president and chief executive of the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds, told the newspaper.

[SFTrny]

We LOVE Fort Wilderness and love anything that improves it. But, at the same time...the FW crowd is special and we hope that we keep the rustic, remote feeling of this unique Disney community.

[Figaro]

Wow. I've known about the renovations for a long time now since I worked at the Meadows Pool, but to move the water tower from WC would be something. I'm excited to see how this all comes together. They were already in the beginning of renovating the grounds when I left, I look forward to seeing it when I get back!

[ibrowse17]

Very cool, though I am not sure about a huge water tower in the middle of FW. I can not wait to see how they make FW a better place

[jonahbear2006]

YaY! I want to go Camping!!! I can't wait to go back to Disney'S FW next year and camp. I will have to talk Dh into going again next year so we can check this place out!

[Mackflava99]

I guess they are re-opening river country?

a mini water park?

[iceicebritney]

Re-opening River Country sounds like a Fabulous idea!!!! I'm all for that! When will the renovations be complete?
When can we camp?!?!

[joonyer]

I don't think they have any intentions of re-opening River Country. What the article mentioned was moving the old water tower from River Country to the newly renovated meadows pool area at FW and using it to support a new Water slide.

"Disney also is adding a themed water-slide and splash-zone attraction to The Meadows area pool. Fort Wilderness abuts River Country, Disney World's original water park, which closed a few years ago. Now designers and engineers are looking over what's left of that park, and they're thinking about moving and recycling the park's signature water tower to the Fort Wilderness pool and building a slide into it."

[SFTrny]

I didn't get the sense that there was any consideration of re-opening River Country. We aren't big on the pools, but FW pools have traditionally been weak in comparison to what you find at the other resorts. Seems to be a great idea to recycle some of the water park elements that are already themed properly for FW. I am hoping that will start the ball rolling to clear out the rest of River County and open the door to creating another experience, walking trail, or something new between FW and WL. If only we could drive our golf carts to WL!

[CaptSmee]

We Want River Country!!!

[ShanPooh]

If they could rebuild the tube ride that cascaded down the hill into the lake and the slides that dropped into the pool I'd be one happy camper

[hokies4life]

Any ideas on what the "improved electric-cart rental system" is? We always get one when we're there.

[RocklandRVers]

I am so happy that Disney has made a commitment to FtW. Its a great campground already, but could definitely use some sprucing up and the upgrades noted in the article should add more icing to the cake.

My only disappointment last February was the massive cutting down of the foliage in the loops that made the place look naked and the sites less private feeling. I do understand that there was a need to try and eliminate the fire hazard and that eventually new plantings will grow in, but it was the initial shock of seeing it all at once that got to us. As we read in the articles though it may have been necessary to enlarge the sites and run wires for cable TV, etc. It would be so cool to have cable at our 1900 loop site in December (assuming our request is granted).

[Figaro]

Any ideas on what the "improved electric-cart rental system" is? We always get one when we're there.

I'm not sure how much information has been released to the public about this, otherwise I'd spill, but it's going to make it a lot easier on guests to get their carts at all hours of the day. It wont effect any guests in a negative way.

[SFTrny]

Do we know how soon the cart rental changes are going to be in effect? We are going in late November.

[Figaro]

It shouldn't affect operations any really as far as I know. As soon as November, I don't think so, but it's been a couple of months since I've worked at Disney and been at the Bike Barn. They might possibly be just settling into the changes or in the process of it. It shouldn't really affect any guests.

[MrsAndre]

Wow - this will probably be our 2011 destination now! The lack of themed pool facilities is what's kept us away from the campgrounds so far. But between the location, "mini-water park" and price (I know, it's gonna go up) this seems like the obvious place for our tribe of 6.
I wonder how much the rates will increase? I hope they don't rival the cost of the Villas.