Non-Theme Park Things To Do At Disney

Obviously, when you plan a trip to Disney World, you’re going to be visiting the theme parks. And you should try and visit all four of them if you can because each one is so special and unique with different themes and attraction types.

However, if you’re planning an especially long vacation to Disney, sometimes it’s good to have a few days where you take a little break from the parks. They are very over-stimulating (especially to young minds) with so many exciting new adventures to go on. If you just did the parks all day everyday, you and your little ones are likely to start feeling the drain by day 3. That can lead to some crankiness and less than magical feelings on your vacation which really sucks.

You want to get the most out of your vacation, but you also don’t want to over-exert yourself. There are some really great things on Disney property that don’t involve going to one of the super crowded parks.

You can find Nemo and friends at the Big Blue Pool over at the Art of Animation value resort! Sounds like a pretty relaxing day…unless you’re Nemo’s dad I guess. Photo by Scott Thomas on Flickr.

For one thing, you could just take a pool day. All of the pools on Disney property at the resorts are different from one another. The big pool at the Art of Animation resort plays music under water, the All-Star Resorts have different lovable Disney characters squirting water at you, the Yacht and Beach club has this really nifty beach set up complete with sand. I’ve only seen the Yacht and Beach club pool from afar while I was there with roommates going to do the Kitchen Sink Challenge (another fun non-theme park thing to do if you have a big family or at least a big stomach. Not recommended for those who are lactose intolerant). Exploring the other resorts and hanging out by the pool with ice-cream sounds like a pretty relaxing breather day between theme park visits.

As you can see, the Kitchen Sink is a LOT of ice-cream. Delicious, delicious ice-cream. Photo by txcrew on Flickr.

The resorts also have arcades where you can let your kids run around and play games. This is especially nice for parents because most of those arcades also have a little treat for them: massage chairs. Really, really, really good massage chairs. Can’t afford to take a spa day at the Senses Spa at the Grand and Saratoga? Put a few quarters in these massage chairs and you will be just fine. And your kids will still be within your range of sight. Thank you for those massage chairs, Disney.

And, let’s not forget my personal favorite, mini golf. Disney has two mini golf courses: Fantasia Mini Golf and Winter Summerland. While I have never been to Winter Summerland, I absolutely recommend going to play Fantasia Mini Golf. It’s really fun and usually not all that crowded. It’s so much fun to play with friends or family (and to make fun of them every time they hit a ball into the water and have to walk all the way back to the front to get a new ball!)

Fantasia Gardens is a really magical minigolf course! Photo by Joe Shlabotnik on Flickr.

On top of that, don’t forget that the Disney resorts have some pretty spectacular restaurant options including character dining and fireworks views at the deluxe resorts. And you don’t have to be staying at those more expensive resorts to go to their restaurants! And, if you plan on eating at California Grill, try getting a time that will coincide with the fireworks show at Magic Kingdom! The California Grill has the best view of the Magic Kingdom theme park and some really delicious looking food.

And, never underestimate Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney). You can go catch a movie, go shopping, eat at some amazing restaurants (Earl of Sandwich anyone?), and/or visit Disney Quest or Cirque Du Soleil! They’re also apparently getting a cupcake vending machine aka, making all of my dreams come true. A lot of the restaurants have incredible and unique themes such as the Rainforest Cafe (another one is found right by the entrance to Animal Kingdom) and the T-Rex Cafe (which has this really cool ice age room with frozen T-Rex bones inside!) and there is also Iron Chef Morimoto’s restaurant (Morimoto Asia) to satisfy your sushi cravings.

There’s still plenty to do if you aren’t planning on going to a theme park for a day. There’s the pools, the mini golf, the arcade, the restaurants, the spa if you can afford it. Sometimes it’s best to utilize your vacation with at least one day of relaxation on your Disney adventure. I promise you, it will still be a magical day whether you visit the parks or not.

Photo credit: Michael Gray “Walt Disney Grand Floridian Resort Pool” on Flickr