Ease my mind please.....

[jojo0612]

We are planning on a trip to Disney and are thinking about just doing a 'relaxing' vacation . By that my DH is thinking of just hanging out at the resort and not actually visiting the parks. In theory, this is okay with me, but I'm worried that once we get there we'll have second thoughts. I know there is plenty to do to keep us busy at the resorts, downtown disney and stuff, but have any of you done this before? I really over think things to much!!

 

[disnut8]

We are planning on a trip to Disney and are thinking about just doing a 'relaxing' vacation . By that my DH is thinking of just hanging out at the resort and not actually visiting the parks. In theory, this is okay with me, but I'm worried that once we get there we'll have second thoughts. I know there is plenty to do to keep us busy at the resorts, downtown disney and stuff, but have any of you done this before? I really over think things to much!!

I'd roll with the punches. If you get there and there's not enough to keep you busy, you can easily get park passes.

But there is a lot to do without the parks. Have you ever been to Fort Wilderness? Gone biking? Rented a jet ski or other watercraft? Cirque du Soleil? Hoop Dee Doo? Monorail tour of the resorts? Walked along Crescent Lake? Played miniature golf? Seen a movie at Downtown Disney? Watched a nighttime movie at the resort?

 

[darkwing818]

We are planning on a trip to Disney and are thinking about just doing a 'relaxing' vacation . By that my DH is thinking of just hanging out at the resort and not actually visiting the parks. In theory, this is okay with me, but I'm worried that once we get there we'll have second thoughts. I know there is plenty to do to keep us busy at the resorts, downtown disney and stuff, but have any of you done this before? I really over think things to much!!

We just got back from a Disney cruise in June & spent 5 days just hanging out at the BCV. Hit the pool, dined at a few restaurants & shopped at DTD. At night we hung out at the Boardwalk, watched the fireworks. We usually finished up the night at Beaches & Cream. All in all we had a great time.

 

[FloridaDreaming]

You could definitely keep yourself busy. How long are you going for? What resort are you staying at?

Daytime there's the resort pool, and poolside activities for kids. Downtown Disney. You could take the boat from there to some of the resorts to wander around. Then boat back. The boat rides, to me, are just as great as the destinations.

Then maybe do the monorail tour on another day and check out those resorts.

Head over to the Beach Club beach at night to catch Illuminations from Epcot and stay for the movie on the beach. Or meander around the Boardwalk and catch some of their entertainment.

Winter Summerland Mini Golf by Blizzard Beach water park.

There's definitely no shortage of fun to be had for non park trips. I know that, before me moved down here, I always ended a trip feeling like I didn't get to enjoy the resort more. It was always go go go with the parks.

 

[snykymom]

Personally, I'd book outside of Disney. There are a lot of more truly deluxe resorts, with lots to do, that are less expensive than Disney's deluxe resorts. (Check out the Waldorf that's on Disney property, for example, or some of the suite hotels.) Then you can still do all the Disney non-park activities, such as dining, or DTD, or Fort Wilderness, or Universal's City Walk or whatever.

 

[mickeynut1]

We are planning on a trip to Disney and are thinking about just doing a 'relaxing' vacation . By that my DH is thinking of just hanging out at the resort and not actually visiting the parks. In theory, this is okay with me, but I'm worried that once we get there we'll have second thoughts. I know there is plenty to do to keep us busy at the resorts, downtown disney and stuff, but have any of you done this before? I really over think things to much!!

I agree with the others that said there's plenty to do to keep busy . But as the pp mentioned, park tickets can easily be purchased should you choose to go once you get there. We are doing Disney resort stays before and after a DCL cruise right before Christmas and at this time are not planning on visiting the parks. We have been to Disney twice in December and have done the Christmas party twice, so there isn't anything we feel we will miss by not going to the parks this time. We plan on visiting resorts we've never been to, dining at different resorts like we do each trip, spend some time at DTD, and just hang out at the resort. Just being there surrounded by Disney 24/7 is always fun. Sure, the parks are fun, but I also enjoy just hanging at the resort and exploring everything else Disney has to offer. With that said, I think you will have a great trip, even without the parks .

 

[jojo0612]

Thank you guys for putting my mind at ease.. I was just worried the temptations of not going into the park would get to me! As a poster mentioned the Universal City Walk, do you have to pay for that? I've never ventured too much outside of the Disney area, and I thought I read you had to pay a admittance fee? Thanks guys - Dis'ers are the best!!!

 

[Marthasor]

Personally, I'd book outside of Disney. There are a lot of more truly deluxe resorts, with lots to do, that are less expensive than Disney's deluxe resorts. (Check out the Waldorf that's on Disney property, for example, or some of the suite hotels.) Then you can still do all the Disney non-park activities, such as dining, or DTD, or Fort Wilderness, or Universal's City Walk or whatever.

I agree. We did a non-disney trip in March and stayed at the Ritz, in a suite, for less than a standard room at GF. We still ended up going to BW, eating at bluezoo and, because it was a bit cold, went to EP for a day, but we mostly swam, rode bikes, went to the spa and chilled out at a luxury hotel!

We tried a non-park trip onsite once, at AKL (which was FABULOUS!), but I got antsy on the 3rd day and took my DS to AK. My DH stayed at the resort and he was happy.

Yes, there is stuff to do, but you will get a bigger bang for your buck offsite. Waldorf is awesome too!

 

[mickeynut1]

As a poster mentioned the Universal City Walk, do you have to pay for that? I've never ventured too much outside of the Disney area, and I thought I read you had to pay a admittance fee? Thanks guys - Dis'ers are the best!!!

We've been to City Walk a few times and there is no admittance fee. We did have to pay for parking, but City Walk is an open venue that consists of shops, restaurants, etc. It's been a few years since we've been there, but if I remember correctly, City Walk is located around the entrances of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. You can also take a boat to the Universal hotels, which we enjoyed doing .

 

[Desnik]

We do no park trips a lot, even with our two kids! We love it and have never been bored and have never felt like we were missing out on anything by not going into the parks.

We love staying at AKV for a non park trip. There is so much to do at that resort. Plenty of activities for kids and adults. We visit other resorts, have dinner in a different resort restaurant every night, go to DtD, vist FW and do some activities there, watch the fireworks from the different resorts like the Poly or CR.

These kinds of trips really are the best, IMHO. We relax, spend quality time, and enjoy Disney at a slow pace and get to enjoy all the other things Disney has to offer!

 

[amytech]

Agreeing with everything said about loving a no-parks vacation on-site! It is really relaxing but still so much to do at the resorts.

My dh and I went in May for our anniversary and met up with ds who is in the college program. In a week, we only went to a park once and that was to see him perform his roll in Great Movie Ride! We were never bored and had a great time. We stayed at POFQ and went to DD a lot. We rented a boat on Seven Seas Lagoon, we rented a surrey bike at PO, we dined out around Boardwalk, we did the Monorail pub tour. We could have stayed another week and not been bored
I plan on doing it again with my 4 kids this August when we pick up my son from the college program. This time we will be at BC so the pool will be great

 

[kerri0616]

We've actually considered getting a Waterpark AP which are "only" about $100 each. Much less than tickets to the big 4 parks AND I find we are more relaxed at the waterparks than we are in the other 4.

Haven't done it yet...I just think it would be fun. Then we could still do nice meals around resorts or, gasp, venture off property too!

Just a thought.

 

[rwdavis2]

Personally, I'd book outside of Disney. There are a lot of more truly deluxe resorts, with lots to do, that are less expensive than Disney's deluxe resorts. (Check out the Waldorf that's on Disney property, for example, or some of the suite hotels.) Then you can still do all the Disney non-park activities, such as dining, or DTD, or Fort Wilderness, or Universal's City Walk or whatever.

I agree with this. If you don't go tot he parks, why even go to Orlando?

 

[Desnik]

I agree with this. If you don't go tot he parks, why even go to Orlando?

Maybe because I'm a DVC'er and go to WDW every year, sometimes multiple times a year. After a while, we need a break from the parks, but we still love Disney. I feel like if you think Disney is only about the 4 parks, then you are missing out on so much that the place has to offer.

 

[dansdad]

I feel like if you think Disney is only about the 4 parks, then you are missing out on so much that the place has to offer.

Completely agree! We've done 2 "no park" stays and loved them!

 

[Elleshoodat]

Maybe because I'm a DVC'er and go to WDW every year, sometimes multiple times a year. After a while, we need a break from the parks, but we still love Disney. I feel like if you think Disney is only about the 4 parks, then you are missing out on so much that the place has to offer.

Exactly! We take resort-only trips often and typically find them more enjoyable than trips involving the parks. I'm all for it, OP!

 

[amym2]

We did a non-park (mostly) trip last October and I was sure I'd have park withdrawal, but I loved it. Our kids (11 and 9) said it was one of their favorite trips. We did do Legoland and one day at Typhoon Lagoon, but otherwise we hung out at the resorts, did mini golf both on and off-property, rented a surrey bike, and relaxed. Since we own DVC, we knew we'd be back. We love the feel of WDW, the restaurants, the activities at the DVC resorts.

 

[MissionMouse]

We are planning on a trip to Disney and are thinking about just doing a 'relaxing' vacation . By that my DH is thinking of just hanging out at the resort and not actually visiting the parks. In theory, this is okay with me, but I'm worried that once we get there we'll have second thoughts. I know there is plenty to do to keep us busy at the resorts, downtown disney and stuff, but have any of you done this before? I really over think things to much!!

If we were not going to the parks, Disney would not be a vacation destination for us. We would easily select another destination that provides a better experience across the board when it comes to a resort vacation.

 

[Alexander]

Honestly, I don't even like the parks that much! We visit 3-4 times a year, 7 days each trip. If we spend a total of 20 hours in the parks per trip that is a lot. We may pop in to eat, see a parade, or ride one or two rides, and leave. We never spend more than 3-4 hours a day in the parks. Why do we go? We love the resorts and all they have to offer. We are DVC members so why would we pay to stay elsewhere? We buy PAPs so we can come and go and not eat up a day on the MYW tickets. We do spend quite a bit of time at the waterparks.

If you are a commando park goer, you are missing so many of the finite details that Disney puts into everything!

 

[shalom]

If you don't go to the parks, why even go to Orlando?

Because we don't care that much about the beach, and because it's a cheap Florida vacation. There's plenty to do within Orlando -- one of the biggest Tiffany collections in the US, Leu Gardens, Winter Park, all the entertainment stuff along International Drive, etc. Plus it's not a bad drive up to St. Augustine for history or over to Cocoa Beach for science-y vacation stuff or to Tampa/St. Petersburg for artsy stuff or up to Mt. Dora for more of a small-town experience.

We're planning to stay onsite next time, and most of us will not hit the parks. Hubby and I "owe" our youngest a day at Animal Kingdom -- she was the only one who wanted to do it a second day last time and we told her she'd get a day there next time we're out -- and my eldest son will be hitting the parks pretty hard, but the rest of us will just tour the resorts and take in some mini golf and otherwise relax.

We never spend more than 3-4 hours a day in the parks.

That's about what I like as well. The parks get to be too much of a muchness after a while, and I've never been a big fan of rides (although I enjoy many of Disney's once in a while). The resorts have a lot of the theming I so love, but they're quieter and I don't feel pressured to go and do.