Public events at FW?

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

1 hour ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

That is odd for the Beach Club Pool.  We stayed there for a couple of nights last summer, and they had a CM at the only gate in to the pool with a hand-held MB reader, and each guest had to have his own MB in order to be issued a wrist-band. No exceptions. 

I thought it was odd too.  Not sure if it was because it was late in the day (5pm-ish) or just a fluke.

 

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

10 hours ago, Travisma said:

PO guests are allowed to use both pools.  At least we were able to the 2 times we stayed there.

We've stayed at FQ both times and used pools, and activities at both resorts.

If you get the activity lists from both resorts, you'll see that most of them are staggered on different days, so you can do both if you want.

We never tried driving up 

Sunday mornings is the Beignet Fun Run.

And a helpful hint unless you're a masochist, spend the few extra $$ to take the evening carriage ride instead of renting one of those multi-person peddle surreys!!!

Oh yes the Sunday morning Beignet fun run, we missed that. Nothing shocking there, but did get calls in our room both Friday evening and Saturday evening telling us about it. Well at least had messages when we got to back. 

 

Sadly they didn't have the carriages out when were stayed. I would assume because it was the weekend after Irma and things weren't completely cleaned up. I will say the bikes have never crossed my mind!  Having taken carriage rides in New Orleans I doubt we would have opted for one through the resort.

 

We did do a carriage ride at the Fort once, we were talking with the carriage driver about the horses and no one else was around, she said since she only had 15 mins left before she could go back to the barn if we wanted she'd take us for a ride for no charge. She ended up taking us down through the woods where they used to do the sleepy hollow stuff, it was a nice ride and she got a good tip out of it. Having the golf cart we would probably never do the rides through the loops.

[Travisma 1,317]

We did the wagon ride at the Fort a couple of years ago and had a blast.  Much cheaper than the carriage ride.

I think the P.O. Carriage ride was only about $10 more then renting the Surrey bikes. And they were a lot of work!

[Roberta 42]

NOT happy about the potential for thousands of non-paying folks to converge on the Fort during Halloween. I have heard of homeschool groups actually planning to do their trick or treating there. 

Pool hopping seems minor in comparison. 

[mileshigh 0]

1 hour ago, Roberta said:

NOT happy about the potential for thousands of non-paying folks to converge on the Fort during Halloween. I have heard of homeschool groups actually planning to do their trick or treating there. 

Pool hopping seems minor in comparison. 

That would be super crowded.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

8 hours ago, Roberta said:

NOT happy about the potential for thousands of non-paying folks to converge on the Fort during Halloween. I have heard of homeschool groups actually planning to do their trick or treating there. 

Pool hopping seems minor in comparison. 

It's not just potential. It happens every year.

You won't believe it until you see it with your own eyes.

Wall to wall people coming down the loop. Some loops get backed up from all the people coming around. I am not exaggerating.

Good luck.

TCD

[Travisma 1,317]

1 minute ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

It's not just potential. It happens every year.

You won't believe it until you see it with your own eyes.

Wall to wall people coming down the loop. Some loops get backed up from all the people coming around. I am not exaggerating.

Good luck.

TCD

The last year we went it was super crowded, some scuffles broke out, and golf carts were driving down the loops when they should've been stopped at the entrances.

Way too crowded for carts and kids sharing the roadways.

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

1 minute ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

It's not just potential. It happens every year.

You won't believe it until you see it with your own eyes.

Wall to wall people coming down the loop. Some loops get backed up from all the people coming around. I am not exaggerating.

Good luck.

TCD

The last couple years there has been better screening of who gets in. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

9 minutes ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

The last couple years there has been better screening of who gets in. 

I doubt it.

I think the lighter attendance is more of a function of Halloween falling on a school night.

TCD

[PghBob 31]

To return to the OP's question about "outside groups".  Years ago, maybe 20-25, I was attending a professional meeting in Orlando.  One of the evening activities was a Bar B Que at the Fort.  We had several bus loads of people off-loading at what is now MBYBBQ, for a grand evening of food and booze.  I cannot imagine that this was done without Disney's knowledge, rather I suspect, Disney promoted this.  So, yes, at least at that time, outside groups were permitted (and encouraged) to enter the Fort for at least some of the experiences.  Likely, this has not changed.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

21 minutes ago, PghBob said:

To return to the OP's question about "outside groups".  Years ago, maybe 20-25, I was attending a professional meeting in Orlando.  One of the evening activities was a Bar B Que at the Fort.  We had several bus loads of people off-loading at what is now MBYBBQ, for a grand evening of food and booze.  I cannot imagine that this was done without Disney's knowledge, rather I suspect, Disney promoted this.  So, yes, at least at that time, outside groups were permitted (and encouraged) to enter the Fort for at least some of the experiences.  Likely, this has not changed.

That is a totally different situation than what the OP is concerned about.

The old River Country Pavilion (now used for the Backyard BBQ) is a venue offered for special events.

A couple of years ago, there was a huge private party hosted there where country singer Luke Bryan performed, and they even had a special fireworks show over Bay Lake. There have also been weddings in the TCD barn and private parties set up on Clementine's Beach.  These are paid events and have minimal impact on regular Fort guests.

What the OP is justifiably concerned about is a mob of freeloaders showing up and ruining an event that is one of the perks of being a paying customer at Fort Wilderness.

TCD

 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

58 minutes ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

The last couple years there has been better screening of who gets in. 

That seems to be the case from what I've seen/heard too.

54 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

I doubt it.

I think the lighter attendance is more of a function of Halloween falling on a school night.

TCD

Definitely makes a difference when Halloween is on a Fri/Sat vs during the week. The last time we were there when Halloween was on a weekend it was wall to wall people.  We ran out of candy an hour in and it took us 30 minutes to inch our cart around the loop to get out.

 

[Travisma 1,317]

1 hour ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

That is a totally different situation than what the OP is concerned about.

The old River Country Pavilion (now used for the Backyard BBQ) is a venue offered for special events.

A couple of years ago, there was a huge private party hosted there where country singer Luke Bryan performed, and they even had a special fireworks show over Bay Lake. There have also been weddings in the TCD barn and private parties set up on Clementine's Beach.  These are paid events and have minimal impact on regular Fort guests.

What the OP is justifiably concerned about is a mob of freeloaders showing up and ruining an event that is one of the perks of being a paying customer at Fort Wilderness.

TCD

 

That firework show was intense!!

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

2 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

 

What the OP is justifiably concerned about is a mob of freeloaders showing up and ruining an event that is one of the perks of being a paying customer at Fort Wilderness.

TCD

 

And being a paying customer at any WDW resort. According to WDW the campfire is not a perk exclusively set aside for Fort guests.   It's open to all WDW resort guests  

 

[Travisma 1,317]

27 minutes ago, h2odivers...Ray said:

And being a paying customer at any WDW resort. According to WDW the campfire is not a perk exclusively set aside for Fort guests.   It's open to all WDW resort guests  

 

And it gets the most attention and visitors because

1: Campfire

2: Sing along

3: Chip and Dale

4: Movie under the stars

5: Freeloaders

All rolled into one!

PO and AKL have marshmallow roasts but not with the movies.

I know a lot of other resorts are now doing outside movies.

I realize it's open to all "registered" guests, but I doubt many Fort guests go to the other resorts movies and campfires.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

11 minutes ago, Travisma said:

And it gets the most attention and visitors because

1: Campfire

2: Sing along

3: Chip and Dale

4: Movie under the stars

5: Freeloaders

All rolled into one!

PO and AKL have marshmallow roasts but not with the movies.

I know a lot of other resorts are now doing outside movies.

I realize it's open to all "registered" guests, but I doubt many Fort guests go to the other resorts movies and campfires.

Chip n dale*. I can't think of another way you can see any Disney characters without paying for a park ticket or character meal.  

 

The only freeloading we do is visit the resorts at Christmas, walk around animal kingdom lodge, and go see YeeHaw Bob. 

 

Does anybody have have any other ways we can freeload at WDW?  Lol!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

7 minutes ago, h2odivers...Ray said:

Does anybody have have any other ways we can freeload at WDW?  Lol!

Animal Kingdom Lodge has a ton of kids' activities that they do every day.

A TCD gang favorite used to be the cookie decorating.  Free cookie and toppings.  And nobody asks for a resort ID.  We happened upon a similar event at Wilderness Lodge a few years back.  I don't know if those still go on. 

Animal Kingdom Lodge also offers night vision goggles for anyone walking up to the outdoor savannahs to use, and they have story telling by their campfire at night by a young person visiting from Africa.

TCD

[dblr....Rennie 224]

39 minutes ago, h2odivers...Ray said:

 

The only freeloading we do is visit the resorts at Christmas, walk around animal kingdom lodge, and go see YeeHaw Bob.

 

This is  my number one extra non park thing I want to do this Christmas trip, Yee-Haw Bob that is.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

17 minutes ago, dblr....Rennie said:

This is  my number one extra non park thing I want to do this Christmas trip, Yee-Haw Bob that is.

 If you want a seat anywhere in the lounge area you might want to get there at least an hour before the show if not earlier.   If not a few hundred of your friends will be there and you will be standing out in the lobby. LOL

[Travisma 1,317]

57 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Animal Kingdom Lodge has a ton of kids' activities that they do every day.

A TCD gang favorite used to be the cookie decorating.  Free cookie and toppings.  And nobody asks for a resort ID.  We happened upon a similar event at Wilderness Lodge a few years back.  I don't know if those still go on. 

Animal Kingdom Lodge also offers night vision goggles for anyone walking up to the outdoor savannahs to use, and they have story telling by their campfire at night by a young person visiting from Africa.

TCD

We did the cookie decorating, what a great thing.  Also rubbings on the big brass seal on the floor at the Lodge entrance, and face painting near the pool.  My granddaughters got to be ambassadors of the day during one visit.

And I don't know if we were supposed to utilize it, but there's a kids activity room where they can play video games, do arts and crafts and purchase special art projects to do.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

2 hours ago, Travisma said:

That firework show was intense!!

There was a private beach party and fireworks a couple of years before too.  We sat and froze for 90 minutes waiting on it (apparently the 16yo whose birthday party it was was late to her own party) but holy hannah was it worth it.  

1 hour ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Animal Kingdom Lodge also offers night vision goggles for anyone walking up to the outdoor savannahs to use, and they have story telling by their campfire at night by a young person visiting from Africa.

We've done this - usually coupled with grabbing dinner at Sanaa.  It's very cool!

25 minutes ago, dblr....Rennie said:

This is  my number one extra non park thing I want to do this Christmas trip, Yee-Haw Bob that is.

On our list too!!