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Tag Archives: Fort Wilderness Campground
Disney Quick Tips – Christmastime at the Resorts
This is the last article in my Christmas in July series, so better get to planning your trips! If you would like to see my past articles click the link here. With all the things to see at the parks during the holiday season, many people forget at the resorts the atmosphere is just as magical. Many have special displays like gingerbread houses or giant Christmas trees. Here is a rundown of where to go when taking some time away from the parks.
SPECIAL DISPLAYS-The deluxe resorts have the most elaborate displays and are worth a trip on the monorail or bus to check out. Below are what the resorts have offered in the past but who knows if they may surprise us this year so check with your hotel concierge before you head out.
- The Grand Floridian boasts a life-sized gingerbread house which they actually use as a Bake Shop. Visitors can purchase Christmas Delights and watch Gingerbread House Demonstrations. The Victorian charm of their decorations brings one back to a more elegant time.
- The Contemporary Resort offers a 17 foot tall Gingerbread Christmas Tree and a huge lighted wreath (Mickey shaped of course), visible as you take the monorail through the resort. We did Chef Mickey’s for dinner here on Christmas Day.
- Beach Club has a working gingerbread carousel with white chocolate horses and Yacht Club features a miniature train set running through a candy and sugar-coated landscape. The decor here is light, airy and most decidedly nautical.
- The Boardwalk has a gingerbread and chocolate gazebo display and a gingerbread bake shop. Don’t miss the chocolate seaside amusement park display in the Lobby!
- The Polynesian is decorated throughout and has small gingerbread displays in the Ceremonial House. They do a great job working with their tropical atmosphere so it doesn’t seem tacky.
- Wilderness Lodge boasts homey decor and a cozy, rustic feel the Christmas traditionalist will love. There is a huge tree in the center lobby with plenty of pine cones. Fireplaces grace the main areas and make you want to curl up in front with a hot cocoa and a copy of The Night Before Christmas.
Top 5 Disney World Resorts for the Holidays
With the weather beginning to turn cold, many people are beginning to turn their attention to the approaching holidays, particularly Christmas! Christmas is my favorite time of the year; and when it comes to decking the halls, no one does it better than Walt Disney World!
By the time Thanksgiving rolls around each year, Walt Disney World is decorated for the holidays and even hosts their own Christmas festivities. For example, at the Magic Kingdom you can enjoy Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, or check out Animal Kingdom’s Jingle Jungle Parade. Epcot also offers a Candlelight Processional, and Hollywood Studios glows as bright as the stars with the Osbourne Spectacle of Dancing Lights! Even Disney resorts get into the Christmas spirit with their own holiday touches, which only adds to the holiday fun and atmosphere! In fact, one of my favorite things to do at Disney World around the holidays is to check out resort Christmas decor. If you’re trying to decide which Disney resort to stay at during this magical time of the year, check out my Top 5 Disney Resorts for the holidays!
5. Animal Kingdom Lodge-For a warm holiday stay, check out Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. While live African animals roaming about outside isn’t quite a traditional way to celebrate the Christmas season, this cozy, majestic lodge is an ideal place to make memories with your family. You’re also sure to enjoy the gigantic Christmas tree in the lobby, which is especially beautiful at night!
4. Yacht and Beach Club-At this resort, you can enjoy both a beach vacation and a magical, holiday stay! This elegant, seaside inspired resort offers lots to see and do; and at the holidays, it has something extra special in the lobby, a working carousel made out of gingerbread! You get the best of both worlds at the Yacht and Beach Club, a retreat to those lazy, summer days and some Christmas magic!
3. Fort Wilderness-Don’t want to spend the holidays in a hotel room? How about staying at Disney’s Fort Wilderness? If you are staying in a camper, you will feel right at home in your own space; and if you stay in one of the cabins, you have plenty of room and a homey, traditional atmosphere for your Christmas vacation! You can also celebrate a traditional Christmas with sleigh rides through the woods; and even enjoy a Fort Wilderness tradition where guests decorate their campsites for Christmas!
2. Grand Floridian-Disney’s flagship resort goes all out for the holiday season as its gorgeous lobby is transformed into a winter wonderland! Not only can you find a towering, Victorian, Christmas tree, but also a life-size, edible gingerbread house that actually sells gingerbread goodies! At this resort, you can enjoy a classic, picture-perfect holiday in absolute luxury and Disney magic.
1. Wilderness Lodge-When guests visit this cozy lodge, they will feel as if they stepped right into a Christmas card! At Wilderness Lodge, guests will enjoy a taste of the Pacific Northwest and a warm, cozy atmosphere. After a day filled with Disney magic, sip some hot chocolate by Wilderness Lodge’s Grand Canyon fireplace, enjoy the resort’s massive Christmas tree, and then dream about Christmas morning in your warm, rustic resort room. This resort will fill a guest with Christmas cheer and is the best setting for a magical, classic holiday!
Have you ever visited Walt Disney World during the holidays? Which resort do you think is the best for the Christmas season? Let us know!
Related Articles:
- Quizzes: Which Walt Disney World Deluxe Resort is Right for You? (aglassslippervacation.com)
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Disney Food Confession – Strawberry Shortcake with Recipe
Where is it? Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review – Fort Wilderness Campground, Walt Disney World
What is it? Delectably rich Strawberry Shortcake, loaded with strawberries and topped with creamy whipped topping.
Why you want it? It’s yummy deliciousness in a cold metal bowl. It’s been one of my favorite desserts since I was a child. What’s the best thing about it? They sing the “Strawberry Shortcake” song to let you know it’s comin’, and they’ll keep bringin’ ya more until you’re done!
Strawberry Shortcake
Yield: Approx. ½ Sheet Pan (17″ x 12″)
Yellow Pound Cake
Step 1
1 ¼ pound Cake Flour
1 ¼ pound Granulated Sugar
¼ ounce Baking Powder
Pinch Nutmeg
½ ounce Salt
½ pound Shortening
¼ pound Butter
8 ounces Milk
Step 2
6 Eggs
4 ounces Milk
½ ounce Vanilla
(Almond Extract can be substituted for vanilla)
1) Sift and blend all dry ingredients from Step 1 together. Add shortening, butter, milk, and mix 5-7 minutes at low speed.
2) Combine all ingredients from Step 2 together and blend lightly.
3) Add liquid mix from Step 2 to Step 1 in three parts, scraping down bowl between. Bake at 350 degrees until tester inserted into cake comes out clean.
Topping: Add whipped cream and Smucker’s Frozen Strawberries (thawed) to taste.
Related articles
- Snack Series: Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake at Boardwalk Bakery (disneyfoodblog.com)
The Magic Behind the ‘Company’: Getting to Know Brenda
This is an interesting little assignment from Chip this week. He wanted to let all of you get to know all of us which is a great idea, but I don’t remember the last time I thought about myself so much. 
About You:
Name? Brenda
Where do you live? I was born and raised on the Texas Gulf Coast and I am here to stay; at least until I retire, buy a mobile home and become a part-timer at the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds in Walt Disney World.
How long have you been with Chip and Company? I have been writing for C&C for 6 months.
What topics do you write about? I have a new weekly spot called “Wednesday with Walt” which I love because I think he was an extraordinary man; I also write a cornucopia of things related to Walt Disney World, having a Disney family, and being a Disney fan in general.
Favorite C&C Writer? All of them.
Do you have a Blog or Website? No, I don’t have one of my own, but I help out Nancy on The Affordable Mouse!
Have a Facebook Page or Twitter? Sure, my facebook page is linked here and my Twitter account is @bootsietx (although I seldom use it because I am Twitter-challenged).
Favorite Disney Website other than Chip and Company? The Affordable Mouse of course!
What % of your clothes and house is decorated with Disney Gear? I would say roughly 70%.
Chip or Dale? Chip, of course — why would you even ask?
About the Parks:
What’s your Favorite Disney Park? Magic Kingdom, followed closely by Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
How many Times have you been to the Disney Parks? 15
What’s your First Disney Memory? My first Disney memory was of Disneyland when I was 8. That is the only time I have been there and I don’t remember much, except for the tea cups and how beautiful it was.
What is your favorite Ride, Show, and Event?
My favorite ride, hands down, is Tower of Terror. If anyone has read my blogs they are very familiar with what a thrill I get from that ride.
My favorite show would be Finding Nemo: The Musical, which is exceptionally done and can be found at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.
My favorite event is the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. My family and I look forward to that breathtaking spectacle of Christmas lights every year — it is a wonderful start to the Christmas season.
Where is your favorite place to get your grub on? My favorite places at WDW are Le Cellier (Epcot) and ‘Ohana (Polynesian Resort).
What’s your favorite snack? Anything chocolate!
You have the whole park to yourself tell us what park it would be and plan of attack? My park of choice would be Disney’s Hollywood Studios. My plan of attack would be to ride Tower of Terror and Rock N Rollercoaster all morning. Then, I would head to Starring Rolls for some yummy chocolate snack options. I would then get in line for The Great Movie Ride and request to ride both versions of the ride. I would spend a couple of hours in One Man’s Dream (the story of Walt Disney). I would then head to the American Idol Experience (except that if I am having the whole park to myself, I would have to be the entertainment and the audience so that probably wouldn’t work), so I would instead play around with the Citizens of Hollywood for a while and maybe take them all to the Sci-Fi Dine In Theater for a burger, fries and a shake. After that, I would ride Toy Story Mania about 10 times before seeing Beauty and the Beast, followed by Voyage of the Little Mermaid. I would especially love being able to attend the Art of Animation and do some sketching myself at the Animation Studios, as I would have one-on-one lessons from one of the world’s best animators. I would take pictures with every character at the park; then I would have someone else take my picture with each photopass photographer because they never get to be in the pictures. I would grab dinner at the Brown Derby and take it with me to enjoy during Fantasmic! Then, I would sit on a bench with a monster cup of cappuccino and reminisce about the day and how all this got started in the first place.
Least Favorite Disney Ride or Attractions? I definitely do not like the Astro Orbiter. I have an issue with heights so going up in an elevator to ride a ride that goes up in the air, while you are already on top of a building, is not for me…but thanks anyway!
What’s missing from the parks? Walt
Which thing do you wish Disney would bring back? The original, working Yeti in Expedition Everest.
What do you bring to the park with you? My family, of course. I also take my itinerary, water, chap stick, sunscreen and my camera.
Do you fly, drive or take a Magic Carpet to the Disney Parks? We drive to WDW, although I would prefer the Magic Carpet.
What’s your most and least favorite Disney character and why? Mickey Mouse is undoubtedly my all-time favorite Disney character because I have always been charmed by his optimistic and friendly nature. My least favorite would have to be Ursula; I’m no petite princess at 5’10” but that big girl scares me!
Dining Plan, OOP, or Bring Food with you? I do all 3 depending on the circumstances. When free dining is offered, that is a no brainer. When it is not offered, we often dine out of pocket. On budget trips, we eat breakfast in the room with foods we brought from home and carry our snacks in our backpacks; then we buy only one meal while out in the park.
To ADR or Not to ADR? We only ADR when we have the dining plan, usually. We definitely ADR with free dining (please bring it back, Disney!)
Events at the park that cost extra good idea or should be included with park admission? The one extra cost event we usually attend is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. We were wondering this year if it is worth the added expense, so we may not do it this year.
When is your next trip to WDW or DL? September, 2011 — and I can’t wait — so hurry up September!!!
Everything Else Disney:
What is your favorite Disney Movie? I absolutely LOVE the Pirates of the Caribbean movies — all of them. We attend the first midnight showing of all of them — it’s a family affair. My new favorite animated Disney movie is Tangled in 3D. I also love Beauty and the Beast, Finding Nemo, and loads of other Disney movies.
Do you have any Disney Collections? Well, yes, I sure do. I have a Disney office my hubby created for me full of our memorabilia, pictures, photo albums, Disney pictures and paintings, all my stuffed Disney characters, etc. I write my blogs in there and it is my favorite room in the house. I have a collection of about 50 snow globes in the china closet in my dining room, most of which light up, move and sing some beautiful Disney song; and I have a Mickey collection of all types of Mickey items. Every Christmas decoration we adorn our house with at Christmastime is Disney as well.
Have you been on a Disney Cruise or Adventures by Disney? Not yet, but a Disney cruise is coming this December!
Ever been to DLRP or TDL? No, believe it or not I don’t have any desire to go to Paris nor Tokyo. I am happy to stay right here in the USA, unless my bucket list trip to my grandmother’s hometown in Italy ever becomes a reality.
Finally what does Disney mean to you? Wow – now that is a question! Walt Disney always said that we should remember, “It all started with a mouse.” To me, it started long before there was a mouse. It all started with a boy — a very special boy named Walt Disney. Without ever meeting the man, he has influenced my life in so many ways I cannot even count. He had vision, unwavering dedication, a super-highway of ideas running through his brain at any given time. He saw an opportunity to bring happiness to people’s lives through many different avenues and he followed through with his vision. Disney to me is the idea that the world could be a beautiful place if everyone could figure out how to live in harmony and be kind to one another. This is what it’s like at Walt Disney World. That is why every year for a 10-day period we go to a place that was part of Walt’s utopia. Staying on property keeps you submerged in Disney throughout every minute of every day. Every single one of my senses is heightened there: the music is more melodic; the sun shines brighter; the birds sing sweeter; the grass is greener; everything is cleaner; and, most importantly, the folks are nicer — everything is better and it makes me wish I could stay there forever. I wish all the world was just like it! And, I wish I had Walt’s gift to help make it happen!
That is a little about me — actually more than I ever knew about myself! I hope all you Disney fans out there will let us hear about you too!!!
Have a magical day!
Related articles
- The Magic Behind the ‘Company’ getting to know Lisa Battista (chipandco.com)
- The Magic Behind The ‘Company’ – Getting To Know Ken (chipandco.com)
Why Fort Wilderness is better than the other resorts for the Disney Dad.
First of all I have to admit this is a very biased article but for good reason. It is the only place I stay at in WALT DISNEY WORLD. Being that we have a 37’ Pace Arrow motor home, it is of course our preferred choice of lodgings anywhere the road takes us, but in Florida it’s the ONLY place to stay. First of all, this place is the epitome of the RVer’s dream campground. There are sites dedicated for tents, pop-ups, travel trailers, and cabins for rent, as well as premium (enlarged) sites for regular RV’s and of course those MILLION DOLLAR PREVOST(ugh ugh ugh) buses we all love to gawk at.
Among the many amenities of Fort Wilderness Campground are things like laundry facilities, outdoor movies, plentiful bathroom/shower facilities, gorgeous pools and spas, on-site restaurants, horse ranch, fishing and the like but all with a touch of Disney flair. Another aspect of Fort Wilderness is its close proximity to Magic Kingdom. Bay Lake is the only thing separating you from the Mecca of all Disney parks which is just a short ferry ride away. In fact the nightly Magic Kingdom fireworks (WISHES) are perfectly visible from the white sand beach at the Fort Wilderness side of Bay Lake, not to mention the nightly electric light parade of boats on the water just after the show.
As you walk around the campground you will notice touches of Disney everywhere. From the beautiful landscaping to the immaculate facilities, the Disney model of perfection is fully enforced here. The foot paths and jogging trails are impeccable. The sports and recreation facilities - state of the art. And the arcades are stocked with all the latest and greatest. In fact, on our third trip to WDW, we had unanimously voted to omit the beach and off site trips we had planned at the mere site of the WHOA! sign which signifies the entrance of the campground. Instead, we all agreed to spend our two weeks staying put and getting the most out of Fort Wilderness.
Another aspect of the campground is its encouraged use of Golf Carts. The carts can be rented at a slightly above modest cost per day and must be reserved well in advance as the 300 carts on hand get gobbled up quickly. The golf cart adds a whole other aspect of camping due to the fun in just riding around and visiting with new friends, or just gawking at the gorgeous RV’s and custom carts of the other guests. Some of the carts can cost more than my first two cars combined (see the Custom Carts section of disney4dads.com for examples) fact there are certain paths and parking lots dedicated to carts alone. Also, at over 700 acres, without a cart you would be forced to take the bus system or just foot it in general to get around (as if).
FYI – this is how I convinced my wife to let us buy one of our own.
The last aspect of the campground I have to point out is that is never closes. When you leave one of the theme parks and head back to your hotel room typically the day is over. Not at Fort Wilderness. After you have washed all the ooey gooey Disneyness off of the kids you can tuck them in their sleeping vessel (tent, camper, RV or rented cabin), so you and the misses can fire up the provided charcoal grill (no fires allowed) and sit under the stars to relax the night away with the libation of your choice. What Dad do you know that doesn’t like barbeque? If you’re the adventurous types you can all head to the 80° pool for a midnight swim or just hop on the cart and enjoy a nice ride. If you’re back in time I would recommend catching a movie under the stars with Chip and Dale.
Finally you can save a boatload of cash and time in line by bringing in your own groceries for meals and doing the cooking at your site. Would you rather stand in line at the steak restaurant with the grumpy kids or smell your own dry rubbed sirloin sizzling on the charcoal and drinking an ice cold beer while the kids are off at the playground getting out the remaining yet never ending energy they always seem to be missing when it’s time to clean up. Well having said that I feel a tremendous urge to check the calendar to see how many days are left until our next Fort Wilderness stay.
See ya real soon! Jerry
Jerry is the Founder of Disney 4 Dads, when he isn’t busy grilling out and doing other manly things he is sharing the Disney Magic from a Disney Dad’s perspective.
