Not Doing the Parks?

[ILuvMulan]

Well, we did it!! We started our paperwork for DVC ownership yesterday!!! I am so excited. I am already dreaming of our next trip which I hope will be next spring or summer. What I need are some ideas of fun and "inexpensive" ideas of things to do outside of the Disney Theme parks. We have done all four for the last two years and on our next trip our son will have had a surgery that will keep him from riding the rollercoasters. So, I wondered if any of you had some ideas for alternatives.

 

[iluveeyore]

My kids love it when we say no parks, just enjoy our resort! There's enough to do at each DVC resort, you'll never be bored. When you check in, you'll get a calendar of daily events at Community Hall (I know for sure at OKW and SSR), where they do crafts and activities daily. The pools are wonderful especially with the slides. SSR and OKW have the DVC ferry to DTD, which is a nice, scenic ride each way. My kids just enjoy the large patios at OKW, where we sit and watch or feed ducks (always get a water view), or play cards or board games. Community Hall at OKW has free board game rentals, and each DVC resort has free DVD rentals as well. DTD is always full of inexpensive things to do, like the theaters, or just wandering around the shops.
Another favourite free thing we do is just visit each of the other resorts. Our favourites are the AKL and WL for the atmosphere. WL has a geyser that goes off every hour, plus a nice beach with chairs to sit on at night and watch the electric water parade. FW has a campfire with Chip and Dale each night with marshmallow roast, then free movie. (Couple of other resorts show movies by the pool at night too - I think SSR and BCV).
If you go to the Polynesian at the scheduled time for Wishes at MK, you can sit on a swing on the beach and watch the fireworks across the lake - free! Ride the monorail and visit GF and Contemporary while going to Polynesian too.
Lots more to do and see - we can easily fill a week without visiting the parks. We love stocking our one bedroom kitchen with groceries and staying 'home' for meals, stretching out and watching tv or enjoying our patio after dinner. We love DVC and love enjoying our resort, so I'm sure you will too! If you need a Disney character fix, book a character meal at one of the resorts, no park ticket required!
Enjoy your DVC!

 

[ILuvMulan]

That sounds great!! We have never stayed at the DVC resorts so I was not sure what kid friendly activities there would be. Have you ever "pool hopped" to Vero Beach? Also I am interested in maybe going to Cirque Du Soleil, as a splurge. Do DVC members get discounted tickets?

 

[swhall]

We absolutely loved Cirque...my kids also like to resort hop, we spent an afternoon fishing at Port Orleans Riverside....rent a bicyle (surry), rent a boat at OKW or POR, miniature golf, wide world of sports, on a rainy day we catch a movie at DTD.
Have fun

 

[baj0505]

Non-park things our son loves to do:

Watch an evening movies lake side at the Beach Club
Spend an evening at the Boardwalk sharing a pizza then watching the magic shows, jugglers, musicians, etc. and going over to the bridge by Epcot to see the fireworks at 9
We do an afternoon at Downtown Disney, catch a matinee and have a sundae at Gheridellis
Go to Animal Kingdom Lodge and see the animals and have lunch

 

[lovinthemouse]

We did our first "no parks" trip this past April. We loved it. It was very relaxing. We were able to really enjoy the resort. We rented boats, played miniature golf, spent time at DTD and most of all relaxed at the pool. Enjoy

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

You can rent a surrey bike which will hold 4 people and bike around different resorts.
Fort Wilderness has free movies that they show on an outdoor screen as well as smores kits you can purchase.

 

[minijeanie]

Go resort hopping and see the resorts you have always wanted to see but didn't because you were so busy at the parks.

spend the day by the pool, have lunch in your villarent a favorite movie and all take naps in the afternoon.

Now that is my perfect day!!!

 

[Cee]

DD(26) and I just did a girls "no parks" trip last month. We went to the pool,
resort-hopped, enjoyed cocktails at the new "The Wave" lounge at CR. Went
to Hoop-dee-doo at FW, saw "Dark Knight" at the AMC theatres in DTD, watched DVDs in our room which provides a dvd player, ate some wonderful
meals, sat on the beach at Y & B, walked the boards at BW, etc., etc., you
get the picture. There's also High Tea at the GF in the late afternoon, riding
the monorail, riding the boats around, I could go on and on but I'll stop now...!

Have a blast!

 

[ILuvMulan]

Thank you for the wonderful ideas!! I think we are going to have our best trip ever... now to convince my DH. He is sure that we HAVE to do at least one park in order to have fun. Wish me luck.

 

[disneylvrnMS]

My husband was also sure that we would have to do the parks to have a good time. He is now convinced otherwise.

We enjoy doing so many of the non park things. We enjoy touring the other resorts and relaxing at the pool. Most DVC resorts have children's activities each day near the pool. There are so many things to do at Fort Wilderness that your son will probably enjoy.

Evenings spent at Downtown Disney can be very entertaining. Depending on his age, he may enjoy spending hours at the LEGO store. There is often entertainment going on at the stage at Downtown Disney.

 

[hakepb]

You can rent a surrey bike which will hold 4 people and bike around different resorts.
Fort Wilderness has free movies that they show on an outdoor screen as well as smores kits you can purchase.

I think many/most of the DVC pools have movies at the pool. SSR does (You get a schedule at checkin) and I've heard of BCV, too

 

[jake&samsmom]

We went for the first time two weeks ago, and it was awesome!

My boys had so much fun, they said it was better than being in the theme parks!

So many little interactive surprises here and there, no crowds to trample on you, leisurely pace, lots of tree shade. Not expensive either. (I think you get a discount being a DVC member, check to be sure.)

Hope you get a chance to experience it, I wish we had discovered Wintersummerland sooner. Btw, to get there, just ride the Blizzard Beach bus, and walk to the right of BB's entrance, you cannot miss it. Open 10am to 11pm daily.

 

[Flyerfan]

We went for the first time two weeks ago, and it was awesome!

My boys had so much fun, they said it was better than being in the theme parks!

So many little interactive surprises here and there, no crowds to trample on you, leisurely pace, lots of tree shade. Not expensive either. (I think you get a discount being a DVC member, check to be sure.)

Hope you get a chance to experience it, I wish we had discovered Wintersummerland sooner. Btw, to get there, just ride the Blizzard Beach bus, and walk to the right of BB's entrance, you cannot miss it. Open 10am to 11pm daily.

We are planning on going to Wintersummerland this trip. We love our mini golf and this sounds like fun!!

 

[Coach81]

Don't know if we could go to a resort in Orlando and not go to the parks... that would be a tough one, perhaps one day....

 

[Disney Parrothead]

My DH and I have gone to Orlando several times and not stepped foot in a Park. It's WONDERFUL to:
1. Sleep late and not be part of the mad rush to get to the Park as soon as the gates open;
2. Relax at the pool with minimal crowds;
3. Enjoy a leisurely round of mini golf without others standing at your heels to have their turn;
4. Check out the other Disney resorts;
5. Take a nap;
6. Enjoy a late breakfast after everyone else has gone to the Parks;
7. On a hot day, take in a mid-afternoon movie!

The list just goes on and on. There is just so much to do - you'll find the days go by just as quickly, but at the end of your vacation, your not exhausted from 'having to see everything' in the Parks!

Now don't get me wrong, I do love going to the Parks - especially Epcot. But sometimes it's nice to enjoy the benefits of a DVC resort while taking in the other things Disney and Orlando have to offer!

 

[ILuvMulan]

Any of you made the trip to Kennedy Space Center?

 

[aurorafan]

When DH goes by himself in Jan. he's looking for non-park things to do as well. So far he thinks he's going to--rent a kayak at Ft. Wilderness, do a horseback ride also at FW, possibly Parasailing, probably the Kennedy Space Center, and maybe even a dive at Epcot . He'll probably go into the parks a couple of times, but he says he feels weird doing it without the kids . He did go by himself in June one night though, so maybe he's gotten over that .

 

[DisneyQueen1320]

We are doing the same thing, not going to the Disney Parks. We thought about going to Universal, but still not sure. I think it will be nice to relax and enjoy our time together. We thought of going to SSR for a day or two, then driving to VB for about two to three days, then coming back to enjoy SSR. You have a lot of choices offsite, like musuems, dinner shows, gatorland.
I hope you enjoy your trip

 

[CraftyMouse]

Fort Wilderness has free movies that they show on an outdoor screen as well as smores kits you can purchase.

It's actually a whole campfire program. Chip & Dale come for a visit, you can roast marshmallows over the two large campfires they build and then they show a movie under the stars. It's lots of fun!