Fort Wilderness Campfire

[millerglass]

First let me say that we will be staying at the Rennisance Resort which is considered a Disney Hotel.

We want to go to the Fort Wilderness Campfire the night that we arrive (Aug 16). Since we have never been there and do not know very much about it, I do not even know if we are allowed to go there. Does anyone know if we will be able to attend the campfire?

Also, if we park our car at the main parking lot just before entering Fort Wilderness, can we ride the bus system to the campfire? If we wanted to walk to the campfire, is it a long walk?

Can we go on a hayride?

Thank you very much.
Michele

 

[Memph1s]

You may attend and park in the outpost parking lot (the main lot at FW) and ride the bus to the campfire program. It would be a little more than a 1/2 mile walk from the parking lot so I would use the bus system. Yes, you can go on hayride for a fee of course.

 

[momxx5]

We did the campfire last Thurs. night. It was lots of fun.

You can park at the front parking lot - the second Ft.W entrance I think labelled "Pioneer Hall Parking" and take a yellow or orange settlement bus. Be sure to ask the bus driver where to get off because the campfire area is 1/2 way to settlement. The hayrides are at the settlement area, as is Trail's End Restuarant - excellent buffet, and the petting zoo.

It start before 8:00 with a lady w/guitar doing singalong, Chip & Dale visit with people. There is a big fire pit to roast marshmallows. You can buy marshmallows and roasting sticks at snack counter(an smore kits too). The singalong is followed by a cartoon and movie on a big screen. We stayed for the cartoon but not the movie(it was getting late for the little ones).

You can also see the MK fireworks from the marina just past the settlement.

You may want to have a back up plan as this event will be cancelled if it rains. It rained all but 2 nights the week we were there. Our back up plan was to head to Downtown Disney - have a treat, do some shopping etc.

Hope you have a great time!

 

[millerglass]

Thank you so much for your replies.

I do have one more question. What about a fast food type of meal for dinner. Is there anywhere in Fort Wilderness that we can buy Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, or Sandwiches. Hopefully you know what I am asking. The kind where you walk up to a counter and ask for a hot dog and an order of french fries?

Thanks again.

Michele

 

[georgina]

I have never done this, but I have read that you can buy pizza, hot dogs, nachos, and other snacks at the chuckwagon, which is at the campfire.

 

[DVCDAVE]

First let me say that we will be staying at the Rennisance Resort which is considered a Disney Hotel.

Really ? Who told you that ? That is news to me........

The campfire program is for guests staying at Disney Resorts, it is not for guests staying at offsite resorts. The Rennisance Resort is as "offsite" as one could get. In fact, it is not even on one of the Downtown Disney properties that Disney leases to other hotel companies to operate and manage. (Like Swan and Dolphin or Doubletree).

The campfire program can be crowded during certain seasons, therefore seeing guests staying at a Disney Resorts pay a premium price to stay "onsite" and have access Disney activities and programs like the campfire, I'd urge you NOT to go, it would be like stealing. Why don't you stay onsite ?

 

[European]

We went to the campfire last September. We stayed at All Star Movies, but I don't think it matters where you stay. I would go if I were you. People staying offsite aren't supposed to use Disney Transportation system either. Besides, if you buy a snack you're not stealing. I wouldn't feel guilty. And if you do, you can always ask Disney. Can't imagine myself that they would ask you to leave.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I don't mean to sound cruel, but I have to agree with DVCDAVE on this. Despite the fact that I feel the campfire is a great activity for kids, Disney can't open up everything to everyone who is staying offsite. Some activities have to be limited to on site guests or there wouldn't be enough room for those who are paying to stay on site. I am sure Renaissance Resorts wouldn't appreciate the guests from Disney coming over to use their facilities. Sorry.

 

[DVCDAVE]

I apologize if my prior response sounded cruel. That is the limitation of the written word over the spoken word.

The fact of the matter is; The Rennisance Resort is not a Disney resort. It is nowhere near Disney's Property. This resort is 4 to 5 miles NORTH of Disney's maingate, on the eastern side of Interstate 4 (WDW is on the western side of I4) and the Rennisance borders on the Norhtern edge of Sea World, not Disney World, (sandwiched between the Bee Line Expwy and SeaWorld). To my knowledge the only property Disney owns east of Interstate 4 is the Celebration area, but that is considerably further south of where we are talking about.

In my mind, the campfire program is a Disney Resort activity. It is NOT intended to be open to the general public including those staying offsite. My two young boys love the campgire program, and we make it a point to go there at least once during our stays. There are times when we do go, that it is quite crowded and seating is limited at best.

 

[millerglass]

Talk about bursting my bubble.

This Rennisance Resort is located right next to the Animal Kingdom Resort but I just called and did find out that it is not considered a Disney Resort like I was told.

Why is this any different than non Disney guests visiting any of the Resorts for the Breakfast, Dinner, shopping, riding the lake speed boats or just walking around. If we go to Fort Wilderness, we would be paying for dinner, paying for the Hayride, and paying for the marshmallows.

If you all still think that this is considered "stealing" I am missing your point but don't think that we will go since it looks like you all feel so strongly against it.

Thanks again.
Michele

 

[Rhonda]

I think, since the campfire program is free, that people put it in the same category as the swimming pools. Non-resort guests are not allowed to swim in the resort pools, because they need to have room for the paying guests. Even if somebody was going to buy food/drinks at the pool bar, they still would not be allowed to swim in the pool.

The same goes for the campfire program. People stay onsite so they can take advantage of programs like this.

That being said.......you could always drive to FW, and ask at Guest Services if you could be allowed to attend the campfire program as a non-resort guest! As European said, I doubt they would say no!

 

[Memph1s]

This Rennisance Resort is located right next to the Animal Kingdom Resort

Are you sure about this.

Go to the campfire program on a Sunday night. I have never seen it crowded on Sunday

 

[DVCDAVE]

I stand corrected. I went to

http://www.renaissancehotels.com

and indeed there are TWO Rennaissance Hotels. One near Seaworld, and one near Annimal Kingdom, on the northern border of the Disney property off Rt. 192 . The one near SeaWorld is the one I am more familar with as I have driven past it on more then one occasion. I am not familiar with the one off Rt. 192, and I admit I have either never seen it or, if I did, never noticed it.

The best way for this question to be answered is for Rhonda's advice to be heeded, call WDW guest services. After all, they are the final authority.

 

[reeddi]

I too, thought the campfire was only for on-site guest but ... in April of 2002 we went to FW and looked around. We went to the check in place for a map and permission to look around for a future stay. The lady there gave as the "newspaper", map and other literture about FW. She said "Make sure to go to the campfire while you are here tonight." I said "We aren't stay on Disney this time." She said "No problem, you can still attend." Now we didn't because we couldn't stay that long (other plans) but I guess it depends on who you ask.

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

I've commented on this before, but I agree that the campfire program is "intended" for resort guests. We pay well over $60/night for our campsite during late March each year. We could pay much less at an off-site campground, but it is the extras like the campfire that make the premium cost worthwhile.

I wouldn't think of checking other hotels off-site to see if they provide free entertainment for their guests and then show up and take up seating that was intended for their hotel guests.

A bar/restaurant that provides entertainment is another thing. The campfire program is not provided as a means to sell beer and popcorn at the concession stand, but as an extra incentive for visitors to pay the premium prices to stay on-site.

A note to another person who commented ... All-Stars is a WDW hotel and would be considered on-site.

Just because you "can", doesn't mean you "should".

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I think you also have to consider the concept of free. Just because there is no charge doesn't mean that it is free. There is a cost incurred by Disney for this, and this cost is covered by the fees paid by the resort guests. Services like this have to be limited to resort guests in order to keep campsite costs down. I think reeddi's situation was unique in that they were looking into FW for a future stay. I don't think the general rule is to allow anyone who is staying off site to attend the campfire program.

 

[millerglass]

I have to respond. My wife broke the news to me that we are not going to the Fort Wilderness Campfire because of the responses that she received on this post.

I just called the campgrounds and told the CM that we are not staying at a Disney Resort and asked if it was ok if we could attend the campfire. Her response was "Sure, we would love to have you".

Also, for as much money as we spent at Disney World over the years, I have no guilt visiting a free campfire.

I thought that that was the whole purpose of reading these posts and for asking these questions was to find the best deals and most bang for your buck. The pools are clearly marked "For resort guests only", the campfire is not.

Because of these boards, we are having a fun filled vacation that we will never forget. We will be doing Universal Studios and will be staying at the Hard Rock Hotel to get the Front of the Line perk, we will be doing the 3 night Disney Cruise on Aug 21, we will be doing the "Trainer for the Day" at Discovery Cove, and will be doing Sea World. All of this in the course of 9 days. We needed a fairly inexpensive place to stay while at Discovery Cove and Sea World and got the Rennisance Resort for $32 a night on Priceline.

If any of you paid a lot of money just for the purpose getting to go to the campfire, maybe you didn't do your homework. I did my homework and I think that we are going to have one heck of a good time by spending the least amount of money possible to accomplish everything we want to do.

I am paying a lot of money for the Hard Rock Hotel just to get the Front of the Line perk. If any of you want to come over and swim in the pool, come on over, I wouldn't care at all. I think that that is pretty selfish on your part to say that you paid for something and now you won't share, especially when it is clearly listed as a free perk for everyone to enjoy.

You all got to vent to my wife and now I had my turn to vent to you. I feel better.

Remember, if everyone thought the same, there would only be vanilla ice cream. I respect your opinion and I hope you respect mine. Eric

 

[Rhonda]

Eric - you are absolutely right! It does pay to ask!

I just called Fort Wilderness to verify (sometimes you get a different answer, depending on who you ask) and I was told that anybody can come to the campfire program, whether they are staying at WDW, staying offsite, or even just living in the Orlando area!

I asked if they are concerned about it getting too crowded, and they said no - most people who attend are FW guests; it's usually too much of a hassle for off-site people to come all the way there, deal with the buses, etc. The very few offsite people that are there will not affect the crowds.

Thanks for checking into this! Obviously, this is an important subject to people, and it's always good to get an official answer!

 

[TINK61]

Roast a marshmallow for me, Eric!

 

[PenskeSth1]

O.k I have to comment on this I'm sorry.. We don't live far from Disney and we go to the FWC all the time for the campfire sing-along. We all enjoy the campground so much. We even take our bikes and ride around the grounds. While we are there we eat at the trails end Buffet and also buy pizza and drinks from the chuck wagon at the campfire.
We spend alot of money while we are there. SO BELIEVE ME IF ANYONE IS Stealing it is not US.... We are vacation club members and we do stay at Disney quit frequently. No one has ever said we had to leave and we also go up to the front office to see if there are any special events going on. At the front gate where you usually pay to get into Disney we tell them we are just visiting also, All they say is enjoy your visit.. So I would say "don't feel pressured to not go and see what it is all about"...