I’m convinced that the only loyalty greater than that of Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom is that of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground. But as connected as they are, they are worlds apart. While Fort Wilderness has some Disney themes with nightly Disney movies and Chip and Dale appearances, it feels more like being on the set of an old western film. For many of us over age 21 or so, going to the park is secondary to the camping adventure, and perhaps not necessary at all.

Fort Wilderness and Social Media

Evidence of the obsession (mine included) is evident in the sheer number (dozens) of Facebook pages and groups dedicated fully or in part to camping at the Fort, and the tens of thousands of combined members (and growing) that these groups have. This is in addition to the large following of dozens of related Instagram accounts, and of the long-running Fort Fiends site, which runs a very active old-school, non-Facebook discussion forum.  One of my favorite newer Facebook groups, Fort Wilderness Glamping, began in late October, and has already surged to more than 1000 members. Many people are members of multiple sites, as most have their own niches. My very new Facebook group is geared toward both Disney and other Florida camping as well as the importance of being in nature.

And yes, almost all are fabulous in their own way and very clear in that they in no way speak for or represent Disney. Yet, occasionally the passion and obsession for Disney hints of a turn to the Dark Side for at least one of the many (never to be named). Imagine a virtual world of magical fandom that sadly and randomly twists into a jealous and deceitful purgatory. Think of bizarre antics intended to intimidate others who dare to tread into the Fort Wilderness social media space.  This is obsession gone real bad, but maybe the roots go deeper.

over-association with the fort

What is it about Fort Wilderness that makes each of us feel that it is somehow our very own special place? Mine! That we are more connected to it than anyone else? Why, with camp site rates exceeding $180 a night for some parts of the year, is it sold completely out months ahead?

There are at least three reasons, and I think they have to do with our childhood memories, our need to escape our real lives, and thirdly, because it really is the best campground that many of us ever will visit – by far.

Childhood Memories

For most of us, our first trip to Fort Wilderness was when we were children (or young adults). And because we were camping, this trip was likely one of the best because families DO tend to get along better when they spend more time outside. In our minds, these were the best of the good old days. We have smiling pictures of the people we were with – our parents, our grandparents – people who may or may not be alive anymore (mine aren’t). I find myself returning over and over again to those places that we went together. Fort Wilderness was one, and it was one of the best. This is why we romanticize River Country so much. I think I almost drowned there twice, but my mind tells me that it was the best water park of all time. Because we think we want to go back to that time and place. Just pulling into Fort Wilderness brings back those happiest memories of the past, and it happens every single time. It is emotional.

Escape from Reality

Any vacation should take us away from our everyday routine, and give us the chance to do and see things that we don’t every day. But with anything Disney, this is amplified. Everything is perfect and beautiful. It is easy to take 100 instagram-worthy pictures in the span of an hour.  We turn into princesses and pirates for days, eat expensive meals, see fireworks every night, and are told we will live happily ever after. And after we have spent way too much money, we know it may be a long time before we can return to the fantasy. This makes the leaving all that much harder. That’s why so many people find a way to stay for weeks.

Camping at Its Finest

There is very little to complain about at Fort Wilderness, and so much to love. We can find wooded acres of peace and quiet and solace. Just a few feet away we discover every activity imaginable, including swimming, tennis, archery, horseback riding, boat rides, Segway tours, horse-drawn carriage rides, and campfire sing-alongs. One minute we are taking a picture of a bald eagle, and the next we are taking a selfie with Chip and Dale. There’s a nightly musical, a full-service restaurant, a food truck, and a full bar with rocking chairs out front. People go to bed early, and people go to bed well after 2 am. It is one of the least lonely places I’ve ever been, and I haven’t even mentioned looping on golf carts.

Those who have never been do not understand the obsession. However, once we get them there, something usually changes in their minds as well. The magic is not in wearing the mouse ears or watching another Disney movie. It’s in a series of epic moments that conjure up all of the warmest feelings in ourselves. This is exactly what Walt intended.