The outdoor area of Disney'w Riviera Resort with clear blue sky and greenery.
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6 Amazing Ideas for Non Park Days at Disney World

ByMagen

A Walt Disney World trip is exhilarating, but all the experts (including me) will tell you that you NEED a rest day, or a no park day. Non-park days give you a chance to explore Disney World’s vast, never ending activities throughout the Disney bubble, give your feet a break, and explore some new areas that you may not have ever noticed at Disney World.

Disney World beyond the parks is super special. There are fewer crowds, and it includes many places to visit, shopping, food, shows, photo spots, multiple modes of transportation, and some really great secret things to do that are perfect for a non park day.

Whether you’re looking for what to do on your last day at Disney World, a break from park-hopping, or you’re looking for activities for a half-day, we got you covered! These carefully chosen activities will make your off-day just as magical as the first glimpse of Cinderella’s castle.

If you’re a couple, adults without your kids, or exploring with the whole family: we’ve got some ideas that will be fun, relaxing, and aesthetic for your photos + videos to boot. (You know we love capturing memories!) Here’s some ideas for your no parks Disney World itinerary. You’ve probably seen some obvious suggestions, like Disney Springs, Disney Boardwalk, or mini-golf. Those are all wonderful! (We really love Disney Springs and Disney Boardwalk.) But we aim to share some lesser known activities or strategies to get the most out of your off day and capture those super special moments.

1. Have Breakfast or Lunch at a resort that you’re not staying at (Resort Hopping.)

While you’ll always see me advocating to enjoy the hotel you booked, the various Disney World hotels around property are all worth visiting. They are all very unique, with distinct theming, style and restaurants. There are 4 parks and 2 waterparks, but there are over 21 Disney operated hotels, plus 4 additional independently operated hotels on property.

A lot of the strategies we share mix resort hopping with meals so that you’re exploring new places plus trying out a new restaurant!

You can go with a sit-down meal, with lots of amazing options for character breakfasts, delicious lunches, or a quick service counter meal at the different resorts.

Character Breakfasts we love:

Table Service Lunch or Dinner spots we recommend:

  • Steakhouse 71 at Contemporary Resort (the best burger!)
  • Whispering Canyon Café at Wilderness Lodge
  • Flying Fish at Disney’s Boardwalk (dinner only)
  • Narcoossee’s at Grand Floridian (dinner only)
  • Topolino’s Terrace at Riviera Resort (breakfast or dinner only)
  • Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge (you get to overlook the savannah and see the animals!)

There are also bars at various resorts that have amazing options, so don’t skip out there!

  • Bar Riva at Riviera Resort
  • Geyser Point Bar & Grill at Wilderness Lodge
  • Steakhouse 71 has bar seating if you can’t nab a reservation and I still highly recommend that burger!

We shared a video of a full rest day plus a second half-day where we did this and some other ideas we’ll share shortly. If you’re a visual person, check it out below. If you’re looking to find some relaxing things to do during non-park days at Disney, this will be helpful!

Watch Video Here

2. Explore the grounds + shop at the Disney hotel you had your meal at.


After your delicious meal, take time to look around at the resort. Explore the lobby, walk around the pool and the grounds. Are there any activities available? There could also be seasonal decorations, like the Gingerbread houses during Christmas time.

At the value resorts, there are so many character statues and enormous photo-ops. The moderate and deluxe resorts are so well themed. You’ll have something to explore at any resort.

Occasionally, you might even catch a character roaming!


Saratoga Springs (in addition to several other resorts) has surrey bike rides, Polynesian Village Resort has a beach to explore, Coronado Springs has a beautiful walking path. Fort Wilderness has smores making and horse riding. You can easily hop on a boat at various resorts and make a loop. The boat rides are relaxing and you get a chance to see some secret areas that can only be seen on the waterways.

Each resort’s gift shop (some are larger than others) has unique shopping items, from resort branded merch to theme-related unique items. Wilderness lodge sells plaid, Port Orleans sells beignet mix… you get it!

3. Book an extra-special dinner- be it a dinner show, a special location, a new cuisine- but make sure it’s at a different location than your breakfast or lunch!


The top place that comes to mind, and where we had dinner on our last rest day included in the video I mentioned above, is the Hoop Dee Doo Revue at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

This is a very special and beloved dinner show. It’s funny, it’s lively, has some amazing cast members, plus you get fried chicken and strawberry short cake.

This is currently the only dinner show at Disney World. The Polynesian Village Resort formerly had a dinner show, but unfortunately it was closed to make way for the newly- opened Polynesian Village Tower.

However, there are many more unique and interesting food options for this outing.

  • Storybook Dining at Artist’s Point at Wilderness Lodge, which is a prix fixe menu with characters from Snow White.
  • ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort- an all-you-care-to-eat family style with Hawaiian flavored specialties. (This one is tough to get, so you need to snag it as soon as your booking window opens!)
  • Boma or Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge for unique food choices that even picky eaters will find to be delicious (if you go when it’s still daylight, you can view the animals!)
  • Morimoto Asia, Jaleo by Jose Andres, or Raglan Road at Disney Springs for some new exciting dining.

4. Classes at Your Resort

This little tip is what inspired this post. We came across a sign up sheet for several arts and crafts classes and various other activities at our resort.

For $45 per person, we took a 2 hour painting class (all supplies are provided) where she showed us how to paint a pre-sketched piece. We had such a great time!

This made for such a special souvenir as well!

These activities and classes are super secret and undercover- they don’t include them on the app and they don’t advertise them anywhere. So be sure to ask the front desk of your resort if they have any activities.

There was also a mosaic making class and some other fun group activities you could join. This was our favorite afternoon of the trip!

5. Visit other hotels for resort specific drinks, snacks, or food.

We went to Port Orleans French Quarter for the Mickey Beignets (duh) on a day where we didn’t have park plans until the evening.

There are so many specialty items that you can pop in to enjoy at different resorts and repeat all the steps in #2.

Here are some photo-worthy and unique places to visit for snacks or drinks:

  • Enchanted Rose Lounge at the Grand Floridian. There are appetizers and specialty cocktails (like the French Rose Martini), wines, beer, and mocktails set in a beautiful upscale Beauty and the Beast themed lounge.
  • Mickey-shaped Beignets and specialty coffees at Scat Cat’s Club- Café at Port Orleans French Quarter
  • S’more Old Fashion, Territory Popcorn Sampler, or Bacon on the Wire at Territory Lounge at Wilderness Lodge
  • Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto- a tiki bar that is so immersively themed that you feel like you’re stepping into a different world. It’s tough to get into, but I couldn’t leave it off a list of unique bars, lounges, or cafes.

6. Actually Rest and Enjoy Your Resort!

Take time by the pool, or even a nap. Spend at least an hour or two physically resting on your non-park day. Your feet will thank you tomorrow.

I always pack a book or have my kindle handy. Sometimes we’ll bring our Nintendo Switches and we never come without a swimsuit! We don’t always end up taking a dip, but just in case we feel like it, we have it.

TELL US

Do any of these sound like a fun time? Are you planning on stopping at a lounge or riding a Surrey bike? Please share in the comments your favorite things to do on a rest day.

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