Two Adults, Two Days, No Parks, All Fun

Lindymaeco

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jul 5, 2017
I respect Disney a great deal and am a huge fan of their parks, but for that reason I have no desire to "Do Disney" half way. Since my DH and I only had a couple of days in town, we decided skip the parks and enjoy soaking up the Disney details without the total money hemorrhage.

To give you an idea if this itinerary might be your style - We travel a lot and are curious people in our 50's. We always look to understand, not just enjoy. We ask a lot of questions and can fit in just about anywhere. This was our first visit to Disney World in 20 years.

Tip - We had a rental car and parked at all of the resorts without having to give an explanation.

Thanks to all who post information here. It was a big help.
(Excuse my lack of complete sentences. I want to keep this easy to skim.)


We arrived on June 28th at about 1:30p. Parked at Ft Wilderness Campground. Checked out the horses. Bused to Wilderness Lodge. Enjoyed the details like the fireplace and totems. (Found a behind the scenes tour from a website.) Looked at Walt Disney's trains in the Carolwood Room. Wondered the pool area. Stopped by the dock and asked a captain about boat frequency. (Oddly there are no posted times or info.) He recommended the new Geyser Point Bar. Loved it. Waterside, breezy, solid cocktails, nice lake view.

Took a boat back to campground for the 4pm Hoopty Doo. (Our captain, Eric, could sing like all of the princesses. Fun, unexpected entertainment.)

The Hoopty D was fun on many levels. Like, watching the show, observing others, deconstructing the attraction. Sometimes we go into anthropologist mode when the actual content isn't very dense (not that the Hoopty is meant to be deep. Like I mentioned, we think a lot.) Get your money's worth, stick with the ribs. Skip the sides. They had Yuengling beer which met us half way.

Checked into our Airbnb south of Windermere. Easy drive. No freeways.

By vacation standards we arrived "early" at Animal Kingdom Lodge the next day after cooking our own breakfast. Got a map and an animal "bingo card" from the concierge. Wondered to both overlooks at the Jambo House. Really enjoyed the flamingos. They are fascinating. Saw many other animals as well. Got distracted trying to figure out how bananas grow. There are many banana plants there and they were all in various stages of bloom. Grabbed coffee and Zebra Domes. Sat in the shade and enjoyed the flamingos some more. Walked to Kidani Village. Saw many more animals there and chatted with a guide for a while. Watched the giraffes from the balcony of the library. Without trying we easily spent three or more hours at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Drove to the Beach Club. Had seen recommendations for Hurricane Hanna's. It fit the bill. Poolside, view of the Boardwalk, great people watching, ceiling fans with attentive, fun bartenders. If you need a snack, get the homemade potato chips. Well made. Our bartender brought us a side of steak sauce because that's how she likes them. It wasn't needed, they were great.

We strolled the path to Epcot. People watched there. Took a ferry back, just for something different. Sometime it's easier to appreciate the look of a resort from the water.

Drove to Disney Springs (Lime Garage.) Walked along the water to Jock Lindsey's Hanger Bar.
Sat inside to get reinvigorated from the heat and enjoy the heavy themeing. Not sure how fries sounded good after the chips, but they did and they didn't disappoint. Served with parm and pulverized bacon. You will be rewarded if you ask for them well-done. Outstanding. Drinks were kinda ho-hum; out-shined by the entertaining drink menu. We waited around a little while after to see if someone would rent an Amphicar next door. We so wanted to see one go in the water, but weren't about to pay for it ourselves.

We went home to let the world cool off a little and knock back the potato parade with a little nourishing food.

Returned around 7pm and parked at the Grand Floridian. Enjoyed the live band and wondered the grounds. Rode the monorail past Magic Kingdom, Contemporary, and got off at the Poly. (The monorail is a nice little tour and it's compelling to watch the exhausted parents barely holding it together, but yet still smiling. I guess even at your limit, at least you're still at Disney.)

Walked down to the water to see the beach then wondered back and found our way to Trader Sam’s. There were two seats at the bar. (Sit at the bar. Worth waiting for.) The drinks were coo-coo expensive, but who knew they came with a floor show! The bartenders were somehow both sharply witty and audaciously broad all at the same time. Their antics paired perfectly with our ridiculous drinks.

With about thirty seconds to spare we went down to the beach to watch the fireworks. Walked right up and found a great viewing spot without trying. Very convivial crowd. Afterward, we walked the lakeside path back to the Floridian past the luau late show. Caught a glimpse of the show and enjoyed the soundtrack it provided to our stroll.

This was a incredibly satisfying day and a half. Just our speed and memorable for all the right reasons. Hope these details help someone else figure out their perfect visit.
 

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