Ram101 0 Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 We will be taking our 1st trip to Disney World in September. We have 7 in the family, 1 -16yr old, 1-9yr old, 1- 7yr old (she will be turning 8 while there) and 3 yr old twins...(5 girls/1boy)..We will be staying at Fort Wilderness Campground in the RV. Looking for any tips or ideas of what to expect while there. We are new to the RV and need as much input as we can get. Please give us ideas even if you think it is dumb...we might not have thought of it.Should we stock up on the bug repelants?Would a mosquito deleto be in order to bring (we don't plan on every day at the parks)?Should we request one area over another (loops)?What will crowds be like at this time..should I pack extra tolerance? :>)We are leaving from the Phila area, mapquest says it's a 16hour drive.. anyone know if that is close?What are the fun things do on a rainy or off day from the parks? We do not have a tow vehicle and $ wont be there for a rental?Any help would be great...thanks in advance!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ftwildernessguy 778 Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 You're not too far from me, Roger, and it takes me 19-22 hours to drive down. Depends on how fast you like to travel. I keep my speed down when towing, never go over 60. Plan on construction in Georgia which may or may not slow you down. As far as a route, I go to Harrisburg and pick up 15, take that to 270 and pick up 495 on the western side. I usually don't take the Richmond bypass, but I do take 9A around Jacksonville. I also avoid I4 - I continue on 95 to 417. It's a toll road so it will cost you a few bucks, but it sure is better than dealing with Orlando traffic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kazlac4 3 Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 You can do Downtown Disney and walk through the shops. It usually is much less crowded during the day than after dinner. (They have a carousel and small train ride if I remember correctly, as well as some of water fountains for the kids to run through if hot). We always take one afternoon to check out some different resorts. On our last trip we took the bus to Epcot and then hopped on the monorail to the Grand Floridian and checked it out. We then got back on the monorail to the Contemporary where we had lunch, You could stop and let the little ones play at the playgrounds if they want. We then waited for the boat back to the Fort. It was a nice afternoon (but then again we weren't visiting with two 3-year-olds so not sure if this is feasible. When you check in at the Fort, they will give you a sheet of activities scheduled for the current week..I am sure there will be lots to keep your crowd busy! I am sure you will all have a great time! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ftwildernessguy 778 Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 We like to do some resort hopping on off days. Take the boat to WL, see the geyser, lunch at Roaring Forks, then boat over to CR, shop a little, monorail over to Poly, have a Dole Whip at Capn Hooks. A day at DTD is always good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ftwildernessrick 10 Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 We will be taking our 1st trip to Disney World in September. We have 7 in the family, 1 -16yr old, 1-9yr old, 1- 7yr old (she will be turning 8 while there) and 3 yr old twins...(5 girls/1boy)..We will be staying at Fort Wilderness Campground in the RV. Looking for any tips or ideas of what to expect while there. We are new to the RV and need as much input as we can get. Please give us ideas even if you think it is dumb...we might not have thought of it.Should we stock up on the bug repelants?Would a mosquito deleto be in order to bring (we don't plan on every day at the parks)?You usually don't have problems with mosquitos, the deer flies can be annoying at certain times of the year. Disney does spray & sometimes you have to nudge them a bit if you have a problem. Having said all that, I always carry one of those bottles of bug spray that you hook to your hose & can spray your campsite if you need to. Carry some type of repellant if you go to the campfire program at night, just in case.Should we request one area over another (loops)?It is mostly a personal preference - what type of camping unit do you have?What will crowds be like at this time..should I pack extra tolerance? :>)The early fall is one of our favorite times to go. It is still plenty warm enough to swim and you miss the crowds from the spring & summer times. But don't forget, since it is a slower time of the year, the parks will close earlier, so plan your day accordingly.We are leaving from the Phila area, mapquest says it's a 16hour drive.. anyone know if that is close?What are the fun things do on a rainy or off day from the parks? We do not have a tow vehicle and $ wont be there for a rental?Downtown Disney & Resort hopping is among our favorites. Don't forget that rain & Florida go hand in hand. It can cloud up & storm for 30 minutes, then the sun pops back out. During the warmer seasons, my family & I all wear a Trek type sandle. That way if it rains, we just trudge through the puddles. Nothing worse than wet tennis shoes & socks (except for wet underwear, lol).Any help would be great...thanks in advance!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveInTN 3,247 Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 If you are new to the rv, may I suggest you let me take it to the Fort first to break it in for you? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Otter Spotter aka Debbie 58 Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 Here's what you can expect in September at WDW:1) It's HOT. Do the parks in the AM & PM. Enjoy the Fort in the afternoons.2) It can be very rainy. Plan accordingly.3) It is not too crowded as the schools are back in session & the snowbirds aren't here yet. Use this to your advantage.4) Unless you are staying a month or more, you can not & will not do everything. Expect that, get used to that, live that!5) Your money disappears just as quickly in September as it will any other month at WDW.6) You will LOVE Ft. Wilderness!!The best plan is to just let things unfold on their own. Don't over plan, don't stress, see #4. Repeat #4. Make #4 your mantra. Enjoy yourselves, enjoy WDW, and have a great trip! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ram101 0 Posted February 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 You all are AWESOME!!! I have a 31' class CThank you Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Otter Spotter aka Debbie 58 Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 You all are AWESOME!!! I have a 31' class CThank youWhen you get here, you are obligated to post your site number so some of us local fiends can get over and meet you. It's a FortFiend law that Donnie must meet everyone, I think. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BouncingTiggers 98 Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 We have a 5yr old & a 2yr old & have learned over the last couple years for the young ones to spend the first day or so taking it slow. It seems at least for our kids that each time we go different schedules work best. 2009 we found that naps in the middle of the day kept everyone very happy. But last year we tried the same thing & it didn't work at all. We found getting early & heading back around 3-4 kept the peace best. Everyones kids are different & hopefully you can avoid those horrible overtired little kid moments. If your planning on taking 95 down instead of 81. There is a great campground called New Green Acres in SC right off the highway at exit 53. You can pull in anytime of the night without calling. There is a little booth where you pick a site & leave money in the bin. It's great if you need an overnight & don't like walmarts. As far as sites go we like the preferred site 100 & 200 loops just because they are so close to the marina, a playground, the settlement trading post, & trails end. As long as you take your time & enjoy the fort you will love it. Have a great trip!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lil Lisa 53 Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 We went in September last year. The crowd levels were awesome. Most days we felt like we had the parks to ourselves. Most of the rides were walk on or less than a five minute wait. It was hot, but heck... it's Florida. It's supposed to be hot, right? We're going back at around the same time this year (about two weeks earlier). You'll love it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JCJRSmith 6 Posted February 4, 2011 Report Share Posted February 4, 2011 I live a bit west of you (Harrisburg area). We used to do the 15-270-495 route around the west side of DC but the DC-Richmond corridor has been a PITA since I can remember (drove that a LOT when I lived in the Tidewater, VA area and would visit realtives in Baltimore and Philly).This time we are doing the 81-77-26-95 route. We drove it last year when we took a cruise and then visited Orlando. That route added a whole 30 miles each way for us. For you, if you grab the turnpike to Harrisburg, you can avoid some traffic by using either of the routes above. We do the trip in two days each way as I do all the driving. For our upcoming trip in August we are staying at the Charlotte NC KOA on the way there and back. This being your first trip to Disney and Fort Wilderness, you are going to love it. Do your research and decide what attractions are most important to you and your family and realize you will not see everything. Relax and enjoy!!!Since you are new to the RV - are you new to family camping in general or just new to the RV? Either way, plan lots of "shakedown" weekends - there are lots of RV parks not far from you (http://www.pacamping.com). French Creek State Park has a wonderful campground.Welcome to the madness!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Millermouseketeers MaryAnn 150 Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 For an off park day, Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club Resort is a great place to get ice cream. They have a Kitchen Sink that the whole family can share for $22. It is like a huge sundae. Their ice cream is the best. It is one of kids' favorite things to do. Have a wonderful trip! You will be instantly addicted to the Fort. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.