Favorite non-park Disney experience?

[DisneyAndRedSox]

Unless this is a new rule in the past few months, anyone can go to the Poly for any reason. Its not a private or member exclusive resort. We most always stay on property so have a Disney parking pass from our resort on our dash. However, one trip we stayed outside at a resort. During that time we visited the Contemporary, POFQ, Coronado, AKL, Wilderness Lodge, The Boardwalk and the Poly. I had absolutely NO problem parking at any of those resorts. In fact I was welcomed at all of them. The only reason I gave for being there was to look around and check things out. I know during busy times they will give a 3-hour parking pass. But I have had that happen when I was a resort guest and was going to another resort for a dinner reservation. So, like I said, unless there is some new rule about the Poly beach being private, you should have no problem driving there to watch the fireworks.

When I went over Labor Day to watch the fireworks I pulled up to Poly security and said "I need a Dole Whip!" The guard laughed and said "well, don't forget to get me one!" and waved me through. They had no issues with us coming to watch the fireworks and directed us where to go.

We always stay off property and I never have issues visiting resorts.

 

[elt0307]

Jajone, I am in the same situation (visiting Orlando to see Harry Potter at Universal but no Disney parks) and I made dining reservations at two resort restaurants - dinner at Sanaa and brunch at Boma. I've actually never had a chance to explore many of the resorts at Disney and from what I read on here, the theming and Disney "magic" can be just as wonderful as the parks. Do your kids have a favorite resort or restaurant? That could be a fun way to get a mini Disney fix.

Also, sorry if I'm hijacking your thread but I had a few questions for some of the other posters here:

For my non-Disney Orlando trip, I'd like to visit the Boardwalk and DTD - do both those areas have separate parking lots that I should use or is it easier to park elsewhere and take any combination of monorail/boat/whatever?

Also, where is the mini-golf? Can't go wrong with a round of mini-golf...

Also, Wishes is scheduled is Sunday that weekend (April 30) so after Universal closes at 9pm I'd like to head over to Poly to watch from the beach. What time is the electrical pagent? It sounds like with the 3hr parking pass everyone is mentioning that will give us plenty of time to view Wishes at 11pm since I will be arriving after 9pm.

TIA and sorry again if I took over your thread...

 

[Promomx2]

Our favorites have been mini-golf and then ordering the "kitchen sink" at the ice cream shoppe on the boardwalk as our dinner.

 

[Jaime4004]

We are doing the same thing in June, heading to Seaworld, Discovery Cove, Busch Gardens and IOA (need my Harry Potter fix), but also have to throw in some Disney things (for me, the kids don't really care where we go ). We'll probably hit the fireworks at poly, breakfast with Lilo and Stitch, dinner at Chef Mickey's, DTD, mini-golf, ride around the monorail, and boardwalk. We rented one of those huge 4 or 6 person bicycle things (what are they called?) at the boardwalk last year. The kids LOVED it.

 

[disneylove69]

You can go to any of the hotels and hang out for the day. You just can't use the swimming pools. Park in guest parking and only one person has to show ID at the guard shack when you pull in. We park at the Poly and take the monorail around to GF, walk around, take the boat or monorail back. At AKL we hit the campfire story time, see the animals, and listen to cast members story time about the area they live in in Africa. Depending on what movies are playing at various hotels I might go there. Fort Wilderness is fun to walk around and check out the horses and the lake.

 

[Jajone]

Jajone, I am in the same situation (visiting Orlando to see Harry Potter at Universal but no Disney parks) and I made dining reservations at two resort restaurants - dinner at Sanaa and brunch at Boma. I've actually never had a chance to explore many of the resorts at Disney and from what I read on here, the theming and Disney "magic" can be just as wonderful as the parks. Do your kids have a favorite resort or restaurant? That could be a fun way to get a mini Disney fix.

Also, sorry if I'm hijacking your thread but I had a few questions for some of the other posters here:

For my non-Disney Orlando trip, I'd like to visit the Boardwalk and DTD - do both those areas have separate parking lots that I should use or is it easier to park elsewhere and take any combination of monorail/boat/whatever?

Also, where is the mini-golf? Can't go wrong with a round of mini-golf...

Also, Wishes is scheduled is Sunday that weekend (April 30) so after Universal closes at 9pm I'd like to head over to Poly to watch from the beach. What time is the electrical pagent? It sounds like with the 3hr parking pass everyone is mentioning that will give us plenty of time to view Wishes at 11pm since I will be arriving after 9pm.

TIA and sorry again if I took over your thread...

You are not hijacking the thread, I have the same question about the Boardwalk. I know DTD has a parking lot. we are considering watching at the Poly too and you will have plenty of time parking there. There are 2 Minigolf places. One is near Blizzard beach, but can;t remember right now ehere the other one is.

You can go to any of the hotels and hang out for the day. You just can't use the swimming pools. Park in guest parking and only one person has to show ID at the guard shack when you pull in. We park at the Poly and take the monorail around to GF, walk around, take the boat or monorail back. At AKL we hit the campfire story time, see the animals, and listen to cast members story time about the area they live in in Africa. Depending on what movies are playing at various hotels I might go there. Fort Wilderness is fun to walk around and check out the horses and the lake.

Can you tell me more about the things to do at AKL? We have never been there and I have always been curious. I am making a long list of options and plan to go day by day for a relaxing vacation.

 

[leight]

My absolute favorite thing about spending time at disney is visiting the resorts. Each is so different that I could spend a weekend just going from one to another. Its like being in a separate world.

But I live in Tampa so I am less than 1.5 away. A few months back I had WDW gift cards burning a hole in my pocket that BIL gave my girls when we visited them last summer at Pop. I bought a restaurant.com gift cert for house of blues in DTD for $2 and one sunday morning I threw the girls in the car, kissed dh good bye and off we went. I did a drive thru breakfast on the way and we arrived at AKL around 9am. We explored the resort and watched animals thru the resort windows. We got to DTD about 10:30am. It was dead. We took the boat to POR and walked around-its my favorite. We rented fishing poles and fished for an hour. After heading back to DTD we grabbed lunch at HofBlues and got in the car and headed to the poly. From there we did the monorail circuit and got pressed pennies at each resort. At this point the kids wanted to shop so back to DTD we went. They shopped and we grabbed ice cream at Ghiradelli's. We had dinner at Pop- they love the food court there. After dinner we headed over to Poly and watched the fireworks. Grabbed a couple of disney snacks for the car and went home-I missed the parks but still loved being immersed in Disney theming.