Newbie needing reassurance...

[doin_disney2010]

Hi everyone...I have been reading the boards a long time and finally decided to get my feet we so to speak and make a post. We are planning our 5th trip to disney for the end of next year, and I could use a little advice. We love disney and have stayed at the FW cabins and the Values. Next year my little one will be 3 making us a family of 5 and thus narrowing down our options of on site accomadations. We love POP, but 2 rooms can get expensive especially if we like to continue going on a regular basis. So yesterday DH says why don't we just take the camping gear and pitch a tent....we have talked about this in the past, but a room at POP is usually not a lot more expensive and besides we have always flown making it hard to get the gear down. Staring this year however we are driving and after crunching the numbers we can do it much cheaperThan ony rooms we have priced onsite, even if we eat most every meal out...We have camped before and enjoyed it but never for more than 3 or 4 days at a time. How is it living out of tents and comfort stations for 6 or 7 days? I really love Disney and DH says we will never know till we try, so I was hoping to hear from some of you who have done it. How was it? Anything anyone has to offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for all repies

[BluewaterBrad]

I have never "camped" at WDW. so I can't give you any advice. Your husband is right though. You never know until you try. Hopefully someone will come along and share their camp experiences. Good luck, and WELCOME!! The people here are pretty cool and help out a lot!!

[faline]

Welcome to Intercot! Glad you decided to officially join!

We started camping a number of years ago (even though it has now been a number of years since we last camped)! Our first 2-3 trips to Disney were driving and tent camping trips and a couple of those stretched for two entire weeks.

Camping at Disney didn't feel like "real" camping to us as we never cooked at our campsite and, instead, ate all of our meals out. Mostly, our tent was a place for us to sleep. We had no problem utilizing the rest rooms and showers which we found to be very clean with roomy showers. For longer trips, we did laundry about half-way through and, again, the laundry facilities worked very well.

Our tent camping trips were in October and May which worked well as we weren't too hot or too cold. I don't think I'd want to do a tent camping trip in mid-July though!

[Maxwell]

Question #1: Do you like camping?

Question #2: Do you like WDW?

If you can answer "yes" to both of those, then GO FOR IT! The great thing about WDW is that there isn't any one ideal vacation. I think that this is a great idea....and camping at FW is nothing like a trek into the woods at any other campground. You really will have a lot of amenities at your disposal. Use the savings and spring for a golf cart! If you get tired of the tent...spend an evening touring the top end resorts...maybe romaing the monorail loop! Have a high-end night roaming the Boardwalk and crash in the tent at the end of the night. Besides...if things go wrong, you'll have fun years later at another WDW resort rolling your eyes and saying "WOW, remember that year that we spent the whole week in a tent at FW and the armadillos stole our car?"

[Jll3Sonex]

We went camping in July - and it was great!

Well, for certain values of 'great'... Of course it was hot, but then Florida in the summer is not known for its temperate climate, right?

First off - we have a popup with an air conditioner, plumbing, and two king beds for the three of us. 5, depending on the sizes, might be a bit cramped. But there were NO problems at all as far as the campsite was concerned. Power was good, water was good, and the site was the most level we've EVER set up on. Insects weren't a problem, either.

The comfort stations are also the best and cleanest we've ever seen. The ONLY problem we saw was with the ice machines at the comfort stations - the cost was very high for the amount of ice you didn't get. The stores have a much better deal on bags of ice.

BTW, just a thought - if you go camping during the summer, you could get a cheap window air conditioner, and if you're creative with the box it comes in, a hobby knife, some duct tape, and some flex ducting - you could probably air condition both tents without any problems at all. Don't think I'd get a big one, just one to provide SOME cooling instead of getting it to Arctic levels...

That'd help if you do Early and Late Extra Magic Hours, too - as the slight hum from the air conditioning would make nap time during the day much more pleasant...

[TinaAndGlenn]

Camping at Disney is like camping nowhere else! If you are well prepared, you will enjoy the freedom staying at the campgrounds will allow you and your family. Don't forget about Trails End for a nice dinner out, and the nightly campfire program. You will enjoy the sights, sounds and 'smells' of the campground. Have a great time planning!

[doin_disney2010]

Thanks so much for all of your replies. I am beginning to warm up to the idea of "roughing it" at the Fort. My boys are especially looking forward to it. Now on to the planning...I know I will have lots of questions, it's nice to have a place to ask them with great folks who know so much about disney.

[kathiep]

Great thread, thanks for starting it. We loved our first stay at FW (cabins) this summer and have been tossing the tent idea around a bit.

[jonahbear2006]

we are a family of 6 and have camped in a tent at wdw for 8 nights and then again for 4 nights, in reverse order actually. It is fantastic. first time was w a 7mth old. 2nd time he was a year and a half so we didnt have to take the playpen and we learned a few tricks. I take an area rug and roll it up and stick it under the kids feet in the car. Their legs have a resting spot during the trip and then a place to play on the tent floor that is much more comfortable. We bring a few lights, real end table lights, small, and hook them up and leave one on so when we return its not dark. This also allows for us to do things at night much easier. We packed our clothes in plastic drawers last time and it made it possible for us not to dig and we actually used them as a dresser in the tent. it was very cozy and we had purchased a two room cabin tent so it is very large. There was room for us to all have our airbeds and still some play room left. remember to use creativity in the option of having the electricity on the campsite. If you bring a laptop, you will have a place to play a dvd in the tent for the kids, at night. We always brought snacks back to the tent and ate them in there at night and was a calming treat before bed. It was most definitely the best camping experience ever and this campground has sooo much to offer... Again with electricity, you can bring a small microwave and a cool edge grill and make your cooking very easy for yourself! We LOVE the campground for many reasons, we have a big family so it's affordable, its prime location, it has a sandy beach that only comes with some of the upper end resorts, our car is RIGHT there (no walking to get to it), there are activities for the children, the pool is amazing, and now it has a hot tub which again is something you have to shop for in a resort at disney cause some don't have them. Its perfect for us and is definitely our home resort!

[BigRedDad]

This is making me think of getting an annual pass and driving down in October next year for the Halloween party I am missing by going in March.

I use to camp all the time. I grew up in Fort Wilderness in the 70s (remember those foam railroad rocks you could get?). I may have to see what WDW can do with the 4+3 free to upgrade the tickets to AP.

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

Well camping is not always the cheapest option. Well it wasnt for us anyway. The quote im going to post here is just general numbers we got when looking at options. Look at yours very close. This also does not include driving fuel costs or anything with travel just the cost once we got there.
We originally planned on going to the fort May 2010

10 nights 11 days at the fort. Park hopper pass and buying food package. was approx $4700. We also looked at staying at ASMu for christmas. Dec 14 to the 27 this year. It turned out to be $3100. This also included FREE MEAL package as long as we arrived before Dec 17th. The hotel room may have been more expencive but the over all price was cheaper because of free food. We decided to leave the TT at home and go down this christmas. Now they have the buy 4 day get 3 free. Look at all options before you just jump into camping. Its not always cheapest. Oh the free food package doesnt ever get offered at the campground.

[passholderryan]

My wife had never camped until she met me and tried it for the first time at FW. I can tell you this, camping at FW is unlike camping anywhere else. Once you camp here, you won't want to camp anywhere else. My wife would rather camp then stay at any of the other on site resorts. Strange huh???? But she likes that we can bring the bikes and enjoy the fresh air.
I'll say this, when we camp it is pretty cheesy. I set up the site, but my wife takes care of the inside. She sets it up like a home. We use a queen size blow up bed, she brings a TV and tables. The big thing you will need, depending on when you go, is a window A/C or heater. We got our A/C for about 80 bucks, but we needed it for the number of hurricance that role through South Florida. But lately, we've only used it at Disney. We've gone in the middle of summer, where your tent will reach 120 plus degrees inside. An A/C will cool it to 60 in about two minutes. The bikes are great for getting around the property, but the bus is pretty easy. If i have the choice of camping at FW or staying at a Value, I would camp.

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

I agree about the fort. We rate all other campgrounds to the fort. With the fort being a solid 10. Nothing else we have camped at go past a 8 in comparasion.

[jonahbear2006]

Ive never thought that the campground was anything but the cheapest. We play with the website till we get the 43 a night rate and that is the week we go. Nothing cheaper than that. We need two rooms, though, too...we set up the tent like home and gotta remember to leave your tent windows open at night, if you shut windows on your tent, even in the cold, you actually make the tent wet and you can get colder and then when day comes your tent is blazing cause you have created a sauna with that moisture. Beyond the campground being a little cheaper you have to account for travel time in costs cause your time is money. It is fantastic location and even with a rate of $56 a night at a value, you cant pay me the extra money to stay there instead bc of travel time.

To touch on what was said about the free dining package, I was under the impression that the free dining is never offered with campsites; that you must buy a hotel room to get this offer.