5 Great Reasons to Stay at Fort Wilderness Cabins when Traveling with Kiddos by Shannon Stuemke

During my family's most recent visit to Walt Disney World® this past June, we stayed at the cabins located at Fort Wilderness Campground. I had stayed in one of these cabins during my first visit to Walt Disney World® way back in 1989! They have been updated very nicely just within the past couple of years so, no worries about 1989 decor. These cabins are a very nice retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the parks. If you enjoy the idea of being in Fort Wilderness Campground, but not the idea of camping while on your Disney® vacation, I think these provide a very nice alternative. They are also perfect for families with younger children. That is not to say that other types of families would not enjoy these cabins, but they are really quite ideal for those families with younger children ,and here are my 5 great reasons why I think this to be true!

1. Privacy. You have your own cabin that does not connect to another room. It is your own little house. You have to worry less about your small children disturbing others with crying or (gulp) temper tantrums. Vice versa...you don't have to worry about someone in the room next to you disturbing your family with loud noises. Have you been in a hotel room before where you could hear the footsteps of people walking above you? That is something you do not have to worry about here (except for maybe the chipmunks and squirrels that scamper on your roof.) Speaking of privacy, there is a bedroom in these cabins that is separate from the living area. If you have small children that go to bed earlier than the grown ups, these cabins are the perfect setup. There is a nice bedroom in the back of the cabin that has a queen bed and twin, bunk beds. There is also a door that can be closed to keep down noises from the living/kitchen area. This worked ideally for us. After a long day at the parks, we were able to come back and get our kids to bed right away in the bedroom. We then were able to prepare for our next day at the park in the living area and also relax and watch television before going to bed ourselves. 
2.  Close proximity to Magic Kingdom. If you are traveling with little kids, you likely want to spend a lot of time at Magic Kingdom. Fort Wilderness Campground is a short water ferry ride away to Magic Kingdom. Once you board the ferry, it is a short, 10 minute ride across the lagoon to Magic Kingdom. Likewise, if you want to leave the parks in the middle of the day for a much needed nap (for you or your child) the resort is easy enough to get back to. Another bonus...when you disembark, you get to go through security right at the end of the boat ramp. This is much less congested than having to go through the main security area at Magic Kingdom. This was a big time saver for our family! 
3. Recreational Activities. There is a lot do to at the "Fort"! Fort Wilderness is really a destination in and of itself. This means that if you plan on taking "rest days" during your vacation, you will have plenty do at your resort. This is perfect for families traveling with little ones. Some of the extras are included in your stay and others have an additional fee. Check it out!
   • Meadow Swimmin Pool with waterslide (no extra fee)
   • Wilderness Swimmin Pool (no extra fee)
   • Swimmin Hole Jamboree (no extra fee)
   • Beach area for playing but not swimming (no extra fee)
   • Playgrounds (no extra fee)
   • Arts and Crafts and Games at the pool (no extra fee)
   • Chip and Dale sing-a-long followed by a movie (no extra fee)
   • Ready, Aim, Archery ($)
   • Guided Fish Excursions ($)
   • Bike, Canoe, Kayak Rentals ($)
   • Horseback riding ($)
   • Private Carriage Ride ($)
   • Pony Rides ($)
   • Segway Tours ($)
   • Arcade ($)
   • Pontoon boat rentals ($)
4. Dinner Shows. Fort Wilderness Campground is home to two popular dinner shows. The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review and Mickey's Backyard BBQ. Kids will enjoy the food, music, laughter, and characters. The best part is, if you are staying at the cabins, these two dining options are close to home so there is not a lot of extra travel time involved. The convenience of having two kid friendly dining options right at your finger tips is ideal for families with children! (As of early 2019, Mickey's Backyard BBQ is no longer available  as Disney's makes room for a new resort development.)
5. Space and necessities. Besides having a lot of privacy, these cabins have a decent amount of space. Kids come with a lot of stuff. This is especially true if you are talking about babies. There is always so much to pack when you have a very little one in the family. These cabins have a good amount of storage compared to staying in a studio style hotel room. There is room to spread out and not be on top of each other. Also, there is an opportunity for outdoor space as well if you are arriving by car. I noticed many families brought pop up canopies with them and placed them at the end of their private deck for additional storage. Important items such as a stroller could be easily stored under the canopy and kept dry! If you are flying, the pop up canopy is likely not an option unless you can find a company that rents and delivers to the resort. Additionally, the overall necessities and comforts that the cabin has will make this the ideal resort for families. You have a kitchen with a full size refrigerator, dishwasher, stove top, microwave/convection oven, and dishes/utensils. There is also a dining area for 6 (2 if you count the picnic table on your private deck). The bathroom is a decent size which is great for bathing small children. Some of  the standard size hotel rooms have a full tub , but the bathroom area itself is tiny There is plenty of room to actually bathe your children. As mentioned earlier, there is a bedroom that is separate from the rest of the living space and that, in my opinion, is key to having a better family vacation!

There you have it...the Cabins at Fort Wilderness are great for families of 6 or less, but they are truly ideal for those families that have very young children in them. You have the comforts of home that make for a more peaceful and relaxing vacation when traveling with little ones. At moderate level pricing, this Walt Disney World Resort® might be the one your family has been dreaming about! Take my video tour below to see how perfect these cabins are!

Take My Video Tour of the Cabins

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