Plan A Little Downtime During Your Walt Disney World Vacation And Make Everyone Happy

When I’m at Walt Disney World my type-A personality goes into overdrive. I want to get up early, stay out late and soak in as much of the magic as is humanly possible.

And it drives my husband crazy.

Waking up at 6am and crashing at 12am (or later) is NOT his idea of a vacation. And I’m assuming, that for most of you out there, that’s not your idea of fun either.

Our compromise has been to schedule downtime throughout the trip that allows us to recharge and keep everyone at optimal operational levels.

Now, this could be as simple as a lazy day at the resort pool. Wake up late. Have a lazy breakfast. Hit the pool for lunch and the rest of the afternoon. Shower, then dinner. Slip into bed early with a good book. (For me, this would be a new Disney guidebook so I can get a jump start on the next day!)

But maybe the weather isn’t cooperating for you on your “pool day.” Or your group isn’t much into water sports. Or you’ve been-there-done-that and want other options that fit the lazy-day bill.

1. Visit Downtown Disney (soon to be renamed Disney Springs.) Have a meal. Do a little shopping. There is so much to see and do. You can do it on the cheap: play with some Legos at the Lego Imagination Center, catch a show at the outdoor performance pavilion or window shop. For a little more money: you can treat your little princess to the royal treatment at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Downtown Disney (same level of service as Magic Kingdom, but less crowded) or bowl at Splitsville Luxury Lanes. Catch the Cirque du Soleil show or spend an afternoon at Disney Quest Indoor Interactive Theme Park.

2. Catch A (Free) Movie. Movies Under the Stars is a regularly scheduled program at Disney World resorts. Cozy up on the beach, poolside or deep in the woods at Fort Wilderness Campground, you can see almost current or well-loved classic movies for free. Check with the front desk or call (407) 939-2273 for the current schedule at your resort.

3. Do a resort crawl by monorail. Since my son was about 2 years old he has insisted that riding the monorail is a worthy attraction in itself. Christmas time is our favorite time to do the resort crawl by monorail. The decorations at each resort (Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian) are each spectacular and gorgeous. And even if it’s not during the holidays, each resort offers unique shopping and restaurants to explore. Plus, riding through the Contemporary resort is a thrill in itself.

4. Visit Disney’s Wilderness Preserve. Just outside the Disney gates in Kissimmee, Florida is The Nature Conservancy’s Disney Wilderness Preserve. There is no fee for this 11,500 acre nature preserve but donations are appreciated. Open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, you can see bald eagles, big-eared bats, sand hill cranes and another 1,000 plant and animal species. With walking trails and various learning labs, there is something for everyone.

5. Stroll the Boardwalk. Just outside the International Gateway in EPCOT, with a 5 minute walk, you can stroll the boardwalk. Located just outside The Boardwalk Inn resort, the stretch contains over 90,000 square feet of shops and restaurants and is modeled after the Atlantic boardwalks of the 1920’s era. See street performers juggle and do magic acts. Ride the surrey bikes. Munch on a Maine Lobster sandwich or saltwater taffy. Play the arcade. Turn of the century fun!

Disney World isn’t just about 4 theme parks and  2 water parks. On a property about the size of San Francisco, there are hidden gems everywhere! And with only about 40% of the property developed there is surely more to come.

What’s your favorite “downtime” Disney activity?