No Parks, four days, Two hotels, What to do?

[funhouse8]

We will be staying at SSR for two days and then moving to BWV for two days the end of June into July. No parks this trip, looking forward to enjoying the hotels. What would you do during your trip? I booked an afternoon tea, and plan on watching the fireworks from poly. Any advice is welcome. Thanks

 

[maitlynn]

Honestly I could not imagine being at the resorts and not going to the parks. We can't even plan a totally non park day in a 7 day stay. LOL But that is just me. I'm sure you can find lots ot do and sure others will have great ideas. Have fun!

 

[Indychick]

What? No parks? Sacrilege! Seriously though...have you thought about trying any of the spa packages? If you have DVC you can get a pretty decent discount. I'm not sure what else, other than hanging out at the boardwalk and DTD. I hope you have fun....I myself could not stay away from the parks!

 

[mmtska]

Check out Downtown Disney, enjoy some of the resort restaurants, go check out the animals at AKL, chillax on the beaches at the Poly with a Dole Whip.

 

[patty57]

How about checking out all the resort hotels that you've always wanted to see? You can really take your time to notice what each offers. With that said...I could never plan a trip to WDW that didn't include the parks....they are the reason I travel to WDW. Have fun whatever you decide to do!

 

[cvjw]

Our family couldn't be that close to the magic and not go to a park! We can't even plan a trip to Universal without sneaking in a day at Disney! One thing we have always wanted to do, but never seem to have enough time is to play putt-putt golf behind the Swan. While you are at the BWV, you could walk over for an afternoon.

 

[Pattiwig]

Watch the Electrical Water parade in Bay Lake, play mini-golf, water park, horseback ride at the campground, or the campfire at the campground, rent boats....

 

[Cee]

Most of our trips these days are non-park trips. We'll do the parks every 2nd or 3rd trip. Here's some of what we do:

DTD(shopping, movie, balloon ride, La Nouba, restaurants, walking and people watching)

Resort-hop(this is wonderful. We check out the grounds, lobbies, LOUNGES, pools, gift shops, etc. PEOPLE WATCHING)

Spa treatments(the spa at SSR is fantastic. $$$)

Afternoon Tea at GF

Mini-golf

Boardwalk(walk along the canal to DHS and back)

A good book at the pool or lobby(or both!)

DVDs(it's nice to do this in the room(dvc villas have dvd players) on a rainy afternoon)

Drink around the World(monorail crawl!)

Monorail Ride(to the different resorts there)

Boat Rides!(also, renting a boat!)

Discovering new eateries at DTD or the resorts

A dinner show(we love HDDR and hear the Luau is great too)

La Nouba! This is an incredible show...

Walk, walk, walk!

I'm sure I've left a few things out....OH, a TOUR!....but that should give you a few ideas to mull over.

Have a fantastic non-park vacation!

 

[TLinden16]

I'm going to move this to our DVC board, as I'm sure the folks over there will have great suggestions for you.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

In the heat of the summer we never do the theme parks, however the water parks are something else altogether! I never thought I would enjoy spending the whole day there but we do. I pick our spot and bring in a cooler w/ drinks, fruit and snacks to subsidize the minimal food offerings. I do a few water rides but mostly at TL we love the wave pool and the lazy river. It's a great way to relax, keep cool and unwind!

We also love the movies so we head to DTD and take in a movie, eat dinner and/or dessert at Girardelli's.

Since we drive in I also get an afternoon at the outlet malls, it's my vacation too and generally DS(13) makes out as well by going.

Make reservations outside of the parks, our new favorite is Todd English's Blue Zoo at the Dolphin.

This summer the kids, boys 13, are taking up archery at WL, one round of golf was enough for them, so we now find other things to do.

We also spend the day by the pool and then order Giordano's pizza delivery and watch DVD's that I've brought from home, or we play UNO. We typically do family things that get lost in the shuffle of daily life back home. We enjoy no park vacations, we save those for when it's not so hot!

 

[dzorn]

We are doing a very limited park trip next time. Our plans include:

Pool Time:
Bike rides (WL to FW and the boardwalk)
DTD shopping and the outlets
Water park (have passes to use up)
Mini Golf
More Pool time
Movies on the Beach
Resort Hopping including a few meals with this
1 Day at EPCOT (GAD ticket)
Pool time for Kids Book time for me.
Possible 1 day at SeaWorld with the $5 kids tickets
Possible do some Pool Hopping before black out dates for DVC member start with the resort hopping.

I see many sleep in days or afternoon naps planned.

Trying to stick budget so no spa and limited meals out. It will be difficult to not upgrade our tickets.


Also considering a horse back ride for DD birthday.

We have rented a car this time (usually use ME) incase we want to go do stuff offsite.

 

[mickeys girl 52]

[QUOTE=
Afternoon Tea at GF

I have never heard of this. Is this like on the Disney ships where you make a reservation for Tea and Desserts? Sounds yummy

 

[silmarg]

Yehaa Bob at POR

 

[Cee]

I believe afternoon High Tea is between 3-6:00 p.m. at the Garden View Cafe in the Grand Floridian. You have several options but the most all-inclusive one is only around $25.00/pp. It is HEAVEN. If you haven't done it yet, please treat yourself. It's also a wonderful thing to do with daughters,mothers,sisters, bffs, etc.

 

[spiceycat]

when you are at SSR - walk over to DD - look at the shops just look around.

(remember the $10 store)

then take the boats to POR & POFQ - come back and take the other boat to OKW.

at bwv - walk along the bw check out the inn part of bw, beach club, bcv,yc, dolphin and swan.

rent the bikes at night.

look around the bw at night - it has some things to offer.
watch the MK fireworks from that bench - then walk down and watch the fireworks from epcot. (or the other way around if MK fireworks are later)

ride the boat to epcot then it goes to all the resorts, then to studios.

 

[Luv4Disney]

Wow, I could never be at a Disney resort and NOT go to the parks. Other things we like to do: Welcome Home Wednesdays, mini golf, DTD, check out other resorts, the water parade, resort restaurants, and relaxing at the resort.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I love our no park vacations! Every DVC resort we added on, I stayed there and asked myself "If this place were not attached to a Theme Park would I want to stay here" If I answered yes, we added it!

Now I can sit on my patio, drink my coffee and enjoy the views no matter where I stay. We take morning walks, shop, read, lounge by the pool, spa, etc.
Our 2 week holiday stays are normally no parks. They are crowded, but I still love being at WDW during the holidays and we love our vacation home

WDW is relatively inexpensive to get to and once you are there, there is plenty to do or not to do.

 

[funhouse8]

Wow, I could never be at a Disney resort and NOT go to the parks. Other things we like to do: Welcome Home Wednesdays, mini golf, DTD, check out other resorts, the water parade, resort restaurants, and relaxing at the resort.

This is a first for me. My DD just wanted to get away and didn't want to do a park day. So I thought I'll proably could use a relaxing vacation.... That being said with all the things to do we probably won't have time to relax. LOL

 

[ToddyLu]

I have always wanted to go to Hoop De Doo (doing that in Dec.), pet the Cinderella ponies at FW, eat at Shulas.....ummmm....SSR has a terrific spa....I would recommend going in the early morning 8:00ish or what ever they have....you will have time to go in the sauna and whirlpools before your treatment. It was lovely. I would also like to do a carriage ride.

The Luau may be lame to some but the fire twirler was great. Cali Grill for FW and a dose of Wishes. Rain Forrest Cafe during evening EMH...you couldn't go in park but would still have a different ambiance. You could also go to AKV and sit around the fire pit and listen to a story. I will let them know you are coming!

 

[katmittens]

DH and I are going by ourselves in Feb for 5 nites in a studio, right now at OKW and possibly changing to AKV at Jambo. We won't have park passes since our AP's are expiring in Oct. We plan on no parks, just hopefully getting away from the cold and relaxing. We plan on shopping at the outlets, going to a movie, taking a dip in the hot tub, relaxing in our room, watching the fireworks and the light parade on the water from the Poly, Mini golf and some good dinners at the resorts. I am treating it as though we are going away for the week to relax in Florida and we are lucky enough to not have to pay for our room that DVC. We will be there in two weeks with our kids(older kids 25 and 22) and back in Oct for F & W just DH and me. So I think no parks will be ok in February.