Help with planning 10 year old boys birthday - possible non theme park visit

[VGCgroupie]

For my son's 10th birthday Im trying to decide what to book. Usually we go to DL or WDW or another theme park. My granddaughter will be turning 1 in Feb so we have a big trip planned to DL and I dont want to do DL again 2 months later, I may not even want to do WDW. He says Aulani but we just returned from there and flights can be pricey to Hawaii.

We are not super familiar with everything WDW has to offer, only going once in the last 10 years and when we went we only did a half day at Epcot.

Here are some ideas I was toying with.

- WDW but just going to AK to focus on the animals and having pool days.

- A cruise (my original plan) but none of the cruises are on his actual bday which is our goal.

- Vero Beach. Turtles aren't an option in April, is VB fun for kids?

- I just got my Disney files magazine and CFW was never on my radar but he was super intrigued by the archery lessons. Is CFW something that is fun for kids for more than a day without spending time at the parks?

He loved Aulani for the pools, beach, and interaction with other kids.

Any suggestions?

 

[pinkxray]

We typically travel on DS’s bday since it falls right after Thanksgiving. We spent his 9th bday at Aulani, and I think his 6-8th bday at WDW. Skipping his 10th since we will be on a cruise 2 weeks before. We will be back to WDW for his 11th.

I usually give him the choice of which park he wants to spend his bday or where he wants to have breakfast/dinner. My kids LOVE Whispering Canyon so that’s typically his dinner choice. He also loves breakfast buffets so sometimes we do a character buffet.

We spend a lot of time at Fort Wilderness (we stay at Copper Creek most of the time) DS has done the archery lessons and hopes to do the horseback riding next time. My kids love the main playground and spent hours there last trip playing with other kids. My oldest daughter has done the horseback riding before. Both the archery and horseback riding are set up for beginners so might be boring if you do either regularly. The kids hope to stay in the dvc cabins soon, they love FW.

We are also fans of heading to Universal for a few days? 10 is a great age for Universal. Has he been there?

 

[Travel60]

Are you wedded to Disney? What about a Great Wolf Lodge or Dollywood? Maybe a National Park trip of his choice?

 

[VGCgroupie]

We typically travel on DS’s bday since it falls right after Thanksgiving. We spent his 9th bday at Aulani, and I think his 6-8th bday at WDW. Skipping his 10th since we will be on a cruise 2 weeks before. We will be back to WDW for his 11th.

I usually give him the choice of which park he wants to spend his bday or where he wants to have breakfast/dinner. My kids LOVE Whispering Canyon so that’s typically his dinner choice. He also loves breakfast buffets so sometimes we do a character buffet.

We spend a lot of time at Fort Wilderness (we stay at Copper Creek most of the time) DS has done the archery lessons and hopes to do the horseback riding next time. My kids love the main playground and spent hours there last trip playing with other kids. My oldest daughter has done the horseback riding before. Both the archery and horseback riding are set up for beginners so might be boring if you do either regularly. The kids hope to stay in the dvc cabins soon, they love FW.

We are also fans of heading to Universal for a few days? 10 is a great age for Universal. Has he been there?

He has not been to Universal in FL yet. It sounds like he might love FW. Maybe we could do a split stay at FW and AK.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Are you wedded to Disney? What about a Great Wolf Lodge or Dollywood? Maybe a National Park trip of his choice?

Kind of wedded since we just bought 4 DVC contracts and want to utilize our points.

 

[Mle8308]

Ordinary Adventures just posted a video to their YouTube channel about their stay in a CFW. They loved it. Might be a good watch for you!

 

[VGCgroupie]

Ordinary Adventures just posted a video to their YouTube channel about their stay in a CFW. They loved it. Might be a good watch for you!

Awesome! We will watch that today

 

[footballmp]

You mentioned a cruise and going to AK to focus on the animals. Why not do both? The best Disney vacation we ever did with our kids was a Disney land and sea vacation. We stayed at Kidani Village in a Savannah room for 4 nights and then did a 3 day Disney cruise. We loved it and the kids had a blast!

 

[2010dvcfan]

You mentioned a cruise and going to AK to focus on the animals. Why not do both? The best Disney vacation we ever did with our kids was a Disney land and sea vacation. We stayed at Kidani Village in a Savannah room for 4 nights and then did a 3 day Disney cruise. We loved it and the kids had a blast!

Echo that exactly, every year we go to AK for a few days never leave the resort, then DCL bus transportation to Port Canaveral, what started out as a birthday celebration became an annual birthday tradition.

Night time safari at AKL is really cool we've done it a few times over the years they give you night vision goggles to see animals, and you can decorate the cabin on DCL and have the wait staff celebrate the birthday one night.

I bet he would love a brand new trip idea for his birthday even if misses the actual date by a few.

 

[VGCgroupie]

You mentioned a cruise and going to AK to focus on the animals. Why not do both? The best Disney vacation we ever did with our kids was a Disney land and sea vacation. We stayed at Kidani Village in a Savannah room for 4 nights and then did a 3 day Disney cruise. We loved it and the kids had a blast!

Echo that exactly, every year we go to AK for a few days never leave the resort, then DCL bus transportation to Port Canaveral, what started out as a birthday celebration became an annual birthday tradition.

Night time safari at AKL is really cool we've done it a few times over the years they give you night vision goggles to see animals, and you can decorate the cabin on DCL and have the wait staff celebrate the birthday one night.

I bet he would love a brand new trip idea for his birthday even if misses the actual date by a few.

This actually makes the long flight to Orlando and the cost more worth it when you consider you get to do WDW and leave from the FL cruise port.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

We typically travel on DS’s bday since it falls right after Thanksgiving. We spent his 9th bday at Aulani, and I think his 6-8th bday at WDW. Skipping his 10th since we will be on a cruise 2 weeks before. We will be back to WDW for his 11th.

I usually give him the choice of which park he wants to spend his bday or where he wants to have breakfast/dinner. My kids LOVE Whispering Canyon so that’s typically his dinner choice. He also loves breakfast buffets so sometimes we do a character buffet.

We spend a lot of time at Fort Wilderness (we stay at Copper Creek most of the time) DS has done the archery lessons and hopes to do the horseback riding next time. My kids love the main playground and spent hours there last trip playing with other kids. My oldest daughter has done the horseback riding before. Both the archery and horseback riding are set up for beginners so might be boring if you do either regularly. The kids hope to stay in the dvc cabins soon, they love FW.

We are also fans of heading to Universal for a few days? 10 is a great age for Universal. Has he been there?

Seconding CCV. Can’t go wrong with either AKV or CCV for a no-parks trip!

Another idea - Hilton Head. I have not yet stayed at the DVC property but Hilton Head in April would be lovely. There are loads of things to do for kiddos of every age…esp. if you decide you want a no-park trip.

 

[VGCgroupie]

He just watched the Ordinary Adventures and is now super pumped about FW. Yay! Now to see if there is availability

 

[VGCgroupie]

Seconding CCV. Can’t go wrong with either AKV or CCV for a no-parks trip!

Another idea - Hilton Head. I have not yet stayed at the DVC property but Hilton Head in April would be lovely. There are loads of things to do for kiddos of every age…esp. if you decide you want a no-park trip.

Looked into HHI and wow there is so much more to do there than I had thought. Looked at flights and it seems from where I live its kind of hard (very expensive to get there).

Does CCV have all the same stuff as the CFW since they are all at FW? My son was really digging the golf carts but I realized I will have use my VDH point to stay at CFW.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Looked into HHI and wow there is so much more to do there than I had thought. Looked at flights and it seems from where I live its kind of hard (very expensive to get there).

Does CCV have all the same stuff as the CFW since they are all at FW? My son was really digging the golf carts but I realized I will have use my VDH point to stay at CFW.

CCV’s pool w/ water slide is a lot of fun, they also have S’mores, nightly movies, fishing and an arcade (never checked this out but seemed popular when passing by).

When we were at CCV in June, there was a bus that would take us to FW (you can also take the boat from CCV to MK and transfer to boat back to FW) so best of both worlds IMO esp if you didn’t want to use your VDH points.

 

[VGCgroupie]

CCV’s pool w/ water slide is a lot of fun, they also have S’mores, nightly movies, fishing and an arcade (never checked this out but seemed popular when passing by).

When we were at CCV in June, there was a bus that would take us to FW (you can also take the boat from CCV to MK and transfer to boat back to FW) so best of both worlds IMO esp if you didn’t want to use your VDH points.

Awesome thanks!!

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

Vero Beach also has archery. My son was 7 when we went there and he loved it. We are big Fort Wilderness fans though. So much to do there. Maybe an after hours might be fun, for a little park time. We did the Boo Bash for my daughter's birthday in 2021 and the kids loved the shorter lines for rides and the Mickey ice cream bars. The adults loved the cooler temps in the evening. The golf carts are so fun at Ft. Wilderness, and also fairly necessary if you are in the cabins.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Vero Beach also has archery. My son was 7 when we went there and he loved it. We are big Fort Wilderness fans though. So much to do there. Maybe an after hours might be fun, for a little park time. We did the Boo Bash for my daughter's birthday in 2021 and the kids loved the shorter lines for rides and the Mickey ice cream bars. The adults loved the cooler temps in the evening. The golf carts are so fun at Ft. Wilderness, and also fairly necessary if you are in the cabins.

Thats good to know about Vero, 1 more plus for Vero for sure!
We were hoping for an after hours option but they just released the 2025 schedule and our dates aren't on one.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Researched the crap out of cruises last night and decided it's probably best to save the birthday cruise for 2026 instead. Today I am starting to research FW more. I also now remember seeing something about free water park access in 2025, need to research that, hopefully DVC stays qualify.

 

[CarolynFH]

Researched the crap out of cruises last night and decided it's probably best to save the birthday cruise for 2026 instead. Today I am starting to research FW more. I also now remember seeing something about free water park access in 2025, need to research that, hopefully DVC stays qualify.

DVC stays do qualify for the arrival day water park. It’s been clearly stated.

 

[VGCgroupie]

DVC stays do qualify for the arrival day water park. It’s been clearly stated.

awesome, thanks