Staying on Disney Property and not doing the parks

[Rcoast911]

You guys may think I am crazy (um, there will be no argument from me) but, I fly and sometimes drive from New England to go walk and eat at some of the Disney properties ONLY! I hardly ever go into the parks. I love to just wake up, get my coffee, and walk around CBR, Saratoga, Riverside and of course, Fort Wilderness...yup, I am nuts!!

Amy

 

[byoung]

I'm thinking about going to Florida for 4 days. I want to go back to Discovery Cove, do Sea World, and maybe 1 day of Disney world. I'd like to stay at a disney value resort. Is it unheard of to stay at a disney resort and not go to the parks? Any thoughts or input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

It's your choice, have a great vacation.

 

[annie1995]

We did this in 2004 and went to SeaWorld!!! Stay at POP, its a great value resort, lots of bright colors, just a fun atmosphere all together!!!

 

[Tink415]

My family just got back from a 3 night WDW trip. We flew 1000 miles Two of us spent 3 hours at MK EMH one night and played mini golf at Winter Summerland another evening. The other 2 members of my family didn't want to do any parks at all My husband golfed everyday, girls went to BBB at DD, did some shopping at our favorite resort gift shops, hung out at the pool and enjoyed the sun. We rented a pontoon boat and had a nice long ride. We had some good meals at Kona and Boma. It was relaxing and a great trip! I wish we could have gone longer and had more park time, but all in all I was satisfied with our mini winter getaway.

I can see us doing more mini vacations like this to: its easy to get a good flight to Orlando, we know how to get around and have favorite places to go, we got a great AP rate for our hotel. My husband was thrilled I didn't make him go to any parks and I got to go to one of my favorite places

 

[Steamboat Girlie]

My husband and I are doing this in August. It is our 15th anniversary and we aren't taking the kids! We are staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge for 6 nights. We may do one day at the parks, but other than that we are just going to stay by the pool, get massages, eat and drink!!!!

 

[fla4fun]

I've spent several long weekends at WL and not gone to the parks at all, even though I have an AP.

Personally, I think if the OP is familiar with the value resorts, and has stayed there before, there may be a comfort level to staying in a familiar place, even if it isn't right across the street from Sea World. Plus, you can still get a Disney fix without going to the parks. You can go to DTD, and not worry if you want to have a drink or two because you don't have to drive back to your resort. You can go to other resorts and shop or dine. You can use the recreational facilities, like the boat and bike rentals.

It's not difficult to get to other parks from the value resorts, so I would say go for it.

 

[ElizabethB]

If I weren't going to the parks, I'd not bother to stay at a WDW resort. There are better values.

Or, I'd use the opportunity to try out one of the Universal resorts since they are much closer to Sea World (you avoid that I-4 drive which is sometimes fine and sometimes a traffic nightmare). We liked the Royal Pacific Hotel at Universal a lot -- very pretty, much more up-to-date stylewise than the Polynesian -- and much more reasonably priced than a Disney deluxe.

Or, I'd try a place I've wanted to stay and haven't -- the Peabody, Garylord Palms or Celebration Hotel. Or rent a house, or a stay in a big timeshare condo. The Hilton Grand Vacations property at SeaWorld is lovely. There are much better options than a value resort if you don't plan to visit the parks.

 

[fla4fun]

You don't have to go out on I-4 to get to SW and Universal from Disney. If you exit property at SR536 (if you were coming in off I-4, it would be the Epcot exit), and go past SR535, you can turn onto I-Drive at the next traffic light. For Sea World, turn left at Central Florida Parkway and the entrance is half a block down on the right. For Universal, just past the Peabody, turn right at the light just before Pointe Orlando, and then left at the next light. You will be on Universal Blvd., which will take you into the heart of Universal.

If a person is on a budget that would preclude staying at one of the Universal resorts, or if they just plain don't want to, I don't see anything wrong with staying at a Disney value resort, if that's what they choose to do. It's no different than people who stay on I-Drive or in Kissimmee, and drive into Disney. I like the Universal resorts well enough, but I've never seen a deal that would bring them down to the price of a Disney value resort (maybe I've been looking in the wrong places ). Maybe I have a slightly different viewpoint, as I live here and can get to any of the theme parks faster than I can get to work. I've stayed in hotels on I-Drive, at Universal, and dozens of times at Disney. Disney is the only place I can feel like I'm miles from home, whether I go to the parks or not.