Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground Reviews and Ratings About This Page:

[Jennifer Marx]

Fort Wilderness' cabins and camp sites are pleasantly situated in a shady forest on Bay Lake, connected by waterway to the nearby Magic Kingdom theme park.

Official Guidebook Review: Our official review of Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort can be read in PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook (chapter 3).

Personal Review: Fort Wilderness holds a special place in our hearts because our first trip together was here (we stayed in a Wilderness Home). We celebrated an anniversary in 2007 in a Wilderness Cabin. We've also been camping. Fort Wilderness isn't a convenient resort with easy access to anything, but it is a resort in the best sense of the word. We enjoy our stays here.

Other Reviews: See PassPorter's feature article on Fort Wilderness - A Resort Review and Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

Photo Reviews: See our Fort Wilderness photo collection.

Your Review: What do YOU think of this resort? We want to know! To leave a review AND numerical rating, click the Review button below. Please avoid commenting on previously posted reviews. Tip: Include your pros and cons! Click here for more review posting tips.

Results from these ratings and reviews will be factored into the ratings that appear in our guidebooks, too!

[iamgrumpy]

Traveling the country in a RV or with a tent is always an adventure and staying at many different campgrounds and sites makes you appreciate the ones with the most amenities. Well Fort Wilderness Campground/Sites is the best place to camp. It has so much to offer and the prices are very affordable.

Overall the campground is very clean, easily navigated, and the comfort stations are always kept clean, and well stock. The staff goes out of their way to make you feel welcome and the activities and the amenities are plentiful.

This resort has two pools one in the main area closer to the campsites and then one in their Cabin section where you can rent a cabin rather then bring your own RV or tent. (seperate review for that further down) while the pools do lack any sort of theme they are great on a hot day to cool off and just relax. Being so close to the theme parks and all the stimulation that kids are given there its a great way to relax in just a normal quiet pool.

The sites are very spacious we have stayed in a pop-up and a 33ft 5th wheel. The staff is very helpful and when we had trouble getting our 5th wheel parked they were there in seconds to take down a fence and help us back in. When our truck overheated due to the trouble they made sure to take the truck to get fixed and were generous enough to pay for the repair. They went above the call of duty and that is why we returned many times to the Campground because of that service.

They have a few play areas for kids to use and offer boating activities, a campfire program at night, and golf carts to rent to use to get through the resort. They have a general store where you can buy food products and supplies as well as a casual restaurant, a buffet and a dinner show for dining options. They offer a great view of the nightly Electrical Water Pageant and local fireworks from the closest park The Magic Kingdom.

Transportation from the Campground to the parks and back is about average compared to the other resorts on property but what makes me not give it a great review is the internal bus system. It takes quiet a while for busses to get through and around to pick up and drop off and it takes almost as long as getting from the park to the bus just to get back to your site. Having a Golf Cart would make this wait less but that is an additional cost. This is the reason why I would think twice about staying here without a golf cart to use or a car of my own to drive to and from the Theme Park so that I can avoid that internal bus!

They do have sites that allow pets but they do have rules as to what kind of RV's they can be in but Disney offers Day kennels to board them so if you have pets make sure you check with Disney about the guidelines and rates at the Kennels.

Overall for the campsites (not the cabins) I would rate Ft. Wilderness a 7 out of 10 the transportation issue is what drags that rating down.

[iamgrumpy]

I did my review in two parts the one above is for the Campsites for RV's and Tents. This is for the Cabins which are rented out and include Daily Mousekeeping Service.

The Cabins are a great value for those traveling with a party of 5-6. It includes a queen bed in the bedroom area, with a set of bunk beds as well in the bedroom. There is also a Murphy bed in the Living room that opens up to a double bed.

You have a full kitchen and a full bathroom to round out the cabin. They are a great way to save money on dining by either arranging for groceries to be delivered or bringing your own food to make meals rather then dining in the park. That is a great amenity for those who are on a budget but need the extra space!

You have full access to all of the amenities of the Resort and use the same transportation as the Campsites .

See my Review of the Transportation and amenities above.

In the Cabins a rental car to drive to the theme parks and back or a golf cart to use in the Resort is highly recommended. The internal bus system isn't the greatest and takes a lot of precious Theme park time away so a golf cart would cut at least part of that time out.

We would rent a cabin again if traveling with extended family but would only give them a rating of 7 out of 10.

[PatV]

The cabins are the place for anyone who wants a private, very personal experience at WDW.

Take your own food and pick up more at the 2 'grocery' stores within the campground.
No standing in lines at restaurants, no rearranging your day to get to that dining spot you booked months out.
No noisy neighbors, elevator waits, afternoon naps without the noise.
Lots of extra fun places within the campground - water sport rentals, horseback riding, bike rentals, singalongs.
Cook your own meals - but let the maid do the dishes!
Laundry facilities available within the campground.
Bedroom separate from living area.

It might not be the cheapest in WDW. But where else would we have had a frog in the toilet? The friendliest staff, even with frog rescues.
DEFINITELY RECOMMEND!

[shadowpup]

Except for a few times staying at Pop, we tend to pull the camper down & stay at Fort Wilderness. We absolutely love it! It is one of the nicest campgrounds in the U.S. The sites are clean, large, and there's quite a bit of greenery between them to keep them private. We usually stay in the loops that are for water/electric only. We have a pop-up camper with a slide-out. While the rate is higher than most campgrounds per night. We feel it is justified by what you receive. We like not having to restart the truck once we get there. We take Disney transportation everywhere. We love the ferry that goes to the Magic Kingdom. The bus system seems to work ok. It feels like it takes forever if you just miss a bus, but they do seem to run pretty regularly. We have never rented a golf cart. When we were in loop 1500, it was only about a 10 minute walk to the marina. The swimming area is clean, but lacks the theming of the other resorts. It could stand for an upgrade. We will continue to stay there for the majority of our trips. For us, it is the cheapest way to stay on Disney property since the campsites aren't as expensive as the value resorts & we can cook some of our meals.

[hbryfogle]

Fort Wilderness is really nice. We stayed in the cabins. I've never camped out. I've stayed in the cabins/homes several times. They are the least expensive on site with a full kitchen. Having the kitchen saves a ton of money and time. It is so nice in the morning to have one person in the shower/bathroom while others can be eating breakfast. No more getting everyone ready and then trudging to the resturant for a meal.

The buses are a bit much but if you have a car it is very convenient. No elevators or long corridors. Just park right in front of your own door - only steps away. Fantastic when you have little ones who need to be carried in after a long day.

The extra activities around the resort are unmatched on property.

Pool themeing could be better and having 2 baths would be nice but for the money - one of the best bets by far.

[minnie4me]

Originally Posted by PatV

The cabins are the place for anyone who wants a private, very personal experience at WDW.

Take your own food and pick up more at the 2 'grocery' stores within the campground.
No standing in lines at restaurants, no rearranging your day to get to that dining spot you booked months out.
No noisy neighbors, elevator waits, afternoon naps without the noise.
Lots of extra fun places within the campground - water sport rentals, horseback riding, bike rentals, singalongs.
Cook your own meals - but let the maid do the dishes!
Laundry facilities available within the campground.
Bedroom separate from living area.

It might not be the cheapest in WDW. But where else would we have had a frog in the toilet? The friendliest staff, even with frog rescues.
DEFINITELY RECOMMEND!

OMG, did you really have a frog in the toilet???? WOW, that would just freak me out, I hate the lizards and I'm always worried they'll sneak in (they sneak into my house all the time and they still eewwhh me LOL)--but I still absolutely LOVE the cabins for the 1 reason you listed most of all--no noisy neighbors & you can take afternoon naps and don't have to listen to doors slamming shut and toilets flushing in other rooms all night LOL!! I get better sleep in the cabins than I ever had at any of the deluxes or DVCs! It's so calming and peaceful and beautiful there which alone is magical. I could spend a few days sitting on the deck ALL DAY LOL!! ...but I have to admit I would definitely have to hit the Chipn Dale singalong campfire one of those nights...

We now have a tradition when we go that we have to make s'mores on the bbq outside the cabin, even if we don't cook any meals inside or out we have to have our s'mores, so I'm always picking up that bag of coal and all the other s'mores supplies.

This past trip we didn't rent a golf cart and I thought we would really miss it but we really didn't. The only thing we missed about it was the rides through the loops checking out the lights and decorations but we really didn't even have time to do that this trip.

I do have to admit though, a car DEFINITELY comes in handy. We pretty much dined at the other MK resorts each night we stayed there which was about a 5 min. drive...much quicker than WDW transportation. The internal bus transportation at the Fort was pretty good for the most part which is what you have to take if you don't have a golf cart. But, I don't think I'd enjoy taking WDW transportation to other resorts and then having to transfer to a boat or monorail or another bus and then return the same way and then take an internal bus, kinda tires me out just talking about it.

I also think I prefer the cabins during the colder weather months which is also "dry" season. Not fun dodging downpours getting off the bus or riding around in the golf cart. I also imagine it gets rather buggy in the summer, lots of Mosquito Coast needed then and the main pool would be a bus ride for most if you don't have a golf cart.

The cabins themselves are so ready for a refurb. Our stove top looked like people jumped on it with spiked heels. They can use some updating and maybe some way to build in some extra storage space and definitely a little brighter lighting. The one thing about them being, well, "cabins" is that they can still get away with them being in so-so shape because it does add to that "camping feel"....LOL!

That all being said, I think the campground is one of the coziest, most peaceful places to stay not just in WDW, but anywhere.

[4Disney2]

I have stayed at the camping grounds and it has been fantastic. I love the seclusion!
quiet over there and action at the parks. I really like the campgrounds. I have never stayed at the cabins.
The Bus system is very slow but on the other side it contributes to the seclusion.

[MCK0009]

My Grandparents used to take my three sisters and I to camp at Fort Wilderness almost every year. The sights, sounds, smells, all take me back to those days. I want to go and stay there again just to relive it.

They always had the cleanest washrooms of any campground we have ever been too. The showers were hot and clean. The trams (now buses) always seemed to come regularly. We had the perks of people staying in the luxery hotels for a fraction of the price. The campfire/sing-along/movie was always great fun. And we LOVE the Hoop-Dee-Doo revue! We enjoyed browsing in the trading posts more than any other store on property. Not sure why... We loved the Trail's End but that was back when they had make your own pizzas. I've eaten there once when it is a buffet too and it was very good, but just not quite the same. I remember meeting a boy while playing video games too

More recently we stayed in cabins and enjoyed those too. Yes, you have to take buses everywhere but if you have your own or a rental car, you can't beat having your car at your door for accessibility! We liked the full kitchen even though we really only used it for breakfast and light meals and snacks. We were able to sleep 6 comfortably (kids were small then - wouldn't fit six now!) The only thing I didn't like was the faint sulper smell in the water.

[iloverags2]

We have stayed at the Ft. Wilderness cabins twice, with the latest stay in October 2008. We absolutely love the cabins and the resort surroundings! The cabins are so roomy, and allow for privacy when one person is trying to get some shut-eye while others still have energy in them. In addition, having a kitchen is a nice perk. While we do not use it often, it is nice to have for those last minute decisions to have a quick bite. And having a full-size refrigerator (with ice!) is always a plus. There is a place to sit for everyone in the cabins.

Beyond the cabin itself, the resort surroundings are beautiful. It is so peaceful and relaxing. And there is always something to do. We loved canoeing and horseback riding, and just being able to hike and find new adventures is always fun!

[RocklandRVers]

We have visited FtW twice a year since May 2003 when we first fell totally in love with it. I can say that it does need some modernization and have heard that indeed WDW has been listening and has begun to do some upgrades. When we visited last in Feb 2008 it was dramatically different. Most of the old foliage between sites was gone which took away some of the privacy that we used to enjoy. Still it was necessary since it was probably a fire hazard and because of their plans to install cable TV and other improvements to the sites. I look forward to our third Christmas week at the Fort. Its always the best place in the universe at that time of the year to us.

[chris889]

I have a love-hate thing going with the cabins at Ft. Wilderness. I love the Fort itself. The whole place is just really friendly and there's a good energy there. There's enough to do that you could spend an entire day there and not get bored.

The cabins are pretty roomy for Disney property. The staff is really friendly and helpful. I like that my kids can run around and be noisey and they aren't getting on anyone's nerves. And Christmas at the Fort is so fun--I love all the people who decorate their campers. It's just a fun place.

I would not stay there without a car, however. While the busses are fine (my SIL and her family live in a city and use public transportation all the time and thought they were great) and the boat to the MK is as well, getting a quick bite to eat is impossible without a car.

I do have a couple of issues with the cabins:

1) Poor lighting.

2) Not clean enough. My twins were crawling when we stayed there and their little hands and knees were literally black at the end of the day--disgusting! The shower curtain had mildew on it and the outside of the fridge looked like it had been in a frat house (although the inside was clean).

3) The Murphy bed was uncomfortable.

The cabins were cute inside and the other beds were comfortable. I also thought the bathroom was more than big enough. And while I avoid cooking on vacation, the convenience of having a full-kitchen is still a huge plus--we never ate breakfast anywhere but in the cabin.

Overall, I love the place. I just wish they'd clean it a little more!

[thomasclan85]

We stayed at Fort Wilderness for the very first time from Dec. 3 to Dec 9, 2008. By we, I mean my husband, daughter, mother, and myself. We loved everything about the cabin and campground. My mom slept on the murphy bed and said it was quite comfortable. My husband and I slept on the full size bed in the bedroom and were quite comfortable as well and both of us are very pooh-sized. My daughter slept on the bottom bunk and had no complaints. I requested a cabin with a larger shower since my daughter has scoliosis and needs assistance with bathing. We were given a cabin with a roll-in shower which worked out great for us. There was an issue with water running out onto the floor but after the first time, we rolled up towels along the edge of the shower and that problem was solved. The bathroom floors in the 'handicapped' cabins are stone unlike the wooden ones in the other cabins. There is a drain in the middle of the floor so any water that leaves the shower, runs down that. I requested extra towels from our housekeeper, Theresa, and she left us more than enough every day. She did an awesome job at keeping things tidy for us the whole week! I loved the full kitchen. We cooked several meals during our stay, saving us some money on food expenses. We got pizza and wings one evening for supper from Trail's End to Go and ate them in the cabin. They tasted great! We ate breakfast at Trail's End on the morning we checked out. Our waiter was Ken and he was hilarious! The food was good too. Corned beef hash, eggs, bacon, Mickey waffles, fruits, etc. Basic comfort food. The bus transportation was great too. We never had more than a 5 minute wait for the bus our entire stay. Something we especially loved were all the decorations other campers and cabin guests put up. The Christmas spirit was definately present! Everyone we encountered was so friendly, guests and cast members alike. We truly had a wonderful stay and can't wait to return in December 2011!

[Teresa]

Stayed at the cabins with my mom and Dsis for a "girls only long weekend". It was a last minute thing, after we were disappointed in WL. We arrived late (11 PM).

Overall, it was a great place. Very roomy for 3 women - and we all had our own beds!

The campground is just so large and spread out it loses something. But, I loved the privacy and the feeling of being alone. No kids in the room next door crying, no kids screaming up and down the halls at 6AM, no elevator sounds, no room service sounds. Oh, bliss. The shower was nice and spacious as well as clean. And, we loved being able to pull the car up to the door - literally!

It's not cheap - but not too bad for the space afforded.

Things we didn't like:

the people before us had brought left overs from a restaurant. We know, because it was still there when we arrived.

There is room to sleep 6 or even more (if one or two sleep on the couch), but there is NOT room to store stuff for 6. We were only there for 4 days, and only 3, and yet we had trouble getting our clothing stored.

Can WDW get with the times, and offer FREE Wi-Fi? We all had our laptops, and all needed to access work/school. There was only ONE connection - and the cording for it was such that it didn't allow us to move too far away from the television.
For $10 a day - I'd like more than that.

Overall, I loved it. But - without walking through a hotel lobby and just pulling up to our own "Home" every day - it seemed to us as if we traded some of the magic for a larger room. It just didn't FEEL like Disney, if you know what I mean?

[Figment Fan]

I stayed in the cabins before and loved how open everything felt. You did not feel as if you were on a vacation on top of thousands of other people but actually on camping vacation miles away from civilization. It was great being able to come to the serenity of Fort Wilderness after the wonderful chaos of the parks. I personally would rather stay in the cabins than any of the other resorts with kitchenettes because of that tranquility.

We always have a car so we go off site to buy groceries the first day. It is much cheaper that way than the on-site store. We love eating lunch or dinner on the deck outside.

If you have time to relax at the site it is worth it to explore on bikes. The campgrounds are extensive and it is fun to see all the others on vacation.