You have your Walt Disney World vacation dates and itinerary planned. You know which parks you’re going to and when. Your packing list is ready.Whew! Now it’s time to start layering on the magic that will truly make your Disney vacation with your teenager a trip they’ll always remember. In this post, I will show you some of the activities outside the parks at Walt Disney World Resort.
This is #2 in my series on planning your Walt Disney World vacation with teenagers – for more planning tips, check out
- Part 1: Planning Disney Vacations: Traveling with Teens
- Part 3: Walt Disney World FastPass Planning for Trips with Teens
- Part 4: Planning your Rope Drop Strategy – coming soon!
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There is so much to do at the Walt Disney World Resort outside the parks. “Downtime” (i.e. not-at-a-park-time) can take on special meaning of its own. Here are a just a few of the activities you can do at Disney outside of the parks (and your own resort) that my teenagers have truly enjoyed:
Disney Tours
Ok – this one is actually inside the parks, with a park ticket required. But it definitely deserves a place at the top of the list. Many visitors don’t realize that you can book special, small-group tours to go behind-the-scenes at Walt Disney World. From the Wild Africa Trek with a guide who takes you on a hike through the African Safari in Animal Kingdom to the Keys to the Kingdom Tour in which guests actually get to go underground in the utilidors and really see how the Magic works, there are a variety of unique opportunities to deepen your Disney knowledge. Some tours are age-restricted, so as to not “ruin the magic” for little ones. My 17-year-old is excited to go on the “Keys to the Kingdom” tour this time – it will be a trip highlight that he’s anticipated for years!
Boat Rentals in Seven Seas Lagoon
One of my son’s favorite things to do is to take a shuttle over to Wilderness Campground. There, guests can rent SeaRays, Pontoons, Kayaks and Canoes to drive on the Seven Seas Lagoon. Kids 14 years and older can drive the 2-person SeaRay, so it’s a lot of fun for teenagers who are anxiously awaiting a driver’s license!
Mini Golf
Walt Disney World has two mini golf parks: Fantasia Gardens and Fairways (near Swan and Dolphin) and Winter Summerland Golf (near Disney’s Blizzard Beach). There, guests can play standard mini golf or learn to play FootGolf! I strongly recommend reserving a tee-time in advance. The golf parks are quite popular, and a visit to the mini golf courses is a great way to break up your days at the parks. It can take some transportation time to get there – so plan accordingly when reserving your tee time.
Disney Springs
A visit to Disney Springs can be a whole day unto itself! There are opportunities for shopping, dining, bowling, strolling, boat-riding, hot-air balloon flying, and even movie watching. Disney Springs has something for everyone, and it’s a great opportunity for teens to stretch out on their own if they like.
You might wonder why a person would go to Disney World and go to a movie. Joseph and I had quite a memorable experience in the dine-in theater at the premier of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. It was a double Disney treat!
Disney Springs has some very unique stores, including Disney Marketplace, the Coca-Cola Company, the Lego Store, UNIQLO – and even gluten-free treats at Erin McKenna’s Bakery – among many other shops. I can never resist getting a bottle of Tupelo Honey at the Savannah Bee Company when I visit!
Beautiful Walkways Lego Store T-Rex Cafe
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil gets its own shout-out here. If you have never seen one of their truly amazing narrative, acrobatic performances, you are missing out. Opening this year, for the first time, is a collaboration among Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering. A “journey into a world where an animator’s desk becomes the stage and drawings come alive, [t]he show is a celebration of life, accentuated by the delightful, mesmerizing movements of Cirque du Soleil’s acrobatic mastery.” Visitors of every age -especially those who love Disney- will be enchanted.
Resort-Hopping
Currently, there are more than 25 hotels and resorts for Disney guests to choose from. One of our favorite activities is to spend at least part of a day resort-hopping! Here are just some of the activities you can indulge in at different resorts, even when you’re not staying there:
- Watch the wildlife at the Savanna at Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Take a FREE tour of Boma and Jiko restaurants at Animal Kingdom Lodge (with samples!)
- Explore the Mini Train Museum at Wilderness Lodge
- Visit the draft horses and museum at Wilderness Campground
- Ride ponies at the Wilderness Campground
- Reserve your place at the Polynesian’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show & Luau
- Enjoy stories and roasted marshmallows around a campfire at Wilderness Campground
- Listen to the pianist or reserve your place at Afternoon Tea at the Grand Floridian
- Enjoy the relaxing “Sassagoula River Cruise,” part of the Disney transportation system which ferries guests from both of the Port Orleans resorts all the way down the river to Disney Springs (and back!).
- Rent Surrey Bikes at Disney’s Boardwalk
- Get an ice cream treats at Beaches and Cream (behind EPCOT) at the Beach Club resort
Dining Reservations at other Disney Resorts
Some of the best Disney dining can be found at locations out of the parks. There are a number of “Best of Disney” restaurants appropriate for adult meals. Here, I focus on places where teenagers can relax and enjoy themselves, as well. Among them,
- O’Hana at the Polynesian
- Trails End Buffet at Wilderness Campground
- Hoop-de-do Revue at Wilderness Campground
- Whispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness Lodge
- Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge (for the more adventuresome palates)
- Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club Resort (they have more than just ice cream!)
- D-Luxe Burger at Disney Springs
Except for the last two, all of these do require reservations, and they’re totally worth it!
Taking time to enjoy the Walt Disney World resort outside of the parks can deepen the significance of your trip. It makes it so much more than just another theme park. My teenager practically begs me to make sure we schedule time for these non-park activities.
If you are overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to give me a call. I’m a licensed travel agent completely schooled in the College of Disney Knowledge. With my years of Disney travel under my belt, I’d be happy to help. It does not cost any more to use a travel agent than it does to plan and book your own trip! The difference is in the experience and level of personal service that you have guiding you.
Now that you’ve layered some special activities into your itinerary, you’re ready to move forward and learn more about maximizing your vacation with your teenager!
Please join me in the next post in this series: “Walt Disney World FastPass Strategy: Travel with Teens.”
I specialize in Disney World Cruises and Vacations, and I’m always just a text, email, or phone call away!
Kimberly@NextAdventureVacations.com
816.866.8883
