What to do on park-free days (AKL Jambo)

[BWV2001]

We are 11-yr DVC veterans, but I am considering my first visit with minimal time in the parks. Family has 2 adults, 17 year old, 14 year old, and 7 year old. We will be doing a split stay between WDW and Universal, and currently the only tickets I have are loaded with water park/Disney Quest days(from old hoppers that have all the main park days used up). I was thinking of doing the Halloween party one night, a water park one day, but don't want the kids being bored if we stay 3 nights and don't do any other park days. How is Disney Quest for our group? Downtown Disney wouldn't really entertain us. Any suggestions? Should I cut our Disney stay to 2 nights and do Universal longer? I hate to be cheap, but the thought of buying tickets for both WDW AND Universal for a 1-week trip seems like too much.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[dawgs4disney]

We always enjoy having a resort day to sleep in after a late park night, spend a few hours at the pool and then have a nice dinner at one of the resort restaurants. One of our favorite non park evenings is dining at o'hanas and then catching the electric parade and wishes from the poly beach area. I have never stayed at AKV, but many deluxe resorts offer a movie at night. Also, grabbing dinner at one of the epcot resort restaurants and then walking around the boardwalk area is also fun for a park free evening.

 

[TwinsFan]

In January we spent a week at AKV but went into the parks only 2 days. I like pool days, they have nice pools at AKV, also much time can be spent checking out the animals. An option for afternoon/evening is the Wanyama Safari, available to those staying at Jambo or Kidani and doesn't require a park entrance. I've not tried Disney Quest, but heard it's fun, I also haven't tried the mini-golf at Disney, but that would be fun also.

 

[bianca]

I think you'd be fine staying at Disney as long as possible. When my kids were that age they loved Disney Quest and the water parks. Heck, they're 17, 20 and 22 now and you know what ....... they are going on a solo trip in September and plan on only doing the Halloween party and Blizzard Beach. The remainder of their time (5 days), they plan on hanging out at Kidani where they're staying and hitting up DTD later in the day. Also, they reserve one night to head over to one of the Bay Lake resorts for the Electrical Water Parade. My kids like Universal, but like me, they prefer Disney and wouldn't want to shorten their stay there. If you are Disney veterans, I think you can trust that your kids can find things to do to keep themselves amused without having to spring for the additional park passes.

 

[Maryland_Mommy]

We just did this for Spring Break. We have spent so much time running around the parks, that we never had gotten to just relax and enjoy these great resorts. I booked at the Beach Club because (of course) Storm A Long Bay. The boys (12 and 8) really enjoyed it. We also went to Downtown Disney (another place we neglect for the parks) for the day. My sons and my nieces and nephew (their ages are 15 - boy and girl twins - and 17) all love Disney Quest. I think your kids (if they like video games at all) will love DQ. Going during the day is wonderful - no crowds at all! There is so much to do there, they could spend 9 - 10 hours there. We then went to have dinner at Wolfgang Puck's - one of my favorite restaurants.
Also, at the pool every afternoon they have CM playing games etc. BCV (and others) have roasting marshmallows and movie night. They had Bambi, Beauty and the Beast, and the one with the guineas pigs while we were there.
Hope that gives your some ideas! It was very relaxing trip!

 

[com_op_2000]

DW and I have done multiple different things at Disney that do not include the parks. Some of them are:
Play tennis.
Take a bike ride around Fort Wilderness campground.
Take a boat ride from DTD to Dixie Landings and back.(I do not call it Port Orleans, will always be a different resort to me)
Take a couple of golf clubs and balls, chip and putt around the putting green at one of the golf clubs.
Tour the other resorts.
Pool hop.
Tour DTD.
Have an after dinner whirlpool.
Listen to the musicians at GF Lobby, Port Orleans and/or Dixie Landings Lounges, or over in front of the House of Blues.
Sit out by one of the quite pools and enjoy a drink.
Take in a movie.

 

[Live4Surf]

We have stayed at Jambo House and there is so much to do. Your kids are at the age where they would enjoy some of the cultural experiences they have. Here is a link to this month's activities.

www.themouseforless.com/tripplanning/resorts/wdw/pdf/AKLCalendar.pdf

We loved the animal interactions, night vision goggles, drumming, and the CMs there are great at answering questions about the animals and Africa. Your kids would even enjoy the tour of Jiko. Animal Kingdom Lodge is remote from the other parks and resorts but they make up for it in family activities.

Hope you have a great time!

 

[missycj96]

Definitely do a resort day. Enjoy the pool and the savannah views. Then go out for dinner.

On another no park day, I love to rent the water mouse on bay lake. My sister and I have been doing this together since 1981.

 

[Carl'n'Ellie'sDad]

Wanted to second renting the water mouse / sea racers -- great way to spend an afternoon. If you didn't have a younger child, I'd recommend doing a tour. Maybe one of the Segway tours would appeal to part of your group, and someone could go with the 7year old around the WL or the BW?

 

[mdsd8700]

My kids are 17 and 14 and we having been doing Disney since 1997. On every trip we set aside 1 or 2 full non park days (not including arrival or departure days). Just to do our other favorite things. We also have hopper passes with many "options" left on them. I think we may be able to go to the WPs for the next decade. My kids absolutely love the WPs and if we travel in the summer we always visit one. My kids prefer Blizzard Beach and we go at RD and leave about 2 or 3. The whole family loves the Winterland/Summerland mini golf, especially the Winter Themed one. The Christmas music they constantly play always makes us smile. A must do for each trip. My kids also love the activites at Sammy Duvall's. Tubing has become our new favorite, every trip unless it too cold. As well jet skis are also available now. As another poster said the sea rycers are so much fun. Although I suggest only renting them at the monorail resorts as there is just so much more area to drive around in. DS was finally old enough to drive one last time and he just loved it. DQ is fun but we have been enough times and my kids only like to spend minimal time there now. However when it was fresh and new to them, they could spend 5 hours enjoying the place. We also visit all our favorite resorts on each trip. Stopping at each one to look around, get a bit to eat or a drink and of course shop We rent a car so this is easier to do without taking the buses. Bikes rides are also fun, we do that occassionally. My kids also still get a kick out of the surrey bikes at the BW.

I am sure your family will not have a problem filling those non park days. We always look forward to them and enjoy them very much.

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

I'd also like to suggest getting a photo session with the photopass photographers. Our guy was amazing, and the photos turned out spectacularly. Lot's of great scenery at Jambo.

 

[bumbershoot]

Should I cut our Disney stay to 2 nights and do Universal longer?

Sounds like you're staying at Universal for that portion....frankly I don't know why you're going to stay at WDW at all! Universal is fabulous and their resorts are amazing...without any WDW parks where staying onsite makes a difference, I'd just save the points and stay at Universal the whole time. If you want to do a WDW waterpark with your old tickets go for it...no need to be staying onsite to do that!

 

[TosaTrio]

We just did a 5 night, 4 day Park Free trip in April and it was one of the BEST trips!

It was a last minute trip and we didn't want to renew our annual passes just yet, so we opt'd for a resort only trip. We had 2 nights at Kidani and 3 nights at Jambo.

These are the things we did: (DH, DD (6) and me)

Pool time everyday (usually morning and afternoon)
Mini Golf (went to 2 different courses off Disney)
Downtown Disney to eat/shop
Community Hall at Kidani (my dd LOVED this... crafts all day, movies etc)
Planned Activities at Samba's (inside and pool side activities)
Outlet Shopping (outside of Disney)

We love VWL and BCV but both DH and I agree, for a Resort only trip AKL can't be beat!

(And oh, yes, which did we like more Kidani or Jambo? We LOVE Jambo. While we love the Community Hall and the Pool at Kidani, we like the lodge and all the activity, including Victoria Falls at Jambo.)

Have Fun!

 

[amberkow]

One thing I checked out on my last trip was Mini Golf! It's a great way to spend a couple hours outside of the parks, and it is not super pricey.

Add a movie and a meal at DTD, and hanging out at the pool and that sounds like a great day to me!