Ft. Wilderness Christmas lights Sleigh v. Golf cart

Opinions about checking out Christmas lights that people set up at Fort Wilderness campgrounds? Are people still setting up inflatables and lights like pre-Covid?

The sleigh ride is $84 for 4 people for 25 minutes. The golf cart says $62.91, I think for the day. Walking is also an option. My kids love holiday decorations and this seemed like a fun way to do it. We do our local city park that decorates for the holidays and the kids love it every year.

We were thinking of picking up dinner and eating at PJs takeout. Low key evening on a rest day.

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I have no idea, but it sounds like an amazing way to spend a low key evening!

Obviously, the golf cart is a better deal, and you are more in control of where to go and what to see when, but I’m a sucker for a good sleigh ride! I haven’t done either there so I’m not much help, I’m afraid.

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I like to check out FtW lights on a MK party night. When they shoo us day guest out, take a resort launch to the Fort, and walk toward the settlement, veer to the left and check loops 100, 200, & 300. These are premium loops, just the type of people to go overboard with lights, etc. Cross the main road for loops 400 and 700. These are all easy walk from the settlement. At least one night, there will be a lighted golf cart parade. I don’t know when they announce the date(s).

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We did both in 2019. We drove to Ft. W in the morning and picked up our golfcart, drove it to the boat launch, and went to MK for the day. We came back for dinner at whatever that buffet there is (Whispering Canyon? Or is that the one at WL? Whatever, the one at Ft. W). Anyway, ate dinner, drove around on the golf cart until it was time for the sleigh ride. The sleigh ride was only one or two loops. There is sooooo much more to see. So we drove around more on the golf cart until we were tired. The sleigh ride is cool, but if you can only do one, I’d do the golf cart.

Side note - my husband has been informed that we will be spending the holiday season at Ft. W upon retirement :heart_eyes:

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Those are great directions! Thank you for the tips.

That is great to know. I’m leaning towards golf cart or walking now. Sounds like the sleigh ride is just too short for all the fun. Do you remember how easy/difficult it was to get a golf cart rental? I wonder how far out I need to book it.

I think it is Trails End at Ft. Wilderness Lodge landing. It is family style currently, but previously a buffet. We had the breakfast buffet pre-Covid and it was amazing and a great price.

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It would be alooooot of walking.

I don’t remember how far out I got the golf cart. It’s probably 60 days now, but you can always call and ask.

Yes, Trail’s End! Thank you, the name was escaping me!

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I saw this post and we were so excited to rent a golf car for a day to explore Ft. Wilderness. We are staying at Wildeness Lodge. I called to make a reservation (which can be made up to 1 year in advance) and was told they recently changed their policy so only guests staying at Ft. Wilderness are allowed to rent. You have to provide your reservation number to book and your cabin # and reservation number to pick it up. We are so disappointed because that would have been a really fun thing to do on our resort day. The website has not been updated with this change of policy.

Ugh!! That stinks. Thank you for sharing that info.

I guess I will be calling about the sleigh ride then. Then assess if anyone wants to walk to see more after the sleigh ride.

I would still ask about the golf cart rental. CM responses can be all over the place.

It is now on the recorded message too when you call to book :frowning:

Booooo!

Yeah it stinks. I even tried explaining we were going to be staying at Wilderness Lodge and wanted to check out Fort Wilderness for our next stay but it didn’t help.

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We are checking into a cabin on Dec. 25 and I was on the fence about renting a golf cart. Looks like I need to get on that!

Hmm… I didn’t know this existed! But I do have a campsite booked for one night to get us early morning access for our two park days. Do you think I could use that reservation number to book a golf cart for the day AFTER we technically check out of the Fort? My reservation is for Thursday night but I would be interested in doing this on Saturday maybe.

We are staying at Ft. Wilderness for the first time next summer. What is the general consensus? Golf cart a requirement or a luxury? Place seems big and that a cart would be a nice convenience… we will be in a cabin and most of those seem FAR from the action …

I would get one. When we stayed in a cabin in 2018 we were right next to the restaurants and boat launch, but far from the pool We were still thankful for the golf cart. There’s no guarantee which cabin you’ll get and the resort is very big!

@kerrilux_625778 Do you mind telling me which cabin you were in? We have never stayed but trying to weigh out whether should request one of those couple of cabins right by the restaurants vs. further back on the cabin loops… what was your experience like?

Cabin 120. We liked our location, but we did have a golf cart and car, so we didn’t have to deal with the busses.

Did the music bother you was it noisy or not too bad?