Natalie,
Thanks for asking your question to planDisney!
You are going to have a great time
horseback riding at Fort Wilderness! The setting is so beautiful, and the newly built ranch is a wonderful place to visit. The easiest way to get from
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa to the
Tri-Circle-D Ranch in Fort Wilderness for your horseback riding adventure is to walk over from your resort to Disney Springs. From there, catch a bus to Fort Wilderness. While the Tri-Circle-D Ranch is close to the Fort Wilderness marina, the horseback riding check-in is at the resort front entrance, at the other end of the camp area. So, the bus from Disney Springs will drop you off immediately adjacent to where you need to report for your ride through nature.
I will tell you, if you were just going to the ranch for
pony rides, or to check out the facility, it would be better to catch a bus from your resort to the Magic Kingdom, then boat over to the Fort Wilderness marina. The ranch is then just a 1/3 mile (1/2 km) walk away. But for horseback riding, you must check in at that front entrance area.
For a total trip time, I would give yourself at least an hour before your ride time. That gives you some time to walk to Disney Springs, where you may have to wait for a bus. After a 25-minute or so bus ride, you will be at your destination. The return route would be the same, just in reverse.
BONUS TIPIf you have any extra time on your hands before or after the trail ride, consider visiting the nearby
Settlement Trading Post. This resort store has some really fun souvenirs, including resort-specific shirts.
Please feel free to write me back directly if you have any follow-up questions.
Have a Magical Vacation!
Doug