At what point does the Fort not become worth it?

[Grumpy and Grandma 739]

18 minutes ago, Avatab.... Steve said:

Great post and picture.   

".....Evidently the Fort is profitable enough for it to remain open but not so profitable (like the DVCs) that it warrants any sort of expansion....."

Agreed, it's the only explanation that makes any sense.

 

I do know that, like different divisions of a company, each Resort has it's own budget. Found that out when discussing the new walkway to the Marina. So yes the FORT would need to generate, at least a portion, of the funds for those upgrades. 

 

[Travisma 1,317]

Other things that were lost or just neglected that made the Fort a unique campground.

The log benches, tree trunk trash cans, the covered wagon by the settlement trading post, the petting zoo, and others I can't think of off hand.

None of them would cost much to repair or bring back.

Also, what would it cost them to give out a small welcome packet when you check in with some shampoo, soap etc. in it.  Even the values get those things.

I know, it's a campground and we should come prepared but it would be nice to be appreciated with some sort of perk.

And these aren't complaints, just observations.

[tim5055 120]

4 hours ago, disneylitch......Debbie said:

 Right now, their Dad is at Parris Island training to be a drill instructor.  So they will be closer to us and about 250 miles from Disney World, but not as close as they are to Disneyland.

 

 

This thread has been on track way too long, time for a side trip.  Is he going to be stationed at PI after he finishes or are they sending him to San Diego as he is already on he left coast?

If PI, the best place around to camp is Hunting Island State Park.  Right on the ocean and during the winter dogs are allowed out on th ebeach....

 

http://southcarolinaparks.com/huntingisland/introduction.aspx

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

5 hours ago, Avatab.... Steve said:

I really appreciate the condescension, especially when you skip over the actual point I was making to fixate on the Lazy River. 

I apologize if my post doesn't make sense to you, let me try again:

Yes, FW had a Water Park. With a TON of water features and play areas, including a LAZY RIVER.  Right there!  Right inside the Fort.  You could walk to it from your campsite.

When that closed it was a loss to every family camped at FW even if they didn't go to RC.

I don't give a you-know-what which resort has a Lazy River in 2016. I do care about what the Fort used to have and doesn't anymore.

So forget I said Lazy River, how about ANY new water feature that would compare to one of the resorts? How about a new pool or two?

You skipped right over my point about Disney going to all the trouble of rebuilding the existing pool but not adding one bit of extra capacity to it.

And lastly you also ignored my question which gets to the heart of the matter:  Given the choice, which FW would you rather take your kids to:  2016? or 1970's?

 

And for reference, here are a list of features lost when River Country closed: 

• Upstream Plunge, a kidney shaped clean-water pool.
• Slippery Slide Falls, two water slides that emptied into Upstream Plunge.
• Kiddie Cove, a kids zone with two large water slides and a cove. This area was targeted toward preteens.
• Barrel Bridge, a bumpy bridge with barrels under it, similar to the one at Tom Sawyer Island.
• White Water Rapids, a 330-foot (100 m) long inner tube river.
• Bay Cove, a half-acre (2,000 m²) sand-bottom lake which featured a tire swing, boom swing, rope climb, and T-bar drop.
  • Boom Swing
  • Cable Ride
  • Tire Swing
• Whoop 'n' Holler Hollow, two water slides, 260 ft (79 m) and 160 ft (49 m) long, that emptied into Bay Cove.
• Bay Bridge
• Indian Springs, a very small splash zone with fountains spraying kids. This area was mainly designed for guests under age 8.
• Cypress Point Nature Trail, a trail among trees beside Bay Lake.

I wasn't being condescending. I was being real.

I'm aware of what was at River Country. I would love to see it reopen, but it's not happening. Time to move on. 

Disney is also a business with classes of resorts. Each resort has about the same features. I would say the exception is Stormalong Bay. The fact is that they aren't going to put better features in a campground when we pay Value prices or usually less. It doesn't make good business sense. 

As far as the Fort if the 70s, I can't comment on that as I was born in 1979. I enjoyed the Fort of the 80s as a kid. I still enjoy the Fort, and my 6 year old loves it. Heck, I also wish my son could ride his bike to the store and everywhere he wanted to go like I did in the 80s. Times change.

This is going to be my last post on this thread because it pretty much exemplifies what I'm talking about on my other thread. This site used to be about a shared love of the Fort, camping, Disney, and community. I hope it can get back there. Look how many long term posters are gone or visiting less regularly, and maybe you'll get my point. 

[tim5055 120]

The point that everyone seems to overlook as they look back at the past is that River Country was not a perq for those staying at the campground - it was a separate ticketed entity which just happened to share the parking lot with the Fort.  Yes, it was close and you could walk to it from your camper, but it was not part of the Fort.  Following that logic EPCOT belongs to the Boardwalk because it's close and you can walk to it.

[LONE-STAR 370]

1 hour ago, tim5055 said:

The point that everyone seems to overlook as they look back at the past is that River Country was not a perq for those staying at the campground - it was a separate ticketed entity which just happened to share the parking lot with the Fort.  Yes, it was close and you could walk to it from your camper, but it was not part of the Fort.  Following that logic EPCOT belongs to the Boardwalk because it's close and you can walk to it.

That is very true. 

[Avatab.... Steve 124]

3 hours ago, tim5055 said:

The point that everyone seems to overlook as they look back at the past is that River Country was not a perq for those staying at the campground - it was a separate ticketed entity which just happened to share the parking lot with the Fort.  Yes, it was close and you could walk to it from your camper, but it was not part of the Fort.  Following that logic EPCOT belongs to the Boardwalk because it's close and you can walk to it.

Hi Tim, I'm not sure about anyone else, I did say above that RC was always an extra charge, but one that was gladly paid by many camping parents.

And IMHO RC was a part of the Fort the same way the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue is.  Extra charge, shared parking, but still considered part of Fort Wilderness.

And in that same way Epcot actually is a Perk for staying at the Boardwalk. I can't speak for others but I know I have stayed at the Beach Club in the past just for that reason.  It was a big plus for us to be able to walk over to the World Showcase, have dinner or drinks, watch Illuminations, and then walk back to the room.

RC was also a benefit to FW by easing usage of the Fort pool. Even if you didn't pay to go to RC, lots of families did that would have otherwise been at the pool. I would bet that the current crowds at the pool on hot days wouldn't be as big of an issue if RC was still open.

Don't get me wrong, I do know very well that RC is not coming back, but I brought it up originally because in my opinion RC was one of the "Perks" that used to make the Fort "Worth It", which is the question this thread originally asked.

As always, your mileage may vary.    

 

[mmfancipher 31]

So to turn this around a little bit what would it take to make it like the "good old days"? 

Bring back:

     Log benches, tree trunk trash cans, the covered wagon by the settlement trading post, an updated swimming pool and the wilderness trails?

Anything else?  (I didn't mention the petting zoo, because we're from Iowa and as my wife says if I want to pet a goat I can just go down the road!)

Would you want the breakfast cart that went around to the different loops?

I'm just curious as to what would make it feel like it used to be?

 

[Grumpy and Grandma 739]

Thought this quote from another forum talking about camping in the "Great white North" was interesting since we're talking cost.

"Sticker shock: Well not for RVs, but for campgrounds. Went to the Minneapolis RV show and got several campground/resort brochures, what I found is camping at any of these was really expensive, bordering on Super 8 pricing."

[Avatab.... Steve 124]

Interesting point about the Super 8 pricing.  I know some hotels and motels allow customers to park their RV's overnite and some even have hook-ups and RV pads.

 At what point does it make sense to stay at a Motel in your RV as opposed to an over-priced campground?

I've stayed in my RV at a couple of Comfort Inn's while other members of my family rented rooms inside.

It was really nice to have the practically deserted heated pool and hot tub to use just steps away from the camper, and it was also nice to get the free breakfast in the mornings.  

 

[articfox676 11]

Quick question.  Did the motel charge you?  Never thought to look into this.

 

[disneylitch......Debbie 60]

On ‎2‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 1:29 PM, tim5055 said:

 

This thread has been on track way too long, time for a side trip.  Is he going to be stationed at PI after he finishes or are they sending him to San Diego as he is already on he left coast?

If PI, the best place around to camp is Hunting Island State Park.  Right on the ocean and during the winter dogs are allowed out on th ebeach....

 

http://southcarolinaparks.com/huntingisland/introduction.aspx

He will be stationed at Parris Island.  Thanks for the tip for camping.

[tim5055 120]

9 hours ago, disneylitch......Debbie said:

He will be stationed at Parris Island.  Thanks for the tip for camping.

The only down side is they only have water/electric sites.  The sites up close to the ocean are a little "funky" because the ocean has reclaimed a road and several sites, thus the road was rerouted and they re-worked some sites.  Until you have visited be wary of any sites listed as pull through.  Many of the pull through sites wrap around trees and are difficult to set up in.

[Avatab.... Steve 124]

16 hours ago, articfox676 said:

Quick question.  Did the motel charge you?  Never thought to look into this.

 

No, but in that case we were also renting two rooms per night at each one. It was a family trip where we all traveled in the RV but got rooms at night for everyone else.

At the ones we stayed at there were a bunch of electric utility and other trucks parked around the edges of the lots, so they didn't have any problem with RV's.

They even gave me an extra room key and specifically told us to use the pool and come in for the continental breakfast   

My guess is that most hotels wouldn't mind an RV in the lot for one or a couple nights, especially if you rent a room or work out some deal w/ the manager.

 

[Avatab.... Steve 124]

On 2/14/2016 at 9:00 PM, mmfancipher said:

So to turn this around a little bit what would it take to make it like the "good old days"? 

Bring back:

     Log benches, tree trunk trash cans, the covered wagon by the settlement trading post, an updated swimming pool and the wilderness trails?

Anything else?  (I didn't mention the petting zoo, because we're from Iowa and as my wife says if I want to pet a goat I can just go down the road!)

Would you want the breakfast cart that went around to the different loops?

I'm just curious as to what would make it feel like it used to be?

 

 

That is a great question. You already hit on some good ones:   Log benches and trash cans etc.  The themeing at the Fort isn't what it used to be.

How many years has TCD been photo-stalking the elusive Covered Wagon?  LOL!

And you're also right about the pool, as we discussed above it's needed a real update for awhile. And the Trails would be a nice thing to repair, I really miss the elevated walkways over the lake and thru the swamp.  Instead of repairing them didn't they remove the walkways altogether awhile ago?

I forgot about the petting zoo and the breakfast cart.

As to what else would help the "feel", I guess at the risk of getting yelled at again for being negative and unrealistic I'll just say it:

The Fort would feel a LOT better with fewer people, fewer cars,  and fewer golf carts.....

 

 

[mmfancipher 31]

So it seems that if they theme it up a little bit and enforce all rules evenly that would fix it for most people?

 

 

[Avatab.... Steve 124]

39 minutes ago, mmfancipher said:

So it seems that if they theme it up a little bit and enforce all rules evenly that would fix it for most people?

 

 

 

Can't speak for others but I would guess those two things would go a long way towards a better Fort.  :-)

Enforcing the rules fairly would certainly make it easier to deal with the extra crowds. And better themeing would make it easier to smile. 

So would a bunch more rocking chairs... and goats, more goats to pet...  

 

[mmfancipher 31]

Down the road 2 miles and the house on the left.  Can't miss it.

 

[momof3kids-Yvonne 594]

From what I have read everyone here is agreement about enforcing the rules.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Seals 111]

On 2/14/2016 at 9:00 PM, mmfancipher said:

So to turn this around a little bit what would it take to make it like the "good old days"? 

Bring back:

     Log benches, tree trunk trash cans, the covered wagon by the settlement trading post, an updated swimming pool and the wilderness trails?

Anything else?  (I didn't mention the petting zoo, because we're from Iowa and as my wife says if I want to pet a goat I can just go down the road!)

Would you want the breakfast cart that went around to the different loops?

I'm just curious as to what would make it feel like it used to be?

 

I want them to bring back the lawnmower tree!

 

[keith_h 420]

2 hours ago, mmfancipher said:

So it seems that if they theme it up a little bit and enforce all rules evenly that would fix it for most people?

 

 

Yes enforcing the rules would help. I also think they need to get the maintenance and upkeep back to what I consider Disney standards. As I've said before the Fort is still leaps and bounds above other campgrounds I can compare it to but on this last trip it just wasn't as clean nor up to what I consider Disney standards. In our case it was seeing bottles and cans lying around the loop, CS doors that wouldn't lock and fresh oil patches on the campsites that weren't there on previous visits. Others have noted things like the half lit Christmas tree or the swings that seemed to have taken forever to be fixed. In my mind it is just them getting back to paying attention to details and if Disney does that will resolve most of the issues.  

[lightbikes 73]

4 hours ago, keith_h said:

Yes enforcing the rules would help. I also think they need to get the maintenance and upkeep back to what I consider Disney standards. As I've said before the Fort is still leaps and bounds above other campgrounds I can compare it to but on this last trip it just wasn't as clean nor up to what I consider Disney standards. In our case it was seeing bottles and cans lying around the loop, CS doors that wouldn't lock and fresh oil patches on the campsites that weren't there on previous visits. Others have noted things like the half lit Christmas tree or the swings that seemed to have taken forever to be fixed. In my mind it is just them getting back to paying attention to details and if Disney does that will resolve most of the issues.  

Maintenance and upkeep would definitely help - like repairing the shower room doors that are smashed. 

[AuburnJen 771]

When are we going to talk about the Barrels?

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

3 minutes ago, AuburnJen said:

When are we going to talk about the Barrels?

Oh how I miss the barrels!!

But then again, we are resourceful Wild Womenz.....

we don't need no steenkin barrels!

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

6 minutes ago, mouseketab.....Carol said:

Oh how I miss the barrels!!

But then again, we are resourceful Wild Womenz.....

we don't need no steenkin barrels!

I was just reminded that another Wild Womenz told us that the middle back seat of the small boat launches is very similar to the barrels :)