Even if you run out of old cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground and didn’t buy them during sale, there’s still a way to fix the cabin.
The iconic wooden cabins that moved from Walt Disney World last year have begun to appear on vacation rental sites. Disney sells around 300 cabins to two independent Central Florida companies and sells them to the public.
My husband and parents, Lauren Walker, went together in April 2024 to buy a cabin. Walker raised Disney fans and often went to theme parks, including Fort Wilderness, for vacation.
“We were sold when we found a way to allow us to own Disney history and continue to make those precious memories,” Walker said.
The family divided their duties. Walker’s dad coordinated the construction of the cabin site. My aunt handled the logistics, and Walker and her mom decorated the cabin.
“We are very excited to stay there as a family, welcome other families into the cabin and create more memories,” Walker said.
How to stay in a former cabin from Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground
The Walker cabin, known as the “Lakefront Magic Wilderness Cabin,” is listed on Airbnb.
It is located in Leesburg, on a land overlooking Lake Harris. Walker’s grandfather owns the land and wanted to build a cabin on the site for the family to enjoy.
“He passed away before he turned that vision into reality, so we were excited to finally put the cabin in perfect location to honor his memory,” Walker said.
Typically the cost is $175 per night.
Turning former Disney cabin into a private vacation rental
Walker knew her and her family by their first name because the county employees who joked were frequenting government agencies.
Walker said a one-bedroom, one-bathroom, and approximately 500-foot cabin was delivered “relatively turnkey.” The difficulties were to obtain all the appropriate permissions, including sepsis, electricity, plumbing and the license required to accept visitors.
They added a small touch to the cabin, making it even more cozy and more attractive. It already contained a lot of comfort, including furniture, appliances, lighting fixtures, iron and iron boards. The bedroom has a queen bed and twin bank beds, and the living area has a sleeper sofa.
Are the cabins at the previous Fort Wilderness Campground still available for sale?
As of last month, dozens of cabins were on sale for manufactured home sales in Florida, a Brevard-based company.
Why did Disney sell these Fort Wilderness Cabins?
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground has been refreshed.
All cabins have been replaced by updated ones that debuted in the summer of 2024. Unlike the original cabin, the new ones hold wooden logs aside for a more refined and modern look. They are still roughly the same size, but the updated design offers a wider atmosphere with many large windows and tall ceilings in the common area.
It is still a 1-bedroom 1-bathroom space with a full kitchen, patio and six sleeps. There is an extra sink and vanity area just outside the bathroom. Instead of pull-out sofas in the common area, the new cabin has actual beds. Murphy’s bed can be pulled down from the wall.
The bedroom has a queen bed and a bunk bed with built-in storage underneath.
Spitzer is a trend reporter. She can be contacted at mspitzer@floridatoday.com.
