Ft. Wilderness Cabins becoming DVC?

[maui22]

The Cabins will become the 16th DVC property, ahead of Poly Tower. I'm guessing Spring of 2024?

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Somewhere I saw a chart that showed WDW DVC properties typically open 9-10 months from the time of the timeshare license being granted. I believe RIV was the only exception over the last 10 years.

If they stick to that timeline for FW looking at June-August.

 

[MonaMN]

Which would put points on sale sometime in Q1 or so, I assume, using the timing for VDH?

 

[Mikey15]

Which would put points on sale sometime in Q1 or so, I assume, using the timing for VDH?

Yeah. If they’re looking to swap them out at hot summer like Aug/Sep (I can’t see them giving up, say, 4th of July / early summer) and VGF is already sold out, then they could probably start marketing them at any time. We’re 50 days from the end of Q4, and there’s no sign of it happening yet… but I think guests on Christmas stays are a great marketing base for them to hit up.

 

[aka Charles]

We are already in Disney's Q1.
It runs from October through January.
I agree that the announcement for the CFW start of sales dates will happen soon.
Most likely the announcement will be before Christmas with the start of sales to current members happening soon after.
The start of open sales will most likely happen at the end of January, about the time that the current promotions end.
Things will start to happen pretty fast at that point.
I am sure that they will want to open at least some of the loops before the Fourth of July, and open it all before October.
This timing will also allow them to start the Poly Tower promotions before the 2024 holidays, again, in Q1.
.

 

[CarolynFH]

We are already in Disney's Q1.
It runs from October through January.
I agree that the announcement for the CFW start of sales dates will happen soon.
Most likely the announcement will be before Christmas with the start of sales to current members happening soon after.
The start of open sales will most likely happen at the end of January, about the time that the current promotions end.
Things will start to happen pretty fast at that point.
I am sure that they will want to open at least some of the loops before the Fourth of July, and open it all before October.
This timing will also allow them to start the Poly Tower promotions before the 2024 holidays, again, in Q1.
.

I hope you’re right about the timelines! I don’t want to buy the cabins, I just want to stay there!

 

[Haley R]

I hope you’re right about the timelines! I don’t want to buy the cabins, I just want to stay there!

We’re staying in January and I’m hoping we get to stay in one

 

[Mikey15]

We’re staying in January and I’m hoping we get to stay in one

‘24 or ‘25? I’d definitely bet money that no new cabins will be available for stays in January. Current ones yes.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I hope you’re right about the timelines! I don’t want to buy the cabins, I just want to stay there!

Me Too! That's why I'm waiting so anxiously for the points chart. Does anyone have any idea how long before opening points charts are typically released?

 

[ehh]

Me Too! That's why I'm waiting so anxiously for the points chart. Does anyone have any idea how long before opening points charts are typically released?

Points charts are usually released days prior to the resort going on sale.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Points charts are usually released days prior to the resort going on sale.

Thanks! I'll be at WDW in February, and on one of my non-park days, I'm planning to visit Fort Wilderness and see what I can see.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Will it eventually be necessary to own DVC at the Fort in order to get in for the Halloween and Christmas festivities?

Confused over what you mean to "get in for the Halloween and Christmas festivities"? I'd say no though. You can go to the Fort now for any of those things and not be staying there. And like all other DVC's you can book any time thru Disney hotels or rent from an owner.

DVC cabins better have a stackable laundry in the cabins themselves or else the DVC folks will be in the camper laundry rooms trying to pay for available washers/dryers because if not in the cabins then the "free" DVC laundry machines will be few and far between most likely.

What happens with DVC's that don't have their own laundry is that DVC stays can get tokens (or sometimes like at VGC it was quarters) to use the facilities that are available for everyone.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Confused over what you mean to "get in for the Halloween and Christmas festivities"? I'd say no though. You can go to the Fort now for any of those things and not be staying there. And like all other DVC's you can book any time thru Disney hotels or rent from an owner.

Didn't they limit attendance at the Golf Cart Parade this year to only those staying in the campground? Not sure how they managed that, but I was under the impression that they had. I guess that would be one "festivity" that they limited access too...

ETA: I found it:

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground Closing For Day Guests in Late October

It was the whole last week of October (10/26 to 11/2).

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Didn't they limit attendance at the Golf Cart Parade this year to only those staying in the campground? Not sure how they managed that, but I was under the impression that they had. I guess that would be one "festivity" that they limited access too...

I was not there on that day but was just a little over a week earlier. At that time there wasn't any notice it would be closed to non-campers anywhere it would have been seen by non-campes but that might have changed. Had it ever been done before?

 

[DonMacGregor]

I was not there on that day but was just a little over a week earlier. At that time there wasn't any notice it would be closed to non-campers anywhere it would have been seen by non-campes but that might have changed. Had it ever been done before?

I just updated my post. found the link.

 

[SL6827]

Confused over what you mean to "get in for the Halloween and Christmas festivities"? I'd say no though. You can go to the Fort now for any of those things and not be staying there. And like all other DVC's you can book any time thru Disney hotels or rent from an owner.


What happens with DVC's that don't have their own laundry is that DVC stays can get tokens (or sometimes like at VGC it was quarters) to use the facilities that are available for everyone.

Sorry. I did mean like the days with Halloween where they have the actual parade.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Sorry. I did mean like the days with Halloween where they have the actual parade.

Understood now. However there will still be Cabins to rent. It won't be in the quantity in the past but I guess that overall occupancy of them played a part in the DVC conversion. Disney won't worry about a couple of times during the year.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Didn't they limit attendance at the Golf Cart Parade this year to only those staying in the campground? Not sure how they managed that, but I was under the impression that they had. I guess that would be one "festivity" that they limited access too...

ETA: I found it:

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground Closing For Day Guests in Late October

It was the whole last week of October (10/26 to 11/2).

Interesting. We were at the Fort on the 23rd and I saw nothing about it. I
And I spent some time reading thru the board with info on the holiday and decorating contest instructions.

 

[aka Charles]

Didn't they limit attendance at the Golf Cart Parade this year to only those staying in the campground? Not sure how they managed that, but I was under the impression that they had. I guess that would be one "festivity" that they limited access too...

ETA: I found it:

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground Closing For Day Guests in Late October

It was the whole last week of October (10/26 to 11/2).

That was a poorly written article.
It never defined what a “day guest” actually is.
They also did not link to any official Disney announcement about this. (Or even say where it came from)

I am not sure of the current policies, but in the past they have allowed guests to come and park in their huge front parking lot for the day in order to visit current campers and participate in FW activities, including the activities that do not require a reservation.

I think it may have been that type of “day guest” which was not allowed during those dates.
But without any verification in the article or any guidance on where the information came from, who can tell.
.

 

[DonMacGregor]

That was a poorly written article.
It never defined what a “day guest” actually is.
They also did not link to any official Disney announcement about this. (Or even say where it came from)

I am not sure of the current policies, but in the past they have allowed guests to come and park in their huge front parking lot for the day in order to visit current campers and participate in FW activities, including the activities that do not require a reservation.

I think it may have been that type of “day guest” which was not allowed during those dates.
But without any verification in the article or any guidance on where the information came from, who can tell.
.

Well, there are numerous articles, and even a thread on these boards regarding the closure. Here's a tangential source on PlanDisney.disney.go.com, so that one is official.

Disney is restricting day guests to Fort Wilderness Resort this week. Does that mean we can't go to the Chip N' Dale's Campfire Sing-A-Long?

It looks like this isn't the first time. Here's a PlanDisney article from way back in 2016:

We are staying at Fort Wilderness Campgrounds and have friends that are staying at an off-park location that we want to have meet us at our campsite to travel over to the park with our kids together. Is there a place for visitors to Ft Wilderness to park?

Guests are welcome to visit you at your site in the campgrounds during your stay. As you can imagine there is not room at the site so they must park at the front of the resort and then take an internal bus to the proximity of your loop and then walk to your site. During peak times such as Halloween and Christmas the resort will be closed to all except those holding a reservation as there is not room to accommodate everyone with parking.

So I guess there is some precedent. I do know there were several bloggers who said they weren't allowed on property to view the Golf Cart Parade, and there's definitely far fewer videos online this year. Still not official word though.

 

[aka Charles]

Well, there are numerous articles, and even a thread on these boards regarding the closure. Here's a tangential source on PlanDisney.disney.go.com, so that one is official.

Disney is restricting day guests to Fort Wilderness Resort this week. Does that mean we can't go to the Chip N' Dale's Campfire Sing-A-Long?

It looks like this isn't the first time. Here's a PlanDisney article from way back in 2016:

We are staying at Fort Wilderness Campgrounds and have friends that are staying at an off-park location that we want to have meet us at our campsite to travel over to the park with our kids together. Is there a place for visitors to Ft Wilderness to park?



So I guess there is some precedent. I do know there were several bloggers who said they weren't allowed on property to view the Golf Cart Parade, and there's definitely far fewer videos online this year. Still not official word though.

Now that’s how you research, communicate, and link to sources. You did much better than that article. Thanks!!!
.