When recently asked about my favorite resort for families at the Walt Disney World resort, I only had to think for a second. I love all the colors and giant statues of the value resorts as much as the next person, but those rooms can get really crowded, and fast. I'm also a park person. While the deluxe resorts have a TON of really great features and fantastic theming, I'm not at the resort enough to enjoy them. That is why it was easy for me to select Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort Cabins as my current Favorite.
Fort Wilderness is located on Bay Lake, and just a short boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom. Fort Wilderness gives families room to spread out and relax with a living room, private porch area in addition to the bedroom. Each cabin is approximately 500 square feet, almost twice the size of a standard room at a moderate or value resort. It also allows mom and dad to stay up later to prepare for the next day without waking the kids in the bedroom. The cabins also sleep up to six, so this is ideal for families with 3 or 4 children wanting to be close to the magic and escape the “busy” feel of some of the other resorts.
There are 407 cabins at the resort, in addition to almost 800 campsites. The size of the resort is large enough to warrant an internal, easy to use, bus system to get you from one end to the other. The bus drivers are always willing to answer questions and help you get to your destination. Golf carts are also available for rent to families that prefer to have more freedom to roam around the campground.
There are several things that make this resort a great deal for busy families. One of them being a multitude of low cost recreational activities for children and families. In addition to two pools (one with a slide featuring an icon from River country) and four different playground areas, there is also a petting zoo and pony rides offered at the Tri-Circle D Ranch.
Not to be missed is a nightly sing-a-long with chip and dale before the movie under the stars. The sing-a-long and movie are completely free and a great way for kids to unwind toward the end of the day. There are also options for older children, such as tennis, bike rentals, fishing, archery instruction, horseback riding, basketball and tether ball courts. There’s even a segway tour for adults and older teens.
Renovated in 2009 the Meadows swimming hole features a large children’s water play area complete with children’s slides. There is also a small wading pool for smaller children. The main pool added a slide and a hot tub area. There is a smaller swimming pool. A second swimming area, the Wilderness pool also recently underwent a refurbishment.
Dining at Fort Wilderness provides more unique family fun. All of Fort Wilderness’ dining options participate in the dining plan Trails End Buffet offers a variety of american fare and is one table service credit. The two other main dining options at the resort are both 2 table service credits, but include much more than dining. The long running comedy Hoop-De-Doo Revue runs 3 times a night and provides a family style, all you can eat dinner while enjoying singing and dancing to keep everyone entertained and laughing. One other unique dining option offered at Fort Wilderness is Mickey’s Backyard BBQ. Another all-you-can-eat experience, this one is outside and features Mickey and pals as the hosts. Here you’ll experience singing, line dancing, rope tricks and provides interactive fun.
The only drawback to staying at Fort Wilderness is the lack of counter service dining available. There are a few snack venues, and groceries available in the gift shops. If you’re a family on a budget, and decide not to go with a dining plan, you also have the benefit of a kitchen in your cabin. Mousekeeping comes by daily to run your dishwasher, so families can continue to relax and enjoy themselves. Families on the dining plan can also utilize the kitchen, keeping late night snacks and drinks in the room.
Overall, Fort Wilderness Cabins are a great value for the money. They provide unique dining experiences, a wide variety of recreation options for family members of all ages, as well as space to spread out, relax and truly enjoy vacation. The beach is also a prime viewing spot for the electric water pageant that runs nightly through Bay Lake.
I would highly recommend this resort to families with 3 or 4 children, or families who enjoy being outdoors and experiencing a more secluded, relaxing resort experience.
Right now, with the spring room special (January –June), families can save up to 20% on the cost of the cabins, making it an even better value for the money. You’ll also get all the Magical Memories free services, including dining recommendations and reservations, customized itineraries to meet the needs of your family, tips and tricks for using the fastpass service, preferred fireworks viewing and much, much more. We even provide on-call service during your vacation if a problem does arise. If you book any 2012 trip during the month of January, you also are eligible for a gift card to celebrate Magical Memories 5 year anniversary! Feel free to request a quote on the right if you want more information.
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