Taking a Day off in Disney

We will be in Disney for 7 days, but only five to fully enjoy. I am not counting the day we arrive or the day we leave. We are going in two weeks. I want a day off from the parks in the middle of the vacation so that the kids can have enough energy to keep up with the week. What can I do with them to keep the busy? The pool may or may not be an option since February's temps are unpredictable. I am open to suggestions.

Taking a Day off in Disney

We are also going to FL 2 weeks, so can't depend on the pools. How old are your children? There are some other Disney activities your kids can do. The Pirate Cruise is fun, it leaves from a few different resorts in the AM. My son loved it when he was younger. I'm signing my DD up for the Wonderland Tea Party at the Grand Floridian. It features Alice and Mad Hatter. It looks cute. Mini Golf is fun, and hanging out in Downtown Disney will keep you busy.

Taking a Day off in Disney

Also you could go to Ft. Wilderness campground and check out the animals and go on a pony ride.

Re: Taking a Day off in Disney

I;ve been thinking about this, too because we go in 3 weeks. I was gonna say downtown Disney is fun to walk around... they have a lego store if I remember right, which is cool. Fort Wilderness campground (where we're staying) has a petting zoo, pony rides, rents bikes, a couple playgrounds.
Also just going to some of the hotels is to walk around is neat, too. Pop Century has all kinds of cool HUGE figures to look at (huge mr. potato head, huge big wheels, rubix cube). And the Art of Animation I hear has some cool stuff to look at (haven't been there yet)

Re: Taking a Day off in Disney

Character meal at one of the resorts
Downtown Disney
We rode bikes at the Boardwalk and the boys loved it.
We usually visit 2 resorts to eat/play. We usually do this on departure day though.

I don't know if you will have a rental car but we did an outing to Celebration. This was during Christmas season though so there were a lot of festivities - train ride, fake snow, caroling, etc.

Message edited 2/4/2014 7:43:34 AM.

Re: Taking a Day off in Disney

we took a day off. We stayed in a condo, and there was a waterpark inside the complex. We stayed there one ady and just hung around. It is a lot of work walking around all the parks all day. You need a day to relax.

Re: Taking a Day off in Disney

When I was younger I remember on the day we didn't go to the park we relaxed, went to play miniture golf, and went to downtown disney for dinner and shopping.

Re: Taking a Day off in Disney

Where are you staying?

For example POR has surrey bikes for rent that is a great family activity. Boat rentals, fishing (catch and release), marshmallow roasting at night, movies under the stars.

Other resorts have these same actives or other activities. Pool if it is warm enough (they are heated).

DTD is always an option. Go walk around, have lunch at TREX or rainforest cafe.

Re: Taking a Day off in Disney

How old are the kids? Downtown Disney has a great dine-in movie theater and a fun bowling alley. You could also go play mini golf.

Go to the petting zoo at Fort Wilderness. Rent boats on bay lake. There's always something to do and not enough time to get it done!

Taking a Day off in Disney

These are all great ideas! I forgot to mention that DD is 5 and DS is 3. Mini golf is awesome. How do I find out about this and bowling? They would love the petting zoo too. Id there an additional fee or is it open to anyone staying on the resorts. I feel like I visit the website daily but yet I never saw these options. DD is looking forward to going to the Lego Store. She saw the commercial on Disney Jr. and now she wants to make Jake's pirate ship!

Re: Taking a Day off in Disney

Re: Taking a Day off in Disney

There are two mini golf courses. There is a separate charge for playing but it's not much. The front desk will have the info or you can look under activities on the Disney website. As far as the fort wilderness petting zoo, go to the Disney website and over to the fort's page. It will be listed there. It is open to anyone. The bowling alley is located in downtown Disney. Again they have all the info on the website.

Re: Taking a Day off in Disney

There are several things at the hotel itself at CS to do.

The marina is only open seasonal but you could to another hotel if you want to rent a boat. I believe they have surrey bikes to rent (family bikes), they do offer pool activities if the weather is nice. There is a fun looking playground ( modeled after an archeology dig). There are two arcades as well. Nights have a pool side campfire and movies under the stars.

There are two mini golf places on property. They might be hard to get to without a car though. I believe if you got a package they give some sort of coupon for it.

DTD is always a choice. I second the rec or the pirates cruise. I think it for ages 4+.

Taking a Day off in Disney

I love "days off" at Disney!

You can rent boats, do fishing excursions, play mini golf, visit Fort Wilderness, check out arcades, go bowling at Downtown Disney, camp fires, movies by the pool... fire works cruises...
horseback riding, visit Animal Kingdom Lodge and participate in all of the fun activities they have their for free. A lot of cool educational programs about the animals and Africa in general.
There are also organized activities at a lot of the resorts throughout the week like ceramics, tye dye, etc.

Kerri Hill
www.TravelKerri.com

Re: Taking a Day off in Disney

Will you have a car? We did it the first time we went and we used the day to visit a bunch of resorts. It was also Xmas time, so we wanted to see the decorations.

Taking a Day off in Disney

There is a cool miniature golf course place called Winter Summerland.

Re: Taking a Day off in Disney

The mini golf courses are not cheap. They are like $15 per person. I would just let your kids play while you watch. If you booked a package, there are usually coupons in the book you receive in the mail.

To get to Winter Summerland, you take the Animal Kingdom/Blizzard Beach bus (it's next to Blizzard Beach). To get to Fantasia Gardens, you take a bus to the Swam/Dolphin from DTD, or the parks.