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Walt Disney World isn't just about the rides and attractions, in fact, spending all day every day in the parks is exhausting and likely to lead to meltdowns, especially if you're staying for longer than 2-3 days. Therefore, we recommend taking some time out from the parks, but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop. There are plenty of non-park activities to keep everyone entertained and they provide a great opportunity to explore the area further. Here we highlight our top 5.
1. Pool Time
If you're staying at a Disney Resort, spending some time enjoying the hotel pool is an ideal non-park activity. The amenities on offer vary between the different hotels - from slides and splash zones to hot tubs and children's play areas. Deluxe resorts tend to boast the more exciting pool complexes, but as a minimum, you can expect a large pool and sunbeds, as well as a food court and/or bar nearby.
It's worth knowing that Disney Resort pools are strictly for guests residing at that particular hotel. Even if you're staying at a different Disney resort, you won't have access to the pool areas of other Disney hotels. To ensure these rules are adhered to, many pools are gated and require a Magic Band to gain entry.
Guests of the numerous nearby off-site hotels, private villas or townhouses, are bound to have access to a pool of their own to use when wishing to factor some pool time in to the day between park visits. If you're staying off-site and are looking for water fun within the Walt Disney World area, there's also the 2 water parks which are open to anyone with a valid ticket.
If you're visiting the Blizzard Beach water park, you can even try your hand at a round of mini golf on the Winter Summerland course located adjacent to the park entrance. As we've not wished to stand in the blazing heat of the exposed course here, or over at the Fantasia Gardens mini golf course, we haven't challenged each other to a round yet, but this is another potential non-park activity to consider.
2. Explore the Disney Resorts
Although the pools are out of bounds, you are always welcome to enjoy the other facilities available at the various Disney Resorts - particularly the restaurants, bars and shops. Some non-park restaurants offer character dining, so you can get your daily Disney fix by meeting some of the best loved Disney characters without stepping foot in the parks.
Many resorts also offering extra activities, from drawing classes and scavengers hunts, to drum playing and even horse drawn carriage rides. This is a fabulous way to explore the different hotel amenities, and we've had fun doing this on a number of occasions.
Some of our favourite resorts to visit are:
Animal Kingdom Lodge: arguably the resort offering the largest selection of activities - from viewing the animals, to bead challenges, and even a free culinary tour of the two resort restaurants, Jiko & Boma.
Port Orleans Riverside: Where you're invited to embark on a scavenger hunt, back porch games, or test your drawing skills. For an extra fee, you can hire a bike, or even a horse drawn carriage, to explore the resort further. And no evening visit to Port Orleans Riverside would be complete without grabbing a drink from the bar and witnessing the hilarious antics of Yehaa Bob in the River Roost Lounge.
Polynesian Resort: Ideal for evening entertainment, along with Hula lessons and the daily torch lighting ceremony, one of the resort highlights is viewing the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the Polynesian Village beach - something we did after dining at one of the hotel restaurants, timing it perfectly to catch the Electrical Water Pageant, which passes by nightly just before the fireworks start. You can also see this from the Grand Floridian and Contemporary Resort, so if you're in this area during the evening, it's definitely worth a watch.
Other fabulous evening entertainment offered at the Walt Disney World resorts include Campfire activities enabling you to toast your own marshmallows, as well as Movies Under the Stars - grab a seat and watch one of the many Disney classics played out on the big screen.
More information on the particular activities available at each resort, plus times, and whether an additional fee is required, can be found on the Walt Disney World website.
3. Ride the Monorail, Friendship Boats and Skyliner
Exploring the Disney Resorts, can be made even more exciting if done via monorail, boats, or brand new Disney Skyliner, which all travel to and from various locations.
Ride the monorail between Magic Kingdom and Epcot, to experience travelling above the road and glance a birds eye view of some Epcot areas from this monorail route. Alternatively, do as we did one afternoon, and jump aboard the resort monorail which takes you from the Transportation & Ticket Center to Polynesian Village, Grand Floridian and Contemporary Resort. Stopping off at each resort, we relaxed with a drink overlooking the Seven Seas Lagoon at the outdoor bar area of Polynesian Village, before perusing the shops of the Grand Floridian, then eating a meal at Contemporary Resort, taking in the view of Magic Kingdom from the hotel balcony before wandering over to the park itself for the evening.
If you'd prefer a water taxi, hop on one of the many boats travelling along the waterways of Walt Disney World. You can find these cruising around Crescent Lake between Epcot and Hollywood Studios, calling at Swan/Dolphin, Beach Club/Yacht Club, Boardwalk and the International Gateway of Epcot. On the Seven Seas Lagoon carrying passengers from Wilderness Lodge, Polynesian Village and Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom, or along the Sassagoula River ferrying guests to and from Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, Port Orleans French Quarter and Port Orleans Riverside to nearby Disney Springs.
Or you could experience Disney's brand new Skyliner system, which transports guests between Epcot and Hollywood Studios, with stops at Disney's Art of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach, and Riviera Resorts.
4. Disney Springs
Whether you arrive by boat, bus or car, Disney Springs is another fabulous location to spend some time away from the parks.
Located at one end of Walt Disney World, Disney Springs consists of a wide selection of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. As well as the huge World of Disney Store, plus other smaller Disney boutiques, you'll also find a number of high street names. Kids will love the chance to show off their creative skills at the Lego Store, grab a cupcake from the Sprinkles ATM, or sample some of the largest selection of Coca-Cola products at the rooftop bar.
There are also a mixture of table service restaurants, plus, what we deem to be, some of the best counter service locations on property, alongside various exciting snack kiosks.
For entertainment, there's also a cinema, bowling lanes and the famous Cirque du Soleil spectacular.
Click on the image to see our Disney Springs guide:
5. Boardwalk
For an alternative shopping, dining and entertainment complex, head over to Disney's Boardwalk, where you can enjoy more Disney fun from the impressive street entertainers, pedal your way around Crescent Lake on a surrey bike, dine at one of the restaurants, enjoy a drink at the bars or simply soak up the atmosphere as you wander around the promenade.
Click on the image for our Disney's Boardwalk guide:
So, whether it's relaxing around the pools, exploring the resorts or visiting Disney Springs, there's plenty of fun to be enjoyed at Walt Disney World when taking a break from the parks.
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