New Neighbors

jaredjohn4

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
About 3 pages back and 5 months ago there was a thread about the new DVC resort coming to Fort Wilderness. I haven't seen much recently about the construction and how it is affecting Fort Wilderness. I was wondering if anybody that is there now can report on the progress or post pics of the progress. Nothing gets built faster at Disney than a DVC. Thanks, looking forward to the shock when I show up for spring break 2020.
 
River Country is gone as is the BYBBQ and all the beautiful trees surrounding it. Almost all of the trees between the fort and the Lodge are gone near the lake as you can now see the Lodge, Contemporary and Bay Lake Towers from the Barn. New construction on the Barn has not yet started but it looks like they are almost finished with the final grade on the land. The main road for Reflections is still in the tree clearing and filling stages and does not seem to have made it all the way to the lake yet. The new beach to the right of the Marina is somewhat complete with all trees cleared and all the chairs moved over now. They seem to be focused on the new barn as that is where most of the work is going on now, I was told it is supposed to be ready to move into by September 1st. I have no pictures as Security is pretty much everywhere back there and for one am not going to chance getting caught taken them.
 
Thanks for the update. I hoped there would be more of a buffer between Trails End and the new resort, but it doesn't look that way. The Fort was always a great place to get away from it all and still be in the middle of the magic.
 
When you look at what they've done (bulldozing all of the trees), it makes you wonder if they can still call the fort, Fort "Wilderness"! Bring tissues next visit...you'll probably want to cry when you see the changes!
 


This is why we made an 'emergency ' trip this past June instead of our planned 2020 trip. I feel we need to get back this year....it's worth the 870 miles one way before it gets worse.
 
When you look at what they've done (bulldozing all of the trees), it makes you wonder if they can still call the fort, Fort "Wilderness"! Bring tissues next visit...you'll probably want to cry when you see the changes!
I haven't been down yet to see the (de)construction. I'll be there in early September. But I have to keep reminding myself this is only impacting a small portion of the Fort. Granted, it is an important part (the Settlement). The Google map below (red circle) shows the area with the tree clearing and where construction should start. The majority of the Fort is still the same. I suspect hurricane Irma did more overall damage to the Fort (I was there a week after Irma and saw first hand). It was more wide spread, but most of the trees were still there then and they will still be there after Reflections.

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j
 


Look at everything else Disney has built.... all will be fine when they are done. There will be new trees, which will look like old trees and the Fort will be just as good only a little different.
 
.....There will be new trees, which will look like old trees and the Fort will be just as good only a little different.

If Disney can somehow make new trees look like old trees then there MUST be an element of MAGIC in their DNA. An old growth forest takes decades to establish. According to my bar tab, I don't have that many decades ahead of me to see it.

Yes, the Fort will be just as good only a little different. I think that's what a lot of us FW aficionados are sad about. We don't want different when what we have is perfect for us. As far as I can discern through all the rumors or announcements, nothing they are planning/doing will be an improvement for us campers.

The only thing that's constant is the change.....
 
I've accepted that change is going on all the time at WDW and its resorts. MGM, DTD, Sorcerers Hat, countless rides all gone or changed since we started vacationing there. On the bright side, I'm now looking forward to a couple more dining and drinking options at FW.
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We stayed at FW this past week and took a couple of photographs of the site. It looked like they marked some trees to not be removed.
 

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Thanks for the pics. Where were you standing when you took these? I'm trying to get a perspective. I see the Contemporary in the back ground. Was this by the Settlement bus stop?

j
 
Can you watch the fireworks from the “new” beach with the music?

We were just there for the 4th and watched the fireworks from the "new" beach. It was a great show!

From my understanding, the "new" beach is really the "Original" beach--before it was moved to the left of the dock.
 
From my understanding, the "new" beach is really the "Original" beach--before it was moved to the left of the dock.

You are correct, this map from the 70's shows where the beach actually seemed to go all the way to the old cabin and the canal that goes behind the 300 loop. I actually stood on that old beach several times in the evening and watched the fireworks. From there you could easily see the castle without Discovery Island or other trees blocking the view.

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