Workamping at Disney World

[Britt Marie]

I am a full-time RV-er. I recently met a couple who spent a year “workamping” (working in return for a free or discounted RV lot) at Disney World. I can’t seem to find any information about this online. Does anyone know if this is something Disney does regularly or know where I can find more info about it? Thanks in advance!

 

[michelb]

I've never looked into it so don't hesitate to correct me if I'm wrong but, although workamping is very common at many private campgrounds, I've never heard of it at Fort Wilderness and actually would be surprised if it's possible there. I believe they are quite strict about the maximum stays so if nothing else, that would make it difficult (although you can book back-to-back-to-back-... stays)

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I dont think it exists at WDW in the same form as other places. There are people that work at WDW and stay at the Fort for a reduced price due to their CM discount.

 

[Cousin Ed C]

Try, search jobs at Disney World. If you are a cast member you can get a discount at the Fort, but not always. I have a friend who lives there full time but his salary doesn't come close to paying his rent. I worked seasonally for eight years until they eliminated 7,000 seasonal jobs. I had a great time working two or three days a week.

 

[Brett Wyman]

At its absolute cheapest(without discount)its $1650 a month to stay there. Thats pretty high to stay at a campground(but I guess cheap to stay a WDW).

 

[tltay2005]

We spoke to a couple who live at the Fort in the 1700 loop for most of the winter who both work part time for Disney. She said they get 40% off the current rate as CMs.

 

[bama_ed]

Britt Marie,

You can do both: work for the Mouse and live at the Fort - but the two are not connected in any way.

My daughter was a CM briefly and I learned a little about how that side works. Cast Members can get a discount on a Fort campsite up to 40% as tltay2005 says. But

- it's not automatically applicable to EVERY reservation a CM makes
- the number of sites available with a CM discount is limited
- the limit applies per SITE TYPE (some times Preferred, Premium, or Tent have a discount as an example but if you wait too long only Tent may be left).
- you can't make a CM reservation with a discount until you have access to the CM computer system (check schedules, request vacation, view current CM discounts etc.)
- you can't get access to the CM computer system until you have gone through the WDW New Hire training and officially earned your ears (and nametag). So the likelihood of getting an immediate discount is lower if you are looking for one soon thereafter.

People do long stays at the Fort by booking consecutive 30-day reservations back-to-back. If those reservations are at the same level, you don't have to move (but I guess you still have to check in each time which can be done on-line now). Once you start working at WDW and can book out far enough to get back-to-back reservations with a CM discount, then you've got it rolling.

But there is no trading work for a site like there is in some CoE or state park campgrounds.

Bama Ed

PS - I have done some analysis the last few years when Disney releases the next year's rates during the summer. For 2019, average monthly rack rates per site type with tax were announced as follows:

Tent - $3,057 per month before any discount
Full - $3,933 per month before any discount
Preferred - $4,383 per month before any discount
Premium - 4,667 per month before any discount

That is based on the rates for 2019 that were announced in summer 2018. I suspect Disney might have slipped some mid-year increases in (sure weren't any reductions at rack rate, lol).

https://www.disboards.com/threads/2019-fort-wilderness-rates-and-price-increases.3690577/

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

AT those prices you would think the mouse would be on his bulldozer making more sites as fast as he could.

 

[mco65]

Tent - $3,057 per month before any discount
Full - $3,933 per month before any discount
Preferred - $4,383 per month before any discount
Premium - 4,667 per month before any discount

Geez, that's a big chunk of change even if you calculate the 40% discount for CM.

Still, my first 3 months in retirement will be spent at the Fort (God willing).... but i wont count on the CM discount. At the moment i have no desire to work at WDW ESPECIALLY in retirement. I might change my mind by then but even if i did, it would be a while after my retirement had begun. Probably when i run out of $ and still want to hang out at the Fort!

 

[team bradfield]

Geez, that's a big chunk of change even if you calculate the 40% discount for CM.

Still, my first 3 months in retirement will be spent at the Fort (God willing).... but i wont count on the CM discount. At the moment i have no desire to work at WDW ESPECIALLY in retirement. I might change my mind by then but even if i did, it would be a while after my retirement had begun. Probably when i run out of $ and still want to hang out at the Fort! [/QUOTE]

That is our plan also, mco65, first 3 months of retirement at the Fort. October 1st-2020 cant get here fast enough

 

[mco65]

Geez, that's a big chunk of change even if you calculate the 40% discount for CM.

Still, my first 3 months in retirement will be spent at the Fort (God willing).... but i wont count on the CM discount. At the moment i have no desire to work at WDW ESPECIALLY in retirement. I might change my mind by then but even if i did, it would be a while after my retirement had begun. Probably when i run out of $ and still want to hang out at the Fort!

That is our plan also, mco65, first 3 months of retirement at the Fort. October 1st-2020 cant get here fast enough[/QUOTE]

So close you can almost smell the foliage of the fort!!!! WOW.. color me jealous!
I have ~10 years to go before i retire...