Any word or any prep work being done for new DVC cabins?

[StormyCA]

We spent a Thanksgiving at that site back in '09, @amcc. I remember it was the weekend Tiger Wood's wife attacked him with a golf club! I'm glad you got to try out 1500 loop.

I do enjoy those sites (1510, 1511, 1513, 1514) that back up along the canal. I take my folding chair, walk over the rise at the rear of the site, and sit next to the beautiful water view with its peace and quiet back there. It's sunny and open but if you want shade you can move back toward the road to the treeline.



That's true, @amcc and @StormyCA, 100 cabins might be models but I personally think that is a somewhat deceptive practice.

Think of a prospective buyer coming to the Fort (maybe not at all familiar with FW) on the boat to tour a model cabin in 100 loop.

Cute cabin? -
Great vibe of the Fort? -
Convenient to Transportation? -

Oh the two cabins in 100 loop are convenient, sure 'nuff.

But in the cabin loops you're not near the bus to WL/MK, the big boat to MK, small boat to CR, and the Settlement Depot with 3 ways to get the Outpost or parking lot (Yellow, Orange, Purple - I take the 1st one of the 3 that shows up so never have to wait long at all).

I get that DVC is selling the cabin itself and not location within FW. I also get the new models replace existing legacy cabins in 100 so it's not a NEW sleight-of-hand. So for 2 cabins, very convenient. For the other 363 cabins, not so much.

The cabins to me feel isolated which is why I stopped consideration of buying into CFW.

@amcc, hope you've had good weather during your stay.

Ed

Sort of the old 'bait and switch' if they aren't honest about where the 'real' cabin loops are.

At least the 'real' cabin loops are all in one area so we can ignore them if we wish. The 2 in Loop 100 are going to stand out like a sore thumb amidst the RVs, the Loop 200 CS, the wood fences, and the Settlement Trading Post. The 'old' cabins blended in quite well. With the brown and green they sort of faded into the background. The new ones appear to have sort of a 1960s colors vibe, at least based on the 'artist representation'.

I'm sure they're there to stay, especially if they're used as VIP cabins.


Edited to add; the new cabins probably would have fit right in at The Timeshare That Must Not Be Named' with its supposed mid-century lake resort-ish theme. I wonder if they were possibly 'imagined' as the lakeside cabins with that place in mind and when it was realized that FtW cabins were in need of replacement they just said "Hey, we already have these completed designs for TTTMNBN, soooooo......".

 

[amcc]

Thanks, that's super helpful.

It looks like you took those pics from the walking/cart path that goes down to the lake (and not from the 100 loop road?).

Hope you and the family have a wonderful visit this weekend.

Ed and DW

PS - @amcc and her family have been at FW for ??? how many years? Usually at Christmas-New Years week (end/ish) and around Easter weekend. Me and DW met their family on two different trips and it was a treat for us. I'm glad to see a family tradition that is continuing.

It's been at least 8-9 years of Easter and New Years plus some years also had summer. The allure just doesn't fade.

We had the best site and the best weather we've ever had this weekend. Coldish at night and early morning, hot for the pool the rest of the day. It didn't even feel that crowded maybe due to those 3 loops closed.

Here's a better picture of the cabin plus one of the gorgeous weather.

 

[Teamubr]

Thanks for the pics, Allie. It does look like great weather.

I'm a little surprised the new cabins are site built. Even with pre-fab panels, this would seem to take much longer than "pull a trailer out, put a trailer in". Not sure how they can replace all the cabins by summer. But then again, I don't know how Disney can decorate and undecorate a whole park from holiday to holiday in 1 night.

j

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks, Allie.

Did you see any activity in the 2300 loop? That was the first legacy cabin loop to be declared for CFW.

I would have expected 2300 to be closed to guests, decks and the lower lattice around the underside removed, utilities disconnected, and maybe some legacy cabins loaded up and trucked off leaving only empty sites. And possibly new ones being trucked in.

Jim, I agree it's odd that the CFW cabins in the loops are supposedly being "manufactured" off-site but that these two are built on-site.

Ed

PS - Jim, they're not going to pull all 365 cabins by this summer. I think this summer is the deadline to get 2300/100 loops finished for whenever they allow DVC reservations to occupy the new cabins. But doing a loop or two at a time will take through summer 2025 IMO.

 

[amcc]

Loop 2300 is closed and they are putting together a cabin or two in there. All the trailers are gone, sites are cleared, decks littering many sites still. It was a little less visible so no pics and there are big "Pictures and Videos are PROHIBITED" signs on all the fences. I think they will all be assembled on site. I also thought they would be pre-fab. I don't feel like deep-diving right now but maybe the Florida Building Code doesn't allow the pre-fab ones at this elevation or flood zone? The old ones would have been grandfathered in.

There were no other pieces in the staging site (what are they going to do for overflow parking at peak times??).

 

[champagne&disney]

Thanks for the pics, Allie. It does look like great weather.

I'm a little surprised the new cabins are site built. Even with pre-fab panels, this would seem to take much longer than "pull a trailer out, put a trailer in". Not sure how they can replace all the cabins by summer. But then again, I don't know how Disney can decorate and undecorate a whole park from holiday to holiday in 1 night.

j

They are not planning to have them all replaced by summer - they said it would take 18+ months

 

[Love Ft Wilderness]

Loop 2300 is closed and they are putting together a cabin or two in there. All the trailers are gone, sites are cleared, decks littering many sites still. It was a little less visible so no pics and there are big "Pictures and Videos are PROHIBITED" signs on all the fences. I think they will all be assembled on site. I also thought they would be pre-fab. I don't feel like deep-diving right now but maybe the Florida Building Code doesn't allow the pre-fab ones at this elevation or flood zone? The old ones would have been grandfathered in.

There were no other pieces in the staging site (what are they going to do for overflow parking at peak times??).

Thank you for this additional information. I had expected a very busy thread of pictures as they worked on 2300. I guess loop 100 is the only allowed "public" view. Surprised that nobody has seen more cabins rolling out.

I'll be there in 2 weeks and will, of course, try to get pictures of whatever I can.

 

[StormyCA]

".....there are big "Pictures and Videos are PROHIBITED" signs on all the fences."

Yeah, like that's gonna stop people. Do they not want to show construction because they want people to think the cabins magically appeared in their sites? Oh wait.....they probably do.

 

[champagne&disney]

".....there are big "Pictures and Videos are PROHIBITED" signs on all the fences."

Yeah, like that's gonna stop people. Do they not want to show construction because they want people to think the cabins magically appeared in their sites? Oh wait.....they probably do.

HA!

I arrive on April 14 for a week so I will do some recon.

 

[bama_ed]

Maybe all the parts come pre-cut and pre-measured, sub-pieces like cabinets come fully assembled (maybe no counter top), everything properly sized, and all it requires is assembly.

It sounds like one of those auto assembly plants where nothing is made from scratch on location. Every thing comes in from somewhere else ready to just put it together right there.

"Some Assembly Required".

Bama Ed

PS - could be like the old Sears Model Homes Program that ran up until WW2. Basically you bought a kit for the home plan you picked out, they shipped all the material and parts to you, and either you or a contractor could put it together. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sears_Modern_Homes

 

[Teamubr]

PS - could be like the old Sears Model Homes Program that ran up until WW2.

I was thinking more like Sauder or Ikea.

j

 

[bama_ed]

I think I naturally assumed that ....

... because the old legacy cabins were being lifted and loaded and trucked away from the Fort that the new DVC cabins would have arrived the same way.

But like was pointed out above, maybe there is a law against mobile homes (essentially) in declared wetlands. But not a law against stick-built "tiny" houses.

If that's indeed the case, it will take a while (many months) to get the crews to convert ALL seven cabin loops. Wowza. Imagine bolting down the same kitchen cabinet set 365 times.

I admit of all the DVC properties, Copper Creek Villas (the "other half" of Wilderness Lodge) appeals to me the most for price, location, vibe, and length of contract (I wouldn't buy a 2042 resort). But even CCV is ...

What fun to watch!

Bama Ed

PS - and if all 365 cabins are "build in place" mini-projects then that's more costly than bulk cabins built through a factory.

 

[Teamubr]

maybe there is a law against mobile homes (essentially) in declared wetlands. But not a law against stick-built "tiny" houses.

I wonder if it is more a code for hurricane protection. I know Florida has very strict building codes for new construction so they stand a chance in a hurricane. I wonder if "trailers" can't be built to the same code and effectively tied to a foundation. Or if not specifically "code" in the middle of the state, Disney wants to build something they don't have to worry about flipping over in a big storm.

j

 

[bama_ed]

Or if not specifically "code" in the middle of the state, Disney wants to build something they don't have to worry about flipping over in a big storm.

Good point, @Teamubr - that might affect sales.

Maybe.

 

[happycamper47]

I wonder if it is more a code for hurricane protection. I know Florida has very strict building codes for new construction so they stand a chance in a hurricane. I wonder if "trailers" can't be built to the same code and effectively tied to a foundation. Or if not specifically "code" in the middle of the state, Disney wants to build something they don't have to worry about flipping over in a big storm.

j

There are many Park model trailers, under 500 sq/ft, that are built in Ocala and installed in many of the parks around WDW, Lake Magic included. They are designed and anchored to withstand 110 mph or better sustained winds per FL building codes. So I doubt DIS is stick building because of hurricanes.

 

[mkatsy]

There are many Park model trailers, under 500 sq/ft, that are built in Ocala and installed in many of the parks around WDW, Lake Magic included. They are designed and anchored to withstand 110 mph or better sustained winds per FL building codes. So I doubt DIS is stick building because of hurricanes.

Insurance discount probably- looks like they are using steel studs. Fire, wind, and water resistant

 

[hertamaniac]

There are also county building codes that need to have compliance. In Marion County, a stick-built shed can mandate hurricane tie-down straps, etc. with a properly rated plate connector. Also, metal studs aren't exactly termite friendly.

And then there is the transport of a pre-fab subjected to vibrations and oscillations from the road. It might be that the site built offers a better build quality (I think it was a point of discussion). Maybe they thought DVC quality had better be a premium build.

 

[4077]

The speculation discussion and everyone's thoughts and ideas are, of course, much fun and keep everyone engaged and coming back to see. However, there are times when it would be nice to have someone on the inside to give the actual answer in the end so that a "winner" could be declared...lol!

 

[nomorethan8]

So I doubt DIS is stick building because of hurricanes

Maybe for a better depreciation schedule for taxes.

 

[Teamubr]

The speculation discussion and everyone's thoughts and ideas are, of course, much fun and keep everyone engaged and coming back to see. However, there are times when it would be nice to have someone on the inside to give the actual answer in the end so that a "winner" could be declared...lol!

Jimmy,

Having an actual insider is cheating. It's more fun to read all the speculation (guessing?) from us keyboard kings.

j