YES, YOU CAN GO TO DISNEY WITHOUT VISITING ANY PARKS!

(Port Orleans Resort - New Orleans)

When my daughter and I drove to Walt Disney World a few weeks ago so that she could begin the College Internship Program, we had just gotten home from a family Christmas vacation there a few weeks earlier. 

Because we had gone to the four main parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom) during that visit, I wasn't going to buy a ticket to go to one during this visit.  Not that I didn't want to, but I didn't think I should spend the money on it since we already had weeks before.  Lauren will get a discount and even a few free tickets, but that wasn't going into effect until I was gone.

We stayed on Disney property during this trip, which usually our family doesn't do.  Lauren and I even got the dining plan, just for a fun way to be able to try a few different restaurants, so the room and meals were paid for in advance.  But I was determined to not spend any - or much - money at all after I arrived.  I made it a challenge to NOT spend, actually! I wanted to prove that it was possible!  And I did!!

If  you're staying at a Disney resort, you can ride the buses everywhere. Actually, even if you're not staying on property, you can ride the buses, boats, and monorails.  So transportation isn't an issue.  It may take you awhile to get to where you want to go, but you easily can do it.  We spent time around our resort pool (pictured on top), visited the amazing Boardwalk (FREE!), which provides beautiful scenes, fun shopping (without spending!)...

...and funny sidewalk entertainment!  You could literally spend hours down at the Boardwalk just walking around and looking - or even sitting and watching!  Such a neat place that we had never been to!

Another free thing to do is to watch the Wishes fireworks show at Magic Kingdom from a distant location.  This view is of the Grand Floridian as we sat on the Polynesian Resort beach.

It was a great place to watch Wishes!

When Lauren was busy with training one day, I spend the day riding boats and buses going to Downtown Disney and other resorts.

Included WITH our resort package were FREE tickets to Disney Quest!  It's an arcade, game, food, and fun place that's five stories high!!  I actually did some of the things, even though I was all alone!

It was fun, but I was also determined to use up that FREE ticket well! I made my own roller coaster, then got to ride it in a simulator that went upside down!  The kids thought it was hilarious that I did that all alone :).

I toured Pop Century Resort, which was amazing!!  I had seen pictures of it, but never in person.

Art of Imagination Resort may have been my favorite, though.  I love how they designed the movies within the hotel rooms.

Aren't these amazing places to stay??!  How fun to spend the afternoon in a Cozy Cone!

One thing about the resorts:  You can only swim in the pool at your OWN resort. You can't go to all of them just because you're a Disney guest.  But you CAN go around and visit them!  And you can also take your refillable Disney mug and use it at every resort.  I just snapped mine on my camera bag and used it whenever I needed something!

The Disney transportation system is very well organized.  Over 250 buses transport guests over the 30,500 acres!!

So, yes, you CAN visit Walt Disney World without going to the theme parks!  It was possible!  I wouldn't recommend it if it's your first visit to WDW, or maybe even your 2nd or 3rd, BUT if you want to experience Disney at a more relaxed pace, or if you want to splurge a little to stay on property, but not spend too much, you can still experience Disney just by being there.  

There's no more magical place on earth!  That's why WDW is called the happiest place on earth!  Of course, it's happier when your whole family is there, but you can make it happy just on your own....or even when telling your oldest child bye and you won't be seeing her for four months!

No matter how you experience WDW, that last picture, "See Ya Real Soon", will be the saddest one you see!