OUTPOST no longer assigning sites?

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

8 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Yep.  Disney needs to make FF an offer for their information   It really is a no-brainer... but then again, we are talking about the Fort, the black sheep of Disney.

Again, I'll say I wish the Fort would just go site specific.  They could utilize the FF site, which would allow folks to see and have specific information on the site before they book it.  I don't know.  I guess if they at least as the FF site, then they could help folks find a better spot at check in.  Oh well, at least we have it (which works great if the sites we offer up are open) 

Except all the info, less the pictures, came from the "GOLDEN BOOK" in the OUTPOST.

[LONE-STAR 370]

7 hours ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

Agree. At some campgrounds I like site specific reservations so you can pick a really good site over a bad one or small site. But at the Fort a majority of the sites are pretty equal. I think overall it would be detrimental if they switched.

I agree completely 

[Cheftjpeck 6]

We went in end of October (10/26) to be exact , faxed our letter 10 days before and got our site we requested . We go again in January and hope they still have a way to request. Concerned with our trailer being 38 feet , two awnings , 3 slides plus 22 foot long bed truck being in the right site .. especially with not knowing the ins and outs of of premium meadow loops 

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

We arrived 10/18 and had faxed in 5-6 days ahead of time. We got our first choice of site.

We gave them about 10-12 choices

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

We checked in today at 10:45 am without sending a request. What I see different from September to now is the CM comes to your window with an iPad to do check in. There's a list of available sites on the iPad that they can refresh by the minute. I scrolled through the list while looking through the book. I was allowed to pick 1010. I thought the 1000 loop was premium meadow, but either way I only had reserved premium.  The fort was packed coming in today. We parked in the field by the hitching post for along with a bunch of others while waiting for our site. 

The CM said the iPad thing was being developed for the Riviera.  Apparently there will not be a front desk area....only wandering CM's with iPads 

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

1 hour ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

I thought the 1000 loop was premium meadow, but either way I only had reserved premium. 

I thought Premium Meadow didn't start till Jan.

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

2 minutes ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

I thought Premium Meadow didn't start till Jan.

I don't know for sure. I know that I wont be paying for one, though. 

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Premium Meadow doesnt start till next year. 

[djsamuel 322]

5 hours ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

We checked in today at 10:45 am without sending a request. What I see different from September to now is the CM comes to your window with an iPad to do check in. There's a list of available sites on the iPad that they can refresh by the minute. I scrolled through the list while looking through the book. I was allowed to pick 1010. I thought the 1000 loop was premium meadow, but either way I only had reserved premium.  The fort was packed coming in today. We parked in the field by the hitching post for along with a bunch of others while waiting for our site. 

The CM said the iPad thing was being developed for the Riviera.  Apparently there will not be a front desk area....only wandering CM's with iPads 

There were a ton of check ins today.  A friend of mine said about 450.  He said it was a zoo while he was working.  Glad you got a good site.

[Tall Lady 2]

On 11/19/2019 at 8:54 AM, tim5055 said:

My gut feeling is that this change will make the Fort the same as any hotel.  The front desk staff will always be able to see what is occupied, vacant and pending arrival.  They can sell a vacant site for one night without a problem.

 

Where I see the possible issues arising are special requests.  A system that has apparently worked well for many years (faxing requests) could be in peril.  I'm being told by another travel agent who works the Fort a lot (sorry Jason) that the faxes are being forwarded to the new assignment group.  How long will this last?? 

 

To be honest, I have never faxed a request.  I have noted on my reservation some things at times, like "back side of 1900 loop, outside" but even that was rare.  I like the surprise of seeing where they put us this time and we have never been disappointed.  On one occasion we didn't fit on a site but other than that time have always been happy.

 

I'm hoping that this is an issue just because it's change.  Nobody like change.

I did notice you can no longer request a loop. But they may have made that decision a few years ago as well. We love the 1600 loop. I have a few questions, if someone doesn't mind answering them.

1) Should we still fax?

2) My in-laws are coming this time, so I had plan to fax for their rig as well...with a simple "please put us near our kids" type request. Does that work? Or is there another way to request to be near someone?

3) What number is everyone calling? The main line?

TIA!!

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

1 hour ago, Tall Lady said:

I did notice you can no longer request a loop. But they may have made that decision a few years ago as well. We love the 1600 loop. I have a few questions, if someone doesn't mind answering them.

1) Should we still fax?

2) My in-laws are coming this time, so I had plan to fax for their rig as well...with a simple "please put us near our kids" type request. Does that work? Or is there another way to request to be near someone?

3) What number is everyone calling? The main line?

TIA!!

If you have two reservations you request them be linked with a Travel With number by Calling in to Disney Reservations. You can fax that request in as well. This lets them know though you are traveling together and would like to be near each other. This is how I set it up for clients. 

[geoffdaddy 33]

I gotta say, the way sites are assigned has never made much sense to me. You would think given that they don't advertise the ability to reserve specific sites that sites would be handed out mostly on a first come, first served basis. On our last trip down we tent camped and got the 2000 loop. We arrived on a Tuesday staying through Saturday. We were assigned a site that was extremely rocky (like river rock rocky). Jennifer called the front desk and they told her, "well, they are all like that." Yuh huh. The loop was almost completely empty when we arrived and she said we need another site and gave a few options. "Nope, that's not available," On several of them and was assigned another site. All of those sites she requested sat vacant until late Friday.

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

1 hour ago, geoffdaddy said:

I gotta say, the way sites are assigned has never made much sense to me. You would think given that they don't advertise the ability to reserve specific sites that sites would be handed out mostly on a first come, first served basis. On our last trip down we tent camped and got the 2000 loop. We arrived on a Tuesday staying through Saturday. We were assigned a site that was extremely rocky (like river rock rocky). Jennifer called the front desk and they told her, "well, they are all like that." Yuh huh. The loop was almost completely empty when we arrived and she said we need another site and gave a few options. "Nope, that's not available," On several of them and was assigned another site. All of those sites she requested sat vacant until late Friday.

Having spent numerous long term winters at the FORT I know that many of the "In resident TA's"  had the ability to request sites for their long term clients well in advance and that would have created the scenario you encountered. That would have been specially  true since many locals and groups arrive on Friday and if you were staying the weekend that would have messed up the site requests that had been granted. It is my understanding that the TA's can no longer request sites either and one of the reasons it may have changed is because of what you ran into. 

Time will tell, we just need FIENDS to keep the group updated as they arrive.

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

One change I see this year is the Wolf Pack is in the 2000 loop instead of the 1500. 

[safedave 3]

Just returned from the Fort. At check in  they had that I requested certain sites. Couldn't give me what I asked for but put us in the same loop. To me that tells me they are probably still assigning.

[Breezy2 18]

Checked in on Monday, 12/09/19, and they had received my faxed list of preferred sites. They assigned us to number two on the list as number one was occupied. Nothing in the procedure has changed for us for our weekday visits. Faxes still work. Did notice and talked to the CM about their transition to IPads at checkin. Checkin procedure is changing for them and they are currently bouncing between the old and new systems. 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

19 hours ago, safedave said:

Just returned from the Fort. At check in  they had that I requested certain sites. Couldn't give me what I asked for but put us in the same loop. To me that tells me they are probably still assigning.

 

1 hour ago, Breezy2 said:

Checked in on Monday, 12/09/19, and they had received my faxed list of preferred sites. They assigned us to number two on the list as number one was occupied. Nothing in the procedure has changed for us for our weekday visits. Faxes still work. Did notice and talked to the CM about their transition to IPads at checkin. Checkin procedure is changing for them and they are currently bouncing between the old and new systems. 

 

Thanks to you both for sharing your experiences. Nothing beats actual Fiend on The Scene™ reporting! 

[FortWildernessLoopy 8]

I know this is an old topic, but has anything changed in the time of COVID?  We're headed over in December and we normally don't care which site we're at, I wanted to put a request in this time.  How would y'all recommend I go about doing that?

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

From what I understand the "FAX REQUEST" still works.   407-824-3508 

[djsamuel 322]

22 minutes ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

From what I understand the "FAX REQUEST" still works.   407-824-3508 

Yes, I used the fax request at the end of August and they had it on our record at check in.

[Tony 27]

I used the fax number for my brothers site and mine and i got them on my Sept trip.

[Breezy2 18]

On 9/28/2020 at 4:21 PM, Grumpy and Grandma said:

From what I understand the "FAX REQUEST" still works.   407-824-3508 

Correct-the "number" is still attached to a fax machine but the "assigning procedure" has changed. Our experience the week before Labor Day, when the campground was deserted, was totally different than in the past. "For the first time in forever" our request, sent 10 days in advance, was ONLY attached to our reservation and our preferred site NOT pre-assigned as done previously. We were texted a site that was NOT on our list. We drove up to registration, they had our list on our reservation, and REASSIGNED us to our preferred site. Obviously they got our fax, and maybe it was a matter of timing. But unfortunately our experience was a waste of the registration Cast Members time to reassign us to our AVAILABLE preferred site when we could have just driven directly to the site. The fax machine still works but for us it appears the assigning procedure has changed. Still happy campers, and it all worked out just fine, but felt bad for the Cast Member having to do extra work for something that worked so seamlessly in the past. 

[djsamuel 322]

2 hours ago, Breezy2 said:

Correct-the "number" is still attached to a fax machine but the "assigning procedure" has changed. Our experience the week before Labor Day, when the campground was deserted, was totally different than in the past. "For the first time in forever" our request, sent 10 days in advance, was ONLY attached to our reservation and our preferred site NOT pre-assigned as done previously. We were texted a site that was NOT on our list. We drove up to registration, they had our list on our reservation, and REASSIGNED us to our preferred site. Obviously they got our fax, and maybe it was a matter of timing. But unfortunately our experience was a waste of the registration Cast Members time to reassign us to our AVAILABLE preferred site when we could have just driven directly to the site. The fax machine still works but for us it appears the assigning procedure has changed. Still happy campers, and it all worked out just fine, but felt bad for the Cast Member having to do extra work for something that worked so seamlessly in the past. 

That's odd.  We were at the Fort the week before Labor Day as well.  It was our 40th stay there over the last 7 years (I was curious and had to count).  We've requested a site for all but our first stay.  In those 39 times when we requested a site, we only received a text message once.  I wish we would get it more often.  This trip we did not get a text as usual and went up to the registration lane.  When we got there the cast member told us that we got one of our requested sites.  Sometimes we get it and sometimes we don't but it has always been noted. 

[Breezy2 18]

5 hours ago, djsamuel said:

That's odd.  We were at the Fort the week before Labor Day as well.  It was our 40th stay there over the last 7 years (I was curious and had to count).  We've requested a site for all but our first stay.  In those 39 times when we requested a site, we only received a text message once.  I wish we would get it more often.  This trip we did not get a text as usual and went up to the registration lane.  When we got there the cast member told us that we got one of our requested sites.  Sometimes we get it and sometimes we don't but it has always been noted. 

It was odd indeed. But all worked out in the end. We arrive early and have always received a text while still on I-4 just before the DW exit. So there is definitely some inconsistency between your reservations and ours concerning text messaging. I truly do feel sorry for the Cast Members during these unusual times. Change is the new norm and adaptability is a virtue. Fortunately I feel we’ve both enjoyed DW and The Fort in its glory days and can only imagine what the new norm is going to be. Would like to see them go to site selection upon reservation but I’m sure they have their reasons for not doing that. Interesting times. Enjoy camping during the upcoming holiday season! Any day at The Fort is a good day 😄

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

9 hours ago, Breezy2 said:

"For the first time in forever" our request, sent 10 days in advance, was ONLY attached to our reservation...

I see what you did there.  😎

Glad it all worked out in the end.