fort wilderness

[motherof4]

I am thinking of staying in the fort wilderness cabins for my vacation in August. I heard the cabins are so faraway that you need to rent golf carts to get to your cabin, is that true and also if you do is there a charge to rent one?

[btharvey]

We've never stayed in the Cabins, only in our trailer, which we stayed in close to the water. there are 'internal' busses that ply the roads, but you need to wait for them just like waiting for the park busses, so it can extend the trip a bit.

As I recall, the cabins are somewhat of a hike from anywhere, though you can rent bikes and carts. A cart might be a good idea, and they most definitely charge per day. I don't think they're that cheap, but they may be the most useful expense you get. Just one opinion, though.

[faline]

Have stayed in the campground a number of times - both to tent camp and in the cabins. The cabins are all located in the area that is closent to the entrance of the campground and away from Pioneer Hall, boat dock, and trading post. Typically, one needs to take an internal bus to transfer to another bus or boat to get to your final destination. I never minded doing so - it was just part of the trip - and never rented a golf cart. Many, however, would rather have the golf carts and do rent them though they are quite pricey. I believe you can get a rental from an external company for less than what Disney charges.

[Dopey's Girl]

I have stayed at the cabins 3 times and have never had a cart. They are all a hike from the boat landing or main bus stop, but they are pretty close to one of the internal stops, so we have never really felt that we needed one. The walk within the campground is so peaceful and pretty, that the walk was never really a problem, even after a long day at the parks.

The cabins are really a wonderful option. You have a bit more space to spread out, and since there are no neighbors right next door (like in a hotel room) you don't have to shush kids quite as much. Plus if you have younger ones who need a nap, you can put them in the bedroom and close the door, while the rest of the group can hang out in the living room.

[CU Tiger]

We have stayed at the cabins many times. You do not have to have a golf cart, but it does make your stay more enjoyable. A bike will work as well. Having a cart gives you the freedom to go when and where you want to. You have the ability to drive around FW and check out the camp sites and go to and from the pool without waiting on a bus. Not a must, but recommended!:thumbsup::mickey:

[Janmac]

At the resorts tab at the top of this page you can locate a map of Fort Wilderness. The map is a representation and not to scale but you will get some idea of how the resort is laid out.

There is about a five to ten minute walk from the campground entrance to the loops with the cabins. Think of the cabin loops as the resort buildings at other Disney resorts. At those resorts you walk out of your building and to the bus stop. Same as at the campground. The map shows the locations of the bus stops.

Those bus stops are for the internal bus system. Disney prefers that you use the bus system - instead of your car - if you are traveling within the campground, say to the Trading Post or Trail's End Restaurant or the the pool. The internal bus takes you to the bus stop for the parks - Epcot, AK or DHS. Or you can go to the Marina for a boat to the Magic Kingdom.

We have brought bikes, rented a golf cart, used the bus system and even walked. It's not over 10 minutes from loop 1100 to the restaurant. FW has lots of bike paths, so it's fun to get around by bike. And they can be rented, also.

We felt we were walking more at CBR than at FW. It was nice when we had the golf cart but they only hold 4 people and they are expensive. If we're lucky enough to stay at FW again, we'd probably either take the bus or bring bikes.

Jan

[A Big Kid]

Please discount any advise from those who have not stayed in the cabins.

Having stayed in them several times, they are NOT remote. You actually park you car right in front of your cabin.

So, traveling to a park is done by one of two options.
A) drive directly to the park
B) take an "internal bus" to the main bus stop, then catch a bus to the park of your choice.

You can rent a golf cart to make traveling to the main bus stop a little easier, but it is not a necessity. Walking from your cabin to Pioneer Hall or the Wilderness Lodge is probably not practical but the internal busses are used for that purpose.

[brownie]

This will make it a little easier: Fort Wilderness map (http://intercot.com/resorts/disney/maps/images/fwcg07sm.jpg).

[disneynarula]

Although I am not the OP I appreciate all the feedback. We are trying to decide between Art of Animation and the Cabins if we don't get the discount we hoped for in January at OKW.

Any thoughts?

Of course I would like to wait and get some reviews about Art of Animation once people have stayed there.

[joonyer]

By the way, Golf cart rental is about $60.00 per day. It was always hard for us to justify spending that much for a golf cart that would be parked most of the day, since we spend nearly all day in the parks. But if you plan on spending a lot of time in the campground, they can certainly be convenient, and fun for the kids to ride.

[Davy Crockett]

I've read through everyones comments and all are very good and insightful, but for those that have never stayed at FW please be aware you are not allowed to drive you cars / trucks except to enter (drive directly to your cabin or campsite) or to exit FW(leave your cabin or campsite) to go elsewhere. This is why they promote the internal busing system and it does work. They have "park rangers" that drive around 24/7 to ensure camper / guest safety and no driving. I can say with no hesitation that FW is one if not the nicest Camping resorts we've ever been to. I would recommend everyone to experience it at least once. :cap:

[cuteduck223]

We've stayed at the cabins a lot. We love them. It's great to hop on a boat to the MK. :)

My parents have gotten a golf cart every time they've gone for the past 15 years. They do like exploring the resort though, and enjoy just cruisin the campground a little.

We don't get a cart, and its usually a 2-3 minute walk to the internal bus, and those busses run constantly...I don't think we had more than a 3-5 minute wait for an internal bus.

[eandrsmom]

We stayed in a cabin last year. We did rent a golf cart, from an outside vendor, which was MUCH cheaper than Disney. I don't think it was absolutely necessary, but it was nice to drive it directly to the boat dock and have it parked and waiting at the end of the day. Tired little ones at midnight, weren't in the mood to wait for busses. We drove to the other parks in our car, since parking is free for resort guests. The nice thing is that you park right outside of your cabin, so you don't have to valet or self park in a distant lot. We liked the full size refrigerator and kitchen in the cabin. I'd stay there again if we could get a significant discount. I've recently discovered Bonnet Creek, so we're going to try them out. They're condos are significantly less expensive if you rent from an owner. Hopefully we won't be disappointed.

[slegrant]

We stay in the cabins all the time and we absolutley love them. We also rent a golf cart each time we are there as it makes our life so much easier. We love driving through the camping loops and exploring the resort. We love having the ability to leave our cabin to go to the pool, marina, bike barm (to rent canoe's) and Pioneer Hall whenever we want without waiting. Fort Wilderness is a beautiful resort and the bus system is excellent so you do not have to rent a cart, but it is so much fun:mickey:

[CMCTxMom]

Anyone who has rented a golf cart offsite - what company have you used? I've read Baa-aaad things about Orland GC Rental on other websites about WDW... what company IS good?

[eandrsmom]

I'll Private Message you with who we used last year.

[CMCTxMom]

THANKS! I had originally thought we wouldn't need a GC, but I'm starting to think we might want it, especially coming back later in the evening with tired children in January when it's chilly. It's only money, right? :unsure: :)