6 Best Ways to End Your Disney Day
You’re tired after a long but wonderful day at a Disney theme park. You want to unwind, but you’re not quite sure what to do. MickeyBlog is here to help! Here are a six great ways to finish your Disney day.
Watching a Disney Movie
No, I don’t mean that you should pull out your phone and load your Movies Anywhere app. I’m not even talking about turning on your hotel room TV. My understanding is that many guests never any touch their remote during their hotel stays. Instead, I have a more novel option, one that you’ll only find at Walt Disney World.
Disney’s official resorts participate in a program called Movies Under the Stars. During this event, cast members roll out a portable projection monitor that’s as large ones that you’ll see in the smallest theaters at your local Cineplex. On this screen, Disney exhibits classic family films from their library. Oftentimes, the newest titles are in heavy rotation.
For example, The Incredibles 2 was playing at our resort during a recent stay. It technically wasn’t even available on Blu-Ray at that point. A friend watched a sneak preview of Moana at a Movies Under the Stars event BEFORE the film was released in theaters.
It was an extremely rare exception, but it exemplifies the mentality of the program’s schedulers. They aggressively target the most popular titles in the Disney library, thereby assuring guests of a perfect ending to a Disney day.
Bowling
Splitsville Luxury Lanes is a high-end bowling franchise with locations across the country. One of them is at Disney Springs. Once you’re done at the parks, I suggest that you take a bus over to the entertainment complex. You’ll discover hours of entertainment at this particular business.
Don’t let the name fool you. The genius of the Splitsville concept is that it’s a sports bar that happens to have bowling lanes. Yes, bowling is the focus, but there are dozens of television screens in this restaurant. You can catch up on the game, watch the news, or enjoy your favorite program.
You’ll be pleasantly shocked by the quality of the food, too. This place has a deep menu of appetizers, entrees, and desserts, with enough options to satisfy even the pickiest eaters and largest groups. Oh, and the bowling is fun here as well. You can book a lane in advance and then lift the bumpers to avoid gutter balls if bowling isn’t your particular skill.
Watching the Fireworks
Sure, you can watch the fireworks at one of the theme parks. Let’s be honest, though. When you’re inside the park, you’re in a large crowd of people, none of whom want to cede any of their space to anybody else. As kind as Disney park guests are throughout the day, they tend to get a bit…let’s say overzealous when the parades and fireworks lines begin to form.
You can avoid all of this aggravation and claustrophobia by watching the fireworks at a Disney resort. You’ll have plenty of options here. At Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort or Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, you can walk the beach and gaze across Seven Seas Lagoon to Cinderella Castle. Both hotels even pipe in the accompanying music for Happily Ever After to enhance the experience.
Alternately, you could dine at California Grill, the restaurant on the roof of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. It features an inimitable view of Happily Ever After from the 15th floor, giving you a level look at the exploding fireworks. Some other restaurants like Narcoossee’s feature views of the same show.
And guests who walk the BoardWalk behind the World Showcase can watch a good portion of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. With a bit of research, you’ll unearth plenty of ways to watch Disney’s nighttime shows without staying in the parks. It’s a magical way to end your evening.
Go Dancing
Some of you may have a confused look right now. I understand that some people won’t have the energy to go dancing after a full day at the parks. If you feel that way, please skip down to the next section.
I would suggest this idea to three groups of people. The first group is anyone who is single while vacationing at Disney. Dancing is a terrific way to make new friends and have a great time. For new-ish couples, it’s a fun date where you can make memories that you’ll recall in later years. And for those of you in a long-term relationship, it’s a tremendous option to add some sparks while away from home.
Disney has a handful of options where you can dance the night away. The two I would suggest are Atlantic Dance Hall at the BoardWalk and The Edison at Disney Springs. The former is cheaper, but the latter is the trendiest place at Walt Disney World right now.
At either place, you’ll find plenty of fun and drinks available, which are the main reasons why most people go to clubs to “dance.” You’ll want to pace yourself at the parks if you choose this option, though.
Hang Out by the Campfire
Do you love roasting marshmallows by an open fire? Are you obsessed with s’mores? From an early age, kids develop a passion for the great outdoors, particularly the joys of camping. At Disney, you can recreate this experience in a novel way.
Several official Disney resorts host campfires at night. You’re likely thinking about The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort as the main option…and that’s true to an extent. However, the list of Disney hotels that have bonfires is huge.
I count 15 different campfire options at Walt Disney World. And Disney provides the marshmallows at all of these places! Your kids will never forget the time that they sat by the first at Disney, and you will be reminded of your childhood, too.
Swimming
One of the simplest ideas at Disney is also one of the best. I’ve found that an ideal way to finish the day at Disney is to take a dip in the pool. Every official Disney resort features at least one world-class swimming pool. Yes, some of them are better than the rest, but you’ll love each one for its individuality and theming.
By ending a busy day with some swimming, you’ll soothe your feet after a lot of walking. Plus, you’ll love the cool water after a hot Florida day. A dip in the pool at the end of the day will rejuvenate your weary mind and body and refresh you enough that you’ll be excited by the thought of starting the cycle all over again the next day.