What's your Disney alternative?

[RamblingMad]

My go to is to hit a National Park every year. I went to four last year. I also like to go hiking in Hawaii. Finally, I like to visit zoos and aquariums in different cities I visit. I really like San Diego Zoo. I'm also going to try out Dollywood this year. I haven't been back since I was a kid.

What's your alternative?

 

[thanxfornoticin]

We do many different things, but San Diego (Zoo, Safari Park, weather, other!) is high on the list!

 

[hhisc16]

We visit DHHIR often on HHI.
Alternative to WDW for a relaxing vacation.

 

[TLSnell1981]

We've been hopping over to the Atlantis in the Bahamas. It's only an hour flight from Orlando. Paradise Island is beautiful and relaxing. The kids love the water parks and activities. No stress and it costs less too.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Have a cruise planned at the end of the year. Going forward, will like to do more. I hope one a year. We moved to the Southeast 6 years ago and have been exploring. Covid slowed us down. We have Charleston SC, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, Dollywood, Universal (I haven't been there yet), and maybe Destin FL. Definitely less WDW for us.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

For the past few years it’s been the Outer Banks, NC

 

[Brett Wyman]

The beach and camping.

 

[Sinder]

We love to camp so our usual alternative is renting a cottage in an RV resort near a coastal beach. We have our own camp property in the mountains that we spend our weekends at spring through fall.
We just got back from a Florida trip, rented a house a block from the beach. It was a relaxing vacation but I need more nature and less “city” for me to really enjoy myself.
I would love to visit all the National Parks some day. I’ve got a few checked off my list so far.

 

[Orion Nebula]

For the first time ever my wife and I decided to skip another trip to WDW and head down to Mexico. We had never been before and stayed in the Riveria Maya at an adult all inclusive. It was a higher end resort but it ended up costing about 1/4 of a WDW trip. While sitting on the beach being served endless margarita's I started to shake my head at how expensive Disney really was. I mean I can spend a month down there with unlimited food and drinks, zero crowds and drift off to sleep with the sea breeze washing over me... again for 1/4 of the price... lol

 

[Boopuff]

Camping! Love my house on wheels! We go all over

 

[Schneewittchen37]

We have a few: Universal Studios Florida, MD/VA/NC beaches, western National Parks especially around OR, WA and NM.

 

[Mysterian]

For the past few years it’s been the Outer Banks, NC

Had to google it. It looks amazing! Like the type of picturesque place where many screensavers and desktop wallpapers are created. I would like to go.

 

[2China2009]

For the first time ever my wife and I decided to skip another trip to WDW and head down to Mexico. We had never been before and stayed in the Riveria Maya at an adult all inclusive. It was a higher end resort but it ended up costing about 1/4 of a WDW trip. While sitting on the beach being served endless margarita's I started to shake my head at how expensive Disney really was. I mean I can spend a month down there with unlimited food and drinks, zero crowds and drift off to sleep with the sea breeze washing over me... again for 1/4 of the price... lol

Totally agree. Our last trip to Disney was in 2015. It used to be an inexpensive vacation, but not now. I just booked a 7 day cruise on Carnival with a balcony room for 3 of us for $1000!!!! I used SW rapid reward points to pay for half our tickets to LA. I think an all inslcusive or cruising is the way to go for the price. Sounds like your trip was amazing.

 

[2China2009]

We are done with Disney. I just booked a 7 day cruise to Mexico in June for 3 of us for $1000. I see crusing in our future and more all inlcusive vacations in Mexico.

 

[Orion Nebula]

It's really an eye opener when you start comparing other destinations. Now of course whatever you pick is not WDW and comes with a different experience. But it does really make you feel better about holding off.

 

[RedAngie]

My last 4 trips to Orlando have been Disney-free. One or two days at Universal, or a day at Sea World, or half day at Gatorland, or just relaxing by the pool at our hotel.

Disney has become just to complicated and restrictive for me; not the way I like to vacation.

 

[ronandannette]

Disney was never our default, must-go vacation choice. We enjoyed our trips but they have always been interspersed with other destinations. I'd say cruising has always been our favourite but again, we've done lots of other good land trips too. We've had a return to Disneyland to see the StarWars thing on the back-burner for a few years and I'm sure it will happen someday but I doubt we'll ever be back to WDW (although, never say never, right?).

 

[Yoshi]

Busch Gardens Tampa. I like how they have a great coaster selection plus there are all the animal exhibits. It’s also great that the wait times are usually much less compared to Disney as long as you avoid school holidays and Saturday’s.

 

[Meriweather]

cruising

 

[adkkev]

We have not been to Disney in a while. We travel as much as we can, exploring different places. Maritime Canada, Maine, NH, Vermont, Adirondacks, Virginia, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Alberta, BC, and Alaska.