What are some of your favorite things to do NON-PARK?

[zakatak]

Hi!

We are heading down next November for 7 days and for the first time don't have APs (well, I do). Right now I am planning on simple 5 day hoppers since my kids are too young for the water parks, disney quest or Pleasure Island. I also found out that we don't need separate admission on the MVMCP day if we show up after 4ish.

What I am looking for is some fun things to do without entering the parks. So far I have Mouseboats and Minigolf on my list. Anything else?

Thanks in advance!

P.S. The jump in price from a 5 day hopper (no plusses) to a 6 day hopper w/3 plusses would cost me $222 for the four of them just to add another park day. See my dilema? So unless they come out with an AWESOME UPH deal, then I am stuck buying hoppers.

Karen

 

[threeboysmom]

We always like to have at least 2 non-park days. Here is what we do:

1) Swim at the pool
2) Shop at Downtown Disney
3) Resort hop
4) Stroll the Boardwalk
5) Visit Fort Wilderness
6) Rent surry bikes
7) Rent water mice
8) Mini-golf
9) Late character breakfast, followed by a monorail ride
10) Visit FAO Schwartz/International Drive

 

[A Mickeyfan]

also found out that we don't need separate admission on the MVMCP day if we show up after 4ish.

***************************************************
You do still need to pay for the seperate admission for MVMCP. Also depending on when in November you are going, you may not be there for MVMCP. I had thought that they started runing it the first week of December???? Definatly not before Thanksgiving. As far as things to do..... I have to second everything that Threeboysmom said.... also include in the resort hop....the monorail & ferry boats around the MK.... There is also a petting zoo in Fort Wilderness with pony rides for the little ones... At night you could sit on the beach at either the GF, Poly or FW and watch the fireworks..... Poly has the best view...they even have swing seats on the beach......

 

[Samirella]

Originally posted by threeboysmom

10) Visit FAO Schwartz/International Drive

Just saw on the news that they are closing this down.

 

[ttfn3]

I second swim at the pool! My DS age 7 has been to Disney several times and one of his favorite things to do is swim. In fact, we like to do the parks every other day so we can have some down time. I would highly suggest a nonpark day for the day after your MVMCP night.

We also enjoy the Marketplace. If it's warm, take swimsuits/water shoes for the little ones and let them play in the fountains. Stop by Legoland and make lego creations.

Other ideas:
--- Ice cream lunch at Beaches and Cream
--- Schedule a character meal offsite for a nonpark day. Ride the resort monorail (get the front!!)
-- Check out some resorts - such at AKL. Dinner at Boma and check out the animals and/or storytelling at the resort.
-- Venture outside of WDW and check out a nonDisney miniature golf course.
-- Chill out with your kids and have a game day at your resort. OR go to the arcades at the resorts. Kids LOVE these!

 

[andrabell]

Watching Wishes and the Electrical Water Pageant from the nearly deserted beach at the Polynesian is one of my most treasured moments from our trip earlier this month.


---Andra
you're not the boss of me!

 

[tiberius]

It looks like most of the main ideas have been covered here. We always have planned a resting day about 2/3 through our stay. Our day usually goes something like this:
Sleep in and catch a late character breakfast at a monorail resort. Then we take the monorail around and look at the various resorts. After that we return to our hotel for a swim. After that, we take a little rest around the resort--naps, wandering around, arcade,...) Then a few hours at Downtown Disney with dinner at either Rainforest Cafe or head to the Boardwalk for dinner and a stroll afterwards.

All in all, that is still a pretty full off-day, but no pressure to do any one thing in any special place.

 

[zakatak]

Thanks everyone! Now I have some extra ideas...

Mickeyfan, we are arriving the day AFTER Thanksgiving and staying through Dec 4th, which should include at least 2 MVMCPs, the first is usually the Sunday after Thanksgiving. That is the one we are hoping for!

Here is our plan so far...

Fri - Arrival AKL Concierge, check out hotel activities, maybe GF for gingerbread house, mouseboats, Boma for dinner.

Sat - Epcot all day (w/break), CP and Illuminations

Sun - Sleep in (lol), ??? until 4ish for MVMCP (will have tickets)

Mon - Off day, Chef Mickeys for Breakfast??, relax, dtd.

Tues - Sunrise Safari, AK maybe Illuminations or Osborne Lights in Eve.

Wed - MGM

Thur - EMH MK - dinner at resort, eve show (Wishes or Osborne)

Fri - Whatever we missed day, Illuminations

Sat - leave.

I am looking for a more relaxing trip for my dh so this might work out well. I like the idea of checking out the resorts for the Christmas decorations, but is there any EASY way to do this without a car?

Thanks again!

Karen

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I like the idea of checking out the resorts for the Christmas decorations, but is there any EASY way to do this without a car?
****************************************************

You can check out the resorts that are on the Monorail line then take the ferry boat over to FW & WL. You can do this all in one trip.... then if you are up to it.... you can take the bus (from any of the parks) over to the BoardWalk. There you can check out the BoardWalk, Y&B, and Swan & Dolphin. Then you can take the bus from that area to Down Town Disney....check out the tree & decorations there.... then hop back on the bus to head back to AK. You can also (from DTD) take the ferry boat to PO-R & French Quater (if they are open by then) to check out the decorations there if you want.... When ever I stay on property.... I park my car & leave it until I have to leave Disney's property. Believe it or not, the first time my kids (now ages 17, 15 &11) rode on a bus was at Disney... when they were younger they loved it LOL!!! Also if you have a choice of which MVMCP to go to.... don't go to the first one, do the second one.... it will be less crowded... have fun

 

[andrabell]

We attended the first MVMCP this year (November 30th, the Sunday after Thanksgiving) and it WAS NOT CROWDED.
In fact it was so perfect, we felt like we had the whole place to ourselves! No lines, no waiting, no worries.

---Andra
would do it again in a second!

 

[zakatak]

Thanks, Sharon! I just noticed that this year they didn't have MCMVP on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. That would only leave us with the option of anything OTHER than Tuesday since that is the Sunrise Safari, unless we did that the first day we were there (it is only offered on Saturday and Tuesday). I guess I shouldn't put too much more thought in this until the schedule comes out, lol... I could drive myself crazy!

Thanks for the tips on the Christmas Decorations "Tour". Sounds like it would be doable.

Karen

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Karen,

How old are your kids? There are a lot of kids activities you could schedule for them, such as the tea party, the pirate cruise, etc. Also, do they like animals? Spend an afternoon at Ft. Wilderness, checking out the petting farm and going horseback riding, or, if the kids are too little for that, take a carriage ride. If you have little girls, a carriage ride might make me them feel like Cinderella

Another idea might be to hit the Lego store downtown. They have a large area with blocks where kids (and adults) can build and play. If it's rainy outside, see a family movie at the downtown cineplex. Last time I went, I saw Lilo & Stitch in the theater and it was far more magical seeing a Disney film in Disneyworld than seeing it here in Boston.

If it's warm enough, never underestimate how much kids love pools. When we took my neice when she was 4, she pretty much wanted to spend the whole day at the pool. We stated at Port Orleans and the pool was shaped like a big dragon and she was mesmerized by it.

You could also rent a boat and go out on the lagoon. Maybe have the kids pretend to be pirates or something while mom drives the boat Sort of your own pirate cruise.

Go to Animal Kingdom lodge and check out the wildlife.

If you'll have a rental car, maybe explore the rest of Orlando. There is plenty to do in Orlando without paying theme park admission. One of my favorites is Old Town, which is a shopping area set up like an old village, with carnival rides. Also, depending on how old your kids are, there are a number of interesting non Disney dinner shows in the area, such as Pirates Dinner Theater, Arabian Knights and Medieval Times. Little kids might be scared by some of the effects in these shows , however.

Have fun!

Sheri

 

[ead79]

I love non-park days just as much as park touring days. I find them to be very laid back and relaxing. Here are some of my favorite things to do:

Eat a yummy sit-down breakfast at a resort restaurant (Kona Cafe and the Concourse Steakhouse are 2 of my favorites)

Shop at Downtown Disney

Rent a surrey bike on the BoardWalk

Spend some time enjoying my resort's amenities

Tour other resorts

 

[PamNC]

We always do at least one, if not two, non-park days during our visits. We like to play at the pool (Stormalong Bay rocks!), play mini-golf, shop at Downtown Disney, go check out the other resorts, and sometimes we even leave the property and go shopping at one of the outlets.

Also - FW is a great non-park activity. We go canoeing, walking, take the hay ride, pet the animals, and we've even done the campfire singalong. It's a great time.

PamNC

 

[djm99]

I clear credit cards to shop in Orlando like a Queen. Shop til I drop!!!!!!

 

[Gabriel&Nana]

Wer enjoy visiting Lake EOla, Church Street Station and Winter Park. Beautiful places to spend the day , shop and take a break !

 

[frannn]

there's always Ft Wilderness petting zoo and campfire movie. Haven't gotten there yet, but I heard it's a great experience!

 

[Beanie]

My three favorite Non Park things to do at Disney are walking and shopping through Downtown Disney, going to the movies there as well (since I never get to at home! LOL) and going to Boardwalk! I love Boardwalk, it is mine and DH's favorite place!

 

[kevind65]

some of our family favorites:

resort hopping...this is really cool, especially CR, the boardwalk and AKL

illuminations or wishes cruise

explore the ft.wilderness area...

play a round of golf or take a horseback ride

downtown disney and the west side...restaurants, shops, disney quest and more....

just hangin at the resort....kids love disney's pools...

chartered fishing trip on bay lake or the downtown disney area...

drive over to the real beach for a few hours of the ocean!!!we finally did this last trip and the kids absolutely loved it...I'm pretty certain this will be a regular thing now.