It’s no secret that my family can be a bit extreme on our Disney vacations, often choosing to rope-drop-to-fireworks our days, multiple days in a row. A couple trips back we wore our youngest child out to the point where it was clear that this strategy just wasn’t going to work for us any longer and we’d need to make some serious adjustments to our touring style. Enter the resort days.
Now, resort days are not a new idea. In fact, I’d argue that many, if not most, people visiting Disney are already imploring this strategy when they plan their vacation. A resort day can be as relaxing or busy as you want, with the option to just laze by the pool being completely acceptable, as well as the option to hit various non-park attractions (think Disney Springs, mini golf, etc.) and pack a ton of action into one day. One trick I’ve learned in my Disney goings is that one way to greatly increase my family’s happiness is to streamline our transportation and reduce the amount of time we spend waiting to get places (I’m looking at you- Disney buses!) Let’s explore the options of a non-park day where we touch no transportation except the Disney Skyliner!
For the sake of this article, I am going to assume you are staying at a Skyliner resort, but many of these activities would be available to you even without a resort stay on the Skyliner route! Now, let’s jump in and explore a perfectly relaxing, but still fun-filled, day along the Skyliner.
Topolino’s Terrace
To start, I’d highly suggest snagging a highly sought-after reservation at Topolino’s Terrace for breakfast. You can hop on the Skyliner over to The Riviera and enjoy a relaxing breakfast while you hang with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy, all in their artistic bests! If you are unable to snag this reservation, since it can definitely be hard to come by, you still have plenty of breakfast options along the Skyliner, with options available at each resort.
After you snag some great pictures with your favorite Disney pals, board back into your gondola and take a trip back to whatever resort you’re staying at. No resort day is complete without some pool time! As pool hopping is not allowed, you will need to enjoy the pool at your own resort, but each resort along the Skyliner has wonderfully themed pools and activities running all day. You can check out these (often free!) entertainment options by grabbing a schedule from the resort desk or sometimes even finding a schedule outside the pool area. There are scheduled games for kids; sometimes characters pop over for a visit, and so much more.
After spending some quality time at the pool and grabbing a quick lunch at your resort, it’s time to clean up and hop back on the gondolas. This time I’m going to suggest heading out for a “dinner crawl” rather than another formal sit-down meal. Along the Skyliner are a few great options for a quick drink and snack, and families with children are definitely able to visit any of these options. Three Bridges Bar and Grill is a great option at Coronado Springs. Enjoy the view while enjoying a light snack, and then hop back on the Skyliner and head to Caribbean Beach to enjoy the next course at Banana Cabana. The ambiance here feels like a tropical vacation; you can enjoy the music and have another snack and drink. By splitting up the dinner meal into two lounges, you can take your time, sample a variety of foods, and really enjoy the evening.
Once you are pleasantly full, hop back on the Skyliner and head to EPCOT. As we mentioned, this is a non-park day, so when you get off the Skyliner, instead of heading into EPCOT, you are going to head to the right and walk towards Beach Club and the Boardwalk. Personally, this walk is one of my all-time favorites. Get ready to explore Beach Club, Yacht Club, and The Boardwalk as you casually stroll. It’s about a half-mile walk, so be sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes! If you time this right, you can even see the fireworks from EPCOT as you take in the evening ambiance at these resorts.
Beaches and Cream To-Go Window
Last, but definitely not least, check out the Beaches and Cream To-Go Window at Beach Club for out-of-this-world ice cream. There is ample seating, so grab a seat, watch the evening lights glow, and enjoy the sweet treats. When you’re done, you can hop on the Skyliner to head back to your resort, taking in my personal FAVORITE sight- the France pavilion at night in EPCOT as you hop back in your gondola and head back. This day will leave you full of delicious eats, you’ll have explored multiple resorts, and you’ll have memories to last a lifetime!
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