No Parks at all!!!

[Nikisha421]

So in just four weeks we will be headed to WDW again!!

However, this time we are only going for two days, instead of our normal week!!!

I have decided that we are not going to head to the parks...instead we are getting DxDDP for the first time which means we will get around to trying so new restaurants...anyway my question is what are some things to do that have nothing to do with the parks?

Included in the trip are DD7, and her aunt, who will be at WDW for the first time in many years, and myself ...I figured I would let them get a run of some of the restaurants, but what else is there to do???? Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday...

 

[heathers4um]

resort hop and take a good look around each one: amenities, landscaping, and lounges, carriage ride in POR, horseback riding in FW, DTD...

 

[Nikisha421]

resort hop and take a good look around each one: amenities, landscaping, and lounges, carriage ride in POR, horseback riding in FW, DTD...

those two sound like something right up my alley but just not something I would have though of on my own...thanks

 

[POOHsie]

You are going all the way to WDW from NY just to eat some food and waste your days with time-filler stuff? Your question asks, what to do to fill up your time while at WDW. Answer: Take your family to visit the Parks! Your DD7 and her Aunt, who hasn't been to WDW in years, are excited about going to WDW, but not going to the parks? Or just you?

 

[heathers4um]

sure thing - and while youre in FW maybe you could take a segway tour through the resort...I hear its a blast! You could do Mickeys Backyard BBQ or Hoop Dee Doo Review, watch the Electrical Parade from the beach at 9:45 pm! Go fishing if you like to do that too! That you can do at either FW or POR. At POR you can go to Scat Cats Club - a fiull serivce bar with live music on weekends. The carriage rides are $35 and leave from Boatwrights between 6-9 pm for a 30 minute ride. Go to the spa at Saratoga Springs and then have a nice lunch. I think SSR has carriage ride too. Dont forget the Boardwalk!

 

[MHSweb79]

Fort Wilderness also has the evening campfire with Chip & Dale, right? I believe they do a singalong and you can make s'mores.
Some resorts also have Disney movies on the beach - I know I saw a schedule at the Poly and I think the GF may do this also. You can also view the MK fireworks from the Poly beach, and they pipe in the music. There's also that weird floating electric parade that has just got to be seen to be believed.
Downtown Disney is fun too and there's lots of choices there for food & shopping.

 

[chartle]

You are going all the way to WDW from NY just to eat some food and waste your days with time-filler stuff? Your question asks, what to do to fill up your time while at WDW. Answer: Take your family to visit the Parks! Your DD7 and her Aunt, who hasn't been to WDW in years, are excited about going to WDW, but not going to the parks? Or just you?

I'm pretty sure its a law that if you take a DD under 12 on property you have to take said DD to a park at least for 75% of your stay.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

http://www.buildabettermousetrip.com/activity-outdoormovie.php

above is the link showing what movies are playing at each resort.

I have gone to Disney for a week more than once without ever stepping foot into a park. We would stay at a deluxe and during the day we would enjoy what that resort had to offer. At night we would go watch the fireworks from one of the resorts if we happened to not be at one where we could view. We would watch the Electric Water Parade from the resorts. Stroll around the Boardwalk, rent bikes at different resorts. We also rented kyak's at Ft Wilderness. There is really a lot to do without going to parks.. and just an fyi, when we would do this, our kids were young. They were more than happy to enjoy Disney without parks..

 

[scdisfan]

We went for a quick 2 day trip in March. One day we went to the Magic Kingdom (we couldn't go all that way and not go to a park!). The second day we walked around the Boardwalk and looked at the shops. Then we played miniture golf. We played on the course that was all decorated for Christmas. Afterwards, we went over to Downtown Disney and shopped and had dinner. We had a blast! And it was a nice change of pace from touring the parks!

 

[let'sgo]

Rent a boat, have a nice afternoon at the spa, or play miniature golf.

 

[jensen]

How are you going to book the dining plan without a package? I'm pretty sure you have to, at least, buy a one day ticket... unless you are staying on points at DVC.

I just realized you are likely at DVC since your signature includes lots of DVC stays... my bad!

 

[My 2 princesses]

Ohh, we must be very bad cause we took 2 kids under 12 for a whole week from Canada and took them to the park just 1 day. Did they miss it much?? Hell no. They had so much fun at the pool and Community Halls that they did not miss it at all. She was fine with one day and one park.

Each one's situation is different. Let's not judge anyone without knowing their situation. Maybe they need to eat out instead, maybe it's cheaper to be on the dining plan than park tickets. Who knows

 

[FlightlessDuck]

DisneyQuest
Water parks
Mini golf
Regular golf
Rent a boat, bike, etc.
See a movie at the AMC theatre in Downtown Disney
Swim in the resort pool

 

[d1gitman]

Ohh, we must be very bad cause we took 2 kids under 12 for a whole week from Canada and took them to the park just 1 day. Did they miss it much??...

they only missed 4 parks...other than that, nothing

besides, what they don't know won't hurt them, right?

 

[cassandrap83]

You are going all the way to WDW from NY just to eat some food and waste your days with time-filler stuff? Your question asks, what to do to fill up your time while at WDW. Answer: Take your family to visit the Parks! Your DD7 and her Aunt, who hasn't been to WDW in years, are excited about going to WDW, but not going to the parks? Or just you?

I have to agree with this too! I'm sure there are hundreds of places within a 8hr driving distance from your house that you could have just as much fun at if you're not going to be doing the parks. I would never in a million years go all the way to Disney (especially with a kid) to not 'do' Disney! I'd get at least a 1 day ticket!

 

[d1gitman]

Your a stronger person than I. Not sure I could travel great distances, stay for 2 days and deny my child (or myself) seeing MK.

I can just imagine DD7 getting back and talking with her friends...

Friend: "where were you the other day? we were looking for you to play"
DD7: "oh, I was on a trip"
Friend: "really? that's cool. where did you go?"
DD7: "Florida"
Friend: "awesome! what did you do in Florida?"
DD7: "Disneyworld"
Friend: "wow!!!! Did you see Mickey?"
DD7: "no"
Friend: "oh. how was the Castle?"
DD7 "dunno"
Friend: "oh. did you like Space Mountain?"
DD7: "didn't do it"
Friend: "oh. it is a dark scary ride. how about Cinderella? did you get to see her?"
DD7: "no."
Friend: "o-kay. i bet the parades were awesome!"
DD7: "couldn't tell ya"
Friend: "hmmmm. i though you went to Disneyworld?"
DD7: "we did"
Friend: "then tell me, what did you do?"
DD7: "well...first we had a delightful breakfast. it was fabulous! we had waffles shaped like Mickey, covered with the toppings of our choice. we washed it down with fresh orange juice and milk, of course. complimenting the mickey eared waffle were two strips of bacon, perfectly cooked, lightly crispy. completing the meal, was a fresh plate of fruit consisting of bouqet of berries and spears of sweet melon.

Then we had lunch. An entertaining affair. There was laughing, crying and a parade of characters. The most tender of chicken nuggets with the tastiest of sauces were such a delight for the taste buds. The side of fries was the perfect accompaniement for this dish. Afterwards, I cleansed my palate with sorbet.

For dinner, well let me tell you, it was to die for. the leanest cuts of beef, perfectly cooked. Pure jucy tenderness in ever bite. Let's just say it was the best hamburger with ketchup i've had since, well, since McDonalds"


Anyway, all kidding aside. Downtown Disney is a great place to spend the better part of a day. If LaNouba is in the budget, do it. It is absolutely amazing and DD7 along with Auntie and yourself will be amazed. Disneyquest is a blast but that's a decision for you. Not everyone thinks it's worth the money for video games (we think it is).

Boardwalk is a great place to spend an evening. Multiple choices in Dining and the streetmoshpere is a lot of fun in the evening. Also, there is a candy store where you can pick your own candy, always a hit. Rent a 4 person bike (4 wheeled contraption that i don't know the name of). You can also get caracatures done on the boardwalk.

Minigolf is a hit with our boys. Fanatasia Gardens near the Swan. Wintersummerland at Blizzard Beach. If i were to choose one, i'd recommend Wintersummerland.

Resort hopping is fun and since you will be dining at resorts, it's a perfect thing to do. Rent a boat, bike, fishing.

Anyway, have lots of fun.

 

[disnut8]

I so have to disagree with the posters who don't think you can have a good time at Disney World and not go to a park. Disney World is so much more than the four theme parks and two water parks. If that's all you think about, you are the ones missing so much, not the OP who wants to enjoy non-park things and restaurants outside those parks.

I November, my husband and I will be at Disney World for a week while my in-laws will join us for two days, one at the beginning of their convention time and one at the end. They do not want to spend money to go to a park. So I thought about things we can do. I'm actually thinking there's no way we can do everything outside the parks in just those two days. I mean, going to Downtown Disney takes at least a half day to see everything. And then we might do miniature golf - maybe even both sides of Fantasia. My mother-in-law loves the monorail so that's definitely an option to ride that around and see those resorts (we have annual passes so parking will be free). Plus, my father-in-law loves riding around in the little boats so we'll probably take one of those over to Fort Wilderness and walk around there to enjoy all the nature stuff. And while we're at miniature golf, we'll probably walk around Crescent Lake to see those resorts. Maybe even go over to Animal Kingdom Lodge for a look around in the late afternoon/early evening. For meals, I'm thinking Captain's Galley at the Yacht Club or the Grand Floridian Cafe.

Use your imagination and go outside those four parks and you'll see all kinds of things.

 

[luvthemouse71]

D1gitman, that post was freakin' awesome...

Count me in as someone else who could not go to WDW , and not do at least one park.

 

[d1gitman]

I so have to disagree with the posters who don't think you can have a good time at Disney World and not go to a park. Disney World is so much more than the four theme parks and two water parks. If that's all you think about, you are the ones missing so much, not the OP who wants to enjoy non-park things and restaurants outside those parks...

don't get me wrong. it most definitely is possible to have a good time with everything else at WDW. There's no denying that, but c'mon, travel long distance with a 7yo and a 'newbie' and NOT see MK at a minimum? kind of like going to the ball and not dancing, winning the lottery and not cashing in, walking the aisle and not saying i do, going on a honeymoon and not - well, you get the idea....

sorry, but i just couldn't imagine a childhood memory of "i went to Disney but didn't go in".

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

Friend: "then tell me, what did you do?"
DD7: "well...first we had a delightful breakfast. it was fabulous! we had waffles shaped like Mickey, covered with the toppings of our choice. we washed it down with fresh orange juice and milk, of course. complimenting the mickey eared waffle were two strips of bacon, perfectly cooked, lightly crispy. completing the meal, was a fresh plate of fruit consisting of bouqet of berries and spears of sweet melon.

Then we had lunch. An entertaining affair. There was laughing, crying and a parade of characters. The most tender of chicken nuggets with the tastiest of sauces were such a delight for the taste buds. The side of fries was the perfect accompaniement for this dish. Afterwards, I cleansed my palate with sorbet.

Hey! Stop stealing from my trip report. I worked hard on it for walt'ssake.