River Country

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

This news makes me so sad.  I think this property will have such a negative effect on the Fort.  Sad because it’s all getting too expensive, sad because it’s all getting too crowded, sad because we have so many sweet family memories there...and I see the time to make more of those memories, slipping away.  Just sad 🙁

[LONE-STAR 370]

1 hour ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

This news makes me so sad.  I think this property will have such a negative effect on the Fort.  Sad because it’s all getting too expensive, sad because it’s all getting too crowded, sad because we have so many sweet family memories there...and I see the time to make more of those memories, slipping away.  Just sad 🙁

Well I agree I once thought this would be a nice addition to the Fort but if this is the design its just horrible. How in the world does this tie the Fort and WL together. 

 

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

1 hour ago, LONE-STAR said:

Well I agree I once thought this would be a nice addition to the Fort but if this is the design its just horrible. How in the world does this tie the Fort and WL together. 

 

The people at both will hate it equally? 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

The buildings are very generic, and what's with the flying nun thing? This comes nowhere close to the level of design/theming in pretty much every other WDW hotel - especially the deluxe level ones. Heck it doesn't even come close to comparing to the DVC cabins they just put in at WL.

Agree with hoping this is just loose concept art and the final design will be much nicer and closer to the "wilderness" theme. 

Not thrilled about this happening either, but if I'm going to have to look at it when I take the golf cart to go get my take out fried chicken, I at least want it to be pretty.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

1 hour ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

The buildings are very generic, and what's with the flying nun thing? This comes nowhere close to the level of design/theming in pretty much every other WDW hotel - especially the deluxe level ones. Heck it doesn't even come close to comparing to the DVC cabins they just put in at WL.

Agree with hoping this is just loose concept art and the final design will be much nicer and closer to the "wilderness" theme. 

Not thrilled about this happening either, but if I'm going to have to look at it when I take the golf cart to go get my take out fried chicken, I at least want it to be pretty.

You think the Flying Nun thing is bad, have you seen the concept art for the proposed facade improvement project on Pioneer Hall?

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

19 hours ago, DaveInTN said:

Ok, I've changed my mind on the name....it won't be Cypress Springs.  It will be Disney's Spring Hill Suites.  

Seriously, it looks like something Marriott would build in an office park off the beltway, in Anytown USA.  I really had thought they'd build the design that was leaked several years ago, which excited me.  Tearing down the horse barn and paving over the TCD Ranch for this is sad.  

Oh do you think they will take my Marriott points? 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

1 hour ago, momof3kids-Yvonne said:

Oh do you think they will take my Marriott points? 

Probably not, but did you know the Swan and Dolphin do now?   

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

44 minutes ago, DaveInTN said:

Probably not, but did you know the Swan and Dolphin do now?   

Yes. I did. 

[keith_h 420]

I think it could look pretty good if they would take the Prairie/Arts and Crafts style the drawing shows in the upper portions of the building and expand on it throughout the exterior. They would need to replace the Flying Nun hat with something more appropriate but that is no great loss.  I think the real question is how accurate is the concept artwork is in relation to the actual buildings. If it is accurate then I think Disney missed a chance to build something unique. If it is just a promo or executive briefing artwork there could still be hope for something nice. 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

22 hours ago, LONE-STAR said:

Well I agree I once thought this would be a nice addition to the Fort but if this is the design its just horrible. How in the world does this tie the Fort and WL together. 

 

21 hours ago, Katman1356...Jason said:

The people at both will hate it equally? 

 

What Jason said.

What a hot mess....

 

[lightbikes 73]

On 10/18/2018 at 6:31 PM, twiceblessed....nacole said:

This news makes me so sad.  I think this property will have such a negative effect on the Fort.  Sad because it’s all getting too expensive, sad because it’s all getting too crowded, sad because we have so many sweet family memories there...and I see the time to make more of those memories, slipping away.  Just sad 🙁

I agree - and you are right - everything that we valued about the Fort and WDW just seems to be slipping away.  It feels like a snowball  going downhill - faster and faster and faster - 

[Breezy2 18]

I can’t even express how sad I feel about all this and I’m sure Walt is too. The glory days of “camping” at Ft. Wilderness are over. It will eventually go the way of River Country or become very exclusive. The respite we all enjoyed from the craziness of the parks will be no more. The handwriting has been on the wall for a long time and with rates going up it’s obvious who they prefer their “campers” to be and it’s not tenters or trailers. Or the locals and their “phantom” weekend party reservations. Thanks, Disney. It’s been sweet for many generations of families, the deer, turkeys, armandillos, squirrels and birds but we all hear you loud and clear. 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

On 10/19/2018 at 12:02 PM, DaveInTN said:

You think the Flying Nun thing is bad, have you seen the concept art for the proposed facade improvement project on Pioneer Hall?

[Travisma 1,317]

The new merchandise at Wilderness Lodge fits right into this scheme.

They have on them, " I'm a Glamper not a Camper" then Disney's Wilderness Lodge.

W L is no where near glamping.

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

On 10/19/2018 at 12:49 PM, DaveInTN said:

Probably not, but did you know the Swan and Dolphin do now?   

But aren't they going up in points per night on Jan 1, 2019?

 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

12 minutes ago, WannaBeImagineer said:

But aren't they going up in points per night on Jan 1, 2019?

 

Yeah that's what I've read.  And they are 50k per night now!  

[Breezy2 18]

Hmmmm......let's see.  900 new DVC units, vehicle access to those units, parking lots for those units, parking lots next to the Settlement, how long will it be before golf carts are no longer allowed at The Fort because it's too dangerous! Guess it all depends upon how much access all those vehicles have to the fort and if the walking paths will become golf cart paths. Sad to think about. The only upside I see is campers easy access to new restaurants and bars. 

[PghBob 31]

Maybe they will put up a gate that will prevent "lost" folks from the new resort from entering the FW area to minimize traffic and improve safety.  Hey Disney, Hint, HINT.

[tim5055 120]

On 10/19/2018 at 12:02 PM, DaveInTN said:

You think the Flying Nun thing is bad, have you seen the concept art for the proposed facade improvement project on Pioneer Hall?

Wow, the big chicken.....

 

I used ot live a couple of miles from there.  The big chicken is what is used as a landmark to give driving directions in that area

[Travisma 1,317]

54 minutes ago, PghBob said:

Maybe they will put up a gate that will prevent "lost" folks from the new resort from entering the FW area to minimize traffic and improve safety.  Hey Disney, Hint, HINT.

The gates will be there to keep the lowlife, nasty, campers from going to the new shiny DVC resort.

Has there been any official word on how people will get to the new resort?  Will they enter at Wilderness Lodge then utilize the bus road between WL and FW?

I can't see then driving thru the Fort to get there, and isn't most of the land past the group camping and above the path to WL protected, which would prevent them from building a new road out to Vista Blvd or World Drive.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

2 hours ago, Travisma said:

Has there been any official word on how people will get to the new resort?  Will they enter at Wilderness Lodge then utilize the bus road between WL and FW?

That's what I'd bet on, if only because of the logistical and potential safety nightmare of having a bunch more car traffic funneled through the campground.

I would seriously doubt they'll be car access into the Fort from the DVC - and conversely I doubt they'll be golf cart access the other way.

Thinking about how Bay Lake Tower was handled - you can't just wander on in there even if you're staying at the Contemporary.  They have their own lounge, pool, etc. I'm betting the same will hold true for this. 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

29 minutes ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

That's what I'd bet on, if only because of the logistical and potential safety nightmare of having a bunch more car traffic funneled through the campground.

I would seriously doubt they'll be car access into the Fort from the DVC - and conversely I doubt they'll be golf cart access the other way.

Thinking about how Bay Lake Tower was handled - you can't just wander on in there even if you're staying at the Contemporary.  They have their own lounge, pool, etc. I'm betting the same will hold true for this. 

I agree, with one exception.  While BLT is sort of a DVC addendum to CR, this new resort will presumably be a standalone property with restaurants, bars, gift shops etc.  And ain't no way the Mouse restricts access to the money making aspects of the resort, even to us filthy campers.  Our money is still green, afterall.  We just won't be able to access the rest of the property (pools, room corridors, concierge lounges, etc).  

[Travisma 1,317]

9 minutes ago, DaveInTN said:

I agree, with one exception.  While BLT is sort of a DVC addendum to CR, this new resort will presumably be a standalone property with restaurants, bars, gift shops etc.  And ain't no way the Mouse restricts access to the money making aspects of the resort, even to us filthy campers.  Our money is still green, afterall.  We just won't be able to access the rest of the property (pools, room corridors, concierge lounges, etc).  

The gate entrances will have decontamination booths coming from the fort, so we don't bring over any unwanted nature into the resort with us.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I think they have 2 reasonable options to get people into and out of the new resort, noted on the below map.  The least expensive option (in yellow) would seem to be utilizing the WL's existing entrance road, and then forking off onto the bus road.  However, this would add a great deal of additional traffic to that entrance, which wouldn't seem to be ideal. 

A second option (in purple), would create an entirely new entrance off of Vista Blvd to the east of the existing drainage canal.  The road would run north toward the new resort, possibly joining at some point with the existing road utilized by the purple bus route out past the group camping area.  This would seem more ideal to me, as it would be an exclusive, themed entrance for the new resort.  It wouldn't come into view of either the campground or the Lodge.  Let's face it...Lodge guests don't want to see a bunch of additional cars streaming past their resort.  And the guests of the new resort don't want to drive by a trailer park to get to their fancy hotel room.  Everybody would be happy with this option.  Although it would cost the Mouse more money.  

I think we'll see how Disney plans on accessing the property for construction purposes fairly soon, and then maybe we'll have an idea of how they plan to have guests access it.  If they punch a new road through off of Vista, then I bet they may ultimately go in that direction for guest access.  

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I agree with DIT's map. I have wondered about this since the plans were first leaked years ago. I think they're going to use the current WL entrance and the existing road that DIT marked in Yellow. They have a similar situation at Animal Kingdom Lodge, where they use one guard shack for both the original lodge and the newer DVC. That set up would also allow them to combine bus routes, which they will want to do to save costs. 

TCD