Need something Undisney to do first night ?

[Flyboy]

I am looking for something to do after arriving and settling in around 4 or 5. Preferably something undisney. (Just don't want to waste a park hopper day) I am staying offsite off of 192 on poincianna. I could just go to sleep, of course the kids won't have it that way.

 

[S.W. Fan]

You could take a short trip west on U.S.192 to Old Town. There's no admission charge and plenty of things for you and the family to do at any pace you choose.
http://www.old-town.com

 

[js]

If the only reason you want to do something unDisney on the first night is not to waist a day on your hopper pass, I would say you can still do Disney.
Even though we are staying on-site, we don't like to waist a day either on our first day.
Why don't you make a ressie at Chef Mickey's (Cont. Hotel) and then ride the monorail around Disney (you don't need a pass or be an on site guest).
Chef Mickey's has all the popular characters and that way you don't need to hunt them down once you arrive in the park. We do this ever trip on our first night.
You can also make a PS at the Poly and watch the fireworks or Electrical Parade from the beach at the Poly, and then you can also hop on the monorail for a look around.
If you don't want to eat a dinner at one of the resorts, why don't you drive to
DownTown Disney and take a look around at all the shops, the same can be done for the Boadwalk. You can do all this without waisting any days off your passes.
Have fun

 

[Disneymomma]

On our first night we went the Chef Mickey's also! It was the greatest experience! My DD talks about it all the time! I t was the perfect way to start the trip! It set the Disney mood and was one of the highlights of our trip! It will be a must-do everytime now! ( And because it is in the Contemporary Resort, you do not have to waste a ticket! ) Your kids will love it!

 

[kellymonaghan]

You might want to consider seeing the "Mysterious Kingdom of the Orient" show at Splendid China. There is a separate admission of $14.95 (+ tax) for adults and $9.95 for children.

The show is a 90 minute variety show featuring amazing juggling and acrobatic acts, interspersed with dance numbers. IMHO, it's one of Orlando's great entertainment bargains.

 

[SimonV]

If it's a Friday, you might try the Kissimmee Rodeo on Hoagland Boulevard. You could also go for a night-time airboat ride with Boggy Creek Airboats (but you need to book in advance - look up www.bcairboats.com), or take the Sunset cruise with Aquatic Wonders Boat Tours (call 407 846 2814). Old Town has a lot of fun rides and stuff, while Fun Spot up on I-Drive has even more and stays open until midnight many nights. Then there are the dinner shows at Medieval Times and Arabian Nights (or the Hoop De Doo or Polynesian Luau at Disney). Downtown Disney (and DisneyQuest!) is also a fun place in the evening. So you are not short of choices

 

[deena]

it might be fun to stop on over at Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum at 8201 International Drive (right next door to the Mercado Mediterranean Village); they have all kinds of different items on display that are interesting to browse over. The website is www.ripleysorlando.com The last time I looked they had a printable coupon on there that you can use if you decide to go.

Also, when you arrive in town be sure and pick up many of the travel magazines located inside of the bins that are placed outside of both the restaurants as well as shopping areas and check your hotel lobby for brochures to get some ideas of what you might want to see or do. There are definitely many things to do while in town that are not related to Disney; hope this helps. Have a great time!

 

[BedKnobbery]

I agree that if the *only* reason you want to do an UnDisney day is so you do not waste a hopper day, then you can still do a disney related day! And my guess is this will be the kid's preference, too since they will be very eager to begin their Disney experience!

Dinner at one of the non-theme park hotels is your best bet. Chef Mickey's is an excellent suggestion; you may also want to try one of the Rainforest Cafes (My kids fave). One is in DD and the other at AK, but accessible to people not visiting the park that day.

A spin around the monorail is a must! My kids also love to just drive around WDW and see all the signs (some of them are very entertaining) as well as whatever sites they can see.

That is probably going to be your cheapest option! Well, actually--another option would be just to relax by the hotel pool, which is something that THRILLS my kids. Maybe just order a pizza delivered, and then go over your next day at Disney. Which park first? What rides does each member of your party most want to go on? Is there anything they are scared of? Which Character do you think you'll see first? What ride do you think will have the shortest line? the longest? That kind of stuff.

And finally--if you want a totally undisney day, then there are plenty of things to keep you busy around Orlando, although bear in mind they will still cost you $ (just not a day on your passes!) the Ripley's museum is good for an hour or 2, or you could also try wonderworks ( www.wonderworksonline.com ), which offers some really interesting interactive exhibits. They also offer laser tag pretty cheaply ($6 per person) as well as a magic show dinner. You can purchase a combo ticket to include 2 of those options, or a super combo including all 3 for about $25-30 per person.

Susanne

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Once again I've got to thank Simon for suggesting the Boggy Creek Airboat ride when we were going last year...we loved it! We went directly from the airport, at around 11:30 AM, but going at night sounds neat. I'll have to check out Simon's other suggestions for this year!