Would you, Could you, Do no parks?? - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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There is still a lot to see and places to visit in WDW without going into the parks. We have not done that yet but I am sure we will sometime. I have never stayed off property but I figure you can stay in a Hilton anywhere but not at WDW. We were just at Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral and were not impressed with the area. Passing through is about all I would want to do there.
I have to agree with previous posters, I'd hate to not have at least one day in the magic kingdom. Could you negotiate with your husband about staying at a moderate or value resort instead and spending one day at Magic Kingdom?
I was just talking about this last night with a friend. I could totally do no parks if I was in a swanky hotel. I usually go for the values, and a fancy hotel with a view of the fireworks would be a good compromise for me. Especially on the busier park times.
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I would love to be in the Disney bubble and would be fine with skipping the parks. I could do it. I love all the resorts. I'd enjoy what the resort offers, shop at DTD, watch Wishes from the Poly with a Dole Whip from Cpt. Cooke's, ride the monorail loops, ride the boats from the MK to Fort Wilderness, walk around the boardwalk and I believe that you can see some of Illuminations from the bridge around the boardwalk. You could also look into doing a fireworks cruise. (on the Dis they have people that sign up to share a boat so you choose to share the cost) There is so much fun to be had with renting boats, mini-golf, horse back riding, Segway tours at FWilderness, dining, shows like HDDR and La Nouba...you could spend a week without even going into the parks.
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It would be hard, to do. But if you can forgo the parks, I'd stay at AKL. Has a great pool, the animals, various activities. Evening Cultural exchanges, Culinary tours, evening viewing of savana with night vision scopes. Story telling around the fire. It could be a destination in itself.
But maybe if you stayed in a mod, you could afford a 3 day ticket? Maybe thru Undercover tourist? lol!
2nd choice would be Cocoa Beach. We like The Hampton Inn. My dds love Ron Jons surf shop, and surf school! They weren't crazy about KSC. I think you either love it or not. There were parts they enjoyed.
We absolutely HAVE done time at Disney without parks! In 2007 we spent 2days/2 nights there as a rest stop between home and our final destination and never went to a park (coincidentally this was the year we managed to do the DVC tour, and purchased!...if we had done a park this would not have happened). What we did was eat in some of our fave resort restaurants: those on the monorail line (Chef Mickey breakfast, Kona Cafe' at Poly for a dinner) which meant we did get to ride the loop, and even rode the loop through EPCOT once on that monorail, and we spent time at Pucks cafe' DTD restaurant, we spent some time enjoying the resort amenities (we stayed at Port Orleans), swam in pool, relaxed, shopped at DTD, and of course as stated earlier, and as a final touch on the 2nd day we toured DVC and used some of the time to purchase!
We still enjoyed the magic, just never went into a park (although I did kinda feel a bit let down as to no park time for a minute or two at first )...I managed to "make do" with getting into DVC! Then we drove on down to Miami beach for our "real" vacation time that year.
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Last edited by disneygramma; 01-01-2011 at 08:13 PM..
Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice!! It is great to have so many opinions and points of view.......helps to think through the process!!!
After reading your posts to DH, he has surcome to the WDW Bubble!! It would really be a shame not to visit the world when we are going to be so close!! However, which resort to choose will be the hard part because it will all depend on the number of nights (time after cruise until flight leaves) and what types of discounts will be available at the time. I do know that the best option (or at least my dream option) would be to stay at BC with at least one park day but we would really need a great discount. So a more realistic option is probably AKL with no park days or maybe just one depending on the discounts. I agree that WL would be to close to MK and hard to ignore the Park idea but we will list it on our Resort touring list. We are not much for Value resorts (sorry, don't mean to be a snob but I just don't like the wild theming) but a Moderate could be a possiblility too.
I know we could do a two or even a 3 night stay with no parks at AKL!! It is removed enough so it wouldn't be that noticable and has a lot to offer for fun and activities. We would more than like book supper at POLY (our favorite) so we could take in the resort and watch wishes one evening. A day of resort hopping with desserts, snacks, ect., sounds like fun and DTD can occupy our time for quit a while. (We'll stay away from the DVC tours....... way to tempting!) These are things we never got to do our last trip because we spent so much time in the Parks that we never really made it out to do anything else.
Keep the tips and advice coming...........I love reading your opinions!!
I could do it as an adult, but I think it would be harder with kids...seeing their poor little sad faces as we passed by the parks on the monorail, awww.
AKL is a really good suggestion because at least like everyone said, you can't see the parks form there, and there's so much stuff to do right at the hotel.
Another fun one, if your family is into outdoorsy stuff is Fort Wilderness! It's not posh, but there's tons of stuff to do in the campground and nearby Wilderness Lodge without having to gaze longingly at MK...
i didn't vote because they are ALL good ideas--i see why you are torn. pros and cons of each (in my humble and inexperienced opinion):
1. Stay within WDW (CSR, AK or WL) but do NO parks. Spend our time at the resort, DTD (possible DQ visit) and Resort touring.
Pros: You will have a nice pool area and access to Disney transport. I'd pick AK for 'stuff to do' and remoteness or WL for access to monorail/boat resorts. I see no reason for CSR.
Cons: Cost. Proximity to parks.
2. Stay at a DTD hotel with NO parks spending our time DTD and Resort touring.
Pros: possibly cheaper than a disney resort--but maybe not, depending upon deals offered at disney.
Cons: less easy to resort tour.
3. Stay at a Port Hotel and tour Kennedy Space Center and Cocoa Beach.
Pros: Probably the least expensive option. Ability to explore new area. No park temptation. Both places are supposed to be really great.
Cons: ??? I cannot think of any.
ok--clearly now i have to vote for option 3!
either way--have a great trip!
EDIT: i didn't see this quote from you before i posted: "These are things we never got to do our last trip because we spent so much time in the Parks that we never really made it out to do anything else." and that's a VERY good point. very, very good.
i would like to also add, however, that my husband and i did a 'let's explore the port city we're cruising from' for our honeymoon, and it turned out to be the BEST decision ever--we spent three days in vancouver before our alaska cruise; we would NEVER have gone to vancouver in a million years on our own, and yet five years and many travels later it remains our favorite city on the earth. so i'm sticking by my #3 vote...with 'if i could vote twice' vote for #1!
I have never done a Disney cruise or stayed at a Deluxe resort but....... As long as the cruise was first, Ithink I could stay at a resort without going to a park. After getting off a relaxing cruise, I wouldn't want the hustle and bustle that goes along with spending a day in a park. I would want to stay relaxed before I had to go home.
As a lot of posters mentioned, there is so much to do in the World that you could do all the other things that you overlook or don't take the time to do while spending time in the parks.
I would do AKL or WL as these are 2 of my choices for my trip this year. (Hopefully everything will work out so that I can do it)
Here's wishing you get a GREAT discount so you can have a total dream vacation!!!
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with getting into DVC! Then we drove on down to Miami beach for our "real" vacation time that year.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice!! It is great to have so many opinions and points of view.......helps to think through the process!!!
It would really be a shame not to visit the world when we are going to be so close!! However, which resort to choose will be the hard part because it will all depend on the number of nights (time after cruise until flight leaves) and what types of discounts will be available at the time. I do know that the best option (or at least my dream option) would be to stay at BC with at least one park day but we would really need a great discount. So a more realistic option is probably AKL with no park days or maybe just one depending on the discounts. 
I agree that WL would be to close to MK and hard to ignore the Park idea but we will list it on our Resort touring list. We are not much for Value resorts (sorry, don't mean to be a snob but I just don't like the wild theming) but a Moderate could be a possiblility too.
favorite) so we could take in the resort and watch wishes one evening. A day of resort hopping with desserts, snacks, ect., sounds like fun and DTD can occupy our time for quit a while. (We'll stay away from the DVC tours.......
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