offsite campgrounds

[gadget118]

Forgive me if this has already been asked and answered. I was wondering if anyone had a recommendation for offsite campgrounds? Basically, we are staying at the Fort, but we are coming from the Midwest at quite the distance, and I have no idea what kind of time we will make. I am hoping we make great time and can arrive late the night before our check-in day. We would need at least an electric only campsite that accepts late check-ins, cheap and close by the Fort. (<1 hour coming from 91) It can't be too popular because I'll likely need to reserve it over the phone early afternoon that same day. If the weather is cool, we might even settle for a safe, camper friendly walmart parking lot or similar. I don't know the area well so hoping for some insight. Thanks!

 

[team bradfield]

several of us stay at Ocala Sun off i-75, 1.5 hrs away, others stay at turkey lake very close to WDW, hard to say if you can get same day ressies, most CG's seem full these days.

 

[Teamubr]

I also come from the Midwest (St Louis area) and drive most of the 1000 miles the day before check in. Depending on the time of year, finding a place with in an hour may be an issue same day. Lake Louisa Stat Park is great, but books up way in advance (close and cheap). I always recommend Kissimmee KOA. We drove down after hurricane Irma. The Fort was closed and we had booked a night at Lake Louisa SP months in advanced, but they were also closed. Kissimmee KOA was open, despite damage all around, and welcomed us on a same day request. (My wife got a call after we had left StL saying the Fort and LLSP were closed and she started calling any campground in the area) Kissimmee KOA said we could stay as long as needed and offered to help with anything they could. This was even with their own homes without power, some damaged or relatives that were homeless. They aren't cheap, but I said I would always recommend them. We have also stayed at Tropical Palms, just across I-4. It is OK, but can also book up in busier times.

j

 

[bama_ed]

Cheap, close, and short notice is a hard combo to achieve. I'm sure you also want a nice/decent place. You also mention wanting a place "<1 hr from 91". Don't know what "91" refers to. Do you mean Interstate 95? Coming from the midwest, would you not come down Int75? So I'm a little confused about which side of Orlando you are coming in from so I'll cover both sides.

• Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake is a City of Orlando park that has campsites which is north of Universal Studios and the FL turnpike. Cheap, yes, small unlevel sites, yes. Worn out bathouses, yes (I stayed there one night a few years ago)
• Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont on Hwy 27 is a place I book for my night(s) before Fort Wilderness. $24 a night plus a $7 utility fee. My only complaint is that the comfort stations (which are nice) have no AC (I have a popup so use the CS a bunch).
• The KOA in Kissimmee is on Hwy 192 east of the Fort. It's a small KOA but we had a poster stay there maybe two years ago and liked it. It will probably cost more than other choices.
• Also in Clermont, Orlando RV Resort is a Thousand Trails property (it's a like a time share for campers but they also rent sites by the night).
• Near I95 and Port Canaveral is Jetty Park on the Atlantic Coast. It is literally on the Atlantic Ocean beach next to the cruise ship line channel. It's worth more than an overnight stay but you can use it as such.
• Lake Griffin State Park is up near Wildwood where the Turnpike pulls off Int75. Not stayed there but looked at it as an option.

The main thing is last minute availability will be the tough question. RV's and Trailers are now more popular than ever so campgrounds tend to book up early (cheap ones first). Also you would need to contact them before closing as most will leave you the gate code and a checkin packet with your site number if you prepay for the night (the office closes and staff goes home).

Finally, the Fort rolls over to "the next day" at 6am or so. If you were to come into Orlando at 4am, I would just head to the Fort, let the guard at the entrance know you're checking in later that day, and he would likely direct you to the overflow parking lot (for long rigs, hitched up combos, etc) and you could catch a few hours of sleep in the car (it's not a place to set up and no hookups).

Bama Ed

PS - doing the overnight thing at Walmarts, etc is discouraged in Central Florida because municipalities want their tax revenue from overnight paid stays in campgrounds. However, some of the Rest Stops along Florida Interstates advertise "Overnight Security" if you want to catch some ZZZ's. But no hookups of course.

 

[gadget118]

Thank you everyone! This is such a great help, I definitely have something to work with now. Nice to know that it will be about a day or a little more once we make it to St. Louis, and nice to know the Fort opens at 6 am. I need to look at the map more and figure out exactly how we are coming in. We've been to the Fort once before, couple years pre-covid, and so much has changed. Back then we literally packed up the RV, sat in our living room and looked at the weather in California, Yellowstone, Niagara Falls, and Florida to decide which direction we were going to drive for our vacation. Once we decided on Orlando, I ran around the house gathering kid costumes and mickey ears and we were on our way a couple hours later, my husband driving and I was booking the Fort and our park passes on the road- no issues at all- no trouble finding campsites back then either and they were about half the price. It was almost magical compared to the planning gymnastics required these days. I do remember vaguely that it took FOREVER to get there so I'm budgeting 2.5 travel days to be safe, but the motorhome we had back then we had to drive slower and it would have issues sometimes. Hoping to make better time with the newer RV, and hoping we get an early start depending on my son's exam schedule. Maybe once we are on the road and I see how tired we feel I can better estimate, and at least call some places a day early instead of same day.

 

[Stratman50th]

When are you going? I might have missed it, but what time of year? Any campground availability really changes based on the season.

 

[gadget118]

Unfortunately in just a couple weeks from now- it is a busy time of year from what I hear.

 

[Stratman50th]

Unfortunately in just a couple weeks from now- it is a busy time of year from what I hear.

Yes, I live in an RV community and all of my neighbors are headed back down now (snowbirds). It's my understanding the sites are booked a year in advance, but the answers you got from the folks above spend more time at local campgrounds near WDW than I do.

 

[Teamubr]

It sounds like you are more use to "fluid" travel plans. You might want to call around now to see who has availability to narrow things down and ask the likelihood of same day requests. From now until after the first January weekend (RunDisney), anything close to the Fort (within an hour) is probably booked. You are probably looking at a Wal-Mart, Cracker Barrel or rest area.

j

 

[MICKIMINI]

Why don't you stay at a hotel for one night rather than set up camp and break down? You can quickly hop in bed, shower in the morning and head out. We had a class C and occasionally did that in our travels.

Drury in LBV (brand new and on property) would get you a few miles away from the fort. Watch out for resort and/or parking fees.

I would not absolutely not feel comfortable (safety wise) in a WM or other parking lot off property. It's not worth saving a few $$ IMO. Also, traffic is crazy so make sure you gas up and have all the provisions you need before you arrive.

Good luck!

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

Cheap, close, and short notice is a hard combo to achieve. I'm sure you also want a nice/decent place. You also mention wanting a place "<1 hr from 91". Don't know what "91" refers to. Do you mean Interstate 95? Coming from the midwest, would you not come down Int75? So I'm a little confused about which side of Orlando you are coming in from so I'll cover both sides.

• Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake is a City of Orlando park that has campsites which is north of Universal Studios and the FL turnpike. Cheap, yes, small unlevel sites, yes. Worn out bathouses, yes (I stayed there one night a few years ago)
• Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont on Hwy 27 is a place I book for my night(s) before Fort Wilderness. $24 a night plus a $7 utility fee. My only complaint is that the comfort stations (which are nice) have no AC (I have a popup so use the CS a bunch).
• The KOA in Kissimmee is on Hwy 192 east of the Fort. It's a small KOA but we had a poster stay there maybe two years ago and liked it. It will probably cost more than other choices.
• Also in Clermont, Orlando RV Resort is a Thousand Trails property (it's a like a time share for campers but they also rent sites by the night).
• Near I95 and Port Canaveral is Jetty Park on the Atlantic Coast. It is literally on the Atlantic Ocean beach next to the cruise ship line channel. It's worth more than an overnight stay but you can use it as such.
• Lake Griffin State Park is up near Wildwood where the Turnpike pulls off Int75. Not stayed there but looked at it as an option.

The main thing is last minute availability will be the tough question. RV's and Trailers are now more popular than ever so campgrounds tend to book up early (cheap ones first). Also you would need to contact them before closing as most will leave you the gate code and a checkin packet with your site number if you prepay for the night (the office closes and staff goes home).

Finally, the Fort rolls over to "the next day" at 6am or so. If you were to come into Orlando at 4am, I would just head to the Fort, let the guard at the entrance know you're checking in later that day, and he would likely direct you to the overflow parking lot (for long rigs, hitched up combos, etc) and you could catch a few hours of sleep in the car (it's not a place to set up and no hookups).

Bama Ed

PS - doing the overnight thing at Walmarts, etc is discouraged in Central Florida because municipalities want their tax revenue from overnight paid stays in campgrounds. However, some of the Rest Stops along Florida Interstates advertise "Overnight Security" if you want to catch some ZZZ's. But no hookups of course.

Lake Griffin is nice. We've stayed there. Good laundry facilities, the kids enjoyed the playground, and there is a short hiking trail that is nice but many mosquitoes on it. Not many sewer sites. I think it was about a 75-90 min drive to Epcot from there.

 

[Sjm9911]

I would book something now. Try to plan the best you can and then look for places in the area you think you need to stop at. We come from NJ and definitely take out time getting to the fort. We pretty much do the same thing your are thinking about, but did plan and book ahead. You can always try to change the plans on the road if something dosent work out. But I rather know I have a place to stay overnight. Good luck and have fun.