Did you know that Disney has a campground on property? Did you know that you don’t need to love RVs or tents to use it, since they also have cabins available with full kitchens? And did you know that these accommodations are pet-friendly?
I did know all of this, and this past April I finally got the chance to stay at Fort Wilderness Campground. The best part of the whole trip, and many pet-parents would agree, was that my 6-month old black lab, Winnie, was able to join me as well. This was something I had been wanting to do for years. While I wasn’t able to do this with my previous dog, Bella, we decided when we brought Winnie home in December that we needed to do it sooner rather than later. As much a I love going to Disney, and do so several times a year, it’s always a little heartbreaking walking out the door and leaving my puppers behind. Not this time! I was excited to bring her with this time and share with everyone just how easy it was!
Once we arrived at Fort Wilderness, we checked in at the front gate. I had already made a request via my Travel Agent (me!) that we had a dog with us. There is an additional nightly fee to have your pet, but I figured it was definitely worth it. The Cast Members made check-in super easy and were able to put us in one of the cabin loops closest to the front parking areas and bus transportation. Winnie got a little love from the cast members (the first of many times over the next few days) and we were given a doggie welcome package.
The cabins are super spacious, and sleep up to 6 people if you’re traveling with a larger family. Paul & I were traveling with a family friend, so between us and Winnie we had plenty of room to spread out. There are a few rules when bringing your pet with you, and Disney is quite clear with their pet policies when you check in. Along with the standard “clean up after your pet” and “don’t let your pet eat the furniture” that every pet owner should expect, Disney also doesn’t allow pets on their furniture. This might be hard for pets that get free run in their own homes, so make sure you know your dog’s limits.
The full kitchen at the cabins are a great option for anyone who wants to plan a staycation and cook meals. While we didn’t cook any meals during our stay, what we did do the first night was order the family dinner from PJ’s Southern Takeout. For about $45, we recieved an 8-piece chicken, a full rack of ribs, coleslaw, cowboy beans, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes/gravy and cornbread. We ate on this meal for more than one night, and it was very good. We were also able to stock the fridge with water, which is very convenient to have right in your room.
We spent the next several days taking turns visiting the parks, and exploring Fort Wilderness with Winnie. While I enjoy the Disney theme parks, they weren’t really my focus on this trip. I really enjoyed the days I stayed back at the cabin with Winnie, while Paul went to the theme parks. We did so much walking, and Winnie was tired out by evening every day. Fort Wilderness is full of walking trails, and we definitely put on our walking shoes and hiked.
One thing we did every day was visit the dog park. This was Winnie’s first experience at any dog park, as she had just recently completed all of her puppy vaccinations. She was absolutely enthused to meet all of the different dogs and run around off leash, as well as snuggle with the people and lie in the mud from the water hose. She was a hot mess most of the time afterwards, but she also had a doggie grin on her face all the time.
One big recommendation I have for visitors at Fort Wilderness cabins – rent a golf cart. While we were within a 10-minute walk of bus transportation, that meant we were a mile or two away from boat transportation to Magic Kingdom as well as the restaurants. The dog park was a mile walk from our cabin, and while we did walk that, the weather was hot and made for a sweaty time. Guests should note that they can reserve a golf cart prior to arrival, although we didn’t. This may be a problem during certain times of the year, but luckily we were not visiting during a high crowd time or a holiday so had no problem getting a golf cart once we arrived. And Winnie loved the golf cart! She would lie down in the front seat between Paul & myself, and let the wind blow her ears back and carry the smells to her. By the end of the trip she was the first one on the golf cart before anyone else. Every time.
A couple of evenings, we took the golf cart through different areas of the campground just to view the decorating campers had done to their RVs and tent sites. I knew already that Halloween and Christmas are big deals within the campground and tend to book up over a year in advance, but I was pleasantly surprised with the cool decorations people put up on a random April night as well. People can be very creative.
Another event that happens at Fort Wilderness nightly that many people staying on-site miss or are not aware of is the Electrical Water Pageant Parade. This can actually be viewed from all of the Magic Kingdom area resorts. Never heard of it? It’s not to be missed! Every night after dark, there is a parade of barges all lit up and with music that travel around the lagoon. The show lasts for about 15 minutes before moving on to the next resort, but I love it because its pretty much the only place I can hear music from one of my favorite childhood Disney movies – Pete’s Dragon! Make sure to check the times when staying at Disney, and catch it at whichever resort you can be at after dark.
Four days is all we were able to spend at Fort Wilderness…this time. We are campers at home in Minnesota, and the deep woods ambience of Disney’s Fort Wilderness was amazingly relaxing. Have you ever heard of a Chuck Will’s Widow? It took us several days and lots of googling to figure out what this night bird we heard calling on our walks was. It was extremely different from the experience we typically have at the Disney’s resorts and villas we typically stay at. I look forward to going back with Winnie for another trip and lots of doggie excitement! I’m holding out hope that next time we visit Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue and Chip & Dale’s Campfire Sing-along will be open again.
