Camping at Disney World: Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground Guide

A complete guide to camping at Disney World, including Fort Wilderness campground prices and camper rental information.

I stayed in the campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground to get the full camping at Disney World experience and I had a blast. Fort Wilderness is the most affordable way to stay on-property at Disney World.

Here’s what to expect when camping at Disney World plus some tips and tricks for having a great stay!

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground Overview

Fort Wilderness is one of the three original resorts at Walt Disney World (the others are the Contemporary and the Polynesian).

The resort consists of 799 campsites and 409 cabins on a huge 700-acre wooded plot. Fort Wilderness is wonderfully “undeveloped” when compared to the rest of the Orlando area!

There are four different types of campsites at Fort Wilderness:

• Tent or Pop-Up Campsite
• Full Hook-Up Campsite
• Preferred Campsite
• Premium Campsite

At each campsite, you’ll find a paved driveway, picnic table, charcoal grill, electricity, and water. Full-Hook-Up, Preferred, and Premium Campsites also have sewer hook-ups.

Fort Wilderness also has multiple restaurants, two pools, playgrounds  and recreation galore!

Fort Wilderness Campground Map

As you can probably tell from this map, Fort Wilderness is huge. It consists of 28 loops with campsites and Wilderness Cabins, a check-in building, multiple pools, restaurants, and many other amenities.

It is over a mile from the Check-In building to the other end of the campground. Several internal buses connect the different areas at Fort Wilderness so it is easy to get around.

Tent Camping at Disney World: Fort Wilderness Campsites

Each tent site at Fort Wilderness includes a tent pad, grill, electric hook-up, picnic table, and a hose for water.

Wifi is available for free throughout the campground as well!

Here is a view of my campsite from the road. The driveway area has plenty of room for a car, pop-up camper, and a golf cart.

The sandy tent area could accommodate two small tents (less then 4-person tents) or one large tent. You can have up to 10 people in each campsite at Fort Wilderness.

 

I didn’t take a picture of one, but there is a “comfort station” found in each campground loop. This is where you will find the restrooms, sinks, and showers.

The showers in the comfort station were excellent – probably the nicest you’ll experience at any campground!

Camping at Disney: Tent Camping Loops at Fort Wilderness

The best loops for tent camping at Fort Wilderness are loops 1500 and 2000. Campsites in these two loops are in the “Tent or Pop-Up Campsites” category. You will be able to choose the campsite category when making a reservation with Disney.

While those tent camping at Fort Wilderness can stay in other categories of campsites (such as Full Hook-up or Preferred sites), you will not have a sandy tent pad in these types of sites. They will have a concrete pad and you likely won’t be able to stake down your tent here.

Fort Wilderness Campground Prices

The rates for tent camping at Fort Wilderness have a wide range depending on your travel dates.

Rates start at $80 per night in August and September. But unless you have a small pop-up with air conditioning, who wants to sleep in a tent in those months?

A better choice is the campground prices starting at $99 per night in January. 

I recommend following this link to check out the most up-to-date rates for your trip.

After researching dates, your best bet is to book campsites directly through Disney. I have even seen some campsite discounts offered recently!

Fort Wilderness Camper Rentals

If you aren’t up for tent camping at Fort Wilderness, another option is to rent an RV for your stay!

You might be thinking “How in the world would I get an RV to Fort Wilderness and get it set up?”

Fear not – some companies deliver camper rentals to your site and get it all ready for you. It’s almost like showing up at your hotel room, but it is just in the form of an RV.

I recommend renting an RV through RVshare, a popular and reputable site that connects owners with renters. It is like the Airbnb for RVs!

Many owners will deliver the RV to your site at Fort Wilderness for FREE with a minimum stay booked through RVshare.

Fort Wilderness camper rentals are a great way to save money on your Disney World trip. You’ll get to sleep in comfort (most RVs have air conditioning), stay on Disney property with all of the Disney benefits, and get access to the amazing recreation and amenities at Fort Wilderness!

Also, renting a large RV with a living room through RVshare can be a HUGE money-saver compared to booking multiple rooms at a Disney resort.

Campsites can have up to 10 people so two families can easily share a site and a large RV – some sleep up to 10!

Fort Wilderness Pools

My campsite was a short walk from the “feature” pool at Fort Wilderness, the Meadow Pool.

It has a fun water play area for kids with a playground, water features, and these two little slides.

It also has a waterslide and large hot tub. All of the other “Value” resorts at Disney World do NOT have water play areas, water slides, or hot tubs. Having access to this pool is a huge perk of staying in the campgrounds at Fort Wilderness!

There is a quick service dining location right next to the Meadow Pool. I grabbed some nachos here for lunch that were really good. I was able to get refills on my refillable mug here, too.

Fort Wilderness Dining

Many people’s first visit to Fort Wilderness is to experience the famous Hoop Dee Do Revue dinner show. It is a favorite of many guests and is found at the back of Fort Wilderness in Pioneer Hall.

Connected to Pioneer Hall is a dining hidden gem, Trail’s End. This is a quick service restaurant that serves some of the same food as Hoop De Doo but as a significant discount. It serves up delicious food for breakfast (til noon) and dinner. Check out the menu and current prices here.

 

You can even get quick service fare from Trail’s End at PJ’s Southern Takeout right next door. This is where I was able to get my refillable mug to use on the dining plan.

Crockett’s Tavern is a walk-up window right next to Trail’s End where you can order drinks and enjoy them on the porch.

To get all the up to date info on Fort Wilderness Campground food options available follow the link here!

Fort Wilderness Attractions & Recreation

There is so much to do at Fort Wilderness, you could spend your entire vacation there and not even go to the theme parks! I was really excited about seeing Cinderella’s ponies that live at the Tri-Circle D Ranch near Pioneer Hall. Aren’t they adorable?

All of the other horses that work around Walt Disney World live at the ranch as well. You can walk through the horse barn and learn about each horse.

There is a small exhibit and Walt Disney and horses that is nice for fellow horse lovers.

At the Tri-Circle D Ranch you can pay for pony rides for little ones, as well as experience wagon and carriage ride within the rustic beauty of the grounds of Fort Wilderness.  For all the up to date times and pricing on these amenities follow this link!

Archery, bike rentals, and canoeing are some of the other recreational activities available at Fort Wilderness. Ask for recreation info when you check-in for all of the details!

Camping at Disney World: Fort Wilderness Transportation

There is an internal bus system at Fort Wilderness due to its size. It might seem complicated at first but is easy to use once you get the hang of it.

The internal buses can take you to the Outpost at the front of the resort to catch buses to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs.

The internal buses can also take you to the Settlement Depot. A short walk away are the docks with boat service to Magic Kingdom on the green flag boats. 

Fort Wilderness Cabins

Another option for staying at Fort Wilderness at the Wilderness Cabins.

See how the Wilderness Cabins compare to the other Disney Moderate Resorts in this post. 

Camping at Disney World Tips & Tricks

• There is a nightly campfire with free marshmallow roasting in the Meadow area. Chip & Dale make an appearance at the event and lead a sing-a-long! Get the time for this when you check-in (seasonally). 
• After the campfire there is a “Movie Under The Stars” shown every night.
• You will need to bring your own towels to the pool at Fort Wilderness, unlike other Disney resorts where they are provided.
• Don’t forget mosquito repellent for your stay!
• You can see the Electric Water Pageant from the beach at Fort Wilderness. 
• Be sure to bring an outdoor extension cord to charge your devices inside your tent. I brought one and was so glad I did.
• It will likely rain during your stay so be sure to have a tent with a rain fly that extends down to the ground.
• The sandy material in the tent pads WILL get into your tent. Bring along a small dustpan and brush to keep your tent clean.

I hope this post answered all of your questions about camping at Disney World at Fort Wilderness!

Please leave any questions you still have in a comment below or join the discussion in The Budget Mouse private Facebook group!