Just because you take the kids or grandkids to Walt Disney World Resort doesn’t mean you have to postpone your regular golf game. Stay at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground in Lake Buena Vista just south of Orlando and you’re right in the heart of all the action.
Within a short distance, you can find four Disney-owned golf courses and plenty of Disney activities and attractions to keep everyone busy for a week or two.
Walt Disney World entrance. Photo: Wikipedia
Jrobertiko, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is one of the premier resorts in the country, and the prices reflect its quality. But with almost 800 sites, there’s something for everyone. Amenities include full hookups, including 30/50 amp electrical, water, sewer, Wi-Fi, showers, restrooms, laundry facilities, a camp store, pool access, a rec room, recreational trails, a playground, and much more.
Golf is available to the general public and resort guests at Disney’s Palm, Magnolia, and Oak Trail Golf Courses (across from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort), and at the Lake Buena Vista course (near Disney Springs/Saratoga Spring Resort). As you would expect, appropriate golf attire is required.
The golf courses at Walt Disney World Resort are anything but Mickey Mouse. In fact, all the courses are run by the highly respected Arnold Palmer Golf Management company. Three of the courses hosted PGA tournaments for more than four decades through 2012.
Certified by Audubon International as a Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuary and rated an impressive 4 stars by Golf Digest, the par 72 Lake Buena Vista Golf Course measures 6,745 yards from the tips. This classic country-club style course winds through pastel villas, pine forests, palmettos, and sparkling lakes.
Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course features Mickey-faced bunkers
Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course gets its name from the majestic magnolia trees that dominate the course. The par 72, 18-hole track is the longest of the Disney courses measuring 7,516 yards. It, too, is Audubon certified.
Disney’s Palm Golf Course is also a par 72, 18-hole championship course. Stretching to 6,870 yards, the Palm course will test your skills as it features nine holes with water hazards and 59 bunkers.
The Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course is a beautiful par 36, 9-hole course with rolling greens and exciting challenges. This Woodland Walking Course is also Audubon certified and measures 2,913 yards from the white tees, and features holes ranging from 132 to 517 yards.
You can book a tee time at any of the Lake Buena Vista area Disney golf courses by visiting the convenient Walt Disney World Golf Resort Guest Tee Time site. Also, if you don’t want to drive to the golf course, dial up the Minnie Van service.
Other activities abound
Get a bird’s-eye view of Disney World from 400 feet up in the sky aboard Aerophile, a tethered helium balloon. The balloon’s 19-foot-diameter basket holds up to 29 people who are treated to spectacular 360-degree views of the resort. During this 8-to-10 minute ride, airborne guests can appreciate stunning vistas up to 10 miles away!
Aerophile balloon. Photo: John Frost/Flickr
disney-springs-balloon-2017-thedisneyblog by John Frost is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Children are never too young to learn about nature and acquainting them with the Disney animal kingdom is a great place to start. Experience close encounters with exotic African wildlife on Wild Africa Trek—a privately guided VIP expedition at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. During this three-hour tour, view wild animals of nearly every variety that live in their natural habitat in the Safi River Valley—an uninhibited environment that resembles their home turf in Africa.
Take in a 30-minute show called British Revolution offered several times daily. The four musicians that make up the talented British Revolution cover a variety of crowd-pleasing favorites from The Who, Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and more. This high volume, high energy show will get you dancing in your seat!
Kids of all ages will get their Star Wars fix when they “Step Into Star Wars.” Discover new and updated Star Wars experiences that bring you closer to the epic saga than ever before. The blockbuster Star Wars movies are known for transporting viewers to a galaxy far, far away. And you can visit that galaxy at Walt Disney World Resort!
Kids will also love Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, a one-time ski resort that has melted into a watery wonderland. Zip down the slushy slopes of Mount Gushmore on one of the world’s tallest and fastest waterslides. Float down the tranquil river and sunbathe on the white-sand beach.
Discover yourself why Walt Disney World Resort is truly the happiest place on earth. You can read more about Fort Wilderness Resort on RV LIFE Campgrounds.
Rick Stedman is an avid golfer, RVer, and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. Rick writes a weekly golf blog, The 19th Hole, for RV Life. You can reach him at rstedman@gmail.com.
See also: 5 Things You Should Know About Camping At Disney’s Fort Wilderness
Rick Stedman is an avid golfer, RVer, and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. Rick writes a golf column, “The RV Golfer,” which is published every month in rvlife.com. He can be reached at rstedman@gmail.com.
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