Much of the ghoulish fun that makes Fort Wilderness a sell-out more than a year in advance of Halloween is centered around the outlandish campsite decorations. Some Disney campers spend a kazillion dollars on elaborate displays that attract thousands of trick-or-treaters. These have been the delight of youngsters and their tipsy parents, making an evening at the Fort preferable to one at the parks. On the dark side, it seems that too many people have been showing up for the party. And this year, Fort Wilderness management-types have allegedly asked those with the largest and most popular displays to tone it way on down.
when you hear the knell of a requiem bell
We called the front office at Fort Wilderness, and were told that they are still in the process of developing new formal rules for decorations, and that these may be released very soon. Nevertheless, initial advice from the Fort is that, at a minimum, “structures” will no long be allowed. Oh the horror.
This has put quite a chilling effect on those who were planning to show up at the Fort soon with displays that have been built with so much time, passion and money. A camper favorite, “the Haunted Mansion,” is among those that will not be allowed this year. The walk-through structure, shown on this video, is much beloved and attracted thousands of visitors. It also won the Fort’s “Best Overall” prize previously.
RIP foolish mortals
For those who think these changes make no bloody sense, one can only imagine the possible rationale. At what point does Disney become liable for injuries due to falling structures, electrical hazards, or other perils? Add to this the massive number of golf carts, crowds, and obstructed views due to costumes, and we have a potion for potential disaster.
Our ghost in the room, however, may be the number of non-resort guests who are allowed into Fort Wilderness on occasions such as this. While the resorts welcome guests to shop, eat and explore, special holidays present unique challenges. It wouldn’t be far-fetched for Disney World to come up with ways to limit transportation access to the Fort during events such as this. (Update: It appears that on Halloween, only registered Fort guests will be allowed in for trick-or-treating. And this means no bus or boat transportation to the Fort unless you are registered or already have a dining or Hoop Dee Doo reservation).
Hard-Candy Christmas?
One assumption is that this will also put the nail in the coffin for some of the beloved Christmas decorations put up by campers as well. If no structures or campsite trails are allowed, this could mean the demise of the life-size Cinderella Coach, the walk-through holiday trail, and several others. So will this be like Halloween with no candy? Christmas with no presents? Time will tell, but I am devilishly optimistic that our golf cart looping will still be a scream.
