OTHER than the parks...FUN THINGS TO DO??

[Allensfan]

We have one entire day of our vacation in Sept set aside for non parks. We love the parks but we want to experience other things too. Like power boats, disney marketplace, maybe the world wide sports complex....something cool and wonderful. Any ideas????

 

[laceemouse]

Well, we are not into sports so we have never done that. I think it would be great for a sports family. We enjoy DTD, but it has been extemely crowded our last few visits. It is still a great place to shop and eat. We did Cirque on one trip....fantastic and worth the $$$. Our last trip (December) we stayed at VWL and one day rented one of the large party boats. The kids each took a little time steering (with Dad's help) and it was a lot of fun. We also walked to FW and enjoyed some nature/outdoor time. We would like to rent bikes sometime. We rode the monorail around and got off and explored each hotel (of course, they were decorated for Christmas!) We also went to BC to eat the buffet one evening and walked around to YC and BW to see their decorations. We enjoy our non-park days and really tend to plan more and more of them as the years go by!

 

[Disneyrsh]

We always spend one day decompressing over at Ft. Wilderness. Snooze on the beach, rent canoes, ride ponies, try to pet peacocks (not recommended!), go for strolls. It's a must do on our trips...

 

[Loves Disney]

We never cared for the West Side or PI, but we do like the Market place and it is always something fun to do other than the parks. Shop shop shop!!! Hmmm...besides that, we do the water recreations such as the Sea Racers. This year we are trying the Jet Skis, parasailing, horse back-riding, fishing (not me though lol...), and some other by-the-way fun stuff. It is also neat to go and visit the other resorts at WDW...you know, look at the shops, view the dining menus...it could be very entertaining lol.

 

[cleo]

Boggy Creek Airboat tours and Eco Safari
SkyVenture over on I-Drive
Mount Dora, with a Scenic Lake Tour
Forever Florida with a horseback riding adventure
Blue Water Balloons or Orange Blosssom Balloons ride
Swim with the Manatees
Discovery Cove (!!)
A biplane ride with Waldo Wrights at Fantasy of Flight
Dolphin Landings dolphin cruise in St. Petes
A day at Clearwater/St. Petes
Kayaking at Wekiva Springs

I could go on and on and on.....................!

 

[Allensfan]

Wow I am impressed Lots of great ideas here. Thanks guys....you are all awesome!

 

[ElleBelle]

DH and I had SO much fun renting a surrey bike from the Wilderness Lodge and rode the long path to Fort Wilderness to spend some time. Lots of wildlife (deer, etc...) along the way. It was great just to ride along at our own pace and not have to worry about lots of other people in our way!

 

[okthanks]

I like to go around and visit other resorts to see the different themes. But that's probably not something kids would want to do. Also, there's a cute little mini-golf place (Fantasia Gardens?), which might be fun if it's not too hot.

Marketplace and West Side are definitely worth your time, as well. There's a really nice AMC movie theater in West Side, if there's any good movies out while you're on vacation.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Water park, disney Quest. WE love walking the paths at CSR!! it's soo wonderful! Resort shopping at all the different resorts! PoolDay! just hang otu at your resort pool all day! it's sooo relaxing!

 

[janey99]

GATORLAND!

A little downmarket, but we loved it - there's gator shows, and the whole place is a giant walkthrough park adjacent to a swamp (you're on a wood boardwalk going right through the swamp - I saw a bright green tree snake!)

Where else can you feed hotdogs to alligators?!

 

[mushumadness]

we love busch gardens and to go shoppin!! its so different in orlando than it is here

 

[donac]

Don't forget the little two people boats. They are a lot of fun.

Also the minigolf course over by Blizzard Beach. Winterland/summerland. There are two courses there.

Also the campfire at FW everynight.

 

[epfootballcutie04]

does anyone know how much speed boat rentals are and what times you can rent them, im assuming that once the sun goes down they are closed for rentals... maybe im wrong?!?

 

[Teacher03]

We went parasailing at the Contemporary last week, and it was awesome! It was expensive but worth every penny. We also went to cirque du soliel, which was a first for us....we loved it. We are planning on going back next year for 10 days, but only spending 5 days in the park, so all of these ideas are great.

 

[Sonno]

Right where I-4 meets the FL Turnpike, to the East in the shopping center there. there's a really cool place called "The Mystery Fun House". It is a blast! I still remember the first time I went there when I was a little kid, 5-6 maybe, some 25 years ago. And I've been back there many times since. It's like $6-10 to get in and you walk thru it... it's just one big "fun house". Try it out, it's really cool. you can't miss it, just look for the HUGE wizard face and hat over the top of the entrance.

Nevermind, I just learned that it closed down a few years ago.

 

[exwdwcm]

we enjoy park hopping! we head to the Poly and explore there, then do the monorail circle and explore GF and Contemporary. Maybe eat at one of them along the way. We usually stop at WL and AKL too, just to take in the sites and shops there. Of course we always have a rental car, resort hopping isn't as convenient if you don't have a car. We always spend a few afternoons at DTD too. and who can pass up just decompressing in the pool?

one of my best memories from childhood is staying in our camper at Ft Wilderness and spending a day canoeing and riding horses.

 

[MichelleChell]

WE are going to Coco Beach and on that day have a boat tour booked. We are going looking for Dolphins and other animals.

Dh has an airboat ride booked.

 

[epfootballcutie04]

We never cared for the West Side or PI, but we do like the Market place and it is always something fun to do other than the parks. Shop shop shop!!! Hmmm...besides that, we do the water recreations such as the Sea Racers. This year we are trying the Jet Skis, parasailing, horse back-riding, fishing (not me though lol...), and some other by-the-way fun stuff. It is also neat to go and visit the other resorts at WDW...you know, look at the shops, view the dining menus...it could be very entertaining lol.

OOOOOHHHHH where and how much is horse back ridding? I'm going to rent a speed boat... but i would LOVE to go horse back ridding... i've never done that!

 

[exwdwcm]

double post doh!

 

[deekaypee]

We always spend one day decompressing over at Ft. Wilderness. Snooze on the beach, rent canoes, ride ponies, try to pet peacocks (not recommended!), go for strolls. It's a must do on our trips...

Oh, yes, the horseback riding (or pony rides, as the case may be)! Very cool.

I also like the mini-golf for a low-key option. The DTD/Marketplace is cool, too, but tends to feel more like more of the Disney shopping experience compressed to its purest form.