New DVC Cabins Coming to Fort Wilderness Campground at Disney World
Walt Disney World has announced plans to expand the Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground by bringing reimagined cabins to the property. In this post, we’ll share details and a timeline, share our opinion of the DVC expansion and why this is likely happening. (Updated December 13, 2023.)
For those who are unfamiliar with it, Fort Wilderness offers approximately 800 campsites and over 400 cabins along with a wide range of recreational options. While Fort Wilderness is only a short boat ride from Magic Kingdom (behind Disney’s Contemporary Resort and “next door” to Wilderness Lodge), it feels worlds away. The sprawling ‘resort’ is situated on 750 acres of pine and cypress forest, giving the campground a ‘buffer’ between it and the rest of Walt Disney World.
Fort Wilderness is a Walt Disney World original, opening back in 1971 a little over a month after Magic Kingdom. Similar to how Contemporary was as an extension of Tomorrowland and Polynesian of Adventureland, Fort Wilderness was a counterpart to Frontierland–a way to stay in the American frontier. The campground debuted with 232 campsites as well as Tri Circle D Ranch, which was built for horses in the parades at Magic Kingdom. Fort Wilderness has not changed much since then. It does have many more campsites, cabins, and one fewer railroad–but the vibe is largely unchanged since I started staying at Fort Wilderness in the 1980s.
Against that backdrop, Walt Disney World and Disney Vacation Club announced proposed plans to bring refreshed cabin hideaways to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, offering guests a private retreat in the midst of nature with many of the comforts of home.
“For more than 50 years, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground has offered guests the opportunity to explore nature with their loved ones while staying in the heart of Walt Disney World Resort,” said Bill Diercksen, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Vacation Club. “We’re excited to continue to build upon the resort’s rich legacy and elevate the cabin experience for our Members and all guests to enjoy for years to come.”
December 13, 2023 Update: Disney Vacation Club has shared new details about the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. This started with them “accidentally” spilling the beans last week during the 2023 Condo Association Meeting (air quotes around accidentally since it was in a slideshow, and that was obviously made on purpose–even if the company wasn’t ready to provide an official update on the project).
During that, VP of DVC Bill Diercksen shared a slideshow with new images of the new Cabins at Fort Wilderness Cabins. He indicated that Chip ‘n’ Dale will be featured on the pull-out bed, and that there will be Easter Eggs with nods to Fort Wilderness and Walt Disney World history. (We saw a lot of that in the new rooms at Boulder Ridge, too.)
Most notably, Diercksen shared that the Cabins at Fort Wilderness will open in Summer 2024. We discuss below how this timeline makes sense despite work not even having started, but regardless, it does. This also means that sales will start very soon–before the Polynesian tower–probably by March 2024.
Today, Walt Disney World officially confirmed these details and released concept art showcasing the interiors of the new Cabins at Fort Wilderness. Each cabin sleeps up to 6, and some can even accommodate dogs. All offer a restful retreat with charming touches and many conveniences.
Each morning you can draw the curtains back to reveal floor-to-ceiling windows and your own personal patio deck, where you can bask in the glories of nature while firing up the charcoal grill and dining al fresco.
In the main bedroom, you’ll find a queen-size bed, twin-size bunk beds, a 55-inch TV, closet and a nightstand. This is a pretty similar setup to the current Fort Wilderness Cabins.
Through the sconce-flanked front doors is a spacious living area featuring a dining nook and a fully equipped kitchen—including a refrigerator, dishwasher, convection/microwave oven and 2 countertop burners.
The kitchen includes plenty of storage, as well as a kitchen table capable of seating all 6 occupants of the cabin. Off the kitchen you’ll find a vanity area outside the entrance to the bathroom, which has a shower and an additional vanity inside.
A convertible seating and sleeping area is located opposite the kitchen and boasts a 65-inch TV and a comfortable sofa—the perfect spot to gather your family to watch a favorite Disney movie. At bedtime, simply fold down the queen-size Inova bed from the wall, for added sleeping space.
I’m guessing fan feedback is going to be very mixed on these, since they’re a mix of modern and rustic and use more muted colors. And we can certainly understand that to some degree. But like a lot of other recent room designs, these strike us as a good marriage of form and function, and look like major upgrades in terms of usability.
Stated differently: I’d rather actually stay in these cabins than the old ones. As that’s the most important thing about accommodations, we’re looking forward to these new Cabins at Fort Wilderness. For us, the jury is still out as to whether we prefer the style of these. We absolutely love the idea of more windows allowing for light and views of the wilderness outdoors. We also like the artwork in both the bunkbeds and the Inova pull-down.
With that said, I’m also a bit on the fence about the theme and details–it reminds me more of the Copper Creek style (a bit of a hodgepodge) rather than the fantastic new Boulder Ridge Villas, if that makes sense. Hopefully DVC sticks the landing and includes even detail and thematic flourishes to tip the scales in the right direction.
The plans to expand Fort Wilderness with a Disney Vacation Club addition call for more than 350 new cabins to replace the existing cabins at the resort, which have delighted guests for many years and will soon be ready for a refresh. Additionally, the cabins would be built with an eye toward the environment, utilizing the footprint of the existing cabins and taking advantage of more energy-efficient features.
Design concepts offer a fresh take on the current cabin experience and are inspired by the resort’s idyllic setting, while also paying homage to the resort’s unique culture and heritage through the magic of Disney storytelling. Each stand-alone cabin offers spacious accommodations, sleeping up to six adults, and features a bedroom, bathroom, living room, full kitchen and private patio. A select number of cabins are also expected to be dog-friendly.
As with all Disney Vacation Club resorts, the cabins will continue to be open for reservations to all guests, including those who are not Disney Vacation Club Members, subject to availability. A small percentage of the property will be retained by Walt Disney World and not part of the DVC inventory–just like all DVC resorts. Accordingly, it will likely be difficult to book these cabins for cash guests, and they’re likely to be both more expensive and excluded from discounts.
The planned cabins are part of a collection of improvement projects underway at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground that are designed to enhance the guest experience. Examples include proposed pool and walking trail enhancements as well as new expanded dining experiences at Trail’s End Restaurant and Crockett’s Tavern, with more exciting news to come.
Disney Vacation Club members and guests would have easy access to the theme parks and be able to enjoy the resort’s cherished amenities, including horseback riding at the recently updated Tri-Circle-D Ranch, fishing, walking trails, pools, playgrounds for the little ones, Chip ’n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long and rootin’ tootin’ dining and entertainment at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. Campsite accommodations will also continue to be available for guests.
The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort is projected to open in 2024 and would be the 17th Disney Vacation Club resort. Additional information regarding project details, the start of sales and rental bookings will be released at a later date.
Walt Disney World has filed a new construction permit with the State of Florida to begin construction work on the new Cabins at Fort Wilderness. There are a few interesting things about this permit, with the first being that it has an extended expiration date. Normally, the permit would expire in one year–for this, Disney has specified a date of May 1, 2025.
Second, because the contractor on the permit is J&J Venture Group. This is a recently formed entity with no track record of doing work for Walt Disney World. However, a quick search of Sunbiz reveals that it has the same officers and address of JCQ Services, which has done several room overhauls for Walt Disney World. So the former is probably a subsidiary or shell of the latter.
Finally, as discussed in our updated post on Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge, there has also been permit activity with that project. It’s possible that this is related to staging for the new DVC Cabins, but based on other rumblings, we believe there’s much more than a nonzero chance that Walt Disney World is preparing to resume work on the Reflections site.
One thing to note is that the cabins will not be simply refurbished/reimagined, nor will new ones be constructed on-site. Instead, these are entirely new prefabbed units that will be built off-site, trucked in, and installed unit-by-unit. That explains how the design is differing substantially and will incorporate lessons learned from the old cabins and DVC member accommodation preferences. A lot has changed in the years since the cabins debuted, and Disney has gotten room layouts down to a science. The use of space and practicality of these cabins will almost certainly be better.
The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort being prefabbed off-site also explains the Summer 2024 opening date. The “construction” timeframe here will be measured in days, not weeks or months, which is how these will be able to go on sale and open before the Poly tower, despite nothing having happened yet.
Another interesting tidbit is that the current Cabins at Fort Wilderness remain bookable for the duration of next year–you can still go to the DisneyWorld.com website and make a reservation for late December 2024. This is curious, but not necessarily conclusive of anything. Now that we know the new cabins will start opening in Summer 2024, this either means that the project will take until at least the end of the year, or that these new cabins are already bookable–that guests making reservations for the holidays will be assigned to them. (Might be smart to book now before the inevitable price increases in 2025!)
Turning back to our original commentary, I’ll start by saying that I’m stunned by the timing of this announcement. In addition to these cabins, the New DVC Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is currently under construction and is currently slated to open in late 2024 at Walt Disney World. Based on the incredibly quick pace with which that expansion is being built, there’s no reason to believe it’ll be delayed.
That means that Walt Disney World will have two new Disney Vacation Club additions in 2024, both of which are Magic Kingdom area resorts. On top of that, DVC will almost certainly still be selling Disney’s Riviera Resort. That totals 2 resorts in the Magic Kingdom area and one in the EPCOT/Skyliner area.
Oh, and don’t forget the Villas at Disneyland Hotel and Aulani in Hawaii, which still has not sold out. That is an absolutely unprecedented amount of inventory simultaneously for sale, and it comes amidst a Disney Vacation Club Sales Slump. It might also come as the U.S. economy enters a recession. Who knows.
My next thought is that this finally realizes rumors of a Moderate Resort DVC expansion, which started years ago before Disney’s Riviera Resort was announced. (The categorization has never really made sense, but Fort Wilderness is technically a Moderate Resort. It’s totally incomparable to other resorts, and we’ve previously placed the Cabins at Fort Wilderness in the same grouping as the Family Suites at Art of Animation.)
In fact, this new tier of DVC probably the best way to explain how Disney Vacation Club plans to sell this alongside Riviera and Polynesian. It’s highly probable that this is aimed at a different demographic, and will be a more economical alternative to the aforementioned resorts.
We certainly do not expect the Cabins at Fort Wilderness to hit the $230 per point of the Villas at Disneyland Hotel. Our guess is that this DVC resort will come in at a sub-$200 price point below where Disney’s Riviera Resort started selling back in 2019. (Anyone expecting a bargain priced below $150 per point had better think again.)
Even if the per point cost is still in the ballpark of other new DVC resorts, the point charts will almost certainly be more favorable. That will mean fewer points need to be purchased as compared to the Poly, Grand Floridian, or Riviera. No matter how you slice it, the average financial outlay for buyers of the Cabins at Fort Wilderness will be lower.
I could see this having an average entry point of around $30,000 for new members, whereas those resorts might be closer to $40,000. Whether that’s due to a lower per-point cost, smaller contract sizes, or a combination of the two, remains to be seen.
It’ll be interesting to see if Disney Vacation Club introduces new restrictions aimed at avoiding unintended consequences of having a Moderate Resort DVC. We doubt that’ll be necessary, as the per point cost likely won’t be that much different from other existing Disney Vacation Club resorts.
What’s totally unsurprising is that Walt Disney World is opting to swap out the current cabins for ‘enhanced’ Disney Vacation Club accommodations. It’s a fairly common tactic for the company to target hotel inventory that’s underperforming and convert it to DVC. This improves occupancy for the remaining hotel inventory by reducing its net number of rooms, and gives Disney Vacation Club something to sell. (It’s a similar story with Copper Creek; Wilderness Lodge is now performing much better, but at the time, occupancy was weak.)
Despite Fort Wilderness as a whole having a very vocal and passionate fanbase, the existing cabins are not particularly popular. There’s routinely availability here when the campsites are sold out, and there are frequently more aggressive discounts for the cabins. Like Olivia’s or Sanaa, these accommodations have a loyal fan following–but also are routinely offered to Cast Members at 40% off.
In fact, this isn’t the first time in the last decade that Walt Disney World will be reducing the number of cabins. Back during the last soft goods refurbishment (in 2016-2017), Disney removed the cabins in the 2100 Loop to add more campsites. Even after that, occupancy is lower for the cabins than the campground as a whole.
Personally, I have mixed feelings about the style of the DVC cabins. It’s still early and we only have a single piece of concept art, so it’s premature for a fully-formed opinion. However, there’s a lot that can be inferred from the concept art and recent precedent. With that in mind, I’ll begin with the positives.
I love the large windows that will allow a lot of natural light and nice views out into nature. While nice updates from what was there before, the current cabins are dark and dreary, and don’t lean into their natural surroundings all that well. I’m a huge proponent of windows, and indoor-outdoor living. These should be a significant improvement on that front.
Additionally, it’s safe to say that the interiors will be better. Say what you will about recent resort reimaginings, but it’s very difficult to criticize room redesigns from a functional perspective. Personally, I think Disney has been crushing it since Riviera Resort, and the current ‘wave’ of innovative accommodations that marry space-saving styles with well-themed ones is perfect. Just contrast the new rooms at Boulder Ridge with those only a few years earlier at Copper Creek–the former are far superior to the latter in every conceivable way.
Now, the negative. The exterior of these cabins does look like the design frankenstein of an HGTV personality and a Gensler designer. It looks too on-trend, leaning into she-shed, tiny home, and shabby chic styles. A bit like the worst of the Copper Creek interiors with the Reflections and new Poly tower exteriors. Hopefully, the end result looks better or the interior is so good (and on par with Boulder Ridge) that it doesn’t matter. On balance, I’ll admit that I’m cautiously optimistic about the look of the cabins. My prediction is that these will be better than the current cabins, but we shall see.
Beyond that, my biggest concern is that adding Disney Vacation Club will irreparably change the character of Fort Wilderness. Although there’s nothing in the announcement to suggest this will occur, it seems like a given–and one that’ll be necessary as a practical reality. It’s also somewhat apparent from the subtext discussing expanded dining and “more exciting news to come.”
Walt Disney World knows how this change is going to be received by diehard Fort Fiends. There’s a reason the announcement came buried among Halfway to Halloween news, and why certain details are highlighted and others are omitted. The company is trying to ease fans into the development, focusing on the perceived positives and trying to minimize the negatives.
There’s one simple reason that Fort Wilderness is almost certain to change in a way that won’t be well-received by its longtime fans: demographics. Assuming the per point price is $185 and the average contract is 160 points, that puts the upfront cost right at $30,000 for the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort.
I don’t want to make any unfair assumptions, but I think it’s probably safe to say that the average regular at Fort Wilderness is not the target audience for a $30,000 timeshare. This isn’t to say that Fort Wilderness guests are less affluent than the average visitor. I know that is not the case, I’ve seen some of those tricked-out RVs and Googled their cost! (Side note: HOLY COW.)
Nevertheless, they’re still different demos. Just because someone has enough money to purchase the Rezvani Vengeance doesn’t mean they’re also in the market for a McLaren 720S. Both are similarly expensive vehicles, albeit with very different audiences. Almost assuredly, the same idea is true with the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort.
Looking at recent Disney Vacation Club additions, it’s also fair to say that the DVC demo has different priorities and expectations for accommodations. It’ll be interesting to see how Fort Wilderness changes to comport with consumer preferences, but not all of that is possible.
What DVC members seem to favor–convenience, consolidated layout, and ease of access–are not the strong suits of Fort Wilderness. What DVC members don’t seem to care about–themed design, atmosphere, seclusion, and serenity–are some of the biggest strengths of Fort Wilderness. Only so much of that can conceivably change; many of those are immutable characteristics of the campground, and DVC members are going to have to meet Fort Wilderness halfway.
To that point, it would probably be a savvy move if DVC guides took all prospective buyers of the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort to the actual campground and had the spend a half-day actually experiencing and getting around the resort.
Honestly, I’d go a step further and recommend to anyone considering this that they do an actual multi-night stay at Fort Wilderness first. That seems like such an obvious thing that anyone would do when making a $30,000+ purchase, but I wonder to what extent it’ll actually happen.
Ultimately, some of my commentary here is similar to what it was for Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge. However, all of my complaints are dialed down dramatically here, as Reflections was going to do much more damage. By contrast, these cabins will replace comparable accommodations, so they won’t cause that many negative impacts on their own.
Even after Disney Vacation Club comes to the scene, Fort Wilderness will still likely be 90% unchanged from its status today. And honestly, as compared to Walt Disney World as a whole, that’s still pretty good. It’s truly amazing how well-preserved the campground still is, even as development has exploded all around Walt Disney World in the last several decades. Fort Wilderness has long been an outlier and something of a time capsule of a bygone era, and that will likely remain true in 2025 and beyond.
Moreover, even as other aspects of Fort Wilderness do change to pave way (a fitting way of putting this) for the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort, there’s only so much I can realistically see the company investing in this project. There’s a reason Disney is doing this as opposed to resuming Reflections. It’s the path of least resistance. In this case, that’s a good thing for Fort Fiends and all other fans of the original Vacation Kingdom of the World! So we shouldn’t over-exaggerate the damage this will do.
Moreover, there will also be some positives–as much as we enjoy the occasional meal at Trail’s End (RIP) or the quick-service options, there’s a lot of room for improvement on that front. A proper food court would be fantastic, as would improved dining options. Selling this DVC expansion is an incentive to significantly upgrade all of that, and if there’s one thing Disney’s Riviera Resort does well, it is dining. There’s no denying that. I’m also hopeful this results in the restoration of a walking trail between Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge.
That’s not the only positive for my fellow pessimists out there. Assuming that DVC is going to be built indefinitely, I’d rather have this than another tower or bland high-rise sprouting up where it doesn’t belong. While I’m not wild about this, it’s exponentially better than building another bland tower that’s virtually indistinguishable from a metro Marriott or Fairfield Inn by an airport. More of that is coming eventually (development on the Reflections site is inevitable over a long enough time-horizon), but I’d rather postpone it for as long as possible, or at least until themed design is back en vogue.
If you’re considering joining DVC and want more guidance, be sure to read our Ultimate Guide to Disney Vacation Club. That guide covers the pros & cons, resale v. direct, how much money you’ll save, and other important things to know before taking the plunge. If you still can’t decide whether membership is right for you, “try before you buy” with the recommendations in How to Save BIG on Deluxe Disney Accommodations Renting DVC Points.
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of this Walt Disney World news? Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort? Happy that DVC is expanding to cabins at a Moderate Resort, or wish they’d build a new stand-alone property? If you’re a Fort Fiend, are you upset by this or indifferent to it? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
As a DVC member whose first WDW experience was in the old family tent camper at Fort Wilderness in 1975, I could not be happier. I’ve been saying for over 10 years they should move the cabins to DVC. This will allow me to return to happier memories of my childhood without having to overpay with my DVC points by going through Disney Collection. Yes, THIS IS AWESOM!!!!!
The new cabins definitely look more like a shed and less like a cabin…But agree that if it helps prevent another giant rectangle sticking up into the WDW skyline, it’s the better option.
As non-DVC owners, it does get frustrating when new hotel builds are focused on DVC year after year when Value resorts are booking up and getting almost unjustifiably expensive.
I doubt Disney will really change the campground model except to upcharge it- the trend now is for more of these resorts not less – plus Disney does not have to provide the room – you bring it! the margins on this place must be fantastic.
Margaritaville is adding resorts – why because RV people have $ to spend we are former campers and it is a great way to vacation but its unclear if it is less expensive.
For people who have never tried “glamping” give it a shot and Disney is a great place to try.
When this conversion is done will these still be considered Moderate or will they now graduate to Deluxe all the other DVC? If it stays moderate do owners still receive all perks like after hours at select parks? Same Blue Card perks? What do the maintenance fees support? Just the DVC buildings? Other common areas? Maybe Disney is so willing to convert rooms at existing resorts as a way to shift maintenance and other costs off of them and onto the DVC owners?
Is there any chance the reimagined cabins will feature a second (or even half) bath? I just feel like any resort touting the ability to sleep 6 adults should have a more desirable bathroom situation. I also feel like this would go a long way in increasing desirability for potential DVC purchases. I can’t imagine plunking down that kind of cash for a moderate resort without some other major incentive (like a second toilet!).
I disagree with the “what a DVC member favors” comments. No one asked us and we are DVC members. We prefer small, cozy, tower-less accommodations with ample theming. We prefer beautiful site-lines across the horizon that are unobstructed by large looming towers and waterways that aren’t completely surrounded with ominous buildings. But again, no one asked us. 🙂
What’s interesting is the insinuation that with larger structures, theming, beauty, or serenity can’t be achieved.
We are grateful to own pockets of points across a few DVC properties, and among our favorites is the sometimes-maligned Saratoga Springs, a very large resort with large buildings. We request the Grandstand area, and overlooking the gorgeous golf course… and find the tranquility that’s such a nice escape from the parks.
This is to say, I think things are what folks are willing to make them, and I wish more folks were willing to find/make the positives the focus, vs. the anticipation of the negatives.
For me, I’m newly intrigued by Fort Wilderness with this news, and I’m excited to see what they do with the cabins.
Might just be me, but my first thought when seeing the concept art is The Boxcar Children. Definitely has a shed look, but like you I like all the windows. And hey, maybe nostalgia for the series will help sell it!
It’s great that Disney is building new DVC resorts and the refurbishments at select resorts are great. But unless Disney decreases the parks population less people will want to buy into DVC and will seek other vacation resorts that are more relaxing and more spontaneous to visit. (No reservations). They’ll still visit Disney only very infrequent where a DVC membership will not be advantageous.
I wonder what this might mean for potential future DVCs at other moderate resorts. My ultimate wish would be DVC at Caribbean Beach Resort (very unlikely now that Riviera is basically on the same site, but one can dream…).
The HGTV comments are spot on, as is the She-Shed look of these proposed cabins that totally ignore the rustic concept of FORT Wilderness. Although I’m sure the cabins will have a nice interior for functionality, theme-wise could be iffy. We’ve loved the cabins. Sure, they’re prefab mobile homes and it’s sad to see the loss of so many, down from 400+ to 350, but the cabins are really a nice economical, by WDW resort standards, way for a family to stay on site. At least they have been.
I can see there being, automatically, a golf cart for each cabin at some point. Even so, I think you’re right about the potential market for these cabins.
I think this could be a big whiff…or as you seem to suggest, a cushion for Aulani points. It could also be an entry point for DVC points…but I can see this being a property that is widely resold in the coming years.
As has been mentioned, they’re going to do something with the Lake site sooner or later. so those looking at this as a rescue from that project are mistaken, IMHO. The hope for a better tomorrow there is fine, but right now Disney Imagineering, sadly, seems dead as far as the resorts are concerned. I just think that the reason I can book a cabin today for May 15th and a week-long stay isn’t going to change because of this change.
We also have loved the cabins! The rustic feel was the drawing point for us. Fort Wilderness is becoming Fort Will Be Missed. We were already planning a vacation there when my grand daughter turns 6….2 years. Guess I have to let them know it won’t happen. Really saddened by this.
I wish your pictures had info with them. I also would like to see the hole next door to the campground finished off with a development of some sort. I understand theming desires, but a hole is a hole. It also would be nice to have it finished, as I think they would also include a sidewalk access to Wilderness Lodge, making a nice long and pretty walk a thing from either end, like crescent lake. it would also be nice if your comment boxes had an easier to use version for typing. i miss the auto capitalizing these comments.
Hey Tom. Could you expand on your statement about the RCID building code that resulting in a lot of dead space at the Poly and WL? Interested in hearing about that. TIA and love the blog.
As a DVC member and a former RV owner that frequently stayed at the Fort, this is great news in my opinion. I also think it’s naïve to think Reflections won’t ever be built. That parcel is prime lakeside property . If you draw a line back to the road from the Reflections site, the cabin areas are right in line. DVC owners experience Disney dramatically different than most guests. We come for extended stays and short stays several times per year. We have annual passes, so we don’t attack the parks rope drop to close. Old Key West and Saratoga are very spread out, but that doesn’t bother us because we’re not in a hurry. Golf carts are part of the Fort culture and DVC guests will buy right into that too. The Fort is the perfect atmosphere for the seasoned DVC owner. Our daughter plans her first contract there after grad school. We look forward to the “more exciting news” part too. Change is exciting!
Oh, I absolutely think that *something* will be built on the Reflections site–it’s one of the last prime pieces of real estate, and the site has already been prepped. It won’t be what was originally envisioned, though. That would be true today and it’ll be true a decade from now.
I’m willing to roll the dice on what gets built a decade from now being more ambitious and well-themed than what gets built today. That could end up being a bad bet, but it’s one I’ll take.
We’re DVC members, and I have two thoughts on this plan (which, weirdly, I hadn’t heard about before now). You’re right–the first thing I thought about was convenience. The distance from the parks, the distance within Fort Wilderness, and the lack of dining strike me as drawbacks. Our family would find it very inconvenient. But here’s another idea: DVC members don’t have to use their points at their home resort. I wonder if DVC thinks people might buy here because of the lower per-point price, then use their points elsewhere on property. The points wouldn’t go as far, of course, and members wouldn’t get priority reservations, but it might open DVC to families who currently struggle to buy points.
I am so afraid they will replace the bunks with a double bed. My kids won’t share a bed and a cabin is pretty much the only place we can get three kids in one room, neatly adjoining a place for us to sleep.
The Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs are a very good alternative, and also offer bunks.
Replacing the cabins over a tower is much better for Fort Wilderness, but as a non DVC member we are so disappointed. My first visit to FW was in the campgrounds in 1978, and once we had children we have an annual visit to the cabins. It would be nice for the facility to have a nicer pool, and we still would like Trails End to come back. I’m still nostalgic over thinking about the little train that ran from the Outpost. As kids, we thought it was an extension of the park, and it was one of our favorite features. So many wonderful memories have been made at FW! We haven’t been back in the last 3 years due to crowding and long lines. After hearing this news maybe we should just try and hope that it’s not too crowded. When will construction begin, and how does a non DVC member rent the cabins? Someone above mentioned insurance so it sounds like there are problems. As always Tom, you are a wealth of information, and we really appreciate the time and detail you put into your site, thank you.
The cabins are my absolute favorite place to stay on property. I have mixed feelings about this. First I love the current design of the cabins and it will kill me to see it changed however, as someone who owns a significant portion of a CBR pirate room (now my kid’s Pirate bedroom), I would be the first in line for the surplus.
However the fort feels like a family and when they gut the quiet pool to make the Ft Wilderness DVC only feature pool that will sting (you know it’s coming) it’s going to feel like US and THEM. Particularly when they add a magicband lock to the gate. It’s just not going to feel cozy and close knit. I’m also not sure the DVC owners will appreciate the commoners “looping” through their sites. Also will you be able to decorate them for the holidays?
However the costs have gotten ridiculous on the cabins. They are like $500 a night around the holidays and somehow don’t qualify for deluxe hours.
Also this means NO Disney resorts will have ovens. That is big loss for us. Only DVC resorts will have kitchens.
We have also noticed prices at AKL plummeting below the cost of the cabins a lot. That may be our new home. I just really loathe the buses.
I have been staying at the cabins since the early 90s and the airstream type trailers before that. I’m sad that they are going to ruin Ft Wilderness. It’s not a resort for everyone but it’s a quiet peaceful resort that makes you truly feel like you are on vacation. I will not stay in these new cabins. There is nothing wrong with them. For those who want updated, flashy accommodations they should stay at Beach Club, Polynesian etc. I am so sad to see my favorite place on earth ruined all in the name of progress.
I love it… last time I was in the cabins, they felt in need of updates and some layout changes…depending in price per point, I’m all in.
Maybe all these DVC times shared are not a good idea…. Big money … lots of rules and regulations… doesn’t sound magical at all. This could be by why Disney is soooooo stressful!!!