Trying to plan a different type of Disney World trip and need some advice.

[MaC410]

My wife and I have a 10 day trip in December currently planned. There's a lot of stuff we haven't done at or around Disney World that we never really find ourselves doing when we go on our big trips. Either because of the weather, the time of year we go or because of how much time we like to spend in the main parks.

We really want to experience Halloween-time at magic kingdom for the first time. However, we don't want to spoil our big December trip by doing too much a few months before it or riding all the new rides in other parks that we are looking forward to in December. I've been thinking of planning a trip that involves doing all the things we say we'd like to do but never do on our normal trips. Here is my plan so far:

We would go from 9/6-9/12.
9/6: arrive late afternoon and relax
9/7: go to one of the disney water parks and then the halloween party at MK
9/8: Relax around Disney property, explore resorts, explore Disney Springs, try resort food, maybe see the new Cirque show
9/9: Take a quick uber to Universal
9/10: Relax around Disney property, explore resorts, explore Disney Springs, try resort food, do minigolf
9/11: go to the other disney water park and then to halloween party again at night
9/12: leave

This trip plan has so much that we never want to do or get to do on our regular trips. I like the idea of two halloween parties since it's the only time we would be inside a park besides the water parks and we've never been for halloween before. We don't know when we will get a chance to go back so we'd love to go twice to be able to take it all in. We don't mind staying at Disney and taking an Uber to Universal for a day.

Does anyone have any tips for a trip like this? Has anyone taken a similar trip where you don't really do the 4 main parks except for the MK parties and then go out and do some other things throughout the week?

 

[PollyannaMom]

Does anyone have any tips for a trip like this? Has anyone taken a similar trip where you don't really do the 4 main parks except for the MK parties and then go out and do some other things throughout the week?

I haven't done a non-park trip yet, but I will say the water parks can be tiring! So if you keep them on the same days, I'd plan for a good rest between that and the parties.

I love your ideas to explore the other resorts - I've been able to do a little of that, but I still have more places on my list.

Disney Springs is definitely great! We haven't done Cirque, but we have done the balloon (very cool!) and DS did the Void while I shopped. - He said it was amazing!

Universal is a trip of it's own for us.

I've heard good things about the Boardwalk area as well, but I haven't been.

 

[fla4fun]

If you are going during Halloween season, be sure to go to Fort Wilderness and check out how people decorate their campsites. There are lots of activities there as well. I have done some long weekend, no park trips and had a great time. Renting a boat at one of the MK resorts is fun, especially in the wide expanse of Bay Lake.

 

[rkstocke5609]

My wife and I have a 10 day trip in December currently planned. There's a lot of stuff we haven't done at or around Disney World that we never really find ourselves doing when we go on our big trips. Either because of the weather, the time of year we go or because of how much time we like to spend in the main parks.

We really want to experience Halloween-time at magic kingdom for the first time. However, we don't want to spoil our big December trip by doing too much a few months before it or riding all the new rides in other parks that we are looking forward to in December. I've been thinking of planning a trip that involves doing all the things we say we'd like to do but never do on our normal trips. Here is my plan so far:

We would go from 9/6-9/12.
9/6: arrive late afternoon and relax
9/7: go to one of the disney water parks and then the halloween party at MK
9/8: Relax around Disney property, explore resorts, explore Disney Springs, try resort food, maybe see the new Cirque show
9/9: Take a quick uber to Universal
9/10: Relax around Disney property, explore resorts, explore Disney Springs, try resort food, do minigolf
9/11: go to the other disney water park and then to halloween party again at night
9/12: leave

This trip plan has so much that we never want to do or get to do on our regular trips. I like the idea of two halloween parties since it's the only time we would be inside a park besides the water parks and we've never been for halloween before. We don't know when we will get a chance to go back so we'd love to go twice to be able to take it all in. We don't mind staying at Disney and taking an Uber to Universal for a day.

Does anyone have any tips for a trip like this? Has anyone taken a similar trip where you don't really do the 4 main parks except for the MK parties and then go out and do some other things throughout the week?

Add going to The Void at DS and it will be perfect! Don’t forget your costume for the Halloween party!

 

[DisLiss]

I love the idea of taking a Halloween "non-park" trip since you have another typical trip planned so soon after. Other than the fact that I wouldn't bother with Universal for just one day, I love your ideas and I would definitely take a trip like that if we went more often.

This year we're devoting one day to resorts & Disney Springs and we will hit a party and the water parks, but we'll be cramming them in between the other regular park days. Your itinerary sounds much more relaxing!
have fun!

 

[MaC410]

I love the idea of taking a Halloween "non-park" trip since you have another typical trip planned so soon after. Other than the fact that I wouldn't bother with Universal for just one day, I love your ideas and I would definitely take a trip like that if we went more often.

This year we're devoting one day to resorts & Disney Springs and we will hit a party and the water parks, but we'll be cramming them in between the other regular park days. Your itinerary sounds much more relaxing!
have fun!

Every time we have gone to Disney World we say we will take a day off to visit Universal and we never do it so we decided to finally do it this time. We are huge Harry Potter fans and honestly really only care about seeing the Harry Potter stuff at Universal. Last summer we actually went to Disneyland and went to Universal Hollywood for a day so we've seen their Harry Potter stuff and did all the rides there. We feel a day at Universal Orlando will satisfy us since we've done so many of the rides already in Universal Hollywood and with the lower crowds in September we should be able to get all the Harry Potter stuff done plus any other attraction we care about that wasn't in Hollywood.