Well, it came time for us to plan our first blended family Disney vacation. Believe it or not, my husband actually suggested camping. Trust me...this lady is not walking to a bath-house for my shower....even if they are "Disney clean".
"But, honey..."
I stopped him right there. No camping.
"What about the Fort Wilderness Cabins?".
Ok, so I started to listen. He began telling me about how us girls could have our pampering (mouse-keeping, full kitchen to make my own coffee, air conditioning), and he and the boys could have their campground experience. Yes...this was the perfect Disney Compromise !!
Before I get into a lot of the specifics, let me jump to the end of the story.... it was the best Disney decision we ever made, and our first family vacation was a success !!!
The Cabins
The cabins are extremely adorable. Sitting on their own "Loops", the cabins are individual units, pretty much a modular unit with a rustic log cabin facade. There is a nice deck with a full size picnic table, as well as a charcoal grill to enjoy your burgers and dogs. The front door has the same key-controlled security lock that you would find at any of the other resorts. Inside, there is a full working kitchen, complete with all the necessary appliances and accessories (dishes, silverware, cooking utensils, pots, pans, etc). A bench seat and chairs surround the dining table. In the rear of the cabin is the bedroom which has a bunk bed as well as a double bed. The living features a very comfortable pull-down Murphy bed. The bathroom is of resort quality and cleanliness. We were very pleased with the Mousekeeping services. When inside the cabin, we forgot that this was a "cabin" unit as it felt very much like a junior suite. In fact, it felt like HOME !
Accessibility
Living in North Carolina, we take our own vehicle to Disney, so the first thing I LOVED about the cabins was the ability to park my car directly outside my room. Having your car at the cabin is not necessary, though. Disney provides transportation within the mile-long campground to both ends where further transportation awaits to the theme parks...either by boat to the Magic Kingdom, or by bus to the other parks. Yes, waiting for 2 buses can be a pain, which is why we used (and highly recommend) a rented GOLF CART. Parking our cart right outside the cabin, we could hop right in and the whole family could shuttle through the campground property to the pools, restaurants, awaiting transportation, or even a nice romantic moonlight stroll eating a Mickey Bar as my husband and I did one night. Oh...don't rent the carts at the Campground....we can have your cart delivered and picked up at the campground for about 1/2 the price.
Size
The cabins are about 12' x 42', and can easily sleep 5. While many of the more expensive Deluxe Resorts, Villas, and Suites will fit 5, as well as a few Moderate Resorts that fit 5 in a much smaller space, the cabins are by far the most spacious accommodations for a family this size. While priced slightly higher than a standard moderate resort, the cabins are a great value for a family on a budget.
Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
I probably need another blog entry to talk about all the fun things to do at Fort Wilderness...in fact, that's not a bad idea. Suffice it to say, that the pools, petting zoo, Chip & Dale's campfire and movie, hay rides, carriage rides, archery, Hoop Dee Doo Review, fishing, canoeing, and so much more offer a family plenty of options for fun together.
If you have a family of 5 and are ready for your Disney vacation, send me an email...I'd be glad to talk to you some more about the Fort Wilderness cabins and how they worked for our family.
So, yes, the camping bug has hit me. I love the cabins...I love Fort Wilderness.... but I still don't think you'll find me in a tent any time soon. (Not saying there's anything wrong with that...there's 799 sites for tents and campers, too). :)
Until next time
-Karen
