Camping with very little experience

[rdaky]

Compared to National Park rates that’s super expensive. One of the benefits of camping is saving money over a hotel. Now, I love tent camping. But I love it out west, where the humidity is low.

And like the poster above says, you’ve added a lot of logistics. I have to assume they’re driving.

I initially assumed that too, but the original post mentions transportation to/from the airport as a perk, which led me to assume we are talking about flying with all of those camping supplies.

 

[RamblingMad]

I initially assumed that too, but the original post mentions transportation to/from the airport as a perk, which led me to assume we are talking about flying with all of those camping supplies.

I wouldn't car camp going through the airport without friends to support me. And the last time I did this I brought a one person backpacking tent and a jetboil to use as a stove. I also brought a backpacking air mattress. I can do backpacking trips that way, but I still have to either send stuff ahead or pick stuff up when I arrive.

The high humidity in FL doesn't make for great tent camping. I can see why most people opt for RVs. And unless you own a RV, I'd opt for staying off property or staying at a value to save money.

This might help out the OP.

https://pmags.com/the-joy-of-car-camping

 

[5stljayhawks]

DIS102 - I have tent camped june and dec at FW. Dec was doable... but being in tent in summer, there is no reprieve unless you goto comfort station.... Another thought if cash is tight, staying off property. Yeah, it's not 100% the same, but even with parking cost, I would do before sleeping in tent in the summer.

 

[Meshell2002]

we are fairly new to camping and have been going 4 times a year for the last couple of years. we camp mostly in the southeast and live in mid/ south alabama (similar humidity to FW). our last trip to WDW was in june and we stayed off site in a 2 br condo for 90/ night. i can tolerate a tent thru memorial day ( camp at gulf states park at least once a year) with a box fan and electrical outlet.... much later than that is too hot for my thermostat. Your most confortable camping months for FL IMO are oct thru may. with the right sleeping bags im not opposed to cold weather camping.. its way better than 100 degress in a tent that will be 150 with the sun on it.

 

[Spiffy MacSpiff]

The MacSpiffs are experienced tent campers; back in the day we did a lot of pack-in, pack-out camping, but the older we get the more we do car camping where we haul in all our gear, set it up, and use the campsite as a base for a week or so. We also have family near Orlando and have visited them in August several times, and let me tell you, I wouldn't touch tent camping there at that time of year with a ten-foot pole. Maybe even a twenty-foot pole, at least not as a beginner. In any case, if you have to buy a lot of equipment I agree with other posters that offsite or a value resort would be a better option. In the meantime, maybe you could borrow some gear and take a short trip to try it out, somewhere closer to home? You might love it, and then you could plan for camping at FW some other time.

 

[elaine amj]

It can get pretty expensive especially if u have to buy most of your camping equipment. We are experienced car campers with a lot of equipment. I still had to buy a few new things for our FW trip.

We flew in with all our tent camping gear for 5 ppl and stayed 2 weeks last December. There were things we liked about it. And frankly, quite a lot of things we didn't.

I was excited as I love camping and I love Disney and this was a dream come true to merge the two together.

One of our major problems with the whole idea is that camping is frankly a lot of work. You spend a lot of time setting up, keeping things tidy, and just managing stuff around the campground. I am happy to do all that when I am deep in the woods with not much else to distract me - the work becomes part of the fun. But at Disney, my family just wanted to go and do fun things and got rather impatient at having to deal with camp work.

We had several beautiful days and several rainy days that were just awful. I am used to dealing with rain while camping but man, it is just not fun. And we discovered it can be possible to broil in a tent at the end of December (and freeze the next day). There were several afternoons where it was so hot it was miserable to rest at the campsite in the afternoon (although more tolerable swinging in the hammock lol). And some nights where we used our electric heater and those little handwarmers so we were warm enough to sleep.

So I doubt we will do it again although I sure do get tempted every once in a while.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

Invest in a good easy up tent. We bought one for my niece and it just pretty much pops up and you don't have to mess with poles, etc. It is also really big and roomy. Also make sure it has good waterproofing. We took my nephew once in a little Coleman yrs back, we have a small Class B so he slept out in the tent and there was a huge rain storm that night. He and his gf slept right through it and woke up with a mass flood all around, literally they were like in a large puddle of water and things were floating by lol and they were dry as could be.

 

[mikehn]

And youtube is your friend for all kinds of camping related how-tos

 

[Spiffy MacSpiff]

Invest in a good easy up tent. We bought one for my niece and it just pretty much pops up and you don't have to mess with poles, etc. It is also really big and roomy. Also make sure it has good waterproofing. We took my nephew once in a little Coleman yrs back, we have a small Class B so he slept out in the tent and there was a huge rain storm that night. He and his gf slept right through it and woke up with a mass flood all around, literally they were like in a large puddle of water and things were floating by lol and they were dry as could be.

This! Even if a tent is new, set it up in your backyard and hose it down while someone sits inside to look for leaks. If necessary, use seam sealer on it, and give at least the fly (if not the whole tent) a good coating of water repellent.

 

[LovesTimone]

Is it a bad idea to stay at the campsite if I don’t even know how to set up a tent? I assume there’s people to help with that? How hot does it get in August at FW? Can you take a decent nap and not be miserable? Also I assume air mattresses work?

Thanks in advance! I just really want the advantages of staying on site (EMH, 60+ day FPs, free transport to/from parks and airport, etc) but I don’t have the money to stay in a Disney Hotel!

I am pretty sure that there is no-one to help you set up a tent, nor is this something that is even offered... nor do they provide tents and gear, so you would have to bring everything with you....

Have you ever slept in a tent? what size tent are you talking about using... there is everything from a 1 or 2 man tent to family size... if you are planning on using DME to and from the airport, are you planning on traveling with a tent and gear that you will need on the plane? a good tent is heavy...as well as a air mattress is fairly heavy... If by car then you can bring whatever pretty much will need in the car...

First you have to be practical and look at the whole picture - I'm not a camper... I have been camping... when I was a girl scout, church youth group type things and as a young adult... I do live in Winter Garden outside the back gates of Disney so I can speak to the weather...

Tents lacks any real privacy, so that means getting up and walking to a bathroom in the middle of the night, as well as showering in a bathhouse kinda setting... As well as the noise factor of others guest talking, walking, golf carts moving around, vehicles, at all hours of the day and night...

As well you will need gear for even the basic of camping.... sleeping bags( sheets), pillows, towels, camp chairs, some type of cooler, and water lots and lots of water and Gatorade... if you take a air mattresses you will need to a pump... plus the normal stuff you take when coming to see mickey and the gang... as well where are going to put wet towels that you shower with... or wet swim wear... with the humidity things just don't dry out in the sun, and they sour, and will stink quickly.... so laundry might be something that you will need to do...

Have you been to Florida in August... I am a local born and raised... August and early September are the worst months... it is hot and with the humidity it's miserable, so if it's 100 plus the humidity it can add 10 degrees to the real feel number... so 110 degrees it what it will feel like...You will need a fan of some sort really a couple of fans... and really all that will do is push the hot air around...

Then we get to the afternoon rain shower, or down pour, or thunderstorm... you have to think about keeping your bedding and other stuff dry... so this is something you will need to plan for...

Mosquito...and other bugs... while I'm sure that they spray to keep them at bay... it's Florida and they will show up and represent, trust me on this one...

Tents do not lock...

I will tell you a story of our friends who decided to go tent camping at Fort Wilderness... between the heat and humidity, mosquito and sand flea, and no see'em bites, the afternoon rain shower that soaked everything that they brought with them... and that was the first day, which they end up sleeping in their SUV that night, and getting in and out all night to take the kids to the bathroom... they packed up the next morning, and ended up at a the Hilton at Disney Springs and the room price per night was let's say was really something shocking... her DH has never said another word about the cost of a hotel at Disney since then... LOL... and they were experienced campers, they were use to camping in the Carolina's, Tennessee and Kentucky...

If you were an experienced camper and had all the gear, and knew what you were doing... and what to really expect... then I would say go for it... such as you are unfamiliar with all of this, I would suggest looking a saving more money to come at another time, or springing for a value resort...

Good Luck with whatever you decide...

 

[LuvMyEAR]

FW always sounds like a blast, but summer tenting in FL is apparently more like a blast furnace! It pretty much eliminates any charm of sitting around a campfire.

If you want to stay on budget, seriously consider staying off site. There are amazing resort communities, like Windsor Hills and Windsor Palms that offer vacation rentals where your front door would be closer to the AK entrance than a campsite would be. Think AC, a kitchen, your own washer & dryer AND bathroom. 2 and 3 bedroom condos are awesome. You could even have a 2-story townhouse with your own plunge pool for the price of a value resort room. Resort facilities usually included a community pool clubhouse and more. We have stayed in many such rentals and have never had a bad experience. The rentals are nicely equipped and all you need is your own food, tp, and cleaning supplies, which are all available very close by.

That said, we have also stayed at two value resorts. All-Star Sports offers a room and a small one at that. Ok for 2 people, but our family found it unbearably cramped for 4. The same 4 family members stayed at AoA, in a Cars family suite. That was better but much pricier. We could have had a 5 or 6 bedroom house with private pool and spa for considerably less. Cool theming and fun for a short visit but would not have wanted to be there for many nights. We did it just to have on onsite experience and all 6 of us (DH, DD, DSIL, 2 DGSs, and myself) prefer the space and convenience of rental properties.

 

[DisLiss]

The first camping we ever did was in our backyard. Then we camped at a very local park so we could just up & leave if need be or if we forgot anything crucial.

I'd not opt to camp for the first time at Disney simply because I wouldn't know if I even liked it yet. Heck, we do like camping, but I still don't think WDW in August is a camping experience we would enjoy. But good luck to you with whatever you ultimately decide to do.

 

[Boopuff]

Is it a bad idea to stay at the campsite if I don’t even know how to set up a tent? I assume there’s people to help with that? How hot does it get in August at FW? Can you take a decent nap and not be miserable? Also I assume air mattresses work?

Thanks in advance! I just really want the advantages of staying on site (EMH, 60+ day FPs, free transport to/from parks and airport, etc) but I don’t have the money to stay in a Disney Hotel!

Nope, no one to help you set up. However, you'll provide great entertainment for veteran campers as they watch you fumble through set up ( Practice at home!)
Hot, in a tent, is an understatement. I grew up tent camping and remember suffering through mid-west humidity. Everything feels soggy all-the-time... Zero privacy, lugging stuff to wash/shower halfway to Egypt (god forbid you gotta go in the middle of the night hiking around your Victoria Secret best..)
Many veteran tenters can tell you they have rubbermaid bins with all the best camping "stuff" to make the experience comfy. We quit tenting years ago, got a TT and now a land yacht and have never, will never look back. Good luck! (and get an AC unit adapter!!)

 

[CheshKAT]

Being avid campers, (20y+yrs), we would never go to WDW in august to tent camp. I think those who do camp in August have plenty of extras to make that trip comfortable. Take the advice and go to All Stars or Pop Century. They are very immersive, aka fun. August always has discounts so you should get be able to get some kind of deal. You're not going for luxury, just somewhere to sleep and shower, so this is really your best bet.

 

[John VN]

..............Take the advice and go to All Stars or Pop Century..........You're not going for luxury, just somewhere to sleep and shower............................

in air-conditioned comfort!!!

 

[cinderellagirl2280]

I would look into the option of renting a trailer if you want to stay at FW. If you're just looking for the least expensive option to visit Disney, either look at the Value Resorts or look into the option of staying off site and renting a car to go in to the parks. Price out every available option you can think of to find the most value for your dollar.

 

[hertamaniac]

I would look into the option of renting a trailer if you want to stay at FW.

That's what we just did this past March and really enjoyed the experience. The trailer rental also came with a free golf cart for the duration of our stay.

 

[Stratman50th]

That's what we just did this past March and really enjoyed the experience. The trailer rental also came with a free golf cart for the duration of our stay.

What company did you end up using?

 

[hertamaniac]

What company did you end up using?

Camper rental adventures.

 

[North of Mouse]

I think the OP had her answer over two months ago by March 20 and hasn't been back since.