Non Park Days

[Malibustyle23]

I already asked this on the resort board but I'm hoping I'll get more of a response here.

This time we are planning a few nonpark days into our trip. I'm thinking we will visit DTD, Cape May Cafe for dinner, electric water parade, animal watching and storytime at AKL and probably the campfire and movie at FW. Is there any other (budget) things we can do or see around the resorts? Any tips or suggestions are welcomed!

It'll be dh, me, ds9, and dd who will turn 5 on our trip. We plan to stay at ASM with a DDP. We will have our car but I'd prefer to use WDW transportation for everything.

 

[Hook326]

I already asked this on the resort board but I'm hoping I'll get more of a response here.

This time we are planning a few nonpark days into our trip. I'm thinking we will visit DTD, Cape May Cafe for dinner, electric water parade, animal watching and storytime at AKL and probably the campfire and movie at FW. Is there any other (budget) things we can do or see around the resorts? Any tips or suggestions are welcomed!

It'll be dh, me, ds9, and dd who will turn 5 on our trip. We plan to stay at ASM with a DDP. We will have our car but I'd prefer to use WDW transportation for everything.

I think touring AoA would be a nice way to spend some time for free especially with your kids' ages. I haven't done it yet but seeing the different sections and all the cool character "statues" (can't find a better word to describe them!) would be fun for me and my family (kids ages 6 & 3).

 

[uccats97]

You could ride the resort monorail loop and visit all of those resorts. We also like to visit Boardwalk, BC & YC and make the loop there. Maybe take the boat around DTD or from WL to MK and back. If your kids like to press pennies these stops all have them available, $0.51 each!

My kids also had a blast playing at the DVC playroom while DH and I listened to the pitch. It was no pressure & took about 2 hours. The kids played, had snacks and watched Disney movies while we took the tour. At the end we all got 3 FASTPASSes good any day, any time and then free ice cream sundaes. We thought it was pretty fun and best of all, free!

 

[Malibustyle23]

I definitely wanna see AOA. Since I thought it would be a lot longer till we got back to WDW I have been kinda toddler like lately and having been avoiding all pics, stories and news of the new happenings so it'll all be surprising since I have no idea what is there. I know dd and ds will love the statues.

I completely forgot about the pressed pennies! I know our souvenir budget will be very limited but that's something I can work into both of their budgets and make sure they get a few each day around WDW.

Thanks!

 

[froggygal1301]

Great ideas I'll be watching this thread!

 

[bumbershoot]

They aren't free, but arcades have been something my family (and my cousin's family) has really enjoyed! We limit most of DH and DS's arcade time to the ones that have prizes (tiny little prizes). So far the two we've been to are at All Star Sports and at Art of Animation. Both have been fun.

My cousin's son won enough tickets on jackpot situations that he was able to get something like a lava lamp. He was very happy (he loves lava lamps even though he's only 10). My son redeemed his tickets for a bunch of costume jewelery (to be Captain Jack Sparrow) and various other little things. My cousin's daughter, 5 years old, got a little stuffed animal and a TON of the costume jewelry (to be a princess...same jewelry as my son got but different effects!)

 

[Marionnette]

I already asked this on the resort board but I'm hoping I'll get more of a response here.

This time we are planning a few nonpark days into our trip. I'm thinking we will visit DTD, Cape May Cafe for dinner, electric water parade, animal watching and storytime at AKL and probably the campfire and movie at FW. Is there any other (budget) things we can do or see around the resorts? Any tips or suggestions are welcomed!

It'll be dh, me, ds9, and dd who will turn 5 on our trip. We plan to stay at ASM with a DDP. We will have our car but I'd prefer to use WDW transportation for everything.

I would use the car. You cannot travel directly from one resort to another via Disney transportation.

Edited to clarify: You can travel between the most of the MK resorts on the monorail and the Epcot area resorts via Disney transportation or by foot. But to get to them from ASM (is the Movies or Music?), you will need to first travel to a park or Downtown Disney via a Disney bus. It will take a lot of time out of your day and the process would have to be reversed in order to get back to your resort when you're finished.

 

[mom0299]

Kids love pools. Just take some time out and relax by your resort pool. It isn't free, but mini golf is fun and not too expensive. I second the suggestion to ride the resort monorail. You could do it later in the evening and sit on the Poly beach and watch Wishes. Definitely go to the Boardwalk resort. There is a lot to see and then take a boat ride to the different resorts there.
Have fun. We've never done a non park day, but I think it could be a lot of fun and add some relaxing down-time to an otherwise busy vacation.

 

[EagleScout]

Kids love pools. Just take some time out and relax by your resort pool. It isn't free, but mini golf is fun and not too expensive. I second the suggestion to ride the resort monorail. You could do it later in the evening and sit on the Poly beach and watch Wishes. Definitely go to the Boardwalk resort. There is a lot to see and then take a boat ride to the different resorts there.
Have fun. We've never done a non park day, but I think it could be a lot of fun and add some relaxing down-time to an otherwise busy vacation.

If you have even a basic magic your way package, you likely have at least some "free" tickets for mini-golf - I think they usually include two per room, so you could either share/take turns, or just let kids use them. The fantasia mini golf is walking distance from boardwalk, so you could also do boardwalk (and in evenings- guaranteed street entertainers on thurs thru sat, but often other nights, particularly if peak times). The resort pool can be fun, and you could also try the walking trail between wilderness lodge and fort wilderness campgrounds. And at fort wilderness, I believe their nightly campfire sing-along is "free" to any disney resort Guest, not just campers.

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

My family does a lot of resort hopping on non-park days, including eating at the different restaurants. Having the dining plan is very handy in this situation. All three All Star resorts have activities by the pool and each resort will offer a different movie by the pool in the evening. Over the last two years, visiting the Circle D ranch at the campground has been a must do. There is no cost to visit the stables. The boat ride from DTD to Port Orleans is about 20 minutes. It's free. As mentioned, ride the monorail, get off and visit the three resort. At the Poly stop by bell services and ask for Leis.

 

[Malibustyle23]

Thanks for the ideas everyone.

Sorry it's ASMovies. I know the campers at FW decorate for Christmas, do they do the same for Halloween? If so when does that usually begin? We'll be there 9/16 to 9/24. Wondering if we'd be too early f they did.

 

[danygirl]

One time we did Daytona beach as our first day. That is a nice free day. Check groupon and living social they sometimes have cool things on there including a swim with mana tees.

 

[livsmom04]

We too are planning on having a non-park day while at Disney this year. We decided that the last two days we are there we will hang out at the pool and maybe travel over to DTD. We thought about heading over to Boardwalk too just to check out the boardwalk. We will have our car too and will be using that to travel this time without using the buses.

 

[joanzie72]

We are going to be staying at POP and are going to have a non park day with pool and hotel hopping. really can't wait to go.

 

[squirrel]

Well, I can tell you that with my last 4 trips that were 14 nights long and 10 day park passes we didn't do much on the free days.

I had plans of seeing the Campfire, visiting AKL, etc. but honestly we just needed down time at the resort. We did go to DTD at least once each trip. The first year I took my niece we bought the Water Parks and more-bad idea. We did the water parks twice and DQ but I ran her ragged. Didn't do that again. I did do mini golf one year and that was nice.

 

[Nina1]

We use our non-park day to rest and recharge. We usually schedule it mid trip because we sorely need it by then. The most energetic thing we do on that day is swim. We sleep in and then hang out at the pool. If I am in the mood, I sometimes will go to DTD in the morning (we don't like DTD at night...too crazy) while my DH and DS swim. I come back before lunch and we eat together. Then, back to the pool for all of us until dinner. We usually go to Cape May for dinner on our non-park day. Also, the pools have a party in the afternoon that is always fun for all of us. By the end of the day, we feel renewed and ready to hit the parks bright and early the next morning.

 

[aprilgail2]

Last year we did 2 weeks at Disney but only did the parks 5 days. We went to Universal, Discovery Cove, went indoor skydiving on International Drive, Went on a 3 hour zip lining tour (that was about a 1 1/2 hour drive away), went to St. Petersburg, went to Wonder Works. I would go batty if I had to only do Disney parks on my vacation- always have to do other things in the area. One time we did a helicopter tour, another time we did an air boat ride through a swamp.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

You should definitely go to the BW at night. They have excellent performers that are hysterical. My boys LOVE watching them especially Brian Starron!!! He is usually there every night we go.

The pool is always a good free option.