Disney's FORT WILDERNESS CABINS & CAMPGROUNDS Information & Questions

I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to get picked up from the marina in a Minnie van. If it were me I’d take the boat from fort wilderness to MK and monorail over to poly. As long as you’re on the first boat outta FW you should be fine. Even if your 15 min late it won’t be a big deal in your reservation.

Minnie vans do pick up from the settlement area.
 
I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to get picked up from the marina in a Minnie van. If it were me I’d take the boat from fort wilderness to MK and monorail over to poly. As long as you’re on the first boat outta FW you should be fine. Even if your 15 min late it won’t be a big deal in your reservation.
It appears that MV pickups have been done at Pioneer Hall, so we’ll just hope for that. Worst case scenario, we will have to drive our car LOL
 
It appears that MV pickups have been done at Pioneer Hall, so we’ll just hope for that. Worst case scenario, we will have to drive our car LOL
Minnie Vans can go anywhere, places you would not imagine. That from a MV driver.
 


Yes they can go to Pioneer Hall

They can get to the Settlement Depot area (the internal bus drop closest to Pioneer Hall) which is about 400 ft (a football field+) from the HDDR entrance.

Minnie Vans can go anywhere, places you would not imagine. That from a MV driver.

Within reason (disregarding the hyperbole). That's as close as you can get with Disney transport.

Yes they can go to Pioneer Hall

They go to the Settlement Depot as described above. There is still a small walk involved. Pioneer Hall is still "way over there".

Bama Ed
 
They go to the Settlement Depot as described above. There is still a small walk involved. Pioneer Hall is still "way over there".

No, actually they can go anywhere. They can pull right up to the door if they want. I specifically asked a driver and he said they are allowed to get as close as they want. They have full reign, more or less, over all other forms of transportation. Not my words, but the driver's words.
 


Hi all. My family of 5 has been to WDW twice since 2015 plus about to return for 2 days later this month prior to a DCL. We will be returning for a 12ish night stay in June 2021. We will most likely stay in an AoA suite for space concerns. We are NOT campers at all. But, we would love to do some different activities our next trip and split up our park days more to allow a WDW Trip to be more relaxing. So, it's a little early for 2021, but it never is really too early to plan, right? There's nothing wrong with planning multiple trips at once right? I'm completely normal, right? :rolleyes1:thumbsup2

Anyway, I got to thinking about the Chip/Dale campfire, and we had already agreed on HDDR. (We did MBYBBQ for Thanksgiving in 2018 - that was fun!). I also read that you can watch HEA fireworks from the beach and the water pageant comes by. Staying at AoA, what should we think about regarding transportation and the time to do as much as we can leisurely at FW? Is there an early show of HDDR? How do we get from the beach/HDDR area to where the campfire is? Does the campfire event conflict with fireworks/water pageant? At that time of night, how can we get back to AoA? Are there buses or water taxi going back to MK or Epcot for bus/Skyliner back to AoA?
 
Hi all. My family of 5 has been to WDW twice since 2015 plus about to return for 2 days later this month prior to a DCL. We will be returning for a 12ish night stay in June 2021. We will most likely stay in an AoA suite for space concerns. We are NOT campers at all. But, we would love to do some different activities our next trip and split up our park days more to allow a WDW Trip to be more relaxing. So, it's a little early for 2021, but it never is really too early to plan, right? There's nothing wrong with planning multiple trips at once right? I'm completely normal, right? :rolleyes1:thumbsup2

Anyway, I got to thinking about the Chip/Dale campfire, and we had already agreed on HDDR. (We did MBYBBQ for Thanksgiving in 2018 - that was fun!). I also read that you can watch HEA fireworks from the beach and the water pageant comes by. Staying at AoA, what should we think about regarding transportation and the time to do as much as we can leisurely at FW? Is there an early show of HDDR? How do we get from the beach/HDDR area to where the campfire is? Does the campfire event conflict with fireworks/water pageant? At that time of night, how can we get back to AoA? Are there buses or water taxi going back to MK or Epcot for bus/Skyliner back to AoA?

We stayed at the FW cabins last summer. We didn’t get a chance to watch the shows on the beach at all, but we did use the ferry several times late at night. And we did go to HDDR and the campfire. Although we did them on 2 different days, I do believe it’s possible to do them both on the same night.

There are 3 times for HDDR...I think 4:00, 6:15, and 8:30. So you could do the first dinner and then ride the internal bus over to the campfire. The campfire is located at the Meadows. I believe the campfire started around 7 when we were there. They have the sing along, then they start a movie at dusk. You can bring your own s’more stuff or buy it there.

Afterwards you could head back to the settlement using the internal bus again and then watch the fireworks and parade. I know the times vary, but I think fireworks are around 9 and the water parade is around 10:30. So you may have some downtime between the shows.

I think your best bet is to take the ferry from MK. I imagine with it being summer, you wouldn’t have a problem with it being closed. If for some reason it was, then you could take the internal bus back to front of FW and switch over to a regular bus.
 
No, actually they can go anywhere. They can pull right up to the door if they want. I specifically asked a driver and he said they are allowed to get as close as they want. They have full reign, more or less, over all other forms of transportation. Not my words, but the driver's words.
if they take you to the door they are driving on walkways that are not that wide
 
Anyway, I got to thinking about the Chip/Dale campfire, and we had already agreed on HDDR. (We did MBYBBQ for Thanksgiving in 2018 - that was fun!). I also read that you can watch HEA fireworks from the beach and the water pageant comes by. Staying at AoA, what should we think about regarding transportation and the time to do as much as we can leisurely at FW? Is there an early show of HDDR? How do we get from the beach/HDDR area to where the campfire is? Does the campfire event conflict with fireworks/water pageant? At that time of night, how can we get back to AoA? Are there buses or water taxi going back to MK or Epcot for bus/Skyliner back to AoA?

A couple of times related to your request are fixed and others float. Let's review:

- As stated above, HDDR has shows at 4pm, 615pm, and 830pm. The middle time is the most popular being nearest most people's dinner hour. The show is approximately two hours.

- In June the Campfire/Singalong/Movie is at 8pm (summer hours). The fire is lit a couple minutes before 8pm, songs are sung while Chip & Dale mingle for pix for 40 minutes, and the movie rolls by 845pm. It occurs every night of the year (subject to weather).

- The Disney Electrical Water Parade down at the beach is 945pm.

The wild card is the HEA fireworks time which varies during the year but usually in the summer it's at 915pm assuming the MK is open still past that time (using last year's operating hours as a guide). But let's assume 915pm.

To work in HDDR you need to book the 4pm show (we love it). You have time to kill after 6pm when you get out before the Campfire/Singalong. You can do the wagon ride (a few $$$) or mosey up to the Campfire Singalong area which is a 15 minute walk over level ground or internal Fort short bus ride.

Enjoy the Campfire Singalong with Chip & Dale starting at 8pm. Chip takes one side of the audience and Dale the other, posing for pictures and signing autographs. It is possible to get pix with both if you hustle (as I do from one side to the other). The movie, if you aren't interested, started about the time you need to head back (by walk or bus) back to the beach for HEA at 915p and EWP at 945p. The music for HEA is generally piped into the beach speakers.

Since your adventure starts down by Bay Lake (HDDR is near the Fort boat dock) and ends there with EWP, boat transportation to/from MK off the Fort dock is your friend. Take a bus from your resort to MK then take the boat (STRAIGHT down from the turnstiles) to the Fort. On the return, boat back to MK. Once to MK, head over to the bus area to get back to AoA or whereever. The boat ride is quite pleasant in the evenings (the bus ride, no opinion).

If money is no object, Minnie Vans can get you close (not doorstep to HDDR as it is in a pedestrian zone) but as close as the buses can get which is a few hundred feet at the Settlement Bus Depot. It depends on the weather, the folks in your group, and your spirit of adventure after a couple hours at the Fort.

We do all these things on our visits to the Fort (Fire, Singalong, HDDR, HEA, EWP) although not in the same night since we are lucky enough to stay at the Fort. Some resorts are places to sleep at overnight while going to the parks in the daytime. The Fort is a daytime destination and we do a day or two of parks each stay. Depends if you want to wear yourself out on vacation or relax on vacation.

Have a great trip.

Bama Ed
 
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A couple of times related to your request are fixed and others float. Let's review:

- As stated above, HDDR has shows at 4pm, 615pm, and 830pm. The middle time is the most popular being nearest most people's dinner hour. The show is approximately two hours.

- In June the Campfire/Singalong/Movie is at 8pm (summer hours). The fire is lit a couple minutes before 8pm, songs are sung while Chip & Dale mingle for pix for 40 minutes, and the movie rolls by 845pm. It occurs every night of the year (subject to weather).

- The Disney Electrical Water Parade down at the beach is 945pm.

The wild card is the HEA fireworks time which varies during the year but usually in the summer it's at 915pm assuming the MK is open still past that time (using last year's operating hours as a guide). But let's assume 915pm.

To work in HDDR you need to book the 4pm show (we love it). You have time to kill after 6pm when you get out before the Campfire/Singalong. You can do the wagon ride (a few $$$) or mosey up to the Campfire Singalong area which is a 15 minute walk over level ground or internal Fort short bus ride.

Enjoy the Campfire Singalong with Chip & Dale starting at 8pm. Chip takes one side of the audience and Dale the other, posing for pictures and signing autographs. It is possible to get pix with both if you hustle (as I do from one side to the other). The movie, if you aren't interested, started about the time you need to head back (by walk or bus) back to the beach for HEA at 915p and EWP at 945p.

Since your adventure starts down by Bay Lake (HDDR is near the Fort boat dock) and ends there with EWP, boat transportation to/from MK off the Fort dock is your friend. Once to MK, head over to the bus area to get back to AoA or whereever. The boat ride is quite pleasant in the evenings (the bus ride, no opinion).

If money is no object, Minnie Vans can get you close (not doorstep to HDDR as it is in a pedestrian zone) but as close as the buses can get which is a few hundred feet at the Settlement Bus Depot. It depends on the weather, the folks in your group, and your spirit of adventure after a couple hours at the Fort.

We do all these things on our visits to the Fort (Fire, Singalong, HDDR, HEA, EWP) although not in the same night since we are lucky enough to stay at the Fort. Some resorts are places to sleep at overnight while going to the parks in the daytime. The Fort is a daytime destination and we do a day or two of parks each stay. Depends if you want to wear yourself out on vacation or relax on vacation.

Have a great trip.

Bama Ed

Thank you so much! We will be doing a couple full park days, mixing in with rest days and half-park days. Kinda thinking might do a Frontierland day - just do that land in the late morning, early afternoon, then head over to FW for HDDR and campfire sing-along. HEA and/or EWP aren't necessary, bc we can catch that another night if needed, but it's good to know. The choice of movie being shown might dictate that, depending on our kids likes. I had thought about the wagon ride, too. That sounds nice and relaxing. Overall, a well-themed day with little need to rush things and keeping things relaxed.

My final question about timing: if we do stay for the movie, assuming a 90 minute animated feature, that would end about 10:15, then traveling back to the dock, right? How late do the boats take people back TO the park, especially if there are no pmEMH that night (since we would need to bus back to AoA from FW by means of MK)?
 
My final question about timing: if we do stay for the movie, assuming a 90 minute animated feature, that would end about 10:15, then traveling back to the dock, right? How late do the boats take people back TO the park, especially if there are no pmEMH that night (since we would need to bus back to AoA from FW by means of MK)?
Hi kpd6901. :wave2:

All I know is the boats run to/from the Fort boat dock up to one hour AFTER closing time. We usually post the monthly movie schedule on the DIS Camping Board sometimes on the monthly pinned Trip Report thread so that's when you'll know what's playing (at the first of the month or a few days later).

If you want to stay to see the movie in its entirety then that might be one of the reasons to do the Minnie Van. Just an option but it gives you flexibility.

Bama Ed

PS - DIS Camping Board: https://www.disboards.com/forums/camping-at-disney-world.24/

Check the monthly pinned trip report thread (February 2020 currently) for the movie schedule.
 
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See the Fort Wilderness Map below. The boat dock is at the top of the page #10.

new-map-jpg.315552


A bit old this map is but it works. #12 just below the dock is the HDDR location.

Circle A is the Settlement Bus Depot where the internal bus lines drop at that end of the Fort (this is also as far as the Minnie Vans can go). It's 400 ft to HDDR walk. The other end of the internal bus lines is Circle B on the bottom right (the Outpost Bus Depot).

The Campfire Singalong is at #7 just under the 1400 symbol on the right. Notice both roads (Big Pine Drive and Fort Wilderness Trail) on either side of #7 have a colored bus line indicated. The Yellow Line (Big Pine Trail) from the Settlement Depot get off off at loop #1400 (2nd stop) and walk bearing left past the Comfort Station (outer circle) to the campfire area.

Or take the Orange line bus up Fort Wilderness Trail and get off at 800 (first stop) and cross the road and walk across the bridge on the edge of the pond to the campfire area.

Or you see #7 is not far from the Settlement Bus Depot. 15 minute walk maybe?

Good luck and have fun. But don't spread the Fort secret around. It's already hard enough to get a reservation as it is.

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Bama Ed
 
Hi Fort Wilderness experts! My family and I are looking to spend an afternoon at Fort Wilderness on our next trip next week. We won't have park tickets that day, so our original plan was to sleep in, make our way to Fort Wilderness, rent bikes, explore, perhaps go on a carriage ride, check out the horses, go to the campfire, and then head to dinner at Artist's Point. On our last trip, we headed out to Fort Wilderness to catch Chip & Dale at the campfire but arrived too late, so we are trying to make sure we don't miss them next time!

But I've just read that the Tri Circle D ranch is currently being refurbished, and the Disney website states that bike rentals are also not occurring due to construction. Is anyone there/has been there recently who knows whether we can still enjoy those things somewhere else at Fort Wilderness? Will the construction/refurbishment be over soon? I've tried Googling but can't seem to find much!

Thanks in advance!
 
Hi Fort Wilderness experts! My family and I are looking to spend an afternoon at Fort Wilderness on our next trip next week. We won't have park tickets that day, so our original plan was to sleep in, make our way to Fort Wilderness, rent bikes, explore, perhaps go on a carriage ride, check out the horses, go to the campfire, and then head to dinner at Artist's Point. On our last trip, we headed out to Fort Wilderness to catch Chip & Dale at the campfire but arrived too late, so we are trying to make sure we don't miss them next time!

But I've just read that the Tri Circle D ranch is currently being refurbished, and the Disney website states that bike rentals are also not occurring due to construction. Is anyone there/has been there recently who knows whether we can still enjoy those things somewhere else at Fort Wilderness? Will the construction/refurbishment be over soon? I've tried Googling but can't seem to find much!

Thanks in advance!


thelastxwaltz, the experts hang out over at the Camping Forum which the DIS describes thusly:

Camping at Disney World

Explore the offerings of Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort. Camping and cabins, all manner of outdoor activities, and Disney classic attractions like Chip 'n' Dale's nightly campfire program and the Hoop-Dee-Doo Review are all discussed in this forum.


Here is the link: https://www.disboards.com/forums/camping-at-disney-world.24/

So check it out, use the DIS Search Tool on the Camping forum, and if you don't find your answer over there, ask them. :thumbsup2

Bama Ed

PS - I understand the approach used here on the Resorts forum but Fort Wilderness is such a wonderfully different animal, it definitely deserves to have its own forum.
 
Hi @bama_ed , thank you so much for responding and for guiding me to the right location! My apologies for any trouble caused by posting in the wrong place!
 

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