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About This Page: This is a discussion on Staying on property and not buying park admission... within the Making More Magic: Everything Else at Walt Disney World!, part of the PassPorter Community - Boards & Forums ta travel center on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel; Good news: I might be able to swing a trip to Orlando over Labor Day weekend!
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Jazzy = Jess My Countdown Counting down to: Finally returning home to BWV! We're here! My Previous Trips CBR/Poly 1997, Poly 1998, Boardwalk Villas 1999/2000/2002/2004/2012, Villas at WL 2008, Villas at AKL 2009, BLT/DCL 2010, AKV/OKW ta travel center Christmas 2010, SSR 2011, BWV/HHI 2012, Disney Wedding 2013!
You could explore the resorts, head to Downtown Disney and do some window shopping, ride the Monorail loop, watch the fireworks from the Poly beach area, check out the Boardwalk area, or head over to Fort Wilderness for the campfire singalong with Chip and Dale (they show a movie afterwards as well!). I'm sure others ta travel center will have lots of ideas too!
__________________ Jenn Read my first TR here: A Very Merry Surprise! Here we go again: Goin' Down the Bayou, a PTR My Countdown Counting down to: Disney Fun at POR We're off to the World! ta travel center My PassPorter Bookshelf
My Previous Trips Yearly trips to WDW as a child with my family (1982 - 1989), WDW/Universal 1992, Senior Class Trip to WDW June 1994, WDW 2001, First Family Trip with my girls 2009, First MNSSHP October 2010, First MVMCP November 2011
__________________ We Luv WDW My Previous Trips 4 M.K. visits ta travel center 70s/80s, Epcot '88 '90, M.K. June '04; M.K., A.K., Cont. March '05; M.K. June '05; Epcot, MGM, M.K. Yacht Club March '06; M.K., June '06; Wonder 4 nights, March '07; M.K., Grand Floridian, June '07; M.K., Epcot, Studios, Yacht Club, March '08, M.K. A.K.L. June '08; the Wonder, ta travel center March '09, the Poly June '09; G.F. March '10, W.L. '10; W.L. March '11; A.K.L. June '11; Alaska July 2011; W.L., March '12; GF, June '12; Fantasy/Western, March '13
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.....but here's a crazy idea.....why go to the expense of staying at WDW if you aren't visiting the parks? Why not look what your vacation dollar ta travel center will get you somewhere else, even explore one of the other Orlando-area attractions? Even the cheapest value resorts will be more expensive than what you could get at another hotel somewhere else...perhaps you could do a Universal Studios plus lodging trip.... Sea World or even Busch Gardens for what a stay at WDW would cost???
I know WDW is truly magical, and there isn't quite anything else like it anywhere......but it would almost be cruel to me to go to WDW, but NOT go to a park.....the resorts are nice, but I'd look to vacation somewhere else.
Water parks though they aren't as expensive as parks, they might be too much for your budget. Mini golf. Boardwalk at night. Downtown disney. Dinner at Ohana. Watching the fireworks from the Poly. Mouse boats!!! Fort Wilderness, petting zoo and trail rides.
__________________ Michele Off-Site: Family vacation villa (FVV) Next trip: Oct 2011 Food and Wine Fest Weekend ! Woo HOO! My Etsy Card/Scrap store My Previous Trips On-Site:CRB 1/92, DxL 2/93 DxL 5/94, DxL 9/95, DxL 9/97, ASS 8/00, Poly 12/02---Off-Site:Family vacation villa: 5/03, 7/03, 12/03, 2/04, 5/04, 7/04, 12/04, 7/05, 11/05, 12/06, 1/07, 10/07, 12/08, 4/09, 1/10, 5/10
I'm with Tim. I don't think that I would take the trip if I couldn't afford to go into the parks. Some of the suggestions for non-park experiences ta travel center are not exactly free. I would look at buying a ticket that I could use for both trips (non-expiring hoppers, AP, etc). Or I would look into other options, like a less expensive trip somewhere else. Or I would just save my money to use on my next planned trip. JMHO.
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I have to say it would be hard for to go to WDW and not go to a park at least one day . How about a suggestion i have herd of people having a Garage sale to try to make money for trips ? This would be very hard they also have outlet malls just outside of disney to with a disney outlet in it . then the resort hopping monorail riding magical touring without touring is nice but the parks are amazing .
Keep in mind that you are scheduling this trip during hurricane ta travel center season. If you budget is so tight what would you do if you had to spend an extra day or two? Would you have enough for food and other necessities?
If you want to go to Florida, I would think about getting a Priceline hotel (I've gotten 3 stars for $50./night) and get park tickets with the difference. My preference would be to stay off site and go into the parks than to stay on site and not do the parks. While there are advantages to onsite, you can still have a great time and not be on grounds and some offsite hotels are actually closer to some parks.
As others ta travel center have mentioned, have you looked into the cost of getting a ticket that does not expire and purchase it now with a few extra days on it? The cost of each day is less with the more days you buy. Just a thought.
My Previous Trips Christmas 1971 first visit for our family, 1978 River Country and MK (honeymoon), March 1989 first WDW visit for my three sons, Jan. 1996 Poly, Jan. 2000 AS Sport and Disney Institute Bungalows ( now SSR), April 03 AKL, Aug. 04 Pop, April 05 AKL, Aug. 05 Pop and BC, April 06 WL, Sep. 06 POFQ, April 07 Poly, August 07 BWI, October 07 POR, Dec. 07 OKW. Feb. 08 CS, April 08 WLV, June 08 OKW and AKLV, Nov. 08 AKLV (solo trip!), Feb. 09 SSR, May 09 SSR (DoD tour - solo!), Oct. 09 BCV, Jan. 10 OKW for my birthday!, April 10 AKLV, Aug. 10 WLV, Dec, 10 WLV and ALKV., April 2011 POFQ, June 2011 AKLV Club level and Kidani Village, Nov 2011 OKW, June 2012 AKLV, Oct. 2012, CBR
__________________ Carolyn My Previous Trips 1974 w/mom and best friend -- 1976 w/parents -- 5/2002 ASMo DD's 1st visit -- 11/2002 ASMo w/hubby and the Princess (2 trips that year - what luck!) -- 2005 POP holiday trip -- 2006 ASMo w/ DH, DD, B and SIL for niece's graduation -- 2/2009 DLR -- 11/2009 ASMu -- 11/2010 POFQ 12/2010 POP -- Non-Disney trips: too many to mention
I really enjoy exploring the resorts, the grounds (inquire about night time movies), ta travel center recreation, nitetime entertainment, the pools spas. WL does a free tour. POR POFQ have boatrides to and from DTD. POR has the Bob Jackson show. FW has campfire storytime movies (bring your own marshmallows) they also have a ranch to explore. GF has a ladybug release (double check if it's still available), CR,Poly,GF have great views for the Water Pagent. Poly has the best view of Wishes from the beach. DTD has nightly entertainment outside. Atlantic Dance Hall at the Boardwalk has dancing. AKL has firepit side stories. ALL FREE and free transportation since your a resort guest.
My Previous ta travel center Trips 1st trip WDW Nov 1980 CR, Dec 1982 Hilton, Aug 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001-2003 Poly, AKL, BW, CBR, YC (FL resident passholder) Oct 2003 CBR, Feb 2006 ASMU, Feb 2007 ASMV, May 2007 CBR Poly, Oct 2007 ASMU, Feb 2008 ASMV, Sept 2008 POr, June 2009 POFQ, Feb 2011 OKW, Oct 2011 Dolphin, ta travel center Dec 2011 ASMU, next up SSR Oct 2012
Originally Posted by Carousel96 Wow! You have more willpower than I do. I was thinking the same thing. Not sure I would have the willpower to be that close and not go to a park. That said there is plenty to do on resort property that doesn't require admission, and you've gotten so good suggestions so far!
My Previous Trips WDW June 1979, WDW 1985, WDW 1987, WDW Oct 2003, WDW March 2004, WDW Oct 2004, WDW Sept 2005--Pop Century , WDW Nov 2006--Pop Century, WDW Jan 2007--Pop Century, WDW Nov/Dec 2009--Pop Century, DLR Oct 2011
I should add that we're using DVC points and the stay isn't costing us anything. We were also already planning on visiting ta travel center UO and WWOHP and hanging out with a friend who moved down there. I guess I just meant we weren't planning on buying admission to *Disney* parks.
Jazzy = Jess My Countdown Counting down to: Finally returning home to BWV! We're here! My Previous Trips CBR/Poly 1997, Poly 1998, Boardwalk Villas 1999/2000/2002/2004/2012, Villa