I Don't Get It - 2 Weeks in WDW and No Parks?

[AmyBWV99]

Friends of ours are going to WDW in mid March, staying at the campground and have plans to only go to the parks one day through the 2 weeks. How can you do that? I know I couldn't...

 

[Shells9]

Gosh, they must like camping an AWFUL lot...I could never be that close for that long and only go once...

 

[Amirah95]

I'm interested to know what's on their itinerary. Did you ask yet? Please share when you get that info.

 

[nezy]

We have been for 2 wks and only 2 days of parks and for 7 with no park days.

There is so much to do. We go every year sometimes twice a year and we know we will be back. We don't have or want Annual Passes it is too much of an investment. so we buy Park Hopper-no expire 10 days and use a day or 2 here and there, for over 4 years. We haven't stayed at the campgrounds, but I think there is alot todo there. we usuaully stay on property at DVC or off at timeshare Marriott's Cypress harbor.

So what to we do?

pool
campfire at wilderness campground
visit different hotels like GF to see fireworks at night
pool
go to resorts for dinner or lunch
ride the monorail
Downtown Disney
DisneyQuest(not really a park)
drive to Cocoa Bch for the day
pool
boat ride from wilderness Lodge to MK and back
parasail
horseback ride
mouseboats
ride bikes
Boardwalk
mini-golf
resort activities
Wilderness Lodge hidden Mickey search
visit Ak Lodge to see the animals in the Savannah

We love going to the parks, but it is not as affordable for us to go 3 or 4 days of parks every trip. We certainly can get enough of the Disney Magic just by being there. Also, I don't feel like we are overextending ourselves financially if we do some of the above mentioned things that have a fee (like parasail) if we are not using all of our pass days. We try to stretch-out those passes!

 

[dairyou]

We will be at WDW for 12 days and visit each park 1 day. Other days we'll be going to Kennedy Space Center, another day to Universal. We have down days to stay the OKW and relax. DH and DS will golf one day. It is so much nicer to go and enjoy our vacation.

Now, I don't think I could ever go to WDW and not go to the parks at all. There is alot to do and definately possible. I just don't think I could do it!

Deb

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

We got a great rate at AKL and stayed in Savanah view. Loved it!
We had free passes to Sea World and so that is the only park that we did.
We went to Downtown Disney one night.
Went to Ohana and then sat out on the beach and watched the water parade and fireworks from MK.
Rode the Monorail just for the heck of it.

It was quite fun and relaxing. I knew we would be back this coming May for a week and hitting all the parks!!
Now two weeks!! I could not do that!!

 

[S. C.]

Friends of ours are going to WDW in mid March, staying at the campground and have plans to only go to the parks one day through the 2 weeks. How can you do that? I know I couldn't...

 

[Kimberly815]

I agree with taking your time and relaxing. It is a vacation after all. But I don't think I could be that close to all those parks for two weeks and only go for one day!

 

[cleo]

Yup, I could do it. We do it all the time, in fact. There are TONS of other places to visit in Orlando, all of them as much fun as visiting a theme park.

Staying at Fort Wilderness would make it even easier (if you're into camping, which I'm not so much). There's plenty to keep the family happy and some families (mine included) just like being together. It's easy NOT to go into the parks when there are so many interesting things to see beyond the parks.

 

[castlegazer]

I am planning a trip right now for 12 days and going to the parks only one or two days. But then again, I don't stay right on property the whole time, I like to be at the beach, and I like doing things in Orlando.

If you are into the central Florida are and all it has to offer, staying at Ft. wilderness is a great way to go - it's inexpensive, and offers a great camping experience - so I guess what I am trying to say is that I can see doing this.

 

[kakiegirl]

We camped at Fort Wilderness last year for a week and went to the parks every day. We decided then that Camping and doing Disney was not for us, when we camp we like to relax and there is so much to do at the campground. When we go to Disney for vacation we like to be at the parks. We all agreed the we would love to go back sometime and just camp so we can enjoy the campground, but only for like a long weekend not for a whole week.

 

[pepe of ohio]

I see no problem in not going to the parks. We've been down to WDW alot of times and we have found other things to do and see around the resorts to play at. I'll get jumped on by the "commandos" but a vacation is just that, a place to relax and chill. Some people do that at home, well, we see some parks, AK holds no interest for us, MGM is about a half a day, EPCOT is our evening park, and the MK seems to be our main park. We're over 50, have down all the rides when the kids were still home and they sometimes still meet us at WDW but now we do all the other stuff, Fort Wilderness is great to see and eat at. We golf, do mini golf, water parks, DTD, Cirque, eat at different resorts, visit other resort lounges, swim at our resort. Way to much to see and do, and we have AP's and just go into a park to eat, sit or take pictures. Its a great life, we enjoy it our way.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Friends of ours are going to WDW in mid March, staying at the campground and have plans to only go to the parks one day through the 2 weeks. How can you do that? I know I couldn't...

I couldn't do it.

I can stay home and relax, for FREE.

 

[cdpa4d]

Are you kidding! There is soooooo much to do at WDW other than Theme Parks that 2 weeks without parks would be worth wild.

Surfing at Typhoon Lagoon
Golf and Mini Golf
Fishing Excursions
Jet Ski & Water Ski
Tour the Resorts (they are attractions in themselves)
Downtown Disney (Movie, Shopping, Dining, Entertainment)
Pleasure Island
wide World of Sports (Atlanta Braves Spring Training)
Restaurants all over the place
The Boardwalk Shopping, Dining, and Entertainment Complex
Petting Zoo at Ft. Wilderness
Watch the MK Fireworks from the Beach


2 weeks seems like a long time to be away from the parks, but with all the other activities WDW has to offer I think you could occupy your time.

 

[pampam]

Those of us who have gone and know how much and what there is to do in the parks love it, but perhaps these people have never gone before, and don't realize what they are missing. If they think it's just something like an amusement park with a midway, then I can see why they would choose not to go.

 

[mickeyfan2]

The Mouse would be drawing me in.

 

[brer rabbit 28]

friends of mine are going in september,however one of them is a disney fan and the other likes rides but not the "disney thing" as he says.
He announced that he won't be buying a disney ticket-even though i pointed out that there are loads of new thrill rides since he last went to Orlando.I can see there is gonna be trouble on that holiday!!!

 

[mhingher]

I couldn't do it.

I can stay home and relax, for FREE.

EXACTLY! I don't see how you can spend all that time righ near WDW and only go in the parks 1 day... I can see taking a couple days off, even 3 or 4...We spent a day at Universal/IOA in March and that was fun... spending a day at a water park, or by the pool is nice also-- or even a day at DTD and/or Disney Quest.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

I'll get jumped on by the "commandos" but a vacation is just that, a place to relax and chill.

I'm not going to "jump on you" but that is your definition of a vacation! I can "relax and chill" at home and do just that. When I go on vacation I want to DO something. If I wanted to relax on vacation I would not go to WDW. I would do that at some less expensive place, like the beach.

 

[Lesley]

I can understand it. And I think we might even take the 10 day MYW no expiration approach in the future. Back when we did Park Hopper tickets we would take days off from the parks for a rest. And we did visit once, for one night, without going to the parks at all. That managed to convince my dh that it really is possible to go to WDW, have fun, and not do the parks.

Right now we use AP's...the initial investment is lower (we get the DVC discount) and we don't feel like we have to plan full days in the parks. We have 3 kids (10,5, and 1yo) and they just can't handle full busy long days yet...or at least the younger ones can't. When they are older we may go back to doing a day at the parks, a day out of the parks...or even two out for every day in. When we go to the parks every day its hard to fit in swimming, nevermind all the other recreational activities. We continually say we're going to try Fantasia Gardens or Winter Summerland and we don't.

We've also determined that if we camp at FW again, we will focus on the campground and save the parks for when we're at a hotel. Its too hard to camp and do the parks! After a long day in the parks I need a real bed.

There is just so much to do besides the parks and when we're parks focused (and when they're paid for with our AP, while other activities would cost more...) its hard to get to all the other great stuff.