No parks

[Disneholic]

We are going for 6 nights the last week of July. First 4 nights are to be Kidani Village and the last 2 are Saratoga Springs. Because we drive we will have availability to go anywhere at anytime and we are planning to use the arrival and check out day at Disney. I know there are many things other than the parks available to do (mini golf, swim, bikes). Does anyone think this is a crazy idea ---to not do the parks? Last year all we heard was "we want to swim more". I would love to do the baardwalk at night, is there anything for a family with 3 boys to do? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Cmbar]

We went last year and did only one park (had a left over park ticket). It was the most relaxing trip! I will say we also went to the water parks. That was the higlight of our trip. In July it was wonderful. Don't feel guilty about not going to the parks. Many people do this and in the summer, you are right the kids will love to swim. And if you are a DVC member you can pool hop except SAB at BCV. Have fun, we are totally looking forward to another trip like that in the summer!

 

[newbydisney]

Here is a great little known idea, at least we think so. If you buy a one day park ticket plus water park fun and more you get actually 2 water park days or whatever activity you choose from the "and more" list in addition to a water park day. I think this is a great deal and a nice compromise.
There are a lot of other great things to do. Cirque or any other activity at DTD.
Beach Club has entertainers frequently in the evenings in the lobby and at Beach Club there are activities, smores and stories/movies on the beach at night. . Ask one of the greeters for details. Port Orleans has a great show in their lounge ( kids ok) wed-sat evenings ...Yeehaw Bob...If you decide to do the park only one day consider adding one of the extra activites ..ie at AK the safari is great or at Epdcot the Earth has a great educational tour thru their hydroponic greenhouses , very reasonable prices. There is fireworks and electric boat parades to view from Poly and you could have dinner there or do the luau....and of course you can pool hop!! My daughter just got back from SSR but they went over to CBR for a day and were impressed with all the activities for kids...There are tons of other things and I am sure more people will make more suggestions . There is probably a good existing thread as well. ..and no you are not crazy the parks are expensive and eventually you will tire of them so wait til another year when you are in the mood. Enjoy.

 

[kerrik]

We often go and skip the parks, especially if we go in the summer when it's just to miserable at the parks. Between the pools, Downtown Disney, The Boardwalk, etc. there is plenty to do! Our very first trip with our son who was 3 at the time, we stayed at the Contemporary in a poolside suite- when we went to MK the next day, all he kept saying was, "I want to go back the hotel and go swimming in the pool!"

 

[Buckeye Fan]

We love having "no park" days. I could easily spend a week at Disney, and never go to a park. We enjoy spending an afternoon/evening at DTD and Boardwalk, renting boats, playing mini-golf, going to the water parks, hanging out at the pool, etc. Family doesn't know it yet, but I'm dragging them to Cirque with me this summer! We've never been, so I thought "we" would try it!

All of the resorts are wonderful, and the CMs make me feel special when I'm there! So, definitely...plan your "no parks" and enjoy!

 

[edk35]

We are doing something similiar this summer. I have three kids ages ds 18, ds 15 and ds 10. We are going to spend 9 nights at WDW and only have 4 park days left but the boys have 3 water park and more days left. We are at the Poly for 2 nights, BCV for 5 and AKV for 2. We plan on going to MK while we are at Poly for one day. The arrival day will be hanging at the resort and having a nice dinner at one of the MK resorts. Then when we move to BCV on Thursday...no park day. On Friday we will hit EC. On Sat. no park day. Maybe the guys will hit a water park. Then Maybe Sunday and Monday we will hit parks. We don't plan on going anywhere on T/W when we are at AKV.

My kids love having non park days now. They love to SLEEP IN and they love the pools/resort activities. I think we could easily go to WDW for a week and only do 2 or 3 park days now. There are so many off the beaten path things to do outside of the parks. MY boys love renting the Sea Raycers, paddle boats, arcades and of course the POOLS. We even went to see a movie at DTD in Nov. We love the entertainment on the BW too. Staying at BCV is just so much fun without even stepping inside a park even with EC right there.

 

[Lindabelle]

Last year, my DH and I went to Disney and did no parks. We had so much fun that we didn't even miss them. It was the perfect relaxing time. We rented boats, pool hopped, and went on the Backwoods Segway tour at Fort Wilderness. This summer we are doing another no parks trip(this time with the kids) and are looking forward to possibly horse back riding, mini golf, and perhaps the spa. We love the parks but were at them in January so we will probably wait till 2010 to go back.

 

[Brian Noble]

I know there are many things other than the parks available to do (mini golf, swim, bikes). Does anyone think this is a crazy idea ---to not do the parks?

Not crazy at all. We're doing this with a "bonus" trip this July.

We normally go down in February, and never have time (or weather) to do a lot of other things like water parks, etc. This year, we're taking an extra trip, also in July, and we plan to fully explore the two water parks, and just do other random stuff. No theme parks.

 

[Quilter007]

Have you thought of the Space Center? It's only about an hour's drive and WAY AWESOME for boys!

Katrina

 

[TLPL]

With no new attraction planned for the next few years, I am not planning to go to the parks for our next few trips to WDW. There are planty to do at the resort and so many other theme parks/attractions we have yet to explore in Orlando, I think we don't have to go to the parks every time.

 

[Desnik]

We aren't going to the parks on our next trip either.
We will be at AKV Kidani village from June 25-29 and plan to enjoy all the resort has to offer. My kids are 11 and 6 and they can stay all day at the pool and be happy! They also love AKV and all the cool activities. We have done 2 trips to AKV for 3 days each where we just stood there and didn't go to the parks until the 2nd half of our trip. My kids always talk about the fun they have just at the resort. On this trip I plan on hopping over to the GF and renting a boat one day. Also hanging out at the BW or DtD at night. I can't wait! we will be at WDW 3 times this year and I am really looking forward to some "down time" there.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

We have done quite a few no parks days and even entire vacations that we didn't enter the parks. There are so many things to do and we also like just relaxing. Our kids are teenagers but even when they were little they loved having pool days.

The only time of year that I wouldn't consider having a no-park vacation is during the Food and Wine Festival...those are adult only trips and we love spending time in EPCOT !

 

[jra1414]

Went last September stayed at BCV for 5 nights. Spent most of the time at the pools. Pool hopped around and then enjoyed dinner. We had a car also and drove to the different hotels and resturants off property. Did go to the Not so Scary Holloween Party so can't say we did no parks but that was just one night. We are a couple in our 50's and have been to DW 10 times the last 8 years and have 3 trips planned this year. The parks have become secondary although we do like the Special Events.

 

[circhead]

We also have done the no parks vacations. We have been to Disney so many times that we enjoy the opportunity to explore all the other things the "World" has to offer.

My kids loved the water parks - with 3 boys that love to swim - TyphoonLagoon would be a don't miss in my book. Especially Shark Lagoon - they can swim with sharks (small ones) my kids love it. It's a quick swim - the length of the tank - but for boys it meets that adventurous need many of them seem to have. Then there is the wave pool - many times we have done the late night at Typhoon Lagoon just to get more time in the wave pool. My husband and I would sit in a raft in the Lazy River once the kids got older - they always knew where to find us - and they would go off together to explore Typhoon Lagoon. Some of the nicest memories we have are of Typhoon Lagoon.

There used to be a petting zoo at Ft. Wilderness Campgrounds - I don't know if it's still there but when they were little we spent a lot of time there also.