As August winds down and September gets ready to make an appearance, within a few weeks the Epcot Food and Wine Festival will be starting. For those of you who are lucky enough to be planning a trip during this especially delicious time of year, don’t overlook the entertainment that is available as well! Sometimes folks will just pop up right beside you as you are walking along, and before you know it, you are clapping, singing, and laughing along. Take these energetic fellows for example: they are the JAMMin’ Chefs, and if you see them setting up their impromptu kitchen, be sure to take a minute to check them out….But I warn you now, watch out or you will find yourself part of the show! 🙂
What to Do at Disney World
Disney World Fun Outside of the Parks
My last post for this month of talking about making the most of your Disney vacation, will discuss all those “other” things that you 
can do at Disney World. Because believe it or not, there are a lot of fun, interesting, and in many cases quite affordable things to do beyond just visiting the parks. (I’ll let you in on a secret: there are so many really cool things to do at Disney World, that is what keeps many folks going back again and again….we have yet to see/do it all.)
One thing I do want to mention at the start is that not all of these things are free or even necessarily inexpensive. But I mention them because one or more may very well appeal to you or your family, and it may be worth a trade-off with something else instead. Planning an affordable Disney vacation is very much about choices: you choose what is most important to you and your family, and make up for it in other areas.
OK? Here we go then, my list of favorite things to do outside of the parks…
- Downtown Disney: Can you imagine an entire area that is pretty much devoted to just eating and shopping? Disney sure has lol! This is a great way to spend an afternoon, evening, or even an entire day if you like. There are lots of great restaurants, many of which participate in the Disney Dining plan so that is nice. There are even more stores….and so this is my caveat to keep this affordable: go with the amount of money you are willing to spend…or willing for your kids to spend. Leave the credit cards back at your room. The enormous World of Disney store is my personal place to buy souvenirs, as they have most of the things you will find in the parks…plus a lot more. (Note that they don’t have EVERYTHING, so if you come across something in your travels that you *must* have, especially if it is unique, you should probably not assume it will be at World of Disney, and just get it when you see it instead.) Now there are a few things that are at Downtown Disney that are not shopping or eating related though. Which brings me to…
- Disney Quest: think video games on Disney Imagineer-induced steroids. If you have teens…especially boys….they will love spending a day here. The admission here is less than a day at the parks, and depending on how you structured your Disney Magic Your Way tickets, you may have the option to visit here without paying extra. While it’s not my personal cup of tea, DH and DD loved it when they visited….although DH ended up with a headache at the end of the day, so if you are not fond of loud noises, then bring the Tylenol with you. 🙂
- Did you know that miniature golf is an option at Disney World? In fact, you have two choices: Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland. Cost for each is $12 per adult and $10 per child ages 3-9.
- To cope with Florida’s heat, think water parks. If you are visiting during the summer months, you may very well want to take a day to visit Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach, Disney’s two fantastic…and very popular….water parks. Both are separate admission, unless you have the “Water Parks and More” option on your tickets. With slides, lazy rivers, and giant pools among other things, each park is guaranteed to cool you off in the most fun way possible. You should note though: the available chairs at each water park do get “taken” relatively early in the day, so if you want to go and just camp out in a chair while your family is on the go, plan to get there when they open.
- Fishing and boating: Yup Disney has these too! With the lakes, lagoons, and canals that are in or near each of the parks and many of the resorts, you will find lots of options for spending time on the water if you like. Whether it is renting a small boat at one of the resorts, or reserving a fishing excursion on Bay Lake, if you want water fun, Disney has it. You can check this out for more information for information on speed boats, or this for information on fishing.
- Rent a bike, four-wheel surrey, or carriage! Several resorts offer this option and some, like the Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness, have the picturesque trails to go with them. Learn more here.
There’s your quick overview of a few more ways to get the most out of your Disney visit. You can check out this page for the full list of all the “other things” Disney World has to offer. While I could easily write an in-depth post about each of these, (and I may at some point!) this will at least give you an idea of what else you can do to have fun at Disney World. Affordable Disney vacations are all about getting value and there are a number of ways that you can add value to your visit without adding significantly to your cost. The bottom line is this: you don’t have to go to the parks every day to have fun at Disney World!
Visiting the Disney World Resorts: Why Taking a Day Off From the Parks Can be FUN
One of the most affordable things to do at Walt Disney World does not involve visiting any of the theme parks. In fact, you could 
easily save the money on a day’s worth of Disney park tickets by planning a day to go resort-hotel hopping. Visiting the many, and varied Disney World hotels can provide a fascinating view of the Disney attention to detail, as well as keep everyone in your family entertained in the process.
Many people don’t realize that you can do this. We didn’t either, until we were visiting one year over the Christmas holidays, and someone suggested that we visit the Gingerbread House at the Grand Floridian. We weren’t staying there, but hey, I’m all for stopping by the Grand Floridian! So we decided to actually make a morning of it, and booked a character breakfast at 1900 Park Faire while there. It was a great morning and we left feeling as if there was a lot to explore at that lovely resort that we had not had a chance to do that morning….and so we wanted to go back again.
And this is the thing: Each of the Disney resorts are fascinating examples of fun design, great themes, and extreme attention to detail. Yet most people really don’t take the time to “see” everything each resort has to offer. We’re all too busy running off to the parks at the crack of dawn, touring commando-style each day, and literally falling into bed each night, too exhausted to notice much more than if mousekeeping provided us with any new towel animals. If we do take the time to explore the resort, it is usually to find one of three things: the pool, food, and the gift shop.
There is so much more to see at each resort!
Just a few examples:
Both the Polynesian and Grand Floridian have lovely beaches with hammocks, chairs, and especially in the case of the Polynesian, a fantastic view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks each evening.
Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness offer miles of trails to wander through, and if you want to be a bit more adventurous, for a fee you can take a Segway tour. Or a carriage ride. Plus Wilderness Lodge has an incredible lobby with totem poles and, in season, big roaring fireplaces. It’s the perfect place to relax in a rocking chair with a good book for a bit. (Don’t worry if the kids don’t feel like relaxing, because there is always a TV with Disney movies playing nearby.)
Another fantastic place to visit has to be the Animal Kingdom lodge. There is an amazing variety of African artwork and design 
spread out all through this beautiful hotel. And even more fun, are the storytellers that share African stories and even crafts throughout the day. Plus there are the animals who are wandering on the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s own savannah: there are observation points spread out around the resort that allow you to spend as much time as you like watching. If your kids love animals, they will love this place.
Then there is the Boardwalk, which has, well, a boardwalk. Lots of fun vendors, games, and performers make this a bustling, busy 
place to spend a few hours. You can also rent a bike or surrey and go across the bridges to the Yacht and Beach Club for another lovely beach, chairs and hammocks.
And these are just a few. I could literally go on and on, there is just so much to see and explore. I know in 12+ visits I still haven’t seen it all. That’s ok it just gives me more reason to go back again. 🙂
Now if you want to do this, but are wondering about your children being bored, do not worry about this. There is something “kid friendly” at every resort: it’s Disney after all. You can make it an adventure getting there by taking the monorail or a boat if available. Look for “hidden Mickeys”. Plan a meal: many of the resorts have their own great restaurants, and some even offer character meals. If you want to do it less expensively, the moderates and value resorts have counter service. Or just get a snack. Disney has lots of great snacks. 🙂
I do want to address one thing that people do ask about when visiting the resorts and that is “pool hopping”: which means swimming in one of the pools at the resort you are visiting. There are some very strong opinions on the subject of “pool hopping” (which I am not going to get into in this post). Whether you agree with the idea or disagree with the idea, you should know that Disney only permits this in the following situations:
- DVC (Disney Vacation Club) members who are staying at one of the DVC resorts on points may pool hop to any other resort pool EXCEPT: Stormalong Bay at the Yacht and Beach Club, the pool at Beach Club Villas, Bay Cove Pool at Bay Lake Tower (Contemporary), and the pools at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
- Guests of the All Star Resorts may visit any other All Star Resort pool.
- Those staying at Port Orleans-Riverside and Port Orleans-French Quarter may use each other’s pool.
- Pool hopping is not likely to be permitted during any of the busy holidays, and you should always check with the front desk of your resort first.
So unless one of the above applies to you, it is best to assume that visiting any of the Disney resorts does NOT include visiting that resort’s pool. 🙂
One last thing to think about: at certain times of the year, visiting the Disney resorts is not only recommended, it is almost mandatory. If you are visiting during the Christmas season, be SURE to make the time to do this. You will not regret it!
OK, your turn! What do you think are the best things to “see” when visiting the Disney resorts?
Travel Tuesday Tales: Our Disney Vacation Accommodation Situation
Thanks for stopping by to read the next chapter of my Travel Tuesday Tales, where I am documenting my experiences planning our next Disney 
World vacation. For the story thus far, check out the Prologue, where I described who is going on the trip and when we will be at Disney.
And now, for today’s episode:
You know, one of the things I have struggled with my entire life is the conflict between my natural tendency to PLAN everything….and, well Life. As in, Life very rarely follows a plan. You think I would know that by now.
When last we spoke, I mentioned that Sunday, May 30 was my day to book our Disney vacation accommodations, since we would be using our Disney Vacation Club points and the earliest I could do it was 7 months out from our check-in date. I also mentioned that we were going to be driving home from western PA at 9 a.m. that morning, when the DVC phones opened, so I was hoping that I would have good reception in the mountains when it was time to call.
Well, the good news is that phone reception was not a problem. The reason for this is because I was not in the mountains. In fact, I was not anywhere near western PA at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 30. I never went to PA with DH at all.
Like I said, Life has a way of doing its thing, in spite of my plans. And Life presented us with a sick dog last week. And a sick dog at home meant someone needed to be with said sick dog at home…which meant me. OK, no problem, I could still call DVC at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 30. And, I could even go to church Sunday morning too, which was a good thing. Because it doesn’t hurt to have the Lord on your side when booking your Disney accommodations. 🙂
The only teensy problem with this plan is that our church services start at 9:15. OK, no problem, so I’d call DVC to book first, and then run into church when I was done….because I DO have my priorities. And the Lord would understand.
So I left early for church, and arrived just at 9 a.m., so that I could call DVC from the comfort of my car, when the lines opened. (I’m sure the rest of the congregation who passed me in my car on the phone with DVC thought I was doing some Very Important Business if I was on the phone in the car before church…which of course I was.)
At the stroke of 9 a.m. I was on the phone with DVC, and explained that I was looking for four nights, in a 2 bedroom, starting Thursday, Dec. 30. Wherever they had room. (In the Prologue, I noted that “Given a choice though, we are going to request Animal Kingdom Lodge or Boardwalk Villas…but I know from experience, I’ll need to have an open mind, and that’s ok too.”) So that’s where we started.
I found out that neither of those two options were available, no big surprise actually. Old Key West and Saratoga Springs were the two places available, and since we just stayed at Saratoga Springs last October, I opted for Old Key West: nowhere close to my first choices, but I was frankly grateful that anything was available. While on the phone with DVC, I then asked to be put on the Waitlist for both Animal Kingdom Lodge and Boardwalk Villas. And I also asked about the possibility of doing a “split stay” where you stay in more than one resort, the thought being that starting with Jan. 1 we would have more options as people start to head home once New Years is over…and so could perhaps get in one of the resorts that we REALLY wanted, at least for a couple of nights. The very nice castmember said we could do that…but I would have to wait until June 1 (7 months out again) to request a different stay for the 2nd two nights.
Right. Forgot about that. OK, well that gave me a couple of days to now discuss the situation with DH and DD to see if they wanted me to try for a split stay. Feeling pretty pleased with myself for accomplishing what I did, I then went to church and thanked the Lord for there being any 2 bedrooms available at all for our vacation, and to pray for our Waitlist to come through. (Please…..I AM kidding here. Sort of.)
So DH arrived home from PA later that afternoon, and I very happily described for him and DD my conversation with the nice castmember at DVC, explained our options, told them what I had booked, our Waitlist, and asked if they wanted me to try for a different place starting on Jan. 1.
DH said no, he didn’t really want to change resorts.
DD said she would love to change resorts.
Thanks guys for the help here.
So we talked and discussed and weighed the pros and cons, and finally agreed that I would give it shot for a different resort on Jan. 1. Maybe try Boardwalk again, maybe Wilderness Lodge.
Cool. I LOVE Wilderness Lodge at Christmas time so that would be worth it to me to switch.
And THEN, DH let me know that he was not too thrilled with Animal Kingdom Lodge and really did not want to stay there AT ALL, and did not understand why I had Waitlisted there and that it is probably the last place he wanted to stay.
Really? Wow. So did not know that. And yes we talk. Apparently not often enough it would seem.
OK then. Tuesday morning June 1, back on the phone I went with DVC to try again.
Availability for two nights starting January 1? How about Wilderness Lodge said the new nice castmember at DVC? You Betcha! said I. Love the location for Boardwalk, but Wilderness Lodge at Christmas is tops in my book.
And happily, DH and DD concur. (DD’s friend doesn’t get a vote here. Sorry. 🙂 )
So despite my plans that changed not once but several times, we’re all good now. We will be staying at Old Key West for our first two nights (unless our Waitlist for Boardwalk Villas comes through for the first two nights…which I’m not holding my breath for.) Then we will move to Wilderness Lodge for the second two nights. And we are no longer Waitlisted for Animal Kingdom Lodge so DH is happy.
Even the dog is better so it’s been a good week all the way around.
What’s Next?
I am scheduled to book our ADRs on July 3 (but maybe doing it a few days earlier). So in advance of that, there is a lot of discussion going on right now about where we want to eat, and when, and just a tad little negotiating and bargaining as well.
My daughter even has made a spreadsheet. 🙂
I have taught her well, don’t you think?
Stay tuned!
Travel Tuesday Tales: A Disney Vacation Prologue
I am probably my happiest when planning a Disney vacation…or at least that’s what my DH tells me. So as we have st
arted to make plans for our next Disney World trip in December, it’s been kind of a happy time around the Affordable Mouse house! 🙂 We’re just in the beginning stages at the moment, but will be making some firm plans within the next week, so it’s been kind of fun discussing the options. As you know if you have picked up my Affordable Disney Vacation Planning Guide, there is a lot of work to do at the beginning, before you book a thing!
Want to come along for the planning ride and see how I do it and what our experiences are like? Then follow along for my new series Travel Tuesday Tales, where I will periodically update you on the progress of our vacation planning. If you are new to planning a Disney vacation, it will give you the chance to see how I go about it. And if you are a Disney veteran, then you may enjoy living a Disney vacation vicariously through someone else….at least I know I sure do lol! 🙂
OK, so this is where we are at the moment.
Who: Myself, DH, DD and friend.
When: December 30 to January 3. Yup, we’re gonna be there for New Year’s Eve! We have done this a few times, and if you want to get some general thoughts on what we will be expecting, you can read this post, as well as a recent blog post I did over at Chip and Co. While we would love to be able to experience Christmas at Disney during a less busy time of year, with DD’s college schedule it is not possible at the moment. We really missed being at Disney over the Christmas season the past several years, so this year, we’re going back again.
Where: That’s the big one right now. We have been Disney Vacation Club owners for a few years now, so will be taking advantage of our points to stay in a DVC 2 bedroom, to accommodate everyone comfortably. Of course, as with everything else this time of year, points don’t go nearly as far as they do at other times of the year…plus we’ll be there over the weekend which cost more points than the rest of the week as well. So it’s a trade-off: more points per day means fewer days. It’s ok, we don’t mind.
Now, at this moment, we don’t know where we’ll be staying because we can’t book until 7 months prior to when we arrive. And I know that since Christmas week is the single busiest week of the year, I’ll happily book whatever is available. Given a choice though, we are going to request Animal Kingdom Lodge or Boardwalk Villas…but I know from experience, I’ll need to have an open mind, and that’s ok too.
What’s Next: My first opportunity to book our stay is this Sunday. Although we’re visiting DH’s family in western PA this weekend, traveling home through a few pesky mountains on Sunday morning will surely not prevent me from being on the phone with DVC Member Services when they open at 9 a.m.! So, as long as DH can find a place where reception is good, we’ll be fine. 🙂
Once I know where we’ll be staying, we’ll start finalizing those Advanced Dining Reservations, because those will be booked at the end of June!
Stay tuned for the next installment. Have a magical day!