There is so much going on there right now, both 👍 and 👎. So I'll get this party started with one for the regulars. I'm pissed off with what they are f'ing doing to the Fort.
So I moved to CFL well after River Country closed, so I never got to enjoy staying at Fort Wilderness and getting a water park as a bonus. This also means that I never got to experience the train, but that was put to pasture before I was born so that's not saying much. However, I have enjoyed hiking the former rail bed.
So given the times I've gone to the Mouse's Backyard BBQ (which was the last use of any its facilities) combined with boating by it on Bay Lake and tons of UrbEx YouTube videos so I'm fairly familiar with WDW's original water park. And since they were never going to reactivate it, replacing it with a hotel does not in and of itself bother me.
But this is what does. WDW is building a DVC timeshare hotel on the old River Country property. Said hotel is taking over not only the former River Country, but all of the Fort's beach, FW's playground, plus the old TriCircleD Ranch barns and petting zoo. This shit has been there since the place opened. FW and the (not so) Contemporary were the two "resorts" that that opened concurrently with the MK back in '72. So messing with either of these properties is a huge deal, and the locations that are being overrun were a big part of the experience. Adding insult onto injury, Clementine's Beach is being replaced with DVC "villas" for this new hotel.
To give the uninitiated an idea of what DVC "villas" are like, they are vacation accommodations for the 0.01%ers. It is actually cheaper to fly from KMCO to the F'in South Pacific and stay in the real thing than to be a local and drive to the Polynesian and stay in the Disney over-water bungalos. Since those were built they have built similarly priced "mountain cabins" at Wilderness Lodge and now they are taking over FW's classic lakefront beach with even more of them for this new property.
As far as I can tell from the plans, the access to this will be through FW, but FW guests will not be able to access this resort's amenities. Construction traffic for this project goes through FW at all hours of the day and night, so if you happened to be assigned a RV site along the road this means you are not getting any sleep. Very annoying!
Given the time I've spent at the Fort in the past, plus the time I probably will in the future (especially since I can park the HOW there and crash during Epcot Food and Wine and not have to worry about driving home for half the price of their hotels), this one really feels like a punch in the gut.
@BAngus haha was kinda meaning I’ve been at Disney almost 2weeks!!! And clicked on this site and so much change here!!!
BUT YES DISNEY has and is changing nonstop!!! I go few days a week if not at clubs or out of town? Yes you can fly out of country and stay cheaper than most Disney resorts.
We just stayed last 12-13 days—— at Ft Wildnerness Lodge 2nites(campground construction like crazy) stayed few nites at Saratoga Springs, few nites Key West resort and with being passholder and dvc and knowing(blowing-banging few people😬🤷🏻♀️) it was still $800-$1100+ per nite) ITS PRETTY RIDICULOUS!!!!! But had few family members from Pittsburgh come down and wanted to stay at those ones this time??
Be back, have to run. I’m at club now, I had to leave Disney earlier and go to club and work for someone that didn’t show up🙄
You had to leave your vacation, deal with I-4, and go to work because someone neglected to show up or have someone cover their shift? That person should so be on the naughty list. I'm not talking about your "hehe that'll be fun" list, I'm talking about the "burn them with fire" one. How rude!
Haha!! “burn them with fire”
Wasn’t bad?? Was there 13 days, drove back (about hour?) Late Friday and worked and worked Saturday. Went back to Disney early Sunday and today. Just gettin home few minutes ago!!!! 🤪
Can’t complain?? 1st-13th at Disney, Worked Friday&Saturday, then work this Thursday-Saturday and off to Ohio/Pennsylvania til January 3-4?? 🤷🏻♀️
Hahaha, sounds like you need to go to the ❄️ to get a vacation from vacation! I'm getting outta town as well, currently packing up to go to the other side of the country until the 2nd week of January.
9 comments
So I moved to CFL well after River Country closed, so I never got to enjoy staying at Fort Wilderness and getting a water park as a bonus. This also means that I never got to experience the train, but that was put to pasture before I was born so that's not saying much. However, I have enjoyed hiking the former rail bed.
So given the times I've gone to the Mouse's Backyard BBQ (which was the last use of any its facilities) combined with boating by it on Bay Lake and tons of UrbEx YouTube videos so I'm fairly familiar with WDW's original water park. And since they were never going to reactivate it, replacing it with a hotel does not in and of itself bother me.
But this is what does. WDW is building a DVC timeshare hotel on the old River Country property. Said hotel is taking over not only the former River Country, but all of the Fort's beach, FW's playground, plus the old TriCircleD Ranch barns and petting zoo. This shit has been there since the place opened. FW and the (not so) Contemporary were the two "resorts" that that opened concurrently with the MK back in '72. So messing with either of these properties is a huge deal, and the locations that are being overrun were a big part of the experience. Adding insult onto injury, Clementine's Beach is being replaced with DVC "villas" for this new hotel.
To give the uninitiated an idea of what DVC "villas" are like, they are vacation accommodations for the 0.01%ers. It is actually cheaper to fly from KMCO to the F'in South Pacific and stay in the real thing than to be a local and drive to the Polynesian and stay in the Disney over-water bungalos. Since those were built they have built similarly priced "mountain cabins" at Wilderness Lodge and now they are taking over FW's classic lakefront beach with even more of them for this new property.
As far as I can tell from the plans, the access to this will be through FW, but FW guests will not be able to access this resort's amenities. Construction traffic for this project goes through FW at all hours of the day and night, so if you happened to be assigned a RV site along the road this means you are not getting any sleep. Very annoying!
Given the time I've spent at the Fort in the past, plus the time I probably will in the future (especially since I can park the HOW there and crash during Epcot Food and Wine and not have to worry about driving home for half the price of their hotels), this one really feels like a punch in the gut.
BUT YES DISNEY has and is changing nonstop!!! I go few days a week if not at clubs or out of town? Yes you can fly out of country and stay cheaper than most Disney resorts.
We just stayed last 12-13 days—— at Ft Wildnerness Lodge 2nites(campground construction like crazy) stayed few nites at Saratoga Springs, few nites Key West resort and with being passholder and dvc and knowing(blowing-banging few people😬🤷🏻♀️) it was still $800-$1100+ per nite) ITS PRETTY RIDICULOUS!!!!! But had few family members from Pittsburgh come down and wanted to stay at those ones this time??
Be back, have to run. I’m at club now, I had to leave Disney earlier and go to club and work for someone that didn’t show up🙄
Wasn’t bad?? Was there 13 days, drove back (about hour?) Late Friday and worked and worked Saturday. Went back to Disney early Sunday and today. Just gettin home few minutes ago!!!! 🤪
Can’t complain?? 1st-13th at Disney, Worked Friday&Saturday, then work this Thursday-Saturday and off to Ohio/Pennsylvania til January 3-4?? 🤷🏻♀️
Plus snow and cold weather 🥶 🤪
Can’t wait to sleep in my bed in PA. been long 2years🤦🏻♀️
Have a good trip to the other side!!!!