Camping at Fort Wilderness in 1973!

camping at fort wilderness 1973

Camping at Fort Wilderness in 1973!

A lot of people have experienced camping at Fort wilderness at Walt Disney World. But how many got to experience a Fort Wilderness trip in which you caught your own breakfast?

Our make-believe family looks like they are about to have the best Fort Wilderness vacation ever!

I read an article in a 1973 Walt Disney World Vacationland magazine about a seven-day camping trip at Fort Wilderness. What surprised me was what the family did! (Or didn’t do.)

There was no rushing to the Magic Kingdom every morning. There were no extended shopping visits. And there were no Fastpasses! Imagine spending days exploring Fort Wilderness as opposed to visiting the Magic Kingdom.

In their defense, this was a Magic Kingdom bereft of any E-Ticket attractions (although, the Jungle Cruise and the Haunted Mansion were there). It would be months before Pirates of the Caribbean opened and years before Space mountain and Big Thunder Mountain would debut.

Check out My 1973 Fort Wilderness Video

Camping at Fort Wilderness was a completely different experience than you can even find today. There was a little something for everyone, even if it was just lounging around in a hammock. After reading the article, it was obviously a PR piece, but the writer did a great job of conveying the multitude of activities surrounding horses, outdoor sports, canoeing, fishing, and hiking.

camping at fort wilderness

Speaking of Fort Wilderness, did you ever get to stay there in the 1970s and experience the Peddlar’s Truck?

Do you miss the Tri-Circle D Ranch at Fort Wilderness?


Looking for a great book on the first decade at Walt Disney World?

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