We Bet You Didn’t Know You Could Do THIS at a Disney World Hotel!

We’re always talking about the cool recreational things you can do at your Disney World hotel, but did you know you can ride an actual Disney horse?

Disney horse

There’s been a lot of attention focused on the new cabins at Fort Wilderness and when they’ll be available to book soon. But don’t forget that there’s so much more to this awesome resort than just those new rooms! If you’ve ever found yourself swooning over those beautiful white ponies that pull Cinderella’s carriage or mesmerized by the horses that pull the Main Street trolly cars down Main Street, U.S.A., have we got the activity for you!

Our latest adventure at Disney World had us exploring the great outdoors and all the recreational offerings that they have to offer. We found ourselves at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort to take in the sights and sounds of the natural vibes and enjoy a change of pace.

Welcome to Fort Wilderness

This hotel and campground really has something for everyone! This whole property pays homage to the pioneer spirit. You can find yourself in a wilderness cabin, pitching a tent to get an authentic camping out experience, and enjoying a campfire singalong with Chip ‘n Dale. This resort is also home to Disney’s only dinner show currently running (and we’re quite fond of it)!

Campfire Sing-A-Long

However, we recently had a chance to try out something different and exciting at Disney World that wasn’t a new ride. We were invited out for an early morning horseback trail ride at the Tri-Circle D Ranch.

Tri-Circle D Ranch trail rides

These recreational rides are hosted here at the hotel and campground and are offered at various times throughout the day. You can book these recreational rides on the My Disney Experience app or by calling Disney directly to make a reservation.

 

 

Once we arrived at the ranch, we checked in, signed waivers, weighed in to fit with a compatible horse, and then we were brought along for a short walk over to where we would mount our horses. This was right by the bus stop towards the front of Fort Wilderness, so we didn’t have to walk far from where we were parked.

Once we got to the barn, we were given a few rules and a safety spiel to abide by during our ride and were asked to put our belongings in a locker with an electronic combination to be held while we enjoyed our ride. We were also fitted for a riding helmet that was loaned to us with the horseback riding reservation.

 

 

Unfortunately, if you bring along your phone with you on the trail ride you’ll need to keep it in your pocket for the duration of the experience. This allows you to keep your attention focused on the horse and stay in the group.

Our guides were fixed at the front and very back of our group as we were guided through the mile-long trail. The whole experience took about 45 minutes and the entire trail brought us around the side of the property, by the existing wilderness cabins, and rounded back. Along our trail ride, we talked with our guides about the wildlife found around the campgrounds as well as the care and nature of the horses. We also spotted a few (real) deer (!!!) and learned about Disney’s adoption program for horses that are retired from service at Disney World.

 

 

The trail guides will offer to take photos of you before you start your journey, after you’ve mounted your horse, and before you dismount — these pics can make for some great mementos to remember this experience by!

Such a fun experience

This was certainly a unique experience that we will remember for decades to come, and it was such a smooth process from check-in to saying our goodbyes. As we mentioned before, reservations can be made in advance but they’re not opposed to taking walk-ups if you’re just learning about their horseback trail rides and space is available.

We would highly recommend this experience for someone who’s an avid equine or animal lover in general, and if you’re looking for a nice “change of pace” type of experience that you didn’t know you could get at Disney World. However, if you’re someone who’s not a total fan of being outdoors (and potentially exposed to that liquid Florida “sunshine” aka rain), it might not be the right fit for you.

We’re always looking for the best experiences you can have while on your Disney World vacation so be sure to stay tuned with us for even more recreational options that can enhance your vacation!

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Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of horseback trail rides at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ

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