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View Full Version : So many questions for my first time at the fort!



Coccinelle
01-13-2009, 08:47 AM
Hi all!
I have a couple of questions so i can get really ready to leave for my dream vacation to Fort Wilderness. I hope you can answer some of them and i appreciate your help so much!
-The laundry machine and the dryers....how much it cost and what type of money should i bring to make it work ???
-Do they sell the inexpensive foam coolers??? Dont know if i am using the right word. The thing that you can put your food in with ice....sorry!!!!
-If we buy things in the parks, can we have them send to the campground as they do for the hotels???
-How long in the night are the bus around the campground??? We will be arriving at the airport at midnight (yes, the camping equipment will be in our luggages!)...then to the campground with the magical express....then...what???? How do we get to our camp site????

Again, thank you for your help!!! We are so happy to finally go!!!!

ibrowse17
01-13-2009, 09:27 AM
You will love FW!!

As for the washers, I don't recall how much for a load. I always bring 3 quarter rolls for the wash, but never use them all.

They sell a limited amount of things in the Trading Posts, but I do not think a cooler of any type is one of them.

They will send item from the parts to FW. They will be sent to the Meadows Trading Post, not your site.

The internal buses run as late as 2AM, so I would not worry to much about that. I just hope you do not have to set up camp that late! Have a great trip!

Coccinelle
01-13-2009, 09:39 AM
Thank you very much for your answers, they will be very usefull...and yes, we will have to set up camp that late ! Fortunately, it is not our firts time with this tent so i think it will be fine and fast...just hope it wont be raining...And the kids already know that it will be late and that the other campers will be at sleep and they will be very quiet...they want to see Mickey !!!! ;O)

ibrowse17
01-13-2009, 09:46 AM
Very nice! Have you requested a loop to stay on? We love the 2000 loop for tent and pop up camping. It also has two comfort stations, which means you will not be far from one no matter where your site is.:thumbsup:

Coccinelle
01-13-2009, 09:52 AM
I did not ask for a particular loop (there was not so many camp sites left so i was just so happy that we had one anywhere!!!!!!) , just that it is a two way camp site, and i asked our travel agent to ad that we would like to be close to the restrooms.

Goofeygal
01-13-2009, 10:56 AM
Hve a great time we will be in Fort wilderness April 22 so maybe we will see you there.:mickey::number1:

Coccinelle
01-13-2009, 03:05 PM
Hve a great time we will be in Fort wilderness April 22 so maybe we will see you there.:mickey::number1:

Thanks! Have a nice trip too! And maybe we will be able to say hello at the campground!!

Laughin' place
01-16-2009, 01:28 PM
Here are some MUST DO's , if you have the time. I have stayed at the Fort many times, from the time I was seven, to my recent trip (at 42!)
Try to see a movie with Chip and Dale: there will be a campfire, marshmallow roast, a Disney Classic movie, and my two favorite Chipmunks
Have a buffet meal at Trails End, many consider this one of the best meals for your money anywhere in WDW
Have the kids play on one of the fort/playgrounds -- they will remember this fondly forever
Hoop De Doo is great -- but your kids seem a little young, you may want to pass on it this time
Backyard BBQ - went several years ago, and it was my ONLY bad WDW experience. It may have improved ( it couldnt have gotten worse).
See the Electric Water Pagaent from the beach !!
Take a bus ride around the campground at night -- see the sites, the Trading Posts, and the variety of trailers, tents, etc
Have a great time !! Wish we were there !:mickey:

Coccinelle
01-16-2009, 03:07 PM
Thank you for the ''must do'' !
We are planning to go to the camp fire of course! When we choose the campground it was because the hotels were too expensive...but when i look at everything there is to do at the campground, i would not change for any hotel!!! The electrical pagent is also something i want to do, it look beautiful. I did not know there is a playground at the campground...the kids will be very happy !!!!! And for the bus ride around the campground at night...our plane arrive at the Orlando airport at midnight....so i thing we have that part covered!!!:laughing:

teambricker04
01-16-2009, 11:35 PM
-The laundry machine and the dryers....how much it cost and what type of money should i bring to make it work ??? $2 to wash, $2 to dry, but we almost always have to run the dryer a bit longer.
-Do they sell the inexpensive foam coolers??? I didn't see any, but that doesn't mean they don't have them!!! Walmart isn't too far away and I know my parents picked one up at a nearby grocery store.
-If we buy things in the parks, can we have them send to the campground as they do for the hotels??? Yes.
-How long in the night are the bus around the campground??? We will be arriving at the airport at midnight (yes, the camping equipment will be in our luggages!)...then to the campground with the magical express....then...what???? How do we get to our camp site???? That I am not sure about. The buses run for a long time, if not all night. I am sure they can get you to where you need to go. As for ME, I would pick it up at the baggage claim to ensure that you have it when you get there. You could be waiting up to 4 hours.

Good luck planning! Hope the answers help!!!

Coccinelle
01-17-2009, 09:11 AM
-The laundry machine and the dryers....how much it cost and what type of money should i bring to make it work ??? $2 to wash, $2 to dry, but we almost always have to run the dryer a bit longer.
-Do they sell the inexpensive foam coolers??? I didn't see any, but that doesn't mean they don't have them!!! Walmart isn't too far away and I know my parents picked one up at a nearby grocery store.
-If we buy things in the parks, can we have them send to the campground as they do for the hotels??? Yes.
-How long in the night are the bus around the campground??? We will be arriving at the airport at midnight (yes, the camping equipment will be in our luggages!)...then to the campground with the magical express....then...what???? How do we get to our camp site???? That I am not sure about. The buses run for a long time, if not all night. I am sure they can get you to where you need to go. As for ME, I would pick it up at the baggage claim to ensure that you have it when you get there. You could be waiting up to 4 hours.

Good luck planning! Hope the answers help!!!

Thank you very much !!!!!!
I am practicing to make everything fit in the least number of suitcase i can, we are flying with United but not considered international flight so we have to pay for each checked suitcase. And that we will have to cary thoses suitcases around because i want my camping equipment with me so i can set up the camp and sleep a little bit before the morning! And i am also trying to sleep at night since monday is the day to make my restaurant reservations!!! For the cooler and the food, i think we will try gardengrocer for some delivery.

Again, thank you every one for your help!:thumbsup:

jonahbear2006
01-17-2009, 09:46 PM
I don't think you will have many concerns once you get there. Disney will take care of you. The laundry, last I did it there I think it was $2.00 for each machine; 8 quarters in each slot. There is a soda vending machine in there, too, so you have something to drink. Just remember that it gets somewhat dewy in the morning, so to sleep with your windows open. When you sleep with the tent all closed up your body heat can't escape. It makes the tent cold and also soaks your tent. It will stay dry if you crack all the windows a bit. and Zip them up to the top. We had a kid zip to the bottom one day and we had a stork, there were about 18 of them that liked to hang around our loop, open our tent. they didnt get in it, but just best to double check that it gets zipped up high. Don't forget your electrical cords!!

teambricker04
01-18-2009, 12:28 AM
Thank you very much !!!!!!
I am practicing to make everything fit in the least number of suitcase i can, we are flying with United but not considered international flight so we have to pay for each checked suitcase. And that we will have to cary thoses suitcases around because i want my camping equipment with me so i can set up the camp and sleep a little bit before the morning! And i am also trying to sleep at night since monday is the day to make my restaurant reservations!!! For the cooler and the food, i think we will try gardengrocer for some delivery.

Again, thank you every one for your help!:thumbsup:

You should consider sending some things down ahead of time via fex ex or ups. We did this last May for some incidentals and it was actually cheaper than bringing another bag with us plus less hassel of carrying it and worrying about DME. You can send it ahead of time and make sure that it gets there. Then if you have clothes and things to come DME, but your tent and such is already there you won't have to wait.

We flew United this last week. Usually we are pretty happy with them, but they were real sticklers leaving MCO... and very unhappy people. Leaving Denver they were much more flexible and accomidating.

Coccinelle
01-18-2009, 10:31 AM
I don't think you will have many concerns once you get there. Disney will take care of you. The laundry, last I did it there I think it was $2.00 for each machine; 8 quarters in each slot. There is a soda vending machine in there, too, so you have something to drink. Just remember that it gets somewhat dewy in the morning, so to sleep with your windows open. When you sleep with the tent all closed up your body heat can't escape. It makes the tent cold and also soaks your tent. It will stay dry if you crack all the windows a bit. and Zip them up to the top. We had a kid zip to the bottom one day and we had a stork, there were about 18 of them that liked to hang around our loop, open our tent. they didnt get in it, but just best to double check that it gets zipped up high. Don't forget your electrical cords!!

Thanks! I will remember to zip !!!:stork:

Coccinelle
01-18-2009, 10:37 AM
You should consider sending some things down ahead of time via fex ex or ups. We did this last May for some incidentals and it was actually cheaper than bringing another bag with us plus less hassel of carrying it and worrying about DME. You can send it ahead of time and make sure that it gets there. Then if you have clothes and things to come DME, but your tent and such is already there you won't have to wait.

We flew United this last week. Usually we are pretty happy with them, but they were real sticklers leaving MCO... and very unhappy people. Leaving Denver they were much more flexible and accomidating.


Thanks! I will look for the shipping just in case!
Just one night left before ADR !!!!!!

ILive4Disney
01-18-2009, 10:42 AM
I have seen good size styrofoam coolers at FW and also at WL (just a short boat ride)...Have a great time!! :mickey:

Coccinelle
01-19-2009, 09:09 AM
...Have a great time!! :mickey:
Thanks!

Minnie's Northern Friend
01-22-2009, 07:42 PM
Thank you very much !!!!!!
I am practicing to make everything fit in the least number of suitcase i can,


Head over to Walmart and get something called space savers--- they are ziplock bags that you can **** the air out of them with a vacuum... THey are great for packing--- We got 4 kids in one suitcase using them!!!

Coccinelle
01-22-2009, 07:52 PM
I wish i could put the tent in one of theses vacuum bags! ;O)