If you’re staying at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, you may want to double-check where you’re going before catching a bus to Magic Kingdom.
An unexpected infrastructure problem has led to a temporary transportation adjustment at the Disney World resort, and it could throw off the routine of guests who have stayed at Fort Wilderness before.
Disney has moved the pickup location for buses traveling to Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
While the change is temporary, there currently isn’t an announced date for normal operations to return.
Fort Wilderness Changes Bus Operations
Magic Kingdom and Wilderness Lodge buses normally pick up Fort Wilderness guests at the Settlement Bus Depot.
Right now, guests need to go somewhere else.
Those buses are temporarily departing from the Reception Outpost bus stop, located toward the front of the Fort Wilderness campgrounds.
Disney has placed signage at the resort alerting visitors to the change, but it is still worth knowing about before starting your journey.
After all, this isn’t simply a matter of walking to another bus stop located a few yards away.
The Two Stops Are in Different Areas
Anyone who has visited Fort Wilderness knows just how large the property can feel.
Unlike many Disney World resorts, where hotel rooms, restaurants, shops, and transportation are concentrated around one main building or a handful of nearby areas, Fort Wilderness spreads its offerings throughout the property.
That makes the location of a bus stop particularly important.
The Settlement Bus Depot is located toward the back of Fort Wilderness. It serves the area around several resort amenities, including Pioneer Hall and Tri-Circle-D Ranch.
The Reception Outpost is located toward the front of the campgrounds.
Guests who would normally make their way toward the Settlement area before traveling to Magic Kingdom or Wilderness Lodge will therefore need to change their routine.
That could also mean allowing additional transportation time depending on where guests are staying or what they are doing immediately before leaving.
What Happened at Fort Wilderness?
The temporary bus change is the result of a water main break.
The incident washed out the road running between Fort Wilderness and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. With that route affected, Disney has moved the pickup location for buses serving Magic Kingdom and Wilderness Lodge.
The water main break has created problems beyond Fort Wilderness as well.
Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has experienced plumbing issues connected to the same incident.
It’s an example of how one infrastructure problem can quickly affect several different parts of Disney World operations.
In this case, guests at one resort are dealing with transportation changes while another nearby property is experiencing plumbing problems.
How Long Will the Change Last?
At this point, there is no announced timeline for when the buses will return to the Settlement Bus Depot.
Because the change is directly connected to the damaged road, normal operations could depend on how quickly crews can address the underlying problem.
That makes it particularly important for guests to pay attention to current information while staying at Fort Wilderness.
Someone familiar with the resort could easily head toward the Settlement Bus Depot out of habit, only to discover that the bus they need is departing from a different part of the property.
Give Yourself Some Extra Time
The biggest thing guests can do right now is plan ahead.
If you’re traveling from Fort Wilderness to Magic Kingdom or Wilderness Lodge, head toward the Reception Outpost bus stop rather than automatically going to the Settlement Bus Depot.
You may also want to leave earlier than you normally would, especially if you’re trying to reach Magic Kingdom for a dining reservation, Lightning Lane return time, or another scheduled experience.
Disney World transportation changes can sometimes happen with little warning when operational problems arise. In this case, the change is necessary because of a larger issue affecting the road between two Disney resorts.
Until that problem is resolved, Fort Wilderness guests should expect a slightly different start to their trip to Magic Kingdom or Wilderness Lodge.
