| Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground | ||
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Magic Kingdom Resort Area |
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Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is a themed camping resort located at the Walt Disney World Resort. It officially opened on November 19, 1971.
Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is located in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, adjacent to Bay Lake and Disney's River Country, a now-defunct water park. The resort is also located near Disney's Wilderness Lodge.
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Fort Wilderness was designed with a rustic theme. Tree-lined winding roads loop around to the various regions of the resort. Part of the resort is occupied by campsites where visitors with tents or recreational vehicles can stay. The remainder of the lodging area is occupied by cabins, designed to resemble log cabins.
The resort hosts two dinner shows, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue and Mickey's Backyard BBQ. A buffet and the Trail's End Restaurant are also among the resort's dining options.
The resort features playgrounds and two heated swimming pools. Other activities include fishing and horseback riding. A 2.3-mile (3.7 km) paved and sand exercise trail extends from the petting farm to the Wilderness Lodge.
Each night, the campground features Campfire Sing-Along with Chip 'n' Dale. A Disney Cast Member leads songs in an outdoor amphitheater, while the characters Chip 'n' Dale approach seated audience members, signing autographs and posing for photos. Two firepits are available for roasting marshmallows and making s'mores. Following the sing-along, a Disney children's movie is shown on an outdoor screen. Also at night, the Electrical Water Pageant passes the beach and marina.
| Fort Wilderness Railroad | |
| Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground | |
| Designer | WED Enterprises |
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| Attraction type | Railroad |
| Opening date | 1973 |
| Closing date | Early 1980s |
| Vehicle type | Steam locomotive |
| Vehicle capacity | 50 |
| Cars per vehicle | 5 |
| Guests per car | 10 |
| Length | 13200 ft (4023.4 m) |
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The Fort Wilderness Railroad was a 2.5–3.5-mile (4.0–5.6 km) steam-powered railway that opened in 1973 to provide transportation around the various campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. It also provided transportation around the resort grounds to campers and guests visiting the nearby River Country water park. Because of issues with track maintenance, pedestrian safety, and noise concerns, the railroad only operated occasionally after 1977, and closed permanently in the early 1980s. Some sections of track remain in place along the outer areas of the campground.
The major difference between the Fort Wilderness Railroad and the Walt Disney World Railroad in the nearby Magic Kingdom is size; the Fort Wilderness Railroad is built to 4/5 scale with a 30" gauge track, compared to the full size 36" gauge track at the Magic Kingdom.
The Fort Wilderness Railroad utilized four replica steam locomotives and twenty coaches built by Walt Disney Imagineering. After the railroad was closed, the locomotives were stored for several years, and are today privately owned. Several of the coaches are also still in existence, used as ticket booths at Typhoon Lagoon and Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney.