No! But it sure does enhance your experience at Fort Wilderness Campgrounds.
The camp grounds do provide a bus route that circulates throughout the resort.
Fort Wilderness Campgrounds like all Disney resorts offer many attractions within the resorts. Having a golf cart to quickly move about the park can make the experience more enjoyable and flexible for you. It can certainly ensure you have more time to enjoy the various recreations within the resort. You can either bring your own golf cart from home or rent one from the camp grounds. See our article of golf cart rentals and rules for bringing your own.
Some guests don’t plan to spend a lot of time within the resort and most of their time at the Disney parks, which is fine but in that case a golf cart might not be something you need.
How do you get around the campgrounds if you don’t have a golf cart?
Disney Fort Wilderness Campgrounds off an internal bus system that travel throughout the resort from 6:30 am until past midnight. The bus stops at the various campsite loops and the various attractions within the campgrounds. They run about every 10 minutes from 6:30 am until 12:00 am.
Or for those who are exercise inclined – you can walk or bike. The resort is rather large and walking to some locations within may be a far and time consuming walk. And don’t forget: it is Florida and the heat can and will kill you if you try this in August.
Golf cart pros!
Golf carts are great to ride around Fort Wilderness Campgrounds and make for fun transportation. They allow you quick transport between the various activities and sites within the camp grounds such as the swimming pool, one of the outpost stores, or the beach and boats! They also work on your time so you’re not waiting on a bus.
Some people decorate their golf carts and campsites year round. Around Halloween and Christmas people really take it to the extreme with decorations. The night before each holiday there is a golf cart parade! Complete with a group gathering at the back of the campgrounds by the beaches. Guests vote on the most festive golf cart and winners get bragging rights.
Since people tend to decorate their campsites year round and especially during holidays, having a golf cart to ride around and check out the other campsites becomes it own fun family activity.
Golf Cart Cons.
One of the reasons you may not want to rent or bring your golf cart is budget. You may not factor in the cost of renting a golf cart or the extra time and money that may be needed to bring your own golf cart.
The other reason is you may not make vacation plans to include activities around the resort. Your main focus might be the Disney theme parks so many families use the campgrounds as just a place to sleep and rest but don’t plan to include any of the amenities of the park or say “if we have time”. This is understandable but honestly you lose out on some great amenities and experiences within the campgrounds.
Should I rent/bring a golf cart?
In my honest opinion I think it’s worth it to have a golf cart during your visit to Fort Wilderness Campgrounds. Especially if you’re planning to visit during a holiday like Halloween or Christmas. I think if you don’t have a golf cart you really limit yourself on the things you will want to do within the resort. It’s totally feasible to do everything without one but you lose time and patience on waiting for buses and walking between amenities.
