With some 20.5 million visitors strolling through its gates each and every year, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World gets the highest attendance of any theme park on earth. The three other gates at the Florida megaparkalopolis, Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, each rank among the world’s top ten most visited parks and collectively bring in another 33.5 million guests.
Chances are you have been among the hordes taking rides on Space Mountain and the Tower of Terror. You might not realize, however, that there’s considerably more fun to be had at the vast resort than the theme parks. Once you’ve given Dumbo a whirl, here are several of the great other activities you may want to consider for your upcoming trip to Disney World.
Disney World: enjoyable activities after the parks
Slide into one of several water parks
Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are two of the biggest and best water parks in the nation. They are also among a handful that remains open most of the year. As you’d expect from Disney, the parks are whimsically themed and lushly landscaped. Both offer adrenaline-charged water slides in addition to more relaxed ways to enjoy the refreshing water. Disney World recently changed its admission policy and now allows guests to check out both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach with one water park ticket. You really should schedule an entire day and spend it in your bathing suit.
Go surfing
The featured attraction at Typhoon Lagoon is its enormous wave pool. All guests can body surf in it. However if you would like to try and challenge six-foot waves by hanging ten on a surfboard, the park offers lessons before it opens to the public on select days. Advance reservations are needed.
Spring for some doodads, food, and fun
After a makeover and expansion, the resort has rechristened Downtown Disney as Disney Springs. The vast shopping, dining, and entertainment center has loads of stores and restaurants to visit, including many that recently opened. There are several other diversions including interactive gaming at DisneyQuest, a movie theater, live entertainment at House of Blues, and bowling.
Marvel at La Nouba
Cirque du Soleil, the Montreal-based theater company which produces shows filled with physics-defying circus acts and plenty of razzle-dazzle, has a resident troupe that performs in a permanent tent at Disney Springs. La Nouba is enchanting, and some of the feats it presents are breathtaking.
Dine at a hotel
The parks have some wonderful places to nosh, however the hotels at Disney World offer many of the resort’s best eateries. For example, the California Grill, located atop Disney’s Contemporary Resort features creative dishes inspired by way of the Golden State and striking views that overlook the Magic Kingdom. For a special treat, book a dinner reservation, and catch the park’s nightly fireworks show with synchronized audio broadcast into the restaurant. Other great hotel restaurant choices include Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian and Boma, Jiko, and Sanaa, all at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Break bread with Mickey
One of the best ways to meet Mickey along with the gang at Disney World is to make a reservation at one of the restaurants which provides character dining. You could test some of the eateries within the parks, but there are actually quite a few locations outside of the parks as well. Characters make the rounds each evening for the Garden Grove dinner buffet at the Swan Hotel, for example. Among other dining spots, Chef Mickey presides over his namesake restaurant at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and royal characters visit aspiring princesses each morning at the Garden View Tea Room in Disney’s Grand Floridian.
Trek into the African forest
This particular one breaks the beyond-the-theme-parks rules a bit here, considering that the Wild Africa Trek takes place inside one of the parks, Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However the special three-hour adventure takes guests off the beaten path – way off. The small-group walking tours venture deep into the woods and provides up-close encounters with hippos, crocodiles, as well as other animals. It concludes aboard a safari vehicle for a journey through the park’s savannah that is more intimate and extensive than the one offered to regular park guests.
Do the Dee-Doo
There is a completely different theatrical vibe at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground, but the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is compelling as well. The Wild West vaudeville show should have you laughing at the hopelessly corny jokes – especially once you have imbibed on the unlimited beer, wine, and sangria that is included with the dinner show. Vittles include fried chicken, baked beans, and strawberry shortcake served family-style.
Ride real horses
Sure, you could ride the painted ponies aboard the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel at the Magic Kingdom. But were you aware that you could saddle up on actual animals? The Tri-Circle-D Ranch at Fort Wilderness offers horseback trail rides, pony rides, and horse-drawn wagon and carriage rides.
Go fish
The resort offers guided fishing excursions as well as dockside fishing. It’s catch-and-release only, but for those who give it a try, you probably wouldn’t want to let Nemo or Dory know.
Tee up
Disney World offers some championship golf courses that enthusiasts would want to try. Just about everyone, however, would have a ball at either of the resort’s two mini-golf attractions. Winter Summerland features a Christmas-theme, while Fantasia Gardens uses the classic Disney animated film as its muse. They are both charming and rigged so that they certainly are a bit easier than a standard course. (Shh! Don’t tell your kids as they triumphantly master the mini-golf holes.)
Take a wild ride on Bay Lake
Splash Mountain offers big thrills, but you could also make quite a splash at Sammy Duvall’s Watersports Centre. Located at the marina at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, options include parasailing, wake boarding, water skiing, tubing (guests careen over the lake inside a giant raft that is pulled by a motorboat), and you-drive-’em mini speedboats.
Get a lakeside seat for the pyrotechnics
You could possibly jam in with the multitude of folks jockeying for position at the Epcot or Magic Kingdom fireworks shows. Or you could set sail on a fireworks cruise and catch the dazzling display aboard a pontoon boat.