Vacationing at Walt Disney World without going to a theme park?!

Jim Hill

13 years ago

Here's an idea that – I know – will shock you theme park
fans out there. But there are people (lots and lots of people, I might add) who
actually go to Disney World to relax.

Seriously, these are the folks who look at the Walt Disney
World Resort and don't just see theme parks. They see 24 different resorts,
each with their own signature restaurants, pools and amenities. Not to mention
5 world-class golf courses as well as a wide variety of on-site retail and
entertainment opportunity.

Now factor in the convenience of Orlando International
Airport and you then begin to see why there are people out there who think of
WDW as their perfect get-away spot. Not because they're anxious to experience
the high-speed thrills of GM Test Track. But rather because they're looking
forward to dozing in a hammock along the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney's
Polynesian Resort.

"I know that this may seem counter-intuitive. There are a
lot of people who'll book a 3-bedroom villa at someplace like Disney's Old Key
West Resort not because they're planning on hitting the parks. But because
these folks were looking for a fun place to stage a family reunion or because
they were looking to do something different for the next holiday gathering,"
said Lisa Griswold of Pixie Vacations.

Take -, for example, – those families who have made a
tradition out of staying at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa every
year during the 2nd week of November, just so that they can then stay up all
night and watch as this WDW hotel is transformed for the holidays. A talented group of artisans erect the Grand
Flo's 40 foot-tall Christmas tree which is festooned with 45,000 lights.

"There's also this dedicated group of campers who always
make a point of booking campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness in October and
December, " said Lisa Griswold. "They can then see how the other campers have
decorated their sites for Halloween and Christmas."

In a lot of ways, the Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness
Resort are the perfect place to go if you'd like to try a theme-park-free
vacation. Here amid 750 acres of pine and cypress trees, you can start your day
off with a brisk run along Fort Wilderness' 2.3 mile-long exercise trail and
then spend your afternoon lounging by the pool at the Meadow Swimmin' Hole. Once night falls, you and the family can
either take part in Chip'n Dale's Campfire Sing-a-Long or head down to Bay Lake
where you can all enjoy Movies Under the Stars.

"If you're looking to do something a bit more exciting
during your stay at Walt Disney World, you can easily have an adventure without
going into a theme park. You can rent a Sea Raycer and go bombing around Bay
Lake. Or, better yet, go parasailing and get an unparalleled view of the
Resort," Lisa continued.

Mind you, if the whole reason that you and the family went
on vacation was because you were looking to slow things down for a while, you
can book a guided morning excursion where a Disney cast member will then point
out some of the flora & fauna that can be found along the shores of Seven
Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake. Or if
fishing's more your style, you can sign up for one of the two hour-long
fishing excursions that the ESPN Wide World of Sports regularly runs around the Resort.

"That's what a lot of people seem to forget about why Walt
Disney decided to build this resort in
Central Florida. He was hoping that people would really appreciate this
environment, enjoy the natural beauty that always surrounds them here," Lisa
said. "Of course, when you're constantly moving from your hotel room to the
monorail to a theme park and then back again, it's sometimes easy to overlook
WDW's white sandy beaches or the tall cypress trees."

Of course, the problem with trying to book a theme-park-free
Disney World vacation is that you're still in competition with all of those
other would-be WDW visitors when it comes to booking on-property rooms. This is
why it always helps to plan ahead.

"That's especially true if you're looking to do something
special with your family around the holiday season. The room rates on-property
go up. Likewise lunch and dinner reservations are harder to come by," Lisa
stated. "Which is why, if you're thinking of surprising the family with a
Christmas-time trip to Walt Disney World, it'd probably be best if you started
planning things a year or more ahead. That way, you will have a better chance
at booking the room you want at the resort you want, when you want it. Plus securing
your dining reservations at 180 days out then gets a whole lot easier."

So please keep this in mind if you've ever thought about
visiting the WDW Resort during the month of December just so that you can then
see all of the holiday decorations. Not to mention checking out some of the
hotels' Gingerbread villages. Or, better
yet, if you've ever dreamed of dozing in a hammock down along the shores of
Seven Seas Lagoon.

Today's JHM article was sponsored by Pixie Vacations, a no-cost travel agency that specializes in helping guests with Disney Vacations. If
you'd like to learn more about the fun that can be found right outside of Walt
Disney World's theme parks, please click on this link. And the nice folks at
Pixie Vacations can then help make you aware of Disney World's other wonders.