Renovations Coming to Fort Wilderness - 2100 Loop

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

We had a Flat Snarky thread kicking around once upon a time but it pooped out a while back.  I'll see if I can find it.  It was fun and I'd love to see more of Flat Snarky hitting the road.  :)

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Found it!  :D

 

[arthuruscg 34]

Looking closely at the site layouts.... they are very odd. The poles are  put in the way.  It wouldn't be that big of a deal if the poles were 2ft tall since the current trailers have the slides up high enough to clear. I suspect slide placement is going to be a big use and there is going to be damaged poles. Why wasn't everything placed in the front of the site (except for sewage)?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

3 minutes ago, arthuruscg said:

Looking closely at the site layouts.... they are very odd. The poles are  put in the way.  It wouldn't be that big of a deal if the poles were 2ft tall since the current trailers have the slides up high enough to clear. I suspect slide placement is going to be a big use and there is going to be damaged poles. Why wasn't everything placed in the front of the site (except for sewage)?

That's what I was thinking too.  I just have the dinette slide in my pop-up, but it definitely won't clear the tops of those fake stumps and the other posts.  I would manage fine with the one slide, but what about folks who have multiple or much bigger slides?

And there really is no patio area.  None of the existing sites at the Fort are just straight rectangular slabs like they did here.

I'm sure folks can make it work, but since they were expanding the pads anyway, I don't understand why they didn't go with what has worked on all of the other sites for the past 45 years.

TCD

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

The sites were probably designed by the same type of people that design most campers "people that don't use them". Why take the time to consider how usable a site might be to different set ups when you can build them all the same and people will still pay to use them.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I have a few update photos to share from the 2100 loop.  These were taken during a quick trip to the Fort on Saturday, September 10, 2016.  I was on my way to park my truck in the overflow lot, and made a wrong turn and ended up in the 2100 by mistake.  Since I was there,  I snapped a few photos, and got out of there.

This camper is set up in one of the sites that backs up to the old comfort station.  Note how open it is between the sites.  But, you can see that they planted a bunch of stuff that will eventually grow:

One other comment about that photo- and the rest that you'll see in this post- these new sites are on the short side.  That R-Pod is a small trailer, but look how crowded that site is with the extra stuff that camper set up.

This is a shot looking down the loop road.  Everything seems crowded.  The picnic tables and grills being located on the side of the sites make folks set up their stuff closer to the road than we typically see on the other full hook-up loops:

This site is located on the inside of the loop at the turn.  As you can see, these campers have zero privacy.  This situation exists on other loops, but most of them have sufficient plant growth to provide screening:

Several of us have wondered whether or not this loop will be designated as pet friendly.  You can't see it too well, but there's a little fenced enclosure behind that little tree in this photo that has several puppies in it:

I saw another site with a large dog on it, but was too late on the draw to snap a photo. 

So there were at least two sites with dogs on them when I drove through.

As we all know, that doesn't mean this is a pet loop.  But, it doesn't mean it's not.  There still are no poop bag dispensers on this loop.

Here's another site- even this truck camper looks crowded on it:

This is my last photo from the drive-by.  It's another site with not much privacy.  If you look further down the loop, the last site at the turn is even worse than the previous one we looked at- there were campers on that site having lunch, and their picnic table was about 5-6 feet from the road and the whole side of their camper was parallel to it:

This loop isn't awful, but I think they could have put a bit more effort into enhancing the sites and planting more mature landscaping.  It will be better in a couple of years when the stuff they just planted grows in.  But, they really should have added some length to the sites, an located the grills and picnic tables in the back.

In case you're wondering- the comfort station in the center of the loop is still closed, and there's no sign that they're making any effort to reopen it.

I don't see any reason why anyone would prefer this loop over 1600, 1700 or 1800.  I would choose this one over 1900, though.

TCD

 

[keith_h 420]

It is more open but the sites look like they are farther apart than in some of the other loops. So it isn't like you are so close you can pass your neighbor a cup of coffee from your kitchen window.

I do think it would have been better to make the concrete pad the full length and put a larger coquina pad off the side. If it wasn't for the CS situation I would consider these for our next trip as or trailer is a bit larger than that R-Pod and we don't carry all of the extra stuff taking up pad space. Speaking of the R-Pod are the parked off the pavement? 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

6 minutes ago, keith_h said:

 Speaking of the R-Pod are the parked off the pavement? 

Yeah- the vehicle on that site is definitely parked off of the pavement.  There were a few sites in that loop with multiple vehicles, and tires off the pavement.  The whole loop gives off a crowded feel.

TCD

[LONE-STAR 370]

49 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Yeah- the vehicle on that site is definitely parked off of the pavement.  There were a few sites in that loop with multiple vehicles, and tires off the pavement.  The whole loop gives off a crowded feel.

TCD

Well there is no grass to kill it's all pine needles

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

30 minutes ago, LONE-STAR said:

Well there is no grass to kill it's all pine needles

Hey- you're right.  I didn't notice that- no grass on the entire loop.

TCD

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Thanks for the update, TCD!  I agree that given a choice, I'd opt for 1600-1800 over this loop.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Looks decent to me.  I like the space between the sites; it will definitely be nice when the foliage grows in.   I'm happy that they added some more full loops... I think they were needed.   

[FunFinder265....Cody 36]

4 minutes ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

Thanks for the update, TCD!  I agree that given a choice, I'd opt for 1600-1800 over this loop.

I agree with you, but not that there is more sites available, I wouldn't turn my nose up to this loop. A site at the Fort is generally better than a site elsewhere.

 

Cody

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

4 minutes ago, FunFinder265....Cody said:

IA site at the Fort is generally better than a site elsewhere.

Agreed!!

[keith_h 420]

2 hours ago, LONE-STAR said:

Well there is no grass to kill it's all pine needles

Those pine needles can also go up in flames pretty quickly on a hot day with a hot exhaust system.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Great update!

[caveat lector 181]

Great post Mr TCD!  You are on the case. While there is a bit of privacy withdrawal, I still think it's great to see expansion of the number of campsites.  Somebody in the bean counter department still recognizes the value of us campers.

 

 

Side note: I have to get a pepcid. I accidently went too far back in the thread and saw webtroll k__thy mentioned. The mere mention of her name elicits nausea.

[ftwildernessguy 778]

Don't be fooled by the Disney smoke screen.  This is all just preliminary work before the clear cutting to make room for the Wilderness Bungalows at Fort Wilderness.  Enjoy the synthetic wilderness only Disney can provide for a mere 2000 bucks a night.  Adequate barriers will be erected to protect you from the unsightly view of the campers who will be left.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

1 hour ago, ftwildernessguy said:

Don't be fooled by the Disney smoke screen.  This is all just preliminary work before the clear cutting to make room for the Wilderness Bungalows at Fort Wilderness.  Enjoy the synthetic wilderness only Disney can provide for a mere 2000 bucks a night.  Adequate barriers will be erected to protect you from the unsightly view of the campers who will be left.

Does anyone want to share a bungalow?  Non-smokers only....my horse has asthma.  

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Just now, DaveInTN said:

Does anyone want to share a bungalow?  Non-smokers only....my horse has asthma.  

I might be interested.

What is your policy on tricycles, and using the grill?  And can you assure me that you will never be in or around the bungalow when I am present?

And please confirm that your horse only whispers.

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

15 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

I might be interested.

What is your policy on tricycles, and using the grill?  And can you assure me that you will never be in or around the bungalow when I am present?

And please confirm that your horse only whispers.

TCD

Only unicycles are allowed at my bungalow.  And for the love of mercy, don't let your children ride them when I'm grilling.  My kids prefer riding their unicycles in circles while I cook their organic turkey dogs on the grill.  Don't even THINK of cooking red meat on the grill.  The smoke makes my horse a little....hoarse.  

[Helmsey......Todd 134]

20 hours ago, keith_h said:

Those pine needles can also go up in flames pretty quickly on a hot day with a hot exhaust system.

I was wondering the same thing. That could be bad for my truck if I were to park it while it is going through a exhaust cleaning cycle. The exhaust gas temps get close to 1200 degrees when that is going on so I can only imagine the aluminum from the exhaust is fairly warm as well.

[disneylitch......Debbie 61]

We rode our bikes around the loop during our last visit.  We still would prefer the current full hook up loops, but some of these sites are ok.  We wrote down the sites that we can fit in just in case we need it in the future.  Some of the sites are definitely too short for our motorhome.