A day without the parks?

nthebulln7

nthebulln7

New Member
Hey guys and gals!
I'm goin down to the world next weekend for a little getaway but i dont have enough money to do anything really. I figured i would just go and hang out at the hotels and D.D., but i was wondering, is there anything else to see and do that doesnt involve cash besides food? and where could i park for free? Just wanting to hear you guys's input! Thanks!
 
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reptar77

reptar77

Well-Known Member
If you are staying on property parking is free. You could walk the boardwalk or Watch wishes from the Poly or Grandflo. If you stand outside of Necrossees you can hear the audio. You can park at the rosorts if you are having dinner there. Downtown Disney parking is free.
 
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nthebulln7

nthebulln7

New Member
Original Poster
Could i just explore the hotels and such? i know i can watch wishes (which i was planning on) but i was wondering if there was anything besides D.D. and Boardwalk.
 
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Hakunamatata

Hakunamatata

Le Meh
nthebulln7 said:
Could i just explore the hotels and such? i know i can watch wishes (which i was planning on) but i was wondering if there was anything besides D.D. and Boardwalk.
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Yes, you can explore the hotels. You can catch a bus from DTD to any Disney resort on property. I would think you could spend a full day exploring the resorts. I have often wanted to do it myself.
 
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E

ELopez

Member
Can you be a little more specific on where you would recommend to watch Wishes (outside of MK)? Is it super crowded (we're going next week)? Is it at least a decent view?

Thanks!
 
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Scooter

Scooter

Well-Known Member
Going to Walt Disney World w/o money?
That's like a 6 year old hanging out in front of a candy store.
Why torture yourself like that?
Save your pennies for a REAL trip some time in the future.
 
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nthebulln7

nthebulln7

New Member
Original Poster
Its not like i have no money at all buti am a college student and i thought it would be cool to explore the hotels and stuff. I don't know, i was just trying to save myself a little cash :)
 
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jjgoo

jjgoo

Member
Good for you for getting a little fun without spending a lot of cash. Exploring DTD is always fun. That's what I usually do on a first or last day. If you are willing to spend a little cash you may want to take the bus from DTD to the Dolfin or Blizzard Beach and play some mini-golf. Go to the GF and watch the boat parade at night. Go to the Beach Club or Boardwalk and watch Illuminations from the walkways.

I would search the boards for thread about what people do on their first or last day when they don't have enough time or don't want to go into the parks right away.

Have a great time!
 
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rlaeromech

rlaeromech

Member
<TABLE class=tborder cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=6 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=thead colSpan=2>Today 07:26</TD></TR><TR title="Post 1849662" vAlign=top><TD class=alt1 align=middle width=125>ELopez</TD><TD class=alt2>Can you be a little more specific on where you would recommend to watch Wishes (outside of MK)? Is it super crowded (we're going next week)? Is it at least a decent view?

Thanks!
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

You can watch them from the Beach at the Polynesian or on the roof of the contemp. hotel which my favorite.
 
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K

kennyj29

Member
I love a day without going to the parks!

I couldn't survive not doing the parks, but we always take at least one day out of our vacation just to do hotel hopping. We have had so much fun on those days, it's really worth it. We have seen every hotel there and it has helped us decide on where we will stay on the next trip....Have you thought about spending a day at the Fort Wilderness Camp Ground? We do the petting zoo (we're all adults), we walk around the grounds, my husband likes to fish so we bring a collapsible pole there to fish in the canals. We love to sit and relax by the rocking chairs, get an ice cream at the store and just relax. We have also gone and played miniature golf which we all love.......Window shopping at DD is always lots of fun. There are so many things to do and I would also suggest parking at Shopping Area. It's easy to get busses to at night and it is definitely free!!!!!
 
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brich

brich

New Member
nthebulln7 said:
Ok, so i love that i can park at DTD for free but how early can i catch a bus from DTD?
Click to expand...

Don't say this to loud.... If this gets misconstrued to mean that your parking at DTD for free and that you would be going to a park, well the WDWMagic bats would fly from the caves and swarm making for a most unpleasant experience...:lookaroun

I know this is not your intention but FYI... :D
 
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Gorjus

Gorjus

Well-Known Member
I'm an expert at this. Long before Florida Resident Passes, I would be assigned to work in the Orlando area for 2 weeks a month. However, I couldn't afford to go in the parks all the time. I do so LOOOVE Florida Resident Seasonal Passes now.

I became very good at getting the most of of the World without spending money.

Downtown Disney
Hotel Hopping
Boardwalk
Fort Wilderness: This can provide you with a whole day's worth of activities including fireworks and the electrical water pagent.
Ride the transportation: boats, monorails, busses. Remember the monorail to EPCOT goes for a spin around the park before it arrives at the station.
Walk from Beach Club to the International Gateway, sit and listen to the music and look at France.
Go to the entrance of each park and sit and listen to the music.

Goodness, there is just a bevy of things to do without spending money.
 
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T

typhoonguy

New Member
Here's something you can try, but because some folks on this board can get nasty, here's a disclaimer
disclaimer: *******The following tip may or may not always work, as it is at the discretion of the security host/hostess at the entrance of the resorts. I have used it on many occasions without a problem, with the FULL KNOWLEDGE of said security host/hostess.*******

Many times, depending on the security host/hostess, you can ask if you can take an hour or two to 'explore' a resort. One of my favorites is the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I make sure the host/hostess knows my intentions, that I wish to take a look at the resort. They usually have no problem with that and will give a short term parking pass, say for an hour or two. There are MANY things to check out at the animal kingdom lodge, coronado springs, the Wilderness lodge, ect ect. A lot of resorts have specialized merchandise shops that are fun to browse through as well. Some have nature trails, walking paths, large lakes or lagoons and much much more. Port Orleans French Quarter is also a very nice place to take a walk through. Here are some other tips for free activities that come to mind:

Take a boatride from DTD to PORFQ, PORRS, or OKW.
Take a ride on the MK ferry
Take a ride on the monorail from Epcot to MK and back
Browse at DTD
Walk around the Boardwalk
Visit the safari at the AK Lodge
View an outdoor movie at Fort Wilderness
(please note on this last one, it is technically for guests staying on WDW property, so I check with the bus driver to make sure it's ok that I do so, and they have never once had a problem with it)
Take a stroll on the beach at the Poly, Contemporary, GF, Fort Wilderness or Wilderness Lodge.
Visit Francs wedding planning store.
Relax on the porch at the Bonnet Creek golf resort.


Now for some 'cheap' activities (under 20 dollars per person):
Rent a sea-raycer.
Play mini-golf (4 18-hole courses).
Enjoy a fresh-brew from the Micro-brewery at the boardwalk (Big River Grille).
Get a sundae from Ghirardelli's.
Get a sundae from Beaches and Cream.
Try some beignes (sp?) from PORFQ.
Stop by one of the MANY lounges on property for a drink.
Take a hay-ride through Ft. Wilderness.
Play nine holes of golf at Oak Trail (usually less than 20 bucks per round).

As you can see, the list can go on and on. There is so much to do at Disney that doesn't cost anything, or even costs very little. People complain so much about how expensive Disney is, and yes, many things are quite costly, but you'll also find some great values on property. Be sure to ask about specials every where you go, such as the play-it-again rate on golf courses and mini-golf, or seasonal specials of marina watercraft rentals (like the upcoming 15% off sammy duval watercraft).
 
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