Don’t be so quick to rush off to the Disney World theme Parks every day of your Disney vacation – spend some time at your WDW Resort– there’s tons to do! Personally, my family and I like to designate one day as a “Non-Park Day” – we sleep in, relax, and enjoy all that is available to us right outside our Resort Room door!
Swimming: Every WDW Resort has multiple pools – most have a “main” pool, where you’ll find plenty of seating, a fountain or slide or something similar for the kids, a baby pool, and of course plenty of swimming space as this tends to be the largest pool at the Resort. There are usually a few other smaller pools scattered around the Resort grounds, which tend to be quieter and more laid back
Shopping: Many of the same souvenirs you see in the Parks can be purchased right at your Resort’s gift shop. Calling it a gift shop makes it seem like a small little place – when in reality most of them are huge and carry a huge variety of items – from jewelry and apparel to tech accessories, pins, toys, plush, and some necessities too – like first aid items, medicine, wine/liquor (hey, some people consider those vacation necessities!), etc. Why not shop close to home instead of buying stuff at the Parks and then having to carry it around all day? I prefer shopping at the Resort – less crowded, and a great selection!
Dining: Every Disney Resort has at least 1 place to eat right on property (many have more than 1!), and these are no simple “grab-n-go” packaged food places either. We are talking fresh, unique, delicious food – much of which you would never be able to find at the Parks. From pizza, to plenty of kids meals, to sushi and gelato, to every class of bottled beverage – they carry it all – so if you’re planning on eating all your meals at the Parks, you might want to re-think that strategy, and plan to check out what’s on site at your Resort
Playing: Playgrounds and play areas are a part of all the Walt Disney World Resorts, so if you’re looking for a way to entertain your little ones (and yourself!), head out for a leisurely walk around the Resort – you’ll find the aforementioned playgrounds and play areas, and you may discover even more cool stuff – like hammocks, statues, walking trails, and more! Some Resorts even rent out bikes, canoes, peddle boats and other watercrafts – which means playtime for the adults, too!
Moral of the story is – don’t underestimate your WDW Resort, and take advantage of all they have to offer (which is a lot – trust me!)
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You are so right in that there is so much to see and do at the resorts. I always take a day out from the parks to sleep in, laze around, swim, take a resort photo tour, watch movies at the resort on the giant inflatable screen, hula hoop (at Pop Century), visit the gift shop, sit and relax on one of the many benches in the courtyard/green areas and people watch and/or nature watch. Some of the resorts have fantastic live entertainment like Yehaw Bob at the Port Orleans resorts and if you visit the Polynesian you can meet Auntie Kai and learn to hula dance! Fort Wilderness has the petting pens, the stables, and more for those animal lovers out there! It’s also fun to resort hop and simply visit the different resorts. This is fun any time of year, but during the Christmas holidays they really are a must see as every resort has different décor and holiday events like the life sized Gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian. Don’t miss the holiday lights and décor that the campers themselves set up at their campsites to celebrate the Christmas season. It’s all great fun! I love reading your posts Catie, thanks for doing these!