Disney Minus the Parks?

[MattsPrincess]

I've recently moved to Florida and am in need of a bit of Disney. We're going to be buying AP's, but aren't quite ready for that yet, but soonish (sometime this year). And since we ARE going to be buying them, we can't justify the expense of just getting regular tickets.

Some friends that were recently in town posted pics and a little info about going to Disney property without actually going into the parks for financial reasons, and it looks like they had a good time. So it got me thinking, what all can you do at Disney World without actually having a park ticket or being a resort guest?

I know some basics, like looking at the hotels and DTD. Are there any things that are easy to overlook? Places you think you need a ticket but you really don't? Any chance of seeing characters in the hotels or anything?

I was thinking of planning a day with a character breakfast and then trying to come up with some sort of "park free" tour plan, for just a day trip. (driving down and back from Tampa the same day) Any help, secrets, tips, etc would be wonderfully helpful! TIA!

 

[maccagerl]

You can go to AKL and walk out on the overlook to watch all the animals.

They have movie nights outside on the lawn at several of the resorts, bring a blanket and some snacks and watch the movie! The schedule is listed online in the resort events.

There are also carriage rides, bike rentals, and horseback riding at the resorts.

Boardwalk has street performers at night, and a piano bar . Riverside has Yeehaw Bob in the lounge at night. Fun show!

French Quarter and Wilderness Lodge have a fire where you can roast marshmallows in the afternoon, bring your own chocolate and graham crackers and you can make s'mores!

And of course you can ride the monorail and check out the restaurants at the resorts.

Watch fireworks from the Contemporary or the Poly beach.

 

[prune1977]

I've recently moved to Florida and am in need of a bit of Disney. We're going to be buying AP's, but aren't quite ready for that yet, but soonish (sometime this year). And since we ARE going to be buying them, we can't justify the expense of just getting regular tickets.

Some friends that were recently in town posted pics and a little info about going to Disney property without actually going into the parks for financial reasons, and it looks like they had a good time. So it got me thinking, what all can you do at Disney World without actually having a park ticket or being a resort guest?

I know some basics, like looking at the hotels and DTD. Are there any things that are easy to overlook? Places you think you need a ticket but you really don't? Any chance of seeing characters in the hotels or anything?

I was thinking of planning a day with a character breakfast and then trying to come up with some sort of "park free" tour plan, for just a day trip. (driving down and back from Tampa the same day) Any help, secrets, tips, etc would be wonderfully helpful! TIA!

Its very easy to do Disney without doing the parks, My DW, I, DS10, DD7, DS5 now have done a resort only trip to AKL and had a blast all kinds of things to do there; just look at the recreation calendar for it. We decorated cookies at Bomas, did the campfire story, and all kinds of other things that I can't even list. Also DW and I without kids did a resort only stay at SS and had a blast. In late Aug to early Sept 15 we are going again and doing a resort only stay at either VWL or SS treehouse. We probably will do 2 days at water parks though. BC is also very easy to do resort only stuff at as SAB is a blast feels just like being at the beach. Its also very easy to see characters at hotels if you book a character meal at either 1900 park fare, Chef mickey's, Cape May Cafe etc. If you have any ?'s feel free to pm me.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

We have done this a lot. We have family in St Pete, so often times we will go down for a long weekend (when we are visiting family). We usually book at least 1 character breakfast (so we can all get our character fix). We will lay by the resort pool, plan dinner at a monorail resort, so we can catch the MK fireworks and the electrical water pagent. We may also grab a round of mini golf, or spend time at Disney Quest. There is so much more to Disney than the parks. We have also done the private, Wishes, fireworks cruise twice. Hope this helps...

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

There is so much more to WDW then just the parks. Just off the top of my head, many restaurants, DTD, the miniature gold, Horse back riding, exploring the many and wonderfully themed resorts. ride the Disney transportation, boats and monorail, watch the fireworks, especially wishes in the MK from the beach's, and the light water parade as well, Golf and the campfire sing along and movies

Theres a start............enjoy!

AKK

 

[Alfalfa]

For no cost at all you can park at DTD, browse the shops and scenery, catch a bus to a monorail resort and hop around CR/Poly/GF then get off at MK, take a boat to WL and check it out, then take the boat back to MK and catch a bus to AKL and check it out, then take a bus to HS, take the boat from HS to Boardwalk, check that out then walk over the bridge to BC and check it out, then take a bus back to DTD.

You could start in the morning with breakfast at DTD, then lunch at one of the monorail resorts, then dinner in the Epcot resort area (Boardwalk?) not to mention a drink or two at one of the quiet resort lounges and easily spend a full day inside WDW without ever entering a park. And you may find you even enjoy it more!!

 

[OurLaughingPlace]

Adding a hot air balloon ride and LaNouba at DTD. Or a night out for ice cream at Beaches and Cream on the Boardwalk. All of the PP's ideas sound like so much fun

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

We did just that last April when vacationing in Treasure Island. We thought it would be too crowded for us a the parks. What we did was a character meal at the Poly followed by shopping at DTD. This way we met the characters, took a few pictures and replenished our Disney favorite items we like to buy. It was perfect.

 

[loves to dive]

Some of the resorts actually have a short guided tour, I know BW and WL do but even without the guided tour you can do one of your own. Unless you are a guest, you can't use the pool so that would be out but you use the pool bar most are outside the pool gates. So many of the resorts have all sorts of kids activities and there are a number of putt-putt courses on property. There are boat rentals at the resorts on the lakes, fishing at most on the lakes and shopping at all.

 

[RustManFan]

maccagerl.... I believe only POLY guests can now watch the fireworks from the resort location

 

[amylevan]

The campfire program at Fort Wilderness has Chip and Dale - there's singing, roasting marshmallows and a movie.