Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground Prepares for Halloween 2020; A Visit to P&J’s Southern Takeout (Photos)

Hi everyone!

We went to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground yesterday to have lunch and check out Halloween decorations around the campsites. Halloween is usually a huge holiday at the campground, we have been posting about it for over 10 years. Due to the current pandemic, things are a little different this year and neither a golf cart parade nor trick-or-treating are on the official schedule. But the campground actually is busier than I expected (the last time we came here for lunch was July) and there will be quite a bit for campers to enjoy on Halloween.

First, I noticed there was a “Return to Sleepy Hollow 2020” LE pin at the Tri-Circle D Ranch located at the Outpost (parking lot). The event is not being held this year (we experienced it previously), but it is nice to have the pin.

The pins are LE 3600 and apparently have been on sale for a few weeks.

We paid $15.00 even for the pin.

Some golf carts have fun Halloween decorations.

There was an Eco-Coach heading to Disney’s Animal Kingdom park.

We took the bus to the Meadows. Mickey is in his Fort Wilderness outfit holding a pumpkin.

Fewer campsites are decorated than usual right now, but it was nice to see some as we walked to the Settlement. While Fort Wilderness won’t be hosting the Halloween Golf Cart Parade, there will be a site decorating contest and golf cart decorating contest (among other things). I was actually quite surprised how many activities are running now at the campground compared to other resorts – like the Segway tour was happening when we arrived. I took one of the first tours in 2007.

Because we post so much about Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground between Halloween and Christmas each year (for over 10 years now), I do get asked about the decorations and activities.

This is just about the only campsite I recognized from previous years, with the pointers for the different parks.

 

This is fun, with the big web.

A spider was formed in pine cones.

There were a lot of smaller Mickey and Minnie inflatables.

A scarecrow smiles.

Ghost Mickey hangs from a tree.

A skeleton hangs from a fence.

 

This (Mandalorian?) costume is really fun, attached to a Mickey light pole.

Mickey and Minnie hold pumpkins.

Another golf cart decorated with a skeleton.

We headed to P & J’s Southern Takeout. While Trail’s End itself is not open, this counter service location does offer fried chicken, ribs, mashed potatoes, strawberry shortcake, cornbread – a lot of comfort style food. Back in 2015, Trails End To-Go became P&J’s Southern Takeout, named after two longtime hostesses at the restaurant (Paulette and Josephine). I wrote an article about it in 2015.

P&J’s Southern Takeout is one of my favorite counter locations at Walt Disney World. Normally for Halloween and Christmas we would go to Trail’s End (another very longtime favorite) – but it was nice yesterday to make it back here for lunch.

Crockett’s Tavern was not yet open when we arrived, it opened at 4:00 p.m. But we walked to Trail’s End to pick up our mobile order.

This is the menu. For $25, we purchased the Half-Slab Barbecued Ribs and 4-Piece Fried Chicken, which came with a full loaf of cornbread and two large sides. We also added two small baked beans (Cowboy Beans).

This entrance is closed, the sign notes the green doors.

Enter here. Does anyone remember when the big bear used to be to the right hand side when entering?

I had written up an article after Fort Wilderness opened and we ate here the first time. But this is a quick look inside. Guests pick up their meals to the left, and can sit inside or out.

We are not dining inside at all right now, so we brought our food down near Bay Lake and Clementine’s Beach.

I really like the mashed potatoes at Fort Wilderness, as well as the cornbread and beans.

We had plenty of food for lunch and also brought more than half home.

The famous chicken that Trail’s End is known for is here.

  

We have been trying some of the Halloween treats at the various resorts. The Frightfully Spooky Strawberry Shortcake Push Pop was new to us.

Just to also mention, the Strawberry Shortcake is here as a normal item as well.

The push pop reminded me a bit of Black Forest Cake with strawberries. We split it, it isn’t a huge dessert but just enough to split after a meal.

 

It was a nice 2 or 3 hours, and we enjoyed leftovers today (and will tomorrow as well). We also stopped by the Tri-Circle-D Ranch (the new, large barn that opened a few months ago). We wrote about the barn a few months ago. Pony rides have started up since then but not much else was different.

Hopefully things will be more back to normal in a year, but it was nice to see so many guests enjoying Fort Wilderness and quite a few activities resuming.