It’s no secret that there are lots of things to do inside the Disney theme parks, but did you know there are also lots of activities available at the resort hotels? Which means you can have fun without even entering the parks.
Tag Archives: Disney Activities
Picture of the Day: Wilderness Explorers
Reservations for the Frozen Summer Fun Premium Package at Hollywood Studios are Now Available!
Reservations for the Frozen Summer Fun Premium Package are available! According to Rachel Brent, from Disney Parks Blog and the Food & Beverage Marketing Communications Coordinator, the dates are June 17 to September 7.
This is what the package includes:
- You get to see Anna and Elsa in the reserved viewing area for the Frozen Royal Welcome. This includes water, soft drinks, and ice cream.
- Reserved seating for your choice of (1) show time of For the First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Frozen Fireworks viewing with dessert party to end the day. This includes Frozen-themed desserts as well as specialty alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
The cost is $69 for adults and $39 for children ages 3-9 (tax and gratuity included).
Source: Disney Parks Blog
Exotic Driving Experience Closed Until May
Due to the fatal accident that happened this weekend at the Exotic Driving Experience, the attraction will be closed until May.
According to Click Orlando, it will reopen on May 1. The Richard Petty Driving Experience, also operated at the Walt Disney World Speedway, will reopen on Monday.
Gary Terry, who was a senior operations manager and driving instructor at the attraction, was the passenger in the car and died in the crash. The Lamborghini was driving 100 mph at the time of the accident.
The crash is under investigation.
Source: Click Orlando
Weekly Tip #18: Early Bird Pricing at Splitsville
Do you like bowling? Even if you have’t bowled much in the past, you might want to check out Splitsville in Downtown Disney.
This is not your typical your typical bowling alley. For starters, the menu offers things like sushi, fish and chips, salads, rice bowls, and more. The menu is pretty impressive.
They have 2 floors, 30 bowling lanes, 2 billiard tables, and 5 bars (including a patio and balcony). So, even if you are not a fan of bowling, chances are you will find a place to hang out here. They also have live entertainment from 3 pm – 7 pm and 7:30 pm – 11:30 pm on the patio.
It’s a fun place, but it is certainly far from inexpensive. The cost is $15 per person, per hour from 10:30 am – 4 pm and $20 per person, per hour from 4 pm – close. Except for Saturday and Sunday when the cost is $20 from open to close.
Those numbers are for a party of 1-2. You get a little more time the bigger your party gets. If you are a family of three or four those prices will get you an hour and 15 minutes of bowling, for 5-6 people you will get an hour and 30 minutes, and for a party of 7-8 you will get an hour and 45 minutes.
There is a way to pay a little less for the bowling. If you can get there when they open there is an early bird special. From open to 12:30 pm you pay $8 for kids and $12 for adults. There are some blackout dates and they don’t include holidays with the early bird price, but you can check their website to make sure you are not going during one of those days.
So if you have been putting off trying Splitsville because of the price, try to get there for the early bird special. You can bowl for less and then have the rest of the day to do some other fun things in Downtown Disney. DisneyQuest anyone?
Thanks for reading!
*Liz*
Source: Splitsville Orlando
Downtown Disney for Kids
Downtown Disney is a great place to go for some really good restaurants and also fun shopping, but there are lots of things for the little ones to do too! You can easily spend a whole day at Downtown Disney and take turns seeing things everyone would like to experience.
Here is a list of things available that the little ones would like:
- The Marketplace Train – Our kids loved this! It costs around $2 and the kids get a fun little ride around the track. The ages of the kids who rode the train were 2, 3, and 6 and they all loved it. It’s really cute! You can find the train by Disney Pin Traders and Pearl Factory.
- The Marketplace Carousel – Kids love carousels, so it’s nice that Disney has one in Downtown Disney. It helps when the kids start getting a little antsy. The cost for the carousel is the same as the train, $2. You can find the carousel not far from the train. The carousel is by Marketplace Fun Finds, Goofy’s Candy Co., Mickey’s Pantry, and Spice and Tea Exchange.
- Goofy’s Candy Co. – This is a definite stop with little kids. They love all the colors in the store, not to mention all the goodies to choose from there. We usually let them pick out a cookie and sometimes we’ll do the make-your-own-treat. It’s fun to create your own treats and they have a few different options. Plus, they have those super delicious candy apples in character designs. If you time it right, you might get some free samples. You can find Goofy’s Candy Co. by the Marketplace Carousel and Marketplace Fun Finds. See above picture.
- Splash Areas – There are a couple of areas in Downtown Disney that have water that shoots up from the ground. Kids love this! Some adults do too, especially during the hot summer days in Florida.
- Build-a-Dino Workshop – This fun store is located right next to the T-Rex restaurant and is just like the Build-a-Bear Workshops. The kids will get to build their own Dino to take home. Prices will vary. The Build-a-Dino Workshop is located by the Lego Store and the new causeway, which connects you to Rainforest Cafe.
- Once Upon a Toy – This is a great store for kids and parents, because there’s some interactive areas. First of all, you can build a light saber here. That is a pretty popular area in the store, as you can imagine. You can also get all sorts of Mr. Potato Head accessories. They even have a big clear Mr. Potato Head that you can fill for one price. Make sure you pack it well so you can fit as much in as possible! You can find Once Upon a Toy by Disney Pin Traders and Earl of Sandwich.
- World of Disney Store – This store is huge. Seriously. It has 12 different rooms and has a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique inside. You can find everything Disney here. Whether it’s toys or home goods. The kids will love walking around the store, plus there are different character statues outside where they can take their picture. On a hot day look for the entrance with Stitch over it…you’ll get a surprise. The World of Disney Store is by Starbucks and across from the Waterside Stage. It’s huge, you can’t miss it.
- Waterside Stage – This will be a fun time with the kids. Check out the DJ Kids Dance Party at the Waterside Stage. Kids will love to dance along and chances are you will find yourself tapping your foot to the beat too. The Waterside Stage is located across from the World of Disney Store.
- The Lego Store – The fun at this store isn’t just limited to inside. They have Lego statues outside and even in the lake. It’s so much fun to walk around and see what they have built with Legos. I always make it a point to see the sea serpent in the lake. He’s so cute! Kids can play with the Legos in the store. It can be hard to get a spot at one of the tables, but if you get there when it’s slow the kids will have fun building. You can find the Lego Store in between World of Disney and T-Rex.
- DisneyQuest – If you have a gamer in the family, then you should check out this interactive indoor theme park. There are 5 floors of all types of games, from classics to virtual games, your video game fan will have a good time here. DisneyQuest is located on the the WestSide of Downtown Disney by La Nouba and Splitsville. There is a cost to go here, but it is included in the Water Park Fun and More option on the park tickets.
- Characters in Flight – This is a tethered balloon ride that will take you 400 feet in the air and will give you 360° views of Downtown Disney. Kids will love the characters on the balloon too. The ride lasts for about 8 to 10 minutes and is located near the Westside Starbucks and Exposition Park (food trucks). The price is $12 for children and $18 for adults.
There really is quite a bit to do in Downtown Disney. This list should give you a good amount of options of things to do if you go there with kids. Some of the stuff is fun for both kids and adults!
Thanks for reading!
*Liz*
Weekly Tip #17
There is so much to do on Disney World property! Even when you don’t include the parks and resort hotels, you still have tons of stuff to experience on property. One of these experiences is Pick-a-Pearl.
There are a few locations on property that offer this experience.
- In Epcot you will find this in the Mitsukoshi Department Store in the Japan Pavilion. I have picked a pearl here a few times and it’s a lot of fun!
- There is also a Pearl Factory located at Typhoon Lagoon.
- The Pearl Factory also has the Yacht and Beach Club listed as a store location.
- In Downtown Disney look for the Pearl Factory located near the Marketplace Train.
Here are the addresses and phone numbers for the Pearl Factory locations in Disney World:
Downtown Disney
Walt Disney World
1780 Lake Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Phone : (407) 827-0966
Typhoon Lagoon
Walt Disney World
1800 Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Phone : (407) 828-8915
Yacht and Beach Club
Walt Disney World
1700 Epcot Resorts Boulevard
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Phone : (407) 934-0124
I love doing this when we go to Disney World! My friend and I have already put it on the list of must-dos with our daughters for the next trip. We know the girls will have as much fun as we will picking out their own oysters to see what is inside.
So, here is the tip for this week. If you are going to do the Pick-a-Pearl, look for the ugliest oyster. I have not personally tested this theory, but I can’t tell you how many times I have read that this is the way to get a good pearl.
So when you go to pick your oyster, the one that makes you think “Wow, that’s pretty gross looking” is the one you want to pick! Again, I haven’t tested this out myself, so this is just going by what I have read on other blogs and heard from people. I’m excited to test out the theory during the next trip!
Have you tried the “ugly theory” when picking a pearl? If so, please feel free to comment below and let us know how it worked for you!
Thanks for reading!
*Liz*