A spot in DL for some down time?

[MsTeresa]

Can you please suggest a spot in DL where I can take my kids (4 & 2) to get some down time, to take an afternoon break?

Thanks.

 

[DangerMouse]

Here's some ideas:

Animation Studio in DCA. Sit on the floor and watch the animation screens. Beautiful and relaxing.

Grand Circle Tour (or two) on the DLRR

GCH lobby near the fireplace or on the couches. Very relaxing and you don't have to be a guest to rest here.

Main Street Cinema to watch some classic Mickey cartoons.

 

[snusnu]

Can you please suggest a spot in DL where I can take my kids (4 & 2) to get some down time, to take an afternoon break?

Thanks.

What about Tom Sawyer Island? They can play a little bit or sit and hang out, and it's relatively quiet.

 

[Disney Dider]

If you pack lunches the picnic area is nice too.

 

[MsTeresa]

Thanks DangerMouse, snusnu, Disney Dider for the suggestions so far, I'm looking into all of them. Some follow up questions..

GCH lobby near the fireplace or on the couches. Very relaxing and you don't have to be a guest to rest here.

How far of a walk from the DL Resort is this?

If you pack lunches the picnic area is nice too.

Where is the picnic area located?

 

[Disney Dider]

The picnic area is sort of hidden. It is to the left of the main gates, surrounded by a large bush fence. It will be on your map. Its quite large and always empty when we go in there.

 

[The Orchid]

The picnic area is sort of hidden. It is to the left of the main gates, surrounded by a large bush fence. It will be on your map. Its quite large and always empty when we go in there.

Well no wonder it's always empty! I don't think anybody knows it's there. I've probably walked by it a couple hundred times and never knew. Is it a shaded area? I sometimes think a quiet, cool resting place would be really nice.

 

[Hound 109]

Thanks DangerMouse, snusnu, Disney Dider for the suggestions so far, I'm looking into all of them. Some follow up questions..

How far of a walk from the DL Resort is this?

The Grand California Hotel lobby is about 50 yards from Grizzily River Run in DCA (via the side entrance). The GCH ties in perfectly for a downtime nap when one has a full day at DLR (& doesn't have a nearby hotel room).

- Start your day at DL (ride rides & pick up FPs the first 2-3 hours)
- Hop to DCA for a couple of hours & ride rides & pick up one or two FPs.
- Rest in the GCH for an hour or two.
- Back thru DCA & use the FP & another attraction or two (or four ).
- Hop back to DL & use the 3-4 FPs you picked up that morning & enjoy DL in the evening.

For the most part....rinse & repeat each day.

Have a great time at Walt's Park.

 

[MsTeresa]

The Grand California Hotel lobby is about 50 yards from Grizzily River Run in DCA (via the side entrance). The GCH ties in perfectly for a downtime nap when one has a full day at DLR (& doesn't have a nearby hotel room).

- Start your day at DL (ride rides & pick up FPs the first 2-3 hours)
- Hop to DCA for a couple of hours & ride rides & pick up one or two FPs.
- Rest in the GCH for an hour or two.
- Back thru DCA & use the FP & another attraction or two (or four ).
- Hop back to DL & use the 3-4 FPs you picked up that morning & enjoy DL in the evening.

For the most part....rinse & repeat each day.

Have a great time at Walt's Park.

That's a pretty good plan

 

[disneegrl4eva]

ooh i have a good spot......across the way between BTMR and BTR there is a spot that has some benches and even though there is traffic, it seems to be very peaceful...I always see elderly people just people watching...its a shaded area where you can look out over the River of America...no matter how packed or how loud the park is I can always go over there just to breathe for a little while

 

[LavenderPeach]

Hungry Bear Restaurant is also peaceful.

 

[jlmarr]

The picnic area is sort of hidden. It is to the left of the main gates, surrounded by a large bush fence. It will be on your map. Its quite large and always empty when we go in there.

Here's an aerial view, via Wikimapia.

I think that Tom Sawyer's Island would work well too, especially the less-traveled northern end near (the former) Fort Wilderness.

 

[bumbershoot]

The picnic area is sort of hidden. It is to the left of the main gates, surrounded by a large bush fence. It will be on your map. Its quite large and always empty when we go in there.

It's outside of the esplanade, so you'll have to go back through security when your rest is done, just FYI. Also, it's all concrete, including the tables and benches, so if you have an accident-prone kidlet...be warned.

We just like sitting on benches to rest a bit when needed, doesn't really matter which benches, it seems.

When finding benches, though, if you're not a smoker, be sure to not sit yourself near a smoking area. Along the path from Fantasyland along BTMRR there's a smoking section that catches me by surprise EVERY time.

 

[NVDisMom]

I was going to suggest Hungry Bear Restaurant too! Sit down below by the bathrooms and let the kids feed the ducks on the river. Its always a coll, shady and relatively quiet spot.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I was going to say Hungry Bear too. And I have to add Whitewater Snacks inside GCH. Just take the DCA exit to the hotel and turn left at the end of hall. It is always quiet and uncrowded in there and we feel like we can just sit and breath! There are bathrooms next door too.

 

[firefly87]

I was going to suggest Hungry Bear Restaurant too! Sit down below by the bathrooms and let the kids feed the ducks on the river. Its always a coll, shady and relatively quiet spot.

I 2nd this(or is it a 3rd by now?!?). Underneath the deck of the Hungry Bear all the way to the back past the tables & chairs.......my kids spent about an hour there watching and feeding the ducks. The ironic this is that we have a duck & goose as pets at home and do ya think they ever spend any quality time with ours?!?!? Nooooooooo!!!!

My kids always tear through Tom Sawyer's Island, so it was never a spot for down time for them. It was a place where they played and stretched their legs. Plus, the last couple times I was there, it was HOT there on the island and we had left our water bottles at the stroller before we got on the raft to get over there.

 

[LavenderPeach]

I was going to suggest Hungry Bear Restaurant too! Sit down below by the bathrooms and let the kids feed the ducks on the river. Its always a coll, shady and relatively quiet spot.

I was going to say Hungry Bear too. And I have to add Whitewater Snacks inside GCH. Just take the DCA exit to the hotel and turn left at the end of hall. It is always quiet and uncrowded in there and we feel like we can just sit and breath! There are bathrooms next door too.

I 2nd this(or is it a 3rd by now?!?). Underneath the deck of the Hungry Bear all the way to the back past the tables & chairs.......my kids spent about an hour there watching and feeding the ducks. The ironic this is that we have a duck & goose as pets at home and do ya think they ever spend any quality time with ours?!?!? Nooooooooo!!!!

Oh good! I'm glad I gave a good suggestion. I now have to admit to all of you that I've never been to the Hungry Bear Restaurant! It's on my list of things to do though since i keep hearing it's a nice spot to relax. I think the lack of interesting food is what has kept me away but we need to check it out even if we don't get any food. Okay, confession time is over.

 

[NVDisMom]

Oh good! I'm glad I gave a good suggestion. I now have to admit to all of you that I've never been to the Hungry Bear Restaurant! It's on my list of things to do though since i keep hearing it's a nice spot to relax. I think the lack of interesting food is what has kept me away but we need to check it out even if we don't get any food. Okay, confession time is over.

Its a must do every time we go, even if only for 15 minutes. Its nice to just sit and chill. We bring our homebought snacks in rather than deal with the restaurant. I don't even know if we've looked at the menu.No clue what is on it.

 

[firefly87]

Oh good! I'm glad I gave a good suggestion. I now have to admit to all of you that I've never been to the Hungry Bear Restaurant! It's on my list of things to do though since i keep hearing it's a nice spot to relax. I think the lack of interesting food is what has kept me away but we need to check it out even if we don't get any food. Okay, confession time is over.

Since we're in the spirit of confessing.......I don't think I have ever eaten their food either! We always bring lunches in for the kids and so we snag a spot up top all the way in the back (so the quiet spot would be directly underneath on the bottom floor). Sometimes some of the adults in our group will grab a hamburger, sometimes we eat PB&J like the kids. Oh wait, I do remember splitting something with my SIL there once a while back. Can't even remember what it was!

 

[MsTeresa]

Thank you everybody!

Regarding this Hungry Bear Restaurant, the location sounds really nice. I'm interested.
We do plan to bring our own lunch.
For those who were able to bring your own lunch into that restaurant.. how?
I thought security check your bags for food at the DL entrance, and aren't there waiter/waitresses servicing every table?