“Secret” Disney World Attractions

These attractions aren’t necessarily secret, but people do tend to overlook them in favor of the big parks and attractions. If you’re looking for something different these activities will definitely fit the bill. Some are more crowded than others and, like everything at Disney World, it depends on when you go.

1. Water parks. Blizzard Beach is perfect for families
   and Typhoon Lagoon is more appropriate for teens. I’m not a water park
   fan, but Blizzard Beach won me over. The themeing is over the top
   (winter in summer) and it’s just so cool. The kids love it.
2. Miniature golf. Winter Summerland is located at Blizzard Beach and Fantasia Gardens is located behind the Dolphin hotel (on The Boardwalk). All with a Disney flair and totally fun!
3. Monorail. The monorail is just fun to ride! If you can swing it, try to sit up front with the conductor. It’s limited to four people and it’s first come, first serve. Ask the conductor when you get in line. You can ride it around the loop and stop to look around the different hotels it visits: Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and the Contemporary. This is especially fun around Thanksgiving and Christmas when the hotels are decked out in their holiday finery. As a bonus, try to memorize the Spanish warning. My son and I find this hilarious.
4. DisneyQuest. From the official Disney web page: "Create your own adventures in this one-of-a-kind indoor interactive Theme Park bursting with games that give "state-of-the-art" new meaning. Discover five floors exploding with cutting-edge technology, virtual reality and 3-D experiences — all fueled by Disney innovation and imagination." You must purchase a pass to enter Disney Quest; it’s not included in your Park Pass or Park Hopper.
5. Cirque du Soleil: La Nouba. Located in DTD. I have not personally seen this Cirque show, but I have seen many others. I don’t think you can go wrong with a Cirque show if you’re looking for an adult evening out. I’ve heard this one may be a bit dark for children under 8, but I can’t verify.
6. Fort Wilderness is part of The Wilderness Lodge and offers a plethora of fun activities:
   • campfire movies
   • horse barn
   • petting zoo
   • hay rides (especially fun in October!)
   • playground
   • Fort Wilderness also offers RV parking and cabins
7. Richard Petty Driving Experience. Driving or riding in a real NASCAR race car. My husband and my dad did this and they are still talking about it! Very fun.
8. DownTown Disney (DTD) has many stores, restaurants,
   and specialty shops.
9. The Board Walk also has great restaurants,
   performers, and a piano bar. You can rent bicycles built for four (just get everyone to pedal).
10. You can see Wishes (the Magic Kingdom fireworks show) from the
    Polynesian beach or the Grand Floridian boat dock. You can also view
    the Electric Water Pageant (a parade of lights in the lagoon) from
    those places.
11. Attend a party. Disney World offers hard-ticketed parties (meaning you have to have a separate ticket to attend the party) seasonally. We have attended Mickey’s Very Merry
    Christmas Party and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Both were
    fantastic, but I really prefer the Halloween party. The Halloween party
    has trick-or-treating (with the good, name-brand candy), free face
    painting, and the best parade I’ve ever seen! The best part is the
    headless horseman racing down the street carrying his pumpkin head. The
    gravediggers are a close second. You have to see it to believe it.

    The Christmas party is good. You have free hot chocolate and
    cookies. The parade is OK, but nothing as amazing as what they do for
    Halloween.

    The biggest reason to attend a hard-ticket party at Disney World is
    that there are a limited number of tickets to each event. That means
    very short lines for all the rides. You rarely actually have to wait!
    Also, Thunder Mountain Railroad seems to go quite a bit faster at these
    functions. The Cast Members will tell you they don’t and that it’s just
    that the rails are heated up from going all day, but I’m here to tell
    you, it’s fast and furious and wonderful!

Tagged as: Disney Quest, Disney World, DisneyQuest, La Nouba, monorail, vacation planning, Wishes