Non-park ideas for fun

[murraylieb]

My ds8, dd11 and I will be going to BLT for a week next month. I'm trying to keep this trip on a very tight budget. We are doing MNSSHP, have free tix to Sea World and leftover water park tix and that will probably be it for the parks. Any suggestions for cheap or free activities around WDW or Orlando would be greatly appreciated. Saw that DVC member can do the Richard Petty tour for free...has anyone ever taken the tour? My ds loves cars!!

 

[NicoleLarson]

well the pool area is nice at BLT. Remember, DVC members can pool hop. One day my husband and I did the monorail loop, pool hopping. The poly has a neat volcano slide and their pool party was by far the most lively. Also since you are at BLT you will get to do anything on the CP or BLT resort schedule and there's always something going on thats usually free. Also you can go to the AKL and see the animals for free, even at night. It's not free but the 2 putt putt places in WDW are I think under $10 pp with the DVC discount. The BW area is nice to walk around at night, usually some fun entertainment. If you don't have a car, or even if you do, you have the MK bus terminal very close, we used that all week to resort hop.

 

[Pirate Granny]

Take the boat over to WL and do the free tour of the lodge...sign up ahead of time! Was disappointed with the activity center at BLT...ran out of craft the first half hour (and, no it wasn't crowded), offered to let them color a picture instead...pretty lame, and they were NOT outgoing at all.

 

[iluveeyore]

When we were there, all the DVC resorts had free movies by the pool every night at 8 or 9 pm. We tour the resorts when we don't have passes, watch Wishes from the Polynesian beach at least once, just watched from top of BLT last trip (prefer the Polynesian, I know it's farther away, but more relaxing to recline on a beach chair and watch the electric water parade first). We have been to the Petty Driving experience twice, didn't take the tour, but we did watch the Exotic Driving Experience cars go around, your son would love that (Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, Audi). I'm sure the tour would be great. DTD has lots to see, and my nephews love to go to the Lego store and build stuff. And I know movies aren't free at Pleasure Island AMC theater, but if you take the kids, the movies before I think 5pm are cheaper. Enjoy your trip! We didn't have park passes my last two trips, and I still didn't do everything I had planned!

 

[dvcterry]

you may want to take some time to go down to boardwalk area. nice to walk around there. don't know if surrey bike rentals are within your budget but worth checking. you may be able to pool hop at the boardwalk pool.

the beachclub also offers a movie on the beach and has a campfire, you can check with that. we brought our own smores supplies.

an evening wagon ride, fort wilderness campground (this was not expensive at all & no reservation required) just showed up.

animal kingdom villas, visit there, you have some nice areas you can view the animals.

miniature golf. look for coupons.

bike rental, wilderness lodge

watch the electrical water pageant

 

[com_op_2000]

Outside of WDW, at Gaylord Palms Resort; they have 3 acres under a glass roof. The area under the roof is divided into three areas Key West, Everglades, and St. Augustine/type fort. there are fish, snakes, gators, etc that you can view. You can spend 3/4 hours over there touring the resort/areas and it does not cost anything.

 

[LauraLap]

The best "free" thing we have ever done is the Campfire Singalong with Chip and Dale at Fort Wilderness. We showed up around 7pm and Chip and Dale came and hung out with the kids for awhile....they did some sidewalk chalk and some other games, super fun! Then we roasted marshmallows and had a sing-a-long. After that there was a movie but we left at that point. It was definitely one of the highlights of our last trip and it was no additional cost!

Also, the kids like to go to Wilderness lodge to wait for the geyser (sp??) to errupt. We have pool hopped to the Poly, GF, and Boardwalk. We can walk around DTD for hours just looking around and doing the lego, etc.

 

[murraylieb]

Thanks for all the ideas. Hadn't thought about Gaylord Resort and had forgotten campfire at FW. Where do I find more info about watching the cars at Richard Pettys driving experience?