This may be old news to a lot of people, but you can ✨CAMP✨ at Disney. I discovered this a few years back when I was looking for a quick change of plans for my 30th birthday. I was shooketh. I did not realize I could combine two of the great loves of my life – Disney and camping – into one adventure.

Camping at Disney is not the scenario for a quick change of plans. It is booked from now until eternity. Just kidding, but you do need to plan WELL in advance. With the help of a Disney travel agent, four years after my Fort Wilderness awakening, I made it. I made it to Disney, yall!

Disney can be overwhelming, especially to a first timer. It’s why it took me four years to make a wish my heart made come true. If you have been dreaming of Disney, but the unknown seems impossible, get ahold of my Disney fairy godmother – 🧚‍♀️ Brooke Pearson 🧚‍♀️. <— Click her name, you know you wanna!

Why Camping at Disney Rocks

  • It’s cheaper. Even when you factor in fuel prices you typically come out ahead!
  • No rush to get there. We broke our trip into three days, but traveling from southern West Virginia, you could do it in two.
  • It’s YOUR home away from home on wheels.
  • You take your kitchen with you! You can meal plan and grocery shop before you go. Fun Tip- Having a kitchen with microwave, stove, oven, and refrigerator at Disney is HUGE! To get a room on property that includes these things you have to shell out that money, honey. The fact that you get to roll in to a BEAUTIFUL campground that costs LESS than value resorts WITH sought after amenities is a win/win/win for anyone doing Disney on a budget!
  • You can bring a fire pit!
  • You can rent a golf cart!
  • Playgrounds! Playgrounds everywhere!
  • Two heated pools on property that can be used year round, because… Florida.
  • You are a short (and FUN) boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom!
  • You can see the firework show every night from the beach!
  • You can BRING YOUR DOGS!
  • This is the only on property resort that won’t charge you parking to bring your own vehicle.

The Campground

Take a little tour with me to see just how wonderful Fort Wilderness is! This is a campground on magic mouse steroids, yall. It’s like its own little town. There are camper neighborhoods, cabin subdivisions, five restaurants, two stores, two pools, horse stables, boat docks, playgrounds, and a beach! I want to live there.

Fort Wilderness is an experience in and of itself, completely immersive and flawlessly manicured. She goes hard for that summer camp of your dreams esthetic. It is literally like stepping into something that isn’t real. Everything is THAT perfect.

The Sites

More often than not campers are on the lookout for that wooded site. At Fort Wilderness all the sites are wooded, sitting back in impeccable little pockets of nature. They are roomy, include a concrete pad (yay, no worries about leveling), a picnic table, and a charcoal grill.

You do, however, have to bring your own fire pit. Sitting around a fire never gets old. Having your own outdoor space with a fire pit is the epitome of a vacation, in my opinion. There are a few requirements for safety you will need to check out before you purchase one. If you don’t want to pack a fire pit with you, no worries. Chip and Dale have a bonfire every night. You read that right. CHIP 👏 AND 👏 DALE!

Fun Tip – you could use your charcoal grill for a SMALL responsible fire. Campers are the most courteous people you will find, I know that. I think it goes without saying to be respectful of camp rules and cautious of causing harm to the property or your fellow campers.

The Playgrounds

One day you’re young a fun and the next your judging playground quality. Needless to say these are the best I’ve ever seen. They are clean, sturdy, and the ground under the structures seemed to be padded?!?

Not all Disney resorts have playgrounds, but as a mom of a toddler it was a blessing that this one does. A BLESSING! Beyond the fact that Wright loves “swides”, it’s a good way to burn off some of that never ending energy.

The Pools

We only visited Meadow Pool, one of the two pools Fort Wilderness offers. To put it lightly, it was amazeballs. It’s a sizeable slice of Disney happiness! It was heated, which really hit the spot on our February trip. There is a pool bar, which I regret to inform you, mama did not partake in.

There is a cool slide, reminiscent of my childhood trips to the pool at Chief Logan Park. The splash pad is what gets it though, and oh boy, it sure does GET IT! Wright had so much fun. It is such a great way to spend a resort day!

The Beach & Boat Dock

This little beach offers so so much when it comes to Disney resorts. You get sunbathing, ferry rides, pontoon rentals, a peaceful retreat, and a nightly firework show. Say what?

The biggest draw, to me, is you can see the Magic Kingdom fireworks every single night! For someone who struggles with anxiety and crowded places this is priceless. I can’t do that firework madness. I just can’t. You will miss out on the projections, but you will get to watch the fireworks without the chaos that comes with it.

If you want the full meal deal, projections and all, I suggest booking a dessert party. It was my first trip to Disney, and experiencing the iconic firework show in its entirety was important to me. The dessert party got me away from the crowds and to an outdoor seating area with a great view. Oh, and there was wine.

You Can’t Do It All

Like all the greatest vacation locations, you can’t do it all. I missed out on so much. Fort Wilderness will leave you wanting to come back for more, and when I make it back I’m going to:

  • Go to Chip and Dale’s moving screening and bonfire. The parks whipped my butt. I was just too tired. Next time, I will be prepared, and I will sing camp songs with Chip and Dale.
  • Visit the horses at the Circle D Ranch. To be honest, I will never prioritize horseback riding on a Disney trip, but I would love to pet those babies!
  • Try the campground restaurants. As a budget traveler they weren’t my top picks for dining. However, I hear the Hoop-De-Doo Review is up and running again, and that IS on the top of my list!
  • Take time to shop. I can typically pass on a gift shop just about everywhere. Disney tends to have items that are unique to an individual shop that you can not get anywhere else, the park or otherwise. I would have loved to have a Fort Wilderness souvenir!

Until Next Time, Disney

Although I did Disney on a budget, it is still what I would consider a luxury. I will post a full breakdown on how we did Disney for as little as possible. Personally, I find no reason to splurge when I promise you my family had just as much fun as a family spending double, triple, quadruple the amount we did!

I NEED to go again. My soul will not rest until I do. Inflation has made saving money on groceries SO hard and I can’t do it like I use to. I’m going to shop with the intent to get the most out of my dollar. I will go to Disney again, and I will do it with as little financial strain as a mouse lover can!