A "No-Park" Trip

[neildogg]

My wife and I both work from home. We found a very cheap airline ticket and are going to be working from a DVC studio room (AKL Savannah view) for the week.

We plan to spend the day at work on our laptops, but want to spend the evenings dining and finding activities outside of the parks. We would love to have single-location nights like eating at Trail's End then watching the movie at Fort Wilderness.

What have you done that you've enjoyed?

 

[4under4]

1.) Dinner at a DtD resaurant, and wandering about / shopping. Of course the construction might make that slightly less than ideal. Perhaps La Nouba?

2.) Boardwalk... again dinner, a Surry rental (or just walking along the boardwalk), and then finish off with Jellyrolls

3.) Round of mini-golf

4.) Get a nice drink and watch Fireworks from the beach at the Contemporary

 

[TravelMommy]

there are a lot of fun things (non-park) you can do! Will you be able to work earlier in the day?? I was thinking one of our favorite non-park things to do is a relaxing pool day at the resort, swimming, lounging by the pool and a nice dinner at the resort. You could easily do this at 4pm and have plenty of time to swim and relax/lounge before dinner.
You could do Downtown Disney one night and explore the shops, many great restaurants to chose from (we love Wolfgang Puck Express, CS with TS like meals) and they have a dinner and a movie at their AMC movie theatre there, if you wanted to catch a movie.
You could take a bus from Animal Kingdom to Disney's Beach Club Resort and walk the boardwalk, many great places to explore and dinner options from the Boardwalk Bakery (great lobster rolls!)or pizza window to Flying Fish (signature restaurant). BC usually has a movie on the beach there at night. Some of the Epcot high fireworks are sometime visible from the boardwalk near the area around where the water taxi by the International Gateway entrance/exit to Epcot. You can just ride the water taxi around the lagoon even, is a fun way to see all the resorts.[if you stay late you can always get a bus to Downtown Disney and then one from there to your resort, or just get a taxi]
Another one of our favorite activities is just exploring the different resorts, such as The Polynesian, great resort to walk around get a drink at Tambu lounge and great dinner choices from Captain Cook's (CS)to Kona(TS). After dinner, sit on the beach and watch the fireworks at MK and/or the electric light show on Bay Lake. You could also ride the water taxi's to and from Magic Kingdom while fireworks are going on.
Have a great trip and hope you are able to fill your evenings with lots of fun activities!

 

[Phillips Family]

Dinner at the Louoh at the Polynesian Hotel is a great way to have an outside the park trip. Great food, great show, and you can see the Magic Kingdom fireworks from across the water at the resort beach

 

[a742246]

For one night go to the GF and watch the fireworks and listen to the piano player in the lobby.

Another night walk the boardwalk and beaches and cream(need a ressie) at BC.

Night 3 Entertainment at DTD and ice cream(always room for IC).

Night 4 Hang out at AK find out what's going on to pick the night.

 

[amyy]

People laugh that we go on vacation and go to the movies. Now that the movie theater at DTD has some movies with supper options (can't remember what it is called) we enjoy it even more. After we just wander around for a bit.

 

[tinktinktink]

My wife and I both work from home. We found a very cheap airline ticket and are going to be working from a DVC studio room (AKL Savannah view) for the week. We plan to spend the day at work on our laptops, but want to spend the evenings dining and finding activities outside of the parks. We would love to have single-location nights like eating at Trail's End then watching the movie at Fort Wilderness. What have you done that you've enjoyed?

This sounds amazing!

 

[kiki02]

This sounds amazing!

Orlando itself is great. There are so many good places to eat and hang out that are not even owned by DISNEY. GL. Have fun.

 

[jillbur]

How about a horse carriage ride and Yeehaw Bob at POR?

 

[DVC California]

At AKL (Kindani, Jambo, both?), they set up night vision goggles for guests to use to look for animals in the Savannah. This is free and fun.

We've enjoyed strolling the Boardwalk and watching the "street performers" in the evening.

Will you have a car? There are some great restaurants off site. Or go to the "Dark Side" (j/k) and check out CityWalk at Universal.

 

[disneylove69]

I find out what movies are playing at the resorts and head to my favorites. Especially the ones at the Poly and BC. Grab a lounge chair, watch a movie and listen to the water hitting the sand.

Go the dine-in-movie at the AMC.

 

[hsmamato2]

I like visiting the resorts, having a meal, and exploring the grounds, many resorts have the night time movie option, or other things as noted,sometimes just a nice drink from the pool bar and sitting on whatever beach area is nearby,or even just a lounge chair, a swim in the evening at your resort with your DH, dine in movie, the new bowling alley with dinner, walking DTD and sharing a sundae,taking a boat ride to a resort just to visit....

 

[neildogg]

3.) Round of mini-golf

I've always wanted to try the mini-golf. I didn't realize it was near the boardwalk.

Will you be able to work earlier in the day??

If anything, we only have time for early morning activities because we work in more western time zones. We are going to try working from different resorts during the week, but will still be occupied almost all day with work.

Hang out at AK find out what's going on to pick the night.

I think we'll do this our first night. We plan to eat either at Sanaa or Jiko. We'll probably do one signature dining meal and it may be somewhere outside of AKL. Sanaa is our favorite restaurant.

This sounds amazing!

I know, right?

There are so many good places to eat and hang out that are not even owned by DISNEY.

Any recommendations? We have a rental car.

How about a horse carriage ride and Yeehaw Bob at POR?

I think we'll see Yee Ha Bob. We love Riverside and really want to eat the prime rib at Boatwright's.

Will you have a car? There are some great restaurants off site. Or go to the "Dark Side" (j/k) and check out CityWalk at Universal.

We do and this doesn't seem like a bad idea. Any recommendations for dining or activities there?

I find out what movies are playing at the resorts and head to my favorites.

I think we'll do this at Fort Wilderness. I watched many movies there as a child and have a lot of nostalgia for it.

 

[neildogg]

We'll be visiting Sunday September 7 through Wednesday September 11

Sunday: Check in to Kidani and take one of the tours if we make it from the airport in time. Eat supper at The Wave, visit all monorail hotels, and watch fireworks from the Grand Floridian dock.

Monday: Eat supper at Trail's End. Go to the Fort Wilderness sing-along, campfire, and movie.

Tuesday: Eat supper at Flying Fish. Do BoardWalk stuff.

Wednesday: Supper at Boatwright's at Port Orleans Riverside. Ye Haa Bob at River Roost Lounge.

 

[Patricia1]

Great ideas! We're always looking for non park ideas too. Glad I ran into this thread

 

[uccats97]

Richard Petty Driving Experience, Sammy Duvall's Water Sports, La Nouba, Disney Quest, a bit of pampering at one of the spas, rent a surrey bike, go on a wagon ride or a round of golf at one of the regulation or mini courses.

 

[danygirl]

We got the $15 frontier tickets too .
DH is planning a golf day since this is our first non kid trip in 25 years.

Keep these non park ideas coming! We are going in octiber

 

[TwoMisfits]

Anyone going in late August through September should avoid eating at Disney Table Service and spend the same (or much less money) enjoying Magical Dining Month at some of the amazing high end restaurants around the Orlando area. And, yes, you could feel kinda Disney and hit BlueZoo or Il Mulino on this special deal (just remember to bring something nice to wear).

 

[TwoMisfits]

This is the Bluezoo $33 3 course menu...

Choice of Appetizers
EDAMAME GAZPACHO
Baby radish, turnip, kimchee

HEIRLOOM TOMATO TART
Arugula, compressed melon, popped corn, olive oil

Choice of Entrèes
OCTOPUS BOLOGNESE
Yukon potato gnocchi, meyer lemon, preserved spring
garlic, pecorino

WHEY POACHED CHICKEN
Herb panade, eggplant, barley, pepper relish

FLAT IRON STEAK
Smoked tomato polenta, charred asparagus, pickled ramp
relish, calabrian chimichurri

Choice of Desserts
WARM CHOCOLATE BANANA MOLTEN
Chocolate cream pudding, caramelized banana, banana ice cream

RASPBERRY TART
Raspberry ice cream, marshmallow, vanilla bean diplomat, raspberry meringue

And this is Il Mulino...

Choice of Appetizers
ARANCINI
Traditional Italian breaded rice balls filled with rice & cheese
served with spicy marinara sauce

INSALATA TRATTORIA
Our seasonal mixed greens with carrots & red onion mixed with our
house made citrus vinaigrette

INSALATA CAESAR
Enjoy our classic take on a Caesar salad

Choice of Entrèes
SALMONE
Broiled salmon served over broccoli rabe with light garlic & olive oil

POLLO AROMATICO
Herb crusted chicken breast served with escarole & a white wine sauce

PENNE RIGATE
Penne pasta served with a traditional marinara sauce

TORTELLINI ALLA PANNA
Meat tortellini & peas served in a cream sauce

Choice of Desserts
TORTA AL CIOCCOLATO
Our flourless chocolate cake accompanied by homemade whip cream
& zabaglione

CHEESECAKE ALL’ ITALIANA
Homemade Italian style cheesecake

TIRAMISU
Layered espresso & coffee liqueur infused lady fingers coated
with mascarpone cream

 

[neildogg]

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