Does anybody do this

[jcodespoti]

Has anybody ever gone to either OKW or BWV and not gone into the parks while on vacation?
I love Disney, but sometimes I just want to get away for 3 or 4 days and relax.
Since we own at BWV i don't feel the need to blitz thru all the parks. But sometimes all I want to do is sit by the pool or play golf and relax. Disney would probably through a fit if alot of members did this (less money for them).
Just wondering on a cold, rainy day in CT.

Joe In CT

[dvchuck]

Since becoming members and traveling to WDW every year. My family doesn't have the desire to do the parks from sun-up to midnight.

We know we are coming back, if we don't catch it this time, we will the next time we are here.

You really get this idea if you visit Hilton Head resort. Disney Resort - no parks! Just total relaxation. It is very nice. :)

http://www.geocities.com/ebjcole1/drum.jpg

[tate]

ºoº We have been to WDW 6 times in the past 5 years. Our visits have lasted anywhere from 10 to 21 days. Relaxing by the quiet pool,some great golf,strolling the Boardwalk and the occasional night out dining are our favorites. Can't do without the Parks though and thus a 7 day Hopper is always on the must get list. Having no little ones to share this with is still missed. DD is now an adult!

[ripleysmom]

That's what we'll doing this August. We might do one park but plan to relax by the pool the rest of the time.

Kimberly-Lucas and Ripley's Mom

http://www.wdwinfo.com/sites/family/dvcjoke.gif http://wdwinfo.com/sites/family/dvcis.gif

[Lesley]

I've suggested this to my dh and he gets upset by the idea of not hitting the parks.....oh well...maybe he'll mellow with age. <IMG WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="15" SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="razz">


Lesley


1979 Contemporary
1992 Off-site
1994 Carribean Beach
1999 Fort Wilderness and Coronado Springs
2000 Polynesian and Old Key West
2002 Boardwalk Villas

[nuthut]

I can say we spent Thanksgiving week with an annual pass in my pocket and never went into the parks.

[mickeyc]

We usually spend five to seven days at WDW. One or two days we usually do nothing. The atmosphere at Disney is perfect for relaxing. One year we stayed a Dixing Landings and went to the quiet pool. We had it all to ourselves and this was the beginning of August. Keep in mind it is your vacation and you can enjoy it as you please. I think this is what the Disney folks had in mind is the great variety--do as much or as little as you like. I have yet to encounter the Disney Police saying "get to the parks". Enjoy!!! ( smile

[MN_DizNut]

We always reserve at least a couple of days just to relax by the pool or maybe take a leisurely stroll thru "Downtown Disney". Often those are some of our best days.

Jon

[eva]

If you can believe it my husband and I are going for an entire week in May and have no plans to go into any of the parks. We will be at the Dolphin for 4 nights while my husband is at a conference then 2 nights at VWL. We thought that it would be a great get away. We will of course try a number of restaurants at the resorts. But we are just looking for a little relaxation and Florida sun.

[Cinderelli]

We'll be at OKW this Labor Day. We're taking my parents and my sister and her family. My own immediate family are the only park freaks. So, while EVERYONE is there we will enjoy the pool, Hoop Dee Doo Review and just relax. After they all leave (Monday), we'll take in a park.

We can't wait.

Contemporary 1997
Wilderness Lodge 1997
Port Orleans 1998
OKW 1999
Off-site 2000
Hilton Head 2000

[walter]

Last April after visiting HH, we spent 5 days at OKW without entering the parks. One day we went to Universal, but the others we sat around the pools, walked to Downtown Disney, visited some of the hotels on site or the Boardwalk.

[Kimber]

We did this for 4 days last yr over July 4th. We are going for 5 days in May; with maybe one park day. I love just relaxing at the resorts. We did 3 park days in Jan with whole family, but relaxing trips are almost better.

[WDWDad]

We are leaving March 2 for an 8 day stay. We'll probably do 2 days in the parks only because we have guests coming along who want to hang out with us for awhile. Other than that we are just gonna be " MAXIN & RELAXIN ".

[Lisa F]

The whole reason we bought into DVC (and go to WDW so much) is that I absolutely cannot sit around and "do nothing." Never. My husband thinks I don't understand the meaning of the word "relax" and when I am on vacation, I want to have FUN! I have never taken a vacation to somewhere where you're supposed to just lie on the beach, I'd go nuts. I'm sort of afraid to take a cruise because it seems like most of what you do there is lie by the pool and eat!

That doesn't mean I have to hit every single attraction when I go to the parks though... For example, on New Year's Eve we got to EPCOT around 7:30AM, went to the land for breakfast, sat and played cards for 4 hours, went and had lunch, pin traded for a few hours, walked around looking for pressed quarters, had dinner, walked around the lagoon looking for a great place to view the fireworks, and parked for a few hours to hold that place once we found it. It was worth it, too, in spite of the cold!

I just love the sights, the sounds, the smells, the people, the whole thing. I can't imagine going to WDW and missing all of that! I don't, however, have a problem with sleeping until noon when I am on vacation!

Lisa

"You employ stone, wood, and concrete, and with these materials you build house and palaces. That is construction. Ingenuity is at work. But suddenly, you touch my heart, you do me good. I am happy and I say 'This is beautiful.' That is architecture. Art enters in."
-Le Corbusier

[jcodespoti]

I think the reason I enjoy DVC so much is for the very reason that WDW is so big has so many different things to do (besides the parks). Some people say "you are going to WDW AGAIN!!!??" When we tell them we're taking a vacation. I guess the really miss the point. That there is so much to do (or not do)in WDW. We still go other places besides WDW, but WDW is my favorite.
I personally love the attention to detail that WDW has and DVC allows me time to go at my own pace.
Thats why IMO the debate about "is BWV better than OKW" is foolish. I love both places for different reasons. They are two separate worlds and I intend to enjoy both of them for the next 40 years.(WLV is not my cup of tea).

Joe IN CT

[HorizonsFan]

Lisa,

That sounds a lot like some of our days at Epcot. We love to just sit and people watch or pop into a park, do an attraction and then go home to relax!
I love the feeling of not having to rush to get everything in but I don't think I could be that close to the parks and not go at all...

Dave

http://members.home.net/tdkersh/horizonssignsm.gif

[WDWDad]

Have you ever just gone to the marketplace grabbed a carmel apple and watched your kids play in the fountain? Priceless !

[patmcg]

Somehow the trip isn't complete without a few days in the Parks. We somtimes manage to bring friends or relatives who have either never seen WDW or haven't been there for quite some time. That's my way to justify a trip to the parks as well.

http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/vltdisney/dvclogo.gif

[goofyforwdw]

Have been to Disney many times but almost always go into the parks. We were there in early Dec with our three kids and my brother/wife and his three and did the parks almost all day . Just my hubby and I went down three weeks ago , we still did the parks but just for a few hours the went people watching in different hotel lobbies. Our favorite is Wilderness lodge each day we found ourselves drawn back there. We were staying at BWV for five days,but our flight home got canceled cause of a N'easter so we got a studio at Wilderness lodge for two additional nights. Awesome way to spend a snowstorm. Kids didn't care for it to much though.

[Partridge4ever]

I can see how it's possible with all the activities at the resort, but I agree with Lisa F. I love the parks. When I'm on vacation, either at WDW or somewhere else, I want to see and do as much as I can. I can stay home and lounge for free. Maybe if I lived within easy driving distance to WDW, I'd feel differently, but I have a feeling I'll still be a commando style tourer in 2042.

[baileybrad]

The distance that we travel, along with limited vacation time, does not allow us to visit WDW without making the parks a destination.

[jmatzen0106]

Hi Joe in Ct.

After 8 years in DVC and over 120 days and nights
on property, we did just that ( not buy tickets to the Parks ) from 1/2/2001 - 1/12/2001.

It was a different type of vacation, in that, we
were more relaxed, spent more time in a leisure
mode, took more boat rides, walked a little slower and enjoyed a little more thoroughly what we saw, did a lot of Pin Trading, got to see more of what we usually miss each and every year.

Toward the end of the vacation, both my wife and I agreed that we did miss the Parks, but, not all that much, however, when we go back in June, we will buy an Annual Pass.

[WDWMom]

DH and I went down in Sept. 2000 and spent 4 days at the pools, shopping and relaxing. Never went into a park and did not even miss them. Will be different went we take DK's. Leaving in 12 days to go HOME :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

1976 off site
1982 Fort Wilderness
1985 off site
1994 Dixie Landings
1995 Dixie Landings
1996 Dixie Landing
1996 Wilderness Homes
1997 Caribean Beach
1998 OKW/BWV
1998 OKW
1999 OKW
2000 OKW 2x
2001 OKW

[CaptainMidnight]

We go to Vero Beach to relax. It is amazingly quiet, except for the ocean waves on the beach....

[Peggy Sue]

Since joining DVC in 1997 our vacation style has changed. We find ourselves drawn back to WDW on a more frequent basis now that we are part of DVC. Initially, we purchased 220 points because we didn't think we would vacation at WDW every year and wanted enough to be able to trade a week for other vacation options. Since 1997 we have only traded out once for a week in Hawaii, and we now find ourselves returning to WDW about 3 times a year. (We've added on twice) We are no longer park commandos because we know we will be back again and again. We love the freedom an AP gives us to come and go as we please, even if we just want to go into a park for a couple of hours, to see a parade or fireworks, or have dinner. During every vacation we have always had a few days where we didn't go into any parks. Just relaxed by the pool, took a walk, went to the water park, shopping etc.

Have a wonderful day!

[Tigger1]

We are usually attracted to the parks every day. Our next trip we will go to Universal 1 day. Disney a couple days. Water parks 1 or 2 days.
Hang out at the pool a day or two, maybe shop some.

We are also going to Vero for 5 nights to just play in the ocean.

I can hardly wait. Less than 100 days until take off.

Tigger

http://disneyclipart.simplenet.com/Movies/Winnie_the_Pooh/Pooh_and_Tigger/pooh-tig05.gif

[spiceycat]

when we got the free tickets from WDW we went every time and every day that we were there. Now -when my niece comes with me we go to the MK. this time they will come for 2 days, but I will be there for a week. After she is gone, I might go to Epcot for one day - but more than likely I will spend my time catching up on my reading, swimming (the pools don't open in my area until May), and shopping (I am not expecting bargins at this time of the year, but I might get lucky). I can drive to it - 9 to 12 hours depending upon the stops (more if I take my cat, Spicey).