Earlier this week, Walt Disney World announced discounts on resort stays from April 11-May 27. While occasional sales are not unusual, the campsites are usually not in the mix. And at 20 percent off, this one provides some real temptation to hit the road.

discount makes campsites more affordable, but not as cheap as off-season rates

So here’s the catch. April and May tend to have higher rack rates at Fort Wilderness than do some other times of the year. For example, the regular rate for a preferred site on the night of Tuesday, April 11 is $157. With the sale, it is $125. Compare this to the regular rate of many nights in August and September of $109.

dates are still fairly wide open

As of today (3/20/2021), there’s plenty of campsites still to be found on the dates of the savings. Most weekends also still have availability, with some campsite types sold out on various dates. However, I noticed that trying to reserve only for a weekend (Friday through Sunday) revealed that the specials were often sold out. However, extending the stay for more days showed availability again. 

cabins are 30 percent off

The Fort Wilderness cabin discounts are even steeper  – and the sale extends into early July.  A Tuesday night in mid-May showed up at $351. So, a campsite even with a deluxe RV rental is still going to be a much better deal.  And more fun, in my opinion. 

how to get the discount on your existing reservation

If you’ve already made your reservation for April 11 through May 27, Walt Disney World is not going to automatically apply the new discount. You can try to make the modification online, but this doesn’t always work. In the past, I’ve gotten the discount applied by calling them (and waiting) or making a completely new reservation and then cancelling the old one. WDW is still not charging a cancellation fee through the end of April. If you booked through a travel agent, they should be able to assist you with the rate change.

Related: Seven Ways that Fort Wilderness Kicks Art of Animation’s Big Blue Butt