before you leave home
Make sure you pack the right stuff to enhance the magic.
OVernight FW guests
Let’s start with the basics and get this into Waze or Google Maps. The address you will use is N. Fort Wilderness Trail, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. You can also type in “Campsites at Fort Wilderness,” and it usually comes up correctly. If you zoom in, it should show that you are passing Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course. Until recently, the map apps might take guests in from behind the Magic Kingdom, which is slow and awkward.
Most people will be coming in from the Turnpike, and then will get off on 429 (Exit 8 ).
If you are arriving via 429, there are ways to get there:
- Go to West Buena Vista Drive near Coronado Springs, and turn left on World Drive. Go about 2.6 miles and take a left on Bonnet Creek Parkway. Go about 1.5 miles, and you will run into Vista Blvd. Take a left, and Fort Wilderness will be on the right in a little under a mile.
- Go to West Buena Vista Drive near Coronado Springs, and turn left of World Drive. Take the right lane exit just before you get to the toll booth (sign currently says Magic Kingdom Resorts, Bus Parking, Guest Drop-off). Take an immediate right, and then turn left into Fort Wilderness.
Once you arrive, you can get in the que for check in. The real cool thing is that you don’t have to leave your car or camper to check in.
After you check in, you’ll be able to drive to your campsite, but can’t really drive around in your vehicle after that (except to get in and out of the campground).
enjoying the journey
It takes me more than 7 hours to get to Fort Wilderness, and that is somewhere in the range of what people do on their last day of car/camper travel headed down. If you are coming down I-75, some stops that I recommend have to do with “Old Florida,” which is quite different than WDW, but far less expensive and sometimes quite stunning.
- Silver Springs (for a trip into 1940s-1950s Florida tourism with glass bottom boats)
- Rainbow Springs in Dunellon (forgotten old fish camp town – get a kayak at Rainbow Springs and float around with the river otters)
- Town of Mount Dora (just a few miles off I-75, north of Orlando – explore the lake, the old inns, antique stores, and fine dining in this incredibly charming, lakeside town)
Day Visiting Ft. Wilderness
Let’s assume you’re wanting to get to Fort Wilderness, but aren’t staying there (it is frequently booked!). You could be doing this for any number of reasons, but the most common ones are eating at Pioneer Hall, going to Hoop-De-Doo Musical Review, going horseback riding, renting a golf cart to explore the Fort for the day, or attending the Campfire and Marshmallow Roast.
It is possible to park your vehicle outside of the campground, provided that you know someone who is staying in Fort Wilderness (you’ll provide their name and campsite), OR if you have reservations at Trail’s End, horseback riding, or Hoop-De-Doo. If you are just hoping to park there and make your way to the Magic Kingdom (via bus to Settlement, then by boat to Magic Kingdom), this usually does not work anymore. Be prepared to show your reservation via your Magic Band or an email on your pone.
If you are staying at a hotel on the monorail loop, then the easiest mode of transportation is by getting to the Ticketing and Transportation center or the Magic Kingdom and taking the boat over. If you are at Wilderness Lodge, then you can simply walk the mile with two caveats. The trail is not lit at night, and there may be some construction obstacles through 2022 (until the Lakeside Lodge is built). Otherwise, the water taxi (boat) can take you as well.
If you are staying at another Disney property, such as Art of Animation (one of my favorites), then you might consider taking a Minnie Van. A Minnie Van can be booked through the Lyft app, and is more expensive than taking a non-Minnie Van Lyft ride. The bonus for Fort Wilderness is that the Minnie Van can actually drive you all the way to the Settlement Area of Fort Wilderness. This isn’t going to happen in your private Princess Hybrid SUV. The 2018 price for a lift in a Minnie Van from one place to another in WDW is $25, and includes up to six guests.
