Spotlight on: Walt Disney World Fort Wilderness Campsites and Cabins

Welcome to Fort Wilderness! (Cowboy hat optional) 

The Fort Wilderness Cabins and Campsites offer a great wilderness experience for Disney World Guests. We checked in Friday afternoon September 13th to our tent camping site. The rate was $53/night. The tent and pop-up camping sites have a paved area for your car and a gravel area for your tent. It has a water hose/hook up and an electrical outlet. It also has a charcoal grill and picnic table. 

Campsite 2062 

We were very excited about the gravel area since it was level and free of tree roots and ant hills. We had requested a site near the comfort station. Ours was 2062 – right across from the comfort station.  The comfort station is air-conditioned with bathrooms, showers, laundry facilities, ice vending machine and a large sink for dishes. To access the laundry, you need your key card. The bathrooms also lock from midnight to 6 am. 

This property is huge! Many people rent golf carts to get around. We chose to walk everywhere. Fort Wilderness has two main areas: The Meadow and The Settlement 

The Meadow has a swimming pool and splash area for kids. 

Meadow Swimmin' Pool 

Be sure to bring the towels from your cabin or your own beach towels. No towels are provided. There is a second swimming pool near bus stop 2500 so guests in that area have an option a little closer.  The Meadows pool has a quick service snack bar that serves salads, sandwiches and hot dogs. You can rent bikes, kayaks or try archery at the Bike Barn. In the evening, you can join Chip and Dale for sing-a-long or watch a movie on the big screen. 

Campfire area with beaches and bleachers for Sing-A-Long and evening movie

Sing-A-Long with Chip and Dale 

The Settlement is near the marina/boat launch. Here you can rent private vessels or take boats to Magic Kingdom, Wilderness Lodge or the Contemporary.

Boat to Magic Kingdom 

There’s also a beach that provides terrific viewing for the water pageant at 9:45 pm and the Magic Kingdom fireworks. 

Fireworks from the Beach

They pipe in the music from the Parks so you really get to enjoy the show. Pioneer Hall houses the Hoop-Dee-Do Musical Revue – a dinner show with dancing and singing. Reservations are a must and it uses 2 table service credits. The Trail’s End Restaurant offers a buffet or take away. Crocket’s Tavern is open in the evening if you need a night cap.  The hay rides and private carriage rides leave from this area. 

Around the corner from Pioneer Hall is Mickey’s Backyard BBQ. The BBQ is a buffet. The show is a live country band. Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Chip and Dale come out and join you for some dancing. 

 They don’t announce it, but Mickey and Minnie are also available to the right of the stage for a photo opportunity during the course of the event.  Tri-Circle-D Ranch is also over in this area if you are interested in pony rides. 

Overall, we had a terrific time at Fort Wilderness. We found so much to do that we ended up just staying at the campground. We had dinner Friday night at Trail’s End and then watched the fireworks on the beach. Saturday morning, we took the boat to Wilderness Lodge for breakfast at the Whispering Canyon Café. The Café is a lot of fun. It’s a table service restaurant that has an all-you-can-eat breakfast platter for those who like a hearty breakfast and other lighter options for those who don’t. 

We spent the rest of the day at the pool. Around 1:30pm, the campground staff started games for the kids: dodgeball, dive for the cowboys, hot potato, relay races, and dancing. It was fun to watch.  For dinner, we went to Mickey’s Backyard BBQ.  If you plan on eating at the campground, I would space out the days you do it. There’ s a lot of crossover in the food between Hoop-Dee-Do Revue, Mickey’s Backyard BBQ and Trail’s End so you’d be having a very similar meal every night. We watched the water parade on the beach and the fireworks. Sunday we had Trail’s End takeaway breakfast and then packed up and headed home. 

A couple notes: It will take you a while to get around this resort and to the Parks. There are buses that run throughout the resort. You’ll need to catch a campground bus to take you to the marina or to the outpost depot to catch transportation to the Parks. This transfer can add about 30 minutes to your trip so be sure to leave enough time for your dining reservations. If you are headed to a restaurant in a park I would leave at least 80 minutes to get there. If you are headed to a restaurant at another resort, I would take the boat to Magic Kingdom, transfer to the resort’s bus there and also leave at least 80 minutes to get there.  

You should also be prepared to walk to your campsite if you do not have a car. The resort bus will drop you at a bus stop near the loop where your cabin will be.  When you enter the loop, be sure to check the numbers if you go to the right and the numbers if you go to the left. For instance, our number was 2062 which was 5 campsites if we went left and 35 campsites if we went to the right. 

Overall, I recommend it. It really gives that outdoors experience. I felt like I was retreating to a whole different world. I can see how that would be very relaxing after an over-stimulating day at the Parks. 

If you'd like to book a trip to Walt Disney World, please email me at TripswithAngie@gmail.com