Extra Day ????

[Lori S.]

Due to a change in schedule, we have an extra day down there that we don't have a ticket for. I think, due to the way our trip is going to begin, (fast, fast, fast) we could use a day to catch our breath. However, I hate to think of not being in the park!!! It would cost more than $200 to add a day. I don't think it would be worth it, especially if we need to take it easy. After we sleep in, what would you recommend we do to fill the rest of the day, nothing real expensive. (DQ sounds fun, but thats $100, half of what it would cost to go to the park! - is it worth it, or would I rather spend the extra 100 and go to a park)

My kids are 8 and 6. The pool will be great, and we plan to do that some, but I'm looking for some other ideas. We'll probably do the campfire that night.

All ideas welcome!!!

 

[disneychrista]

Depending on how many days you will be at the park, I would take a day off in the MIDDLE of your trip. Go to DTD and shop, explore different resorts (AKL is great for this), etc. Then you could end your trip at one of the parks.

 

[blujaymama]

Quest is very cool. I am not a huge video game fan myself and I was amused thoroughly the entire day I spent there; there is so much to do and see inside. You could always wait until that day and see what happens. If you it was busy in the parks and you didn't get to do all you hoped to, you could then decide last minute to go to a park on that extra day. Or, if it is sunny and hot, you may want to go to one of the water parks. You could save some $ by purchasing a Quest ticket in advance (mapleleaf has them I believe at a good discount). What ever you choose, it will be magical!
Have fun!

 

[swilshire]

Back when we bought day tickets, we usually only hit the park about every other day. We'd do commando style, then rest the next day. Anything more just wore us out.

We have bought PAPs the last couple of times and enjoy them much more. You don't feel badly about going to the park for just a few hours.

Back to your question, though, I agree that a day "off" would be a good idea. There are lots of things to fill up that day. Hit DTD or the outlet malls. Visit one or more of the resorts for a nice meal and to look around. We always enjoy Wilderness Lodge, but they're all nice. You could have dinner, watch the Electric Water Parade, stroll the grounds, sit in the lobby and soak up the atmostphere.

Our kids are 18, 16, 10, and 5. We do Disney Quest, but I'm not sure I'd pay the ticket price as a separate item. It's often pretty crowded.

An extra day also allows for a bad weather day. Not a bad thing at all to take a day off if it's raining all day. That happened to us on our last trip, so we DQ for a bit, then just lounged around.

JMHO.

Sheila

 

[Blueberry]

We just found out we have an extra day there too..but we have admission already so it will be another park day for us..just cannot get enough parks days is our theory....

I would suggest you cut back on some spending during your trip, either one less big meal, or a few less souvenirs or maybe even just pool what money you have left and buy an extra days admission...We love those spur of the minute days, even though they can be pricey they can be a lot of fun too!!...just my two cents...

 

[katysquid]

I agree with disneychrista. Take a day off in the middle of the week. Enjoy!

 

[lunabkat]

Hi

You could go t Gatorland or Silver Springs, both of them are about 20-30$ per adult and 9-15 per child, you can get coupons out of booklets available at hotels in the area.

Gatorland is basically, lots of gators and crocodiles, a couple shows, picops, etc.

Silver springs has a couple of ride, glass bottom boat tour, gators, butterfly house, aviary, jeep trail rides, etc.

Or maybe just do a movie. DQ is supposed to be fun be don't be fooled, once you are inside you pay extra money (lots of it) to do many of the things in there, so its really not going to be any cheaper than paying for another day at the park.

 

[VAN]

We are usually down there 1-1/2 to 2 weeks and will only go into the main parks 3 days!!! We do not have a problem filling in the other days with boat rental, relaxing by the pool, catching up on sleep, visiting other resorts (lobbies, gift shops, walking trails, etc), shopping at DTD/WestSide, minigolf, waterparks, etc.

If you are staying on-site, go for a ferry ride across the Seven Seas Lagoon or Bay Lake. Ferries run between the Poly/MK/GF and between WL/MK/Ft Wilderness. You can also take the ferry that goes between Port Orleans and DTD.

Go to lunch or dinner at the Trails End Buffet at Ft. Wilderness ... there is a free petting zoo and you can rent bikes, canoes, paddleboats, etc. Campfire sing-along and movie in the evening for those staying onsite.

Some of the resorts (like AKL) have storytelling or other activities free in their lobby areas.

Don't forget the Boardwalk in the evening ... carnival games and sometimes street performers.

Frankly, for those that stay onsite and never have any down days to explore the resort side of WDW are just missing out!!

 

[Lori S.]

Cool, I'm getting excited about our day "off". I'm starting to think I may have us so busy that day that it won't be a day off. However, all but I will sleep in, I'll be taking sis to the airport at 5:00, maybe I can go back to sleep when I get back. Thanks for the ideas, I'll still take more if you have them though!!! I think others will enjoy this information too!

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

Originally posted by katysquid
I agree with disneychrista. Take a day off in the middle of the week. Enjoy!

Another vote for "a day off in the middle of your vacation"!! Believe me, you will NEED it!!!

 

[Lori S.]

We blew it. We got there late on the first day. We didn't get to do all we wanted to do. We added a day to our tickets (a nightmare in itself) and we were so zapped. I really wish we' d taken a day off. That was the biggest mistake of the trip.

About our extra day nightmare: I was expecting it to cost 67 each for me and hubby, and a little less for the kids. They said it would be about this at POP, but suggested that they could do it cheaper at guest relations at a park. WRONG> They were trying to charge us 87 each for me and hubby. and I don't know what for the kids. I couldn't get this lady to understand. She was not typical "Disney friendly, helpful CM" I was shaking, and almost crying because it was a big stretch to add the day, and an extra 100 (which is what it was amounting to) would put it out of reach. plus I was soooo tired.

I finally got another CM, the head of guest relations at AK, his name was Tommy, he had earned the partner award from Disney, and I saw why. He quickly used all his people skills and calmed me way down, explained that the reason they were saying that was that our original tickets were purchased at a discounted rate, because we bought them ahead of time and not at gate. He then explained that Disney doesn't penalize you for saving, and he would upgrade our original tickets to gate price, then charge us the difference to 6 day hoppers, which was 67, what I thought it should be. He brought me back to my happy place and out of Mickey's nightmare!

Anyway if you need more details to make sure you are not overcharged, just ask. Moral is, calculate what you think something should cost and don't be afraid to argue if you know you are right. These two ladies were new and didn't speak great English. One was nice, just confused, one was not nice. She did not belong in Guest Relations. Does anyone know how I can write to praise Tommy? I don't want to complain about her, just praise him. He was superb, and saved my vacation, because I was so upset with the way I was treated. She was ruining my idea of Disney being the happiest place!

 

[Rombus]

Just a few other "Off Day" Tips for you can do:
1. Go around to all the other resorts, It can be very relaxing, and quite intesting to see how each resort varies.
2. DownTown Disney, Start at one end, and go though eveything you want! Disney Quest is good if you like games, There are alot of intresitng shops on both sides of DTD
3. Not exactly Disney but CitiPark at Universal Studios, They have alot of shops that have a pretty intresting mix of stuff. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritavill is a must for me every trip to WDW!