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If you want a vacation where you combine the excitement of Walt Disney World with the relaxed vibes of a trip in nature, then staying at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort Resort would be the perfect place to stay for your family. This hotel has such great vibes. The first time I set foot on this resort, I wasn’t in the greatest mood. But pretty soon, I had a huge smile on my face. It’s just a very calming, happy resort.
So this unique onsite Disney resort is a great choice for so many families, but not just for that reason. There are so many reasons to stay at this hotel.
So I want to tell you about the top reasons you should stay there. Then I will go into more detail about each reason.
- Fort Wilderness can be the most affordable Disney onsite resort
- You can cook your own meals
- There are lots of unique dining options
- Has a unique American frontier theme, which is apparent throughout the resort
- It is surrounded by trees and water and is beautiful
- Lots of unique recreational activities
- Has a campfire sing-along with Disney characters
- You can see the Electrical Water Parade from the hotel
- Pets are allowed
- You can take a boat to Magic Kingdom
Affordability
One reason why staying at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort is a great idea is that it can be really affordable. Especially depending on how you do your stay.
Campsite Rentals
The cheapest way is to book a campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. This is by far the cheapest way to stay onsite at the Walt Disney World. You will be onsite on a Disney hotel and get all the hotel benefits of staying at a Disney World onsite hotel (you can see the full list of benefits of staying at a Disney World hotel here).
The big difference here is that you will be staying in an RV or a tent. If this does not sound appealing to you, keep reading because there are other lodging options here.
But if this does sound appealing, it really does save you money. And even if you don’t have an RV, you can rent one and save money. You can even save money on your rental by taking advantage of this RV rental coupon here.
Each campsite comes with great amenities, including:
- Charcoal grill
- Cold water tap
- Free high-speed WiFi Internet access
- Picnic table
- Privacy-enhancing landscaping
- Television and electrical hook-ups
- Views of woods
- Safe-deposit box (upon request)
There are multiple campsite rental options:
Premium Campsite
- RV Size: Accommodates larger style RVs.
- Pad Size: 18 feet by 60 feet (concrete).
- Hook-ups: Sewage hook-up included.
- Capacity: Sleeps up to 10 adults.
Premium Meadow Campsite
- RV Size: Accommodates larger style RVs.
- Pad Size: 18 feet by 60 feet (concrete).
- Hook-ups: Sewage hook-up included.
- Capacity: Sleeps up to 10 adults.
- Location: Proximity to Meadow Trading Post, Meadow Recreation Area, Bike Barn, and Campfire Area.
Full Hook-Up Campsite
- RV/Tent Space: Room for an RV plus a tent.
- Pad Size: 10 feet by 50 feet (concrete).
- Hook-ups: Sewage hook-up included.
- Capacity: Sleeps up to 10 adults.
Tent or Pop-Up Campsite
- Vehicle Space: Room for a pop-up camper or camper van-type vehicle.
- Tent Space: Room for up to 2 tents.
- Pad Size: 10 feet by 25 feet (concrete).
- Capacity: Sleeps up to 10 adults.
Preferred Campsite
- RV/Tent Space: Room for an RV plus a small tent.
- Pad Size: 10 feet by 45 feet (concrete).
- Hook-ups: Sewage hook-up included.
- Capacity: Sleeps up to 10 adults.
- Location: Close to the Marina.
Cabin Rentals
So remember how I mentioned you could still stay at Fort Wilderness even if you didn’t want to stay in an RV or a tent? Well, that is because there are cabins onsite!
Disney recently just opened new DVC cabins onsite, too. I love booking DVC rooms even though I am not a DVC (or Disney Vacation Club) member. I have found staying in these DVC rooms can be cheaper than staying in other rooms at Disney World. We tell you how to book DVC rooms for a cheap rate here.
Can Cook Your Own Meals
This is a bit of an extension of the affordability point, but you’ll also save a lot of money by being able too cook your own meals. And with a grill provided in the campsite, you’ll be able to cook your own food. Most RVs have refrigerators and even if you stay in one of the cabins, your cabin has a kitchen. Being able to cook your own meal really helps you save money.
But cooking your own meals has advantages beyond affordability. Let’s say you have a family member (or members) with food allergies. Being able to cook your own meals gives you more control of what ingredients go into your family’s meals. It also gives you more control if you are on any other sort of diet or food restriction (such as if you are a Vegan, have a heart condition, etc.).
Dining Options
But if you don’t want to cook your own meals, that’s okay. Because the hotel has a lot of great dining options.
The most unique one would have to be the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue.
It is an all-you-can-eat dinner show experience! You can enjoy skits and songs in a rustic setting while you enjoy foods like BBQ pork ribs, cowboy beans, fresh-baked cornbread, tossed salad, macaroni-and-cheese, and strawberry shortcake. Soft drinks are included and if you are over 21, then you can enjoy unlimited draft beer, wine and sangria!
But there are other dining and drinking options at the resort, too:
- Trail’s End Restaurant
- The Chuck Wagon
- Crockett’s Tavern
- Meadow Snack Barn
Theming
I really love the theming of this hotel. As it should have become clear from the dining options, this hotel really sticks to its theming of the American frontier. You can even see it in the bathrooms.
Beauty of Nature
So remember I said how staying at Fort Wilderness really gives you the combination of a Disney World stay with a relaxed stay in nature? It really is true. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort is such a beautiful resort, surrounded by trees and water. It will really make you feel like you’ve gotten away from the hustle and bustle from your own life when you walk through the resort. I have found a walk through this resort to be incredibly calming.
And there are a lot of places throughout the resort where you can sit and relax and enjoy your surroundings.
Great Recreational Activities
And if you love recreational activities out in nature, you are going to love staying at this resort.
We’ve talked before about how you can fish at Fort Wilderness.
But there are even more recreational activities. Kids can ride petite ponies at the resort’s Tri-Circle-D Ranch! Pony rides are available to guests if you go the stable near Pioneer Hall. They are available on a walk-in basis only.
In addition to pony rides, you can take an old-fashioned, horse-drawn wagon ride around the resort. Or you can enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride. During the holiday season, you can enjoy sleigh rides.
A Wilderness Back Trail Adventure tour is available on a Segway X2.
There are also rentals available:
- Kayak Rental
- Canoe Rental
- Bike Rental
The resort also has a Fort Wilderness Archery Experience, where guests 7 years old and older can learn archery in a 75-minute session.
Video games and pinballs are a plenty at Davy Crockett’s Wilderness Arcade.
Now a lot of those activities do cost extra. But there are also other activities that are available for free. There are basketball courts and a sandy volleyball court at the Meadow Recreation Area. There’s a jogging trail.
Fort Wilderness also has a great playground.
Then there are the pools! They have a rustic, American Frontier theme at each pool.
The Meadow Swimmin’ Pool has a
- 67-foot-long corkscrew waterslide
- Whirlpool spa
- A fort-themed water play area
The Wilderness Swimmin’ Pool is a more tranquil pool and it also has a whirlpool spa.
Chip ‘N’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long
Another unique feature of Fort Wilderness is the Chip ‘N’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long. You can roast marshmallows around a fire – while enjoying appearances by Chip ‘N’ Dale!
Electrical Water Pageant
Fort Wilderness is one of the only Disney World hotels where you can see the Electrical Water Pageant from your hotel.
My family loves the Electrical Water Pageant. It’s a really neat nighttime parade with great music and floats.
Pets Are Allowed
You can’t bring your pet to all Disney hotels. But Fort Wilderness is one of the few Disney hotels where pets are allowed! This is great for anyone who wants to bring all members of their family on their family vacation!
Boat to Magic Kingdom
Fort Wilderness has the standard bus transportation that all Disney hotels have. But additionally, Fort Wilderness has boat transportation to Magic Kingdom.
I absolutely love this form of transportation. It’s a really nice, relaxing way to get to Magic Kingdom. And it’s a lot closer to the entrance of Magic Kingdom than the bus lot.
Speaking of visiting Magic Kingdom, you will need tickets to visit Magic Kingdom and other Disney World theme parks. You can find out how to get discounted Disney World tickets here.