While a full day in a Disney Park is always a blast, sometimes you may want to take a break mid-day and do a little something different. Some people may opt to return to their resort to take a nap or a dip in the resort pool. However, there are also some fun options not too far from each park. These options are not very time consuming, so you don't have to worry about missing out on too much park time.
Taking a break from the parks can provide a nice change of pace and allow you to experience more during your Disney visit. Also, with the help of Genie Plus, it is often easy to ride all of the rides in 1 park, so if you don't have a park hopper, this is one way to fill your day after experiencing everything that a particular park has to offer. I have broken down this post by Parks, so that you can see what is near each park and what might be a short excursion if you are looking for a mid-day break.
Hollywood Studios & Epcot
I put Hollywood Studios and Epcot in the same category, because they are so close to each other. There is a walking path that connects the 2 parks, so you can easily get from one to the other without needing any form of transportation. Also, since the installation of the Skyliner, you can move between the 2 parks even more easily.
That being said, Hollywood Studios and Epcot are also located near the most "extra-curricular" activities and are the most efficient parks to take a mid-day activity break.
1) The Skyliner
The Skyliner in itself is like a ride and is a fun way to both get around and take in a great view of Disney World below you. On a sunny day, you can see things from a different vantage point and may notice a few sights you've never seen before. You can easily access the Skyliner both at the exit of Hollywood Studios and at the World Showcase exit of Epcot, near the France pavilion.
2) The Boardwalk
The most notable place that you can easily visit from both Hollywood Studios and Epcot is the Boardwalk. Board the Skyliner if coming from Hollywood Studios, which will take you to the World Showcase exit of Epcot. It is then a short walk from the World Showcase exit of Epcot to the Boardwalk. There is also a boat that you can take from Hollywood Studios over to the Boardwalk area.
During the day, the Boardwalk offers multiple restaurants (both quick service and table service), an ice cream parlor, and beautiful views of the water from what is quite literally designed as an old-school beach boardwalk. It is not huge, but if the weather is nice, it is fun to stroll up and down the wooden boardwalk taking in the sights. Think of it as a miniature Disney Springs.
The Boardwalk Bakery has great sandwich and baked good options and a nice outdoor seating area right on the boardwalk. I also recommend Trattoria al Forno, a table service restaurant that serves Italian food.
At nighttime, there is a Dancehall, as well as a dueling piano bar named "Jellyrolls." You can also tour some of the resorts located on the Boardwalk like the Beach Club, Yacht Club, and the Boardwalk Inn. These are all Deluxe Resorts, so they have pretty impressive theming and amenities.
3) Miniature Golf
A short walk from the Boardwalk is Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf. This is a fun course, and it is convenient that you can reach it on foot, unlike the other mini golf course located on Disney property (Winter Summerland). Depending on crowd level at the mini golf course, this shouldn't take you more than an hour, and is a relaxing change of pace from the lines and rides in the parks. Be warned- there is not a lot of shade coverage on this course, and I was dying of heat the last time I played there.
5) Disney Springs
Disney Springs is not exactly close to Hollywood Studios or Epcot, but those are the parks that are closest, so I will mention it in this category. There is so much offered at Disney Springs, and I don't necessarily consider it to qualify as a mid-day break from the parks. You could easily spend hours at Disney Springs, and I would save it for a non-park day so that you can see and experience all that is offered. Disney Springs has the most Disney shops out of anywhere else in Disney World and is the spot that you are most likely to find a souvenir. Also, there are so many different restaurants, both quick service and table service. Not only that, but there are musical acts that perform both day and night.
The only time that I would use Disney Springs as a mid-day park break, is if you had a lunch reservation at a particular restaurant, and you were just going for the meal. Anything longer than that, would eat up too much park time. You spend too much money on park tickets to spend that long out of the park.
Animal Kingdom
You will see that Animal Kingdom is actually pretty far removed from the other parks in Disney World. The reason is that the animals need a lot of land to roam and be cared for. As such, there really isn't a lot to do around the Animal Kingdom Park, and definitely nothing within walking distance.
1) Animal Kingdom Lodge
Less than a 5 minute bus ride from the park, is Animal Kingdom Lodge. Regardless of whether or not you are staying at this Deluxe resort, you are able to go to the Lodge to see the free roaming animals, explore the amazing theming, or eat at one of the outstanding restaurants.
If you haven't already had enough animal viewing on the safari ride in Animal Kingdom, you can also see lots of African animals, including giraffes, at the Lodge. There are multiple viewing areas available to the public, both inside and outside, where you can kick back and relax for a while to take a break from the park. There are also a couple of amazing table service restaurants at the Lodge (Sanaa and Boma) that offer authentic African cuisine and are much better than any offerings in the actual Animal Kingdom Park. Seeing as the Lodge is so close to the park and offers pretty much the same theming and atmosphere, it makes sense to incorporate it into your Animal Kingdom Day if you're looking for a little break from the park.
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom is surrounded by the most Deluxe resorts and cult favorite restaurants out of all of the parks, comparable only with Epcot. A mid-day break from Magic Kingdom, without venturing too far, would consist of touring some of the fanciest resorts in Disney World or grabbing a meal at a non-park restaurant.
1) Resort Hopping
While I personally would not take a break from the most attraction filled park in order to explore the resorts, I know some people really enjoy walking around the resorts and looking at the theming and architecture. Conveniently located outside the exit of the Magic Kingdom is the monorail. You can easily hop on the monorail and access the Grand Floridian, the Contemporary, and the Polynesian. All of those resorts are Deluxe and offer bars, restaurants, and impressive theming to explore. They also all have gift shops to check out. I personally love the theming of the Polynesian, and the lobby and pool area are neat to check out.
Similar to the Skyliner, it can also be fun to just make a loop on the monorail. You can rest your feet in the air-conditioned monorail and take in the sights of the resorts and the area surrounding Magic Kingdom.
2) Restaurants
Admittedly, Magic Kingdom does not have the best dining options. It can be a little bit of a letdown. However, lucky for us, some of the most popular, fan favorite restaurants are located in the resorts surrounding Magic Kingdom.
I personally think the breakfast options in Magic Kingdom are weak, so one of my favorite things to do is leave the park for a brunch at one of the surrounding resorts. The Contemporary hosts the famous Chef Mickey's table service restaurant, which is a fun character dining experience with the Fab 5 classic characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, and Goofy). It is a buffet and really a fun way to meet the characters without waiting in lines to meet them in the park. In my opinion the breakfast menu offers better options (and is cheaper) than the dinner, so I would recommend coming in the morning rather than at night.
Another great dining option on the monorail loop near Magic Kingdom is 'Ohana in the Polynesian. This is a Hawaiian themed family style restaurant, and the dinner food is amazing. I particularly love the 'Ohana noodles and the potstickers. A character breakfast is offered here as well, with Lilo and Stitch, but I personally think the food offered at dinner is much more impressive than the typical breakfast fare that you could find anywhere else in Disney World.
As you can see, there is much more to experience in Disney World than just the parks. If you are having luck getting on all of the attractions you want to in a particular park, I would suggest taking a mid-day break from the park to go to a non-park restaurant or do an activity like mini-golfing. There is so much to do, so take it at your own pace, and remember- if you can't get it all in on one trip, it gives you an excuse to go back!
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