Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort Campground Review
Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is an actual campground with both campsites and cabins at Walt Disney World. This review features photos of the both, the dining options and other amenities, and thoughts on the experience of staying at Fort Wilderness.
The history of Fort Wilderness is an interesting one, so let’s quickly cover that. The campground opened on November 19, 1971, shortly after Magic Kingdom. Fort Wilderness was viewed as a counterpart to Frontierland, giving guests a way to stay in the American frontier. The campground debuted with 232 campsites as well as Tri Circle D Ranch, which was primarily constructed as a convenient location for horses in the parades at Magic Kingdom.
In the years that followed, Fort Wilderness would expand considerably. Additions included the Fort Wilderness Railroad and River Country water park, both of which are now defunct. Another addition around that same time is more well-known: Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, which debuted on June 30, 1974 as a temporary summer show with a cast of college interns. Over 50 years later, the “temporary” Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is still going strong.
Today, Fort Wilderness offers campsites and cabins along with a wide range of recreational options. While Fort Wilderness is only a short boat ride from Magic Kingdom, 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.
With a few big exceptions (more on those below), Fort Wilderness Campground largely exists as it did back in the 1970s. It’s one of the last vestiges of the Vacation Kingdom of the World, and a bygone era of Walt Disney World. Sadly, that is quickly changing, and longtime fans will tell you that Fort Wilderness is a shadow of its former self. But visit today for the first time, and you’ll still experience plenty of what those fans fell in love with in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.
Fort Wilderness really is an experience, one that feels unlike any other resort at Walt Disney World. If you didn’t know any better, you wouldn’t realize you were just outside of a theme park. Not only is the “resort” isolated from the rest of Walt Disney World, but it’s also largely untouched and under-developed. It also offers a wealth of outdoor recreational activities and perks you won’t find anywhere else at Walt Disney World. With that said, Fort Wilderness definitely is not for everyone.
When I was young, my parents and I used to stay at Fort Wilderness in our camper. The few memories that I could recall from Fort Wilderness are good ones. I remember getting a Dale (dressed in his Chip ‘N’ Dale Hawaiian shirt) plush on one of our first trips there at the Outpost, going to the Hoop De Doo Revue a couple of times, and swimming at River Country, but that’s about it. However, I hadn’t even visited there in roughly 15 years prior to booking a return trip.
Fast-forward to 2026, and we’ve stayed at Fort Wilderness several times in the last two decades. A lot has changed during that time. We won’t bore you with the details, but we will start with some of the key recent changes as a threshold matter.
The recent development is that Walt Disney World has mostly replaced the old Cabins at Fort Wilderness, and turned that side of the property into a DVC ‘resort.’ The new cabins are known as the Cabins at Fort Wilderness – A Disney Vacation Club Resort. They’ve proven controversial among Disney fans, but we love the new DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness.
This was done ahead of the addition of Disney Lakeshore Lodge, which is currently under construction adjacent to Fort Wilderness on the old River Country water park. Disney Lakeshore Lodge quite literally towers over the Settlement area of Fort Wilderness.
Neither of these things strictly concern the campground side of Fort Wilderness, but it is worth being aware of those changes as they are fairly consequential to the overall guest experience.
In the last couple of years, there have also been major changes to the dining scene at Fort Wilderness. Current options include the Chuck Wagon (food truck), Trail’s End Restaurant (counter service/marketplace), Crockett’s Tavern (quasi-lounge and table service), and Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (dinner show).
Although we’re biased as fans of the old Trail’s End buffet (RIP), we have to admit that the reimagined restaurant along with the connected Crockett’s Tavern are more functional. They’re spots at which we’ll dine at regularly during our Fort Wilderness stays, even if we don’t love them as much as the bygone buffet.
Additionally, a “collection of improvement projects” are underway at Fort Wilderness aimed at enhancing the guest experience, including proposed pool and walking trail upgrades. Construction is now taking place near the Meadow Swimmin’ Pool area to expand this area, during which time these pools will remain open. However, the nearby tennis courts, volleyball court and the Meadow Playground will be closed temporarily. This pool expansion is slated to be completed by mid-2026.
Aside from staying in the new DVC Cabins, we’ve also done tent camping at the Fort Wilderness campsites. As far as campgrounds go, Fort Wilderness is relatively unrivaled. We’ve camped at some really nice campgrounds on the West Coast, particularly in Utah and California.
Aside from ones overlooking sandstone arches or the Pacific Ocean, it’s almost impossible to beat Fort Wilderness. Certainly, when it comes to amenities, cleanliness, and overall quality, Fort Wilderness is tough to top. But it’s also the only campground at Walt Disney World, so those planning to camp don’t really have many alternatives.
Here’s everything else you need to know about Fort Wilderness Campground & Resort…
During our recent stay at the Fort Wilderness Cabins, we were reminded of how intimidating its transportation can be. There are 3 internal bus routes that deliver guests to the front and back of the the resort, with buses departing from the front to take guests to the parks, and boats departing from the back (Settlement) to take guests to Magic Kingdom (and other Bay Lake resorts).
This might not seem bad as a twice-per-day thing, but the resort is so spread out that a bus is also necessary if you want to eat, shop, or swim. The internal bus route is about as efficient as it can be, and although it can be a bit quirky and initially confusing, it gets the job done. Over the course of a week-long trip, though, the amount of extra time you’re spending on transit really adds up, and grows tiresome.
The internal transportation is the price guests pay for the seclusion Fort Wilderness offers, and it’s a necessary evil. Whether you’re willing to accept this is a matter of personal preference, but I don’t really think there’s any way around it while maintaining Fort Wilderness’ exceptional vibe.
It’s why so many Fort Wilderness guests rent golf carts, which itself is a fun “thing” that also makes Fort Wilderness so unique. (Note that there are somewhat new rules about golf cart rentals and insurance requirements.)
On a much more positive note, the marina transportation from the Settlement at Fort Wilderness is quick and enjoyable. The smaller boats that transport guests to the Contemporary and Magic Kingdom show up promptly and provide an enjoyable and unique method of getting from Fort Wilderness to the Magic Kingdom.
Taking a boat from Fort Wilderness is such a great and relaxing form of transportation. Although it’s not technically an “attraction,” this is one of my favorite attractions at Walt Disney World.
The entertainment and recreational offerings at Fort Wilderness are robust. I’d say the daily slate of entertainment at Fort Wilderness is better than any other resort at Walt Disney World. There are numerous paid offerings, from fishing to archery classes to boating, and more.
There’s also a lot you can do for free. From nature trails to the Electrical Water Pageant to campfires, there’s a ton to do. Most notable among these is Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-Along, which is a nightly campfire show that occurs at 7 or 8 p.m., depending upon the season.
There’s also the petting zoo at the Tri-Circle-D ranch, and the Settlement Trading Post, which sells is your typical gift shop/grocery location. If you’re looking to rent a recreational option, the Meadows Recreation Area has a bike barn and the Fort Wilderness waterways and bicycle trails. You can also swim, and play tennis or volleyball at the complex.
Fort Wilderness Campground offers 5 categories of campsites: Tent or Pop-Up Campsite, Full Hook-Up Campsite, Preferred Campsite, Premium Campsite, and Premium Meadow Campsite. The first category accommodates two tents, while the latter four all have space for an RV plus a tent.
Beginning with Guest bookings arriving in 2026, maximum occupancy will be 8 Guests per site. Each campsite is equipped with privacy-enhancing landscaping, water, cable television and electrical hook-ups, a picnic table and a charcoal grill. Most campsites also include a sewer hook-up, and some even permit pets.
RVs can be rented by contacting a Disney Featured Provider, including:
- Meacham’s RV Rental – (941) 224-4939
- Escape RV Rental – (407) 374-3657
- Kissimmee Orlando RV Rental – (407) 368-7899
- Ohana Camper Rental – (386) 748-9328
When renting through one of these providers, you do not need to be present when the equipment is delivered to the Resort. The provider will work with our Cast Members to manage deliveries, set-up and returns of the rented RVs. All other RVs for designated campsite reservations are welcome, but must be brought to Fort Wilderness by registered guests.
Pricing is all over the place, but starting rates for most campsites with hook-ups are over $150 and can reach $250 per night. Our tent campsite cost a little under $100 per night, which was about the same price as a Value Resort for our dates. (Unlike Walt Disney World’s hotels, I know of no good hacks for scoring cheaper campsites.)
Tent campsites offer a paved parking spot and large area to pitch the tent(s). All Fort Wilderness campsites include electrical hook-ups, a picnic table, and a charcoal grill. Some are pet friendly.
All RV campsites at Fort Wilderness include a sewage hookup and paved pads ranging from 10 by 45 feet to 18 by 60 feet. Locations vary, with the most expensive spots being close to Meadow Trading Post, Meadow Recreation Area, Bike Barn, and the Campfire Area.
Comfort Stations are located throughout the Fort Wilderness Campground, and most campsites are probably within a 5 minute walk of one. These offer everything you’d find in a traditional restroom plus private shower stalls with changing areas.
By campground standards, these Comfort Stations are really nice and clean. They’re exactly what you’d expect of Walt Disney World and one aspect of the “resort” that helps justify the premium pricing.
I’m not really sure what else to say about the camp-sites, other than “they exist.” Actually, there’s quite a bit more to know. There are roughly 800 campsites at Fort Wilderness spread out across 20 loops. These campsites are secluded from one another by an overgrowth of brush and trees.
Campsites are back-ins with a combination of paved driveway and sandy pad. Each site is ~25 feet wide and includes a picnic table, charcoal grill, electricity, and water hookups.
One final note on the campground front: at Christmas-time, campers go wild decorating their campsites and golf carts at Fort Wilderness with all sorts of displays. (Hence the above photo, which otherwise might seem random.) It’s pretty cool to see, even if you’re not staying at Fort Wilderness.
One of my favorite things to do at Fort Wilderness is get up early and walk to the marina (no matter where we’re staying) to watch the sunrise. This early morning walk of the resort is a great experience, and really made me appreciate the place all the more. It’s so tranquil and undeveloped, and in many ways, still retains a lot of the charm of old school Walt Disney World.
It’s almost as if Fort Wilderness Campground is “off the grid” and hasn’t been victim to as many of the changes made that have sanitized and made some of the other original ‘Vacation Kingdom of the World’ resorts less endearing.
While I would definitely stay at Fort Wilderness again soon at the opportunity, it’s definitely someplace where we’ll stay when we have kids. I look forward to our kids enjoying playing at the playground, fishing, and enjoying other things like the Campfire Sing Along with Chip & Dale.
To me, it seems Fort Wilderness offers more for young children to explore than many of the other resorts at which we stayed. In an era when entertainment for kids primarily occurs in front of an LCD screen, Fort Wilderness is a breath of fresh air.
Overall, Fort Wilderness Campground is a breath of fresh air if you’re looking for somewhere at Walt Disney World that is totally different and lacking the same amount of hustle and bustle as the theme parks. If you want somewhere to stay that will balance out the chaos of the theme parks, or if you just want to get in touch with nature, Fort Wilderness is an exceptional option.
The amenities and entertainment are wonderful, cabins are really well done, and camping at Walt Disney World is a unique experience. My only real quibble is the transportation system, but even that is about as good as it can be considering the nature of the resort. I would not hesitate to book a stay at Fort Wilderness if a more rustic setting appeals to your party. It’s unlike anywhere else at Walt Disney World, and is a great way to shout SERENITY NOW! and get away from it all.
Not sure which Walt Disney World hotel is right for you? Check out our Walt Disney World Hotel Reviews page, which offers quick-hit capsule reviews of the strengths and weaknesses of every Walt Disney World hotel, plus links to our reviews and photo pages for every hotel we have reviewed. Looking for comprehensive Walt Disney World vacation tips? Make sure to read our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide.
Your Thoughts…
What do you think of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground & Resort? Have you stayed in a cabin at Fort Wilderness? What about one of the campsites? Have any tips in terms of entertainment, dining, or recreation at Fort Wilderness? Are you a “Fort Fiend” or is Fort Wilderness not your style? Any questions? Hearing from readers is half the fun, so please share your thoughts in the comments below!
We are heading to the big DW October 2014 and have a couple of questions that I can’t find answers to. Could you please help??
Everyone seems to agree that golf carts are very helpful at the campground but is there a parking area at the boat launch? That is, Can we drive to the boat launch in the morning and leave our cart and then pick it up when we get back from MK in the evening in case our camp site is far away?
And, will the busses take us to Universal Studios or only MK parks?
Will the boats take us to other Dis hotels to visit or have dinner at?
I liked the staying at the Fort Wilderness lodge. Overall it was a nice experience. However I don’t believe I would stay there again. The buses took forever to arrive, especially for Epcot and Downtown Disney. Most of the time you were not able to go straight from the resort to you where you wanted to go, you had to take the bus to another location, then get on the bus headed to where you wanted to go. Getting around inside the resort would not have been easily achieved without a golf cart. The other big problem I had with the room was the water pressure in the shower. During the day, there was NONE! We had to shower at night just to get a decent shower. Now granted I was there in 2007, so many of these issues may have been resolved. But my overall opinion, staying at Fort Wilderness even with these issues… I’ll take that over not being at Disney at all!
My husband and I are headed to WDW the first week of December. We are staying at the Boardwalk Villas (Hooray for military discounts!) but I’m still bummed we can’t camp at Fort Wildermess. (The military just moved us too far away for us to be able to drive. You can’t camp without tents, coolers, sleeping bags, etc.) No hotel can ever compare to the joy of camping to me. Coming back to your site after a day of craziness in the parks to have a drink around a fire is so relaxing. I actually look forward to leaving the parks to return to the campground, even as a child this was true. As for the internal bus system, we always packed our bikes and biked to the main buses. We are a VERY active family so this might not be for everybody.
Can u recommend a third party service for the golf cart rental? I saw you mentioned it a few posts back… And it sounds like a great idea, since they are $67 a day at resort. Advise appreciated! Thanks
My family of 9 are staying in the campground in 2015 and I am also worried about the transportation system. I am really interested in a third party rental place…any suggestions (as we will need 2 for our group)???? I absolutely loved your review of the campground. It answered many of my questions and alleviated my concerns with the internal transportation system. There will be several mornings that I want to have an early reservation at a restaurant inside the park before park opening…Do you think that will be an issue? By the way, your pictures are absolutely beautiful!!!!!
Great review (and overall website)!
My wife and 2 kids (now 8 & 10) have stayed in the cabins twice and it was the BEST experience. We were there in December so all the campers had their decorations out just adding to the holiday flare. We liked all the amenities you mentioned and can’t talk this up enough!
One important thing for some families is definitely worth mentioning. If you drive your car to WDW (or rent one in Orlando) you park 2 feet from the cabin. Literally. Getting unpacked/packed is so easy. That also makes getting around that much easier if you opt to not use the disney transportation. We used the buses/boats to get to the parks each morning, but typically had dinner reservations at other hotels in the evenings for some fun. Having a car made it so easy to get from place to place on time and not worry. Don’t get me wrong – the disney buses are great, but it does add to your travel time depending on the 0-10 minute you wait for the next bus. For our next trip we will probably drive to Epcot, AK and Studios each morning instead of the bus. Our daughter outgrew her stroller and now needs a wheelchair in the parks, so we can just haul it with us and not clog up the bus. We are early risers, and this will make it very convenient to be there for rope drop each day. (Tip: never drive to the MK. Always take the boat – you still have to wait for a monorail or ferry if you opt to drive there).
One last bit of fun – if you have the budget rent a golf cart. It’s a unique experience and great way to see all of the campgrounds. As I mentioned before, during Christmas the guests decorations that of Disney! 🙂
Thanks for a great blog, Tom and Sarah!!!
Thanks for the kind words! We’ve heard a lot of people recommend the golf cart. I’m sure that would be a lot of fun, especially if you’re spending a lot of time at the resort/campground. Right now, I don’t think we would spend enough time to be able to justify it from a “fun” perspective. Definitely something to consider for the future, though!
My mom, myself and my two boys (ages 2 & 4) went to Disney Feb 2012. We stayed at the cabins because all the value resorts booked up. We loved it there. My mom used the pull down bed in the living room no complaints. Myself and the boys in the bedroom. The pool area is fabulous esp the play area for young kids. There are two little waterslides and splash area dedicated to the shorter younger children. They spent countless hours there. Even the main pool and hot tub were fantastic. We enjoyed the restaurant on site and didn’t mind the internal transportation. However having a double stroller and diaper bags plus two kids was a struggle as you have to fold down strollers for the ride…making your hands quite full. We enjoyed the trails and often walked to our locations over the internal bus. Will definitely return! Thank for posting found you on Pinterest.
Glad you liked it! I think those double-wide strollers are a struggle for just about everyone at Walt Disney World. Some people like them, but they seem like too much of a hassle to me. Thanks for the comment!
We sure have, twice! The campers really go all out decorating & I believe there is a decorating competition every year. The grounds are also nicely decorated. We loved riding around the property at night looking at all the lights & decor!
We have stayed there several times & are returning next week. We love the cabins & highly recommend renting the golf cart to get around at your leisure.
Ever done Christmas? We’ve heard great things about The Fort at Christmas! 🙂
Hi there! I just stumbled across your blog tonight. So far I’ve spent the past three hours perusing it! THANK YOU!
My family stayed at the Fort Wilderness cabins this summer (July 2012) and absolutely fell in love with the property. We visited in 2009 and stayed at the All Star Movies resort and were thoroughly nonplussed. Although ASM was fine for the short amount we were actually in our rooms, our cabin at Fort Wilderness was dreamy in comparison. We spent 8 days and still didn’t have enough time to sufficiently explore the campground. Fantastic.
For us, however, the internal bus system was the only drawback. On morning number two it was evident that renting a golf cart was necessary if we really wanted to maximize our time. I would definitely recommend renting a cart. It was fantastic!
Glad you’re enjoying the blog!
If you do choose to rent a golf cart next time, look into one of the third party services–they’re much cheaper!
Thank you Tom for the third party golf cart tip. We are planning our FW trip now for 1/15 and have stayed before. We love the carts but the Disney price was causing me to come close to a spontaneous lung collapse!! We will check it out for sure!
I have never been to Disney and we are looking to take our 4 year old. We are thinking about staying in a cabin.
I see bikes are available to rent. Is it feasible to bring your own bikes to ride around the property rather than the transportation? We bike with trailer for our 4 year old around our community and it works really well.
You definitely will not be able to bike to the parks, but around the campground, sure.
While I’ve never stayed at Fort Wilderness, I have to say it still doesn’t really interest me. Maybe because I grew up in the mountains of WV and went camping frequently, or maybe because where we live now in NC, we are surrounded by trees and nature. I want to experience something different when I go on vacation. To each his own.
However, I must strongly disagree with your assessment of Trail’s End Restaurant. We went about 4 years ago because my in-laws won’t expand their food palate and the menu seemed right up their alley. It was easily the worst restaurant we’ve been to in Disney. We’ve been to almost all of them and would go back to most of them. But Trail’s End is at the bottom of that list. There was nothing special, nothing different from our home cooking and just not exciting. If I want fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and cobbler for dinner, I’ll cook it myself. BUT……I was with my in-laws, that could have swayed my opinion as well! 🙂
(As an added note, we went to Mama Melrose’s that year also. We didn’t like it at all but my in-laws thought it was the best restaurant on WDW property and continue to rave about it.)
If it’s familiar to you from the real world, I can totally get not wanting to stay there. That said, I think for many urbanites or just those who enjoy camping in general, it’s a nice change of pace.
Sorry to hear that your Trail’s End dining experience was not good. We are frequent visitors to WDW and stayed at Caribbean Resort last visit for the first time. We have stayed at the Ft. twice before and are planning our third visit right now. We made sure we had an ADR, dining reservation, for Trails End even though we stayed at CBR last visit. We have never had a bad meal there and just love it. Might be just a preference issue but the food was well prepared, service good and everybody left full, satisfied and smiling, breakfast, or dinner.
We have been going to WDW for years. Since we have family that do not live far from “the kingdom” we normally stay with them. However, last year we decided to try Fort Wilderness. My son and wife both loved it! I was scared since, like you, read about the internal bus system. But I can say we had a great experience all the way around. We want to go back around Christmas since we heard people decorate their campsites in Christmas decor. We stayed in the 2500 area as well. In fact you walk out ours and you were right across the street from the bus stop. This was perfect since my wife’s grandfather was with us and needed a wheelchair to get around. Hoop-Dee-Doo Music review was excellent. I thought it was going to be corny song and dance but we were all really entertained. I am glad you reviewed Fort Wilderness since it does seem to get lost with all the other great resorts around WDW.
I’ve been staying at Fort Wilderness since I was two years old, and it has become a truly magical place for my family to spend time together. We would never stay anywhere else, and it’s wonderful that we can have out dogs with us.
We are traveling to Ft. Wilderness on 11/27/2012. We will have our car with us but plan on using Disney Transportation. Your best suggestion would be to ask for a room in the 2800 loop if we want to be near the Outpost?
My family has fallen in love with Ft wilderness, I can’t imagine us staying anywhere else. I am glad to see yall showing the Ft some love, it is truly an amazing place. We spent Halloween there last year and went golf cart trick or treating around the camper loops.
I appreciate the tweets with the links to these post, I have enjoy reading them. Thanks.
Hi Tom. I noticed that you omitted the “Golf Cart Option” as a means for Fort Transportation. That’s part of the “magic of the Fort” for us, so we always budget accordingly.
What a wonderful and thorough review! I have one question about the internal transportation system – are cars not allowed past a certain point on the resort grounds? We plan on driving to Disney, so would we be required to park our vehicle in a main parking lot and then use the internal bus system to get to and from our cabin?
Thanks for your review, I really enjoyed it!
Cars are allowed on your site at Fort Wilderness, but are really only useful to get to the main bus stop or the parks. If you want to get to the boat dock or other locations, you’d need to use internal buses.
Thanks for showing some love to the Fort! We tent camp there quite often and love everything it has to offer. Like you, we’ve never encountered any problems with the internal bus system and love the boats to MK and the resorts.
I started following you from you posting Fort pictures on the DIS Fort boards. The majority of the main/active group has moved over to fortfiends.net. Keep up the great work!
We will be going with a school group of families to Fort Wilderness in Feb 2013. They say they have reserved community area for all our cooking and eating etc. Did you see any of these areas while you were tent camping? What are they like?
Is there a tent size limit?
Thanks for posting this. I’ve always wanted to stay in one of the cabins but am concerned about car-less transportation. Good to hear you didn’t have any issues. They have TWO bus systems, right? One “internal” that picks you up from near your cabin and then drops you off at the main building, then the “regular” bus transportation to the parks from there, right?
Two bus systems, that is correct. Disney transportation can be sort of a crapshoot, though. It could have been great for us, and terrible for someone else there the same week. Who knows.