The Tri-Circle D Ranch at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground has been around for quite some time, and a completely new facility opened in June of 2020. Today, in 2023, it still serves as a great recreational activity for those visiting the resort, and all of Walt Disney World as a whole.
The updated facility includes an updated museum dedicated to Walt Disney’s love of horses, and guests will also get to see the 1907 Dragon Calliope, a piece of Disney history purchased by Walt Disney himself for the opening of Disneyland, which was used in the 1981 tencennial celebration of Walt Disney World.
The original Tri-Circle-D Ranch was built before the grand opening of Walt Disney World in 1971 to fulfill Walt Disney’s dream of having horses at the Magic Kingdom. The new barn is twice the size of the original and includes larger stalls for the horses equipped with automatic water stations, a wedding harness room for Cinderella’s ponies. The new Tri-Circle-D Ranch is located near the bus loop by Pioneer Hall.
The new facility was built several years ago to accommodate a new Disney Vacation Club resort, then announced as “Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge.” That project has yet to be officially cancelled by Disney, but construction has definitely paused on the project, which had originally been slated for completion in 2022. As seen in the photos here, the site is still clear and marked off by green fences and could resume at any time. In the meantime, Disney Vacation Club had also announced a new development at Disney’s Fort WIlderness Resort & Campground, taking aim at the numerous cabins on the site.
The stables near the Settlement area of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground are open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Guests are welcome to walk through the area and visit the horses. Pony Rides also depart from this location. The Trail Blaze Corral is located at the Main Entrance of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. When checking in for horseback riding, guests are asked to visit the building with a large Tri-Circle-D Ranch sign near the Main Outpost parking lot.
Those visiting Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground during the holiday season should also inquire about the traditional holiday sleigh rides that feature the horses from the Tri-Circle D Ranch.
