I survived! (but looking forward to ski season)

[Westcoastwild 2]

Newbie WDW trip report

 

A (long) critical review of my very magical vacation. If you feel no need to read it all, here is the summary: IT WAS AWESOME, thanks for any advice you gave me.

 

First, a fort fiend asked that I post back about the heat and the size of WDW. Florida in summer is hot and humid. Very hot. Very humid. Not quite as bad as I expected though! I went to Boston several years ago during record summer temps and that was a huge shock to me. We went to Cape Cod afterwards thinking that at least the ocean will be cold. No. No, it was not. I've also been to DC in summer, and never again. But in comparison, Orlando really wasn't too bad. Apparently, since I moved to W. Washington 4 years ago, I've built up some kind of tolerance for the humidity. There's also a breeze and that was great. That said, though, I pretty much had to find shelter from 2-4 every afternoon. I don't leave the parks in California; I had to in Orlando just to take that afternoon shower to feel human again.  I skipped the shower a few times but that did take a noticeable toll on my body and mood. I could not live in that climate; I only spent week there but a full 1/5 of my room bill was sunscreen. I just had to put it on so frequently!

 

On the size issue: I honestly think WDW people who go to DL are more likely to be surprised than the other way around. I mean, it did feel large to me. But I kind of see DL as part of the greater LA area and WDW as its own world. WDW is like La in the sense that if a local tells you "it's just down the road" that means it's probably 30 minutes in a vehicle. The thing that really DID surprise me is the size of the parks. Magic Kingdom is a lot of walking all by itself. My main tip for DL is always stay until closing; you can ride 5-6 rides on your way out. At MK, that's 2 rides. Maybe. I managed 4 during the evening magic hours, but that was hoofing it. I was talking to a college friend who goes to WDW frequently but had never been to DL, and she was really surprised by my description of Disneyland. She really had no idea about how tiny DL is. I would never stay on site at DL, but I would also never stay offsite at WDW!

 

I think the size issue works for and against MK. On the one hand, I felt that there was more wasted space. I feel like DL was more thoughtfully designed; MK has that add on feeling. I went to MK almost every day and I still didn't get to hit everything. On the other hand, that gives MK space for awesome stuff like Rapunzel's tower, Be Our Guest, or really cool queues like 7 Dwarves or Little Mermaid. And this pro/con is something I really noticed throughout the parks. Dinosaur land in AK is half awesome, half crap. I really don't get that one. Hollywood Studios is very attractive but in my opinion, DCA is filled with more attractions while being more compact. But they are trying to do different things and it's possibly not a fair comparison as I do know that HS has a lot of construction going on.

 

For practical purposes (for my fellow lurkers or first timers) this means you really can't stay a resort close to ALL the parks. Pick the one closest to the park you'll spend the most time at,  and be sure to account for travel time in your touring plans. To get to another resort for a meal, you most likely have to take a bus from your resort to an attraction and then transfer to another bus to go to your destination. It wasn't an issue for me; for one thing, bus time means quality time with a/c?. But it wasn't something that I realized, and I was really lucky that I had been feeling pretty lazy when I made my ADRs. I don't understand the folks stay at the monorail resorts for that specific perk, because I don't think they spend any less time than I did in transit. They still have to take a bus to everything NOT on the monorail, which is a heck of a lot. The monorail at WDW is actually necessary transport, which blew my mind. At DL, it's more like an attraction. Epcot to MK is no small hop. I sometimes spent more time on that monorail than I did standing in line for rides.

 

Fort Wilderness...ah, the fort with fiendish fans! I get it now you crazy people. I was really curious about your Mecca. For one thing, it's $88 bucks for a TENT SITE on weekends. For another thing, I see posts all the time on here about going to the fort but not to the parks. That turns out to be not so crazy. It's like the perfect combination of amenities and wildlife. Amenities wise, it's the Rolls Royce of campgrounds. I loved the boat access to MK. Seriously. I thought the $88 was well worth it. When you consider the air conditioned bathrooms, the transportation, the laundry rooms, and the pool- I wouldn't say it's a bargain, but I think it's well worth it. I have paid 50 for a whole lot less at a KOA. State parks are regularly 30-40 in places like California, and I'm talking about ranger districts that may or may not consider toilet paper a necessity. Two camp stores, a bar, rental bikes...the list just goes on. Terrific. I enjoyed the Hoop De Doo. My only real complaints are that I think they are understaffed at checkout time and the showers do not run ice cold (which is something I never thought I'd say about a camping bathroom). I loved the restaurant for lunch but cannot recommend weekend brunch. The latter was my worst meal.

 

Despite all of the effusive praise I have for this place, it comes with a few serious caveats. I would, indeed, camp again in July. I would not take any whiners (relatives) or people who are mainly interested in saving money or really young children (that sounds like work). Because of the humidity, this is not a novice camping experience. I'd rate it moderate difficulty. With my awesome, familiar camp gear, I was pretty comfortable, but I still would have thrown in the towel fairly early on if I'd had people with me who did not see it as one big adventure. That's really the mindset you've got to have.  It took me four times as long to set up camp because I had to take water breaks in the shade. It took me longer to break down camp. My deodorant melted into an awesome snow drift shape. The heat fried 2 apple chargers (I though it was a wiring problem until I had maintenance look at it. Then I bought a no brand charger). D batteries last about one night in my fan, and there's only one place on property that sells them. If I did not truly prefer camping over budget hotels, and had done no camping prior to this trip, this would be a very different trip report!

 

THANK YOU (you know who you are) for encouraging me to buy a fan and properly put up my rain fly. Because of you, I slept well and did not once come back to a wet mess in my tent.

 

And if you are considering camping at fort wilderness and you've never been camping in your life, first camp at the crappiest state park near your home. This will familiarize your family with the gear, tell you what gear you should have brought along, and finally make you appreciate FW in all of its glory.

 

Onto the parks...if you are still with me!

 

I spent 7 days at WDW  1 day at universal. I hit all 4 parks at WDW, plus typhoon lagoon. The general advice to not get a park hopper I ignored and I would get again. I used it a lot! I would not get the water park add on again. I thought I could go to a park in the morning and a water park in the afternoon. The reality is that by 2pm, the water park was too hot to walk in and the shallow water was uncomfortably warm. Typhoon Lagoon is hands down the best water park I've been to, though. I'm not usually a wave pool person, but that was a crazy amount of fun. I also enjoyed the crusher gusher and the lazy river. 

 

Magic Kingdom: I think the main thing to say here is that I loved the castle. And the size of the park does make seeing the fireworks much less unpleasant than at DL. 7 dwarves is a lot of fun, but whoever designed the lap bar should be banished from the land...or tarred and feathered. I don't care for the small world facade. I think haunted mansion is even more awesome at WDW. I do not usually bother with magic hours but I highly recommend MK's evening hours. The lines are so much faster without the fast pass quota.

 

Epcot: surprised that I loved living with the land and spaceship earth. Soaring is great, but don't waste a fast pass. Frozen animatronics are fantastic. I'd say it was well worth the hour wait, but definitely get a fast pass. I mostly enjoyed Epcot for the world showcase though. I won't lie- half of my park hopping was motivated by illuminations and the orange grand Marnier slushes. Skip Nemo. It's such a waste, which was a disappointment because I like the movie. 

 

Animal Kingdom: didn't see jungle book, but the tree at night was a huge hit with the crowd. And I hope they keep it around. Everest is a serious rival against Big Thunder for my affections. Loved the Safari ride. Dinosaur has so much promise but it feels like the intro of a ride like Indiana Jones instead of the whole ride. Kali River is a waste of space. Spent most of a day in this park, I think I probably would have liked a second day. There's a lot to just appreciate. 

 

Hollywood Studios: the movie biz theme is not really my thing. I wish this was more nostalgic West like DCA. I REALLY wish there was a carsland. I like Aerosmith but not as much as CA screaming. The Star Wars stuff was fun, Indiana Jones was a decent show. I really enjoyed toy story mania, and had the line been shorter, I would have gone back several times. I though Great Movie Ride would be incredibly dorky, but it's on my top ten list of "why I love Disney Parks". And the queue/theater facade is fantastic. But that doesn't make HS even a half day for me, and I don't really think Star Wars land would change that.

 

Universal: I was really curious about this place because when I was lurking on the disboards, people frequently seemed to bring up the idea that maybe Universal will become king partly because of how much effort they've put into expanding and because Disney is somehow becoming an evil greedy monster. Yeah...I don't see it. I'm by no means a Disney fanatic, but I can tell you that I can spend 6 days at Disney and want to come back...and after 5 hours at Universal, I want to leave. Part of this is that I love thrill rides like coasters but simulators make me really sick. That was the worst night I had all trip. Leaving the park, even the escalator made me want to vomit. But most of it is that Disney for me is about that feeling of child like glee I get when I'm watching the fireworks or riding the haunted mansion or jungle cruise. The rock music and the rowdier crowds and the poor shopping at universal just didn't have the same appeal, and that was a VERY expensive day. I will say, though, that Harry Potter is so very well done. It's amazing. Universal puts the same (if not more) detail into their facades and queues that Disney does. I also enjoyed Rockit and mummy. I think there's definitely an overlap between customers in both places, but I don't really think the target audiences are the same. If you go, I did find the express pass worth the money.

 

Speaking of the express...fast pass + was something I was pretty sure I'd dislike. I just never have made the fast pass system at DL work for me. But it turns out to be great. I like the instant gratification of using my cell phone on the go. I like how I can get fast passes for stuff that I really enjoy but don't consider worth an hour's wait (Peter Pan). I think it actually does a pretty good job of spreading out the crowds. It's true that it makes some lines longer but on the other hand, I would not cover many more rides any way due to how spread out MK is.

 

Food: ADRs are something I though I wouldn't like as well. But it makes the trip go much smoother. It also guarantees quality AC time, so yeah, definitely recommend those.

 

Best food I ate: 

Tuna salad, lunch at BOG. Best setting as well. DO IT.

Chicken n waffles at trails end

Fish and chips at rose and crown. So good. Even compared to fish and chips in Seattle.

 

Honorable mentions: 

Marrekesh lamb

Jiko's filet mignon (parts are just ok, parts are great, especially the cab. But persona bias is likely- I generally order steak only at really expensive steak houses, and I'm not sure that's a fair comparison). 

Trader Sam's Tiki Bar drinks and appetizers.

 

Don't do it: 

Cobb salad at Hollywood brown derby. I love Cobb but not this one.

Desserts. Except the French pavilion or signature dining. Yuck.

Brunch buffet at trails end. Double yuck. 

 

If I did it all over: I over planned which led to some fretting. Disboards is helpful but full of Debbie Downers and nutcases.

 

Best advice to pass on: take at least three pairs of shoes, change in the afternoon. This saved my feet. Take a tent broom: that sand is really obnoxious. 

 

I'm glad I took: my insulated water bottle. Also, the snow/sand tent stakes worked really well, but if you buy them, buy extra. They bend pretty easily. Clothesline is super helpful in this climate.

 

I'm glad I forgot: my rain jacket. If you end up caught in the deluge, a rain jacket won't make the least bit of difference. I went to dinner in Japan looking like I'd been swimming.

 

 

Most magical moment: snagging a thunder mountain fastpass and riding during the fireworks.

 

 

I can tell you that I will go back...if only for Fort Wilderness and the orange grand Marnier slushes!!

 

If you made it this far, you're awesome and thanks for reading!

 

[BigTom 76]

Fort Wilderness is addictive isn't it. Good report

[Beckers 1,136]

"Dinosaur land in AK is half awesome, half crap"

that totally made me LOL. Best statement ever.

 

and how on earth do they screw up a Cobb salad? Not exactally a difficult thing to make!

im glad you survived, the heat and humidity would have killed me. 

[DramaMama .......... Janet 75]

So glad you enjoyed the Fort!  We have tent camped, cabined, and now pop up camper there.  I love your attitude and agree that who you are with (or not) makes a huge difference in how well you handle a trip like that.  Kudos!  Welcome to the insanity!

[Westcoastwild 2]

The Cobb salad was super chopped up and they over did on the dressing. When they mixed it up it was like the greens were a bit wilted and it was a little like...I don't know...half done relish or salsa or baby food instead of a nice refreshing salad. I've had a lot of average cobbs...before this, I really didn't think it was possible to make a BAD Cobb salad. The things you learn at Disney;)

I think the only reason I survived the humidity was that I went solo. I could go at my own pace, there was no one to judge me for going to Epcot just for an orange slush, and I'm not one of those people who feel they must do everything. I hit nearly everything I wanted to see, and the stuff I missed I mostly missed because I did something like ride Big thunder mountain 3 times. (Seriously, I can't get enough of that ride).

Hey, going solo would probably be my number one tip for WDW visits in July. Unfortunately, I suspect that's not very helpful for most folks here

[Travisma 1,317]

Living down here and having an AP, you forget that other people have to rush around like a crazy person trying to see everything in 3 or 4 days.

We just go, take,our time and see whatever we can. Sometimes it's just a ride on the train or the people mover.

You did the smart thing just pacing yourself.

[Westcoastwild 2]

1 minute ago, Travisma said:

Living down here and having an AP, you forget that other people have to rush around like a crazy person trying to see everything in 3 or 4 days.

We just go, take,our time and see whatever we can. Sometimes it's just a ride on the train or the people mover.

You did the smart thing just pacing yourself.

Before visiting, I thought more than 4 days might be too much. I can do DL in one day, DCA in another. But I'm really glad I had 6 days to play with. I could have used 7-8. I really didn't see many of the shows. And I was on the go from 9am to 11 almost every day because of the camping aspect. I just can't imagine trying to do WDW in 3 days!

and that actually brings up a good thing I forgot to mention- the age old question of DL vs WDW: which is better? To my surprise, there isn't a clear cut winner. It would really be about how much time you have got and how you want to spend that time. If I have a week or more, I'm usually not thinking theme parks. And California has terrific museums and hiking, so I'd be more inclined to go to DL. But even though I'm on the west coast, WDW is in a lot of ways a cheaper and easier trip. People talk about planning 180 days ahead of time. But you can, like me, plan one month out and still have a great time. In comparison, if you don't make camping reservations for camping in CA state parks 180 days out, you just aren't going. Think getting a dinner reservation for BOG or a fastpass for frozen is hard? Try getting a campsite at Yosemite...

[Travisma 1,317]

5 hours ago, Westcoastwild said:

Before visiting, I thought more than 4 days might be too much. I can do DL in one day, DCA in another. But I'm really glad I had 6 days to play with. I could have used 7-8. I really didn't see many of the shows. And I was on the go from 9am to 11 almost every day because of the camping aspect. I just can't imagine trying to do WDW in 3 days!

and that actually brings up a good thing I forgot to mention- the age old question of DL vs WDW: which is better? To my surprise, there isn't a clear cut winner. It would really be about how much time you have got and how you want to spend that time. If I have a week or more, I'm usually not thinking theme parks. And California has terrific museums and hiking, so I'd be more inclined to go to DL. But even though I'm on the west coast, WDW is in a lot of ways a cheaper and easier trip. People talk about planning 180 days ahead of time. But you can, like me, plan one month out and still have a great time. In comparison, if you don't make camping reservations for camping in CA state parks 180 days out, you just aren't going. Think getting a dinner reservation for BOG or a fastpass for frozen is hard? Try getting a campsite at Yosemite...

Try getting a site at the Fort on a weekend or around a holiday.  We book Halloween at least a year out, and for the 4th it was about 9 months.

It is a little harder trying to get a partial site since there are only two loops, and a lot of local people book them to party on.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

BRAVO!!!

Good job camping in a tent at the Fort in July.  And thank you for taking the time to write that very good report!

I agree that it is hard, when considering all factors, to clearly state whether WDW is better than Disneyland.  For me, there's no question that Disneyland park is better than any of the 4 parks at WDW.  I also think that California Adventure is wonderful.  The Grand Californian Hotel can easily compete against any WDW resort.  I feel that the Disneyland parks are better maintained, and the attractions there are more updated and in better shape than what we have at WDW.

But, for me, WDW wins, just because there is so much to do, and you can be immersed in the Disney experience.  And we have Fort Wilderness.  Disneyland doesn't.

So, what loop/campsite did you end up in?  Did you use Magical Express?  How did you pack and transport your gear?  Is there anything you would have done differently with regard to your gear or set-up?

TCD

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Great report!  Love your humor   Glad you had a great time and yes... The Fort is worth a second trip 

[Seals 111]

Great trip report!  It's fun to read the perspective of someone who's never been before. 

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

Great report!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Westcoastwild 2]

3 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

BRAVO!!!

Good job camping in a tent at the Fort in July.  And thank you for taking the time to write that very good report!

I agree that it is hard, when considering all factors, to clearly state whether WDW is better than Disneyland.  For me, there's no question that Disneyland park is better than any of the 4 parks at WDW.  I also think that California Adventure is wonderful.  The Grand Californian Hotel can easily compete against any WDW resort.  I feel that the Disneyland parks are better maintained, and the attractions there are more updated and in better shape than what we have at WDW.

But, for me, WDW wins, just because there is so much to do, and you can be immersed in the Disney experience.  And we have Fort Wilderness.  Disneyland doesn't.

So, what loop/campsite did you end up in?  Did you use Magical Express?  How did you pack and transport your gear?  Is there anything you would have done differently with regard to your gear or set-up?

TCD

Travisma- I would expect that of the 4th but not of Halloween. Good to know. I'm kind of wondering if Disney does some sort of weird hold out system with their campsites. The website showed absolutely no availibility and then when I called, I could just magically get any of the dates I wanted. Even over the weekend.

Anyway...I have a hard case suitcase set and I never use the massive one (the kind Australian visitors always seem to have). I put my tent, sleeping pad, and camping pillow into the "pants" side. I put all of my clothes into a ziploc storage tote and put that into the "shirts" zipper section. Next to that I put my shower kit, which I keep in a kayak dry bag; another kayak dry bag for my swimsuit; 2 pairs of shoes; extension cord, fake grass rug; nylon bag of stakes, random cords and rope. (That came to 52 lbs, which is deltas courtesy limit).  My carry on is my lesportsac backpack- camping light and fan, batteries, charging cords, a change of clothing.

So when I got to the campground, I pulled  out the sleeping pad first and laid it out on the picnic table so it had time to self inflate. Put up the tent. Messed around with the stakes. Tried to put up the rain fly and realized it had to be staked down. The devil whispered leave the rain fly, the sky is blue. Murphy's law applies when ever I go camping so I ignored him. Pulled out the stakes, put up the rain fly, messed around with the stakes. Did some creative guy line tying to make up for the stakes that I ruined. Then I sealed off the sleeping pad, popped it in the tent, and proceeded to set up necessities inside. (The ziploc tote I've found makes a compact but easy "dresser" for my tent.) sure enough, it rained the first night. So if you haven't been to Florida: put up the two fly immediately.

the fan, rug, and the biolite were new. The fan is swell, just the right amount of air, and I like the fact it can hang or stand. The rug was a entry rug for the tent (made for rvs) and totally useless. I'm going back to beach towels. But it's possibly not entirely the rugs fault- that sand is persistent. I found I could not store stuff in my "garage" because although it doesn't get rained on, the rain stirs up the sand and the sand just covered my shoes the first night. The biolite is, alas, one of those things rei sells that is pretty and shiny but not durable. The cord covering started unraveling the second night! I'm going back to the unbreakable lantern that camping neighbors probably hate because it's so bright. It's lower maintenance. I am so happy I bought quick dry camping towels.  Those make all the difference.

I have a half done 2 person rei tent. I've been suspecting for a while that it's a bit too small but this trip confirmed it. I don't want to upgrade though; the tent is stupidly easy to set up and even in the Florida weather it was well ventilated. Didn't leak at all. (So background: my father was in the army and when we very occasionally went camping as kids, my parents made it feel like a punishment. They only bought the cheapest gear and didn't spend much time on set up. When I got back into camping several years ago, I realized that you get out of camping what you put into it. My "expensive" tent and sleeping pad were worth every penny- I've had cheapskate friends make fun of me and then when they tried the pad, they joked about stealing it. My precious) 

A pleasant surprise was the the trees at the fort. I don't camp many places that are both well maintained and tree covered. The shade helps a lot. I was able to put up a clothesline and that helped a lot. I was in site 1518, which was a terrific location. I'd love to snag that site again. So close to the bathroom and the bus stop- just across the street from meadows and the pool.

One of the things I like about camping (and hostels) is that in my experience, people are generally friendlier and more considerate than at a value motel. Except occasionally you get neighbors like the ones I had for the first day. Some people should not reproduce. So classy. Met a lot of really nice people at the bathrooms though.

if I could do it over: I would have asked to pay for another night and arrive "late" so I could set up my tent at 7 am. Setting up the tent in the late afternoon is not an experience I'd want to repeat. If I lived in driving distance: I'd bring a kitchen tent/shelter with screen sides. I don't know if I'd use it much, but the biting flies made sitting at my picnic table a no go, and I really did need more tent space.

 

Yep, I took the magic express. I had a car for a half day, but gave it back because transportation is really that good. That would be my main argument for staying on property. A perfect vacation for me involves no driving (which means I camp a lot less than I'd like to). I stayed off site at DL and didn't mind driving there but I found WDW to be a bit confusing to navigate.

I agree with you about Disneyland. My arguments for WDW consist of "water parks, fort wilderness, and resort hopping" when I think about it. Disneyland (and DCA) are sort of tiny, flawless bites of magic while WDW is a sprawling land of possibilities. I really liked that I had options and because of that, as well as how the crowds are spread out, I don't hit burn out like I do at DL. Fireworks at DL are kind of a miserable experience- at WDW it isn't hard to get a magical view.

I resort hopped some. I loved AKL but if I was going to stay in a deluxe, it would probably be Wilderness. I wasn't super impressed by beach, yacht, poly, or contemporary. They didn't strike me as worth the price. I ADORE grand Californian and I think that beats all of the WDW resorts that I saw. (I did not get to see grand Floridian or French quarter so maybe those would change my mind).

 

the only thing I really disliked about camping in July is that it definitely curtailed my fun at the fort. I never rented a bike or a boat, it's just too hot. I wanted to cruise around and see folks' set ups (I find that weirdly fun) but it never happened. If you were in/near 1500 loop and had the blow up Christmas penguins- that was awesome and made me smile every time I saw your site! It's unlikely to happen any time soon, but I definitely want to camp at fort wilderness during Halloween or Christmas just for the decorations

 

 

 

[Westcoastwild 2]

Oh, and here's a gear question that maybe someone has a solution for. So I bought a travel sheet to sleep in. I can't sleep in it. I badly need some kind of cover for the sleeping pad, though. I don't like how dirty it got this trip. Any one have any clever ideas?

[Travisma 1,317]

 I was in site 1518, which was a terrific location.

What?  When were you there?  We were on 1518 from 6/28 and left 7/6.

Did you have any flooding?  I dug two holes next to and under the retaining timbers on the right before and after the utility poles to drain the lake we had on our 4th day there.

[Westcoastwild 2]

LOL, Travisma! I came in on the 6th. No flooding. I think I was lucky. I had been really worried about flooding. Maybe your digging spared me! You might have gotten more rain though- there were only 2 nights that the rain was absolutely torrential, and they luckily weren't back to back so there was time for stuff to dry out. The night I went to Epcot there was a big storm, and I think I would have had problems if it had rained again the following day.

[Travisma 1,317]

1 hour ago, Westcoastwild said:

LOL, Travisma! I came in on the 6th. No flooding. I think I was lucky. I had been really worried about flooding. Maybe your digging spared me! You might have gotten more rain though- there were only 2 nights that the rain was absolutely torrential, and they luckily weren't back to back so there was time for stuff to dry out. The night I went to Epcot there was a big storm, and I think I would have had problems if it had rained again the following day.

We had a bad storm on the 1st.  Got caught in it at the Beach Club.  When we got back the site was flooded, this time I came prepared with a shovel after our epic floods in 1510 last year.  Once I dug the holes the water drained quickly.

It rained again on Saturday, but no flooding.

All in all it was a decent site, a little sunny.  1517 across the way seemed to have a longer period of shade.

Was the van camper still in the lower # site next to you, and the two tents with the twenty somethings on the other side?

Something I discovered digging, the sand is not all that thick except around the edges.  There is a lot of hard pack dirt/clay not that far down under the majority of the sand. That will block a lot of the rain from percolating down.

[BigTom 76]

Just thought I would remind you that this is ski season, we ski year round down here, water ski that is.

[Westcoastwild 2]

van camper must have left- that site was empty until the next night when someone arrived to set up really late. I think the twenty somethings were gone (guessing they were noisy?) because those neighbors were pretty quiet and I seem to remember really young kids. As I mentioned earlier- I had some really special folks across from me but they left after a couple days, thank goodness.

 

But one thing about camping in July: it's good that I tend to not take resting days, and I tend to not have serious health issues. I really was only at the site to sleep and change because even the fan doesn't prevent the tent from turning into an oven between 10 am and 10 pm. it worked with my travel style but a result of that is I didn't see much of my neighbors. I wouldn't recommend camping at that time of year to people with a condition like Crohn's, for example. No escape from the heat. And I wouldn't recommend it to someone who likes to feel clean and dress up in the evening because the brief walk from the bathroom to the bus caused me to sweat like a pig. (but I have yet to take heels and jewelry on any vacation, so I'm not inclined to understand that anyway. I didn't feel out of place at any of the restaurants- signature dining is nice but not really fancier than somewhere I'd go at home.)

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Great TR!  Thanks for sharing!

You don't need to book an extra night to get into the Fort early.  We usually arrive at the fort by 6:30 am and often are on our site by 8 am.

[caveat lector 181]

You have a gift for writing. Thanks for sharing the gift with this excellent trip report

[Travisma 1,317]

8 hours ago, Westcoastwild said:

van camper must have left- that site was empty until the next night when someone arrived to set up really late. I think the twenty somethings were gone (guessing they were noisy?) because those neighbors were pretty quiet and I seem to remember really young kids. As I mentioned earlier- I had some really special folks across from me but they left after a couple days, thank goodness.

 

But one thing about camping in July: it's good that I tend to not take resting days, and I tend to not have serious health issues. I really was only at the site to sleep and change because even the fan doesn't prevent the tent from turning into an oven between 10 am and 10 pm. it worked with my travel style but a result of that is I didn't see much of my neighbors. I wouldn't recommend camping at that time of year to people with a condition like Crohn's, for example. No escape from the heat. And I wouldn't recommend it to someone who likes to feel clean and dress up in the evening because the brief walk from the bathroom to the bus caused me to sweat like a pig. (but I have yet to take heels and jewelry on any vacation, so I'm not inclined to understand that anyway. I didn't feel out of place at any of the restaurants- signature dining is nice but not really fancier than somewhere I'd go at home.)

Twenty somethings were pretty good until

the next to,the last day, they dropped a few,f bombs and my wife reminded them they were in a family area and they apologized.

[Westcoastwild 2]

55 minutes ago, caveat lector said:

You have a gift for writing. Thanks for sharing the gift with this excellent trip report

Aw, thanks, caveat lector! Glad you enjoyed it

travisma- that is really one of my pet peeves. Good for your wife! I'm usually afraid to speak up. I did notice that the heat and line combination brings out the worst in some people. I overheard some truly hilarious/outrageous "parenting" in line...especially the Frozen queue lol. 

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

"the showers do not run ice cold (which is something I never thought I'd say about a camping bathroom)."

Welcome to Florida in the summer. Unfortunately unless your water is coming directly from a cold spring there is no such thing as ice cold water out of a tap down here.

 

Sounds like you had a great trip, glad you enjoyed it. You're much braver than I am, I live here and can't imagine tent camping this time of year. 

 

If you ever get the chance Halloween is great at the Fort but definitely budget time and money for a bike or golfcart to explore and check out decorations. Same with Christmas, we actually like the first or second week of December lots of sites are usually decorated as well as the parks and resorts. It's still a slower time crowd wise and lower rates. 

 

 

[libbylovespluto 1]

Sounds like you had a great time!

Did you carry your own luggage onto DME? If not, did it arrive with you or did you have to wait? I was planning on collecting and carrying my bags so I could set up my tent right away. DME doesn't put guarantee bags until 3 or 4 hours after arrival...

I bought spiral sand stakes. I figured I'd mainly only need them for the fly, so I got a 4 pack. Do you think I should buy another pack?

Lastly, what kind of fan did you buy/bring?

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