Ft. Wilderness Cabins becoming DVC?

[maui22]

The work from anywhere crowd may also going to prefer the cabins to all the existing DVCs.

We had a neighbor on their balcony at PVB (LV). She was on a conference call and suddenly the ferry horn went off. Ferries are very close, so needless to say everyone on her conference call heard. We could hear others ask what was that and she quickly went back inside and closed the sliding door.

For those in HIPAA related fields, it's an expensive violation if someone foes on a balcony or patio (where neighbors are feet away) and carry on a conversation about HIPAA related activities and someone hears. Can't even have your spouse or children hear, so you cannot discuss in a room unless you are alone. FW Cabin deck is a far better possibility.

 

[Hubalorian]

I think FW cabins will eventually be apart of Reflections. DVD recently filed a five year extension of the land and it was granted. I think they sell out the cabins in 2-3 years then develop Reflections and include it in the same association as the cabins

 

[erionm]

I think FW cabins will eventually be apart of Reflections. DVD recently filed a five year extension of the land and it was granted. I think they sell out the cabins in 2-3 years then develop Reflections and include it in the same association as the cabins

Actually, the extension was for the STOLport site which is used for staging.

 

[gmi3804]

I think FW cabins will eventually be apart of Reflections. DVD recently filed a five year extension of the land and it was granted. I think they sell out the cabins in 2-3 years then develop Reflections and include it in the same association as the cabins

Do you mean "apart" or "a part?" Totally opposite meanings.

 

[eticketplease]

Any one think there will be in cabin laundry?

Based on the existing cabins I’m thinking no, but here is to hoping.

 

[Sandisw]

Any one think there will be in cabin laundry?

Based on the existing cabins I’m thinking no, but here is to hoping.

I think they will find a way to add…it will add to their appeal and IMO support a 1 bedroom point chart similar to SSR….

 

[Doberge]

I had been skeptical that they'd be in the 1BR neighborhood, but even if they add a loft, it might be tough to get the current footprint up to even the smaller 1BRs in system, which are about 700sq. ft. give or take, so I'm revising that expectation.

They're also definitely prefabbing these offsite and will have to ship them down the road and into the Fort. Not sure what the width of the existing cabins & pad is but I can't imagine they'd want to go too wide on the units.

I imagine they want to minimize downtime on cash bookings for cabins so a multi-piece assembly at the Fort would be less than ideal.

Yes and yes. There are size limitations both by what can fit on a truck bed to transport and what will fit on the existing site. In both cases they're already pretty maxed out already.

The current cabins is 504 square feet and the Jambo value 1br is 629, so the cabins are already 20% smaller than a Jambo value 1br. I just don't know where people are squeezing a dedicated second sleeping area and a half bath and all these things that need more space. A room divider wouldn't do much to mitigate sound and would limit the common area usability. A stackable washer/dryer is feasible and seems more likely than unlikely
. A loft? I don't think the cabins are tall enough for and even if tall enough something still needs to be under the loft. Maybe it can be squeezed above a bathroom, so I have lofts under "unlikely but possible."

But another unique problem, will be separating the DVC, from the campground. Will it be a sorta gated community? Will DVC have their own pool? Will said pool have a fun feature? Will the pool be exclusive to the DVC area?

Absolutely won't be separated. It's all one resort. Riviera is not gated off from Carribbean Beach guests and those are different resorts.

 

[tidefan]

It looks like the DVC Cabin Loops will be 2200-2800, which are the furthest from the Settlement Depot (Trail's End, Hoop-de-doo, Boat transport), the Meadow Depot (pool, activities) and the Waggin Tails Dog Park. Plus, there is only one comfort station (Laundry, Restroom, Showers) in that entire area, which is likely too small for 300+ cabins. However, it does service the current cabins that are there, so who knows. That Comfort station does have a pool, however.

I go back and forth on a stackable W/D unit in the cabin. It would be very nice to have, but it would take up square footage where square footage is at a premium. I would hope that maybe they put another comfort station in there somewhere as well as maybe a second dog park.

If they really wanted to hit it out of the park, IMHO, they'd resurrect Reflections as "The Villas at River Country" with it's own water park area and make the cabins part of that.

 

[DonMacGregor]

They're also definitely prefabbing these offsite and will have to ship them down the road and into the Fort. Not sure what the width of the existing cabins & pad is but I can't imagine they'd want to go too wide on the units.

I imagine they want to minimize downtime on cash bookings for cabins so a multi-piece assembly at the Fort would be less than ideal.

The existing cabins are about 12.5' x 43' and are basically nothing more than mobile homes with the wheels removed and a closure skirt around the base. You can see one sitting on a roadway in the campground in this picture:



Here's a little more info on the cabin in the photo:

You Can Buy and Live in a Disney Resort Room For Only $50,000

16' wide is the maximum width that a mobile home may be for transport over the highway in Florida. 50' in length is pretty common too. You could get a bit more width by extending the existing pad/footing to accommodate the wider footprint. You should be able to go a bit longer as well, but it would have to extend towards the rear as you need the set back at the front of the unit for the parking pad.

I imagine you could get maybe a 15' x 46' unit on the pad without starting to make the units feel crowded together (most cabins appear to be closer side-by-side relative to adjacent units, versus back-to-back units), but we're only talking 2.5' or 30". A 15' x 46' cabin would get you close to almost 700 Sf., and maybe 650-680 Sf. net, by widening the cabin by less than 3 feet, and extending it just 3 feet, and you'd still be under the maximum width for a mobile home.

All hypothetical obviously, but a nice mental exercise.

 

[Brian Noble]

A loft? I don't think the cabins are tall enough

It might depend on what people are expecting when they say “loft”. Cedar Point has prefab cabins that I suspect are a similar footprint that includes sort of a half-floor loft. They are taller than he single story cottages on the same site.

https://www.cedarpoint.com/resorts/lighthouse-point

 

[Doberge]

It might depend on what people are expecting when they say “loft”. Cedar Point has prefab cabins that I suspect are a similar footprint that includes sort of a half-floor loft. They are taller than he single story cottages on the same site.

https://www.cedarpoint.com/resorts/lighthouse-point

Neat find with the Cedar Point cabins. I think these work, like you said, because they're taller. They also have a gable roof like the existing cabins. When taller with a gable roof there's some room over space like bathrooms.



However, the images Disney has released show more of a shed style roof with the highest point on one slanting down across width of cabin.


So the only place to loft space would be on each end in the blue (green?) areas right where the high windows, but lofts in either location risks losing natural light underneath (where we're not seeing windows underneath).



For comparison here's the existing cabins with a gable roof. Even if the cabins had a gable roof they'd need to be taller.

Maybe I'm wrong though, it'd be great to be surprised!

 

[bianca]

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[gmi3804]

Has anyone discussed (I haven't gone through the 1,000+ replies) how much the insurance will be on these units, and how much more the dues will be on these? FL is already seeing skyrocketing insurance costs, when you can get it. Insurance companies are dumping FL properties left and right these days. They're essentially insuring a mobile home in an area that's seeing more and more tornadoes and storms. What's the solution? Self-insuring via higher dues?

 

[bianca]

I think they will find a way to add…it will add to their appeal and IMO support a 1 bedroom point chart similar to SSR….

It won’t matter what kind of point chart or incentives DVC offers. Until we figure out if amenities are separated from the regular camping guests, we won’t be buying.

We have camped at FW plenty of times ……ranging from 3-6 weeks PER trip. I can tell you that you “learn things” while hanging around that long. The majority of FW campers spend very little time in the park. They instead, take advantage of resort offerings …… that’s fine And completely legal. In addition, you are allowed 10 people on each site. We have witnessed close to 20 people on a single site during the Christmas holiday! They were locals and came for only the weekend. FW staff did nothing, as they were probably checked out by the time it was reported.

How long before Campers are utilizing the DVC laundry area because it’s free, instead of paying per load in the camping loops? Almost everyone has a golf cart.

How long before they start using the nicer DVC pool (assuming they upgrade the pool)? Everyone knows you just follow someone else through the gate in order to gain access. Again …. almost everyone has a golf cart.

In the past you’d see fewer golf carts out at the cabins than in the camping loops. With the assumed increase in disposable income from DVC members, you’ll probably see more golf carts. There is already a huge problem with parking up at Pioneer Hall. They would be wise to build a golf cart parking structure!

There will need to be clear delineation between DVC and regular campers (regardless of point chart) before we would look at it. Now ….. if the point chart ends up being 1/2 of a 1 bedroom elsewhere on property, then it would make sense!

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

It looks like the DVC Cabin Loops will be 2200-2800, which are the furthest from the Settlement Depot (Trail's End, Hoop-de-doo, Boat transport), the Meadow Depot (pool, activities) and the Waggin Tails Dog Park. Plus, there is only one comfort station (Laundry, Restroom, Showers) in that entire area, which is likely too small for 300+ cabins. However, it does service the current cabins that are there, so who knows. That Comfort station does have a pool, however.

I go back and forth on a stackable W/D unit in the cabin. It would be very nice to have, but it would take up square footage where square footage is at a premium. I would hope that maybe they put another comfort station in there somewhere as well as maybe a second dog park.

If they really wanted to hit it out of the park, IMHO, they'd resurrect Reflections as "The Villas at River Country" with it's own water park area and make the cabins part of that.

We just stayed in a cabin earlier this year. Right next to the kitchen, there is a spot that I think would work for a stackable w/d. It seems like a loft would be the only way to get the bunks out of the bedroom though. While we love Ft. Wilderness, a golf cart is almost a must for the cabins. We used to stay in RV sites without a golf cart. At the cabins, we were always taking the internal bus, except 1 night after the MK when our stroller was so full of stuff and a sleeping kid that we decided to walk back. Such a long walk to the cabins. I still love Ft. Wilderness and will book it when the grandparents come (probably going to buy enough points for 2-3 nights there), but I'm glad we have some VGF points for late nights at the MK.

 

[Doberge]

It won’t matter what kind of point chart or incentives DVC offers. Until we figure out if amenities are separated from the regular camping guests, we won’t be buying.

We have camped at FW plenty of times ……ranging from 3-6 weeks PER trip. I can tell you that you “learn things” while hanging around that long. The majority of FW campers spend very little time in the park. They instead, take advantage of resort offerings …… that’s fine And completely legal. In addition, you are allowed 10 people on each site. We have witnessed close to 20 people on a single site during the Christmas holiday! They were locals and came for only the weekend. FW staff did nothing, as they were probably checked out by the time it was reported.

How long before Campers are utilizing the DVC laundry area because it’s free, instead of paying per load in the camping loops? Almost everyone has a golf cart.

How long before they start using the nicer DVC pool (assuming they upgrade the pool)? Everyone knows you just follow someone else through the gate in order to gain access. Again …. almost everyone has a golf cart.

In the past you’d see fewer golf carts out at the cabins than in the camping loops. With the assumed increase in disposable income from DVC members, you’ll probably see more golf carts. There is already a huge problem with parking up at Pioneer Hall. They would be wise to build a golf cart parking structure!

There will need to be clear delineation between DVC and regular campers (regardless of point chart) before we would look at it. Now ….. if the point chart ends up being 1/2 of a 1 bedroom elsewhere on property, then it would make sense!

Many DVC resorts have both free laundry rooms for DVC and paid laundry for guests, and it's never really been a problem. One way to help is to put a lock on the door of the DVC laundry room and make it only accessible to cabins.

The Meadows Swimmin' Pool will continue to bebthe nicest as it's larger and has more amenities. I don't see DVC doing more than fixing up the existing Wilderness Swimmin' Pool so it looks a little nicer, but I'd be surprised if it changed so much to be preferable to the Meadows pool.

I've seen plenty of carts at the cabins but agree that more parking at the boat launch and Meadows would be great.

 

[limegreenmonorail]

My guess is that they'll get rid of the bunk beds and there won't be a loft. They already got rid of bunks years ago at both WL and AKL because they're too hard on housekeepers to climb up and change those top bunk sheets, and slows down the number of rooms they can get cleaned per shift. I really think they'll take this opportunity to switch FW cabin bunks to something more easily accessible for housekeepers - and adding a ladder they have to climb up to a loft would definitely be counterproductive. The only other bunks left at this point are in the SSR treehouses, and I bet we see those eliminated at some point as well.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

I don't see myself buying there, but might have considered a stay in a cabin on occasion were it not for (and maybe this is just me) the design looking like the campground restroom/outhouse building.

 

[Mikey15]

View attachment 804035

I don't see myself buying there, but might have considered a stay in a cabin on occasion were it not for (and maybe this is just me) the design looking like the campground restroom/outhouse building.

Admittedly I have seen campgrounds / parks with privy buildings that look like this.
…but I’ve also seen tiny homes like that too.

Having passive light while still having privacy is nice, and that common root is something desirable in both privies and in tiny homes.

 

[SL6827]

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