Say If I went without any passes....?

[gmboy95]

This year we are goig down to BWV, and we have our park passes and the whole bit.....but I have always wanted to go down without park passes, and see if we could make trip of it doing non-park things.

What I was hoping is that some of you out there could give me some of the non-park(epcot, MK, MGM, AK) things that you guys have done. Maybe it could give me an idea of how to plan the trip.

Now I already have in my mind, a day at SAB, and another day at DD. But I would like to know some other things that some have done that is both fun, and maybe off the beaten path.....oh....and I also planning on playing golf for a day.

 

[TnRobin]

We have never done a week without the parks, but we have done a weekend. One day we did Fantasia Golf and then walked over to the Boardwalk for sundaes at Beaches and Cream.

 

[BobBrazeal]

No "off the beaten path" ideas come to mind right now but I'll think about it. Other more mainstream ideas are:

- Visit the various resorts
- Take all the forms of transportation (boats especially) to see the sites
- Find the walking trails around (WL to FW, all around FW)
- If you have a car, drive around the property
- Visit Celebration
- Sit either at the various resorts or outside the park entrances just to watch people

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Take in some of the things at DD. We almost never go there because we usually have the park passes. We too will traveling to WDW W/O buying passes and we'll probably visit USF or Sea World. Also, Fort Wilderness has a small petting zoo that our kids enjoyed. They also show movies and have a campfire sing-a-long for the kids. I'm still thinking.......

 

[disynut]

Due to having extra points from the DVC resale that we purchased, we took off last summer for 5 days at WDW and only bought one day passes into the MK. We had already been in December, and we don't enjoy standing in long lines in exhausting heat with a baby! We're teachers, so after school was out we really just wanted to lay by the pool and relax. We would sleep in, catch a Character Breakfast, come back to the room for a nap(we had a 15 mo old), use the afternoon to play in the pool, then that night go to DD or explore other resorts. We also rented a surrey bike one afternoon-the baby loved that! We had a great time!

 

[GrammieMame]

Are you taking children? I'm trying to think of things like this also, for a forthcoming Easter trip. Trying to avoid the park crowds and still give the kids a great trip.

Out-of-park character meals

Hoop-de-doo; WL/FW bike paths; Chip & Dale campfire sing-a-long; WL fireworks cruise; top of the contemporary to see the fireworks.

Mini (or maxi) golf; afternoon tea at GF; Pirate Cruise for the children;

Just lay around the pool and have frozen drinks.

Hang around the Boardwalk. One of my fondest memories is sitting on a bench and watching the sun go down and all the lights come on around the lake.

Have a drink at all the MK resorts.

Even if I didn't go to any of the parks, I think I would have to do WS once. It doesnt really seem like a "park" to me, and has so much to offer.

 

[Lesley]

I think that would be incredibly hard to go near any of the parks and not have tickets! LOL

I would advise staying at OKW...to make ticket buying less tempting. Enjoy the other Orlando area parks, maybe the water parks, Downtown Disney, go to FW for the campfire and movie, or to the Hoop de Doo, go to Cirque.....could be fun!

I really would like to try this someday too...but my dh would probably cry if we went to WDW and didn't do the major parks!

 

[DisneyKidds]

Go to various WDW hotels to just walk around.

Just sit around the pool at your resort. How often do you really do that!

Get the activity schedule for your resort when you check in and partake in the fun - WL had a lot to do that we never had time for.

Miniature golf or real golf
Water parks
Water mice
Rent bikes at WL and go to FW
FW Campfire Sing Along, hayride, pony rides and petting farm
Go to a spa
Play tennis
Disney Quest
Cirque de Soliel
Pleasure Island
Give DTD Marketplace and BW the time they deserve
Liesure over some great meals
See MK fireworks from the top of the CR
Epcot fireworks cruise
See the Electrical Water Pageant

These are some of the things we just never get to. Give me time - I'll probably think of more .

For the first time on our last trip we spent a day without going into a park - and the AP's were paid for long ago. It was great!

 

[spiceycat]

the place is beautiful relax and enjoy it. Walk along the paths at OKW, VWl, walk around the lake at BWV - do this both at sunset and sunrise - they are different.

take the boat to DD at OKW, then walk around there, there is a lot to see and do, even if you don't like to shop.

go to FW and do the horseback riding - it is very gentle, beginners will be okay, experience riders will be bore but there are some horse farms nearby that will allow you are real ride.

I know that you say no major parks - but there a bunch of minor parks close by and some are worth seeing - jungle zoo, alligator park. go visit old towne and ride the wheel.

Orlando is an international city - and has all the advantageous of one - there is a Science Museum, a couple of Art Museums, a wonderful park, live plays, etc.

You can take a boat out on the lakes in Bay lake at VWL, the lagoon at YC, DD, and Seven Seas Lagoon. Go sking at the Cont.

have a picnic at FW or OKW.

play tennis, racquet ball, volleyball, etc.

there is a lot to do.

also Tampa is about 90 miles away they have BG and the beaches. (I like the gulf side better than the Ocean side). Silver Springs is in Ocala maybe 2 hours or so.

do you like to read? I do but the florida sun is a problem so I can't read around the swimming pool. Wl has a wonderful area for reading. You can also enjoy reading in the baloncies at OKW, in the check in area at BWV and OKW

 

[Halle]

We go armed with passes and usually spend a morning or two in the parks. I guess we're spoiled because we've been so many times.

We do the following
golf, relax at the pool, Blizzard Beach, explore the surrounding area (Celebration is worth seeing), eat at various restaurants and people watch. if we stay at OKW we enjoy watching the golfers while playing hearts on the balconey, at BWV we sit out there for hours reading, and enjoying a glass of wine. A new favorite if Jelly Rolls, we also spend one night at PI. There is a ton to do, just visiting the resorts is a lot of fun! Enjoy!!

 

[walter]

We have visited OKW once before without entering the parks. We are visiting OKW once again the first week in Dec. 2002 before taking a DCL 7 day cruise. Since we have visited the parks for 20 days in the past year (including 12 days this past Jan), we feel it is not necessary to visit the parks again. Are view may have changed if DVC members were offered a substantial discount on passes similar to those offered Florida residents. We will probably visit Downtown Disney, the Boardwalk, maybe Sea World for a day, and just relax around a pool. It is nice just to get away.

 

[Poohjan]

We still love the parks, but often spend days doing other things.
#1 - golf
#2 - We did Sea World last summer for 2 days and had a great time.
#3 - if you go in winter, a day trip to Blue Springs State Park to see the manatees is awesome
#4 - Just relax

 

[jcodespoti]

Every year I say that I won't spend alot of time in the parks and since we bought we never go "commando" thru them anymore. That said, I still feel drawn to them everyday. Anyway the one place I want to visit is Kennedy space center (although I don't know about access post 9-11). Ever since we watched a night launch from our balcony at BWV i wanted to go.


Joe in CT