It’s no secret, Walt Disney World is expensive. However, with the campgrounds near Disney World, you can make one of the most expensive parts of your trip, lodging, much cheaper.
Maybe it’s not about the cost for you, but you simply prefer to camp or RV. If this is the case, you’re in luck as there are several campgrounds near Walt Disney World with a resort feel and incredible amenities.
Whether you plan to travel to the Disney World area for a week, a month, or a year, if you’re looking for campgrounds near Disney World in Florida, this article is for you. Here’s the full traveler’s guide to camping near Disney World for those trying to be frugal and those just enjoying the camping or RV lifestyle.
Closest Campgrounds to Disney World
Of course, the closest campground to Disney World is Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. This resort is actually on Disney World property and comes with many of the same perks you will get if you stay at one of the Disney hotels.
When you leave Disney World property, you can still stay very close without the high cost of Fort Wilderness. A few other campgrounds near Disney World include:
- Tropical Palms RV Resort
- Sherwood Forest RV Resort
- Kissimmee RV Park
- Orlando / Kissimmee KOA Holiday
- Lake Magic RV Resort
These five campgrounds are the closets choices to Walt Disney World outside of Fort Wilderness. Let’s look at each one for short stays, long stays, and year-round options.
Tropical Palms RV Resort
One of the nicest options on the list, Tropical Palms RV Resort is the following distance from the four Disney Theme Parks:
- Magic Kingdom – 14 minutes / 8.3 miles
- Animal Kingdom – 11 minutes / 6.6 miles
- Hollywood Studios – 10 minutes / 4.3 miles
- Epcot – 12 minutes / 6.7 miles
In addition, it’s found about 14 minutes and 6.4 miles from Disney Spring’s Orange Parking Garage.
Campground Amenities
When you choose to camp near Disney World at Tropical Palms, you’ll gain access to the following amenities:
- Clubhouse
- Fitness Center
- Mini Golf
- Library
- Bocce Ball
- Laundry Facilities
- Shuffleboard
- Swimming Pool
- Restaurant
- Volleyball
- Dog Park
- Horseshoes
- A Store
- Wi-Fi (additional cost)
In addition, Tropical Palms has a location near many restaurants and it’s within walking distance of Old Town Kissimmee and Fun Spot America.
Type of Camping Offered
Tropical Palms RV Resort doesn’t offer any tent camping options. However, they do offer more than 340 RV sites, along with cabin rentals.
Average Cost
The cost can vary quite a bit depending on the type of accommodations. The rates below are based on RV sits and can change every season and every year. These rates are simply an example of what you may pay as discounts are also provides for specific memberships and some Thousand Trails Members can stay for up to 14 days free of charge as a part of their membership program.
- Per night – $69 to $91
- Per month – Contact for Pricing
- Per year – Contact for Pricing
Often, Tropical Palms will offer some type of special rates for longer stays of three months or more. They also offer an annual rate if you plan to store your RV for part of the year and use it for the other part of the year.
Sherwood Forest RV Resort
Sherwood Forest RV Resort is part of the same network of RV Resorts as Tropical Palms, but it’s not quite as close to Disney World or as nice at Tropical Palms. This RV resort is the following distances from the Walt Disney World Theme Parks:
- Magic Kingdom – 15 minutes / 8.8 miles
- Animal Kingdom – 13 minutes / 7.7 miles
- Hollywood Studios – 12 minutes / 5.4 miles
- Epcot – 13 minutes / 7.8 miles
In addition, it’s found about 16 minutes and 6.2 miles from Disney Spring’s Orange Parking Garage.
Campground Amenities
Sherwood Forest RV Resort also offers many great amenities including:
- Clubhouse
- Fitness Center
- Basketball
- Dog Park
- Mini Golf
- Shuffleboard
- Restroom/Shower Facility
- Horseshoes
- Swimming Pools
- Laundry Facilities
- Playground
- Game Room
- Hot Tub
- Wi-Fi
They also offer several activities during the busy winter season and some activities during the rest of the year.
Type of Camping Offered
No tent camping is offered at Sherwood Forest. They offer 514 RV campsites and they also offer cabin rentals.
Average Cost
Sherwood Forest offers camping rates very similar to those of Tropical Palms. Again, the rates vary, depending on the time of year and are subject to change.
- Per night – $68 to $92
- Per month – Contact for Pricing
- Per year – Contact for Pricing
The campground does offer discounted rates for longer stays, depending on the length of your stay.
Kissimmee RV Park
Another campground near Disney World, Kissimmee RV Park offers plenty to get excited about for RV campers. This campground is found pretty close to the Disney World theme parks:
- Magic Kingdom – 18 minutes / 10.3 miles
- Animal Kingdom – 17 minutes / 9.2 miles
- Hollywood Studios – 16 minutes / 7.7 miles
- Epcot – 16 minutes / 10.9 miles
In addition, it’s found about 15 minutes and 7.3 miles from Disney Spring’s Orange Parking Garage.
Campground Amenities
Kissimmee RV Park offers plenty of amenities including:
- Laundry facilities
- Clean Restrooms
- Recreation Hall
- Wi-Fi
- Shuffleboard Courts
- Horseshoe Pits
- Propane for sale
They also offer several activities including Pot Lucks and Bingo.
Type of Camping Offered
Tent campers can stay at Kissimmee RV Park for up to seven days. They also offer RV sites with 30 AMP and 50 AMP connections, along with cabin rentals.
Average Cost
These rates vary quite a bit from one season to another. Staying in the summer is usually less expensive than the winter, which is considered the busy season.
- Per night – $51 and up for RV sites and $50 and up for tent sites
- Per month – $495 to $795, based on the type of site and time of year
- Per year – $3,395 to $3,895, based on type of site
The yearly rate offers six months of occupancy and six months of storage.
Orlando / Kissimmee KOA Holiday
The Orlando / Kissimmee KOA Holiday campground is the closest KOA option to Disney World. The distances from the theme parks include:
- Magic Kingdom – 20 minutes / 9.6 miles
- Animal Kingdom – 19 minutes / 8.5 miles
- Hollywood Studios – 18 minutes / 7.0 miles
- Epcot – 19 minutes / 10.1 miles
In addition, it’s found about 18 minutes and 6.6 miles from Disney Spring’s Orange Parking Garage.
Campground Amenities
As expected with a KOA campground, this one has plenty of amenities including:
- Cable TV
- Bike rentals
- Propane Sales
- Swimming Pool (open year-round
- Firewood Sales
- Hot Tub
- Wi-Fi
- Pavilion
- Laundry Facilities
- Dog Park
- Dog Wash
- Horseshoes
- Basketball Court
- Fitness Center
- Jump Pad
- And more!
The location is also found near a public bus stop.
Type of Camping Offered
Tent camping, RV camping, and cabin rentals are all offered from this specific KOA campground.
Average Cost
Rates vary depending on the time of year and the site you choose. Some sites are nicer than others and the tent sites at this campground are very nice compared to other campgrounds.
- Per night – $85 and up for RV sites, $57 and up for tent sites
- Per month – Contact for Pricing
- Per year – Contact for Pricing
Any stays of 28 days or longer require a phone call to get the current rate. They do offer discounts with a VKR Membership on daily and weekly rates, along with other perks.
Lake Magic RV Resort
As a part of the same network as Tropical Palms and Sherwood Forest, the information for Lake Magic RV Resort is going to be rather similar. However, it’s not quite as close to the Disney theme parks. Distances include:
- Magic Kingdom – 20 minutes / 11.7 miles
- Animal Kingdom – 17 minutes / 7.3 miles
- Hollywood Studios – 19 minutes / 9.9 miles
- Epcot – 19 minutes / 10.7 miles
In addition, it’s found about 22 minutes and 11.9 miles from Disney Spring’s Orange Parking Garage.
Campground Amenities
Lake Magic RV Resort offers great amenities including:
- Swimming Pools
- Hot Tub
- Shuffleboard
- Laundry facilities
- Horseshoes
- Game Room
- Mail Center
- Volleyball
- Tennis Court
- Dog Park
- Wi-Fi
- Basketball
- Pickleball Court
- Restroom/Shower Facilities
- And More!
This campground is also found on a lake, which offers beautiful views. You can see the Disney fireworks from the campground most nights.
Type of Camping Offered
No tent camping is found at Lake Magic RV Resort. They do offer 471 RV sites and some rental cabins.
Average Cost
The cost per night will vary depending on the time of year and is subject to change.
- Per night – $75 to $84
- Per month – Contact for Pricing
- Per year – Contact for Pricing
Lake Magic does offer monthly and seasonal rates for RV sites and for cabin rentals. The rate will depend on how long you stay and what type of site you choose.
These campgrounds are the closest you will find to Walt Disney World without staying on Disney World Resort property at Fort Wilderness.
Cheapest Campgrounds near Disney World
Finding a cheap camping option near Disney World may seem difficult after reading the list above. The rates are a bit high if you’re used to tent camping or RV camping in other areas of the country.
Florida camping is expensive, especially during the winter because many people come to camp during the winter in their RVs. It’s not hard for campgrounds to fill up and they can charge higher rates. In addition, many of the campgrounds closest to Walt Disney World offer incredible amenities compared to other campgrounds throughout the country.
The cheapest campgrounds near Walt Disney World include:
- Lake Louisa State Park – About 20 miles and 30 minutes from the Magic Kingdom
- Bill Frederick Park – About 17 miles and 29 minutes from the Magic Kingdom
- Torchlite RV Park – About 23 miles and 33 minutes from the Magic Kingdom
- Mouse Mountain RV Resort – About 13 miles and 18 minutes from the Magic Kingdom
- Stage Stop Campground – About 16 miles and 32 minutes from the Magic Kingdom
- Ponderosa RV Park – About 19 miles and 30 minutes from the Magic Kingdom
All of these campgrounds cost $50 or less per day and offer significant discounts for weekly, monthly, seasonal, and annual stays.
Mouse Mountain RV Resort may be the best option at $40 to $50 per night, depending on the site and just 18 minutes from the Magic Kingdom. They also offer discounts for weekly, monthly, three to five-month, six-month, and annual stays.
If you’re looking for the cheapest option, Lake Louisa State Park offers sites for just $24 per night or $168 for the week. In addition, Bill Frederick Park offers full hook up sites for just $25 per night. Both parks do have a limit on how long you can stay and they do fill up very fast during the winter season.
Best Campgrounds near Disney World
The best campgrounds near Disney World will depend on what you’re after. If you want the cheapest, choose one from that category. If you want to be the closest to the Disney Theme Parks, choose a campground from the list of the closets campgrounds near Disney World.
While there really isn’t one campground that can be labeled as the best, there are a couple of great options to choose from.
Staying at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
If you want to be super close, get the benefit of booking Fastpasses 60 days in advance, enjoy Extra Magic Hours, and you want to avoid needing to drive anywhere, staying at Fort Wilderness is a great option. Just be prepared to spend $100+ per night, even in the off-season.
The Thousand Trails Option for Campgrounds Near Disney World
If you want to stay for several weeks or months and you do plenty of RV camping outside of Florida, a Thousand Trails membership might be the right option. While they offer multiple options, we found the Elite Pass worked great for us.
This pass allowed us to camp at a Thousand Trails location for 21 days at a time before we had to leave and go to another campground. We also added the Encore parks as a part of our membership for a small fee each year.
With the combination, we bounced back and forth between Orlando RV Resort (a Thousand Trails Campground) and a few Encore properties including:
- Lake Magic RV Resort
- Sherwood Forest RV Resort
- Tropical Palms RV Resort
This allowed us to stay without paying any additional fees other than our membership, which is good for a lifetime and for more than 150 other campgrounds across the nation (due to adding Encore).
We stayed at campgrounds near Disney World using this trick for over a year and enjoyed an Annual Pass to Disney World to get the most bang for our buck.
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