Within minutes of docking our pontoon boat at a secluded fishing spot near Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, my 5-year-old son was reeling in his first catch. And it wasn’t just any fish; bending his rod was a heavy largemouth bass pulled from the sparkling waters of Seven Seas Lagoon.
“I caught my first fish!” he crowed, thrilled.
Guided fishing excursions are a hit with young travelers at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.
Credit: 2025 Linnea Bailey
In the ensuing two hours, that bass was the first of many. With expertise from our guide, Rick, our family of five caught (and released) more fish than we had ever seen. And it all took place during an unforgettable afternoon fishing excursion from the marina at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, where we spent a long weekend in one of the resort’s all-new cabins.
Nestled on 750 acres of pine and cypress forest on the expansive Walt Disney World Resort property near Orlando, Florida, Fort Wilderness provides a nature-filled retreat with a wide range of modern amenities and recreation offerings.
Here’s everything advisors need to know about the resort.
The new cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort sleep up to six guests.
Credit: 2025 Walt Disney World ResortAccommodations at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
The newest Disney Vacation Club resort, The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort offer a prime spot for families seeking to experience nature while enjoying the comforts of home. In a phased process that began in 2024, the new 504-square-foot cabins replaced the log cabin-style structures that had been in use for decades.
The new cabins are, in a word, spectacular. With floor-to-ceiling windows, each can accommodate up to six people and features a fully equipped kitchen. For alfresco meals, there is a charcoal grill and a spacious deck with a dining set, perfect for sipping morning coffee and watching the sunrise. Each cabin boasts a bedroom with a queen-size bed and bunk beds, a dining area and a living room with a couch that doubles as a queen-size pull-down wall bed. Key features include a mini-split air-conditioning system and large flat-screen televisions, and the cabin’s bathroom has two vanities (one outside the bathroom), a shower and state-of-the-art fixtures and lighting.
This is more than glamping; the cabins feel posh and modern, while also retaining a wonderful connection to nature. Our family loved spotting wild turkeys in the morning and stargazing from our deck at night. The cabins are dog-friendly (with a pet fee per night), and perfect for families or multigenerational groups seeking a tranquil hideaway. In addition to the new cabins (which will eventually total more than 350), the resort also offers roughly 800 fully equipped campsites that can accommodate tents and RVs.
Activities at Fort Wilderness
Fort Wilderness has two swimming pools, including the Meadow Swimmin' Pool that boasts a 67-foot-long waterslide, a fort-themed water play area for kids and daily poolside activities. The resort also features multiple playgrounds; tennis, pickleball and shuffleboard courts; bicycle, canoe and kayak rentals; and archery, fishing charters, horseback riding, horse-drawn carriage and wagon rides. We loved walking through the stable at Tri-Circle-D Ranch, where we visited the horses that can be seen on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disney’s Magic Kingdom.
Another hit was the nightly Chip 'n' Dale's Campfire Sing-A-Long, where we roasted s’mores and sang classic songs with Disney chipmunks Chip and Dale. After the sing-along, we stayed for the resort’s free Movie Under the Stars (we watched Disney’s “Moana”), projected on a giant screen adjacent to two campfires.
Dining and Entertainment
Our family’s favorite dining experience at the resort was Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue, one of the longest-running dinner shows in the U.S. This two-hour experience features a high-energy musical comedy performance and family-style dining with all-you-can-eat barbecue ribs and fried chicken, hearty sides and delicious strawberry shortcake. My kids loved the show’s interactive skits and songs, especially when the cast passed out washboards to “play” while singing along.
Other dining options at the resort include the frontier-inspired bar and grill Crockett's Tavern (offering an extensive menu of creative cocktails), the quick-service Old West-themed Trail’s End Restaurant, the food truck The Chuck Wagon (where you can find generous s’mores kits) and the poolside Meadow Snack Bar.
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Water taxis are a fun way for Fort Wilderness guests to visit other nearby resorts.
Credit: 2025 Linnea BaileyTransportation
The transportation options at Fort Wilderness are plentiful and fun. Since the resort is fairly spread out, we rented a six-seater golf cart and used it to zip across the resort in minutes. Both the cabins and campsites also allow one vehicle to park at each site (in addition to a golf cart), which made unloading and loading our luggage a breeze.
The resort has frequent and easy modes of transportation, including internal buses and those that transport guests to the theme parks, Disney Springs and other resorts.
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My favorite was the watercraft service from the marina. One evening, we took a sunset boat ride to Disney's Wilderness Lodge for a Snow White-themed character dinner at Story Book Dining at Artist Point]; the next day, we caught an early morning water taxi to the Magic Kingdom park.
A special thrill occurred upon our return to Fort Wilderness from the theme park that evening: We found ourselves in the ideal spot to watch the park’s nightly fireworks show. The resort broadcasts synchronized music from the park over beachside speakers, and we sat on the sand enjoying the magnificent display.
It was the perfect ending to a magical day.
