Renting a Camper at WDW
A camping we will go, or maybe I should say glamping!
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is a fun escape from the hustle and bustle of life. With it’s beautiful landscape and resort offerings, one might forget they are actually at Walt Disney World. But did you know that you don’t have to own your own camper in order to stay here? You can rent a camper and have it delivered to your site.
A couple of years ago my son went through a phase when he loved campers. Let me rephrase that, he was obsessed! So obsessed, in fact, that we rewarded him for school accomplishments by taking him to the local RV/Camper showroom. After listening to a podcast where they talked about renting a camper at WDW, I was super excited to consider that possibility for our family. We found several camper rental companies in the Orlando area, but ultimately decided to go with Meacham. The prices were reasonable and they have positive reviews. Full disclaimer, I am in no way affiliated with the company and we rented two units with our own money. My opinions are my own about the experience.
Back in June of 2018, our family, my husband, son, and myself, along with my husband’s family set out on a Disney adventure to Fort Wilderness at Walt Disney World. We rented two campers from Meacham and everything was set up for us by the time we arrived.
When we arrived at our campsite the look on my son’s face was of pure joy. He couldn’t believe that we were going to stay in a camper. His mind was even more blown when he answered a knock at our door, which turned out to be his grandparents, uncle, and cousins. I’ll never forget him saying, “How did you know I was here?”
Our camper unit had two bedrooms, one with a queen bed, and one with a set of bunk beds which was plenty of room for sleepovers with cousins. The banquette seating off the kitchen was a great place to enjoy breakfast, especially with the window view overlooking the campsite. The living area had a couch which could transform into a bed, along with a flat screen television great for watching Mickey Mouse cartoons.
The bathroom was a little small and had a walk in shower. The counter space was limited, but we managed for a week of “roughing it.”
The kitchen was fully equipped with essentials like paper towels, soap, pots and pans, and especially my son’s favorite-popcorn.
Best of all, Meacham’s included a four-person golf cart per camper, which is very helpful for getting around the resort. We used our cart to drive to the boat dock to board the boat to Magic Kingdom and to the bus station.
We did a quick trip to the grocery on our arrival day to pick up necessities. One of the perks of staying in a camper is being able to cook your own meals, which is a great way to save money. So our family enjoyed grilling out hotdogs and gathering around the picnic table in the evening. The extendable awning, folding chairs, and outdoor rug made for a cozy spot to hang out with family. We even had a curious squirrel try to invite themselves to our cookout, which was a lot of fun for the kids. They never quite managed to catch it!
It just so happened that our first park day was also Father’s Day. For a special lunch, we left Magic Kingdom and took the boat over to Fort Wilderness to enjoy lunch at Trails End, a sit-down restaurant offering family-style skillet meals for breakfast and dinner. Afterward, we were able to ride our golf carts back to our campsite to relax a bit. This was a nice little break midday, which I know everyone appreciated, especially the dads. When we returned to Magic Kingdom in the evening, we were refreshed and ready to go.
If you time it right, you can see the Electrical Water Pageant from the boat or take in views of the Magic Kingdom Fireworks. Our family was lucky enough to see both the Pageant and the fireworks on our way back from Magic Kingdom. The views from the boat were magical. The kids had so much fun taking the ferry boats around Bay Lake! It’s an attraction in itself.
After a couple of strenuous days enjoying the parks, we needed an off day and a lighter meal. We ordered lunch at P&J’s Southern Take Out and took it back to our campsite. You can’t beat the fried chicken! On this very warm summer day in Florida, my family couldn’t resist the urge to cool off in the pool. The pool was large and had a kid-approved slide, which my son loved!
Since Fort Wilderness was a quick boat ride to the Contemporary, we ate dinner at Chef Mickey’s. It was so nice to be able to do a character meal on our off day since we felt more relaxed and not worried about missing out on park time.
To round out our laid back day, we visited the campfire sing-a-long. The festivities included a marshmallow roast along with a sing-along lead by a guitar-playing cowboy. Be on the lookout for some furry characters making the rounds around the area. We purchased a s’more kit from the snack truck, which came with the skewers. You can also bring your own. It was so much fun!
Fort Wilderness has so much to offer that I can easily see families taking a vacation to stay at the resort without going to the parks. There were so many things we didn’t get to see and do at the resort such as the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review. Hopefully, in a future stay we’ll check out other offerings that we missed.
When I asked my son what he enjoyed the most from our vacation, he quickly responded with, “I loved playing with my cousins at Fort Wilderness.” He still talks about how much fun he had riding the golf carts and, of course, staying in the camper.
Fort Wilderness Tips
Decide which accommodations are right for your family. Fort Wilderness offers campsites for campers or for tent camping. You can also choose to stay in a cabin. Each option varies in price with tent sites being the cheapest and the cabins being the most expensive.
Choose your campsite carefully. Campsites are divided into categories based on size and amenities. You have Tent or Pop-Up campsites, Full Hook-Up Campsite, Preferred Campsite, or Premium Campsite. Preferred has room for an RV and a small tent on a concrete pad 10 feet by 45 feet. The Premium Campsite is designed for larger RVs with a concrete pad 18 feet by 60 feet. If you would like to be close to the Meadows Trading Post, Meadow Recreation Area, Bike Barn and Campfire Area, the Premium Meadow Campsite is ideal.
Plan groceries ahead of time, such as the meals your family plans to have at Fort Wilderness. Plan to stop at the grocery or have groceries delivered. For your convenience, Fort Wilderness does have the Settlement Trading Post and Meadow Trading Post, both offering a gift shop experience with a limited selection of groceries and supplies.
A golf cart is recommended. Whether you are bringing your own or renting, Fort Wilderness is a large place with lots to explore. Having a golf cart makes getting around easier, especially when traveling to the pool, boat dock, or bus stations. If you don’t have a golf cart, you can use the Fort Wilderness bus which travels pre-planned routes with stops around the property to get you near your destination.
Plan a non-park day to enjoy all that Fort Wilderness has to offer. Or maybe plan midday breaks back at the Fort. You’ll definitely want to explore the resort and take advantage of its unique offerings.
For added convenience, Fort Wilderness has a Laundromat to take care of your washing needs.
Most importantly, slow down and take it all in. Just enjoy your surroundings and the people you are with.