Resort Hopping.............No Parks

[DRUMZ2B]

Hello, We are Going to POFQ in a few days and we do not plan on going into the parks at all. This will be a 6 day trip and our first time staying away from parks. Just the 2 of us. We have a long history of being park commandos going with family and with out family. This time no plans other than Chillax and go with the flow and do some Resort/Pool Bar hopping and of coarse the Springs. Has anyone tried this version of Mouse-cation? If so any suggestions?

 

[Ambehnke]

This is my dream! We are park commandos too. I would love a trip to just check out resorts and all the resort restaurants and lounges and chill by the pool. Never done it but would love to sometime! Sounds like a great trip! Good luck with your planning... should be lots easier than park day planning!

 

[Tonberry]

My wife and I have done a couple of days of resort hopping and loved it.
One day we did the monorail loop. Took the bus to MK where we walked over to CR, then monorailed over to GF, then walked to Poly where we spent a couple hours at Trader Sam's.
Next day, we went to Disney Springs, shopped, then bused over to Beach Club and ate at Beaches & Cream. Then we toured BC, YC, and the Boardwalk. Then took a boat to Hollywood Studios where we picked up a bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge. We checked out that place and ate at dinner at Boma.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We have many non-WDW trips to Florida, plus a respectable number of trips where we only visited WDW for a single day of a longer visit to the Orlando-area. We also have many week-long onsite stays, but not a week onsite where we didn't go to a park at all.

1. We generally stay off-site if we aren't going to go to the parks. Offsite we get a much better hotel for the same price. We've done single WDW-hotel days that weren't park days. Once we even did two non-park onsite days- but that was in December, so we used those 2 days to see all the holiday decorations and to enjoy non-park festivities.

2. The Orlando area has many fine things to offer beyond the mouse. Gosh, there are like too many to list. If you are willing to travel along the I-4 corridor, than you'll find a dizzying array of exciting options. Everything from islands with pristine beaches, parks, museums, outdoor adventures, spectacular historical sites, fabulous food, world-class hotels, super dining, and even multiple high-quality non-WDW theme/amusement parks!

3. All that said...the mouse is hard to resist when we are onsite. More than once we tried to do a non-park day, but failed. (As in, we ended up doing a park day.) Onsite, well, all roads lead to Rome. (You're picturing the Rome depicted in Spaceship Earth, right?)

4. Truly, even if you aren't interested in STAYING offsite, it pays to consider offsite meal opportunities. If you want a theme park atmosphere, consider the many fine options at Citywalk. Many of the Orlando chains are the same ones you'll find elsewhere, you can also find a host of non-chain eateries that are very good, though there are also some duds out there. Beyond the mouse, Orlando is a thriving area. In general, you can eat better quality food for less $.

 

[Marionnette]

Hello, We are Going to POFQ in a few days and we do not plan on going into the parks at all. This will be a 6 day trip and our first time staying away from parks. Just the 2 of us. We have a long history of being park commandos going with family and with out family. This time no plans other than Chillax and go with the flow and do some Resort/Pool Bar hopping and of coarse the Springs. Has anyone tried this version of Mouse-cation? If so any suggestions?

I've done park-free days and trips where I only spend a couple hours in the parks each day. I have never been able to be that close to the parks and not venture in at least once. I could probably manage if the trip was brief (like 3 days max.) but 6 days of just the pool, dining and shopping could be doe anywhere and for much less than what a Disney hotel room costs.

But if the reason for not going into the parks is not budget-related, then I would recommend doing some of the extras that Disney offers outside of the parks like a surrey ride around the Crescent Lake or carriage ride at POFQ. Do the Chef's Table at V&A. Take a guided tour of the GF. Do the Jiko wine tasting (Tour for the Senses?) or the Wanyama Safari and Dinner. Try a restaurant that you've never been to. Order the Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream. Do your own progressive meal at the monorail resorts (cocktails at GF, appetizers at WL, dinner at CR and then dessert at Poly - or whatever order you would prefer to go in). Use night vision goggles to watch the animals at AKL after dinner.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Use night vision goggles to watch the animals at AKL after dinner.

Oh, we've definitely done that! There is much in what you say in your post.

One could do a number of fun activities at Ft. WL.

If I was going to attempt a week onsite- but no parks- and really meant to stick with it- then I probably wouldn't choose POFQ- at least not the whole time.

I'd either stay at a treehouse, a FT WL cabin, or maybe AKL. Those three options feel far(er) from the parks. The treehouses are especially cozy and secluded.

Another fun way to make the experience work better is to do a split stay.

 

[Tigger's ally]

We have done it for the most part (we always go one day to Epcot no matter what). Been 5 days with just an evening at Epcot.
Things we have done to get us through.

Resort hop- Dinner at WL with drinks beforehand at the monorail resorts then boat to WL.

Fireworks- Dinner at CG in the Contemorary. Watch then there or from the beach at the Poly.

Golf- Good afternoon prices always and great way to see the resorts if you play LBV.

Springs- Lots of live music all over the place to sit/dance the nights away.

Resort bars- From gurgling suitcase to Territory Lounge (lots of great, nice, unique bartenders that love to talk).