non park days

[Malibustyle23]

I am finally planning another trip back to WDW! For the first time ever during this trip we are planning on having 2 or 3 days without park tickets. Can anyone give me some advice as to what to do or see at other resorts on our down days? I'm thinking of animal viewing and storytime at AKL and campfire, movie and wagon ride at FW. Any other must dos or insider secrets?

We are tentatively scheduled for 9/16-24 at ASM hopefully FD upgraded to DDP. It'll be me, dh, ds9 and dd who will turn 5 during our trip. We will have our car but plan on relying on WDW buses the entire time. Thanks!

 

[mmmears]

I think your ideas about FW and AKL are great! We love spending time watching the animals at AKL (and there are great activities there as well).

Other things you can do: Disney waterparks (really fun), renting a boat at one of the monorail resorts and zipping around the lake, shopping at DTD, visiting the monorail resorts then watching the MK fireworks from the Poly beach.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

We love spending time at FW. Besides the things you mentioned, there are pony rides for younger kids (possibly your daughter), and you can walk through the barns and see some Disney horses. you can also ride bikes through FW and through the woods over to Wilderness Lodge. If you want to spend the money to rent a boat Bay Lake is beautiful. There is a nice playground area near the boat docks that our daughter enjoys, and you can catch a free boat ride from FW to MK (but it stays outside the gate so no park tickets are required) or there is another boat loop that goes between FW, WL, and CR, where you could catch the monorail. We enjoy resort hopping on Disney transportation, and there are often many ways to get between locations.

Other resorts we enjoy visiting are Port Orleans Riverside, which has a boat to DTD and a good sized food court. We also liked visiting POP and walking through the resort with its large icons (like a giant Yo-Yo) and across the bridge to AOA. There aren't a whole lot of activities, but it is an easy way to get to see and check out two resorts and their food courts and gift shops.