Not Doing the Parks?

[hsteacher]

We love to get in the car in the afternoon and drive to Cocoa Beach/Port Canaveral, get to Grills (restaurant along the canal) and watch the cruise ships leave. The ships leave around 5 pm and the restaurant is very close to the canal so you see well. It's very relaxing and a fun, casual (not expensive) restaurant away from Disney for a bit. Disney Cruise leaves on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

 

[ILuvMulan]

Oh, that sounds fun and then we can dream of that Disney Cruise... SOMEDAY!!

 

[5forDiz]

I love the ideas here. Are the pools heated to a comforable temp in the winter. Do the movies run year round?

Pools at WDW resorts are heated. During January our kids spent most of the afternoons swimming. They would put on their sweat shirts/pants as soon as they got out of the pool because they'd feel chilled rather quickly since the weather is cooler.

 

[OneMoreTry]

Character meals
Hang out at pool (OKW has an incredibly fast pool slide -- my favorite)
Rent boat at Contemporary
Boardwalk entertainers at sunset -- very cool
Walk along seven seas lagoon and stop at beach (Poly to GF)
Walk around lake between BCV and BWV
Rent surreys at BWV
If you're sentimental like me, riding the monorail is fun
Community Halls can have great activities
New dinosaur restaurant

Watch MK fireworks from POLY! They play the Wishes music on the beach so stand near a speaker-- and then watch the electric show on the lake
Walk from OKW to SSR -- a little more than a mile -- and then if you like walk to DD from SSR. It's good exercise and very peaceful. Then take the boat back to OKW.

 

[Bribrittmom]

My teens love renting the water mice boats at the Contemporary. The lake is huge and it's so cool to go up close to the Kingdom on the water.

 

[OneMoreTry]

If you want to drive a bit, Silver Springs used to have a glass bottom boat ride. I don't know if there are manatees in that river. The woods used to be full of monkeys that escaped when the old Johnny Weismueller Tarzan movies were filmed.

 

[Eddie]

If your going to do 1 expensive thing, Cirque show is definately worth it. La Nouba is probably my favorite Cirgue show and I have seen about 7 or 8 of them. I believe there is a DVC discount but you should check in advance.

 

[ILuvMulan]

I think we will splurge for Cirque. I have always wanted to see a cirque show somewhere other than my living room.

And thanks for the Silver Springs suggestion... I remember going there as a kid and thinking it was awesome. Had not thought of it in a while.

 

[jpolak]

When we first joined DVC I had heard of a rare group of people who actually go to Disney but do not go to the parks. I was convinced this was some crazy urban legend. Now that we have been members for a few years and have made a couple of trips to WDW I can see how this may actually be possible.
While planning our upcoming trip I was amazed at how many things we were able to omit, so one day maybe we will be able to go and enjoy the resort and all of the other activities Disney has to offer. Maybe.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I think the # of people not doing parks is growing as more and more DVC members get past their first 10 years.

If WDW gets wind of this they may start to think about ways to entice us into the parks. I would consider spending more days in parks but just going for a few hours if the price were less.

 

[ILuvMulan]

You know I really wondered if I was crazy when I started this thread... and I KNOW my DH thought I was... but I have really been amazed at all of the wonderful ideas. If my son were not having surgery I probably would not have even considered the options. Now we have a wonderful plan for a low- key week and we can't wait.

AND.. If it is true that more DVC members are opting out of the parks, then maybe OneMoreTry is correct... a little enticement could be a good thing!!