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I agree that the best way to do Orlando in the Model S is to stay at a hotel with a charger, and that's what I did last weekend. It worked out great.

However, there are certain times where you simply don't have a choice in hotel. For example, I am going to Orlando on Thursday, and then again at the end of the month. In each case I am staying via a group hotel block, and between the political backlash of not staying with everyone else and early morning events at the hotel, I simply can't change.

Specifically, this weekend I am staying at Disney's Boardwalk Inn, and at the end of the month I am staying at the Dolphin.

From my research, I believe my best choice is leaving the car at the Buffalo Wild Wings at 3099 Formosa Gardens Blvd in Kissimmee.

I do plan to reach out to the Florida Tesla Motors Club Charging Network member who lives there, too.
 
Ron,

Will the Buffalo Wild Wings folks let you leave it there for an extended duration?

Will you be taking a cab to get to and from the Wings place?

Disney has the Wilderness RV Park. I thought I remembered reading about someone getting a free charge there.

Larry
 
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Ron,

Will the Buffalo Wild Wings folks let you leave it there for an extended duration?

Will you be taking a cab to get to and from the Wings place?

Disney has the Wilderness RV Park. I thought I remembered reading about someone getting a free charge there.

Larry

According to the comments on Plugshare (or at least one comment), leaving it there overnight was not a problem. My plan would be to leave it overnight the first night (Thursday night) for a 90% charge, and then bring it back to the hotel. Then Saturday night or Sunday morning (depending what time we plan to leave), bring it back for a 100% charge.

Yes, a cab is what I had in mind.

No response from the person in our users' group so far...
 
It looks like Disney is going in reverse. :mad:

Larry
This seems outragous. An RV/camping park (high end) doesn't even offer 240v hookups? I still think campgrounds and RV parks would be good options for EV owners - they somehow just need to be educated. I think most of us would have no problem paying a reasonable fee for the electricity service at a facility like that. Plus it would be a great opportunity to introduce the car and technology to the people there.
 
Fort Wilderness no longer has 240/50 only 110v service, so not of much help.

Robert,

Can you please tell us where you got this information?

Are you saying that they no longer offer free 240 v charging to electric vehicles?

The Fort Wilderness website still shows 240 volt electric services.


campsites-at-fort-wilderness-resort-topc-g05.jpg



campsites-at-fort-wilderness-resort-fhuc-g07.jpg


Thanks.

Larry
 
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As a random suggestion, the OCCC (Orange County Convention Center) has four Chargepoint chargers that are free to anyone visiting the center. Although they are 30A chargers in theory (or late at night), overall I had to dial down the current draw to 24A because their overall electric grid is a little overloaded in daytime and higher settings sometimes caused the car to terminate charging if the voltage dropped below 203V or so. Generally, I got 210V/24A and about 15 rmph when charging, IIRC.
 
As a random suggestion, the OCCC (Orange County Convention Center) has four Chargepoint chargers that are free to anyone visiting the center. Although they are 30A chargers in theory (or late at night), overall I had to dial down the current draw to 24A because their overall electric grid is a little overloaded in daytime and higher settings sometimes caused the car to terminate charging if the voltage dropped below 203V or so. Generally, I got 210V/24A and about 15 rmph when charging, IIRC.

Good point. I remember reading your post about that. My trip to Orlando a week and a half ago was actually for a convention at the OCCC. If there's anything going on there, it is a complete nightmare, and I wasn't sure what would happen if I left the car overnight.
 
I'm sure something bad would happen if you left it for two-three days. And I'm sure not going to take responsibility if something bad happens overnight (sorry), but FWIW I left one event at 10pm and found some security people to ask. I mentioned that I was at an event (which I was) and asked if they would tow my car or something if I left it overnight without telling them. They said not to worry, that they'd assume someone needed more of a charge than a few hours could provide and was staying at a hotel nearby.

In the end, my car was parked at the OCCC (and at the charger) for a one 30-hour stretch and another 16-hour stretch. No worries. I would have felt it inappropriate to use their free chargers if I wasn't actually doing something at the OCCC... but I also like knowing about this kind of thing in case I ever have a situation where I screw up or get cornered and have little other choice.
 
Larry, I asked at Guest Services in EPCOT, and the representative called Fort Wilderness front desk and asked. I have not personally seen the campsites but have seen the picture you posted. I have been led to believe those boxes have been removed and replaced with 110v.
 
Larry, I asked at Guest Services in EPCOT, and the representative called Fort Wilderness front desk and asked. I have not personally seen the campsites but have seen the picture you posted. I have been led to believe those boxes have been removed and replaced with 110v.

Thanks Robert,

I just got off the phone with Fort Wilderness. (407) 824-2900

At first when I asked about 240 volt service he said no, just regular 110v. When I pressed him further, telling him that their website show photos of both 110v and 240v outlets he apparently consulted some paperwork and said yes...220v 50amp services are available.

When I inquired about accommodating electric cars he said he didn't know anything about that and said you would have to reserve a campsite. I asked him if you only had an electric vehicle and no RV could you reserve a cabin. He said yes, but there were no 220 volt hook-ups there, just 110v.

So without further pushing it looks like another dead-end with Disney.

Larry
 
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Thanks Robert,

I just got off the phone with Fort Wilderness. (407) 824-2900

At first when I asked about 240 volt service he said no, just regular 110v. When I pressed him further, telling him that their website show photos of both 110v and 240v outlets he apparently consulted some paperwork and said yes...220v 50amp services are available.

When I inquired about accommodating electric cars he said he didn't know anything about that and said you would have to reserve a campsite. I asked him if you only had an electric vehicle and no RV could you reserve a cabin. He said yes, but there were no 220 volt hook-ups there, just 110v.

So without further pushing it looks like another dead-end with Disney.

Larry

The beginning of this story jives with what ChadS has told me a few times. Whenever you call an RV park you always want to ask about "50 Amp Service" and don't say anything about 110v or 240v or any voltage at all. The proprietors of these places (and RV owners) only know of what we want as "50 Amp Service".
 
When I inquired about accommodating electric cars he said he didn't know anything about that and said you would have to reserve a campsite. I asked him if you only had an electric vehicle and no RV could you reserve a cabin. He said yes, but there were no 220 volt hook-ups there, just 110v.
So close yet so far. How could you not ask...

"If I reserve a cabin with my RV and my RV is in the shop for repairs at the time, can I still use the 220V hookup for my EV?"
 
So close yet so far. How could you not ask...

"If I reserve a cabin with my RV and my RV is in the shop for repairs at the time, can I still use the 220V hookup for my EV?"

Hi Brian,

Please forgive me, but I've had difficulty being able to distinguish between your attempts at humor and serious questions. :tongue:

In the event that your posting was somewhat serious, as I understand it for an overnight charge you would need to reserve a campsite in advance to get the 220v 50 amp service. You would then have to either reserve a cabin in another location to stay overnight at the park, or stay at a nearby hotel and take a cab to and from your car at the campsite.

For those Floridians seriously considering charging their Model S at Fort Wilderness, I would call them at (407) 824-2900. Be prepared to discuss your requirements with a guy at the "front desk" that is polite, but pretty clueless.

It is possible that someone persuasive with a low state of charge might be able to convince someone actually managing the campsite to permit charging provided a campsite was available. Regardless charging at Fort Wilderness would not be my "Plan A".

Larry
 
Heh, Larry. I was being serious this time.

My interpretation of your exchange with the park folks was that "you can get the outlet if you say you have an RV". So just say you have an RV and then don't bring it. Would they turn you away at the time? Perhaps I'm not properly understanding what "cabin with RV" vs "cabin without RV" means at these parks. Is it a price difference? Do they have a weight meter to ensure that you're parking an RV there vs. not?
 
Heh, Larry. I was being serious this time.

My interpretation of your exchange with the park folks was that "you can get the outlet if you say you have an RV". So just say you have an RV and then don't bring it. Would they turn you away at the time? Perhaps I'm not properly understanding what "cabin with RV" vs "cabin without RV" means at these parks. Is it a price difference? Do they have a weight meter to ensure that you're parking an RV there vs. not?

Brian,

There's a fundamental difference between cabins and campsites.

The cabins provide sleeping quarters, kitchen and bathroom. They have a parking spot for a car and no 220v service.

There are several types of campsites that require that you have an RV or tent suitable for sleeping. Some have access to 220v services.

The cabins and campsites are located in different sections of the park.

There are prices differences between the various campsites, and between the campsites and cabins.

Larry