Stay at DVC resort without doing the parks

[Mulljac]

I'd like to know if anyone has ever stayed at a DVC resort and did not go to the parks or use the Disney dining plan. We had planned on staying at OKW in June for a week but after figuring out the plane fare for 4, the park tickets and the dining plan, along with other incidentals, we would be spending about $4000, which we do not have. Our kids are 19 and 16. We are time restricted this year and couldn't drive down to save on air. Is it worth going down if you don't do the parks? We have always done the parks for a few days at least. Has anyone cooked in their room for the whole week? We have a big pool at home so just going down there to swim and lay in the sun doesn't seem logical. Does anyone have any budget tips or any suggestions?

 

[CarolAnnC]

I am not sure where the $4K comes from? I see you are from NJ and being a Bostonian native, we flew our family of 4 down for around $1,000 frequently from there.

Since DVC accommodations are paid, that left just park tickets and food. I think your estimate of $4k is far too high. Plus, I cannot imagine taking my family to WDW but not allowing them into the parks? That would be the destination of choice for the park touring. Otherwise, you can just visit the shore up on the East coast.

 

[alldiz]

Stayed at SSR for 1 week....and went to the parks 2 days, had a great time...we loved hanging by the pool and community hall though.

We did do the DDP ....we would relax at the resort all day and
then go to our planned ADR for dinner. SSR was nice to walk to DTD and
get any bus to any resort.

If you don't want to swim....or go out for dinner to explore....
IMO it will be boring.
Kerri

 

[lisaviolet]

I have done no parks and no DDP vacation numerous times and loved it. However, I didn't have children with me. Adult perspective only.

I do like to do a WP on these types of trips.

And some vacations I go down during MVMCP and MNSSHP and don't use any other park tickets.

 

[Sabor]

Absolutely.

Pool , Pool , Pool

throw in a trip to DTD and a Cirque Show.

Great Vacation.

 

[Mulljac]

No, my price of $4000 wasn't too far off. The airfare would be about $880, $130 for airport parking, dining $911 plus about $100 for tipping since it's not included anymore, park tickets for 4 days $1056, and putting our dog in the kennel is $342. That comes to $3419 and that doesn't include buying any souveniers or anything else I might have forgotten. I agree it would be boring going down and not going to parks or going out to eat. I don't like to cook while on vacation. I guess I'm just disappointed that we didn't have the time to drive down this year. I wish you could buy the dining plan but not have to get it for the length of time you are there. Oh well, guess I'll just have to save up some more money and try to go next year.

 

[eeyoresmom]

With the ages of your kids I would consider doing Universal and renting a car. The Universal tickets are only around $85. With a rental car, you'd be able to eat offsite much cheaper.

 

[Mulljac]

Universal does sound like a good choice. My kids have been wanting to go back there anyway.
Thanks to all of you for your ideas!

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Universal does sound like a good choice. My kids have been wanting to go back there anyway.
Thanks to all of you for your ideas!

Hey, don't forget about that Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island too. Also good point values

 

[veenstra56]

Last April we spent a week at SSR. We had multi-day tickets from previous trips, but ended up not even using them because we were having such a pleasant time doing non-park things. It happened to be one of the most relaxing and enjoyable trips we have ever taken.

In my opinion, there are plenty of things to do in the WDW area without doing the parks. Dinners, pools, movies, Cirque, walks through DTD, shopping, a quiet boat ride to Riverside for lunch, etc.

Others are bound to disagree, but the parks to us have become an option, not a requirement. Of couse we enjoy the parks, but we don't feel they are a necessity.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Others are bound to disagree, but the parks to us have become an option, not a requirement. Of couse we enjoy the parks, but we don't feel they are a necessity.

Amen!

 

[Mulljac]

Hey, don't forget about that Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island too. Also good point values

I know. I tried to get ressies for HH or Vero but they were both booked solid. We had ressies for a GV at OKW for the week of July 4 but then my husband had to change his vacation week. We ended up at OKW but in a different week. I love HH and want to go back but we need to make those ressies a lot sooner next time. Since it's not such a long ride for us we can drive down and save a lot of money. I actually would like a relaxing vacation and should not think about the parks. I guess a vacation is what you make of it, parks or not. Thanks.

 

[CarolAnnC]

No, my price of $4000 wasn't too far off. The airfare would be about $880, $130 for airport parking, dining $911 plus about $100 for tipping since it's not included anymore, park tickets for 4 days $1056, and putting our dog in the kennel is $342. That comes to $3419 and that doesn't include buying any souveniers or anything else I might have forgotten. I agree it would be boring going down and not going to parks or going out to eat. I don't like to cook while on vacation. I guess I'm just disappointed that we didn't have the time to drive down this year. I wish you could buy the dining plan but not have to get it for the length of time you are there. Oh well, guess I'll just have to save up some more money and try to go next year.

You know I have a family of 4 and I sure can travel to WDW without spending $911 on food!

There were many years where I spent only what I would have spent at the grocery store back home. We would eat all our meals in our villa and sometimes have just one restaurant meal out over a week.

As far as the dog in the kennel, well that like food, is going to be a requirement whether you go to WDW for the parks or only for a non park trip.

I think your estimation is a bit over at $4K and I have sure shaved that price down many times for my family! Good luck!!

 

[Mulljac]

You know I have a family of 4 and I sure can travel to WDW without spending $911 on food!

There were many years where I spent only what I would have spent at the grocery store back home. We would eat all our meals in our villa and sometimes have just one restaurant meal out over a week.

As far as the dog in the kennel, well that like food, is going to be a requirement whether you go to WDW for the parks or only for a non park trip.

I think your estimation is a bit over at $4K and I have sure shaved that price down many times for my family! Good luck!!

My estimation is just that, an estimation based on what we would have spent if we had gone. In my original post all I asked was if anyone has ever gone down and not done the parks or the dining plan. I see that everyone has very different opinions on the subject.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Yes, I've done the resort and not the parks, especially in Summer, way too hot. Maybe you can try just a water park, they are much cheaper and cooler than the Theme Parks. In the Summer we hang around the pool, and from OKW you aren't far from Downtown Disney, it's just nice to walk around and go for an ice cream. We play family boardgames and bring movies and after a day by the pool it's relaxing just to have a little family time. Just being away from home and the daily grind is good. As far as cooking while on vacation, it can just as simple as a rotiserrie chicken from Winn Dixie to pre-pepared taco filing from the dairy case, besides you'de have to eat at home anyway. We do about 1/2 and 1/2 in and out of OKW, I get tired of restaurant food. Best of luck to you, we are going the 1st week of June as well. Stay Cool!

 

[Mulljac]

Yes, I've done the resort and not the parks, especially in Summer, way too hot. Maybe you can try just a water park, they are much cheaper and cooler than the Theme Parks. In the Summer we hang around the pool, and from OKW you aren't far from Downtown Disney, it's just nice to walk around and go for an ice cream. We play family boardgames and bring movies and after a day by the pool it's relaxing just to have a little family time. Just being away from home and the daily grind is good. As far as cooking while on vacation, it can just as simple as a rotiserrie chicken from Winn Dixie to pre-pepared taco filing from the dairy case, besides you'de have to eat at home anyway. We do about 1/2 and 1/2 in and out of OKW, I get tired of restaurant food. Best of luck to you, we are going the 1st week of June as well. Stay Cool!

You know I never thought of just doing the water parks! That sounds like a great idea. Thanks for your input.

 

[Anjelica]

I think the tip on doing the Water Parks AND Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure are great. Eat most of what you can in the villa and if you have to eat while not in the villa doing something quick/easy at the above mentioned parks. I definetly think your kids are at an age where they would love US/IOA - its great.

 

[iluveeyore]

We have teen boys and they are actually tired of doing the parks since we go every year (I never grow tired of the parks). They are very happy with the resort amenities - love to use the pool, tennis courts, ping pong, beach volleyball, basketball, pool table, air hockey (all at OKW), plus a day at Disney Quest and they're all set! They enjoyed visiting other resorts as well.
For eating, we always buy groceries for all of us for about $120 for the whole week, plus one fun late lunch at WCC for $60.
We looked into the dining plan before too so we didn't cook, but when DH and I went and ate out, we found we could spend a lot less than the dining plan and still find good food - we weren't fussy about making ADR's, so a walk from SSR to DTD and a visit to Wolfgang Puck express for $12 each plus leftovers for lunch the next day went a long way to saving money.
A cheap trip can be done and you can have just as good a time without going to the parks - you're still in Disney, and you're on vacation at a DVC resort, so there's no down side IMO

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

I think it depends on how much you really want to go to Disney and if you need to spend the points. I personally wouldnt go in June and not want to spend time at the pools and not want to do the parks. The weather is so hot and humid and it is so much nicer where you live in June. Can you just skip this year and save for next? Take a vacation closer to your home where you can drive, maybe by the ocean . That is what I would do. It isn't vacation when you have a knot in your stomach

On the other hand if you like using the pools like Stormalong or a waterpark then go. You could go to Universal for the day or Seaworld or go to Disney parks for a couple of days. You could also eat in with a couple of splurge dinners in the mix. Go over to Celebration and drive around ..get ice cream cones. DTD is fun as is going to the other resorts. You could get up early and drive over to Clearwater Beach on the west coast with its white sandy beaches ( about 2 hours or so drive and then drive back at night. It is beautiful there and a pretty easy ride.

We too spend less time in the parks than we use too although we are in Epcot every day even if it is just for awhile( We stay at BCV's). We like to visit the other resorts. Bomas is a great spot to eat and you can see the animals there and tour the resort. The Poly Beach is fun too for sipping on a tropical drink. Take a tour of SSR....

Good luck. Hope you have fun

 

[WolfpackFan]

We're finding that every trip we go, we spend less and less time in the parks. We had an AP this last year, but we've found that an AP causes us to go less to the parks than more because we have this attitude that since we will be coming back we don't have to do everything when we're there. Also, we've been down to WDW so many times, the park rides are getting a little stale for us. I like to go more for the atmosphere than the attractions.

In fact, I'm planning a trip for Sept. 2009 where we hopefully will be staying at AKV Kidani and I can see us possibly not going to the parks at all that trip. I'd like to spend a lot of time just relaxing around the resort. Plus we might venture out and see some other Florida attractions (I'd like to go to Sea World). I can't believe that as many times as we've been to WDW, we've never gone over to check out Celebration.

There is one thing that I wish Disney offered - a reduced cost, single park AP. Epcot is my favorite park and I wish they had an AP that would just let you in Epcot. Either that or I wished they had an Epcot pass that was only good for say after 5:00 every day. I'd love to just go over and eat at a restaurant and wander around WS.