Disney John- The TCD gang also normally camps on President's Day weekend. MLK weekend, too. I love to camp at the Fort in January and February.
But, for 2010, I have not made reservations for either weekend.
I recently did a little thinking and calculating about what I have been spending at the Fort.
With the new sites added to the 600 loop, by my calculation, there are now 799 campsites at FW.
If anyone wants to check my math, here is what I came up with:
Partial hook-up Campsites -total sites 90
1500- 21 sites
2000- 69 sites
Full hook-up Campsites- total sites 156
1600- 45 sites
1700- 41 sites
1800- 32 sites
1900- 38 sites
Preferred Campsites- total sites 123
100- 25 sites
200- 37 sites
300- 61 sites
Premium Campsites- total sites 430
400- 33 sites
500- 56 sites
600- 37 sites
700- 34 sites
800- 74 sites
900- 32 sites
1000- 23 sites
1100- 24 sites
1200- 22 sites
1300- 34 sites
1400- 61 sites
So, that means the breakdown is as follows:
11% of the sites at FW are Partial hook-up
20% of the sites at FW are Full hook-up
15% of the sites at FW are Preferred; and
54% of the sites are Premium
So, during busy times, you may not have a choice to rent anything other than a Premium site.
I will not pay $110 a night to camp. I like to camp in February, but not that much. And, while the weather can be pretty nice then, it can also be very miserable on occasion. It is not worth taking the risk at those prices.
With the occupancy of the Fort at historic low levels, I am confident that discounts will be offered. If I can snag a discount, I will camp. If I can't get a discount, then no camping for me.
Maybe FW will fill up for Presidents' Day Weekend at rack rates. But I highly doubt it.
The FW management has shot itself in the foot big time. There is no logic to making 54% of the sites in the highest price bracket. It is pure, dumb, stupid greed. Period.
This will all eventually work itself out by the law of supply and demand. There have been a lot more empty sites at the Fort than I have ever seen over the past ten years, and I expect this trend to continue. Eventually, the Fort management will have to "get real." But, it is going to be a painful process that we will all have to go through.
I feel sorry for the Fort employees and their families who will have to suffer reduced income, and possibly even the loss of employment, because of the unmitigated greed of the stupid managers.
Life is about changes. I have really enjoyed the time I have been able to spend at the Fort. But, if these ding-dongs make the experience too expensive and unenjoyable, I will find something else to do. The world is a big place, KWIM?
TCD