Anybody go to Disney in the summer and NOT go to the parks?

[triplefigs]

We're trying to plan a vacation for next summer. My kids love the pool and beach, but I'm having trouble finding a great hotel on the beach in FL with a theme pool and slide that isn't at WDW. So, I'm actually contemplating booking room only at YC/BC so that we could play all day at SAB. We'd go to the Boardwalk and DTD. Can you buy one day passes for BB and TL? We could eat at the resort restaurants. Maybe even (shh... don't tell ) go to Sea World for a day?

Am I crazy (well, don't answer that one ) to think this might be fun?

 

[BunnieGene]

We did that last summer. We stayed at the GF for a conference and almost never left the resort. The parks were just too hot and crowded...we're more used to going during the first part of December. Still had a great time.

 

[even1]

My daughter & and are doing this 8/27 - 9/1. We booked the Dolphin at a great rate and we're not doing the parks. We plan on sleeping in , swimming , browsing around DTD and Boardwalk , eating at all our favorite WDW resort restaurants , stopping in at our favorite resort lounges for a drink & nibbles , and maybe a spa treatment or two !!

We are both celebrating



There's always plenty to do at WDW, even without the parks! Have a great time

 

[Alicnwondrln]

sounds like my moms idea of fun
she hates the parks but like going to eat, relax, swim and go to the spa

 

[jag90]

We have done this many times. We live in Florida...We know what the heat can do to you. Mix the heat with several hundred thousands of your closest friends crammed into a theme park and you get a big ole dose of misery! We are lucky enough to be able to go at least 6 times a year so it is not a big deal for us.

We hang out at the pool, go to DTD, play mini golf, catch a movie....

The water parks do have one day passes but I will tell you, they get very crowded as well. Especially BB. One day last summer we drove by BB at around 11:00am and the sign said it was all ready closed due to capacity. The sign did say that Typhoon Lagoon was still open.

 

[DISUNC]

... Maybe even (shh... don't tell ) go to Sea World for a day?....

BLASPHEMER!!!!!!!

Does your beautiful children know about this dastardly plot to take them to WDW & NOT go to the parks???????

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

hi triplefigs!

Our seasonal passes will expire in Nov. We plan on renewing them NEXT Nov (2006) but goodness knows we cannot stay away from WDW that long! So we will probably got the WDW in the spring and ONLY do the water parks, plus hang out at the boardwalk and DTD!

 

[ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!]

yes

 

[jjohnson]

I don't know triplefigs... I think it will be hard to skip the parks with 3 five year olds.

 

[Tinkaroo]

If you plan to just do the water parks, check out the links through the Mousesavers monthly e-mail for great discounts on one-day tickets to them! I think it's Ticketmania who is the vendor.

Also, have you thought about getting AP's? I know for a family of 5 it might be too much, but you could save on your hotel, get the DDE dining card to save on food, discounts on merchandise at World of Disney, etc. If you added it up, with your trip in December, another in the summer (and who knows, maybe another??), it might be worth it.

(See, this is how I got myself in trouble! )

 

[Zandy595]

We did it a couple years ago. Stayed at CBR for a long weekend. Hung out by the pools, went to DTD and toured the monorail resorts.

Have you thought about Disney's Vero Beach Resort?

 

[MisterBubbles]

You can go to Disney in the summer without visiting the parks and still have a great time. We just got back and did just that. Stay at your favorite hotel, eat at resort restaurants, shop at Downtown Disney, visit water parks and even explore some areas outside Disney! Hey, even the monorail is an attraction itself. We have young children and we did prep them ahead of time, but they did not seem to be bothered by it. They even got to visit with Lilo & Stitch at Typhoon Lagoon.

Several years ago we went to the parks in July and it was SO hot that we decided it just wasn't worth it to visit them in the heat and so we return when it is cooler.

 

[disgal1]

yes,
we have gone several times. Stayed at Beach club, and went swimming, did DTD, shopped and ate...alot!

We also bought a BB day ticket , got there when it opened.

Make sure when you go, it isn't late in the summer, as the pools are pretty warm, not as much fun.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I would pick a different resort. While YC/BC has a great pool everyone on the boards told me it would be really difficult to watch my kids there. My kids were 5, 6 and 7 this trip (around the same ages as yours).

Here's an idea (although it might be dangerous to suggest this). Try the Hard Rock Hotel! They have a great pool/slide/beach area and the tickets to the parks are really cheap! We bought the bonus passes and they were only $100 each for 5 days admissions into the parks. Even if you don't do the parks they have some fun restaurants like Margarittaville, Nascar, NBA and HRC. My kids had a ball there. They also have a shuttle to SeaWorld or the Universal waterpark Wet and Wild.

 

[Princess Mommy]

Have you looked into Disney's Vero Beach Resort or their Hilton Head Resort/

We have stayed at Vero and it was BREATHtaking. Plus Goofy & Max were there on Saturday for breakfast

We haven't been to Hilton Head yet... thinking about it for Easter next year!

 

[wdwfan]

We are sort of doing your plan this visit. I have booked two seperate, back to back reservations at the Coronado Springs. The first ressie is a room only for 3 nights/4 days where we will do nothing but water parks, hang out at the pool and go to DTD. The second ressie is the free dining plan for 5 nights/6 days where we will do parks in the heat of August. August, unfortunately, is the only time we can go to WDW as a family because of our schedules. We'll surivive! I can't wait

 

[mpbs]

We may spend time and enjoy our hotel, but my sons love to go to the parks.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Am I crazy to think this might be fun?

You're not crazy to think that it might be fun...but you're definitely crazy to think that your kids'll let you get away with it!!! Why hit that smelly old fish market when you could hop on the bus to the Wonderful World of Disney?!!?!?

 

[Leota]

We're basically doing that this trip - emphasizing Water Parks, PI & resort time - BUT, we have PAPs & will probably be in & out of the Parks as well.
I think I could do it, my son (16yo) might be able to do it, but I would never consider it with 5 year olds. I think that might be torture to them to be that close to the Parks & not be able to go in.
Just MHO.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

We're basically doing that this trip - emphasizing Water Parks, PI & resort time - BUT, we have PAPs & will probably be in & out of the Parks as well.

Leota-

I love it. "We're basically staying only at the resort, except for trips to PI, and BB, oh, and of course trips in and out of the MK, Epcot, and MGM...but we're basically not doing the parks." Did you type that with a straight face?