Fort Wilderness

Fort Wilderness is located just a short boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom, but despite that, the only times we'd previously visited were for sleigh rides during the Christmas season (a wonderful experience) and to see the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, an exceptionally fun evening and definitely something everyone should try once. But that was it. We'd never visited the resort in daylight hours and I was keen to see what I was missing. As we were staying at the Contemporary on my May trip, it was easy enough to get over to Fort Wilderness.

As we pulled up to the marina at Fort Wilderness, I could immediately see how different this place was in the sunlight. For starters, I never realized how much beautiful white sand there is along Bay Lake for people to sit on and enjoy. In the darkness, you also don't spot the variety of boats available to rent from the marina, but in the daytime, that was clear as well.

As we approached the resort itself, the first thing that I spotted was something that's unique to Fort Wilderness – golf carts. Sometimes people bring these with them or they may hire them when they get to Disney, but either way, they're a great way to get around this huge, sprawling resort. It was really fun to see some of the Disney touches that people had put on them as well. The one that caught my eye, in particular, was the amazing Minnie Mouse golf cart, and I couldn't help but think of the wonderful Christmas decorations here, where people go all out to decorate their own particular areas – and do an amazing job of it.

There are some wonderful Disney touches everywhere you look. I loved the Lawnmower Tree, which you can find as you walk from the marina to Pioneer Hall. It's definitely worth having a look at, as it's got a lovely back story to it, which is explained on the plaque next to it.

The feeling you get as you walk around this resort is that you've stepped back in times a couple of hundred years to the days of the pioneering west. A lot of that feeling is due to some wonderful Disney theming, with the occasional supply wagon to be seen and wooden buildings in the distance.

Some of those wooden buildings make up the heart of Fort Wilderness, including Pioneer Hall. It's the place to head to for entertainment, as it's the home of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, which performs three times a night, and it's also the place to go for food, as it's the location of both Crockett's Tavern, which serves snacks and drinks, and Trail's End Buffet. This buffet is regarded by many as one of the best values on Disney property, serving up a good buffet at a really reasonable price.

Nearby, one of the other buildings is home to the Settlement Trading Post, which sells a wide variety of items, including basic groceries and some completely unique souvenirs that we saw only at Fort Wilderness during our stay. It's a cavernous place with a really high roof and it's worth looking up to see the theming that's gone in here.