New member with campsite question

[jgonyo 0]

I am getting ready to reserve a site at fort wilderness for the first time.  I want to make sure that I get the best site for the size of our travel trailer. Our trailer is 37 feet long and approximately 13 feet wide (with the 3 slides extended).  Would I need a premium site to accommodate the size of the rv or could I go with a preferred site?

 

Thanks for your help.  I am sure I will have many more campground questions as planning continues. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Welcome!

 

So you've got a 37' travel trailer- not a 5th wheel?

 

That could fit in a preferred spot.

 

But you had better be very good at backing.  The preferred loops are tight, and were built at a time when trailers were much smaller than yours.

 

TCD

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

First of all, WELCOME!!!!

 

I believe there are some Fiends who fit big trailers in some of the preferred and full hookup sites. For the price difference though, you might want to go premium.

 

Do you have kids? The premium sites don't have the sand that gets tracked in. They also have a bigger table.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

:welcome:

 

 

If it helps, there is a bunch of info on the page below about site specifics, including videos and a link to the Fort Fiends mobile app that gives you photos and dimensions of every site at the Fort...

http://www.fortfiends.net/_/accomodations/loop-information/site-classifications-r61

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

:postcount:       But seriously... welcome! :)

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

If you want a large site and want to save money, I would recommend regular full hookup and request 1700 or 1600 loop.

I usually book full or premium. Preferred is not worth the money to me.

[devores 382]

I agree with TCD. You could fit that into any site at the fort, if youre good at backing in. But you also would not have much room left if you are in a preferred. After parking the rig and tow vehicle, you wont have much room for anything else. If money is an issue, go full hookup. If money isn't an issue, go premium. Premium will give you lots of space even after setting everything up and you wont have to worry about the sand that is at the back of the full hook up sites.

 

We had a 40ft fiver, a dodge ram 2500 mega cab, a dodge avenger, and a sun shade on our premium site and still had room to stretch out.

[Mtnmanky...aka Leon 72]

:postcount:       But seriously... welcome! :)

Me too!  :rofl2:

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

I just wanted to say hello and welcome to Fort Fiends and fort Wilderness.

[Millermouseketeers MaryAnn 150]

Welcome! And like Carol said you might be happier with a full or premium. I really like premium if it's in your budget. 400 & 500 are my favorite premium. They are close to Settlement & the boat.

[tim5055 120]

Well, I'm going o throw my vote in for Full Hook Up sites.  You know you will end up on 1600 - 1900 loops and they ae a littel easier to get into.  I have a 35' TT with 2 slides and a large awning and had no problems in the 1900 loop!

 

Welcome

[Lou... 3,118]

I don't have an RV, I don't camp, I don't stay at the Fort, and I seldom go to the parks.

Just thought I'd get that out of the way so that you won't be expecting any credible reponses from me.

[bord1niowa......Curt 79]

I have seen enough unsuccessful attempts trying to get large rigs into a preferred site to make a new reality show. Some you can but most... well let's just say...get yourself a chair and some popcorn. As previous fiends have said the sites are generally smaller but also the road is tighter too. Some have a very tight turn to get in.

[dblr....Rennie 224]

t

I have seen enough unsuccessful attempts trying to get large rigs into a preferred site to make a new reality show. Some you can but most... well let's just say...get yourself a chair and some popcorn. As previous fiends have said the sites are generally smaller but also the road is tighter too. Some have a very tight turn to get in.

 

So what your saying is this could be a new attraction listed at the Fort? Sounds good to me kind of like taking a chair and a cooler to the local boat ramp :rofl3:  :rofl3:

[Davydee 3]

For 20 years we pulled 25-27 ft travel trailers and except for the first time to the fort, we were fine. (On our first trip, I asked a CM to block the entrance to our loop so I could pull in going the wrong way to make the back in easier.)  We've now pulled a fiver for almost 5 years; 3.5 yrs as full timers.  When we come to the fort now, it's popcorn time.  We plan to be there around 1:30 to 2:00 PM Feb 3rd.  Bring your own popcorn, drink & chair.  

 

To the OP:  I'm thinking you might want to consider a premium for your first trip until you get to the fort and can walk around & see just what you're getting into.  Since loop roads are rarely straight, it's unlikely that you'll have your trailer straight behind you as you start your back-in turn.  How comfortable are you with that?  (rhetorical question - answer it to yourself)  We take the premium site as it's wider - not because of our 4 slides - but it gives me a wider area to back the trailer into.  Usually, I first back the trailer crooked into the site as it gets our rig off the loop road.  This allows all the golf carts I've been holding up to go by.  Most of the viewing crowd will leave at this time as all the popcorn's gone, too.  When clear, I then pull forward and straighten out the trailer in the site.  Most premium sites hold our fiver and unhitched truck just fine.  In our picture (below), we're in site 1426 - one of the shorter premium sites we've stayed in.  The trailer is approx 39 ft from hitch pin to the end of the bicycle rack.  The truck is 22 ft long.  Several years ago, we had premium site 634.  In that site we just pulled the truck a few feet forward after unhitching and left it parked there for the two weeks we were there.  There was no need to turn the truck sideways as in the picture, below.    

 

After all that, relax.  You're at Disney.

 

David

[bord1niowa......Curt 79]

So what your saying is this could be a new attraction listed at the Fort? Sounds good to me kind of like taking a chair and a cooler to the local boat ramp :rofl3:  :rofl3:

You could take bets on whether they will hit the power stump, the garbage cans, the recyclables bin or maybe even a stray Truck or golf cart.  Points for each?   hahaha   I've seen all of em.

[devores 382]

You could take bets on whether they will hit the power stump, the garbage cans, the recyclables bin or maybe even a stray Truck or golf cart.  Points for each?   hahaha   I've seen all of em.

When we lived at the Fort, I would look forward to Friday afternoon. All the weekend RVers (those who only use their RV once or twice and have NO idea how to drive them) come out to try to back into the sites. Ive seen a little of everything. The most absurd was the guy backing a fiver into a site on the 400 loop end up with the tow vehicle sideways in the site with the fiver jack knifed. Not sure how he did it, but he did.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

You could take bets on whether they will hit the power stump, the garbage cans, the recyclables bin or maybe even a stray Truck or golf cart.  Points for each?   hahaha   I've seen all of em.

 

If you really could bet on trash cans being taken out, there's one on the 300 loop that I've seen smashed and flattened almost every time I've been at the Fort.

 

It's on the inside of the loop, at the back part, furthest from the main road.  They must have a specific line in the Fort budget just for replacing that trash can.

 

TCD

[Retired and Happy (Ken) 101]

Then there was that short light post that got in my way on the right when I was watching the left.  Two days later it was standing back up.

[dblr....Rennie 224]

When we were there once a very nice motor coach was pulling out of his site, you know how just pull forward a little to clear the apron then turn, right  well we heard a large scrapping noise. He scraped the lower right side and put a gouge the whole length of his coach and never stopped  to see what he did, he was either embarrassed or did not know he did it,

[jgonyo 0]

Thanks to everyone for the great advice.  We have decided to go with a premium site.  I don't want to have any worries about fitting into the sight concerning me as I head off to Disney.  Can't wait for our first visit to Fort Wilderness.

[JaimeN 8]

We have gotten our 45' MH into a preferred site (300 loop) with no problem. But for future trips we've booked premium. We lucked out with site 316 which is more paved that other preferred sites we saw, I'd totally take that site again, but wouldn't risk getting another. Driving around the loop in the coach was pretty cozy though.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

We have gotten our 45' MH into a preferred site (300 loop) with no problem. But for future trips we've booked premium. We lucked out with site 316 which is more paved that other preferred sites we saw, I'd totally take that site again, but wouldn't risk getting another. Driving around the loop in the coach was pretty cozy though.

 

Remember, the OP has a 37 foot travel trailer.  Put that behind a tow vehicle big enough to tow it, and he's going to be way longer than your 45' motor home.  Somebody with very good backing skills could get that size trailer in any of the preferred sites.  But it would be a challenge in a lot of them.

 

TCD

[JaimeN 8]

Remember, the OP has a 37 foot travel trailer. Put that behind a tow vehicle big enough to tow it, and he's going to be way longer than your 45' motor home. Somebody with very good backing skills could get that size trailer in any of the preferred sites. But it would be a challenge in a lot of them.

TCD

We towed our 36' TT with a suburban, which probably made it about as long as our MH, not WAY longer. Like I said, we fit in a preferred along with several other coaches of similar size. But like I also said, we are switching to premium for future visits. But I wouldn't rule out preferred if it was our only option.

[devores 382]

We towed our 36' TT with a suburban, which probably made it about as long as our MH, not WAY longer. Like I said, we fit in a preferred along with several other coaches of similar size. But like I also said, we are switching to premium for future visits. But I wouldn't rule out preferred if it was our only option.

We also fit into a preferred on the 300 loop with a 40ft fiver pulled a dodge mega cab. That's why if I ever got assigned to the 300 again, Id go somewhere else. Preferred sites are called marriage testers. it'll make your marriage stronger or end in divorce.

 

And having towed a trailer before, you know there's a huge difference in backing a moho and backing a trailer and tow vehicle. You need way more room and skill to back a trailer.