Does anyone else go to a park just to hang out?

[GeorgeG]

How many of you go to one of the theme parks just to hang out and enjoy the atmosphere?

We often take a day or two and just hang out at one of the parks, usually Epcot, sometimes the Magic Kingdom, with no real agenda. We don't worry about rides or anything and just take a leisurely walk around, sit and people-watch, and just enjoy the day.

There's always something entertaining going on, but so many people are too busy to notice. World Showcase is perfect for just hanging out.

 

[Ran]

yeah , we like to hang out in the parks for a couple of hours, at MK, the train station overlooking Main Street, the Plaza Pavillion and Aunt Polly's are the favorites, AK anywhere around the Tree of Life and the Dawa bar and at Epcot, a cappucino, creme brulee and the Fountain of Nations, that's a relaxing afternnoon

 

[Gaiusrex]

If my 2-yr old is afraid of the rides, then yes, I'll just hang out

 

[BostonTigger]

I've done that on my last trip two trips. I would take a day and just relax and watch the people go by. It's a great way to relax.

 

[epcotfan]

I love hanging around Epcot. Taking a leisurely stroll and sampling World Showcase snacks is fun. I also love listening to the area music in the theme parks.

 

[flrose]

I would love to go "solo" just one time and hang out at the World Showcase to stroll around, people watch and take in the different sights and sounds.

 

[Eeyore2U]

If DW and I go alone we do more hanging out. We love the leisurely pace.

 

[Micca]

We did that on Christmas morning at the MK. We just went to see how the park looked on one of the busiest days of the year.

 

[cinmell]

YES! One of the reasons we love staying in a monorail resort is to be able to get to the MK quickly to grab something from the bakery, stroll around the park or go shopping on Main Street.

 

[cleo]

World Showcase makes for a wonderful afternoon of just hanging out. There are so many things to see outside of the attractions, it's very easy to spend hours just taking it all in.

Animal Kingdom is like that too. Plenty to see, lots of entertainment, fun shops. I like to have at least one or two days of doing nothing but strolling.

 

[kilarney]

Even after eight days, I had a hard time just hanging out. I get way too excited to hit the attractions. My wife, on the other hand, is always asking me to slow down!

 

[Alice Sr.]

I love strolling around WS, my DDs usually bring friends so they go off to look for pins (read boys) and I get a nice quite stroll. I start in France with a Kir Royal, work my way to Germany for a nice glass of German wine, stop by Norweign for some rice cream, grab a kiwi margarita in Mexico. All this is done at the slowest possible pace stopping at most shops and adjusting to catch all shows. Another place I enjoy hanging out, especially if we are staying there is the BW, a cup of coffee in the morning in one of those rocking chairs and I know I'm on vacation

 

[mickeysaver]

Yes, we spent the about better part of a day on our last trip at MGM just soaking up atmosphere. It was at the end of our trip. We had been there and done ToT and RnR a few days prior. So this visit was more about seeing the Walt Disney exhibit and the parade. So the day was pretty much open. We spent about 3 hours on a bench just people watching and waiting for the parade. We answered a WDW survey. We watched a street perfomance of "The Dating Game" and we just vegged and enjoyed. I had not planned a veg out day, but due to a wicked nasty set of blisters on both feet, I needed it.

I have now planned a couple of days like this on our December trip. I liked just sitting back and watching others hurry about and seeing how Disney makes some of the magic happen. Mickey

Is it vacation time yet? I need a vacation!

 

[Piper]

That is what my WHOLE trip is about this time! I am going solo. I have always gone with others and had to go, go, go with the flow! This time I plan to see the shows and street performers, take the Keys to the Kingdom tour, do rides that I want to do, and generally relax and enjoy WDW!

 

[mkutch]

I am glad to see we aren't the only ones that love to just hang out. We go often enough that we feel we can just relax. I have gone with families that feel the need to go commando style. I can not do that anymore and I'm in my thirties!! My happiest moment is sitting on a bench to the left of the castle in MK. Just sitting there in beautiful weather, listening to the music in the air - catching some faint food smells, and enjoying the view or even closing my eyes. It truly is my happy place..........Thanks for the post --- 5 days and counting!!!!!!! YEA!!!!!

 

[Bill3]

It is remarkable how different WDW can be when you go without kids or at least without little kids."hanging out" is great at WS in fact thats the best reason to go. The food, drink, entertainment the whole atmosphere makes WS a great adult theme park. AKL has its moments, and we can enjoy the MK & MGM at a leisurely pace but its hard to beat the WS.

 

[pintrader]

here's a post from a local. I go solo OFTEN! I have an apt one and a half miles from the Contemporary. I love to just stop and watch the street entertainment. Talk with them after their performances. They LOVE it too. I go just to ride on the monorail and watch families introduce the 'world' to their kids for the first time.

Often I won't take my pin trading lanyard or anyting but a cell phone (security blanket remember I can go daily) and stroll through finding people who look lost, can't figure out how to read the map, whatever.

I love it. I sit on the big rocking chairs outside expo hall at MK and watch and listen. Once the parade is ready to go by I pick out some older person and turn over my rocker.

As a people watcher you have no idea how much there is to watch and enjoy. My pass expired In January and that hasn't stopped me from visiting and enjoying the world. I just go to DTD, the resorts, the monorail and ALL the other places that don't require admission. Take your time relax enjoy. You have no idea what friends you may make. She may have a two bedroom two-bath apt within walking distance to the parks

All of you who want to share it with your kids, find a way to even just take a day and enjoy one another or time to yourself. It will make a "world" of difference in what YOU get out of YOUR vacation. WDW does have child care, even if only for an afternoon.

 

[tinkerbee]

I love going to the parks just to hang out. Epcot is our favorite park to do this at. We will find a quite place usually in the little corner of France and sit on a bench and take the area in. I think that Disney is more about the atmosphere than the rides. Many people miss so much because they are spending to much time running from ride to ride. The best trip we had was the one where we did the least amount of rides. But I can't miss RnR, ToT, or Splash Mt. The rest I can do without.

 

[BluesTravlr00]

YES!!! I'm obviously not the only person that just hangs around in the parks, but I think I might be the only *younger* person that has that kind of appreciation for the place.
There's no other place on earth where everyone always smiles, all the grass is green, and everything seems like a big dream. I'll never be too old to love running around from ride to ride, but I've never been too young to walk into any of the parks and just sit on a bench and soak in the atmosphere for a while.
Man I wanna go back...

 

[TDC Nala]

As a frequent solo traveler, that is really pretty much all I do nowadays, hang out in the parks. I'll go on rides if the lines are short enough (except for the Haunted Mansion, I've always got to see that one whether there is a line for it or not). On my January trip I spent a day at the Studios and rode only the Tower of Terror. The rest of the time was spent watching the street performers. Their shows are a lot of fun and I probably won't miss watching them in the future. I'm surprised that just hanging out is so enjoyable.