Hey Howdy Hey Susan and welcome to planDisney!
Thank you for stopping by with your question about shopping and dining outside of the parks. There are several options for you to take advantage of and are areas that I would argue most should schedule time to experience on off days from the parks. Now, let's get this wagon train a-movin' and get to it!
Your first option for visiting the Walt Disney World Resort without entering the parks would be over at
Disney Springs. This district is specifically for shopping, dining and entertainment. This area has a life during the day and evening hours that is entirely different and there are reasons to check out each. A game at
Splitsville Luxury Lanes or catching a show at
Cirque Du Soleil pairs nicely with a meal at
Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' and an evening walking through the district shops. There are so many options when planning a day in Disney Springs that you will find something for everyone and you will be sure to have an amazing time.
If you wanted to get a little more of the Disney feel,
Disney's BoardWalk would be a prime spot to visit. There are several dining locations around the Boardwalk and area resorts where you can pop in for a bite and a leisurely walk through the shops in the area. Make sure to save a little room for a trip to the
Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Disney's Beach Club Resort for an amazing dessert.
Your other options are a couple of my favorites and include Disney Resort Transportation. The
Walt Disney World Monorail connects Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort. Each has its reason to visit. They all have phenomenal dining options and great gift shops and an evening spent experiencing the monorail and each resort is a great time. One other unique experience would be to time things just right so you end up on the beach of the Polynesian, where you can see Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom and experience
Happily Ever After. You will be surrounded by the music during the show and is a great place to view the fireworks from outside of the parks. Sit tight because directly after, you will be dazzled by the
Electrical Water Pageant Parade. I would say an evening on the monorail loop is very well spent!
A similar and very unique path would be taking
Disney Skyliner. The Skyliner connects several resorts as well and you can feel free to stop at each for shopping and dining. An afternoon here where you visit Disney's Riviera Resort and stop by Le Petit Cafe for a coffee and pastry to be enjoyed right next door in the library is a nice way to spend an afternoon.
When visiting the resorts, as long as you have the goal of dining or shopping, you should be able to park for a free day visit. Parking fees are usually only required for overnight parking.
I hope you now have several options to consider on your upcoming trip. If you have any further questions let us know, we are always happy to help!
Have a Magical day,
Nick