Review: Disney World’s Controversial Cabins That Fans Love to Hate Are Actually Great.
One resort at Walt Disney World is more love-it-or-hate-it than any other: Fort Wilderness. Its new DVC accommodations are controversial due to being a night and day difference from what they replaced, and fundamentally changing the character of the campground. This reviews the new Disney Vacation Club accommodations, sharing room photos & videos, covering pros & cons, layout strengths & weaknesses, and why we disagree with the detractors.
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. The campground is only a short boat ride from Magic Kingdom, but feels worlds away. The sprawling ‘resort’ is situated on 750 acres of pine and cypress forest, giving the campground a big 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. Fort Wilderness has not changed much since then. It does have many more campsites, cabins, and one fewer railroad and adjacent water park–but the vibe is largely unchanged since I started staying at Fort Wilderness in the 1980s.
For more background and basics on Fort Wilderness Campground, consider reading:
- Fort Wilderness Campground Review
- Guide to Fort Wilderness Campground at Disney World
- Our Experience Camping at Fort Wilderness
- All Walt Disney World Resort Hotels Ranked From Worst to Best
What I will say is that there’s a good chance you already know whether Fort Wilderness is a good fit for you before reading reviews. It’s just such a taste-specific resort that is either an excellent option or an awful one without much middle ground. We love it, but can absolutely see why it’s not for a lot of people. If you’re on the fence, maybe Fort Wilderness is for you…but honestly, probably not.
Before we dig into the review, let’s start with a couple of updates. The first is that construction on the adjacent Disney Lakeshore Lodge, a 10-story mixed use hotel and DVC resort with 900 rooms, is progressing fast. This resort is very large, and quite literally towers over the Settlement area of Fort Wilderness (see above & below photos courtesy of bioreconstruct), but is mostly invisible from the new cabins.
Lakeshore Lodge is slated to open in 2027, but progress makes it appear as if it could open in late 2026. If not, definitely early in 2027. Walt Disney World hasn’t announced anything about Lakeshore Lodge, except that it’s happening; most of what we know is on the basis of what was previously announced for Reflections, the predecessor to Lakeshore Lodge that was shelved.
One interesting unanswered question is whether Lakeshore Lodge and Fort Wilderness will end up being part of the same DVC trust, meaning that they could essentially be one combined home resort. The cabins have been objectively unpopular; to date, they’ve only sold ~200,000 points, which is about 7% of the resort’s estimated 2.8 million total points. At their current pace, the cabins would take roughly 25 years to sell out.
On the one hand, using a combined trust to sell both Lakeshore Lodge and the Cabins at Fort Wilderness would help sales of the latter. On the other hand, the Cabins have higher maintenance fees and are less popular; DVC could deem them so unpopular that they could be an albatross that drags down Lakeshore Lodge demand along with it.
Both strike me as compelling points, but the salient one for our purposes is that prospective members are voting with their wallets and not buying the DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness. As much as we might like them, they are objectively unpopular, and it’s worth mentioning that as a “counterpoint” to our own enthusiasm for the resort.
Anyway, on with the review of the new DVC Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort…
Let’s start on the outside, with the biggest negative and most controversial component of the cabins: the exterior.
The word we’ve heard most from readers to describe these is “she-shed.” I do not take that to be praise. Admittedly, these cabins do look like the design frankenstein of an HGTV personality and a Gensler designer. Shabby chic meets modern in a weird way.
The exterior is too on-trend, and lacking the charm of the old log cabin style. It’s at-odds with the rustic style and atmosphere of Fort Wilderness as a whole. These complaints are well-taken and arguably accurate. I would agree with them.
When I look at something like this list of modern cabins (or the countless others like it), I’m drawn to the ones that use natural materials and have more muted exterior appearances. It doesn’t need to be Lincoln Log style like the old Cabins at Fort Wilderness, but I do prefer things that are a little less chic.
With that said, I am a fan of the modern cabin style. I love architecture with clean lines, woods and rockwork, and other natural materials. Floor to ceiling windows that bring the outside in, providing natural light and great views while working well with a more minimalist and modern design also appeal to me.
Don’t get me wrong–even more than all of that I love the look of Arts & Crafts, U.S. National Parks Rustic, or Frank Lloyd Wright’s twist on Prairie Style. The problem is that it would be prohibitively expensive to make cabins in these more architecturally-ambitious styles. We’re talking small prefabricated units, not something the size, scale or budget of Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Suffice to say, even if I agree with the critiques about the exteriors of the DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness, I frankly don’t care that much.
For me, it comes down to proportionality. The outrage is overblown relative to its importance. I’ve been criticizing the Polynesian’s Island Tower or Reflections Lakeshore Lodge or even Disney’s Riviera Resort since they were all announced. The underwhelming exterior architecture matters in all of those cases because it’s highly visible from around Walt Disney World.
These cabins are not. They’re visible from the loops where the cabins are located. The primary people impacted are those staying at the cabins, and only while they’re outside the cabins. For the most part, these short structures are otherwise concealed by woods. From a distance, all you really notice is green and red exteriors punctuating the forest.
Beyond that, I don’t think the exteriors of the new DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness look that bad.
Sure, this wouldn’t have been my first choice for their design, but in the grand scheme of things, this feels more like a minor quibble than a major misstep. If it weren’t for so many other fans pointing it out, I probably wouldn’t have thought much of the exteriors. (I certainly wouldn’t have devoted this many words to the topic.) Not my ideal choice, but certainly not atrocities.
Perhaps after all the towers, which I think are truly terrible, I’m desensitized to ugly exteriors and am more inclined to give this a pass. I don’t think so, though. I think the anger is excessive, and a reaction to the totality of design trends rather than this in isolation. I also think ‘Fort Fiends’ are very protective of Fort Wilderness and sensitive about any changes. And rightfully so, as many have been bad! To each their own on all of that, though.
Moving inside, one change I absolutely would not make to the exterior is removing the floor-to-ceiling windows that span the living room and kitchen. For me, these windows are a huge asset to the interior of the cabins, and it’d be very difficult to have while maintaining an exterior design consistent with Pioneer Hall or the buildings in the Settlement.
If forced to choose, I’m picking thematically-inconsistent exteriors with large windows that let in natural light and ‘bring’ the wilderness inside.
We’ve stayed in the old Cabins at Fort Wilderness several times, through a couple of different iterations, and one of the complaints we always had was that they were dark and dreary. Between being located in the woods and not having much in the way of windows, the old cabins just drab. The interiors were perfectly fine and on-theme, but there was this inescapable feeling you were in a dark trailer.
To be sure, the new DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness are still more or less trailers.
The windows are game-changers, though. I wish I would’ve gotten photos with all of the blinds open, but for some dumb reason, I felt the need to close that one to conceal our luggage on the deck. (Why? I don’t know. Not like it’s some unsavory secret that tourists carry luggage!)
The windows are the focal point of the interiors, and are a great way to enjoy the wilderness while you’re eating, sitting on the couch reading a book, or even about to go to sleep. At one point, we saw some rustling in the bushes, so we jumped out and headed outside to discover an armadillo foraging around. Literally made Sarah’s day.
I appreciated watching the sunrise while getting ready and eating breakfast. It was nice to have the morning sun bathe the entire living room and kitchen in warm light. These windows are my favorite feature of the new cabins, and what makes them great.
It’s impossible to convey this via photos, and I cannot overstate how much of an improvement this is over the ‘atmosphere’ of the old cabins. It’s one thing to look at photos and judge the arguably ‘blah’ this or that of the design, but as someone who has experienced both, I would the atmosphere of the new cabins over the old in an instant.
I also think the floor-to-ceiling windows are nice because they draw attention away from some otherwise curious layout decisions.
The most obvious of these is that the television is right next to the couch and pull-down bed in the living room.
As a result of its placement, you can’t really watch TV from the couch unless you’re looking to do some serious neck craning. The easy “solution” to this would’ve been eliminating the windows opposite the couch. I’m glad Disney opted against this, and instead put the TV in a poor position.
These are units where layout compromises have to be made. There is no 100% perfect solution. To each their own, but I’d rather have big views of the wilderness and natural light than perfect television placement. This reminds me of 1-star reviews for National Park Lodges due to their lack of TV. If we’re serious about thematic integrity, the theme of this resort is wilderness–not television.
Other choices with the layout are equally puzzling–and arguably more problematic.
The bedroom is on the other side of the television, meaning that all of the sleeping space is ‘stacked’ on one side of the cabin. More significantly, it means anyone staying in the bedroom has to cross through this area and the kitchen en route to the bathroom.
From a usability perspective, this was our biggest issue with the DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness. We booked a stay here with the grandparents, making us a party of 5. The guests in the bedroom using the bathroom requires careful tip-toeing to avoid disruption. Forget about a midnight snack or early morning pot of coffee–whoever sleeps in the living room better be the earliest riser and/or heaviest sleeper.
Another criticism I’ve seen from Disney Vacation Club members is the lack of in-unit laundry. This is a fair point and valid criticism, and we certainly would’ve loved to have a washer and dryer.
I’ve seen others complain about the bunk beds being in the main bedroom, meaning that mom and dad are potentially sleeping right next to two kids. Not ideal for parents who want privacy for, ahem, whatever reason.
At the same time, the name of the game here is layout compromises. It’s important to understand this before going into a stay at the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. These retained the old concrete slabs, and I’d assume altering the utilities was a non-starter. The old cabins also had a bit of funky layout that was tweaked over the years, but never to perfection or complete satisfaction.
For us, these layout compromises are ones we can make given the low cost (in points) of the DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness.
Two of our favorite times to visit Walt Disney World would land in the cheapest point seasons, making our per-night cost of the Cabins at Fort Wilderness 15 to 21 points during the sets of Halloween and Christmas dates we’d be most likely to book. And in fact, this holiday stay cost us 18 points per night.
To put that into perspective, we’ve spent more on studios at Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Bay Lake Tower, and Wilderness Lodge. The Cabins cost far fewer points than any other 1-bedroom accommodations for the same season, while sleeping 6 and having more space and privacy. For that matter, we could’ve rented Disney Vacation Club points and paid actual dollars to stay here and spent less than we did on the following nights at Port Orleans French Quarter!
The cheap cost of the Cabins at Fort Wilderness is a good segue into the other things we loved about the accommodations.
The main bedroom features a queen-size bed, twin-size bunk beds, a 55-inch TV, closet and a nightstand.
The highlight here, without question, is the bunkbeds.
The bunk beds feature frames that hug the vaulted ceiling, with artwork of camping under a night sky.
These frames are well-designed and detailed, with the character-inspired canoe paddles providing pops of color. There’s drawers for storage underneath, and each level of the bunk beds also features lanterns that serve as reading lights.
This is far and away my favorite feature of the cabin, and I would’ve loved sleeping in the top bunk as a kid. Our daughter, Megatron, is a tad too young to sleep in here, but is already enamored with climbing up and down from the bottom bunk. I’m sure she’s going to love these beds as she grows into them.
In addition to the aforementioned pull-down bed and couch combo (a common fixture of new DVC rooms), the spacious living area also features what Disney describes as a dining nook.
This includes a fully equipped kitchen—including a refrigerator, dishwasher, convection/microwave oven, and full-size oven & stove. There’s a kitchen table that sits 4 comfortably…or 6 uncomfortably.
This kitchen was perfect for our purposes, especially since we were a party of 4 adults and one toddler. We like to do grocery delivery and prepare food for Megatron, along with coffee for everyone else, so this worked well for that. On a future, we’ll probably put the kitchen to greater use, but we “had” to dine at the reimagined restaurants at Fort Wilderness for future review purposes this time.
Off the kitchen you’ll find a vanity area outside the entrance to the bathroom, which has a shower and an additional vanity inside.
I have no strong opinions about the bathroom. I like that there’s a window towards the ceiling allowing in some natural light.
I’d be fine with the bathroom being a bit smaller to offer more space to the living area (or accommodate a washer and dryer), but I’m probably alone in that. People like big bathrooms.
I like that there’s a separate vanity outside the bathroom, allowing more than one person to get ready simultaneously.
I’m also a fan of the backlit mirror and Fort Wilderness archery poster.
The art throughout the cabin is fantastic. Disney Vacation Club finally got the memo that its members are regulars and longtime fans, and has really leaned into Walt Disney World history and Easter eggs with some of the newer rooms. The redone Boulder Ridge rooms are a similar story.
Fan feedback has been mixed on these cabins, at least among online commentators who haven’t stayed in them. 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.
For a better idea of the layout, check out our walk-through video of the new Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort:
To be sure, there are some aspects of the interior design that I don’t love–that looks blah as compared to the old cabins.
The kitchen, in particular, is boring. There are great details and art that tie the space together, but it’s all a tad too modern and muted. I think the pendulum swung too far in the other direction after complaints about the old cabins being dark and dreary.
That’s a criticism that alone would’ve been remedied by the windows. The darker woods would’ve been fine here given the amount of natural light the windows allow in. Nevertheless, these are modern and feel higher-end, and I’d rather stay in these cabins than the old ones.
Ultimately, that’s really what it comes down to for us–these new Disney Vacation Club Cabins at Fort Wilderness are nicer accommodations than what was here before. Walt Disney World fans may quibble with certain stylistic or layout choices, but I’d hazard a guess that, if push came to shove, most would pick these cabins over their predecessors if they had the option to stay in one of the two.
For our multigenerational party of 5, this cabin was almost perfect even with our quibbles in mind. When considering the cost in points, the accommodations and experience were excellent–we’ll be returning to these cabins again. I would definitely take this over (the cost of) two rooms at a Moderate Resort or even other family suites, for that matter.
We foresee a lot more Walt Disney World trips like this in the future, with the grandparents joining so they can experience the parks through Megatron’s eyes. Studios are going to be out of the question for those stays, and even some of the one-bedroom accommodations might be pushing it.
The Cabins at Fort Wilderness offer a “good enough” layout, giving us and the baby one room and grandparents the other.
Fort Wilderness is a great option for multi-generational trips where not everyone is as into the parks or will spend full days at them. All of Megatron’s grandparents enjoy the slower pace of Fort Wilderness, and being able to enjoy a non-Disney experience even in the middle of Walt Disney World. I doubt they’d be as enthusiastic about Gran Destino Tower or Art of Animation. These cabins are more like a bargain basement version of the excellent Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs Resort, and from that perspective, they’re fantastic.
Even if it’s just the three of us, we like the layout of the Cabins at Fort Wilderness well enough. At some point down the road, we’ll probably let Megatron sleep in the actual bedroom, and we’ll take the flex space of the living room. This would give us the ability to have a different bedtime (and wake-up), while also have access to the kitchen, bathroom, and shower. It’s not flawless–and we can see why a lot of DVC members aren’t keen on this setup–but we’re good with it.
Honestly, “good with it” is probably an understatement. We loved our stay in the DVC Cabins at Fort Wilderness that we once again debated whether to buy here after previously ruling it out due to maintenance fees. We love Fort Wilderness at Christmas-time, and I’d imagine it would be fun to bring our own inflatables, decorate a golf cart, etc., during the holiday season as Megatron gets older.
We ruled it out again for now, with the thought process being that these will probably become easier to book as other DVC members tire of them. But we’d definitely reconsider if these somehow do end up being rolled into Disney Lakeshore Lodge. These cabins seem like they’ll serve our family perfectly for the next decade-plus, offering great bang for buck in the process.
If they become part of something bigger that adds accommodations types and dilutes maintenance fees, that would really sweeten the deal! Once construction is finished on Disney Lakeshore Lodge and it’s possible to walk from Fort Wilderness to there to Wilderness Lodge, that sounds like our family’s perfect place during Christmas at Walt Disney World!
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 the new DVC Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort? 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!
Praying that Lakeshore is a separate offering from this albatross, but not hopeful. I feel no need to subsidize maintenance fees on a product that I will not use. Keep them standalone. If you value it, pony up for the maintenance on it and own your choices.
The same line of thinking would’ve applied to the Poly Bungalows, and DVC opted to package them together to dilute (or subsidize, if you’d prefer) those points.
It’ll ultimately be Disney that’ll own its choices, one way or another, not proponents or critics of the cabins.
We LOVE the Fort. So much so we are considering a DVC buy-in even though the dues are bad. (We normally rent an RV). One specific question – people online have complained the cabins have a very very loud dehumidifier you can’t turn off. Did you experience that? It wasn’t running when we visited the show cabin but….
My daughter, SIL and I stayed in the new cabin the first week in December. I had another reservation for April that I’ve since changed. I did not enjoy our stay in the DVC cabin. While the design was ok, it didn’t ‘feel’ like a cabin in the woods like the older cabins did. I slept on the murphy bed which was ok. But as mentioned, the folks staying in the bedroom had to walk through to get to the bathroom. Storage space even for grocery items was nonexistant. There were kitchen cabinets but every one had kitchen items in it. Even the bedroom had limited storage. The ventilation system was LOUD and blew an almost gale force wind. We tried to turn it off but were not successful. Won’t go back again for a long time. I’m older so maybe my memory about the experience will fade!
You may not care now about the exterior of the cabins but that’ll change when a stranger from the campgrounds walks in thinking it’s the bathrooms and the showers.
Since Disney seems to be retreating from the American Frontier, what’s the THEME of these cabins?
It’s essentially a love letter to Fort Wilderness with a bit of Junior Woodchucks thrown into the mix. Most of the art inside is drawn from the history of the campground.
We just returned (like last night) from a Christmas stay and loved everything about these cabins. Like you said the outdoor space and natural light are gorgeous. And the quiet. You will not get that anywhere else. No stomping feet, no slamming doors, no flushing toilets. We are a family of 4 with two teens and had no issues with the layout. The laundry also wasn’t an issue as the laundry building is a 2 min golf cart ride away and was huge and gorgeous! The wonderful theming dedicated to the history of the FORT is present even in the laundry room? Amazing! We loved having the full kitchen and we ate our Xmas eve dinner on our deck. I was also impressed with plenty of storage for all. Our cabin (Black Bear Ridge) also had a tub although your photos look like it was a shower only. As a lifelong camper I was a bit taken aback and the loop name change but loved the touch that each loop’s animal is represented in the sign plates. The point value especially when looking at the new Poly Tower and RIV is unbeatable. I hope most DVC members don’t like it so we can stay more often.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I didn’t make it over to the laundry room, but good to hear that it’s nicely-done!
Also, I completely missed that each loop’s animal is represented in the sign plates. Seems obvious now–but I didn’t think of it then.
How is the comfort level of the couch pull out. As I’ve gotten older, I’m much more willing to pay to have a comfortable bed.
My son’s family would probably love this vibe- love to camp. But paying a lot for accommodation just to sleep on a pull out couch- I’m not sure I’m up for that. I wish they had done the fold down back single bed and maybe had a Murphy bed .
I still remember sleeping on the pull outs with the bar killing your back!
It is a fold down Murphy bed. Not a pull out sofa.
It’s the same style of Inova sleeper in all of the new DVC Resorts and similar to those in the Value Resorts, if you’ve stayed at any of those.
If not, I think comfort is pretty close to the same as the regular bed. They are much, much better than the old fold-out couches!
I have to admit I’d be “all in “if they had placed that wall right beside the queen bed for privacy for the folks likely paying for the stay and put the bunks in the living room with the pull-down sofa. I don’t opt for vacations where my kids sleep in same room as my husband and me. Disney vacations can be stressful enough. Many parents NEED privacy to cope. Lol.
I am totally interested in staying there because of the resort amenities- love the look of FW and the activities. My apprehension is mostly no washer/dryer. We pack light to save baggage cost and lugging a bag around (thanks to Magic Express going bye bye!) and would want a washer/dryer handy in our room. The one bathroom is pushing it, but the extra vanity helps a bit. Can’t remember if this is only for blue card DVCers (if so, we are out) and curious about the top bunk weight…..time to do a little researching to see if it fits our travel crew specs!
I’m not sure of the specific weight limit, but it held me just fine (so ~150 pounds). I’d imagine it could accommodate much more than that.
I’m a DVC member now but I grew up with Fort Wilderness. In 1975 and 1976 we stayed there in the old family tent camper. Several times in the 1980s we stayed in the cabins except they were not cabins they were just trailers parked in the camp ground. Seriously, if you think these new cabins are not themed well, you never stayed in what was there in the 1980s in what was essentially Disney’s trailer park. Not trying to be crude, that’s what it was.
In the 1990s we stayed in the first iteration of actual cabins which were just the trailers dressed in wood paneling to look better than plain old trailers. Those were nothing special either from an external theming perspective. We stayed in the cabins that are currently getting replaced once in 2007 through Disney Collection but by then we had graduated to DVC and we were staying almost exclusively in DVC resorts by then.
The basic layout of these has not changed much since the 1980s – kitches, living room with a pull down or sleeper sofa, bathroom, and bedroom with a double bed and bunk beds. With the footprint of around 500 square feet give or take there really isn’t much room to do anything else. People expecting another bathroom, a bigger kitchen, or laundry are being unrealistic. Keep in mind these are over 200 square feet smaller than a 1BR at Boulder Ridge or Saratoga Springs and they are not much bigger than half the size of a 1BR at Old Key West.
Bottomline – the external theming is not perfect but for those of us with memories that stretch back to the early days of the Reagan Administration and even earlier, these are actually far superior to what was once there and I am thrilled to death the resort of my childhood has been added to the DVC family.
Thanks for sharing this much-needed bit of context, it’s much appreciated!
Fort Wilderness was my family’s go-to resort until Shades of Green opened, and I remember staying there in the late 1980s or early 1990s, but specifics are much more hazy. Sarah and I also first stayed in a prior iteration of the cabins in 2007. They were nicer than what you’re describing, but certainly not the pinnacle of WDW accommodations.
I think there’s a tendency among fans to romanticize the past, focusing only on the highlights while letting the lowlights slip out of mind. But there were lowlights, too!
The dues are just way too high for a new resort. However, this is the first speculation I have seen that these cabins might be combined somehow with the new Lakeshore Lodge DVC resort in a way that may mitigate the current high dues. Wishful thinking or have you heard something?
“Wishful thinking or have you heard something?”
Mostly the former, but grounded in reality.
Between low demand and Disney’s creation of the Palmetto Trust encompassing the cabins and this area of land, it’s one of those things that just makes sense. Or at the very least, DVC wanted to leave its options open.
If you’re asking whether I’ve heard any non-public info, I have not.
exactly the clientele that will ruin Fort Wilderness.
I think they are a good option added to the DVC “collection”. As you said, not for everyone, but a great choice for others. I just wish they had a washer/dryer in the new cabins. And I would bet, a lot, that the new Lakeshore Lodge will be the same association. It’s the only reason I can think of that explains the current high dues and why DVC isn’t offering incentives to sell CFW points, which by all reports, have not been in demand. I’m looking forward to seeing the end product and hoping the Lodge will not be a bland beige tower with a few nods to pine trees and bears in the lobby.
Where did Megatron sleep? I have a cabin reservation booked next year and I’m so excited, but my little dude isn’t quite ready to sleep in the bottom bunk alone (even with a bed rail) and it doesn’t look like there’s any space for a crib in the bedroom…
We’ve tried co-sleeping on vacation but he doesn’t stop moving all night.
Now that she’s older, she often co-sleeps when we travel, including here. She also kicks us…a lot. In the future, we’ll have a bed rail and use the bottom bunk.
As DVC members we love this place. It is just the two of us and we will definitely be repeat customers. Tom is correct, it is not perfect and not everyone will like it. Please remember that preference and taste are subjective. Just because you may not like it does not make it “wrong”. We rented a golf cart (not cheap) for the week but it made the experience so much better. We were there 12/8 – 12/15 so we got to see how far people go in decorating their sites. And boy do they go far! We drove the golf cart around every night to different loops and were amazed at the creativity and effort people put into making their site “Christmas ready”. It was our first trip to Fort Wilderness but my wife did her research so we brought our Christmas stockings (to be placed outside) and brought toys and goodies to ride around and stuff other stockings with. While we still love the parks our 12 hours days at the parks are over. We like to visit the parks for a few hours, ride a couple of rides, people watch, grab our favorite snacks and leave. Having the extra space, full kitchen and patio allows us to relax in way that we can’t do in a studio. We brought some charcoal with us and BBQ’d on the grill that every cabin has. We always stop at Publix between the airport and WDW so we made breakfast on a few days. Sitting on the deck, drinking a beer in the shade is just the type of vacation I like!
Tom did a good job pointing out the Pros and Cons. Everyone’s requirements and wants are different so the cabins may or may not be suited for you. But, just my humble opinion, WDW did right with this place and I am looking forward to our next visit there.
I love the look of the new cabins. Like you, I’m not so keen on the outside but that interior is gorgeous. It would work perfectly for us and I intend to stay there on our next visit. It would be my adult son and his girlfriend and my adult daughter who would all share the bedroom (we go away a lot together and they don’t mind these sleeping arrangements). Me, I would be in the murphy bed and it would suit me perfectly as I am the one that needs the bathroom in the middle of the night and I am always up at 5:30 even on holidays. I can get up early, write my diary or enjoy watching the woods awaken for the day without disturbing anyone else. I know that we are not the normal family demographic and I can understand how the cabin layout would not suit everyone but for us they are going to be perfect. Oh and as an Aussie, I too get very excited to see Armadillos which I have seen on a couple of occasions before at previous FW stays. They’re so cute.
As the “grandparents “ of the multi generational lodging, we loved it. Special time with family is so priceless. Aside from one bathroom, the setting was perfect and appreciated the woods placement of the cabin with real trees and actual wildlife. Looking forward to our next trip!
“This includes a fully equipped kitchen—including a refrigerator, dishwasher, convection/microwave oven and 2 countertop burners.”
That looks like a full size stove to me, not 2 countertop burners.
The hate people have for the cabins is so weird to me. We love it there. We are DVC owners with 3 kids and it is our favorite place to stay. Sharing a space with my own kids on a family vacation just isn’t a deal breaker for us.
Agreed. Especially as someone who almost exclusively stays in studios or standard hotel rooms–this is so much better than those.
I just booked a cabin for myself and my 25 year old son who is on the spectrum. We have stayed here in 2015 and 2005. I was surprised that as I have been tweaking our reservation (moved from June 2026 to March 2026) I have spoken to five phone reservation people and two of them have said, “Can you tell me WHY you would want to go to the Cabins???” I mean they were incredulous.
It’s homey and we love it. We always get a golf cart and my son loves riding around the grounds in it (I drive). Yes, it’s expensive compared to the Values or POR, but honestly, it’s no contest to me, a lifelong camper girl. It’s Glamping at it’s best and I can’t wait!
To be fair too, the other loops in the Fort are made up of bright white fifth wheels with LED strip lights or giant Class As, which are not exactly “on theme” either.
*Me as I arrange my family of Santa Baby Yoda, Bluey, and Mickey & Friends inflatable Christmas decorations*
“These somewhat modern cabins are thematically incoherent.”
As a DVC owner these cabins are awful. Yeah….I’m a DVC snob. L love the fact that I can stay on property and my family of 4 can stay in one unit, everyone has their own bed (well…except for me and the Mrs.) and have more than one bathroom. While I can see people that are used to staying in normal hotel rooms would find the cabins acceptable, but anyone that’s a a DVC member and has 2-3 kids is not going to want to stay in the Cabins. First….one bathroom. Second and maybe more importantly, the bunks for your kids is in the parents BR….yeah….not going to work. This is why they aren’t selling.
Not everyone has the same circumstances as you, which is precisely why studios and even duo studios exist. There is very obviously a market for rooms smaller than 1-BR.
There are a number of reasons why the cabins aren’t selling well, and funky layout is probably one of them, but they do work for some (probably many!) DVC members.