Here’s the thing about a Disney vacation. You are on vacation. You don’t necessarily want to spend all of your time at the parks. Instead, you want to do some of the things that you’d do on an ordinary vacation, too. Maybe you’d like them with a special dose of Disney magic, though. Here are the six best recreational activities at Walt Disney World.
Spend a day on the lake
Image: DisneyBay Lake isn’t just for show. Sure, the breathtaking views of this natural body of water highlight any number of Disney landmarks. When The Walt Disney Company purchased the land here, they augmented Bay Lake by connecting it to the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon, creating a marvelous combination of natural and artificial waterways.
While you’re at Walt Disney World, you can explore all of these wonders. Head over to Disney’s Contemporary Resort and walk down the path beside the main outdoor pool, the Feature Pool. You’ll discover the Boat Nook Marina, a place where you can rent motorized boats. You can either take a boat out by yourself or with a partner, or you can rent a pontoon vessel for up to 10 guests. It’s the best way to appreciate the beauty of the lake. Rate information is available here.
Go horseback riding
Image: DisneyAdmit it. You just did a double-take at that one. The only people aware of this option at Walt Disney World are the ones that have spent a lot of time at Tri-Circle-D Ranch. It’s a section of The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. You see, the horses that strut down Main Street, U.S.A. have to live somewhere, and Disney has built a stable for them here.
At Tri-Circle-D Ranch, you can engage in all sorts of rustic activities, the kind that you’d expect to find during a dude ranch vacation, not one at Walt Disney World. This facility hosts lots of beautiful horses like Clydesdales, Appaloosas, and Arabians.
On these magnificent beasts, you can go for a horseback ride through the rustic facilities at Fort Wilderness, or you can take the lazier route with a horse-drawn carriage ride. And then you can tell all your friends about the amazing thing you did at Disney!
Play a round of golf
Image: DisneyI’ve previously described Walt Disney World as a meta-vacation, a place where Disney has collated a giant list of other vacations into a single place. The dude ranch option is a perfect example of this, but Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa is another. This destination resort is best-known for its proximity to Disney Springs, the entertainment complex that is only a short walk away from the hotel. Golf fans know it for a different reason, though.
Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course is a world-class course created by beloved golf architect Joe Lee. This course has hosted events on both the PGA and LPGA tour over the years, speaking to the difficulty and entertainment value of its design.
The golf course has that special Disney charm plus the backdrop of an elegant resort, stunning Treehouse Villas, and Disney Springs. You can book a round online and then spend the day spoiling a good walk.
Watch a movie under the stars
Image: DisneyWhen you ask any Disney diehard what they love about the company, the answer inevitably comes down to the characters. Disney, for lack of better terminology, indoctrinates its fans from a young age. The classic Disney film catalog stirs emotions in children that they may not have even known that they could feel up until that moment, making Disney a key cog in the maturation process.
At Walt Disney World (and other Disney resorts around the world), Disney celebrates the power of its movie library. The various resorts feature events that they call Movies Under the Stars. Disney shows staples from their back catalog, exhibiting them on giant projection screens in hotel courtyards. Guests often grab a blanket and a picnic basket and curl up to spend the night watching their favorite Disney classics on the big screen.
During any Movies under the Stars event, you’ll see dozens of resort guests sitting on the grass, laughing along with the dialogue. It’s one of the most engaging group activities at a Disney resort. These exhibitions aren’t available every night, though. You should check your hotel’s weekly schedule to see which days host the events, and what the films are on these days.
Visit a water park
Image: DisneyWalt Disney World features not one but two of the most popular water parks in the world. Only Chimelong Water Park in Guangzhou, China, can boast a larger level of attendance than Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, the only two water parks in North America that claim annual attendance of more than two million.
While you’re staying at a Disney resort, you can use Disney transportation to reach either one of these parks. For the modest price of a day’s admission, you can enjoy dozens of spectacular water rides like Miss Adventure Falls at Typhoon Lagoon and Runoff Rapids at Blizzard Beach. Personally, I just hang out at the lazy river for most of my time at the park(s), but each place has enough rides to make an eight-hour visit feel like a hot minute.
If you can only pick one during your trip, the rides are better at Typhoon Lagoon, but the theming is tighter and more engaging at Blizzard Beach. You’ll have a blast at either one, though. Disney does water parks right.
Go resort hopping
Image: DisneyThis is my family’s favorite recreational activity at Walt Disney World. We view the various official Disney resorts as architectural triumphs that all deserve our admiration. So, when we’re feeling a bit tired of the parks or just tired in general, we plan slow days wherein we wander through a few Disney resorts.
Each one has its own special style and theming that makes it worthy of a visit. The lobby of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is one of the most impressive sights I’ve ever seen in a hotel interior. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is host to dozens of animals who are as curious about humans as we are about them.
Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter is an intimate facility that ably recreates the Mardi Gras experience. And the All-Star Resorts all have central themes that populate their lobbies with unforgettable styles. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort in particular is like an open library of magical moments from Disney cinema.
Image: DisneyI’ve just listed several distinct resorts, and I’m still barely halfway through the list. I didn’t even get to Disney’s Contemporary Resort, which has a freakin’ monorail track going through the middle of it, or Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the gathering place of the cultural elite at Walt Disney World.
When we resort hop, we get to form our own opinions about which hotel is Disney’s most impressive feat. We also get to plan out future Walt Disney World visits by deciding where we intend to stay next. Plus, each of these resorts has its own special shops and restaurants that more than justify a visit. Everything I’ve listed here is a wonderful recreational activity, but resort hopping is easily the best in my opinion.
