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its tight but every time we went we squoze our 40' Diesel Pusher. The extra few minutes it takes to park should NEVER stop you from staying in the best campground in America
I was the girl that took Renee’s 11 PM call mentioned at 13:20 ! I live in an fifth wheel full time and work at Disney’s resort call center. When I was on the phone I had to pull up your profile to figure out what was going on with the truck issue and my jaw DROPPED when I realized it was y’all 😭 I didn’t say anything because it seemed like there was enough going on for you guys that night. Your videos got me through some stressful RV issues so thanks for all the amazing content! I never thought in a million years I’d cross paths with you guys but somehow out of like 25 cast members in my department the one RV lifer in the building took the call! 😂
Great video! We have yet to do Fort Wilderness. I too have heard great things about the campground. Like you all, this would be treated as a special Then to get in the park ouch! I think maybe once would be nice. We have been camping in RVs for 18+ years. My husband can park our A class on a dime. I hope you all had a great time. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to your next video. One question. Are you using anything else besides Starlink for your internet needs???
"If you are a newbie don't go there" To late 😅 we already have 3 booked vacations. And the last time we pulled our glamper was when we took it out of the dealer. We have zero idea of what we are doing but we book the premium (hopefully more space) and we love a good challenge. We also are going with other people that have experience so I think that would help.
Heck, it’s cheaper than stating at their resort! Plus, you can bring your pets and have them stay comfortably in familiar space. It’s doesn’t seem like a bad option as long as your rig isn’t on the larger side
A few years ago we took our 4 year old (at the time) grandson to Fort Wilderness. It was a great place to stay without going to any of the theme parks. He enjoyed going on the boat ride to the Contemporary Hotel and the Monorail to the Magic Kingdom. There is a great pool area in the campground with a separate area for small children. There is also the Chip and Dale outdoor movie and campfire every evening. We couldn't see paying theme park admission for all of us and try to deal with a child his age, we felt he could enjoy it much more when he was a bit older. He had a great time with the activities in the campground.
Kyle... I notice how often you talk about having kids in videos. I hope that no matter how they become yours, y'all have some babies. You are both wonderful people and the world needs more happy, well-adjusted kids with fun and caring parents. Before my husband and I had kids we were *sure* it'd be so restrictive and really limit our adventures. We had no idea that it'd be our biggest adventures yet. I think you'll both find the same when the time is right. And actually, the time is never really right, so go for it, anyway! :)
Not all sites and loops are created equal. When we check in and they give us our assigned loop and site, we ask to look at the dimensions. We have a 43’ fifth wheel and a 20’ mid duty hauler truck (The Yeti), so we need a larger site. They are always more than kind enough to work with us to find one of the bigger sites we can fit in without issue. We enjoy being close to the boat dock (love hearing the boat horn, fireworks and the parade music) so we choose the 700 loop when available. When we had our smaller rig, 100 & 200 loops were our favorite. 300 is just tight no matter what. If when we get to the sight there is a bad pull-in angle, a tree or another vehicle blocking our back in, we call or go back up front to ask for another site. Again, they want your stay to be as enjoyable as possible and are always accommodating. THAT is one of the things that differentiates The Fort from just another campground. We used to drive cross country just to go there every year - so many good memories. Now that we’re full time, we go just to stay at The Fort whenever possible. We’re one of “those” campers. ❤ °O°
My husband and I are the ones that ran into by the boat dock. We were so excited to see this video. I’ve only ever heard people rave about the Fort and was so excited to stay there. While it was nice, I don’t understand the obsession. There is ZERO chance I would pay those prices just to camp there if I wasn’t doing Disney.
I totally agree. We enjoyed our stay in 2017 and were amazed at how ENORMOUS this campground was. We were in a loop pretty far away from the lake, but enjoyed being on Disney property and it’s benefits. Our site was HUGE and we had no trouble at all parking, so I guess which loop you are in makes a difference.
You were in loop 300 which is a preferred loop (100, 200 & 300). They are some of the first loops built and can be pretty tight. The premium loops have mostly been upgraded and widen to fit the bigger rigs. We would use those when we had our 42 foot fifth wheel. We love Fort Wilderness.
I was going to point out the same thing. Smaller sites and packed in a little tighter but we have always stayed in the 300's just because of the closeness to everything. I think it's the 400-600's loops that have redone to fit larger rigs. There are some huge ones with the occasional Scamp parked among the giants in there too. LOL!
We just went to the fort this summer if you have a large rig, paying more for the premium loop is worth it. Way easier to back into those sights. Besides people parking over the line the golf cart traffic is annoying/insane
Going to say the same thing. Premium sites are expanded for the newer bigger rigs. Spend the month of November at the fort every year with car and golf cart on site and still not parked on the edge of site.
We were just in the 1000 loop (premium meadow) and it was fine with our big rig! I mean, unless you count the time we ran over someone’s Christmas lights (the kind laying all over the ground) while trying to leave. Lol Don’t worry, the campers were outside at the time and all was well. But seriously, the Christmas decorations make things even more tight than they should be!!
Great review of Fort Wilderness. Considering it is Disney, the price was not bad relative that Yogi Bear Campgrounds are not much cheaper right now. Hope you guys didn't get AWOKEn while you were there. I won't be taking that chance. Safe travels.
Live full time and have encountered lots of campgrounds like Fort Wilderness, which were built for 30’ rigs and not our 42’. Definitely makes for some challenges. More importantly is Kyle’s comment about Orlando stress driving. We just left Orlando area after spending several weeks there and in Tampa. Just driving around town in our truck was stressful, and every time we moved our rig, I had to have my head on a swivel. Worst city to drive in and you need a vacation after driving there.
Florida drivers are the worst based on police incident reports and insurance filings. Everyone loves to say people where they are from are bad. But based on actual numbers, Florida is the worst.
Hey guys! We love Fort Wilderness! We were just there Jan 26th through the 8th of Feb. We have an Alliance Valor 40V13 that measures 45 feet. You are absolutely right some loops are tight but we always stay in a premium meadow spot totally worth it! The spots are larger and accommodate us very well. Hopefully you guys will go back we love it there and thank you for all of your reviews and information! Lisa and Tim!
As mentioned previously, the premium loops are larger. I go several times a year (Florida resident) and have a 45' super C that I have had no issues with. Several of your Disney clips were actually Universal Studios.
We love camping at The Fort! That was our 1st trip when we bought our RV. I’m happy to hear that they are actually calling people out for not parking properly. For a couple years there it seemed that not much was being monitored any longer and people parked all over the place and not on their paved space. Our last couple trips the mosquitoes were terrible. Hopefully they’re taking care of them better now too.
AMEN!!! About parking trucks hanging out in the street!! your comment about parking their rig to "accommodate their situation" was so spot on! No consideration for anyone else in the entire campground trying to get by on the narrow one way road, or even worse is trying to back in the site across from them. This situation is getting worse every year with the popularity of huge toy haulers. their rig is 35, 40 foot PLUS they need 10-15 more feet to drop their backdoor, then they book a 35 foot site and just take up half the road. After all "THEY" need to get their ATV or Golf Cart out to cruise the campground, so the heck with anyone else trying to get by. HAHAHA! Rant over, can you tell this drives me crazy and I run into it a lot here at state parks in the Midwest.
DFW was one of our first season 1 trips from Michigan. Our first trip was from Detroit to St. Louis! When we first went, we were a family of 5 plus a pup and all our girls were 10, 8, and 6! We didn’t have much of a problem for me backing in, but we have a 32-34ft TT. We enjoy the amenities for our family of 6 plus the pup. What hotel/resort can we stay in for less? Planning on returning or going to a few state/city parks this year as well. Third season for us and we haven’t looked back yet! :)
Great video. Couple tips. Looks like you were in cypress knee circle one of the original loops.They definately didn't envision todays rigs. Anyway one trick you can do, because they don't preassign sites, If you see a better site after you check in, that is empty, you can run to a comfort station call the wilderness outpost and change sites. Have done this many times.
Well, Fort Wilderness at one time was a great place! Within the last five years it has went downhill. Yes, last time we went there (2019) it was very difficult getting in! Shortly after that they started treating the people who bought passes badly then then got a new ceo and went woke. That’s when we stopped our passes and decided for the price and hassle we would just go somewhere else that’s more friendly to normal campers. Haven’t been back since, won’t go back real soon either! Lots of changes would need to happen before that happens.
Great video! You got a fantastic price, in high season it runs $186 to $265 a night … definitely not worth the cost. Especially if you aren’t planning to go to the parks. Small sites in most loops can’t accommodate big 5th wheels, not enough room to park your truck in most too. If you try to rent a golf cart it’s going to cost you a lot. Best bet is to rent from an outside Company & they’ll bring it to you near the entrance for almost half the price. On the plus side you can book & ask to be assigned to other RVrs, “aka: travel with”… which can make for a great group vacation. Just very expensive when you can get a great campground for well under $100 a nite nearby with the same or similar amenities, even in high season. Some even offer transportation to the park so you won’t have to pay to park too. Some things to consider as inflation continues to impact so many.
Great video! During our first snowbirding season in 2016-17, we wanted to experience Disney (it was a bucket list of mine). Would probably not go back, but we sure enjoyed our 5 nights there! We took advantages of all the amenities, tennis court and pools, visited all the parks. We splurged and loved it! Beautiful campground and facilities.
Disney and Camp Wilderness definitely wouldn't be my first choice of places to go, but everybody should experience it ONCE in a lifetime. Betting you two are at the Grand Design rally in the Q!?!. I hope you get out of Florida and see the West again!
Literally did everything you said not to do in this video: first time out with our brand new 40’ travel trailer was to Fort Wilderness; we arrived after dark, in the rain, in the hottest part of the summer, and on empty stomachs. Needless to say we ended up not having a good first-time experience. We also found out the roof was leaking, but that’s a story for another time. Luckily our second trip went a lot better.
We have been coming to Disney FT Wilderness for.. more times than I can remember! We pull our 45' and YES it is incredibly difficult in some areas - but now they do have wider/larger sites "premium" that give you a bit more room. We loved it with the kids, having the Chip & Dale campfire sing-a-long, the Water parade, renting boats from the launch and years ago you could swim in the lake (although we never did). Now since we purchased a house 10 mins away - we don't come to the Fort any more - but do still enjoy the parks when we are in Florida.
First you have to appreciate the whole wdw thing. The parks, resorts, the history of it all etc. if your not a fan , you’ll criticize everything you can about just the campground. It’s meant to be the cheapest lodging on property at wdw. It is gorgeous compared to many tourist area campgrounds I’ve been to in the USA. And, it’s a boat ride to magic kingdom. No better…….
I'm lucky, I have no desire for the whole Disney hype and rip off. I will not drink from the cup of the Disney purple kool-aide LOL!!! Paying exorbitant fees to see cartoon characters, stand with the masses of humanity has no appeal at all. I disagree with Disney politics and I will not help to fatten their wallets. Give me a clear mountain morning, the prairie lands, the wooded forest, brooks with trout, with elk, moose watering, no other camper in sight.......that is the place to be.
Until Disney walks back their wokeness, we’re not coming back. Haven’t renewed our annual passes and won’t until Disney returns to the family values that Walt built on. Having said that, we miss the old WDW and camping at Fort Wilderness so much.
Heading there March 1st. I’m glad I didn’t take my 41’ FW for the first year as a snowbird and only have a 32’7”. The only place we got in our traveling this season with plenty of space was Camp Margaritaville last week of January while you had your rally.
The older part of the park is tighter. We did it with a borrowed 37 travel trailer, but I have a good bit of trailer experience. We enjoyed Fort Wilderness and plan on going back. I chill at the campground, while my wife and kid go to Disney.
Thanks for the review and recommendations but I have no desire to get anywhere near Disney World and I hate tight roads and close spacing sites! I’m only approximately 37 feet but I like lots of room to maneuver and camp. Stay safe, healthy and happy! God bless ✝️
Yepper, I put a 41 footer in one of those tiny spots. It took 10 years off my life, I’m sure! Then I had to get out of there. I had to ask multiple people to move their vehicles and combine that with a few trees and you might want to get the old chainsaw out and take your rig out in small pieces. Never again.
We’ve been there twice. We stayed in premium the last time and they are all very tight loops. Our first trip we had to call and ask for another site. Nice campground, but only if we were going to Disney.
43 Ft here. Soooo…we stayed there in early December and yes the spot was tight not only that but everyone had there Christmas decorations in the way it was a pain in the arse to back in and I’m seasoned. We did talk to the cast members about this afterwards and they said that they could park it for people if they needed it. Honestly pride aside that’s what I would have opted for it but was that stressful.
Went to fort wilderness in 1994 with a pace arrow. It was nice back then easy yo get into but not cheap! Disney was a disappointment. Bush gardens was better
We spent a week at Fort Wilderness in our 42 foot Grand Design Solitude 5th wheel around the Holiday. Navigating the turns was difficult with trees everywhere. Rented a golf cart and drove all of the loops every night looking at the decorations. Super expensive, everything adds up in the end. If we did Disney again, we’d probably do the same thing.
My family has spent a lot of time at Fort Wilderness. We live about 230 miles away and most time we never leave the campgrounds. We love it especially at Holiday times with all of the decorations in the campground. Our kids grew up playing there and we never worried about them.
We have to travel I-4 East from Tampa to Orlando when we visit “The Fort”. We have a 41’ 5th wheel and LOVE the fort. Yes, it is tight, but “I got this”. It has trained us for our future cross country adventures!!
You’re spot on with the title! We were there the beginning of December and glad we had our 24’ Imagine TT and not our 36’ Reflection 5th wheel, I have 40 yrs towing/backing experience and it was tight with our TT. At Christmas you had add all the decorations people have out in front of their sites to the mix. I said the same things you said. One night we were coming back from EPCOT and saw a 45’ Momentum pulling in, in the dark. I couldn’t imagine his/her stress because you forgot to mention there are no lights in the site circles. We have reservations for this December so yes we will go back. You should go to the Orlando City Park at Turkey Cove $25 a night full hook ups, 4 miles from Universal Studios Park, 14 miles from Disney. We stayed there 4 nights while going to Universal and Sea World before moving to Fort Wilderness. It’s a great city park/rv park!!
We are visiting the Fort in a few months but opted to stay in the premium sites even though we have a 28ft. Sites are bigger in that section. Safe travels!
Heading there in about four weeks with the kids and grandkids. Our Class A shouldn't be a problem as we made it through Cooper Rock State Park in Pennslyvannia last year, which is very tight as well. Thanks so much for sharing.
I just found you guys and I've got to say: I LOVE YOUR STYLE!! Your posts are entertaining, informational, down to earth, educational, and realistic. I love your PSAs (Public Service Announcements) especially about reacting to emergency vehicles!! Keep on keeping it real! 💚
We went to Fort Wilderness a few years ago. It took me 5 tries to back into our spot. It was awful. 34 foot bumper pull with the same truck you have. 53 feet long with truck and trailer. Our spot was on the inside of a turn, cars were parked in the way. It was extremely tight. We haven’t had that issue at any other campground and go camping 8 times a year. We won’t be going back.
Fort Wilderness is my favorite place to camp. It depends on your outlook and how much you like Disney stuff. Be prepared to spend money but that’s not a surprise, everyone knows that. Once you get there, you never have to get in your vehicle again. Transportation on site is amazing.
Last time we were there, there was absolutely no way to wiggle my 34' FW/8' Crew Cab truck into our assigned site. I had to call the front desk and get a different site. We do love it there though ... except for the price 😞
Back in the day, we would go to Ft Wilderness and never go into any of the parks. Pike paths everywhere, transportation everywhere, food everywhere.. perfect relaxation with out the craziness of the parks
We went in 2017 for vacation. We were in a loop quite a ways back from the lake. Couldn’t figure out why they had so many golf carts for rent up by the main check in…until we became familiar with the park. IT’S HUGE!!!!! The biggest and most expensive campground we’ve ever been to. Our site was huge and we had no trouble parking, but apparently that’s not true for the entire park. We wanted to stay on Disney property to receive all the perks that go along with that. Loved the boat ride to the Magic Kingdom. We would go back again…maybe…but Disney in general has gotten so so expensive.
We absolutely LOVE the fort. But y’all were in the oldest and smallest sites lol. Love that loop but it’s definitely small. We stay there every chance we get.
Went there last year for 10 days to treat the grandkids. We were in the 1100 loop and it was TIGHT getting our 42’ 5er and dually. Nice park, enjoyed the stay .. but with Karl .. wouldn’t go there just for the rv park.
We stayed there last summer and really enjoyed it. Having our golfcart made it even better. We stayed in a premium site that has the extra width so parking our 43 ft toyhauler wasn't too bad with the extra width. We'd definitely go back.
Wooot! First time I caught your post the second you posted it! Felt like I won a scratch ticket. Looks like it was an OK campsite and you two gave such good insight. Sad you're heading west before we do in May so the likelihood of running into you somewhere is low. Bummah! Wish our Maximus (Max) was a lap kitty like Dexter. But Max is a British Shorthair and they just aren't your typical lap cat. Love you guys and your energy in this latest video 🙂
We love the Fort, and you are in one of the oldest loops there. If there’s a next time, shoot for the 800 loop. But unfortunately the Fort has priced themselves out of our budget for a while.
Hello, Hanks! I wrote to you a couple of years ago. Anyway, I retired from my career as a park ranger in San Diego, put my stuff in storage, and bought an RV. Now, I’m full time, exploring Arizona and planning to visit Oregon and Montana. Thanks for the inspiration!
Many, many great memories of time spent at Ft Wilderness when our kids were younger. And I'm glad you guys enjoyed the boat ride over to Magic Kingdom. Honestly, that is one of my favorite things about staying at the campground. Used to enjoy the slow ride over in the mornings with my coffee. That and the light show parade would do a private showing just off the beach at night as well. Hoop dee do Music Revue was also a fun night away from the parks and the swimming pool area's were always better then the ones at the hotels on property. Next time Bonecrusher and I go to Disney, we will definitely be staying in Ft Wilderness.
We stayed there in our 45’ bus. It was super tight getting into our spot. We were honestly quite disappointed with the campground. I expected Disney clean and nice. Granted it was during pandemic, but after that experience, we are not planning a return visit.
If you got a big rig it is best to get a premium site, they are 18'x 60. yes you pay more but the room is worth is and much, much easier to back it in.
Hi Scott! Thank you for telling us this, we unfortunately had no idea that this was an older section of the park. We appreciate your support and for taking the time to watch our videos 😃 Stay safe - Kyle and Renee
Been there with the grand baby, loved it, can’t wait to go back! First trip with our 36ft Reflection and backed in no problem (but hubby can back a semi also).
I went with my parents in 1990 to Fort Wilderness. I'm not sure how much they paid back then but the RV we went in was TINY! I was a kid so I didn't think much of it. I remember my dad handing over $1,000 for FIVE of us to spend the entire week at all the different parks. I want a giraffe. I don't know why I said that.
Being that our very 1st RV venture was as OG's at your 1st Rally, we were already concerned about backing into the (now we realize) very spacious spots at Canopy Oaks. We came in early just to not face the lawn chair/popcorn-eating/scorecard-ready judges we had anticipated. And that was a good thing. I drove all over the spots near/across from us just to back in since it was my 1st time. We later drove through FW and I thought the exact same thing...Holy Moly! No way I can negotiate all that with our 42' GD 375RES. Miss you guys!
We like it, been many times but in a tent. Last time we went, two years ago for our anniversary, was the first time we took our grand design reflection 337rls. It was tight for sure. Not parked 100% straight but only there for 3 days. We had a blind-side back in.
Love you guys!! Not sure what loop you were staying in...but when we stayed there, we had a huge site that accommodated our 34' trailer and truck....and very private! We love the campground. You're right, we treat our visit there as a vacation.
Great video! We stayed Fort Wilderness several times. Always had a good time. First time tented it with friends (pre-kids), and a few times with 2, 3 or 4 kids in a 16' camping trailer! The perks really make it worth it. We hardly even used our tow vehicle (Ford Club Wagon). We would ride the monorail in to the park, had breakfast with the characters, and also got into the park 30 minutes before they opened the gates for parking lot people! Another disney hack we would use is to hop on the monorail at suppertime (when every gedunk in the park was mobbed); and ride to the Contemporary, have a sit down meal, and recharge for the evening events. No mixed feelings about staying till the end cuz no traffic to worry about.
We have stayed in Fort Wilderness twice, actually wound up with the same site both times and I would say it’s an awesome campground. It is the only place I have ever seen people park their camper at the front of the site so they could hangout behind the camper. We are pretty well traveled but that is the only place I have ever seen people do that. I normally park as far back as I possibly can.
The 100/200/300 loops are the old ones. The newer loops 400/600/700 are made for large RVs. We have a 33ft TT and we had no problems backing into a 100 loop site. But the next time we went we stayed in a 400 loop site and it was soooo much easier and bigger. DFW is still my favorite campground
First (second)…. Zach and I say hi! And we need to check out Fort Wilderness. The rainy weather is perhaps the best time ever to go to Disney, overcast clouds, that’s what we hope for almost every trip now. So much more comfortable! Looks like a great time.
Private piloting is cool - you'll LOVE it. Take an introductory ride/lesson at a small airport and fly from the left seat of a Cessna, Piper, Cirrus, whatever. Far Part 61, baby!
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Dunkin’ tanks with the hanks now that sounds catchy as well I love y’all’s vlogs
its tight but every time we went we squoze our 40' Diesel Pusher. The extra few minutes it takes to park should NEVER stop you from staying in the best campground in America
I was the girl that took Renee’s 11 PM call mentioned at 13:20 ! I live in an fifth wheel full time and work at Disney’s resort call center. When I was on the phone I had to pull up your profile to figure out what was going on with the truck issue and my jaw DROPPED when I realized it was y’all 😭 I didn’t say anything because it seemed like there was enough going on for you guys that night. Your videos got me through some stressful RV issues so thanks for all the amazing content! I never thought in a million years I’d cross paths with you guys but somehow out of like 25 cast members in my department the one RV lifer in the building took the call! 😂
our first camping trip in the rv was to fort wilderness. it was awesome
We love the show tonight!!!!!!! We're heading down to Elgin family Campsite in Florida next month and we're super excited. ❤️
We stayed there in April 2021 and had a blast but it is a huuuggeee campground and so difficult to navigate through! 😘😘
Great video! We have yet to do Fort Wilderness. I too have heard great things about the campground. Like you all, this would be treated as a special Then to get in the park ouch! I think maybe once would be nice. We have been camping in RVs for 18+ years. My husband can park our A class on a dime. I hope you all had a great time. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to your next video. One question. Are you using anything else besides Starlink for your internet needs???
We love FW! We have a 38’ Fiver and were in the 700 premium loop. Some loops are tighter than others. First class and clean all the way.
"If you are a newbie don't go there"
To late 😅 we already have 3 booked vacations. And the last time we pulled our glamper was when we took it out of the dealer. We have zero idea of what we are doing but we book the premium (hopefully more space) and we love a good challenge. We also are going with other people that have experience so I think that would help.
Heck, it’s cheaper than stating at their resort! Plus, you can bring your pets and have them stay comfortably in familiar space. It’s doesn’t seem like a bad option as long as your rig isn’t on the larger side
A few years ago we took our 4 year old (at the time) grandson to Fort Wilderness. It was a great place to stay without going to any of the theme parks. He enjoyed going on the boat ride to the Contemporary Hotel and the Monorail to the Magic Kingdom. There is a great pool area in the campground with a separate area for small children. There is also the Chip and Dale outdoor movie and campfire every evening. We couldn't see paying theme park admission for all of us and try to deal with a child his age, we felt he could enjoy it much more when he was a bit older. He had a great time with the activities in the campground.
You are smart folks!
Kyle... I notice how often you talk about having kids in videos. I hope that no matter how they become yours, y'all have some babies. You are both wonderful people and the world needs more happy, well-adjusted kids with fun and caring parents.
Before my husband and I had kids we were *sure* it'd be so restrictive and really limit our adventures. We had no idea that it'd be our biggest adventures yet. I think you'll both find the same when the time is right. And actually, the time is never really right, so go for it, anyway! :)
Not all sites and loops are created equal. When we check in and they give us our assigned loop and site, we ask to look at the dimensions. We have a 43’ fifth wheel and a 20’ mid duty hauler truck (The Yeti), so we need a larger site. They are always more than kind enough to work with us to find one of the bigger sites we can fit in without issue. We enjoy being close to the boat dock (love hearing the boat horn, fireworks and the parade music) so we choose the 700 loop when available. When we had our smaller rig, 100 & 200 loops were our favorite. 300 is just tight no matter what. If when we get to the sight there is a bad pull-in angle, a tree or another vehicle blocking our back in, we call or go back up front to ask for another site. Again, they want your stay to be as enjoyable as possible and are always accommodating. THAT is one of the things that differentiates The Fort from just another campground. We used to drive cross country just to go there every year - so many good memories. Now that we’re full time, we go just to stay at The Fort whenever possible. We’re one of “those” campers. ❤ °O°
My husband and I are the ones that ran into by the boat dock. We were so excited to see this video. I’ve only ever heard people rave about the Fort and was so excited to stay there. While it was nice, I don’t understand the obsession. There is ZERO chance I would pay those prices just to camp there if I wasn’t doing Disney.
I totally agree. We enjoyed our stay in 2017 and were amazed at how ENORMOUS this campground was. We were in a loop pretty far away from the lake, but enjoyed being on Disney property and it’s benefits. Our site was HUGE and we had no trouble at all parking, so I guess which loop you are in makes a difference.
steer clear of Disney all together
You were in loop 300 which is a preferred loop (100, 200 & 300). They are some of the first loops built and can be pretty tight. The premium loops have mostly been upgraded and widen to fit the bigger rigs. We would use those when we had our 42 foot fifth wheel. We love Fort Wilderness.
I was going to point out the same thing. Smaller sites and packed in a little tighter but we have always stayed in the 300's just because of the closeness to everything. I think it's the 400-600's loops that have redone to fit larger rigs. There are some huge ones with the occasional Scamp parked among the giants in there too. LOL!
I think the Meadow loop is the best for large RVs.
We just went to the fort this summer if you have a large rig, paying more for the premium loop is worth it. Way easier to back into those sights. Besides people parking over the line the golf cart traffic is annoying/insane
Going to say the same thing. Premium sites are expanded for the newer bigger rigs. Spend the month of November at the fort every year with car and golf cart on site and still not parked on the edge of site.
We were just in the 1000 loop (premium meadow) and it was fine with our big rig! I mean, unless you count the time we ran over someone’s Christmas lights (the kind laying all over the ground) while trying to leave. Lol Don’t worry, the campers were outside at the time and all was well. But seriously, the Christmas decorations make things even more tight than they should be!!
Great review of Fort Wilderness. Considering it is Disney, the price was not bad relative that Yogi Bear Campgrounds are not much cheaper right now. Hope you guys didn't get AWOKEn while you were there. I won't be taking that chance. Safe travels.
I don't understand people that park within a few inches of the roadway. How can anyone think that is acceptable. Selfish duffaces.
Live full time and have encountered lots of campgrounds like Fort Wilderness, which were built for 30’ rigs and not our 42’. Definitely makes for some challenges. More importantly is Kyle’s comment about Orlando stress driving. We just left Orlando area after spending several weeks there and in Tampa. Just driving around town in our truck was stressful, and every time we moved our rig, I had to have my head on a swivel. Worst city to drive in and you need a vacation after driving there.
Florida drivers are the worst based on police incident reports and insurance filings. Everyone loves to say people where they are from are bad. But based on actual numbers, Florida is the worst.
Hey guys! We love Fort Wilderness! We were just there Jan 26th through the 8th of Feb.
We have an Alliance Valor 40V13 that measures 45 feet.
You are absolutely right some loops are tight but we always stay in a premium meadow spot totally worth it! The spots are larger and accommodate us very well.
Hopefully you guys will go back we love it there and thank you for all of your reviews and information!
Lisa and Tim!
As mentioned previously, the premium loops are larger. I go several times a year (Florida resident) and have a 45' super C that I have had no issues with. Several of your Disney clips were actually Universal Studios.
We love camping at The Fort! That was our 1st trip when we bought our RV. I’m happy to hear that they are actually calling people out for not parking properly. For a couple years there it seemed that not much was being monitored any longer and people parked all over the place and not on their paved space. Our last couple trips the mosquitoes were terrible. Hopefully they’re taking care of them better now too.
When Disney first opened Fort Wilderness in 73 my parents rented a class A Winabago and we spent a week there!
AMEN!!! About parking trucks hanging out in the street!! your comment about parking their rig to "accommodate their situation" was so spot on! No consideration for anyone else in the entire campground trying to get by on the narrow one way road, or even worse is trying to back in the site across from them. This situation is getting worse every year with the popularity of huge toy haulers. their rig is 35, 40 foot PLUS they need 10-15 more feet to drop their backdoor, then they book a 35 foot site and just take up half the road. After all "THEY" need to get their ATV or Golf Cart out to cruise the campground, so the heck with anyone else trying to get by. HAHAHA! Rant over, can you tell this drives me crazy and I run into it a lot here at state parks in the Midwest.
DFW was one of our first season 1 trips from Michigan. Our first trip was from Detroit to St. Louis! When we first went, we were a family of 5 plus a pup and all our girls were 10, 8, and 6!
We didn’t have much of a problem for me backing in, but we have a 32-34ft TT. We enjoy the amenities for our family of 6 plus the pup. What hotel/resort can we stay in for less?
Planning on returning or going to a few state/city parks this year as well. Third season for us and we haven’t looked back yet! :)
No Disney anything for me. Just sayin. Have a good time. Look froward to your parade journey.
Great video. Couple tips. Looks like you were in cypress knee circle one of the original loops.They definately didn't envision todays rigs. Anyway one trick you can do, because they don't preassign sites, If you see a better site after you check in, that is empty, you can run to a comfort station call the wilderness outpost and change sites. Have done this many times.
You make some very good points! Thanks for sharing! 🖖🏻😘👍🏻🙏🏻
Well, Fort Wilderness at one time was a great place! Within the last five years it has went downhill. Yes, last time we went there (2019) it was very difficult getting in! Shortly after that they started treating the people who bought passes badly then then got a new ceo and went woke. That’s when we stopped our passes and decided for the price and hassle we would just go somewhere else that’s more friendly to normal campers. Haven’t been back since, won’t go back real soon either! Lots of changes would need to happen before that happens.
I’m skipping Disney, period!
Great video! You got a fantastic price, in high season it runs $186 to $265 a night … definitely not worth the cost. Especially if you aren’t planning to go to the parks. Small sites in most loops can’t accommodate big 5th wheels, not enough room to park your truck in most too. If you try to rent a golf cart it’s going to cost you a lot. Best bet is to rent from an outside Company & they’ll bring it to you near the entrance for almost half the price. On the plus side you can book & ask to be assigned to other RVrs, “aka: travel with”… which can make for a great group vacation. Just very expensive when you can get a great campground for well under $100 a nite nearby with the same or similar amenities, even in high season. Some even offer transportation to the park so you won’t have to pay to park too. Some things to consider as inflation continues to impact so many.
Great video! During our first snowbirding season in 2016-17, we wanted to experience Disney (it was a bucket list of mine). Would probably not go back, but we sure enjoyed our 5 nights there! We took advantages of all the amenities, tennis court and pools, visited all the parks. We splurged and loved it! Beautiful campground and facilities.
We camped there in the 70's. Yes, 1976. Ok I'm old. Rvs were small...lol
Disney and Camp Wilderness definitely wouldn't be my first choice of places to go, but everybody should experience it ONCE in a lifetime.
Betting you two are at the Grand Design rally in the Q!?!. I hope you get out of Florida and see the West again!
Literally did everything you said not to do in this video: first time out with our brand new 40’ travel trailer was to Fort Wilderness; we arrived after dark, in the rain, in the hottest part of the summer, and on empty stomachs. Needless to say we ended up not having a good first-time experience. We also found out the roof was leaking, but that’s a story for another time. Luckily our second trip went a lot better.
My favorite thing is you can have up to 10 people in a spot , and you can take a boat to world!!! I love this place
We have been coming to Disney FT Wilderness for.. more times than I can remember! We pull our 45' and YES it is incredibly difficult in some areas - but now they do have wider/larger sites "premium" that give you a bit more room. We loved it with the kids, having the Chip & Dale campfire sing-a-long, the Water parade, renting boats from the launch and years ago you could swim in the lake (although we never did). Now since we purchased a house 10 mins away - we don't come to the Fort any more - but do still enjoy the parks when we are in Florida.
First you have to appreciate the whole wdw thing. The parks, resorts, the history of it all etc. if your not a fan , you’ll criticize everything you can about just the campground. It’s meant to be the cheapest lodging on property at wdw. It is gorgeous compared to many tourist area campgrounds I’ve been to in the USA. And, it’s a boat ride to magic kingdom. No better…….
I'm lucky, I have no desire for the whole Disney hype and rip off. I will not drink from the cup of the Disney purple kool-aide LOL!!! Paying exorbitant fees to see cartoon characters, stand with the masses of humanity has no appeal at all. I disagree with Disney politics and I will not help to fatten their wallets.
Give me a clear mountain morning, the prairie lands, the wooded forest, brooks with trout, with elk, moose watering, no other camper in sight.......that is the place to be.
Until Disney walks back their wokeness, we’re not coming back. Haven’t renewed our annual passes and won’t until Disney returns to the family values that Walt built on.
Having said that, we miss the old WDW and camping at Fort Wilderness so much.
Not on our list. We took the kids to Disney in the early 2000’s. That was enough for us.
Campsites sized for the 🐭.
Heading there March 1st. I’m glad I didn’t take my 41’ FW for the first year as a snowbird and only have a 32’7”. The only place we got in our traveling this season with plenty of space was Camp Margaritaville last week of January while you had your rally.
The older part of the park is tighter. We did it with a borrowed 37 travel trailer, but I have a good bit of trailer experience. We enjoyed Fort Wilderness and plan on going back. I chill at the campground, while my wife and kid go to Disney.
Thanks for the review and recommendations but I have no desire to get anywhere near Disney World and I hate tight roads and close spacing sites! I’m only approximately 37 feet but I like lots of room to maneuver and camp. Stay safe, healthy and happy! God bless ✝️
Yepper, I put a 41 footer in one of those tiny spots. It took 10 years off my life, I’m sure! Then I had to get out of there. I had to ask multiple people to move their vehicles and combine that with a few trees and you might want to get the old chainsaw out and take your rig out in small pieces. Never again.
Now you tell me!! We went on our first RV trip to Fort Wilderness. We had a really hard time parking our 42'.
We’ve been there twice. We stayed in premium the last time and they are all very tight loops. Our first trip we had to call and ask for another site. Nice campground, but only if we were going to Disney.
43 Ft here. Soooo…we stayed there in early December and yes the spot was tight not only that but everyone had there Christmas decorations in the way it was a pain in the arse to back in and I’m seasoned. We did talk to the cast members about this afterwards and they said that they could park it for people if they needed it. Honestly pride aside that’s what I would have opted for it but was that stressful.
Went to fort wilderness in 1994 with a pace arrow. It was nice back then easy yo get into but not cheap! Disney was a disappointment. Bush gardens was better
We spent a week at Fort Wilderness in our 42 foot Grand Design Solitude 5th wheel around the Holiday. Navigating the turns was difficult with trees everywhere. Rented a golf cart and drove all of the loops every night looking at the decorations. Super expensive, everything adds up in the end. If we did Disney again, we’d probably do the same thing.
My family has spent a lot of time at Fort Wilderness. We live about 230 miles away and most time we never leave the campgrounds. We love it especially at Holiday times with all of the decorations in the campground. Our kids grew up playing there and we never worried about them.
We have to travel I-4 East from Tampa to Orlando when we visit “The Fort”. We have a 41’ 5th wheel and LOVE the fort. Yes, it is tight, but “I got this”. It has trained us for our future cross country adventures!!
Another popular place that is tight is Pigeon Forge KOA! The new riverfront sites is on a loop that is impossible to loop around with a long rig.
You’re spot on with the title! We were there the beginning of December and glad we had our 24’ Imagine TT and not our 36’ Reflection 5th wheel, I have 40 yrs towing/backing experience and it was tight with our TT. At Christmas you had add all the decorations people have out in front of their sites to the mix. I said the same things you said. One night we were coming back from EPCOT and saw a 45’ Momentum pulling in, in the dark. I couldn’t imagine his/her stress because you forgot to mention there are no lights in the site circles. We have reservations for this December so yes we will go back. You should go to the Orlando City Park at Turkey Cove $25 a night full hook ups, 4 miles from Universal Studios Park, 14 miles from Disney. We stayed there 4 nights while going to Universal and Sea World before moving to Fort Wilderness. It’s a great city park/rv park!!
We are visiting the Fort in a few months but opted to stay in the premium sites even though we have a 28ft. Sites are bigger in that section. Safe travels!
Heading there in about four weeks with the kids and grandkids. Our Class A shouldn't be a problem as we made it through Cooper Rock State Park in Pennslyvannia last year, which is very tight as well. Thanks so much for sharing.
I just found you guys and I've got to say: I LOVE YOUR STYLE!! Your posts are entertaining, informational, down to earth, educational, and realistic. I love your PSAs (Public Service Announcements) especially about reacting to emergency vehicles!! Keep on keeping it real! 💚
Great info! I've heard the same about that place...not for me...maybe when there's grandkids in the future😎
We went to Fort Wilderness a few years ago. It took me 5 tries to back into our spot. It was awful. 34 foot bumper pull with the same truck you have. 53 feet long with truck and trailer. Our spot was on the inside of a turn, cars were parked in the way. It was extremely tight. We haven’t had that issue at any other campground and go camping 8 times a year. We won’t be going back.
Oh my goodness, did anyone ever notice that he talks like Ernest T, LOL got a love it…..
Thanks for the heads up! I love Disney World, but we haven’t taken the camper.
Fort Wilderness is my favorite place to camp. It depends on your outlook and how much you like Disney stuff. Be prepared to spend money but that’s not a surprise, everyone knows that. Once you get there, you never have to get in your vehicle again. Transportation on site is amazing.
Last time we were there, there was absolutely no way to wiggle my 34' FW/8' Crew Cab truck into our assigned site. I had to call the front desk and get a different site. We do love it there though ... except for the price 😞
Does " kaddywompus" mean "spot on?" Or Disney Magical?
Thanks for taking us along!
Brendan & Lena
PS It IS the greatest place on Earth!
Out of line or crooked....
I may or may not have taken out one of the short light poles back this past summer.
Back in the day, we would go to Ft Wilderness and never go into any of the parks. Pike paths everywhere, transportation everywhere, food everywhere.. perfect relaxation with out the craziness of the parks
We did, first time renting a class A 2004. Drove from MA to Disney. Fun but it would have been tougher with a 5th wheel for sure!
We were there over Christmas and it's not for the newbies that's for sure. Tight turns and close quarters... But overalls great place.
We went in 2017 for vacation. We were in a loop quite a ways back from the lake. Couldn’t figure out why they had so many golf carts for rent up by the main check in…until we became familiar with the park. IT’S HUGE!!!!! The biggest and most expensive campground we’ve ever been to. Our site was huge and we had no trouble parking, but apparently that’s not true for the entire park. We wanted to stay on Disney property to receive all the perks that go along with that. Loved the boat ride to the Magic Kingdom. We would go back again…maybe…but Disney in general has gotten so so expensive.
Do you know garmin has a rv unit that shows free camping in the area where you are
When we camped at Disney in 1972 we camped in a tent and there was only one or two loops. Loop 300 is my favorite.
We absolutely LOVE the fort. But y’all were in the oldest and smallest sites lol. Love that loop but it’s definitely small. We stay there every chance we get.
Went there last year for 10 days to treat the grandkids. We were in the 1100 loop and it was TIGHT getting our 42’ 5er and dually. Nice park, enjoyed the stay .. but with Karl .. wouldn’t go there just for the rv park.
We stayed there last summer and really enjoyed it. Having our golfcart made it even better. We stayed in a premium site that has the extra width so parking our 43 ft toyhauler wasn't too bad with the extra width. We'd definitely go back.
Wooot! First time I caught your post the second you posted it! Felt like I won a scratch ticket. Looks like it was an OK campsite and you two gave such good insight. Sad you're heading west before we do in May so the likelihood of running into you somewhere is low. Bummah! Wish our Maximus (Max) was a lap kitty like Dexter. But Max is a British Shorthair and they just aren't your typical lap cat. Love you guys and your energy in this latest video 🙂
We love the Fort, and you are in one of the oldest loops there. If there’s a next time, shoot for the 800 loop. But unfortunately the Fort has priced themselves out of our budget for a while.
Hello, Hanks!
I wrote to you a couple of years ago. Anyway, I retired from my career as a park ranger in San Diego, put my stuff in storage, and bought an RV. Now, I’m full time, exploring Arizona and planning to visit Oregon and Montana. Thanks for the inspiration!
Fantastic! Safe travels and happy exploring!
Many, many great memories of time spent at Ft Wilderness when our kids were younger. And I'm glad you guys enjoyed the boat ride over to Magic Kingdom. Honestly, that is one of my favorite things about staying at the campground. Used to enjoy the slow ride over in the mornings with my coffee. That and the light show parade would do a private showing just off the beach at night as well. Hoop dee do Music Revue was also a fun night away from the parks and the swimming pool area's were always better then the ones at the hotels on property. Next time Bonecrusher and I go to Disney, we will definitely be staying in Ft Wilderness.
We stayed there in our 45’ bus. It was super tight getting into our spot. We were honestly quite disappointed with the campground. I expected Disney clean and nice. Granted it was during pandemic, but after that experience, we are not planning a return visit.
If you got a big rig it is best to get a premium site, they are 18'x 60. yes you pay more but the room is worth is and much, much easier to back it in.
Hi Scott! Thank you for telling us this, we unfortunately had no idea that this was an older section of the park. We appreciate your support and for taking the time to watch our videos 😃 Stay safe - Kyle and Renee
We love camping at Fort Wilderness!!
Been there with the grand baby, loved it, can’t wait to go back! First trip with our 36ft Reflection and backed in no problem (but hubby can back a semi also).
I went with my parents in 1990 to Fort Wilderness. I'm not sure how much they paid back then but the RV we went in was TINY! I was a kid so I didn't think much of it. I remember my dad handing over $1,000 for FIVE of us to spend the entire week at all the different parks. I want a giraffe. I don't know why I said that.
Being that our very 1st RV venture was as OG's at your 1st Rally, we were already concerned about backing into the (now we realize) very spacious spots at Canopy Oaks. We came in early just to not face the lawn chair/popcorn-eating/scorecard-ready judges we had anticipated.
And that was a good thing. I drove all over the spots near/across from us just to back in since it was my 1st time.
We later drove through FW and I thought the exact same thing...Holy Moly! No way I can negotiate all that with our 42' GD 375RES. Miss you guys!
You did an awesome job, parking the rig i
We like it, been many times but in a tent. Last time we went, two years ago for our anniversary, was the first time we took our grand design reflection 337rls. It was tight for sure. Not parked 100% straight but only there for 3 days. We had a blind-side back in.
Stayed there last summer was the best camping experience I have had. Want to go back.
Loved the show! Take care !
Love you guys!! Not sure what loop you were staying in...but when we stayed there, we had a huge site that accommodated our 34' trailer and truck....and very private! We love the campground. You're right, we treat our visit there as a vacation.
Yes I live in Orlando and i hate the traffic!
I love the word “honkers”😂
Great video! We stayed Fort Wilderness several times. Always had a good time. First time tented it with friends (pre-kids), and a few times with 2, 3 or 4 kids in a 16' camping trailer!
The perks really make it worth it. We hardly even used our tow vehicle (Ford Club Wagon). We would ride the monorail in to the park, had breakfast with the characters, and also got into the park 30 minutes before they opened the gates for parking lot people!
Another disney hack we would use is to hop on the monorail at suppertime (when every gedunk in the park was mobbed); and ride to the Contemporary, have a sit down meal, and recharge for the evening events. No mixed feelings about staying till the end cuz no traffic to worry about.
As always, thank you for the deet’s! And thank you for the entertainment! Haven’t met you yet, but we love you both!! And Dexter too!! ❤️💕❤️
Great review of pros & cons of the campground.
You can keep disney. Not interested.
Great video. Good Info, we plan on going there in the next couple of years. Should have lot of practice backing in by then..lol
We have stayed in Fort Wilderness twice, actually wound up with the same site both times and I would say it’s an awesome campground.
It is the only place I have ever seen people park their camper at the front of the site so they could hangout behind the camper. We are pretty well traveled but that is the only place I have ever seen people do that. I normally park as far back as I possibly can.
The 100/200/300 loops are the old ones. The newer loops 400/600/700 are made for large RVs. We have a 33ft TT and we had no problems backing into a 100 loop site. But the next time we went we stayed in a 400 loop site and it was soooo much easier and bigger. DFW is still my favorite campground
First (second)…. Zach and I say hi! And we need to check out Fort Wilderness. The rainy weather is perhaps the best time ever to go to Disney, overcast clouds, that’s what we hope for almost every trip now. So much more comfortable! Looks like a great time.
Wow. I would be concerned about backing into those sites even with a motorhome.
~ Kevin, Pat and Sugar (the cat)
Private piloting is cool - you'll LOVE it. Take an introductory ride/lesson at a small airport and fly from the left seat of a Cessna, Piper, Cirrus, whatever. Far Part 61, baby!