Is this wierd?

[Jaynerita]

I reserved a camp site at Fort Wilderness a month ago. I also have a friend who invited us to stay with them in a condo outside of Disney. Can I keep my reservations at Fort wilderness, take advantage of early entry, free parking etc. or do you actually have to be camping there to stay there.

 

[ALostBoy]

Hi,

I don't think this will work. I think
you would have to stay in the site
to get the benefits.

 

[Disney Campers]

You would actually have to check in, once you have your resort ID you get all the benefits of staying on -site

 

[Memph1s]

Well, you could if you actually checked in but IMHO it would not be worth the expense. Parking is only $7 a day and you only pay it once a day. I have never been a big EE person anyway. Every time we have used EE it was more trouble than it was worth. You still have to fight the EE crowds getting to and in the park and then you only get 2 or 3 rides at the most before the lines start building up. I guess EE is OK if you need the extra time to get everything done when park hours are short but we almost never use it anymore.

 

[clkelley]

We actually did this once. We were down in Pensacola for a family emergency a year ago April, and after that was over still had the rest of the weekend. We decided to escape to Orlando for a quick two-day trip. We wanted a two-day park-hopper and the only way to do that was to stay onsite for one night. We checked on room prices at All-Stars and since it was holiday season, a room at All-Stars was $139 plus tax for 3 adults.

We got a partial hook-up site for 42+ tax. We checked-in and got our two-day UPH passes. We then got a room at some non descript hotel on 192 for 39+ tax.

So they don't really care if you actually stay there or not, just so long as you pay for it.

 

[MontanaCowgirl]

I'm not sure what is being said here...I may just be missing the point but why would you want to take up a camping spot when you won't be using it & someone else may need it?

Just thinking outloud here really & like I said I may be misinterpreting the whole question.

Plus why would you NOT want to stay at FW?

 

[clkelley]

In our case, it was a matter of economics and short time period.

This trip was decided at the VERY last minute.

Thursday morning we had not even thought of going to WDW, Thursday night we were on our way across I-10 East and spent the night at the intersection of I-10 and I-75. I called WDW Friday morning to check into room options. We had no camping equipment with us, didn't want to buy four day park hoppers, didn't want to pay a whole lot for our lodging. So our choices were for 3 adults:

$139 + tax for one night at All-Stars + $115 and change each for two-day UPH passes - total cost $502.00

OR

$39 + tax for the offsite room + $130 and change each for two single day tickets and two nights PI admission, and two days parking $12 - total cost $447.00 (No park hopping allowed)

OR

$42 + tax for the empty campsite which allowed us to buy two-day UPH passes at $115 and change each

Then we spent $39 + tax for our cheap bed on 192

Total cost - $440.00.

So for $7 less, we hopped around all four parks, got to see Tapestry of Nations, Illuminations, SpectroMagic, Fantasmic, Fantasy in the Sky, Stars and Cars Motor Car Parade, and Animal Kingdom Parade and enjoyed the Hoopla at Adventurers Club two evenings in a row.

Oh, if your wondering how we saw all those shows in two days, here is how

Friday, arrived Ft. Wilderness parking lot 7am, checked-in and got tickets, then to Animal Kingdom and experienced attractions there, watched AK parade, after parade, went to Epcot, experienced a few attractions there and saw Tapestry of Dreams and Illuminations, then over to Downtown Disney and went to Adventurers Club, then drove down 192 and found Travelodge.

Second Day, Magic Kingdom at rope drop for attractions, then over to Studios for some attractions and Stars and MotorCars, then Fantasmic at 8:00, then back over to Magic Kingdom for a 10:00pm Fantasy in the Sky and 11:00pm Spectromagic, then back to AC for a little more fun, then hit the road to Ocala for another cheap hotel before heading home on Sunday.

Another reason I might consider having a campground spot and not using it is for the following:

In a couple of years, I hope to be one of those long term folks for November, December, and January, but would still want to be at home with family for Christmas and New Years, and I'm also considering taking the 3-day Magic or Wonder cruise.

I would not check out of the campsite because the shorter reservations would be more expensive than the one long-term reservation.

Carol

 

[Jaynerita]

My origional reason for asking the question was because I was invited to stay at a friend's condo. I wanted to know if I could still check into FW and not sleep there so I could get early entry,free parking and the use of the pool, sort of like a day camp. I already have the reservations from AAA for a campsite for four nights. Then I got the invite to the condo!! Maybe what I'll do is call before I go in August. If they tell me the campsites are nearly full, I'll cancell my reservation in case someone else needs a site.

 

[marciaj]

You've paid for the site, it's yours to do with what you want. have fun!

 

[Caskbill]

What I don't understand is why they quoted you such a high rate at All-Stars. I thought that was normally around $89 a night.

(Since we purchase into DVC I haven't kept up on the hotel prices... ) Have they really gone up that much?

Anyway, had All-stars been $89 I'm sure you would have gone that route. Your total would have been about $452 (Just subtracting $50 from your $502 figure)

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I don't know, this just rubs me wrong. It seems like a lot of campers have trouble getting reservations for sites. It just doesn't seem right to rent a site when you have no intention of using it just for your own selfish pleasure. Maybe I'll get flamed for this, but it just isn't something I would do and seems contrary to not only Disney but camping spirit overall.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

This wouldn't bother me at all if they are paying for the spot for every night of their stay. What difference does it make to me if they actually physically have a camper/tent/etc in that spot and sleep there at night? None.

Now it would bother me if there was a way for people to reserve spots -let's say for example for a week during which I also wanted a reservation and was unable to get one since they were all taken. And if it was possible for them to cancel at the last minute and either have no penalty or let's say a penalty of one night's stay being charged to them. Well then the spot isn't being paid for -for the remainder of the week YET I wasn't able to use that spot because it was unavailable when I tried to make reservations and now it's too late (I'm already staying somewhere else- another resort or something... definitely unable to go all the way back home, get the camper and go stay in their spot the remainder of the week at FW).

I bet that isn't possible though- considering reservations obviously have to be made so far in advance at FW (since we couldn't get reservations for Nov/Dec in June- all booked up) and when made in advance you usually have to pay for the stay before actually going. ?? I think... maybe it depends on who you reserved it through.

But in any case, if they are PAYING for the spot, doesn't make a bit of difference in the world to me whether they are actually sleeping there or not. It's being paid for, so the spot is theirs- to do with what they wish. It's not keeping me from staying there while the spot is NOT being paid for- that's the only thing that would bother me.

For example- CRT has a penalty for cancelling at the last minute, right? I mean they take you credit card when you make the reservation and if you cancel at the last minute there is a charge as a penalty- right? If not, that would bother me... because it is keeping me and others from getting a reservation at that time because it's taken, then if they can cancel at the last minute without a penalty- unless I spend my entire vacation constantly calling to see if there is a cancellation- the spot was kept from me (or others) when it wasn't actually being paid for when they cancelled without a penalty charge for it.
??

 

[clkelley]

Near Easter in April, All-Stars is $119 per night for standard rooms and $129 per night for preferred rooms and $10 for an extra adult.

Since we were reserving at short notice, the only thing available was a preferred room at All-Star Movies, so that's why All-Stars was so high and as far as taking up a reservation, I made the reservation on the way to the campground, so wasn't holding a space somebody else was waiting on.

You are correct, if it had been less expensive at All-Stars, we would have stayed there.

And just for the record, if we hadn't had this third person with us who wouldn't camp if his life depended on it, we would have swung by Wal-Mart and picked up a tent and an air mattress and stayed at the camp ground

Carol