Home Away From Home Resorts Help!!!

[kitty]

Hello Everyone, I am a disney world Florida novice who is planning a trip next year with one husband and two kids. W e kinda like the look of the home from home resorts particularly fort wilderness but heres the catch, we will be travelling without a car. I would like to know if that makes the resort suitable or should we consider another resort also how easy will it be to get to any grocery stores without a car or are there some on site. I appeal to all you experts out there to help me and give me the benefit of your experience. Many Thanks :) :) :) :)

[BigThunder]

I have never stayed at FW so I cannot tell you anything about that resort. To get to Parks/DTD/water parks you don't need a car, they offer transportation by bus or boat to all places. I would imagine they have a little grocery store on site as do the other home away from home resorts. For the most part though, they don't offer much selection. The prices (though high) don't even bother me as much as the lack of a real selection. But there is some choice. I don't know how much eating in the room you are going to do but if you plan on doing much you will want to get out to a grocery store off property. We checked into doing that once via taxi cab & it was very expensive I think. Can't remember now how much but we didn't do it because it was so high. Renting a car is always an option but if you feel you will only need it for one trip to the grocery I don't think it would be cost effective, it would probably be cheaper to just get a taxi.

[Keith]

Hello Everyone, I am a disney world Florida novice who is planning a trip next year with one husband and two kids. W e kinda like the look of the home from home resorts particularly fort wilderness but heres the catch, we will be travelling without a car. I would like to know if that makes the resort suitable or should we consider another resort also how easy will it be to get to any grocery stores without a car or are there some on site. I appeal to all you experts out there to help me and give me the benefit of your experience. Many Thanks :) :) :) :)

We always travel there without a car too... but we use one of the towncar companies (there's a couple who sponsor this site listed at the top of this page). They give a free grocery stop on your way from the airport to the resort so we stock up on bread, milk, butter, some meat for sandwiches etc :)

Failing that, if you get a free disney bus from your resort to downtown disney, you can get to crossroads from there (very cheap taxi ride or you can even walk!) and do a shop there.

[SorcererMickey]

Keith is right, it's very easy to get to DTD with Disney transport. It will take you about 20 minutes (30 if you really stroll and enjoy the view) to walk from the bus drop-off to Crossroads.

http://www.disneyguest.com/images/boards/crossroads-dtd-01.jpg

As far as the "home away from home resorts", which include the DVC resorts, with two kids, I would consider the Beach Club :yes: . It's a great resort for families, the pool is incredible with sand bottom, waterfalls, a slide themed like a shipwreck... It's just fun!

Here are some photos:

Disney's Beach Club (http://www.disneyguest.com/images/beach_club/beach_club-0001.html)

:ears: :ears: :ears:

[kitty]

Many thanks everyone your replies were really helpful and I shall icheck out the beach club resort as well.
This site is so useful it takes some of the worry out of booking the unknown.
Thanks again and I'm sure I shall soon be needing your advice again.
:) :) :) :)

[Scoootch]

Okay....yes you can get to DTD quite easily but personnaly, I don't think I'd want to have to worry about carrying all the grocery bags back via the buses(plus the walk isn't terrible but enough that if you had to carry bags, you may want to go about it another way) . The easiest ways to get groceries without having a car IMHO would be to either do a grocery stop as Keith mentioned or I've heard some really great things about Wegoshop.com (hope that's okay to post...if the moderaters took that out PM me and I'll send you the link and my appologies to the moderaters in that case). I haven't used them myself as I live here in FL and always have my car now, but lots of people are saying they're very good and that their prices are quite reasonable. You may want to check them out :thumbs: They will take a full grocery order, do the shopping for you and have it all waiting in your villa upon arrival and you can get basically anything you can if you were to go shopping yourself at any grocery store.

As for FW Cabins....they will have a full kitchen,living room with a Murphy bed that pulls down out of the wall,a bedroom with a queen bed and set of bunkbeds 1 bathroom and a deck to sit on outside. The resort itself is nice, the pool is very plain though from what I've heard...no real theming to it at all. Transportation to everywhere is via boat or buses. If you end up in one of the further out cabins I hear you may want to rent a golf cart :shrug:

If you want convenient to the parks BCV's is an excellent choice as is BWV's (you can walk or take a boat to both Epcot and MGM) and VWL has a boat to MK and is quite close and buses to everywhere else. SSR and OKW are walkable to DTD as well as a quick boat ride and buses to all the main parks. OKW is my home resort and has the most spacious of the home away from home villas and usually more reasonalble prices.

Have a great trip and let us know where you decide upon staying! :D

[Keith]

Okay....yes you can get to DTD quite easily but personnaly, I don't think I'd want to have to worry about carrying all the grocery bags back via the buses(plus the walk isn't terrible but enough that if you had to carry bags, you may want to go about it another way) .

When we did this we walked there (pant pant ;-) and got a taxi back with the groceries.

[Scoootch]

When we did this we walked there (pant pant ;-) and got a taxi back with the groceries.
LOL Keith :lol: That is precisely my point....I think I'd look at the Wegoshop service myself. Actually, had I known about it before my last long trip back in Oct. I may have checked them out just so I didn't have to go shopping myself. Oh well, there's always next time :rolleyes: :rotfl:

[psdjmem]

Kitty,

We have stayed at FW cabins and we LOVE LOVE LOVE them! We have 5 kids so it is wonderful for a large family-- lots of space. Let me go on and on about them .... :D

All the cabins got a face lift 4 or so years ago and they are quite nice. They have a cute rustic decor and with kids it is great you can be noisy and not disturb the people next to you like in a hotel!!

The bedroom has a double or a queen not sure which and a bunk bed and there is room for a portable crib (FW can supply you with one if needed) at the end of the bunk beds without having to crawl over it to get out of the room! It has a small closet and a sink as i recall with a mirror - nice to have a area to get ready in other than the bathroom so one person can be in the shower the other geting ready a real time saver!

The bathroom is a nice size full size tub/shower, and a sink with plentey of counter top space. Lots of extra towles stored underneath the sink!

The living area is roomy with a pull out bed which our kids think is way cool! A sofa and coffee table and TV with VCR (do check on the VCR as when we were there 3 years ago our cabin did not have one!) So your kids can be asleep in the bunk beds and you and hubby can relax and watch tv.

Kitchen is open to the living area full size fridge and stove and oven. Microwave and toaster too. I dont know if there is a coffie maker? It is great to have the kitchen!

A dining table which the new one seat 6 i believe.

There is a deck and picnic table and a BBQ grill outside.

pictures of cabins
http://community.webshots.com/album/66031577kEhyjH

FW activities
lots to do they have outside movies that chip and dale visit!
http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/fwrec.html

FW FAQ
this site includes the list of supplies at the cabins-
http://home.hiwaay.net/%7Ejlspence/faq_fw.htm


I would recommend if possible getting groceries before you get to FW -- if your car service is one of the ones who makes a stop on the way to the resort BUT there is a store there in FW which is easy to get to by bus. The store does have quite a decent selection of food items but they are a bit more than the local grocery store but not outrageous in cost. They have milk, jucies, water, sodas, I think they sell beer and wime coolers ?? they have breads, crackers, peanut butter, jellies. they carry some lunchmeats and cheese, hot dogs and a variety of frozen things like pizzas, ice cream bars and snack type foods. Candy, chips, popcorn and those sort of snack items. They also carry lots of breakfast things like doughnuts, coffee cakes they sell eggs too. They sold already made subs, salads and a small selection of fresh fruit like apples and bannans. And ofcourse all kinds of WDW shirts, hats, bathing suits and trinkets and disney souvioners how handy! I think you can drop off one day film develpoing too.

The store has one of those pressed penny machines if you do those. There is a boat that leaves from the dock and goes right over to MK saves time!! It is a nice ride.

Many people rent golf carts and for us this is a MUST DO our kids love them and for us they are worth the cost which i think is 40$ a day -- but we have used the buses too and never had a problem it is not a long walk from any of the cabins and you can request to be at the front of the loop if walking is diffucult for you or you have young kids

We will never stay anywhere else we love it so much and there is so much to do!! Make sure you go to the camp fire movie one night and they sell all the fixins to make smores and hot dogs yumyum!!

Did I mention I really like those cabins :rotfl:

[Keith]

I've never even considered the cabins before but you make them sound really great!!

[psdjmem]

Keith,
For us right now they are great, our little ones are 3, 5 and 8 and our older two are 17 and 19 so the cabins work out great -- the little ones can be in bed the older ones out watching tv, most nights hubby or myself take turns going back to one of the parks that is open late or DTD for some shopping yeah! Maybe some point in time we will try out the poly (I have alwasy wanted to stay there) or better yet the GF - ooo-lala that would be really nice!

the only thing I can say they need to spure up is the pools they are ... boring the other resorts have such neat theme pools wish you could pool hop!

[kitty]

Sharon,
You really do make the cabins sound like an excellent choice as I have two rather noisey messy hectic and energetic boys aged 11 and 7 who I thing would appreciate the space to romp around, I know I will like being in in separate roon to them at night. Can you clear one thinf u fot me though, We read a review that said there was wildlife on the resort, can you please out my youngest childs mind at reat and tell him you don't have have snaked in Florida!!!

[psdjmem]

Kitty,
I have never seen a snake at the cabins, although we did get to see some bunnies, lizards and one horrid spider which we sent to spider heaven ..... and they have quite a few peacocks roaming about the area very very pretty - I will warn you - we did see two very furry chipmunks who were stealing campers smores at the campfire - gotta watch out for them :rotfl:

I think you would have a splendid time at the cabins but the great thing about any of the disney resorts you will have a wonderful time no matter which one you choose!!

[PaulT]

Another vote for FW Cabins, it is our preferred onsite resort, with three noisy growing boy's i like the space and privacy the Cabins give, i'm not worried about them disturbing people above, below and to the sides as i would be if we were in a Hotel Room. As for wildlife you do get Armadillos wondering about in the undergrowth in the evenings(but they don't bite :) ).

[Malificent]

We too love the FW resort!!! We have 2 loud growing girls and they loved that we had our own "house" to run around in! The transportation is easy from there but one thing I would reccommend is to call ahead and reserve a golf cart for your stay. You can use this to get to the pool, the store etc.... We loved having this as the pool and store were a hike from our cabin. :)

[PumbaNY]

Depends on your childrens ages, I would do the Villas at wilderness lodge or the Cabins because they are what we call MK resorts. they are a boat ride away from the magic kingdom, so if your children are young these resorts are the easiest home away to take advantage of the MK. but if your children are older, teens, than you will probably spend more time in Epcot or studios, so the Beach club Villas or the Board walk villas would be better.

[triciacarole]

..I have never seen a snake at the cabins, although we did get to see some bunnies, lizards and one horrid spider...
Spiders! I can't stay there. What is OKW like? It reminds me a bit of CBR, I stay there about 6 years ago and I could here the people in the next room using the bathroom :afraid:

[Scoootch]

What is OKW like?
OKW is the best! :D Not that I'm biased being that it's my home resort or anything lol :whistle:

OKW has the most spacious villa's of all the DVC's, and is beautiful. If you liked CBR, you will absolutely LOVE OKW!! You can park right in front of your villa if you'll have a car, there's a new pool slide at the main pool as well as hot tubs at each of the 4 neighborhood pools,Olivia's (the sit down resturant) is wonderful and there are lots of kids activities at community hall on the boardwalk at turtle crawl...not to mention, massages to be had,surrey bikes and boats to be rented and the boat to DTD....If you want more specifics just ask away :thumbs: :wiggle: