Some suggestions for chilling at WDW please (-:

[DutchJoyce]

Hi all,
My daughter and I will be going on a WDW trip for ten days end of may. She is going to university in august, so this is kind of a very special trip.
We have been at WDW several times before but always with husband and other kid.
This time no commando style strategies, but lots of chilling and going with the flow.
I know my way around WDW but I am looking for some special things to do to make this a trip full of memories.

 

[loves to dive]

Let the special moments happen is the easiest way to chill. Get up when you want, go to the parks and maybe ride a ride or two but just enjoy the parks instead of running from ride to ride. Ten days is plenty of time to still get in the rides you want but also watch shows, eat at a TS and just enjoy the company, sit on a bench and watch the Dapper Dans. Get hungry, hop on MDE and find what's open, you'd be surprised how many times you find your new favorite that way, and don't be afraid to go outside the parks and into the resorts. My son has a family of his own now but I miss the days just he and I would go and maybe get a refreshing adult beverage and just sit on a bench in one of the countries in Epcot and take in the details. We once sat for over a hour in Italy with a glass of wine and looking. Started out with me wondering who the statues at the top were. He jumped on his phone and googled it and the next thing we knew a hour had passed with us just learning things and admiring all the details we hadn't really noticed in all our years of going. Go resort hopping or just spend part of a day enjoying your own resort, walk around the grounds and the hotel.

 

[dpswift]

Visit other resorts. My daughter nd I love checking out other resorts and getting a drink at pool bars (where allowed) I do guess your daughter may be too young for that but instead have a dessert while exploring.

 

[DutchJoyce]

Your reply makes me want to travel to WDW tomorrow. My daughter already told me she wanted to see all the countries at Epcot this time. Visited ten times and never watched Oh Canada (-: So this will sure be one of the things to do for us.

 

[tinkerjo]

I know there are probably better places to watch the MK fireworks, but my favorite thing to do on our last trip was to eat dessert at Geyser point (Wilderness lodge) in the comfy seating down by the water while watching the fireworks. The music is piped in and there were very few people there. I was too tired after a day in the parks and cold (January) to wait on the electrical water pageant but it’s just soooo relaxing. I went down 3 of our 5 nights. It’s an easy boat ride from MK. One day I will be able to slow down enough to sit on main st to watch the Dapper Dans. I love them

 

[ShannyMcB]

Are you and your daughter crafty? A lot of the resorts have guided projects during the day...I feel like coronado had painting or something and Contemporary has mosaic making a couple times a week...making a unique souvenir might be fun. Google xyz resort activies. Some activities are listed on the tour page. I can highly recommend tours as well...definitely not go with the flow but fun if you are into behind the scenes stuff. DH and I did one years ago that was behind the scenes at Epcot, MK and like the floral department and a few other places.

 

[BingandNelsonFan]

Are you and your daughter crafty? A lot of the resorts have guided projects during the day...I feel like coronado had painting or something and Contemporary has mosaic making a couple times a week...making a unique souvenir might be fun. Google xyz resort activies. Some activities are listed on the tour page. I can highly recommend tours as well...definitely not go with the flow but fun if you are into behind the scenes stuff. DH and I did one years ago that was behind the scenes at Epcot, MK and like the floral department and a few other places.

I was just going to suggest checking out the resort crafts, etc. Polynesian has a "make your own kukui nut lei" craft on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12:00pm-1:00pm. We just did it last month, and it was a fabulous experience.

Checking out resorts can be so much fun and is a lot more relaxing and low-key than being in the parks. Any resorts on the Magic Kingdom monorail ring are great to visit. You can also boat to Wilderness Lodge from Contemporary.
Boating to the Port Orleans resorts from Disney Springs is also a really fun way to spend some time. Riverside Mill is a great spot to get a bite to eat or sit and have tea or coffee. Very nice and quiet out there.

 

[holden]

Archery or a trail ride at Ft. Wilderness is something different to do. Touring resorts, walking around DS, enjoying some resort activities, a tour (we did the Caring for Giants and loved it)...lots of other things to do besides attractions.

 

[migirl]

My 10 year old loved the community hall at OKW. They have free and fee based craft projects, movies and games. Several other deluxe resorts have these as well.

 

[Princess Merida]

Hi all,
My daughter and I will be going on a WDW trip for ten days end of may. She is going to university in august, so this is kind of a very special trip.
We have been at WDW several times before but always with husband and other kid.
This time no commando style strategies, but lots of chilling and going with the flow.
I know my way around WDW but I am looking for some special things to do to make this a trip full of memories.

Where will you be staying?

 

[Skywalker3]

I also very much recommend going around to the various resorts. It'll take some time, but my DD and I did that one trip, and really enjoyed it. Can get like a dole whip at Poly, shop at the GF Basin, etc. Also fun to take the different modes of transportation.
Also, if y'all are into taking pictures, etc, DD and I have spent a LOT of time taking pictures around World Showcase. Canada had some beautiful spots, and Morocco, and the gardens at England, etc. Same for the resorts. Taking the boat from MK to WIlderness Lodge was very scenic. This last trip, we also went out to Fort Wilderness, to the Tri Circle D ranch. Nice to see the horses. Geyser Point at WL has really good food, and if sitting on the water, great view.
We've been considering doing one of the tours at Animal Kingdom, like the Caring for Giants, etc. Availability seems to go quickly, and it's something we'd like to do one day. We also haven't done the animation station at AK, but that also looks like fun.
Will try and think of more things we've done recently, that have been more laid back.
Hope you have a wonderful trip!!

 

[Marthasor]

I just finished a "chill" trip with my sister and these are some of the things we did:

Have breakfast at the Creperie in EP - we walked up (no ADR), great coffee and crepes - super chill
Do the F&G festival scavenger hunt - it makes you slow down and really explore the EP WS countries
Go to Ft. W - see the horses, rent a canoe or kayak, rent bikes, go for a walk, have a QS meal
Explore the monorail resorts - get to Poly around 1:45 pm and put your name on the list for Trader Sam's (opens at 3 pm), explore the resorts and lounges
Walk around the Boardwalk - visit the resorts, see the Boardwalk entertainment at night
Explore Disney Springs - eat, shop, enjoy live music
Visit Wilderness Lodge, eat at Geyser Point - beautiful view, great food, watch the geyser erupt every hour on the hour, go to the Boulder Ridge building to see some of Walt's original backyard train cars
Visit Animal Kingdom Lodge, see the animals on the savanna

 

[Simba's Mom]

My 10 year old loved the community hall at OKW. They have free and fee based craft projects, movies and games. Several other deluxe resorts have these as well.

I went to the Community Hall at the Boardwalk. A little difficult to find these days, because of all the construction. I painted a plate, and they let me choose a Mickey stencil, so there's a silhouette of Mickey in the center. There are all kinds of items you can paint any time. I wasn't staying at Boardwalk, but as long as you pay for it, they don't mind. Took me 1 1/2 hours and no one else came in, so I had a personal "helper". Another day, I went over and made a scented sea salt scrub. That took less than 1/2 hour.

 

[monorailmom]

My daughters and I have enjoyed mornings spent at the Grand Floridian. Breakfast at Grand Floridian cafe, then pedicures over at the spa. It was always such a relaxing time spent together, even just a pedicure at the spa gets you access to all the amenities.

 

[kwdw]

Caring for Giants! Maybe one of the resort craft sessions. Tie dye at the pool. S’mores. Movie by the pool. Topolino’s for character breakfast. Take time to do the drawing option at AK. Voices of Liberty at EP.

 

[disneydreamer781]

I was looking into the Caring for Giants tour also but I'm not seeing on the DVC Member site with a discount. Is there no longer one? Never mind, I found the discount on the WDW site but it's not even mentioned on the DVC Member site.

 

[Selket]

The GF spa is worth the trip over. As someone noted, you can get a pedicure or manicure and still use the spa amenities. If you're into dining/food, we enjoyed Takumi-Tei for a special dinner. There are other restaurants that have an elevated dinner service that really takes you out of "theme park" mode.

 

[Tink3815]

While surfing on the Disney site for prices of gel manicures, I found the below that "service charge" is automatically charged on top of any tip you may give, Gel manicures seem to be 85.00.

• Prices and Service Charge​

  Prices and services are subject to change without notice. For your convenience, a 20% service charge, in lieu of gratuity, will be automatically added to your final bill. Gratuity for exemplary service is discretionary.

 

[Einstein509]

1. Sit at the pool (the quiet pools are best).
2. Ride the boats.
3. Boardwalk entertainment.
4. Disney Springs entertainment.

 

[soniam]

Definitely do all of the movies at Epcot. They are great and may not be around forever. Do the Behind the Seeds tour. Maybe mini golf or a massage. Enjoy the time. Our son goes off to college in August, and I plan to enjoy our vacations this summer.