Need real WDW guru's for this ???

[NJ2Boardwalk]

We are headed back to the world again in July. My question is, what else has anyone done there besides the 4 parks, water parks and DTD?? We would like to experience other things on this trip. For example, has anyone ever gone to Sammy Duvalls water sports? Can you go to Disney Institute and do something? Looking for suggestions. Thanks!!

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't believe there is a Disney Institute any longer. It's now the Saratoga Springs Resort.

 

[bishop1989]

We went parasailing at the CR and loved it!. My wife set it up as a gift for me and our then 7 year old daughter. She was thrilled!
What about the tours WDW offers?

 

[CheshireVal]

How about mini-golf? We tried this a few years ago for the first time, and now it's a new tradition. The courses are great!

Also, don't underestimate the entertainment value of kicking back and relaxing. One of my favorite places to do this is at Fort Wilderness, on the rocking chairs in front of Crockett's Tavern.

I also enjoy sitting at the Outer Rim at the Contemporary looking out the window at Bay Lake.

 

[missminniemouse]

The Disney Institute is definately gone. It was a lot of fun when it was there, but alas, it is now the Saratoga Springs resort.

Behind the scenes tours are a lot of fun. We have done several and have enjoyed every one of them. Our favorite was the tour we took at EPCOT about 12 years ago. It was a tour of the landscaping in world showcase. Turns out we were the only two people booked on the tour that day and our tour guide was from our home state. We also took the day long Backstage Magic tour a number of years ago as well. What an incredible way to spend the day! More recently, DH has taken the "Keys to the Kingdom" tour with a friend of ours and he has also done the "Magic behind our Steam Trains" tour while I watched the kids. He found both very enjoyable.

 

[Buttercup Roberts]

My favorite non-park things at WDW are

* renting watercraft from the Contemporary or Polynesian boat docks
* backstage tours
* going to the spas

 

[lisadisney2003]

We usually take a boat ride over to Fort Wilderness campgrounds for the evening. It is actually kinda cool. If you get there early enough in the evening, they have a petting zoo for the kids. You can also take a carriage ride. They have the Hoop Dee Doo Revue and another buffet restaurant that is not bad and VERY reasonable on price for Disney.

We have also rent a boat & driver from the Poly. and watched the MK fireworks from the boat. That was pretty cool.

 

[DisneyGeek2000]

The Boardwalk can be a lot of fun too.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

If you are sports people, you can check out the events at the Wide World of Sports complex. I know there are both football and baseball teams that hold training camps there.

 

[Juliah]

My DDs and I like to take the monorail loop around to the gift shops in the resorts and trade pins with the CMs. It's cool to get new pins, but also fun to chat with the CMs.

Some other ideas:

DisneyQuest
Disney's Wide World of Sports (I believe there are activities here in addition to events)
Try out some of the resort restaurants
If you have kids, the Pirate Cruise or Alice's tea party at GF
Tea at the GF
Cirque du Soleil
Fishing
Surf lessons at Typhoon Lagoon
Shopping at the outlet malls (off site)
Segway lessons at EPCOT
Spa at GF
Play in the water fountains at DTD
Bibbiddi Bobbiddi Boutique in DTD--salon for little girls, opens this April

 

[Nuchi15697]

Bass Fishing on Bay Lake

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Sometimes we rent a pontoon at the GF and just relax on the lake. That is always fun. We have also done a fireworks cruise and an Illuminations cruise, both very nice as well. Fort Wilderness has lots to offer. Our kids really enjoyed doing a wagon ride there one night after we did Hoop Dee Doo. So that's a fun night. Lets see... we've done the Family Magic Tour, that was semi interesting. We've gone down to the AMC at DTD to see a movie. DH loves that he can put his own butter on our popcorn. That's also fun for a rainy day. The GF spa is very nice, I've done that. One time we drove off property and went to a big shopping mall, but I can't remember the name of it. Also there are things at the parks you might have missed. Especially at Epcot in the Innoventions area and World Showcase. I would recommend just studying the DIS and also AllEarsNet to find neat things you didn't know about.

 

[dpuck1998]

Sometimes we rent a pontoon at the GF and just relax on the lake. That is always fun. We have also done a fireworks cruise and an Illuminations cruise, both very nice as well. Fort Wilderness has lots to offer. Our kids really enjoyed doing a wagon ride there one night after we did Hoop Dee Doo. So that's a fun night. Lets see... we've done the Family Magic Tour, that was semi interesting. We've gone down to the AMC at DTD to see a movie. DH loves that he can put his own butter on our popcorn. That's also fun for a rainy day. The GF spa is very nice, I've done that. One time we drove off property and went to a big shopping mall, but I can't remember the name of it. Also there are things at the parks you might have missed. Especially at Epcot in the Innoventions area and World Showcase. I would recommend just studying the DIS and also AllEarsNet to find neat things you didn't know about.

TigrLvsPooh, how long are you going to be there in April? 3 different hotels for one trip?

You'll have to post some great reviews when you get back to give us a rundown of the best...

 

[Avalanche]

The campfire/singalong at FW is fun. The boardwalk, too. We like to grab a pizza and sit outside and watch the entertainment.

 

[goofy4tink]

After many trips to WDW, we no longer sense the urgency anymore so to speak. Now we like to just kick back a bit. We have found that heading over to Fantasia Gardens for mini-golf is a ball. We really enjoyed our trail ride over in FW...though it would have been nicer if it hadn't rain cats and dogs while we were still on horseback! I'm looking forward to doing some tours. Just touring the other resorts is fun.