Is Disney Quest worth it in our case? Any relaxing things to do out of park?

[KAAAAAHN]

The prices don't look bad ... so that isn't the issue really. The issue is that we are taking a rest day in the middle of our stay but that doesn't mean watch TV all day.

So, here's what we are doing. We are staying at a moderate hotel when we arrive to the Disney area and we are doing a water park on day one. On day two we are taking an easy day. Days 3,4,5 and 6 are the major parks (AK, MK, Epcot and HS) as we move to a deluxe hotel.

Those last 4 days alone would turn my kids into tired messes on day 4 (we've done it before). That's why we are taking an easy recovery day on day 2 after the water park day.

Right now the plan on day 2 is to do one of the miniature golf courses and swim at the hotel pool. Have a relaxing dinner and go to bed early. Is Disney Quest a relaxing experience that we could do some time during the day? Is there a time frame we should get there by? And how long should we expect to be there? Will the kids like it?

So long as it is relaxing, I think we'll add it on to the itinerary.

Thanks for the advice. Also .... if there are any secret relaxing things to do in the area, let us know.

EDIT: I should add that we arrive on day "0". We plan on doing TDT in the afternoon so I really want to not go there again on day 2.

 

[AndyS2992]

DisneyQuest is anything but relaxing. The stresses of constant waiting, being pushed and shoved around, people playing games over and over not letting you have a turn despite they know you are waiting, it is very noisy inside and can get crowded during the day especially on rainy days and days that are extremely hot. Guests can be extremely rude and self entitled inside so be careful of that.

The place is also pretty run down unfortunately and is not really worth the price, unless you have it included on your ticket then go for it. We usually only stay for about two hours at most as that is all we can take.

If you love arcades and video games then go ahead and try it but if not then it is best avoided.

 

[KAAAAAHN]

Wow, just read this thread:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/great-disney-quest-article.880623/

ya, I think it is an avoid ....

Any advice on what we can do?

 

[Tom Morrow]

Well, you could just browse Downtown Disney. It doesn't generally get super busy and active until the evening.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Good choice to avoid if you want relaxing atmosphere. My DS enjoyed Disney Quest but he was in 7th heaven playing all the games he could get to. I was horrified by the rudeness exhibited by the throngs of out of controlled, no manners, pandemonium on every floor. By the time my DS was done I swore I'd NEVER go back.
As another alternative, how about Splitsville bowling? I have never tried it, because it wouldnt interest me but it has gotten good reviews and is family entertainment.

 

[disney4life2008]

When I used to go to DQ it always smelled like cheese and feet. Though, I may be negatively biased because of that horrid one that existed here in Chicago. I always find it relaxing to go to DD and walk around the shops and window shop. And cap it off with Ghirardelli's

 

[Tom Morrow]

When I used to go to DQ it always smelled like cheese and feet. Though, I may be negatively biased because of that horrid one that existed here in Chicago.

I was able to visit the Chicago one. They were nearly identical.

 

[disney4life2008]

I was able to visit the Chicago one. They were nearly identical.

Identical - yes. But I just never got accustomed to it.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

I was able to visit the Chicago one. They were nearly identical.

Ah Yes Now it's a Room & Board Furniture store and the layout is eerie as it still has the 2 elevators to the 3rd floor in the center of the building...And no there is no Genie...

And Just so you remember what it did look like...

 

[MMlvr]

Disney Quest is not worth it. We went last year to check it out and it was nothing to get excited about. Games I thought needed updating and the only floor worth going to was the first floor. But that's just me.

 

[Nero the dog]

I love retro video games and coming from the UK it is part of our ticket package (as is mini golf and oakleaf golf course) so me and the kids usually spend at least one evening of our 2 weeks in there.
I would NOT pay a separate admission for it.

 

[belledream]

Wow, just read this thread:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/great-disney-quest-article.880623/

ya, I think it is an avoid ....

Any advice on what we can do?

You could go minigolfing at either Fantasia Gardens (near Swan & Dolphin) or Winter Summerland (Blizzard Beach). You could also go resort hopping around the EPCOT resort area. Rent surrey bikes, eat at Beaches N Cream, ride the Friendship boats around, etc.

 

[HappilyEverAfter71]

My family did DQ once just because we'd never done it before and will probably never do it again (and this is coming from 2 video game lovers in the family). Many of the games have a very outdated feel to them and you have to wait quite a bit for some of them and overall it's not really worth it. I agree that it would be best just to browse around Downtown Disney.

 

[EOD K9]

I would avoid it. When I was younger, if we wanted to play, we would leave a quarter on the top of the game as a place keeper. Being as the games are free, people just keep playing and playing. They also closed the Cheesecake Factory there. It's just not the same anymore. As others have said, go resort hopping, rent surrey bikes, maybe rent a water sprite or pontoon boat. Go sit on a swing at Beach Club. Go take a DVC tour. My wife and I were there in March for four days and hit the parks for one day. The other days were just spent enjoying our time away from reality.

 

[Kuzcotopia]

It was very much not worth it. You said you were in a moderate on that day. Which one? As others have said, there can be alot of activities there that are expensive, but still cheaper than DisneyQuest.

 

[KAAAAAHN]

Port Orleans Riverside is the moderate that we are staying at. The other Port Orleans is accessible to us as far as i understand.

 

[slappy magoo]

Before having kids, my wife and I usually did it once a trip (twice if weather was lousy), but even then we noticed the quality slipping trip by trip. And our last time there was maybe 7 years ago. I've read nothing to make me think they've spruced it up at all or added anything new. In fact the main reason my wife liked to go there was there was a selection of Cheesecake Factory items inside, which is no longer the case.

It was fun on the days when it wasn't crowded, but there's nothing there I would consider worth more than a 10 minute wait. And the promise of using the modular design to keep swapping out new attractions as technology improved seemed to have largely gone unfulfilled. The original plan was to have a chain of these, so the R&D costs wouldn't seem so awful as they would then put the same identical attractions in each location. Once they put the kibosh on growing these outside of WDW, nothing new was ever added.

I second mini golf (I prefer Fantasia Gardens), some more time by the pool...I'm sure you can go to the movies in your neck of the woods, but the multiplex at DtD has a restaurant theater where you could enjoy a meal while you watch the movie. Or go to one of the parks that second day, take a day off once you move to a deluxe and take advantage of the amenities offered there.