Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Coordinates: 28°24′27″N 81°33′31″W / 28.407431°N 81.558563°W / 28.407431; -81.558563
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Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Cabin at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
LocationMagic Kingdom Resort Area
OpenedNovember 19, 1971 (1971-11-19)
ThemeForts in the American Old West
Campsites800
Cabins409
Address4510 North Fort Wilderness Trail
Lake Buena Vista, Florida

Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is a themed camping resort located in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area at the Walt Disney World Resort in the U.S. state of Florida. It officially opened on November 19, 1971. The resort is situated adjacent to Bay Lake, near Disney's Wilderness Lodge. It also formerly contained Disney's River Country, a water park which closed on November 2, 2001.

Resort[edit]

Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground sign

Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is a rustic themed camping resort aimed to evoke the timeless beauty of the American frontier. Located on 750 acres of Pine and Cypress forest, the campsite consists of two main camping areas: a portion used for campsites where visitors with tents or recreational vehicles can stay, and the remainder of the lodging area is occupied by permanent trailers, designed to resemble log cabins.

Dogs are allowed to camp on certain pet-friendly loops, but are not allowed to stay in pop-up trailers or tents.

Dining[edit]

The resort hosts a dinner show, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, which offers all-you-care-to-enjoy fried chicken and smoked pork ribs with mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and cowboy beans. Other dining options include the Trail's End Restaurant, a Quick Service Restaurant, and the Chuckwagon food truck.[1]

Recreation[edit]

The resort features playgrounds and two heated swimming pools. One of the pools, the Meadow Swimmin' Pool, features a winding water slide that includes the water tower from the now-closed River Country water park. Other activities include fishing and horseback riding. A 2.3-mile (3.7 km) paved and sand exercise trail extends from the pony farm to Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort. They also provide canoes, kayaks, bikes, and tennis rackets to rent at the bike barn. Guests can make reservations to learn archery and go horseback riding. At the marina, pontoon boats and other watercraft are available for rent to travel the waterways of Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon.

Entertainment[edit]

Located next to the beach, guests can visit the Tri Circle D ranch, where the horses that work at Magic Kingdom live. Trail rides, carriages, and hay rides, are also available for an additional cost. Each night, the campground features the Campfire Sing-Along with Chip 'n' Dale presented by Pop Secret.[2] A Disney cast member leads songs in an outdoor amphitheater, while the characters Chip 'n' Dale approach seated audience members, signing autographs and posing for photos. Two firepits are available for roasting marshmallows and making s'mores. Following the sing-along, a Disney movie is shown on an outdoor screen. At night the Electrical Water Pageant and the Happily Ever After Fireworks Spectacular can be seen from Clementine's beach.

Transportation[edit]

Public transport within the resort is provided by Disney Transport buses. From late 1973[3] to early 1980,[4][5] the Fort Wilderness Railroad, a 3.5-mile (5.6 km), 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge heritage railroad, provided transportation to the resort's various campsites, as well as to the nearby River Country water park, prior to its closure on November 2, 2001.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Bashor 2016, p. 5.
  2. ^ Bashor 2016, p. 2.
  3. ^ Leaphart (2014a), p. 61.
  4. ^ Leaphart (2014a), p. 88
  5. ^ Fickley-Baker, Jennifer (July 6, 2011). "All Aboard Fort Wilderness Railroad for a Trip Down Memory Lane at Walt Disney World". Disney Parks Blog. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Bashor, Amy (2016). Camping Disney: The Fort Wilderness Field Guide (1st ed.). Theme Park Press. ISBN 978-1-941500-89-7.
  • Leaphart, David (2014a). Walt Disney World Railroads Part 1: Fort Wilderness Railroad (1st ed.). Steel Wheel on Steel Rail Studio. ISBN 978-1-5008-0522-7.

External links[edit]

28°24′27″N 81°33′31″W / 28.407431°N 81.558563°W / 28.407431; -81.558563