Anyone ever stay at the campground at Disney World?

[tacatcon]

My dad has a nice big RV and I was thinking maybe this would be a way to go back down there with the whole family, a little more economically and not have to stay in a value resort. I've been down there a few times, only once with my kids and the last time we rented a house in Kissimmee but would love to go down there in the Summer and looking at the rates this year, it's only $504 to stay for a week in the premium sites.

Have you stayed there? What did you like and not like about it? Do they have public restrooms/showers? because one little RV bathroom won't cut it for a family.

Is it spacious? I mean are the sites right on top of each other or spread out? Can you have campfires there?-gotta have a campfire! lol

How is the transportation from there to the parks? It looks like they have the same transportation like they do from the resort hotels for the most part-is it any different/slower?

Can you get a dining plan if you're staying there?
Thanks in advance.

[couponlady]

I can't speak to your questions regarding the campground, but wanted to mention they have a number of dates this fall that you get FREE quick dining when you stay at a value resort.

[cgrace]

I'm not super helpful either, but when we stayed at Disney we went back to the campground area for the BBQ restaurant. It seemed like it was in a very out of the way place, but we didn't have any trouble getting transportation there and back. The area seemed very nice, kind of out of the way of the hustle and bustle. Hope somebody can tell you more!

[Kanda]

We've stayed at Ft. Wilderness several times, but we tent camp. You definitely receive the same perks as any other Disney resort (transportation, early/late park entry, etc), also at Ft. Wilderness, you can take the boat to the Magic Kingdom and not have to ride the buses. The camp sites are very nice, spacious, and well-maintained. The bath houses are immaculate (tile and granite). They were constantly being cleaned too. We rented a golf cart for the week, but there is an internal bus system that will take you to places within the campground (it's very big). I think you'll love it there, we sure do.

[NorweJenNY]

Originally Posted by couponlady I can't speak to your questions regarding the campground, but wanted to mention they have a number of dates this fall that you get FREE quick dining when you stay at a value resort.

You can also upgrade the quick service dining plan to regular dining plan (1 table service meal, 1 quick service meal, and 1 snack per person per day) for $10 per adult and $2 per child. The deal was also extended for many dates through December (though not at peak holiday times).


As for the OP's other questions...

I've never stayed at the campground, but I've visited and done a lot of research. The campground is very spread out, so you might do a bit of walking, but there is boat transportation directly to the front gate of Magic Kingdom (gets you even closer than the bus stop would) and bus transportation to the other parks and Downtown Disney.

There are 15 comfort stations located throughout the spread-out campground, one in each "loop." They're all centrally located within their respective loops. The comfort stations are all air conditioned and include private showers, restrooms, laundry rooms, pay and house phones, and ice machines. They're open 24 hours per day, with the exception of the laundry areas, I believe.

Last I heard, you can have campfires, if you bring along a firepit or outdoor fireplace. (They used to not allow campfires at all, but that has changed.)

There are also free large group campfires every night with Chip and Dale. You can buy food or marshmallows with sticks to roast. They also play movies outside on a big screen at night.

The cheapest buffet restaurant in all of Disney World is Trail's End at Ft. Wilderness (about half the price of most other buffets on property). If you go for a late breakfast, you can stay for lunch food offerings but still just pay breakfast prices. Dinner gets a bit pricier, but has more options.

The previous comment about getting away from the hustle and bustle is true! It's a very relaxing, quiet place compared to other resorts. It's also a walk or boat ride away from Wilderness Lodge, which is a fun place to visit as well!