Halloween treat or treat?

myjourney

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 11, 2007
I can't remember, but I think they have trick or treating at the campgrounds on halloween? Is it only for guest staying at campgrounds or can guests from other Disney resorts go?
 
It is on Halloween and people come from all around, campers, other resorts, locals. We gave out almost 500 pieces of candy last year.

Well yeah, sorta, kinda. :scared:

KPSmithSr is correct, of course, but the issue is bigger than just handing out candy.

The main issue is people who want to drive to Fort Wilderness and park to do the ToT at FW will be turned away as they have done the last few years. The Fort parking lot is not big enough to handle half of Orlando who wants to come experience Halloween at the Fort (I'm not kidding). So it's a matter of handling cars/parking/traffic. Past years are proof of that experience.

My advice for WDW resort guests who want to visit FW is take a boat from the Magic Kingdom or Contemporary Resort/Wilderness Lodge. Try to get to the Fort before dusk/sundown on Halloween. I handed out candy on Halloween 2017 in loop 100 (close to the beach on Bay Lake) and it was a busy blur for two hours IIRC.

My advice for non-WDW resort guests is to enjoy the Halloween activities at Disney Springs. And don't assume you can park at Disney Springs and bus over to Fort Wilderness - Disney in the past has put CM with Magic Band scanners at the DS bus stop for the Fort to check who is getting on the FW bus.

Remember - although Trick or Treating is a much-beloved Fort Wilderness tradition, it is NOT a DISNEY offering. CAMPERS put it on - offering the candy. It is you and me and those who are staying at the Fort offering a special memory. We aren't there to offer a free alternative for all of WDW to the MNSS parties at MK.

And for what it's worth, all the resorts offer some ToT candy on Halloween usually at the WDW resort lobby concierge desk or somewhere. The past year's Recreation Calendars are a good indicator as will this coming year's calendars. So the Fort is not the only resort for Halloween.

Honestly, the Fort is more hastle than it's worth for off-site folks at Halloween.

Bama Ed
 
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Ed's advice, as usual, is on point. We've done it once, and it was an absolutely blast, but we were camping at the Fort. The challenge of coming onto the property for that purpose, however, could be a lot to manage (especially with younger kids). If you are staying at a Disney resort, I'd check into what they are offering before deciding to try to do the Fort.
 


Well yeah, sorta, kinda. :scared:

KPSmithSr is correct, of course, but the issue is bigger than just handing out candy.

The main issue is people who want to drive to Fort Wilderness and park to do the ToT at FW will be turned away as they have done the last few years. The Fort parking lot is not big enough to handle half of Orlando who wants to come experience Halloween at the Fort (I'm not kidding). So it's a matter of handling cars/parking/traffic. Past years are proof of that experience.

My advice for WDW resort guests who want to visit FW is take a boat from the Magic Kingdom or Contemporary Resort/Wilderness Lodge. Try to get to the Fort before dusk/sundown on Halloween. I handed out candy on Halloween 2017 in loop 100 (close to the beach on Bay Lake) and it was a busy blur for two hours IIRC.

My advice for non-WDW resort guests is to enjoy the Halloween activities at Disney Springs. And don't assume you can park at Disney Springs and bus over to Fort Wilderness - Disney in the past has put CM with Magic Band scanners at the DS bus stop for the Fort to check who is getting on the FW bus.

Remember - although Trick or Treating is a much-beloved Fort Wilderness tradition, it is NOT a DISNEY offering. CAMPERS put it on - offering the candy. It is you and me and those who are staying at the Fort offering a special memory. We aren't there to offer a free alternative for all of WDW to the MNSS parties at MK.

And for what it's worth, all the resorts offer some ToT candy on Halloween usually at the WDW resort lobby concierge desk or somewhere. The past year's Recreation Calendars are a good indicator as will this coming year's calendars. So the Fort is not the only resort for Halloween.

Honestly, the Fort is more hastle than it's worth for off-site folks at Halloween.

Bama Ed
Is it possible to see our resort's Recreation Calendar online/in advance of our trip or is it only once we check in? We are staying at Saratoga Springs. Also considering ToT at Disney Springs. Does each store essentially offer a ToT?
 
Is it possible to see our resort's Recreation Calendar online/in advance of our trip or is it only once we check in? We are staying at Saratoga Springs. Also considering ToT at Disney Springs. Does each store essentially offer a ToT?

Deanna,

This is a website to check that lists ALL the Disney resorts including DVC recreation calendars.

https://www.orlandoparksnews.com/p/recreational-calendars.html

At the moment it is still showing September (here on the morning of October 3) but it will get updated soon. There are other URL's you can check too if Google is your friend.

Disney Springs does not have the ToT around stores that I am aware of. Here is the DIS write-up of Halloween time at DS:

https://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-world/halloween.htm#disneysprings

Saratoga Springs is listed on the first link (scroll down thru the resorts to get to it). Obviously people checking in now won't have the info in a timely fashion but it should be up in a few days in time for most people's arrivals (Hopefully yours). And even once you arrive, check at your resort's front desk for things that may not be on the calendar just-in-case.

Bama Ed

EDIT - and same day this afternoon, October got put up.
 
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Deanna,

This is a website to check that lists ALL the Disney resorts including DVC recreation calendars.

https://www.orlandoparksnews.com/p/recreational-calendars.html

At the moment it is still showing September (here on the morning of October 3) but it will get updated soon. There are other URL's you can check too if Google is your friend.

Disney Springs does not have the ToT around stores that I am aware of. Here is the DIS write-up of Halloween time at DS:

https://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-world/halloween.htm#disneysprings

Saratoga Springs is listed on the first link (scroll down thru the resorts to get to it). Obviously people checking in now won't have the info in a timely fashion but it should be up in a few days in time for most people's arrivals (Hopefully yours). And even once you arrive, check at your resort's front desk for things that may not be on the calendar just-in-case.

Bama Ed

EDIT - and same day this afternoon, October got put up.
Thank you! No ToT listed at Saratoga unfortunately. I called and they said there is nothing planned as of yet. Hopefully when it gets closer. Shame Disney Springs doesn't ToT. We would have done dinner and shopped there if they did. Seems a missed opportunity
 


Thank you! No ToT listed at Saratoga unfortunately. I called and they said there is nothing planned as of yet. Hopefully when it gets closer. Shame Disney Springs doesn't ToT. We would have done dinner and shopped there if they did. Seems a missed opportunity

Yes for sure. I noticed in the October calendars that a few had 10/31 activities (Pop, CBR for example) but many did not. As for ToT specifically, as I said above, that's a guest thing (us campers doing it for us campers) and not a Disney organized thing (although they list ToT as if they are the ones offering it). Other folks show up but it's an organic event.

Nevertheless, have fun on your trip.

Bama Ed

PS - the only place Disney passes out candy is at the Mickey Not So Scary party for $$$$$.
 
I've kinda been selling the campground ToT to my friend's 8 yr old daughter, but we're not staying at FW, but at AK. But I don't want to be inconsiderate or disrespectful to the campers who are offering trick or treating. I have a reservation at Trail's end 2 hrs before and will just be taking the boat from MK, so not parking. As you folks are the campers, do you find it rude to have non-campers there trick or treating? Is there anything we can do to not be inconsiderate and 'pay back' the cool decorations and candy you're offering?
 
I've kinda been selling the campground ToT to my friend's 8 yr old daughter, but we're not staying at FW, but at AK. But I don't want to be inconsiderate or disrespectful to the campers who are offering trick or treating. I have a reservation at Trail's end 2 hrs before and will just be taking the boat from MK, so not parking. As you folks are the campers, do you find it rude to have non-campers there trick or treating? Is there anything we can do to not be inconsiderate and 'pay back' the cool decorations and candy you're offering?

Cynner,

If you have an ADR at Trails End then you are welcome at Fort Wilderness. The Mouse will welcome anyone who comes with confirmed plans to spend money. :goodvibes Every kid going out for ToT in a costume looks the same in that respect.

Many folks here have been to camp at the Fort over Halloween several years but I have only been once. But based on that single experience from 2017 that I had with ToT in loop 100 where we were staying, I have some opinions about ToT from the campers' perspective (worth what you paid for them):

1. Ask your child to say something like "Trick or treat" or ask for candy. "Thank you" will seal the deal. But saying SOMETHING helps.
2. If there is a group at the campsite getting candy as you approach, be patient and wait until they leave in a few seconds.
3. Take what you are given and move on - "I don't like that" is not polite.
4. It's nice when the parent of the ToT child says hello/thank you to the camper handing out candy as well. A simple head nod or wave will do.
5. It's not a help-your-self arrangement. The child should not dig through the camper's supply of candy picking/choosing what they want (and how many).
6. Some campers decorate their candy table, dress in a costume themselves while handing candy out, and/or have decorations around their trailer. If you like their decorations, they would appreciate a compliment for their effort.

Have a great time and if they have the bread pudding with the walnut sauce on the Trails End buffet, have a bowl for me PLEASE! I have the recipe (got it from the TE cookbook) but it is home-made at TE and industrial size - the recipe starts with "....take 16 pounds of bread.....". De-lish!

Bama Ed
 
Cynner,

If you have an ADR at Trails End then you are welcome at Fort Wilderness. The Mouse will welcome anyone who comes with confirmed plans to spend money. :goodvibes Every kid going out for ToT in a costume looks the same in that respect.
.......
Bama Ed
Thanks for the comments Ed - very much appreciate it. I'd hope my child is well mannered, but they get caught up in the moment and I'll be super vigilant!
 
Is there anything we can do to not be inconsiderate and 'pay back' the cool decorations and candy you're offering?

You are quite welcome, Cynner.

And thank you for asking. It's a rare question that we don't often get.

Ed
 
I've kinda been selling the campground ToT to my friend's 8 yr old daughter, but we're not staying at FW, but at AK. But I don't want to be inconsiderate or disrespectful to the campers who are offering trick or treating. I have a reservation at Trail's end 2 hrs before and will just be taking the boat from MK, so not parking. As you folks are the campers, do you find it rude to have non-campers there trick or treating? Is there anything we can do to not be inconsiderate and 'pay back' the cool decorations and candy you're offering?


Obviously I don't speak for the Fort or every other camper, but I absolutely loved preparing for Halloween at the Fort and handing out treats to everyone. We've only had the pleasure of doing camping there on Halloween once and I loved it more than any other time of year.

I really don't know if all the trick or treaters were campers or not, but didn't feel like there were too many. Every single person was wonderful. I didn't see a single incidence of obnoxious behavior, even from teens. It was just good family fun.

I'm a grandmother who lives very far out in the boonies and with our home far from the road. We don't get ToT'ers at home, so it was very exciting for me. Not everyone hands out treats, just like in the real world, people just walk past sites that are clearly not participating.

We just did it in 2017, so it was recently and maybe the Fort has done a better job of keeping the general public from showing up than in earlier years. But having reservations at FW will guarantee you are able to access the resort and you would definitely not be rude to take a child ToTing while there. Hope you have an amazing time!
 

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