Even though we have our own travel trailer, in July we decided to leave the old girl behind, We wanted to simplify. And try first-hand the experience of renting an RV. In considering the additional cost of renting, we calculated that this was somewhat offset by the savings in gas by not pulling a trailer for nearly 800 miles round-trip.
After researching prices, terms, reviews and campers from several vendors, we selected a travel trailer from Kissimmee-Orlando RV. Although I initially looked at the 38′ Cougar (king bed) , we went with the Mallard M33PF because it is one of their pet-friendly campers. We also rented a golf cart from the company, saving money on the cost of the carts at Fort Wilderness.
Kissimmee Orlando RV also provided our golf cart with a savings over Fort prices
Once we confirmed that reservation, we felt a slightly different kind of excitement about our trip. We have stayed in Fort Wilderness dozens of times. But never in a camper that wasn’t our own. This lent something novel to the experience. And I pondered why we hadn’t thought of this sooner.
But then COVID-19 made us consider canceling
Once spring came and the world turned upside down, we began to get increasingly anxious. Would Fort Wilderness be open in July? Would a rental camper be disinfected enough? If our trip had to be postponed, could we still get a camper at a later date?
We have taken the pandemic seriously, have been personally affected, and fall firmly into the pro-mask camp. So, I felt a little conflicted about heading to Walt Disney World. Eventually, we made a plan to go beyond required precautions and limit our park days, and the trip was a go. No regrets!
I’ll just swim while you do the work
We got notification just before 9 am from Disney World that our campsite was available. I forwarded this information by text to Kissimmee Orlando RV so that they could begin setup. I knew that we would have a prime site because we took the splurge for Premium Meadows. But when we were assigned to site 902 (one of the best), I knew we were off to a truly satisfactual start.
Because it was a Saturday, RV rental companies were busy getting RVs out of Fort Wilderness for the big 11 am checkout, and so we did have to wait a little while for our camper to be thoroughly disinfected and prepared.
Waiting even for a minute is really not my thing, but having perspective is. So . . .
While other people were doing all those things that go into setting up in the summer heat, we took a delightful reprieve at the Meadows Pool. Before long, the RV was indeed ready, and my husband did the walk-through. Since we already know the ins and outs of a typical RV, this didn’t take as long as it might for some. About 20 minutes later, it was time to go in and unpack.
(Note: I decided not to meet the company representatives in person for the walkthrough as they advertise on this site, and I wanted to have as unbiased of an experience as possible).
first impressions are everything
Armed with my bag of disinfectants, I entered the RV ready to do a quick sanitation before we moved in for a week. But when stepped in, I was over the moon by how clean it was. I mean as in looking nearly brand new and nary a speck of dirt. Towels and extra linens had been sanitized and sealed in wrap in the closet. So I cleaned absolutely nothing and put the disinfectants back in our truck, opting for a cool afternoon beverage in the provided outdoor chairs instead.
And this point, yeah I was starting to feel like a real princess. Hakuna Matata.
The spaciousness and layout was perfect for our family of seven. My husband and I slept in a private master, with my grown daughter and her family in the bunk room. Our teen son was thrilled to have a large pullout couch instead of our awkward jack-knife sofa for his space.
but then i had one worry
When we first walked in, the RV was still cooling off from having just been set up. And it was 90+ degrees outside. Would it get cold enough for a middle-aged woman who usually has the thermostat on 68 degrees?
By bedtime, it felt like home, and we actually overslept the next morning!
Of the spaces, the bunkroom did seem to always be a couple of degrees warmer. We quickly resolved this with the use of fans to better circulate the air in that direction. And we quickly learned with the swampy 90 percent humidity outside to keep doors closed and avoid too much gas cooking too late in the day.
Let’s talk about mickey decor
In some rental RVs, Mickey Mouse decor with its red, black, and yellow can look like some sort of contrived 1980s KMart clutter. But Kissimmee Orlando nailed it, using an inspired and practically perfect mix of refined accessories and kitchen items.
why this ended up being one of best disney trips of all time
Above all, our stress was decreased tremendously.
Instead of being tired upon arrival, my sometimes-Grumpy husband was Happy and relaxed. On the last days of the trip, he didn’t start his usual and annoying fretting about all that needed to be done to prepare to take the RV back home.
And this alone was worth it.
I also worried about not having All My Stuff. You know, my InstaPot, my cheese grater, and other random gadgets. Well, this camper actually had everything I have and a lot more. I cooked something every day and frankly enjoyed doing so. We also used the outdoor kitchen and grill frequently for evening meals.
“Mom, can we do this rental again?” As I mentioned before, the kids loved all of the space, the amenities, and the lack of stress that we often have in dealing with our own RV.
when would we use our own rv instead of renting?
The week went so well (and so quickly) that we extended our stay a little. And then I thought about if our trip were going on for three or more weeks (dreaming) whether or not I would still rent. In that case, the expense might start to add up, and I think we would need to bring our own RV. But for our typical journey, this is something we hope to do a lot more of in the future.
Another time that we like to use our own hybrid RV is for shorter trips, which I would define as under two or three hours away. We do a lot of those in state parks, with one of our favorites being our recent trip to Lake Martin in Alabama.
But for Disney’s Fort Wilderness, we’re now 100 percent sold on renting.
Always enjoy reading your posts about FW !!!