Since the end of summer, crews have been busy refurbishing the Fort Wilderness cabins. Guests will be pleasantly surprised at the changes that have taken place and will continue to make it a sought after resort reservation. The cabins are especially enticing for the larger families since they can sleep six. In the past this was a tight squeeze but now it is a much more comfortable option. Work is currently going on in Loop 2600.
The cabins themselves have stayed the same structurally. Since this is technically a wetlands area they cannot change the building profile. So Disney used their magic and pixie dust on the inside.
Guests will find new carpets and window treatments and new flooring throughout. There is also updated and new lighting. All cabins have had new decks built outside.
Probably the biggest change is the addition of a queen bed in the bedroom. With the bunks remaining as well as the nightstand I thought this might make for a very tight room but was pleasantly surprised that it looks and feels great. The new queen bed is also one where you can store your luggage or other gear underneath giving you more room. The closet and drawers remain the same and maybe during the next renovation they will address the small size of the closet.
The bathroom has been updated with new countertop, tile backsplash, hardware etc. You now have four storage drawers as well as a large area of the countertop to keep personal items close at hand. Although the cabins have only one bathroom it is a large area for several to use at one time.
The largest area of the cabins is the kitchen/dining/living room. Disney has added a great coat rack at the main door entry so you have a place for those pesky rain ponchos on rainy days.
The dining table is the same with the bench seat and three additional chairs allowing for six or more to sit and eat comfortably.
Big changes happened in the kitchen and it all looks wonderful. New countertops and cabinets seem to open the room up and they have moved the sink and appliances to different locations. Disney removed the stove and oven and replaced them with a two burner cooktop and large convection/microwave unit. Some guests are intimidated by a convection oven but I can assure you that it is just as easy to cook food in it as a normal oven. I cook foods from meatloaf, pies, brownies and more in my small convection oven in my motor coach. There are new refrigerators and dishwashers making the kitchens some of the most updated ones on property.
The final changes to mention are the ones that happened in the living area. The Murphy Bed is gone! In its place is a new queen sleeper sofa upholstered in a material that will repel just about anything that you could think of spilling on it including red wine! I find the color a bit too light for the decor but am happy that they addressed the possibility of spills happening on the furniture.
The old small tv and cabinet have disappeared and in its place is a 55″ flat screen tv mounted where the murphy bed once was located. Under the TV they have added 6 drawers helping overcome the small closet space.
I am excited about the changes and excited that Disney is listening to the needs of the guests. The cabins have needed a true refurbishment for a long time and the results are definitely positive.
Check out over 50 new photos of the Ft. Wilderness Cabins!
Take a video tour!!
Can we pitch a tent on the property?
I have seen several posts mention renting a golf cart. Why is this necessary and how much are rentals?
Deb: The Fort is laid back and prefers you don’t drive your car around it. In fact, Many places are not accessible by car. You can take the internal buses, or rent a golf cart to get around. You can enter and leave the resort, but that’s about it.
If you have rented a golf cart, are you able to park it in designated areas close to the shuttles to the parks, leave it there all day, and find it as you left it when you return?
DEB: Yes, as space allows. It can fill up on peak times.
I was considering booking until I saw the pull-out couch. I would much rather have the Murphy bed instead of a 55″ tv. I like the queen bed in the bedroom. Good addition. I would also rather have the stove. Cooking is the whole point of staying in a cabin. DW had a few hits with this reno, but more misses, I’m afraid. It’s now a little less like a cabin. Too bad. Maybe DW will rethink the Murphy bed and stove for the rest of the renos.
We usually stay at Riverside and just came back a couple of weeks ago. While that resort is our favorite we decided to try Fort Wilderness for our upcoming trip in March. Are all cabins refurbished? If not do the old ones have a full sized refrigerator, microwave and toaster? Kinda hard to know what food to bring if you don’t know what appliances are there and what I’m reading online all speaks to refurbished cabins. Is there an outside grill with all cabins (refurbished and not) and are they all charcoal? I want to make sure I bring the right supplies. Also is there a fire ring so that families can make their own fires, or are all campfires managed by cast members? Can I assume linens are provided in all cabins? I’m really excited about staying in the cabins but worry I won’t pack appropriately. Any suggestions/comments will be appreciated.
ALL EARS:
Photos of the renovated cabin interiors: http://allears.net/acc/g-fort-wilderness-cabins.htm
Video of the renovated cabin interior:
http://allears.net/acc/g-fort-wilderness-videos.htm
Thanks for all of this very useful information. I hadn’t stayed in the cabins for a couple of years and was sort of surprised they renovated them. Like many, I’m sorry to see the convenient and fairly comfortable Murphy bed go, but also glad to read some comments that the sofa bed is not bad. I am also sad to hear the pantry is gone, because we did use it to store a lot of dry goods. Also glad to hear of a queen bed in the bedroom and with luggage storage underneath. However, I thought the top bunk had a weight limit, yet the cabin description states it can accommodate six adults. Did they put in sturdier bunk beds?
Most of this sounds great, except I am sorry to see the Murphy bed go. We have stayed in all the values and a couple of moderates and one deluxe resort and the Murphy bed was by far the most comfortable bed we have used.
Are there rocking chairs on the decks? I could have sworn I saw a pic somewhere that showed rockers on the deck of one of the cabins.
I personally love the renovations. I think they still have rustic charm without feeling dumpy (white appliances were SO dated) and old. Yes, they are less country-themed, but it was more of an 80s country look anyway. The kitchen alone is fab looking.
DEB: A few of the decks had rocking chairs, not all.
Did you find that there was enough room to store food in the kitchen without the large pantry? Thanks for sharing!
AllEars: We didn’t bring a lot of food with us, so hard to answer
Are there clothes hangers in the closets? And how many? Wondering if I need to bring some. Thanks.
AllEars: There are usually 5-6 hangers in the resort closets. You can always call housekeeping and ask for more.
Has loop 2100 been refurbished ? I read somewhere it was going to be cleared out for Mobile homes.
I hope not, it’s our favorite loop.
Thanks, Nancy
Hello, I am excited to see the cabin renovations. I know that all handicap accessible cabins were in loop 2800, but I have heard that there are now handicap accessible cabins in all loops. Can anyone confirm this?
We rented 3 cabins in the 2500 loop this year (2016) and none were renovated; however the our check-in agent stated all cabins had been renovated. Assuming he was mistaken.
I noticed from one of the photos that there was a rocking chair on the deck. Would you happen to know if all cabins will have them? It would be a great idea to also have a lounge chair (or one that could be rented) on the decks. My family and I have been going to the cabins for the past four years and love it there. We will of course be returning.
ALL EARS: Rocking chairs seemed to only be on a couple decks. The majority had regular chairs.
Hi
iv just booked to stay here in may (from the uk) ,
We haven’t been advised of any renovation work so i presume it won’t bother us, but can anyone tell me how you can get a renovated cabin or is it just luck on check in.
also another tips for a fab stay we have 2 adults a 10 year old 8 year old and 4 year old .
Thanks for the pics too its great to see it from another person not a brochure .
DEB: Request to be in a renovated cabin. Ask again when you check into the fort. They have been closing an entire loop when they do the renovations, so noise should be minimal.
I agree with just about all the updates, last July 2015 we were there. They are truly a hidden secret for families…tons of space to spread out Vs hotels, full kitchens etc. Losing the Murphy bed probably wasnt the best idea. That bed was just as comfy as regular beds, I’m skeptical about using pull out sofa beds, not as convenient to open and close either as the Murphy bed. Overall, I love the changes. The dark curtains and lighting is improved fo rsure. The bedding and curtains always felt dirty and dusty, now I think thats addressed too.
Will be there in a week.
PLEASE ANSWER: I saw someone ask earlier if all cabins are finished, or what numbers are refurbished where we might be able to ask for the newer ones. OR, are all cabins complete at this point??
WE DO not know at this time if all cabins are finished yet.
We stayed in (I believe) the 2300 loop the week of November 15th. I had planned to put my mother on the murphy bed, but then a friend of hers was coming, so my wife and I put the two of them in the bedroom and we were going to put ourselves on the murphy bed.
Which was not there. So we slept on the new foldout couch.
The mattress was very firm and it had me worried, because we sleep on memory foam at home. But come morning, we were fine – well rested and no bruises. There was no metal bar across the back, like some sleepers, and the mattress was quite thick. It also does not get folded in the middle, quite, and the major fold-down part is just the last foot or so of the mattress at the foot end.
So, fear not the sleeper sofa. It is great! And the drawers were very useful and I don’t know where we would have put things if we did not have them. But, yes, housekeeping did unmake the bed most days and it is annoying to keep remaking it. For that alone, I would have preferred the murphy.
Kitchen was fine, except that the ice maker did not work – if it was even supposed to – and I never remembered to report it. We only used the kitchen for breakfast anyhow. Plenty of room in the cabinets to the left and there is no law that says you can’t store non-refrigerated food in the refrigerator – old bachelor trick for keeping bugs and mice at bay.
Bathroom also good. Expected to hit my knees on the bathtub when seated, but the room is actually much bigger than that.
And the golf carts are fun and useful, so definitely rent one if you can afford it. But please avoid loading your family of seven on the cart built for four, as I saw happen once.
Hope to try the cabins again some day, when it is just me and my wife.
You removed all the Murphy beds? Oh NO !!! Three of us always slept in the living room. Two on the Murphy bed and one on the sofa. Now one of us is short a bed. Very disappointing.
Could you please tell me whether or not all the loops have been completed? I called reservations and guest services and they did not even know they were being done.
Thanks
ALLEARS: At this time we believe the renovation is still taking place.
The renovation looks great, but I can’t understand why they would remove the food pantry from the kitchen. Where are we going to store everything?
Hi,
Does anyone know if the cabins have wifi?
ALLEARS: YES, the cabins do have Disney wifi
Wow! I want to live there!
Are the 2400 and 2600 Loops complete as of today? My family will be there at Christmas and wondering which loops will be done by then and which ones will not be.
ALLEARS: I don’t know if those loops are finished yet or not.
Have all of the cabins been refurbished?
Thanks,
Kent
ALL EARS:
UPDATE: on the Fort Wilderness Cabin renovation. Loops 2200 and 2300 have been completed. At this time, the 2400 and 2600 loops are closed for renovation.
Thanks for the video and information. I have the cabins booked for my trip in October 2016. I will be our first time staying at the cabins. I have stayed in the campground before and loved it.
Fort Wilderness is my favorite Disney resort. I was there in mid-October and saw the construction. The construction noise is minimal since the majority of the work takes place during the day and inside.
I will agree that the renovations were long overdue but like others I think the new décor is not really in theme with the resort. You can also see Disney cost cutting with the renovations as well. The new “shelf” under living room TV clashes with the old Formica countertops on the cabinets under the windows. The bedroom cabinets and countertops are mismatched to the rest of the cabin.
As others have said, some of the upgrades are terrific !! Queen bed – great, upgraded bath – great, but not stove (just cooktop) and losing the tall storage cabinet for food stuff and the Murphy Bed is unforgivable. My family has stayed at the cabins a number of times over the past 10 years and loved it. The Murphy bed was comfortable and I know sofa beds (no matter who makes them) are not comfortable. The curtains and couch does not reflect the rustic appeal we love. If you wanted to change the fabrics wish you would have kept them on the rustic side. We are planning on a trip in Oct 16 to bring my 3,4,& 6 yr old great grandchildren and staying at Ft. Wilderness, but may change my mind now.
Did they leave the grill and picnic table?? I’m so very disappointed with this remodel. My family may have to look for somewhere else to stay. We really used the stove and it saved us a lot of money. That’s probably why they got rid of it. 🙁
ALL EARS: Yes the grill and picnic table remain!
These changes are awful and to me don’t reflect the spirit of Ft. Wilderness. Why on Earth would anyone need a 55″television? At least they could have left the pine tree and pine cone curtains, and sofa fabric alone. The new curtains look like they belong more in the Contemporary, as well as the mint green sofa. They have taken the charm out of the cabins. Heartbreaking.
Does the TV now have a DVD player?
Also, there is a pack n play in the cabin right? Where would you put it to sleep a little one? This is our first trip and I’m trying to get a visual on the place we’ll be staying in. We have 2 kids, 2 adults and a toddler.
Oh, will my universal reusable coffee filter fit the coffee maker?
ALL EARS: The TV has a Blue Ray DVD player under the big screen. There is a pack and play in the utility closet, if not, you can request one. You have to get creative with cribs, just like any resort room… in the living room, in front of the bunk beds, etc. Just have to move it around and see what works best for you and your family.
Wow! What a beautiful transformation! We stayed there with our family of 5 several years back and loved it. It was quaint and rustic. Just what we expected.
As others have said, I too miss the convenience and comfort of the Murphy bed. Pull it down and your ready to sleep. Raise it up and you’re ready for the day. We also miss the stove! Folks staying here loved the idea of cooking for their families with real food. This set up seems to cater to quick foods, certainly not Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners.
But, the refurbishment was needed and the finished product looks beautiful.
As always, thanks for keeping all of us in the know!
Everything looks really nice but like everyone else, I’m kind of bummed the Murphy bed is gone. My Mom loved sleeping on the Murphy bed but I doubt she’ll like the sofa bed.
Just stayed over Halloween, all the updates are great in the bedroom and bathroom. The kitchen looks more sleek and appealing, but miss the regular 4- burner stove and oven large enough for pizzas and multiple items. The living room looks a little more spacious and has large TV and drawers underneath. Wish they would consider keeping the Murphy beds in some of the cabins. You pull the Murphy bed down to sleep, it’s already set-up and in the morning, you simply lift it up and you are back to having a living room. The sleeper sofa you have to put the sheets on and then each morning the bed has to be folded back up and cushions put back on. Housekeeping stripped all the sheets back off when they cleaned and didn’t put new ones on, so at night we had to remake the bed. Also not so sure the couch is as comfortable as a Murphy bed.
We loved staying in the cabins, but there was nowhere to store luggage. Glad to know that’s been resolved. But, sorry to hear the Murphy bed is gone. I’d rather have a better bed than a bigger TV that probably won’t be watched. In other resort rooms that have sleeper sofas, and most larger rooms seem to now, only smaller children could sleep comfortably on them. My daughter, who is 5′ 1″ tall tried sleeping on a sofa bed at BCV and not only was it miserably uncomfortable, her feet hung off the end.
I love the cabins. I have been thinking about buying into DVC but I grew up going to Ft. Wilderness in our camper, and later the cabins. My burgers family just bought an rv so it’s even more appealing to stay there. Gonna miss the Murphy bed, felt like a great use of space, but I suppose the new TV will be nice!!! Can’t wait to get back and check it out! Last stay was at the BW and I LOVED it but Ft. Wilderness is home °o°
Thanks for the update think I booked the right place for may.
Wondering if the sofa bed is comfy. We travel with my mom. She has always slept in the murphy bed. Not sure if the sofa bed will be as comfortable for a weeks stay.
ALL EARS: We totally forgot to open the sofa bed and try it out. 🙁
Thanks for the update on the cabin refurbishment! My family of six is considering this as our lodging option for our next trip. What loops have been completed so far so we can make that specific room request? Thank you!