Resort Only Trip. Can Anyone Really Pull It Off?

[jakeybake]

Hi,

To my DRHW and I the resort is just as important as the parks. Because of that I have often thought of doing a resort only trip where we just hang at the resort, visit places like DTD and the Boardwalk and dine at non-park WDW establshments (resorts, DTD, Boardwalk etc.)

My question is this. Has anyone actually attempted this and if so did you pull it off? And if you pulled it off did you find in enjoyable or did it make you crazy to not visit the parks at least once?

We have a DS who is 11 and a DD who is 7 so it would certainly be tough for them but they are HUGE fans of the BC pool which might be enough to satisfy them for the bulk of our trip.

Would love to hear from anyone who has given this a shot and how it actually went.

Jay

[Seasonscraps]

We did just that last month. We spent one night at CS - it was a travel day so we hung by the pool in the afternoon and just picked up something from the grab & go place for dinner. Then we spent 3 nights at the WL - lots of pool time, rented sea raycers, went to DTD one afternoon, the BW one evening.

We were thinking about doing the EMH park one evening but changed our minds.

It was great - we came home relaxed and rested. :cloud9:

[artyboy]

We tried to do it once...and lasted 2 days. :blush:

[JPL]

I'm pretty sure the time this would last for me could probably be measured in hours :blush:

[buzznwoodysmom]

I think DH and I could pull it off, but not with DSs, ages 9 and 7! DH and I enjoy the resorts as much as the parks, but DSs would be devastated not to ride their favorite rides. Honestly though, I think if we wanted a nice relaxing vacation just to hang out at a nice resort we'd choose a destination other than WDW. There are many, many places in the US to visit with amazing resorts other than WDW. Have you ever considered staying at Vero Beach or Hilton Head Island for a Disney vacation without the theme parks? We've stayed at Vero and loved it and from what I've read HHI is an also a great place to visit. Of course there's no DTD or Boardwalk to visit at these two locations. Let us know how it turns out if ever you should choose to attempt it.

[acetate]

No...can't do it...not today....the stars...

[lockedoutlogic]

have done it several times....

parks really don't change all that much...and it isn't as if you can't find food outside of them (by and large the food in the parks is not that great with the exception of a few quickserves and the world showcase)

so yes....it is possible to go and not wait 90 minutes for soarin'

[DVC2004]

Hmmm. I don't think I could do it. I could spend a few days of the trip not in the parks, but I think it would be impossible for me to not go in at all. LOL especially Epcot. I don't think i could skip it!

[AllDisney]

I confess I'd be tempted to go to the parks. I would not last an hour knowing all those parks were out there ....just waiting for me:blush:

[BluewaterBrad]

I could do it if it were a short trip and I did not have an AP at the ready!!:mickey:

[gerald72]

I could do it. There's so much to do without going to the parks.
But I don't think the kids would be into it.

[Disney Doll]

There's no way I could be on Disney property without allowing myself to go to the parks at least some. Maybe a mostly resort trip would be nice, but I'd have to make at least one or two trips to the parks. :blush:

[clou1028]

I love the resorts and could probably do a trip that was mostly resort only, but not totally. I think the best I could manage would be only going to MK for 1 day and TL for 1 day. I couldn't be there and not go to MK and TL.

[TikiLounger]

This is too funny. We've been having this conversation with our kids. We're going without them to the Beach Club for the Food and Wine Festival. We insist that we're only going to Epcot. They think we won't be able to resist the other parks. I think they're right. We ARE so close to HS, too. It would be a shame to not stop in. ;)

[ransam]

Sure i could do it....once in the room, if the door was bolted shut, the windows barred up, and there was an armed security guard outside the door....


but honestly, yea i could. if i had to go to orlando on business, i'd rather stay in a Disney resort than anywhere else...just better service, you know what you're going to get...

[biodtl]

I could never do it. I thought maybe if I went multiple times a year, but the more I think about it, even then I wouldn't. I don't even spend one day as a resort-only. If I had 2 weeks, I might do a couple days, but even then I don't know...

[CleveRocks]

Maybe I just don't get it ....

Could someone please explain to me why you would fly all the way to Florida just to stay at a Disney hotel???

Our great country, not to mention our world, is blessed with many many wonderful resorts and locales ... what is it about a Disney resort that would tempt one to fly all the way to Florida just for the resort itself?

I'm not talking about someone who lives 2 hours away and drives there for a long weekend of relaxing by the pool. I'm talking about someone who has to fly there, as opposed to flying somewhere else.

Don't get me wrong ... Disney World is one of my favorite places around! But I've been to numerous resort hotels that be wonderful to lounge around at.

[TheVBs]

I could never do it. I thought maybe if I went multiple times a year, but the more I think about it, even then I wouldn't. I don't even spend one day as a resort-only. If I had 2 weeks, I might do a couple days, but even then I don't know...


:ditto:

[gueli]

Maybe I just don't get it ....

Could someone please explain to me why you would fly all the way to Florida just to stay at a Disney hotel???

Our great country, not to mention our world, is blessed with many many wonderful resorts and locales ... what is it about a Disney resort that would tempt one to fly all the way to Florida just for the resort itself?

I'm not talking about someone who lives 2 hours away and drives there for a long weekend of relaxing by the pool. I'm talking about someone who has to fly there, as opposed to flying somewhere else.

Don't get me wrong ... Disney World is one of my favorite places around! But I've been to numerous resort hotels that be wonderful to lounge around at.

At first glance, I think you are right.
Yes I love the atmosphere, but without the parks... why stay on property? There would be no great advantage. For the price you pay you could rent a vacation home with a pool, drive around to all the stuff offsite (route 192) and have a comfortable stay.

So no I couldn't do it...
:mickey:

[Patricia]

Hmm.. I pulled off a "very light in the parks" trip last Christmas, leaving the MK out, except for going in to view Holiday Wishes one evening and leaving right away.

We visited the other resorts, Fort Wilderness for canoeing, it started to rain so we sat on a big porch till is stopped and then wondered around by foot. Seeing the crazy Christmas decorations the RVer's put out completely distracted us from canoeing. Port Orleans (took the boat from DTD) for Beignets and coffee, Poly for breakfast, Shades Of Green for alligator watching (there were none), DTD for food and shopping, Richard Petty for driving fast, hanging by our pool, hot tubbing, etc. Some days it would be around 5 at night before we'd show up at World Showcase to wonder around. We spent part of a day in Animal Kingdom, and a couple of hours in Hollywood Studios. We traveled by foot, buses, monorails and boats all week.

This remind me, I really need to write that trip report. :blush:

[jakeybake]

Hmm.. I pulled off a "very light in the parks" trip last Christmas, leaving the MK out, except for going in to view Holiday Wishes one evening and leaving right away.

Very light? I'm sorry but I am going to have to disqualify you ;) We're talking NO PARKS!!

As they say, "Close but no cigar!"

Jay

[Patricia]

Hehe.. that's as close as I've been to no parks. We did start with the intentions of no parks, but they were too close, we failed.

I'm just happy I was able to suggest possible things to do when not doing "parks".. good luck with getting this accomplished. :)

[Septbride2002]

No way could we go and avoid Epcot World Showcase - we would miss our margaritas.

~Amanda

[Seasonscraps]

Maybe I just don't get it ....

Could someone please explain to me why you would fly all the way to Florida just to stay at a Disney hotel???

Our great country, not to mention our world, is blessed with many many wonderful resorts and locales ... what is it about a Disney resort that would tempt one to fly all the way to Florida just for the resort itself?

I'm not talking about someone who lives 2 hours away and drives there for a long weekend of relaxing by the pool. I'm talking about someone who has to fly there, as opposed to flying somewhere else.

Don't get me wrong ... Disney World is one of my favorite places around! But I've been to numerous resort hotels that be wonderful to lounge around at.


We do it because we are DVC members which gives us the opportunity to vacation at nice resorts without paying for the hotel. The DVC maintenance fees are part of our regular bills so it has that free hotel feeling. I know there is a cost but since it's been prepaid - it's not like when we go some where else and get a bill.

It's an easy and usually inexpensive flight from NYC to MCO so a little extra money for food - we don't spend too much in that area.

[jakeybake]

Maybe I just don't get it ....

Could someone please explain to me why you would fly all the way to Florida just to stay at a Disney hotel???


For us it would be because of the Disney service and the excitement of being there, even though we wouldn't be visiting the parks.

You still get that wonderful feeling of being on property. And for us the resorts and dining establishments are as much a part of WDW as the parks are.

Jay

[melcha]

My husband and I are doing this for free dineing in Sep. We only had to by a one day ticket to get the free dinig. Well almost no parks:secret:LOL MNSSHP on the 4th and only EPCOT for our 17th Anniversary. I want to dine at Narcooses and hoop dee do. What do you guys think?
Ilove Disney:cloud9:

[Figment78]

For us it would be because of the Disney service and the excitement of being there, even though we wouldn't be visiting the parks.

You still get that wonderful feeling of being on property. And for us the resorts and dining establishments are as much a part of WDW as the parks are.

Jay

Ditto!

i don't know if I could actually do a NO parks trip, simply b/c DH and I get bored if we aren't entertained enough.... no beach bums in this house. But that being said, we have been to other places on vacation and while I'm glad we've gone, we prefer a disney hotel to any other. There's just something that is even entertaining about the details and the story that are behind each resort (especially our favorite deluxes). And I guess, if I wasn't able to or not allowed to go to the parks, I could certainly fill up my time outside of them. An afternoon at Mandara Spa, DH would love to golf multiple times, shopping at DTD and at many of the resorts, a few afternoons poolside (especially in one of those Grand Floridian Cabanas), an evening or two at the boardwalk, seeing Cirque du Soleil. Renting boats and tooling around the lagoons... Hmmm.... maybe there is something to this resort only option after all!

I should clarify that we are not beach/ocean people. We are "pool people." We do like cruising, and Vegas, but something like Atlantis in the Bahamas or Aruba would not interest us. But for the money you would spend to stay at a nice hotel in Vegas or on a cruise, it's comparable to Disney!

[lockedoutlogic]

Maybe I just don't get it ....

Could someone please explain to me why you would fly all the way to Florida just to stay at a Disney hotel???

Our great country, not to mention our world, is blessed with many many wonderful resorts and locales ... what is it about a Disney resort that would tempt one to fly all the way to Florida just for the resort itself?

I'm not talking about someone who lives 2 hours away and drives there for a long weekend of relaxing by the pool. I'm talking about someone who has to fly there, as opposed to flying somewhere else.

Don't get me wrong ... Disney World is one of my favorite places around! But I've been to numerous resort hotels that be wonderful to lounge around at.

Because even though they are the highest quality....Disney parks are still just amusement parks - contrary to what they maintain.

so if you can drive a hour or two or three to get to your local park (as most can)...then what sets WDW apart is more than just a ride or two...

i have my theory:
1. Florida, and specifically central florida, is almost ideal weather year round. Trust me, as a former resident, having a average daily temperature between 75-95 near year round is almost perfect (probably 15-25 days a year outside of those parameters). the only weather that is that consistently nice in the US besides the Orlando area is Maui...and that's a tough drive.
2. The brand...you guessed it: moichendising. the disney name and the legacy of mickey mouse makes the place special. It is designed and ingrained in every square inch of the place (well...not so much recently...but still a good job in the past). And that mystique isn't confined to the parks by any means...you can get it everywhere...especially in resorts such as Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Grand Floridian.
3. The amount of exceptional food that is available in a relatively small area. Including the immediate area boasts alot of great meals....probably alot more than you can get in almost anywhere. So it is a good place to get the "all inclusive" type experiences with food and drink that are confined usually to exotic locals or to cruise ships....without being halfway around the world or on a ship.


So take those things into consideration...and you can see the appeal of going to WDW for things other than parks.

And i'm leaving out the other recreational diversions that WDW boasts as well.

You can spend a week there, eat world class food, enjoy pretty wonderful accomodations and amenities (they are vastly overpriced....but thats another story), and find enough things to do to keep yourself occupied and satisfied.

And you can also avoid the crowds, lines, hassles, and the incredible amount of ground you have to cover to do WDW parks (they are HUGE by most amusement park standards)

so yeah....it is possible...and great if you can just relax a little

[SBETigg]

Someone, Christine I think, did it recently. I read the trip report. They stayed at WL. I'm pretty sure I couldn't do it.