Into the Wilderness

Airstream RV Blog - Disney's Fort Wilderness from Sean on Vimeo.

Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness offers a sprawling campground of substantial size. Its design and layout feels more like a state park than a privately operated campground – and that’s a complement. There are more trees than you might expect. The campsites are staggered in loops, rather than in the all-too-typical parking lot arrangement.

Of course, the three key upsides here are location, location, and location. Fort Wilderness offers an ideal launch pad for forays into the nearby Magic Kingdom and Epcot parks. Animal Kingdom and MGM Studios are not far away. It’s the perfect base for an extended Disney vacation.

One of Kristy’s childhood dreams was to become a Disney annual pass holder. And so, that’s at least one dream that has come true this year during Disney’s “year of dreams.” With an annual pass, one can come and go to the parks as you please. If you do the math, an annual pass is actually quite cost-effective. It doesn’t break the bank, and in fact gets you several nice discounts along the way.

With four major theme parks, a couple of water parks, and a host of unique resort and shopping areas, Walt Disney World is an almost overwhelming complex of fun. Our favorite guidebook is The Unofficial Guide to Disney World. It reads like a well-moderated Internet site, informative without being stuffy.

Disney claims to be the happiest place on earth. I believe it. I’ve done my fair share of international travel, including a couple of visits to what may rightfully be dubbed the saddest place on earth: the Auschwitz concentration camp in Oswiecim, Poland. As we strolled the carefully manicured sidewalks of the Magic Kingdom, watching small children and their families laugh and smile, I couldn’t help but ponder the contrast. It’s amazing that on the same planet, human beings could build both an Auschwitz and a Disney World. One was a horrific factory of death and destruction; the other is a remarkable factory of frivolity, happiness, and pleasure.

People criticize Disney for being too clean, too planned, and too perfect. Here’s the way I look at it. If you want unclean, imperfect, unplanned travel experiences (and in all sincerity, there’s a lot to be said for these), there's no shortage to be found worldwide. I wouldn’t trade my experiences in El Salvador and Moldova for anything. But we come to Disney World to escape the harsh realities of the world, not to revel in them.

We may all take it for granted, but Walt Disney World is actually an incredible human achievement. No government on earth could pull off an operation this ambitious. It's an oasis of quasi-perfection in a cruel, imperfect world.

So pass the Disney Kool-Aid. And give me my mouse ears! I'll wear them without shame.