Welcome back Disney Travellers! On this trip, I took my parents to Disney World for the holidays. We stayed at the cabins at Fort Wilderness since they’ve always loved Fort Wilderness (we used to be glampers) and on our last day, we went to Magic Kingdom to see the holiday decor.
Staying in the Cabins at Fort Wilderness was an interesting experience. There are lots of nice amenities, though I do hope they update the cabins soon – as rustic as the style is, they could use a refresh with counters from the current century! They do have:
- A full kitchen – complete with dishes, silverware, cooking utensils, pots and pans, a coffee maker, a four-slice toaster, a full-size refrigerator with freezer, and a microwave.
- A full bathroom – shower with tub, and plenty of counter space
- A double-sized bed, two bunk beds and a pull-out sleeper sofa – sleeps up to 6
- A 60-inch smart TV
- Lots of cabinet space
- Trash and recycling in the kitchen
- Dish soap, extra sponges and cleaning supplies
You really could live there for a month and only need to bring groceries and clothes. As for it sleeping 6, that is debatable depending on the size of guests in your travel party. I’m 5′ 10″ and my dad is 6′ 2″ – those bunk beds were not a great situation for either of us since they are sized for someone under 5.5′ tall. Another small issue is that even though they keep those cabins sparkling clean, they still retain an underlying musk of pets and cigar smoke. There is no getting rid of that unless they reupholster the sofas and strip down all of the furnishings. The average person may not notice it, but my mum and I are extremely sensitive to allergens.
Despite their age, the cabins are a nice place with rustic decor and a pacific northwest theme.
Check current rates and availability at https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/cabins-at-fort-wilderness-resort/rates-rooms/
On this trip we also decided to check out some of the recreational activities such as the bicycle rentals and kayak rentals. The bike rentals were decent – the bikes all functioned as they were supposed to, and they were only slightly rusty. They also only have coaster brakes – that’s not an issue unless you are accustomed to hand brakes like I am. The kayak rentals are about the same – not the highest quality but certainly functional and they both are great activities for a day spent at the Fort. The kayak course takes you around in a big circle along the rivers throughout the campground. Watch out for the bridges and tree roots in those few shallow areas!
- Bike rentals are $11 per hour or $20 per day. All bike rentals must be returned to the Bike Barn by 5 pm that day, and all guests under 16 will be given helmets and required to wear them – helmets are available for all guests and optional for 16+.
- Kayak rentals are $13 per hour, and they have a few single seats available but most are two-seat kayaks.
And if you happen to be lucky, you might see someone welcome you once you arrive back at the Bike Barn!
We came back around to see Chip and Dale getting ready for their campfire singalong that evening, and they enthusiastically welcomed my mum back – that made everyone’s day. All part of the Disney magic that comes with staying at a Disney Resort – Dale even helped me pull my kayak up the beach!
As for dining, we visited the Trail’s End for one breakfast, and Grand Floridian Cafe for the other – see for more details on dining at Grand Floridian. The Trail’s End is always worth a visit and their allergy-friendly breakfast is excellent! We also had a great server who decided to learn as much as she could about allergies so that she could help more people – if you get Lynda then you are in good hands! Their allergy-friendly breakfast includes:
- Allergy-friendly Mickey Waffles – Gluten-free, nut-free and vegan
- Bacon and sausage – Gluten, dairy, soy, fish/shellfish, egg & nut allergy friendly
- Eggs (plant-based are available on request) – Regular eggs have brisket mixed into them, and they are gluten, dairy, soy, fish/shellfish and nut allergy friendly. Plant-based eggs are gluten-free, nut-free and vegan.
- Vegan yoghurt – Gluten, dairy, nut, fish/shellfish & egg allergy friendly (and tastes like lemon meringue pie!)
- Allergy-friendly bread basket – Gluten, dairy, soy, egg, fish/shellfish & nut allergy friendly
However, beware that the allergy-friendly skillets are much smaller even though they serve everything family style – the initial skillet will come with two Mickey Waffles, 4 pieces and bacon, 4 sausages and 1.5 scoops of eggs. We had to order more waffles and eggs right away. The vegan yoghurt might have been my favourite part of that breakfast – it’s so good!
On our last day, we visited Magic Kingdom. Main Street USA is all decked out for the holidays!
It may have been a rainy day, but those are actually the best days to go if you are looking to avoid crowds. There was hardly anyone at Magic Kingdom that day due to the stormy weather. I also discovered that I do not own a waterproof raincoat like I thought I did – Disney Parks poncho for me…but only after my head and shoulders were completely drenched..it was rainier than anyone predicted!
We did see the Walt Disney World Railroad cruising through Main Street Station while performing a test run the day before as well – everyone is so excited for the Railroad to return next year!
For dinner, we got a reservation at Tony’s on Main Street. Tony’s is always a good option for allergies if you’re looking for pasta and strawberry shortcake. You will need to ask for a lot of things because their allergy ‘menu’ doesn’t list even half of the options.
Below is my gluten-free, nut-free, vegan pasta with vegan meatballs. They don’t list gluten-free pasta as an option but it is readily available upon request. Depending on the chef that evening, the garlic levels may be extremely high but it’s always a good meal after a day at Magic Kingdom.
When the server takes the drink order, be sure to ask for an allergy-friendly bread basket (which is one of the best parts!) and inform them that you would like gluten-free pasta. That way they can inform the chef while they’re fetching the drinks. They also have a gluten-free, nut-free, vegan strawberry shortcake – the bread and the strawberry shortcake are honestly my favourite dishes at Tony’s. The pasta is perfectly all right, but Mama Melrose at Hollywood Studios does pasta and flatbread that is to die for!
And during the holidays, Tony’s has an excellent view of the Main Street decorations.
Plus if you’re lucky and happen to be on a boat back to one of the resorts at 8:30, that is actually one of the best views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks display!
Catch us next time for more ways to get around the Magic Kingdom Resorts!
