have you ever gone and not done the parks?

[funhouse8]

Hi, We recently joined DVC and don't have any trips planned for this year beacuse we are going on a cruise the end of this year and taking the kids. I thinking of going to Hilton Head this summer and using some points the last week in august but read here that it might be booked. I can't call MS yet they haven't received my paperwork back yet. My kids are 16 & 15 Is it worth it to go to WDW and just use the hotels maybe a waterpark if we don't get into Hilton Head. How is Vero Beach? This will make our drive long though. Kicked around the idea of lake george but at 51 points a night plus the $95 I don't think that is happening. What would you do? Any suggustion would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DeeCee735]

Hey funhouse, I'm a LIer too, and we drive as well, I'll probably never get to Vero beach because it makes the drive longer, and why go the extra 2 + hours when WDW is right there?

Anyway, as far as not doing the parks, I would definitely do a trip without the parks again (I did it with a friend once), I don't know about my teens (16) It may depend on what DVC resort you are at? The BC, BWV area would be perfect IMHO. They can rent water mice boats at the Yacht Club Marina, eat ice cream at Beaches & Cream, hang out in ESPN, or on the Boardwalk, rent bikes, go swimming, girls can do the shopping thing, go to the salon at Y&BC or Swan/Dolphin, have faces painted, hair wrapped on the boardwalk. My kids also like the hot tub at night and laying by the pool during the day, and they like Downtown Disney as well - yeah I guess in light of all the above, we'd all do a non-park trip! Good luck with your decision and enjoy your future trips.

 

[Mahusky]

I would go to WDW and do the water parks or drive the 1 1/2 hours from WDW to Vero. If your cruise departs from Port Canaveral that is only about 50 mins from Vero. We have spent the last 2 years there during the last week of August and turns out to be a Great beach vacation!

 

[Daitcher]

Personally, I feel this is the beauty of DVC. There is no need to do parks on every trip. You'll be back for years to come. Our most enjoyable days at WDW are resort days. We now only do about 1 park per 5 days of stay. Go and relax and enjoy, you can always change your mind if you want. Have a great trip.


DAVE

 

[Judique]

Hi, We recently joined DVC and don't have any trips planned for this year beacuse we are going on a cruise the end of this year and taking the kids. I thinking of going to Hilton Head this summer and using some points the last week in august but read here that it might be booked. I can't call MS yet they haven't received my paperwork back yet. My kids are 16 & 15 Is it worth it to go to WDW and just use the hotels maybe a waterpark if we don't get into Hilton Head. How is Vero Beach? This will make our drive long though. Kicked around the idea of lake george but at 51 points a night plus the $95 I don't think that is happening. What would you do? Any suggustion would be greatly appreciated.

If I were you, I would get on the waitlists when you can for HH. I would also consider the trip without doing the parks as there is such a lot to do in Orlando. We did several visits where we only did the parks one or two days. I can see myself doing a whole trip with no parks.

 

[#1minnie]

I think it depends on your question. Are you considering not doing any parks for the financial cost of the tickets to the park? If so, some of the other options mentioned here can also be costly. If on the other hand, you're thinking about just laying around the pools, doing some non-costly sight seeing, etc., then I'd say YES, go and stay at the resort and enjoy the rest of what they have to offer besides the parks.

I know my dh will be taking some "time off" from the parks on future trips and just let me take my dd into the park. He doesn't love the parks the way we do and will enjoy some quiet/down time as well.

Enjoy yourselves!

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

The last week of August is a great time to do a no parks trip. If you can get BCV you can enjoy the pool and resort hop.

I would definitely waitlist HH. Last week of August means school is already in session in the south. That's one reason why WDW is a bit slow then.

 

[dvc-NE]

My kids are 16 & 15 Is it worth it to go to WDW and just use the hotels maybe a waterpark if we don't get into Hilton Head. How is Vero Beach? This will make our drive long though. Kicked around the idea of lake george but at 51 points a night plus the $95 I don't think that is happening. What would you do? Any suggustion would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Gina: I actually booked The Sagamore for 3 nights in August but cancelled. Granted, I lost my $95 booking fee, but because of my one child, they add 9 points per child during peek seasons. So in your case the lodge suite would probably run 69 pts per night I am guessing. Reservation points, once booked, can not be used later to book DVC. They need to be used on Concierge, or the Disney Collection, or DCL. So we booked the Yacht Club instead. Since everything at the Sagamore would be a la cart, and since we are AP holders, we opted for Disney. Matt

 

[TazFan]

We did a 12-day stay at BCV in 2004 and while we did do the major parks, mainly to hit what we didn't get to in 99, we spent alot of time at the resort, TL/BB, BW, and off-site. If fact, one day we just drove E of 192 just to check out the area and found ourselves outside of Melbourne. We almost went through Melbourne to see it's beach but decided to do another beach 2 days later.

FYI, once your east of the turnpike, it is DEAD...which is a good thing because I could live in the DEAD knowing action is 30 minutes away. St. Cloud is a quint town IMHO and it isn't too dead for being east of the turnpike. After St. Cloud IT IS DEAD until I-95!!

So do you need to do the major parks?? Nah! We're past that novelity and like to go down for the R&R. Of course, this time we're going during X-mas so the R&R is questionable...never been there for X-mas so the the novelity may come back one more time!!

TazFan

 

[jarestel]

No. The world is full of timeshares and the reason we chose DVC is because it's at WDW. So the parks are kind of the reason we go. If we didn't want to go to the parks, I can think of a dozen other timeshares that I'd rather visit, rather than utilize DVC for that particular trip. But we don't find it necessary to spend lots of time in the parks though. That leaves us plenty of time to enjoy the other amenities and attractions.

 

[Daitcher]

No. The world is full of timeshares and the reason we chose DVC is because it's at WDW. So the parks are kind of the reason we go. If we didn't want to go to the parks, I can think of a dozen other timeshares that I'd rather visit, rather than utilize DVC for that particular trip. But we don't find it necessary to spend lots of time in the parks though. That leaves us plenty of time to enjoy the other amenities and attractions.

I have to say I posted about relaxing trips and not doing the parks but this one is interesting. Your thinking has got me thinking. We often stay at Marriott Grande Vista on cash for the weekend nights and then DVC Sun.- Thurs. MGV is so cheap to stay on cash. Maybe that would be a decent place for a relaxing trip without using my DVC points? MGV is way ahead of DVC in many ways also. They offer entertainment at night, with music, jugglers, face painters, animals brought in, and they also have an indoor climbing feature for kids. They also have bike rentals, boat rentals for much cheaper than a WDW resort. In all fairnesss they probably need to since they are off site. One of my gripes with DVC is they offer nothing. They probably figure with WDW right there they don't need to do anything. Other than the BW, I'd like to see them raise the bar with entertainment especially with isolated resorts like VWL and OKW. Thanks for your thoughts, very interesting take on this topic.

DAVE

 

[Disneyhappy]

We were not DVC members at the time but about 3-4 years ago we visited my parents in Bradenton at Easter break. They had never stayed on site at WDW or knew who big WDW really is. We took them to AKL for three nights and we defintiely were not going to do the parks at Easter break. It was a very relaxing trip and we were able to leisurely check out all of the resorts, hang by the pool, etc. I thought I might miss not going to any of the parks but I was fine. I had always wanted to stay at the AKL but shied away from it because I liked being close to Epcot/MGM or the MK. It was the perfect time to stay at AKL and really appreciate all the resort had to offer. I definitely envision stays at our DVC with no or limited park visits, especially when DH and I can travel by ourselves!

 

[mommyceratops]

We did it once and LOVED it. It was 12 years ago my mom and I went when I was 18. It was VERY relaxing. Now there is more to do.

You get to do all the other stuff you NEVER get to do. Miniture golf, hotel hop, pool hop, shop, RELAX!!!!! If I ever go at peak time I will not go to the parks and just sit and enjoy the magic that is disney.

Oh yea you can rent those boast at the Polly? Do they still do that?

Hmm I want to go and just play!!!

 

[disneycrazed139]

Our last trip was without parks. We did do Disney Quest one day and went to Downtown Disney several times.

Depending upon which resort you stay in, you will have endless opportunities and activities. We stayed at VWL. I actually bicycled around the resort and Fort Wilderness one day. That is something I never would have taken the time to do. It was an entirely different type of vacation. You can appreciate all the little things. For me, it was a perfect time to do it. I was fairly stressed out before vacation and needed totat down time.

I would say that the kids should be into doing it without the parks. My son is very easy going and enjoyed it, too. I don't think you would be at a loss for activities. Research what is happening and available for the resort you are interested in.

 

[jdvm]

If it's just my wife and me, a trip with no parks is the norm rather than the exception......but if the kids are along, they ALWAYS go to the parks. One of the beauties of DVC is that the pressure to go commando is off (at least for some of us) so give it a try and see what's right for you.

 

[newholidayx2]

Last Aug DS13 & I took the first 3days of our 2wk stay to not go in the parks. This was before our Annual Passes were activated. We pool hopped, and spent a day at Typhoon Lagoon.
This Aug we have 2days while at AKL in the middle of a 2wk vacation that we're not doing the parks. Its after our APs expire. Then we'll use our hoppers and SeaWorld/Univ tickets.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Yes, on a four day weekend. Had a blast just hanging by the pool at the Beach Club. Never missed the rides, although I love the parks. It was very relaxing.

 

[Disney Doll]

We have had days where we didn't do the parks. There's shopping, mini-golf, water parks, DTD, resort hopping, the Boardwalk, swimming, baoting, biking, horseback riding, tennis, the Monorail Hotel Tour (always a favorite!!!!!!).

 

[funhouse8]

Well , Guess what I got a reservation for the last week in August. I had to take a studio and was wait listed for the one bedroom but i'm in. So off to plan my Hilton Head Vacation. I was worried about going to WDW without doing the parks anyway. I don't think I could have done it even if I tried so now I'll just save those extra points for my next trip Home. LOL Thanks all, I'm happy!