Many people contend that any site at Fort Wilderness is perfectly sublime, just by virtue of its location in one of America’s largest and most magical campgrounds. But with 21 camping loops and more than 600 sites spread out over more than a mile, there are astonishing differences in size, location to amenities, shade, and desirability – kind of like ex-boyfriends.
It can be quite challenging to get the exact site that you want, as the campground is frequently booked to full capacity. However, you will reserve a loop type (premium, preferred, full hook-up, or partial hook-up), and can request a particular loop. Once you are assigned a site, it is sometimes possible to switch to another one if it is available (do this after you arrive – it has worked for me). Nevertheless, consider yourself extra lucky if you beat the 1 in 60 odds to end up in one of these favorites.
Site 114: Front Row Seat
There is not another site at Fort Wilderness that puts you closer to the marina and the boat to the Magic Kingdom. While hundreds of others are waiting on a bus to get to their loops at midnight, you’ll already be home. On top of that, it is next to a ridiculously short pathway that connects Loop 100 to the Settlement Trading Post. At the trading post are life’s essentials – milk, coffee, wine, a rocking chair porch, and restrooms – only about 20 seconds away. For those who want both convenience and being in the middle of all of action and sounds (fireworks, boats, people-watching), this is the presidential suite of sites. Site 113 (next to it) is very similar, but is a few feet smaller.
Site 1322: Pool View
This is one of few sites in the entire campground that actually has a pool view. On the backside of the site is a canal, and beyond that you can see and hear the aquatic fun and revelry all day long. However, walking distance is further than it appears – you cannot simply cross the canal, so you’ll have to walk around to the loop exit and up the sidewalk. This is a large premium site, with a concrete pad of more than 70 feet. Neighboring site 1321 is very similar.
Sites 815 and 816: The Garden of Eden
These two sites are very unique in that they sit on a large, spacious corner that backs up to the more informal and hidden dog walk area. Sitting on a brackish and wide canal is a spacious and beautiful woodsy area where some rogue weddings have been held at the campground. This is one of my favorite sites of all in the cooler months. I imagine that snakes, bugs and other swamp friends find it particularly inviting in the summer.
Site 733: Having it all
It can be painfully hard to decide if you’d rather be closer to the Settlement Area (near the marina) or the Meadows Area (swimming pool). A perfect site for the indecisive, this one is the closest of all premium sites to Pioneer Hall. At the same time, it is within a 10-minute walk of the Meadows area (swimming pool, bike barn, campfire show), and close enough to the main road for people watching. There’s a bit of a unique view of the Pioneer Hall area on the backside. The only negatives for some are that Loop 700 does not have its own dedicated comfort station, and this particular site can be difficult to back into.
Site 1439: backyard theater
Look carefully in the background of this photo, and you’ll see elements of the Fort Wilderness campfire and movie area. Those who have the fortune of getting this site will literally have a Disney outdoor movie in their backyard. This is also where the nightly campfire with Chip and Dale and marshmallow roast is held. Further along the pathway is the Meadows Trading Post and Swimming Pool. This may be the ultimate site for families with a gaggle of children who enjoy non-stop entertainment. Similar sites are 1435 and 1440.
SITE 1812 Snow White’s Forest
Far, far away from the magic of the original loops (100-300) lie the most remote areas of the campground in loops 1800 and 1900. Site 1812 sits quietly in the far back on the canal. Guests share the spacious area with frolicking deer and a Disney movie full of other forest animals. Site 1812 is quiet, supremely remote, and irresistibly enchanted. 1808 and 1809 are excellent alternatives for laying low.
Site 1511: starry nights
For tent camping, Loop 1500 is the choice of the partial hookup loops. Within the loop, the sites near the entrance are highly desired as they are directly across the street from the Meadows area, and just a two-minute walk to the pool. However, site 1511 is deeper in the loop, and unique in that it sits in an extraordinarily picturesque and spacious area near the canal. It boasts a pleasing mixture of mature trees and open sky.
SITE 606: Meadows classic
Just a few steps behind this campsite is one of the most photographed areas in Fort Wilderness – the large area of the Meadows lake where canoes and kayaks enter and couples bike across dreamy bridges. It’s also very near the nightly campfire and Meadows pool. For those who want a birds-eye view of the heartbeat of Fort Wilderness, this site earns the gold medal. Sites 608, 610, and 612 are similar.
SITE 405 – holiday parade
Like its neighboring sites, Site 405 is extremely close to the marina and Settlement area, and also backs up to the main thoroughfare through Fort Wilderness. It has just enough privacy (unlike site 401), but also allows for a back-door seat for parades, people watching, and an unencumbered path to the Meadows pool. Sites 406, 408, and 410 are similar, but all of these can be particularly difficult to get, as they are favorites of guests who stay for multiple weeks.
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