Where do you go non WDW years??

[Leigh123]

DH has begged and pleaded for somewhere new for vaca next year after years and years of WDW....I desp tried talking him out of it and even suggested the Disney Cruise, Vero Beach, Disney CA or Paris LOL....anyway since it is his vacation too I am conceding just once LOL....my question is, is there anywhere you can find the great theming and that "magic" thanks so much in advance!

 

[Cyndiu]

We had a really great time in Williamsburg, VA this year... But we're going back to WDW next year!

 

[pixiemomma]

We've vacationed in Williamsburg & Richmond VA as well as Bar Harbor Maine and Atlanta GA. We always go to the Orlando area once a year because my family is there but we sometimes visit IOA/USF instead off WDW.

 

[mom2twinz3]

I would recommend the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area in Tennessee.

Dollywood and Dolly's Splash Country are first rate theme parks, much nicer than I thought they'd be, and Great Smoky Mountain National Park is free. The Cades Cove area is a wonderful place to explore.

There are a ton of attractions up and down the main drag, along with many outstanding restaurants. Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg is wonderful.

Lots of folks rent cabins but we liked the Willow Brook Lodge hotel in PF because they have great rates an awesome water slide, and free breakfast.

I call the area a mini-Orlando in the mountains. And the best part is that it can be done well on a budget.

Other than that, Williamsburg is also a great vacation destination. Plenty to see and do there as well.

Mary

 

[spiceycat]

this year we visited Williamsburg - it was okay - I like the national parks the best - Jamestown - the people were really great there.

I found the people at Bush Gardens to be down right rude - they liked to lie to people - mother had to use a wheelchair and she want use an electricity one so that means that I have to push her - that place has a ton of hills - so when it came to leave I asked for instructions - 3 employees have me wrong instructions - one even screamed very loud about stupid people asking for instructions - believe me I looked at the .... signs - not on one of them was an exit sign. Now the worst was yet to come - we had to return the wheelchair - there was no one there - we waited a half hour - the lady in the next booth finally felt sorry for us and called the person - he was in the back - it then took him (and I am not kidding) - 45 minutes to check us out and give us our damage deposit back. that park reallys needs to learn about service,

now bush gardens at Williamsburg would have probably been great on my own - but pushing a wheelchair with all the hills and getting no help from their employees.

Colonial Williamsburg was almost as bad - there is a lot of the area that is not wheelchair friendly - mother had to get up so much that after an hour I say we are leaving....

I loved the fact that Spicey (my cat) could walk around the outside - he enjoyed some it - some people came up and grabbed him he did not enjoy that - but otherwise I definitely enjoyed bringing him....that was fun - I guess I just shouldn't have attempted to pay the money and do the tour - it just wasn't worth it to us.

We are going to Hilton Head tomorrow - not the DVC one - but Marriott's Grande Ocean Resort - I had been years before but DVC HH is not on the ocean and I really like the gulf (Panhandle) a whole lot more - this is the second change - this is surpose to be one of the best on the Island - so time will tell.

I happen to really love WDW - so I have a seriously problem going elsewhere.

I would like to try Washington, DC - I did it when I little - we were surpose to go from Williamsburg - but I hate being up in the air - one of the Interstates in Richmond, Va was so very high I almost had a panic attack. I know that was definitely out (went back home by a different route) - and I didn't see an easy way to get to Washington,DC without going through Richmond, VA.

what does your husband like to do - besides WDW.....

but believe me there are much worst places to go - when I was little my father loved the Civil War - so on the family(?) vacation we went to every single battle field - I learned to hate the family vacations.....I didn't even learn that there were amusement parks until on a Highschool trips with friends I went to Six-Flags.... When I saw places on TV I was took it too far to drive too....

Grandmother started taking us to WDW in 72 - in 1973 we started staying at the Polyn......

 

[floridagirrl2]

St Augustine Florida, the oldest continuously-settled city in the United States (Pensacola FL is the oldest city in the USA) --my Favorite Place On Earth. Water everywhere you look--the Intracoastal Waterway with the city marina , (http://www.capm-woody.com/Cruising/Maribo/augustine.html) St Augustine Beach on the Atlantic Ocean (camp at the state park, steps from the beach! http://www.floridastateparks.org/anastasia/default.asp ).

Wonderful old Spanish and Victorian architecture, hundreds of restaurants, great walking and tram tours of historic sites, fun ghost tours, any kind of water sport or ecotour you can imagine, even an enormous outlet mall if you are so inclined! Plenty of reasonably-priced hotels in the historic district, or you can splurge and stay at a bed-and-breakfast or the Casa Monica (http://www.casamonica.com/)

A historic lighthouse (climb to the top for a fabulous view), The Alligator Farm, bike and scooter rentals, the historic Bridge of Lions (http://home.thirdage.com/Collections/topazblue/staug.html), tours of the Intracoastal and the Matanzas inlet by boat (watch for dolphins!), movies, arts & crafts fests, dog shows, etc. on the downtown Plaza, antique shops, carriage rides....DH and I have spent dozens of long weekends there and never run out of things to do.

 

[Snoopymom]

No kids? Ireland...absolutely and completely the oposite of WDW, LOL. You won't be walking around comparing the two, and you won't be thinking to yourself, ...hmm...how many hours would it take to drive to Orlando from here...If we left now, I could be having lunch with Cinderella?

Seriously, Ireland is the most incredibly magical and romantic place with the castles, B&B's, cliffs, rainbows, pubs, polite people...it truly looks exactly like the photos you see.

Just a thought, but I wouldn't take kids (or adults, LOL) unless they were old enough to appreciate it.

With kids, camping in the mountains near Gatlinburg, or skiing at Copper Mountain, CO... again, completely different types of vacations.

Let us know what you decide.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

There's nothing like WDW, of course, but if your DH is tired of being stuck in a theme park...

We've been to Hollywood and Santa Monica, which give you a pretty "themed" experience without going to a park, although of course there are plenty of parks in the southland to visit.

If you research it on the internet first, you can find a lot of "themey" stuff to do in New Orleans. I want to go back! They also have a beautiful new 6 Flags just outside of town.

We live in the northern CA wine country, and you can plan a wine-tasting themed vacation and also great stuff to do in SF. The parks in the Bay Area are 6 Flags Marine World in Vallejo and Great America in the south bay, but I think they are seasonal rather than open all year.

Having said that, other than these places we've gone because of living there, work, or family visits, we don't take non-WDW vacations, due to being members of the DVC. So far I'm happy with that, but once we do Christmas there this year I may feel ready to expand our vacation locations.

Cheers

 

[xlstacey]

I must say too, that WDW is in it's own class.

We are from the Pacific Northwest, so we tend to go on vacation around here. My dh loves golfing, so as long as we have golf, swimming pools and activities for the kiddos and of course some sort of shopping ... we are in. We love Eagle Crest in Redmond, Oregon, but that for us is a 2.5 hour drive and it's awesome in the Summer with sooo much to do - hiking, biking, swimming, river rafting, fishing and did I mention golfing? The winters are all of the above w/snow applied. We save our big funds for our big trips like to WDW and since my dd12 will be in High School in 2 yrs ... and I refuse to go to WDW in the Summer or busiest times ... who knows, maybe a summer cruise or ?

San Diego is a nice spot too ... relaxing from the beach aspect and busy with Sea World, Legoland & zoo's and about 1.5 - 2 hours from Disneyland.

Good luck and enjoy exploring the net for a world of ideas ... I love that part.

 

[dixielander]

We vacationed in Carlsbad California in August, and I fell in love with the West Coast. We even had three children with us, and had plenty to do, WITHOUT theme parks.

The beaches are fantastic, even my husband, who was NEVER a "beach lover", had a great time. He loved being near the Pacific. Also, the scenery is beautiful everywhere.

The shopping is like nothing else I've seen, (LaJolla) oh yeah!

And San Diego itself is a great city, for people watching... it's neat to watch the big cruise ships come in to the harbor.

And of course, the Zoo, everyone has to see the San Diego Zoo.

I would recommend San Diego to Anyone!

 

[RobinMarie]

We really enjoyed Sedona, AZ this year - still hot as heck but not as muggy! Beautiful mountains, great hiking, quaint town and lots to see! A different sort of magic, more spiritual!

 

[Figaro]

I love reading about all of the other wonderful vacation spots. Helps give me ideas for different vacations. On our non-Disney years, we go to Puerto Vallarta. We visited friends who own a timeshare and loved it so much that we bought a timeshare ourselves. The weather in the winter is low 80's during the days, 60's at night and no rain. Puerto Vallarta is an old fishing village located in the "Mexican Rivieria" and it is quite lovely. Plus the people there are just so incredibly nice and we really appreciated that.

 

[disneysteve]

I don't understand the OP's question. What is a "non WDW year"? LOL

Truly no such thing in our household. As for where we go on our other vacations, recent years have taken us to:

Massachussets this summer. 5 days in Boston area, 4 in Springfield area. Tons of fun stuff to do all over the state. Highly recommend it.

Old Town Alexandria and Washington, DC last summer. Of course, lots to do in DC and the best part is much of it is free.

Carnival cruise to Eastern Caribbean in Oct. 2001. This was our first cruise and we loved every second of it. Always something to do. Always something to eat. Got to see neat stuff in each port. And the cost was a great value.

Niagra Falls Canada Summer 2001. This was also a great trip. We all enjoyed ourselves. Nature, fun, shopping, etc. Something for everyone. We combined that with a few days in the Buffalo, NY area doing some siteseeing also. Lots of hidden treasures up there.

Steve

 

[Lisa P.]

...is there anywhere you can find the great theming and that "magic" thanks so much in advance!

Leigh123, what constitutes "magic" to you? Disney characters, piped music, pretty landscaping & night lighting, shuttle buses, friendly service, attractive buildings, gorgeous water views??? What kind of theme sounds appealing?

If you are looking for the real thing and not just mock-ups with the illusion of the real thing... then go to the source! For incredible natural beauty, visit the Nat'l Parks... Yellowstone/WY, Yosemite/CA, Grand Canyon/AZ, Acadia/ME, Smokies/TN, Volcano/HI, Rockies, etc. Most have some fun, local, touristy sights, sports, lodging, music & food offerings. Ex., Flagstaff, AZ has Black Bart's. If your budget is substantial, try a dude ranch or a white water rafting trip.

If you want international flavor, visit any of the great cities or regions of Europe, complete with castle tours or wine-tasting/cooking lessons. AAA offers some of these. Try something really different from the U.S., like Venice or Amsterdam or Munich or Prague. Visit the Parthenon in Athens and side trip to see the Temple of Poseidon - wow, what an ocean view! Or enjoy the friendly service & festive live music at a great Mexican resort. Don't overlook the old section of Quebec! Or a cruise to Alaska!

If you want to try something more urban within driving distance of PA, consider Boston, NYC, Wash DC, Wmsbg or Charleston SC. Some of these offer horse drawn carriage rides, guided tours, romantic restored hotels or B&Bs. All of them have tons of museums (for adults or children), live entertainment, diverse opportunities for fun sports, etc.

If you want something more all-inclusive, look for a large, complete resort that encourages you to spend all your time there, like Smuggler's Notch in VT or plan a trip that's split between a couple of resorts, each with a meals/sports package. Enjoy golf, clubhouse & spa facilities, horseback riding, children's programs, etc., without leaving the resort. Club Med-type places do still exist.

Wherever you go, do something you've never done before. Try a whale-watch or a dolphin-watch boat ride (depending on where you go) or a sailing or deep sea fishing adventure. Get a massage or body wrap. Learn to cook something new. Sit by a huge fireplace or on a wraparound porch with a view and read, whether it's under Spanish moss and live oaks, mountain pine forest, along a foggy, craggy lighthouse beach or overlooking a desert landscape. Definitely try something new.

The options are really endless. Just browse the travel section at a bookstore! With our kids, we've visited Boston, NYC, Poconos, Hershey, Wash DC, Wmsbg, Myrtle Beach, HHI, Gatlinburg/PF/Smokies, Atlanta, Orlando, Marco Is. - and will or would return to any of them for the right situation. Next year, we're looking forward to Nashville, Smokies (yet again, love that area), Grand Canyon/AZ. In the next few years, we're hoping for visits to Branson, Ft Lauderdale, Acadia/ME, S. Calif., Hawaii, Germany, and of course, Orlando. Ah, vacations!

We do enjoy Orlando but I just cannot imagine limiting our family to only Orlando vacations. When you plan a new destination, try to get excited about what it has to offer in its own right. If you spend the whole time comparing it to Disney, on Disney's terms (what they do well), your trip will be spent in "2nd best" mode. It'd be the same if you loved traveling to Venice and then went to Epcot and compared what you found in the lil' ol' Italy pavilion. Give something new a chance. WDW will still be there for a happy reunion later.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Not to brag, but disneysteve has it right! TONS to do in the Niagara Falls area, especially if you stay on the Canadian Side. There's a Rainforest Cafe, and a Planet Hollywood, so you can get that Downtown Disney feel.

But seriously, there's lots of wax museums, fun houses, horror houses, arcades...lots of stuff to do, and the falls are literally within walking distance to most of the hotels in the area. There's also a big new complex built by Hershey. I'm not entirely sure what's inside, but it looks pretty neat!

If you then cross the bridge, and travel the short 15-20 minutes to Buffalo, there IS a lot to do here. The architecture is among some of the best in the country, and where else can you have true Buffalo Wings? (Just stay away from the anchor bar...you can get them MUCH better elsewhere in the city!) We get first rate Broadway tours, and within any 1 mile radius, you have probably 25-30 different restaurants to choose from, and that's not an exaggeration.

New York City is my personal second favorite vacation spot. TONS of shopping, entertainment, and nightlife.

I've always wanted to tour the California coast. But if Disney is COMPLETLELY out of the question, I'd have to postpone the trip, but I would love to visit San Diego, Disneyland, Los Angeles, and then go up north to San Francisco and the bay area.

The Dells, Wisconsin is actually a good place to visit to. It's a resort community, so they have tons of different things to do. My fiancée stayed here when she went for a family reunion.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by SnackyStacky
Not to brag, but disneysteve has it right! TONS to do in the Niagara Falls area, especially if you stay on the Canadian Side. There's a Rainforest Cafe, and a Planet Hollywood, so you can get that Downtown Disney feel.

But seriously, there's lots of wax museums, fun houses, horror houses, arcades...lots of stuff to do, and the falls are literally within walking distance to most of the hotels in the area. There's also a big new complex built by Hershey. I'm not entirely sure what's inside, but it looks pretty neat!

If you then cross the bridge, and travel the short 15-20 minutes to Buffalo, there IS a lot to do here.

The Hershey store is pretty large and features all your favorite Hershey items. We visit Hershey, PA once or twice a year, so it wasn't quite as impressive to us, but still a neat place to visit while you're there.

For the grownups, Niagara Falls also has casino gambling now, also within walking distance.

On the NY side, we went to the All American Kazoo company where you can watch them make the only metal kazoos made in this country. We went to a carousel factory. We went to the observation deck on top of Bufffalo City Hall.

I'll also 2nd the recommendation to do NYC. Tons to do there, as is true of many major cities. We've also had a wonderful trip to Pittsburgh, PA - Kennywood is one of our favorite amusement parks. And don't forget Las Vegas. It is NOT a family resort in the way they'd like you to think, but it is the only place we've ever been that comes close to Disney in terms of theming. You could spend days just exploring all the newer hotels. The Venetian matches or exceeds the best Disney has to offer. Not much for the really little ones, but plenty to attract older kids.

Steve

 

[Kevs mom]

Another vote for Niagara Falls - we went this past summer and stayed on the Canadian side and all the kids can talk about is going back there (I told my parents I almost think they had more fun there then anywhere else they have ever been!) We definetly will visit there again someday

 

[Kevenswife2]

We usually take a few days off here and there and do the local things. Amusement parks, zoos, waterparks, etc. Just going out of town and staying in a hotel with a pool can feel like a vacation (okay, not the same as Disney, but maybe a little more relaxing).

 

[DVC California]

...Vegas Baby!

You want themeing...they have Pirate Ships, Erupting Volcanoes, Dancing Fountains, Pyramids, Castles, Circuses, the New York skyline, the canals of Venice and the Eiffel Tower.

You want nightlife...they have fine dining, elaborate buffets, spectacular stage shows, incredible magicians, funny comedians, and popular dance clubs.

You want shopping...in addition to the Beverly Hills Rodeo Drive shops in most of the resorts, there is a great Outlet Mall right outside the city, with great discounts.

You want to soak up some sun and splash by the pool...some resorts (MGM and Mandalay Bay) have feature pools that are comparable (or better) to Storm-a-Long Bay at the Beach Club, with lazy rivers and tide pools.

HTH, Steve

Oh, BTW, they have gambling too.

 

[IloveDMB]

Might I suggest Key West? We are trying to visit all the beach spots in Florida and out of the few we've visited, our favorite is Key West. It's the cutest little town. We went on a sunset glass-bottom boat cruise because they are known for the sunset down there.

I think every evening they have a sunset celebration in Mallory Square. It's a nice little fair with street performers and local vendors. Definitely occupied us for the evening.

And if you like seafood, this is the place to go. All the restaurants that we ate at had their own fishing companies so our food was basically brought off the boat and into the kitchen. And everything was so good!

You can also visit the southernmost point in the US. It's kind of cool. From that point you are only like 90 miles from Cuba. You can also visit Ernest Hemingway's house.

And if you like to enjoy a cocktail, there is Duval Street, which is just lined with bars and restaurants.

There is so much to do in Key West. We stayed at the Marriott and enjoyed the pool during the day and downtown at night. I def. recommend Key West.