Why Disney Fort Wilderness Resort is Perfect For A Staycation

Why Disney Fort Wilderness Resort is Perfect For A Staycation

Ever consider heading to the wilderness for vacation? Disney’s Fort Wilderness offers a wide array of amenities, options, fun, and a way to get away from it all. If you’re looking for a Disney Resort that actually helps you feel like you’re on vacation, then Fort Wilderness may be it. Located just a boat ride away from Magic Kingdom, you can still get all the magic of Disney by choosing to stay in. Here are all the reasons why we think Disney Fort Wilderness Resort just might be the perfect staycation.

Cabins at Fort Wilderness

Take a Staycation at Walt Disney World

Okay, so we are big on staycations. We love the idea of going somewhere amazing and just staying there. And Disney Resorts are some of the best places for this type of vacation. What is a staycation, you ask? While many people take a vacation to go see, do or try new things, a Staycation offers the chance to completely immerse yourself in just one thing. And since you don’t wake up every day with a giant to-do list of a bunch of things to do, is MUCH MORE relaxing. A staycation at a Disney Resort is one of our favorite types of Staycations. Mainly because not only are the resorts beautiful, expansive, and offer every amenity, including dining, gift shops, delivery options, and FREE wi-fi, some also offer beaches, activities, and more “Disney” than you can imagine. And once you see the lineup of what is happening at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, you’ll understand that you don’t really need to go anywhere else! 

A Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground Staycation

A staycation is PERFECT when you’re just itching to getaway. Because maybe you really just need a break from it all. And trust us, we get that. For a lot of people, Walt Disney World is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, maybe a trip that’s taken every few years or maybe one that’s taken annually. But for some people, it’s the one and only place they vacation. And it can still be a vacation, even without buying park tickets, because not only do the resorts offer vacation enough for many but there are so many “free” things to do at Walt Disney World that don’t require a park ticket. This is where the staycation location comes in. Here are some of the reasons we love the idea of coming to Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground and just staying there! 

Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

Private Living Space at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort 

Not sure how you feel about sleeping in a bed that’s not your own, or sharing living resort space with strangers? One of our favorite things about Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgrounds is that you don’t have to! If you have your own camper or RV you’ll have all of the comforts of home at your fingertips, but at Walt Disney World instead. 

Renting an RV at Disney’s Fort Wilderness

If you don’t have your own camper, you can rent one that is local and can even be hooked up and torn down for you from Orlando’s Escape RV Rental , Airbnb , RVshare.  We absolutely loved our RV experiences at Fort Wilderness and highly recommend this as a budget-friendly option that is a better option than camping and less expensive than Disney’s Fort Wilderness Cabins. 

Cabins at Fort Wilderness

Booking a Cabin at Disney Fort Wilderness Campgrounds

And speaking of Cabins, if you’re ready to go all out on a Disney Staycation, The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground are also a great option, if even a little pricey.  Regardless of how you choose to stay, we love that Fort Wilderness Resort has private living spaces that don’t require you to maneuver through hallways and lobbies with other guests, especially during the flu season. Having a cup of coffee outside on your own private patio in the mornings and dinner al fresco in the evenings sounds like a pretty perfect staycation to us. 

Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

Wide Open Spaces at Fort Wilderness Campground

Speaking of open spaces, Fort Wilderness has plenty! From walking trails to a very large beach area, our favorite part about Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is its natural setting. Fort Wilderness is really a different kind of Walt Disney World vacation and honestly, we think it’s a refreshing break from a traditional trip to the most magical place on Earth. Even if you’re not going into the parks, there is plenty to do at Fort Wilderness. Check out our Fort Wilderness Bucket List for a full list of things to experience. From horseback riding to trails walks, dog parks, and seeing Disney’s Electrical Water Pageant Parade on the lake in the evenings. 

Restaurants at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgrounds

The Restaurants at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgrounds are everything you may expect from a Disney resort themed to the wilderness. campfire foods, s’mores, fried chicken and Mickey waffles, and more are all part of the lineup here. So, you don’t even have to leave the resort for the Disney experience. This is a staycation at its best. 

Trails End Restaurant offers up breakfast, brunch on the weekends, and buffet-style dinners throughout the week. Serving up meats, salads, bread, and classic wilderness sides, like baked beans and macaroni and cheese. This restaurant is located at the Settlement area of the Campground and serves up the same foods as the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue when that’s available.  Check out the Trails End Restaurant Menu.

Crockett’s Tavern is a lounge located at the Settlement serving up drinks and small plates if you’re looking for somewhere grown-up to take a break. Take a look through Crockett’s Tavern Menu. 

Meadow Snack Bar is a counter restaurant and offers snacks and drinks poolside near the Meadow Trading Post gift shop. Peruse the Meadow Snack Bar Menu. 

P&J’s Southern Takeout has a variety of classic family meal options, platters, and pizza. You can order food here to go, and take it back to your campsite! Check out the P&J’s Southern Takeout Menu. 

Fort Wilderness Food Trucks Disney

Food Truck Round-Up at Disney’s Fort Wilderness

Fort Wilderness Offers up a variety of Food Trucks too! And on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM, you get even MORE Food Truck Options at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgrounds. Every Tuesday and Wednesday you can check food brought straight to the campgrounds via local Food Trucks! Some we experienced here during the Tuesday and Wednesday night experience were the SMAC Food Truck, serving up South Carolina Mac, and Cheese dishes. Carousel’s Soft Serve Icery Food Truck, serving non-dairy soft-serve treats. The Apps Food Truck serves up Latin foods, wings, and burgers. And the El Cactus Azul Food Truck offers a variety of Mexican dishes and vegetarian options too. These trucks all show up at the settlement during nights when Trails End isn’t available and it’s a great way to diversify your meals while you’re on your staycation! We don’t know how long this additional perk at the campground will last, so catch it while you can. 

Things to Do During a Fort Wilderness Staycation

There are a plethora of both active and relaxing things to do at Fort Wilderness. Driving our golf cart from place to place was one of our favorite things to do while we stayed at Fort Wilderness, and during any of the holidays’ campers routinely decorate sites, which makes for an interesting and fun drive. Many of the walking trails are paved, so even if you forgot your hiking boots, exploring the grounds on foot is a great option. And the beach is large enough that if you wanted to spend some time near the water, with a good book in hand, you’d likely have plenty of room to have your own little spot. Check out the Fort Wilderness Bucket List.

Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

RV camping at Walt Disney World

You Can Make Your Own Food at Fort Wilderness 

Whether staying in a tent, an RV, or a cabin, we love that you can make your own food at Fort Wilderness. During our last stay, we were able to get our groceries delivered from Amazon Fresh. We just added what we needed to the cart, and ordered. Within a couple of hours, our Amazon Fresh order was delivered to bell services. And pickup was easy. It was both convenient and much less expensive than if we were to purchase from the general store on the property. Many of the sites have a grill and the opportunity to bring a fire bowl, so if outdoor cooking is more your style, we love that as an option too!

If your idea of a staycation or a vacation doesn’t include cooking and washing dishes, never fear! Places like Door Dash are easy to get delivered and since these are cashless transactions, we see this as a win-win!  You may need to go to the front desk to get your food at this time, but hey that just means it’s another excuse to take a drive in your super fun golf cart. The on-resort property restaurants, like Trails End, may also offer delivery to sites in the coming months, so we’ll keep you posted if they do!

Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

Staying at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgrounds

Even with so much to do at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, this is a resort basically built for a relaxing staycation in nature! Check out our Top 8 Things to Do at Fort Wilderness Campgrounds. As we know more and start to see how exactly Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground will open up, we will be sure to keep this section updated! Things may be different at Walt Disney World for a while, and for how long, well no one really knows. All you can do with everything in life is make the best of it. And in this case, we think a staycation at Fort Wilderness fits the bill! Here’s hoping you too can grab your Disney magic where you can find it!

Fort Wilderness Resort and Campgrounds at Walt Disney World is one of the FIRST places to open at Disney. So why not take a trip and make a Staycation of it? Here's all the reasons we think Fort Wilderness is Perfect for a Staycation at Disney. #disneyresorts #fortwilderness #waltdisneyworld

 

 

Co-Founder and Director at Polka Dot Pixie Co LLC | Website | + posts

Melanie Renee is a photographer, writer, designer and mom. Visiting Disney destinations since 2010, she is also an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. When she's not creating her next coffee recipe, or designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's seeking beautiful sunsets and planning her next trip .


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