If you saw one of my recent posts, you would have seen that our family is starting to dip our toe into the world of camping. (This is a big step for someone who squeals and runs away whenever a bug is near.)
Because of this I have become obsessed with Walt Disney Resort’s Fort Wilderness and the prospect of camping there sometime. So now seemed like the best time to take a little more in-depth look at the resort and what it means for your Mousekatot.
History
The resort opened in November 1971, a little more than a month after the opening of the Contemporary Resort and Polynesian Village.
It is considered in the Magic Kingdom Resort loop and is adjacent to Bay Lake, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and the abandoned waterpark, River Country.
The Feel of the Resort
The resort is designed with a rustic feel in mind. It is so expansive it has its own internal bus system to take you to various spots inside of the resort.
The resort has three major ways of staying on property.
The first is tent camping. People can bring their own supplies and tent and pitch it right on property. But this is still not completely roughing it. Each campsite comes equipped with a sandy area for the tent, a concrete pad for a car, water and hose and electricity.
The second option is for people who have RV or trailer campers. Disney allows people to choose from a variety of options for this campsite including complete hookups or none. For those who want to stay in an RV, but don’t own one, there are a few companies that will rent you one for the week and have it ready and waiting for your arrival.
The third option is to rent a cabin. Disney offers adorable cabins that are perfect for larger families. They come equipped with a complete kitchen and gas grill.
Dining Options
Fort Wilderness is host of some of the most popular dining options within the resort including two different dinner shows, Mickey’s Backyard BBQ and Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review. This is also home of the Trails End Restaurant.
Your little Mousekatot would love to attend Mickey’s Backyard BBQ and meet with Mickey and some of his pals at this special character breakfast. This dining experience requires two table service credits if you are on the dining plan.
Also, if your Mousekatot is on the loud side and you are concerned about them being too noisy at a restaurant, Trails End is the perfect place. For those that want to get in on the act, the meal is almost a show in itself that requires loud and silly audience participation.
There are several options that make Fort Wilderness a perfect fit for a family with a younger child.
The first is the Campfire Sing-Along with Chip ‘n’ Dale where a wonderful cast member leads an old fashioned campfire sing-along, complete with s’mores, that include a special appearance with the two world famous chipmunks. Following the sing-along there is a movie shown on a screen under the stars.
While this event is free to anyone, it is a lot more convient to attend if you are already staying on the property.
Also, you will want to head to the fort’s beach and look out for the Electric Water Pageant that takes place on Bay Lake.
There are also two playgrounds, for your tot to burn out some energy, and two swimming pools. In addition, there are recreation activities that might be found at traditional campgrounds including fishing, horseback riding, canoes, kayaks, bikes and more.
One of the things that makes the resort so special is that people really go all out to decorate their site around the holidays. It is pretty common place to see intricate Halloween and Christmas decorations around the campsite.
The best way to take it all in is to rent a golf cart ($62 per day) and drive around to see all the different displays at night.
Would you ever consider camping at Walt Disney Resort? Leave your response in the comments below.
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