There’s no volcano slide or underwater music. No zero-entry, waterfalls nor lake views. At the vacation kingdom known for its over-the-top pools, the pools of Fort Wilderness stand in stark contrast. At first glance, they may seem more like well-maintained cooling-off spots found at a nice Holiday Inn. But don’t underestimate them – in some ways they have attributes rarely found at their sister Disney resorts. If you have decided (wisely) on Disney’s Fort Wilderness as your next choice for a Walt Disney World vacation, here are seven ways to see the glass as half-full.
1. You will be able to keep up with your kids.
There are two pools at Fort Wilderness, with the Meadows Pool being significantly larger. Still, it doesn’t compare with the gross enormity of Art of Animation’s Big Blue Pool or even the 235,000-gallon pool at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Upon arrival, those massive pools are stunning, extravagant and visually-pleasing. What bothers me with those is spending the rest of the day being unable to turn my head even for a nanosecond for fear of not being able to find my kid in the literal mass sea of humanity. At the Meadows Pool at Fort Wilderness, this challenge is greatly diminished. At the Wilderness Pool, the worry is non-existent.
2. The Wilderness Pool may be the most serene in all of Disney World.
Tucked away in a tropical enclave devoid of any views beyond nature is the Wilderness Pool. Far, far less popular than the Meadows Pool, it is not unusual to find it nearly vacant. Just the meandering pathway to get there feels like it is right out of a storybook. And then there’s the perpetual bouquet of Mexican Petunias blooming on the outskirts of the deck. With a float and a gentle breeze, I find it easy to fall asleep here or just get my zen on.
3. games galore at the meadows pool
While most of the other resorts are starting their poolside activities around 1 pm or 1:30 pm, the Meadows Pool is already in full kid-party mode by 10:30 or 11:00 am. Daily activities including dances, contests, games, chalk art, and water balloons give it the feel of a celebratory afternoon on a cruise ship. This is a place where childhood vacation friends and summer memories are made.
4. Pool time is a destination.
There are no rooms, cabins, nor campsites directly overlooking the pool – or really within view of the pool, with the exception of a few sites on the 1300 loop. While this may feel like a disadvantage if you are wanting to watch the kids from your balcony, this can help to promote full family participation in the pool outing. The Meadows Pool is the only one in which I’ve seen Captain Bacon fully engage in the daily pool games. And we’ve spent many days and nights together at Polynesian, Contemporary, Art of Animation, and Caribbean Beach Resort over the last 25 years. At the Meadows Pool, he is right in the middle of the action – much to the delight of the kids (and sometimes, to my embarrassment).
5. Happier lifeguards and cast members?
It’s no secret that Fort Wilderness is among the most coveted places for hourly and seasonal employees to work. And this harks back all the way to WDW’s beginnings, when early Fort employees recognized that they were “a different breed.” Perhaps it is being in the midst of nature all day or maybe it’s the more laid-back attitudes of the guests. Either way, the CM joy seems more genuine than just about anywhere else.
6. Wholesome fun.
I have to admit, I have spent many fun afternoons at the Tiki Hut by the Polynesian Pool. It’s a lively place, and the Pago Pago Painkillers and Mai Tai adult beverages go down easily and quickly. Although the Meadows Snack Bar serves alcoholic beverages, there is no bar or bar scene at either pool. I find it to be a nice respite for creating memories that aren’t so foggy. MouseSteps (2014) produced a short video that captures the down-home ambiance.
7. Picnic friendly.
Unlike other Disney resorts, the majority of guests at Fort Wilderness have full kitchens available, either at their cabins, travel trailers or RVs. Sure, there are large DVC units at other resorts, but Fort Wilderness is the place where you see families often enjoying healthy and practical homemade lunches at the many tables beside the Meadows snack bar. And while food and beverages aren’t allowed in the pool or on the immediate pool deck, there is a large expanse of general pool area where it can be consumed. In addition to sandwiches, we usually pack some fruit and our favorite Clementine’s Prizewinning Potato Salad.
Clearly, I have many fond memories of the Fort’s pools and find some real advantages to their simplicity. With that, it would be nice to have a third one, perhaps near the Outpost Area or somewhere behind the Settlement Trading Post. By incorporating some hopefully-salvaged pieces of the demolished River Country, this could provide some serious consolation to those of us who are a tiny bit worried about upcoming changes to the Fort. The most significant of these worries, particularly for those of us who spent our childhoods here in the 1970s, is the new Reflections DVC resort (under construction) that will change the landscape of the original parts of Fort Wilderness. Still uncertain is the final result of these changes, but a third pool would certainly make a splash.
