Minnie Moms: Extending Your WDW Vacation with a Non-Park Day

Enjoying non-park days is a great way to extend your family's Walt Disney World vacation.  You can enjoy the magic of the World just a little longer without another day's park admission.  The Minnie Moms share their favorite tips.

Amy: I suggested this month's topic because I'm planning a trip with my kiddos and my BFF for January.  I told her we'd take a day off from the parks but once I start planning I just can't do it.  My annual pass burns a hole in my pocket and I feel this need to enter a park every day I'm at the World, even if it's only for a short time.  So, learn along with me and let's see if we can all take a non-park day.  

Janine: As we fly over to the US from the UK, we always stay in Florida for 2 weeks. We buy park tickets to cover the whole time we are there which are available to pre-purchase in the UK. On previous holidays, we have also spent time in those, ahem, other parks in Orlando so we don't have an awful lot of non-park days even with being there for so long!

We do like to factor in a so-called rest days though. I say so-called as our non-park days tend to be shopping days! We usually spend a lazy morning by the pool and then head off to the Malls and Outlets to stock up on jeans, trainers, and other clothing items which are so much cheaper in America.

We also usually (although not this year with it being our first trip with Tink) go down to the coast for a couple of days, St Petes Beach is our favourite. Here we go to watch the Tampa Bay Rays play and enjoy a dolphin watching trip and paddling in the sea. Of course we make time for yet another well known theme park here too.

This year we have factored in 2 non-park things I'm really looking forward to. On one morning we are going to head into the Grand Floridian Resort for a nosey around and maybe a cup of tea. I'm super excited about this as we always stay off-site so I have never been in a WDW hotel before. And secondly, we are going to head to Celebration for a look around. I have heard that this quaint little town is just beautiful and I'm hoping some of the houses will be decorated for Halloween by then.

Of course, if I had my way, I'd spend the entire 2 weeks just in the Magic Kingdom ;-)

Corby: When we first started going to Disney World as a family, we would literally go from park opening to park closing, we would stay in a moderate resort for about a week and get 6 or 7 day park tickets. We started to change things up a couple of years ago when our daughter was born. We realized our park touring plans would have to change with an infant in tow. For the past couple of years we have chosen to stay in deluxe resorts for added convenience and get fewer park tickets so that we can actually enjoy where we are staying. We now take a much more laid back approach which has been a change of pace for us.

The Disney resorts have so much to offer! You could easily spend an entire vacation at the resort alone! We find each resort offers something different and I find it fun to run with whatever particular theme that resort we're staying in has. Some fun things you can enjoy are swimming, games/dancing/entertainment by the pool, and movies under the stars for example. Some resorts offer activities such as fishing, canoeing, water slides, boat rental, shopping, wonderful restaurants onsite, special tours, ability to view animals on a savanna from your balcony, fireworks viewing, campfires (some with characters), musical entertainment and so much more! You can literally choose to make your Disney vacation unique each visit and that's what keeps us going back for more. The possibilities are endless. You can make your vacation as action packed as you like or do what we do and take some breaks every now and then, slow down, relax and enjoy all that the Disney resorts have to offer. I'm sure we'll go back to commando park touring as our kids get older but for right now taking it easy and having some downtime works for us and I highly recommend trying it sometime!

Natalie: When heading to Disney World, often times it is a good day to take a dayaway from the parks. This allows for you to do some of the many other things that are available in the Disney World Resort area. It also allows you time to recuperate from your many hours of walking in the theme parks!

Here are some suggestions of things you can do for your day in the Disney Resort while not spending time in the theme parks:

1. Visit other Disney Resorts in the area. You will find beautiful landscapes, pools, and entertaining decorations. In addition, there are shops and a wide variety of restaurants to try. Check the listing of amenities as well for additional fun things to do!

2. Take the monorail around both loops. It is quite entertaining to see the various theme parks and Resort high above.

3. Take a stroll around Downtown Disney. At Downtown Disney, you can find a variety of entertaining things to do to include entertainers, jugglers, balloon artists, and magicians. All of the entertainment found in the walk-through of Downtown Disney is free. In addition, there is a large variety of shops and restaurants that offer hours of entertainment. The property for Downtown Disney is quite vast and takes up a good 2-3 hours of a day.

4. From Downtown Disney (or a variety of other locations), you can take a ferry ride. From the ferry you can head over to Port Orleans Riverside or Port Orleans French Quarter. If you time the visit to these Resorts right, you can see a show performed by Bob Jackson at Port Orleans Riverside. Bob typically performs Tuesday through Saturday nights and plays from 8:30PM-Midnight but the schedule is subject to change. There is no charge for admission.

5. Head over to the Resorts for nighttime fun. Head to Fort Wilderness Campgrounds for the Camp Fire Sing-A-Long with Chip and Dale. This is a great way to have loads of fun with characters. Typically after seeing Chip and Dale, a movie is shown. Double your entertainment for FREE! Be sure to check other Resorts for their offerings of free entertainment.

6. Spend time at the pools! Each resort has a great pool area. There are typically fun activities for everyone to include singing, dancing, and games.

These suggestions are all FREE as well! Have a great day, at a great price!

Be sure to pick up your copy of Strategies for Paying for Disney for other great advice on how to save money so you can afford your dream Disney vacation!

Danielle: We love non-park days! Don't get me wrong, we love our park days, too, but lately, as the kids are growing, we've really come to enjoy our free days, as well. My family doesn't believe in leaving the Disney bubble while on a WDW vacation so going to outlet malls or other local attractions doesn't do it for us. We prefer to sleep until whenever we feel like waking up (or rather, when the kids feel like waking up) and enjoy our wonderful home resort, Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas. The grounds are so amazing, the animals are an attraction in themselves, and the Uzima Pool is beautiful. Being on Disney property still gives us the Disney fix we need while being on a WDW vacation, but we don't have to follow a schedule! Occasionally, we will also visit Downtown Disney and that fulfills the same needs, but the long bus ride from Animal Kingdom Villas is pretty prohibitive with the little ones. Non-park days are necessary in our opinion, because they provide a nice break for us to re-charge our batteries. We are fresh and ready to hit the parks the following day! :)

Beth: Taking a day off from the parks is something our family has done every trip with the kids. Walt Disney World has so much to offer, and with three little ones, some of those out of park experiences are their favorites. It gives a nice break from having to be anywhere at a particular time and has become a day for the kids (especially when they were younger) to rest their legs and get rejuvenated.

There is plenty to do for adults and children alike outside of the parks. For Joey, Hayley and Emily, they love when we spend an afternoon just playing in the pool. The resort pools are so themed that it probably seems to them that the pools are a park in themselves. Being from New Hampshire, our season to use the pool is short, so being able to take a swim is always something they look forward to. For the adults, my dad and husband can take a morning to go golfing. Between all the resorts and Downtown Disney, there is something for everyone of every age.

When my children were really young, taking a day off from the parks was a nice break for their little legs. All three of my kids were never really fans of being in strollers and most of our Disney vacations have been spent pushing a stroller with our backpack in it. Now as they have gotten older, the break from the parks isn’t for anything more than to take advantage of some of the out of park experiences, such as a Kitchen Sink from Beaches and Cream, shopping at Downtown Disney and something new we are trying on our next trip, the Bayou Pirate Adventure Cruise at Port Orleans Riverside.

Many thanks to Janine, Corby, Natalie, Danielle, and Beth for sharing their tips this month.  With these great ideas, I might just be able to pass up the parks for a day.  Please check out our Minnie Moms page for past articles and more information about this terrific team. 

Minnie Moms: Tips for a Child's First WDW Vacation

One of our own Minnie Moms, Janine, asked for some help from the rest of the gang this month.  In late September, she and her husband will be bringing their two and a half year old daughter to Walt Disney World for her first visit.  Nine requested the other ladies offer their advice for this journey.  

A bit of background in case you've not read Nine's planning blog.  She and her husband live in the UK and have visited WDW many times so she knows what to do to prepare the adults, plan the trip, etc.  Hotel and airline reservations have been made, park hopper tickets have been purchased, international travel paperwork has been filed.  They visited Disneyland Paris this summer.  But like most moms taking her child to a new place far from home, Nine would like a little reassurance from her friends.


Amy:  Nine, I didn't send you a list of tips because, well, we've talked so much in the last couple of years that I can't imagine what else I would say.  I know you will have a fantastic time.  Overprepare before you go, expect that not everthing will go as planned, and relax once the vacation is underway.  I know you and you'll make it all about F's amazing smile.  I hope you get some time to truly relax as a family. Please take lots of pictures for Auntie Amy!!


Natalie: You may want to verify that the 14 day Disney World Tickets are available for purchase in the United States. There is a possibility that they may only be available in England since they are not available to US Citizens.

You will be here for Food and Wine Festival. Do you have plans to visit that event while in EPCOT during your travels? There are also many events you can take part in during the festival, both free and paid. Also taking place during that timeframe is Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. This is a great event that Tink would appreciate. Everyone can dress up and enjoy an evening of candy, Halloween-themed parade and fireworks, as well as reduced attraction line waits!

What is ESTA and API?


Nine's reply: Thank you for your suggestions and questions!

We've already pre-purchased the 14 day Disney tickets because you assumed correctly they are just for guests from the UK.

Yes we most certainly do have plans to visit EPCOT during the Food and Wine Festival especially as they have opened a veggie friendly vegan Marketplace this year, yummy.

We have decided not to do MNSSHP this year. We are not sure how long it'll take Tink to adjust to Florida time, so for a few days she may well be going to bed very early. She does not nap in her stroller so that wouldn't be an option either, too nosey. It's the same reason we are not planning any fireworks this year, we just don't want the pressure of whether she'll be able to stay up or get over-tired and cranky.

As for ESTA and API, the ESTA is the American Visa that we have to apply for electronically now rather than fill out a piece of paper on the plane, and pay for $14 each. API equals Advanced Passenger Information and is just extra info that your Travel Agent or flight company require before you can fly.  This is mainly just repetitive info such as your passport number.


Danielle: Hi Janine! Congrats on taking Tink on her first magical trip to WDW! She will absolutely love it. I say this because you seem to be planning this vacation with the perfect goal in mind: relaxation. With a toddler it's just not feasible to do commando park-touring. An over-tired kid will not be fun for anyone! Your plan of returning to the hotel after lunch is a good one. That's what we always do with our little ones and it works great. It gives them a chance to unwind and then they are ready to go for a fun evening! Arriving for rope drop is also brilliant (sounds like you know what you are doing!) As you know, toddlers do NOT like waiting for anything so arriving early will ensure only minimal waiting, if any, at that time of year. You seem to have a good handle on everything, so my main advice would be to stop and smell the roses! I'm not familiar with your hotel, but I'm sure it has a lovely pool. Take a couple of "break" days and let Tink eat a leisurely breakfast, and enjoy the hotel pool. If being in the Parks every day is a must-do for you, then allow a couple of low-key park days. For example, browse the gift shops, let Tink play in the playgrounds (ie. The Laughing Place outside of Splash Mountain), or water features (ie. the Tiki Men in Adventureland), and watch the entertainment (parades or street entertainment). This will avoid burn-out but instead ensure you all appreciate the "little things" that WDW has to offer!!


Nine's Reply: This is all great advice thank you and exactly what we are planning for this trip. As we are not first timers to WDW and we know we will be back, we don't feel the need to rush about this time. This is also our first trip where we will be concentrating solely on the Disney parks which again puts less of a pressure on us to have to do stuff every day. We are totally going to let Tink dictate the timings with most of the holiday, she is only 2 and with a 5 hour time difference it'll be a struggle for a few days. So if it means just a couple of park hours in the morning, a midday rest and sleep then an afternoon in the pool for a few days then so be it. This holiday will be about being together as a family and we're looking forward to wandering around the parks enjoying the atmosphere and scenery rather than rushing for Fast Passes!


Corby:  Tips for Nine

• Get to the parks as early as possible!
• Take advantage of Disney's FASTPASS system.
• If possible, take a break in the afternoon (if hotel is nearby) and return in the evening for evening entertainment. It will be less hot and less crowded than in the middle of the afternoon.
• Meet princesses early at Town Hall at Magic Kingdom. Wait times get long and FASTPASSES may run out.
• Enjoy seeing the enjoyment through Tink's eyes. If she prefers to stand in line for meet and greets all day or swim at the pool for example, try not to get frustrated.
• Start off with baby steps when it comes to attractions and then work your way up. If Tink is apprehensive about a certain attraction, skip it or use the rider swap option. More than likely, she won't want to ride anything else afterwards if she gets scared.
• Bring a change of clothes so Tink can get wet, especially for the new sprayground in Storybook Circus Land. It's a real soaker!
• Take advantage of Disney's Photopass photographers. They will use your camera to take pictures as well so you have your entire family in the photo. If you think you'll order photos, order Photopass CD in advance to get a discount.
• Mark your stroller so it's easy to find.
• If there is rain in the forecast at all, bring ponchos. You may want to wear them on Splash Mountain or Kali River Rapids so you don't get too soaked.
• Bring your sense of humor and patience. It's easy to lose it at times but try to remember you are at Disney World!
• Treasure each moment and HAVE FUN! :) 

Nine's Reply: Corby, wow, where do I start? Have you written the book on Tips for Kids at WDW?

• We will definitely be early mainly due to the 5 hour time difference.
• We will totally use Fast Pass, always do!
• Afternoon naps are a MUST our good neighbour hotel is just a 13.5 minute drive from Magic Kingdom.
• Love idea to meet Princesses early, guess that applies to Mickey too?
• We will do whatever Tink wants so long as it is not IASW 100 times ;)
• As long as it's IASW we will be ok ... All other rides so far she's said I don't like it. But we'll work on it
• My child loves to get wet. I'd better bring 2 changes of clothes!
• Love Photopass, always get a ton, especially Magic pictures 
• Stroller marking is a fab idea, we have a Maclaren Volo which is popular in the US too so better think of something to make it stand out, an inexpensive scarf maybe?
• Remember we are British, we ALWAYS have a poncho/raincoat/rain cover/umbrella etc ;)
• I'll try to remember to pack my patience ...
• We will have fun, thank you so much!

Thank you to Natalie, Danielle, Corby and Janine for joining me on this month's post.  Please check out past articles from these and the rest of our Minnie Moms team.

Nine, we all wish you a wonderful, magical, relaxing vacation!  ~Amy

Guest Post: Going to the Disney Water Parks with a Toddler

My family recently returned from a vacation to Disney World. We decided to try both of the Disney water parks. We have an almost 8 year old and barely 2 year old which always makes things interesting. If you plan on visiting the water parks (which you should), and you have children with an age gap, I do recommend splitting up because their interests and attractions they can participate in will be different. My 7 year old wanted to go on the big water slides all day long and obviously the 2 year old can't swim yet. To solve this issue, one parent slid while one watched our toddler and then we swapped so each got to experience some of the amazing attractions the water parks have to offer. TIP: Wear waterproof watches and come up with a meeting place to make it easy as the parks are large. Everyone ended up happy which is always a good thing!

I often get asked which water park is better...Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach. My answer is they are both wonderful so you should give them both a shot but I do have a personal favorite when it comes to toddlers that I will share with you! Both parks offer areas designated for children under 48” but we found both to be very different.

Blizzard Beach has an amazing area for young children called Tyke's Peak which consists mostly of a variety of small water slides which is wonderful if you have a child who enjoys them. Even though there isn't a height requirement on many of the “big” water slides, they still may be too big for young children, especially if they are new to swimming. Clearly you don't want them to go down a slide and land in a 3 or 4 foot deep pool of gushing water. Not a good idea. These small water slides are the perfect size for young children. Some are just a few feet long for little ones while others are curvy which are great for young children. There is also a shallow wading pool with some alligators that squirt water and a waterfall that little ones enjoy splashing around in and even a spray ground and sand area. The issue my toddler had was she was scared of all slides, no matter how little they were. I remember my son going through the same thing at our local water park. It wasn't until he was around 5 that he was comfortable to go down the children's water slides and then he progressed to the “big” slides around 6 (obviously, each child is different). An issue I had with Tyke's Peak is it's in the full sun. Not good if you have a fair skinned little red head who doesn't handle the sun well so we had to take some breaks in the shade which is offered nearby.

So what did we do all day at a water park with a child who wouldn't go down a single water slide? We found plenty to do! Our little one had a great time running around and splashing in the wading pools. I brought some beach toys and she had the best time filling the water up in the sand bucket, dumping it out and then filling it back up again. TIP: If you order a children's entree at some of the water park restaurants, their food comes in a sand bucket. She also enjoyed the wave pools. Clearly, not wise to go in too deep but if you stay right where the pool starts, little ones usually have a blast with the waves that are small at the end. She particularly enjoyed Typhoon Lagoon's wave pool which features one large tidal wave. Sounds scary but if you stay in the very shallow part, the wave is pretty small. She got a kick over me holding her and “jumping” the wave. She also loved when the water was soaked back in just like at the beach with the tide. Very cool. We enjoyed going around the lazy river at both parks. I put her in a small inner tube that had a bottom and pushed her around. Throw in some time to relax and have lunch and there you have a good day at the park with a toddler.

Even though we had a great time at Blizzard Beach, my toddler and I fell in love with Ketchakiddee Creek (gotta love the catchy name) which is the children's play area at Typhoon Lagoon. It was perfect for her! There are shallow streams, small water falls, fountains, a spray ground, all kinds of areas for them to splash around in that were toddler friendly. I loved that Ketchakiddee Creek provided some shady areas which is a welcome relief on those hot sunny Florida days. I thought it was perfect for toddlers!

 I definitely recommend giving the Disney water parks a try! You won't be disappointed and no matter when you visit, the water is heated. If you are visiting Disney for several days and want a break from the parks, I would recommend adding the Water Park, Fun and More option and go to both water parks to see which one suits your family best. I guarantee the whole family will have lots of fun!


Contributed by Corby C. of Atlanta, Georgia. She is a proud wife and mom to Banks and Henley, a Disney Destination Planner with Travel with the Magic and one of our Minnie Moms.

Disney Mini-Golf at Winter Summerland

A round or two of miniature golf at Winter Summerland is a great way to spend an afternoon.  Whether you've just had it with the crowds or are looking for something inexpensive to do on your last day, Winter Summerland is a wonderful option.

Like everything at Disney, there is a theme and a backstory.  The idea is that Winter Summerland was built as a vacation destination for Santa's elves but the elves were split on which was better, sand or snow.  As a result, two 18 hole miniature golf courses were built.  One has a winter theme, complete with concrete snowmen and traditional Christmas music.  The other was for the elves who preferred the Florida sun and includes surfboards and Beach Boys style holiday tunes.  

While there are a few challenges along the way, the whole family should be able to play well enough to have a good time.  In true miniature golf fashion, some of the holes will surprise you with special effects.  We don't do spoilers around here, so you'll have to go explore on your own.

Disney has two miniature golf courses on property and this one is the favorite of my family.  Winter Summerland is located across the parking lot from Blizzard Beach.  If you are using Disney transportation, you'll ride the Blizzard Beach bus to get here.  The course is open from 10am until 11pm. The current cost is $12.00 for adults and $10.00 for ages 3-9.  Annual passholders get a 50% discount for themselves and up to 3 guests.  The golf clubs come in adult and kid sizes with plastic putters for the littlest golfers.

Have you played mini golf at Winter Summerland?   What was your best score?