There really are ways to do disney cheap...

[maja36]

Just my 2 cents... back from a 1 week trip staying at pop for $61 per night with tax (value season using discount code). Can you believe it... we never went to a park at all!!!! 6yo dd wanted to swim with daddy or me, 1yo only wanted to walk around the resort with his new walking ( and running feet). Turned out to be a really cheap holiday. And best of all, the kids really enjoyed themselves, because resort is beautiful and swimming was warm in the heated pool.

Food... the food court has toasters and microwaves so easy to use own bread and microwavable food products from store.

Visiting dtd is free... going to other resorts is free... akl has animals on the savannah.. all free!!!!

You don't have to blow your budget at disney and I know many will say what's the point if not to go into the parks, but we had a great family holiday just doing things at a slow pace. When the kids got tired, we all calmed down. Can't tell you the number of parents I've seen frazzled by tired little kids in the parks.

So instead of rushing from park to park... go to 2 separate parks over the holiday, enjoy your resort, and save a lot of money that way.

 

[Alicia Gist]

We almost always just do two parks per stay. We do exactly what you said and love it. I have so many friends that say "why do you go to Disney every year". They hate Disney. When they go they try to commando everything. I always just say, "you don't do Disney like we do."

 

[travelbug]

Glad to hear you had such a nice family vacation! You did a great job finding plenty of free things to enjoy. Thanks for posting!

 

[ncbyrne]

My b-i-l and his family stayed at the Contemporary last year and never went to the WDW parks. The resort WAS their destination. Oh, but get this....they went to Universal one day!

 

[WDWlover]

My parents did that last year as well...went to the Contemporary because they love the hotel and atmosphere. They just watched Wishes from the hotel room and had a great time. But here's the thing I don't understand...they had Annual Passes!!!

 

[Razor Roman]

I'm glad you guys had fun. Sadly, I can not be in the state of Florida without going to a Disney park. It wouldn't feel right to me

 

[Tinkim]

I'm glad you guys had fun. Sadly, I can not be in the state of Florida without going to a Disney park. It wouldn't feel right to me

That's my problem too. To be so close to the parks and not go in would be torture for all of us. The first thing we did when we got to Pop was check in, throw the bags in the room, and hopped on a bus for MK. We can't help ourselves!

 

[Tissa]

For us I wouldn't spend the money to go to Disney if we didn't go to the parks. There are too many nice hotels in other areas we would go to for just a resort stay. My kids actually love staying in hotels and using the pools.(This is why they never got to see the pool last time we were at Disney) I actually told my mom last month I could save the travel money and just get a hotel in our city for a week and they would be happy.

 

[C.Ann]

I hope to do the same thing at some point in time - just to get a "feel" for what all the resorts are like, DTD, etc..

I'm easily amused - a great "people watcher" - and I love to take the time to "stop and smell the roses" - so I imagine I would have a ball!

I just returned from a trip to Florida to see my sister and I thought it would kill me that I was landing right there in Orlando and not going to the parks.. Couldn't have been further from the truth.. Spent a week in Vero Beach at my brothers place - then a week up to my sisters place in Lady Lake - and had a blast! So much to see and do and it cost nothing!!

Now I'm going back to my sisters again at the beginning of April and while I would like to take her to Epcot for the day for the Flower & Garden Show, I know I won't be heartbroken if I can't.. There's SOOOOO much to see and do for FREE in Florida - it would take me YEARS to do it all..

 

[Chicago526]

I'm glad you guys had fun. Sadly, I can not be in the state of Florida without going to a Disney park. It wouldn't feel right to me

ITA!

I understand those that CAN go to FL/Orlando and do other things than the Disney parks, I just can't do it myself!

 

[DianaPrincessofWales]

Finally someone who doesn't do parks everyday! I get tired just reading about those on these boards that do a park or partial day at one on EVERYDAY of their trip! On our last trip we had plans on doing 3 park days (out of our 5 whole day trip) but were totally satisfied with the 2 we did. Doesn't anyone else get too tired? Walking around on concrete all day is exhausting. I do better if I spend time enjoying my resort too. So glad you had a great vacation and I'm glad I'm not the only one that can go without visiting one of the parks everyday. There is so much to do and see in the Orlando area, and lots for free. On the flip side I don't know if I could be in central Florida and not spend ANY days at a Disney park!!

 

[colleen costello]

We have annunal passes this year and they are so nice. We go to the parks here and there, sometimes just in the morning or sometimes evening. Sometimes we go just for a meal or to see a parade. The rest of the time is resort-time, swimming and visiting and having meals at different places. We have DVC now and go twice a year, and with this schedule I swear I will never tire of WDW! There is SO much more than the parks and many of our best family memories are made outside the parks. There are so many wonderful things to do FOR FREE!

 

[georgina]

Just my 2 cents... back from a 1 week trip staying at pop for $61 per night with tax (value season using discount code). Can you believe it... we never went to a park at all!!!! 6yo dd wanted to swim with daddy or me, 1yo only wanted to walk around the resort with his new walking ( and running feet). Turned out to be a really cheap holiday. And best of all, the kids really enjoyed themselves, because resort is beautiful and swimming was warm in the heated pool.

Food... the food court has toasters and microwaves so easy to use own bread and microwavable food products from store.

Visiting dtd is free... going to other resorts is free... akl has animals on the savannah.. all free!!!!

You don't have to blow your budget at disney and I know many will say what's the point if not to go into the parks, but we had a great family holiday just doing things at a slow pace. When the kids got tired, we all calmed down. Can't tell you the number of parents I've seen frazzled by tired little kids in the parks.

So instead of rushing from park to park... go to 2 separate parks over the holiday, enjoy your resort, and save a lot of money that way.

From the title of this thread, I wouldn't consider your trip "doing Disney". I'm curious where you traveled from. I couldn't see flying to Orlando to stay at a Disney resort if I wasn't doing the parks, but maybe if it was only a few hours' drive away from me. We have camped at Ft Wilderness and not done parks every day. But we are energetic people and do spend a lot of time at the parks, especially Epcot. Then again, we didn't take our kids when they were that little either.

 

[nicknamy1996]

Yep if it were a short drive I could easily see doing it. People thing it's so expensive, but there's not a lot of places that you can get a hotel room (with great themes and pools etc...) for $61 per night including tax. Our first year driving down we paid $80 plus for a flat out ugly hotel and room.

Taking the boat rides and monorail trips would be fun too. And do the campfire/singalong/movie at fort wilderness. If I was (for some reason) to do a non-disney orlando trip, just doing sea world and US, I would at least look at a All Star vs. off site rooms.

 

[CarolinaBlue]

I think that it's a great idea. As a matter of fact, we were considering doing this next year. There is so much that I want to see that is outside of the parks. I just never have enough time to do it all.

 

[disneysteve]

I can not be in the state of Florida without going to a Disney park. It wouldn't feel right to me

I know exactly what you mean. We are flying to Orlando in 18 days to take a Carnival cruise from Port Canaveral. That will be the first time I have ever flown into that airport with a destination other than Disney World. I know it will feel VERY strange.