WDW with no parks or ADRs?

[wrighter]

I'm not crazy, right?

DH and I decided to take a long weekend over Memorial Day to use up some leftover developer points at SSR. I'll stay Thursday - Monday, and he'll join me on Friday. (Woo Hoo - one whole day and night by myself!!!!!) We have absolutely zero plans to do anything while we are there other than relax. We're not taking the kids (DS5 and DD3) and we just want to hang out together. We plan on running in the morning, reading a newspaper (where can we get these, by the way?) laying by the pool and reading books. Just anything that involves zero planning.

As I'm sure you can imagine, this little plan of ours has raised some eyebrows. "How can you go all the way to WDW and not go to the parks?!" "If it's just the two of you, don't you want to make sure you have great dinner reservations every night?" "Don't you think you're going to get bored?" "You're really just going to hang out with your husband all day?!"

Personally, I can't wait for this trip. When we take the kids, I am the head planner - there's always so much to remember to pack and take care of. Just winging it sounds heavenly!!! Of course I would like to think that we'll have a nice dinner or two - but if not, so be it. Just waking up every morning with only ourselves to deal with? My Lord!!!!

I guess I'm hoping there's someone out there that also thinks this sounds like a good thing. As much as I love the parks, some good old fashioned down time can be a good, too. Right?

 

[stopher1]

Sounds nice to me! My DW and I have talked about going this way "someday" - but that day hasn't come yet since we keep taking the kids with us. But they won't go with us forever. I say go and enjoy it!

 

[Love2Cruise]

Sounds like the perfect plan for parents of a 3 and 5 year olds! Enjoy the relaxation and stress free vacation. Most of us never take the time to Just BE in the moment.

 

[HGD24]

We spent a good part of our last trip relaxing. It as our first trip with our DD and DH's parents. We woke up at 7am with DD, got breakfast and put her down for her morning nap. When she woke up, we headed to the parks - usually around 11am. A couple of nights, we were back in the room by 6pm and spent the rest of the night relaxing at the resort. It was so nice to have a relaxing vacation. Go - relax - enjoy!

 

[RCharnay]

DH and I love to do "no park" trips. We usually do have an ADR or two but I would be just as happy to be totally spontaneous and eat at resort restaurants or take food back to the room. We love walking around the resorts, enjoying the view from the balcony, playing a game of shuffleboard or whatever is open when we wander by. We also love to do a monorail day, just taking in the ambiance of all the monorail resorts. The walking trails around many of the resorts are also a lovely way to explore.
People who jeer about a no-park trip don't understand how complex the DVC properties are and how relxing the time can be.
Have fun!

 

[PooksMom]

Sounds just perfect!!! hang out, eat when you want, relax and read a good book! Have Fun!
Leigh

 

[carol1231]

Sounds perfect!

 

[chepic]

Those who raise eyebrows do not understand the luxury of owning DVC. When one can go to the parks at any time, it is so very nice just to sit and enjoy the resort itself; isn't that why Disney made them so nicely? Even with the kids...like this upcoming trip....we only go into the parks 2 times per trip. The rest of the time, we sit by one of the pools and chill. And, if we are ever lucky enough to do an adult only trip, we would more than like sit and do nothing; although going over to the Boardwalk is alot of fun!!

Have a blast

cheryl

 

[bobbiwoz]

Have a great time!

I would probably like a meal out, but DH and I both enjoy Fulton's very much and we've been able to get an ADR last minute there.

Bobbi

 

[Disneypirate85]

^ NOW thats a good idea Fultons, Just the 2 of you...a good bottle of wine....NOW thats a plan, Have a GREAT trip....

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I'm not crazy, right?

No, not crazy, lucky is more like it!

We live in Florida and as much as we love Disney, sometimes we go and just enjoy Orlando (don't say it too loud) Orlando has many wonderful restaurants to explore. You can take the boat to DTD and go to the movies if the mood strikes you or go for little ice cream after dinner. Even my kids enjoy the resorts and don't mind missing the resorts, it's not always about the parks! Gosh, in summer it's so hot, that we do a water park and then just chill at the resorts.

Enjoy your time!!!!

 

[edk35]

I think I could skip every park, but MK. I think that would be hard for me. I love our DVC more and more each time we go. We are spending more time outside the parks, enjoying the resorts and DTD. Have a great trip.....I look forward to the day when my husband and I can go alone.

 

[WolfpackFan]

Sounds like a great trip to me. Frankly, I'm getting a little burned out with the WDW parks but still loving going down to stay at the resorts. I mean really, how many times can you ride Pirates and not get tired of it? I see a no-parks visit in our near future. Plus I'd liked to check out Universal and Seaworld. Plus I'd like nothing better than having several days of just hanging out at the resort and pool all day long.

 

[dvcbnd]

We had our first park-free trip last summer, while staying there for 12 days and it was totally stress free!! We had our three children with us and we had such a relaxing time. We enjoyed playing minigolf, renting a pontoon boat, bike riding, strolling the boardwalk, riding the monorail, resort hopping and visiting downtown disney. We did manage to fit in a character breakfast, but that was it. It was such a wonderful vacation with the kids. I could just imagine how great it would have been had it been just my dh and I!
Enjoy yourselves and have a great trip!!

 

[Disney_Mama]

Go for it. My Dh and I did this in 2007 for our anniversary. We spent a week hanging out at the pool, playing golf and walking around DTD. Because we were there for a week I did make some ADR's but not for all the nights. We were very happy just sitting at the bar in Rainforest Cafe to have some food and drinks.... In just 9 short days I will be going with my 2 BFF to hang at the pool and do no parks.... Maybe Epcot but that would be only once. Next month my DH might be going with a couple of friends to golf and drink....

GO FOR IT!

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

Sounds great to me! I don't think I'll every be able to do that though. DH always wants to do the Parks. I'm having enough problems trying to get him to go without any ADR's when we use our DP's at end of Sept. I just want to pig out at Food & Wine. The last 3 yrs we've gone during F&W but we've been on the dining plan so I never wanted to do much tasting. I hope I can convince him this year.

 

[rynosmom]

Not crazy at all. My DH and I try to do this once a year infact we just got back from our Adult disney trip. We love to lounge around the pool, take in an afternoon nap, go for a walk, resort hop. This list is endless of things to do without going to the parks. Enjoy!

 

[Sully]

For the past 3 years, DW and I have spent the entire month of February in studios at OKW and SSR. We do have the AP. Some days we go into the parks for a while, and some days we just enjoy the resort for the entire day. We always start the day off with working out in the spa area and a lot of walking around the resort. We also do a lot of reading at the pool. We also do a week at VB during this same trip.

 

[Lindabelle]

Last May, my DH and I wanted to get away for a stress free relaxing vacation without our kids. We have been to Orlando many times but haven't stayed on Disney property since 1994. We choose Port Orleans French Quarter and had such a blast without going to any parks. It was truly the relaxing stress-free time we hoped for. We are now DVC members and are going to stay at SSR in Aug with all 5 of us. I highly recommend the Segway tour at Fort Wilderness (I think it is called the Backwoods Tour) as something fun and different to do.

 

[allshookup]

We usually go to WDW with only a few must do ADRs & we wing the rest. I never like being tied down to dining at a certain time or place, but when we do decide to have dinner somewhere, we simply ask at guest services & they can always find some TS somewhere or we just hit ESPN which doesn't take reservations.

If I was going without the kids, I could gladly skip all the parks except EPCOT. I just love strolling the World Showcase with a glass of Grey Goose lemon slushie from France.

Have fun with whatever you decide to do!