What’s the best non-Disney part of your Disney visit? No, the airport doesn’t count.

[slo]

We are also ones that never leave the WDW once there. But to answer the question, we love getting the earliest flight out of Chicago, which is normally around 5am. Once we get to Orlando and get our rental car, we enjoy going out to breakfast and discussing what we’re doing that day. Last year we took a ride to the Gideon’s Bakehouse at East End Market, because we wanted to try these cookies without waiting, like you need to do at Disney Springs. I’m not sure if we’ll do this again. Next trip we may visit Gatorland. Then we go to a Super Walmart, check into our resort and then don’t leave the bubble until it’s time to leave.

So I guess my favorite non WDW thing is breakfast and then whatever we decide to do over breakfast.

 

[hardcorestitch]

We are also ones that never leave the WDW once there. But to answer the question, we love getting the earliest flight out of Chicago, which is normally around 5am. Once we get to Orlando and get our rental car, we enjoy going out to breakfast and discussing what we’re doing that day. Last year we took a ride to the Gideon’s Bakehouse at East End Market, because we wanted to try these cookies without waiting, like you need to do at Disney Springs. I’m not sure if we’ll do this again. Next trip we may visit Gatorland. Then we go to a Super Walmart, check into our resort and then don’t leave the bubble until it’s time to leave.

So I guess my favorite non WDW thing is breakfast and then whatever we decide to do over breakfast.

I would actually recommend checking out Publix instead of Walmart before heading into Disney in this case. Why? Pub. Subs. They’re the unofficial state sandwich. It’s THAT good.

 

[LuvOrlando]

We have always enjoyed what used to be Pleasure Island, which morphed into a mediocre & sometimes sketchy Downtown Disney but now that there are security checkpoints to keep it family friendly I found the now fully formed Disney Springs to be super welcoming and a nice place to be again. I think my favorite part of being at Disney Springs is the free live music all over, it is just so pleasant to watch families dancing and enjoying the setup. It is inviting again.

We love that a boat can get us to Disney Springs from Port Orleans which has been a favorite thing to do for ages, and it is also wonderful that free parking is available in the massive lots. Disney Springs is far more enjoyable than Citywalk by Universal which just doesn't work, it is so disconnected over there so on our last trip to Universal we actually took advantage of the free parking and drove to DIsney Springs for a few evenings.

it's been awhile but...............

going to some of the chain restaurants near the parks that we enjoyed when we lived in northern California but were (still are) not to be found anywhere near where we live now. my youngest always enjoyed the one night each trip he got to go to dave and busters.

doing a 'day rate' stay at the airport hyatt regency. it never failed that no matter where we were returning home to that always ended up with flights that left in the late afternoon or early evening. i'm not one for doing a last partial day at the parks (even when it was not psycho pricy) and the last thing I want to do is kill time to go 'window shopping' and end up with more stuff we need to somehow pack in our suitcases so we routinely would get a day rate at the Hyatt in the airport where we would just kickback and reeeeeeeeeeelax. the kids might take a dip in the rooftop pool, I often got an order of food from their restaurant (they have the BEST chicken matzo ball soup). bags already checked in and with just a few steps away from going through security there's so much less stress.

Had no idea this was a thing, now I know to look for it, thanks.

 

[goofyernmost]

It’s always great to do the non-Disney stuff first…

This is probably going to be unpopular but I usually planned all four parks, plus others on any trip to WDW. I didn't always make the outside attractions an after WDW situation, but within WDW, when I had youngin's along Magic Kingdom was last. Why? Simple, I knew that if we went to MK first than all I would hear is whining about how bored they were, or can we go back to the hotel so we can use the pool while we went to the other two or eventually three other parks. MK was always greeted with joy by the kids but if we went there first the same love wasn't to be had for the rest of them. When we went for more that four or five days, I interspersed them during the week. Disney one day, Uni the next, back to Disney, than maybe Sea World or the Kennedy space center and so on.

 

[LuvOrlando]

We have always enjoyed what used to be Pleasure Island, which morphed into a mediocre & sometimes sketchy Downtown Disney but now that there are security checkpoints to keep it family friendly I found the now fully formed Disney Springs to be super welcoming and a nice place to be again. I think my favorite part of being at Disney Springs is the free live music all over, it is just so pleasant to watch families dancing and enjoying the setup. It is inviting again.

We love that a boat can get us to Disney Springs from Port Orleans which has been a favorite thing to do for ages, and it is also wonderful that free parking is available in the massive lots. Disney Springs is far more enjoyable than Citywalk by Universal which just doesn't work, it is so disconnected over there and feels like such a forced afterthought so on our last trip to Universal we actually took advantage of the free parking and drove to DIsney Springs for a few evenings instead of Citywalk.

it's been awhile but...............

going to some of the chain restaurants near the parks that we enjoyed when we lived in northern California but were (still are) not to be found anywhere near where we live now. my youngest always enjoyed the one night each trip he got to go to dave and busters.

doing a 'day rate' stay at the airport hyatt regency. it never failed that no matter where we were returning home to that always ended up with flights that left in the late afternoon or early evening. i'm not one for doing a last partial day at the parks (even when it was not psycho pricy) and the last thing I want to do is kill time to go 'window shopping' and end up with more stuff we need to somehow pack in our suitcases so we routinely would get a day rate at the Hyatt in the airport where we would just kickback and reeeeeeeeeeelax. the kids might take a dip in the rooftop pool, I often got an order of food from their restaurant (they have the BEST chicken matzo ball soup). bags already checked in and with just a few steps away from going through security there's so much less stress.

Had no idea this was a thing, now I know to look for it, thanks.

 

[LuvOrlando]

duplicate

 

[hardcorestitch]

We have always enjoyed what used to be Pleasure Island, which morphed into a mediocre & sometimes sketchy Downtown Disney but now that there are security checkpoints to keep it family friendly I found the now fully formed Disney Springs to be super welcoming and a nice place to be again. I think my favorite part of being at Disney Springs is the free live music all over, it is just so pleasant to watch families dancing and enjoying the setup. It is inviting again.

We love that a boat can get us to Disney Springs from Port Orleans which has been a favorite thing to do for ages, and it is also wonderful that free parking is available in the massive lots. Disney Springs is far more enjoyable than Citywalk by Universal which just doesn't work, it is so disconnected over there and feels like such a forced afterthought so on our last trip to Universal we actually took advantage of the free parking and drove to DIsney Springs for a few evenings instead of Citywalk.



Had no idea this was a thing, now I know to look for it, thanks.

This is technically considered Disney… didn’t you read the title?

 

[LuvOrlando]

This is technically considered Disney… didn’t you read the title?

I understood it to mean non parks, the shopping area is leased to third parties I think so to me it is not the same. But, since you got out your red pen for fact checking, do tell, what is it YOUR definition would be that I should adhere to? I wasn't aware there would be tests so I guess I should study up once you share

 

[hardcorestitch]

I understood it to mean non parks, the shopping area is leased to third parties I think so to me it is not the same. But, since you got out your red pen for fact checking, do tell, what is it YOUR definition would be that I should adhere to? I wasn't aware there would be tests so I guess I should study up once you share

Non-Disney meant outside of Disney property. Disney Springs and Flamingo Crossings are also considered part of Disney.

 

[Silvermist999]

Outlet mall shopping and shopping in general is something I always enjoy wherever we travel.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Non-Disney meant outside of Disney property. Disney Springs and Flamingo Crossings are also considered part of Disney.

People watching at Walmart can be entertaining

 

[jimmymc]

Universal for me. If I have time, I really enjoy a split stay.

I usually don't leave those two resorts unless there's a special event in Orlando, like a concert or convention I want to see.