When visitors from other resorts make their landing at Clementine Beach, they immediately notice something different. Surely, the pace is slower, the shade is thick, and the wildlife is abundant. But there’s something more, and science backs it up. People who camp (and even glamp) simply tend to find their getaways more pleasant and rewarding. You’ll see it in the faces of the Fort natives and even the cast members there. They look more glowing, less burdened, and dare I say – better looking (a smile is the trick).If Ponce de Leon had searched for the Fountain of Joy rather than the Fountain of Youth, he may have found it at Disney’s Fort Wilderness.
It’s a True Escape
We get away to Walt Disney World to escape to our version of Fantasyland. To forget about the in-box, the yardwork, Monday mornings, fad diets, and the ominous sense of dread in our daily news. But how many times do we come back from WDW exhausted, depleted, irritated, and needing more time off?
It’s cliche, but it’s true. Our bodies and hormones respond to the trees, the stars, and the night air in ways that make us feel good. We forget to be depressed, aren’t blown by every wind, and feel less of the need to fill silent moments with mindless chatter. Healing and tranquility follow as a result. Fort Wilderness bestows this with a nice big bonus dose of Bibidi Bobidi Boo.
heigh ho, heigh ho, it’s off to work we go
For some, it’s the work to be done that makes them opt for the Art of Animation (or whatever) over Fort Wilderness. Hooking up the water, setting up the chairs, leveling the jacks, and attaching that red-checkered tablecloth to the picnic table – work, work, work. But oddly, these are the kinds of chores we often enjoy. It’s almost a nesting experience – a building of our mini-home, be it ever so temporary. And typically everyone in the family is pitching in. There’s a joint mission and a togetherness that is glaringly lacking in a hotel room, where TV is front and center.
With this cohesiveness comes sharing. Material things – chairs, blankets, water bottles, pocket knives, golf carts – become common items instead of guarded possessions. Even in the most luxurious of glamping setups, we instinctively put the needs of the group before our own.
Alone but Not Lonely
It’s not unusual for me to be at the campsite by myself. Some contend that we revert to traditional gender roles while camping, with men gathering the wood, and women preparing vegetables. This is really something to ponder and better understand. No doubt – I cook far more while camping than I do at home. And I know that I am often chopping cole slaw while the others are off fishing or fixin’ something broken.
But there’s no resentment, as I relish this time of peace and preparation. Oddly, the quiet comes without even a hint of lonely. Even if I were camping solo at the Fort, I wouldn’t feel the isolation I do in a lovely Marriott or swanky Ritz. It seems that no matter what the political or religious or socioeconomic differences, there’s a strange feeling of oneness with other campers. For a brief shining week, everyone (okay, almost everyone) is like an extended family.
It doesn’t hurt that these aren’t your average campground activities. There’s always a place to go – the nightly campfire show, Crockett’s Tavern, Friday night trivia, a fireworks show on the lake. And everyone we meet somehow will be a guest in our story. Sake’s alive, well I’ll be blessed.
wonder years are here again
Even in a cooler Orlando January, every night in Fort Wilderness feels like the summer of 1976. A food truck awaits in the distance as “neighborhood” children play late in the loops. Slightly-boozy parents, playing Rook or Phase 10 (my fav) on a picnic table, have left their helicoptering ways behind. As two kids collide on their scooters, a grandmother emerges with Bactine and Mickey Bandaids. It’s a new world orderlessness, and skinned knees are part of the game. Ain’t no worries for the rest of your days.
getting a campsite
For the bad news, Fort Wilderness is no longer overlooked by the masses. There’s nothing else like it in Walt Disney World, and it is likely the hardest reservation to get in prime times. Personally, I persist, and eventually get my needed dates, and usually my requested loop or campsite. And if I end up in my least favorites (loops 1600 or 2100), I’ll shed no tears. After all, part of happiness is wanting what you have.
