An Afternoon At The Contemporary Resort

Can you enjoy Walt Disney World without going to the theme parks?  What?  Not going to the theme parks?  Yep, not going to the theme parks.  During our December 2012 Walt Disney World stay, after our holiday Disney cruise on the Dream, we decided to purchase only one park ticket day and to enjoy a day at Walt Disney World without going to the theme parks. 

While our morning was spent dining at our resort and visiting Downtown Disney, after lunch, we decided to catch a bus to the Contemporary.  Actually, I was on a quest to find and purchase a 2013 Disney wall calendar and after searching all the stores at Downtown Disney thought I might try my luck at the shops at the Contemporary.

The bus drops guests off near the entrance.  We proceeded past the check-in desks to the escalators for the ride to the fourth floor, where the shops, arcade, food court, and Chef Mickey’s is located.

We were greeted by a giant gingerbread Christmas Tree and took a time out to savor the aroma and capture a few photos.

The husband and son decided to try out the arcade.  Our travel package included a voucher for arcade points and we had the voucher with us, so it was off to the arcade for some free play while I scoured the shops only to come up empty handed.

All that playing and shopping made us hungry and thirsty.  We used our snack credits in one of the shops to purchase some decadent sweet treats and then whipped out our refillable mugs and filled them at the food court where we found a table and took a break.

Since we had a dinner reservation “next door” at the Wilderness Lodge—click here to read more—we decided to take the boat launch.  Back down the escalators to the 2^nd floor and out onto the pool/marina deck.  A short, yet scenic walk to the pier was followed by a wait for the boat launch to Wilderness Lodge.  Soon enough we were on are way and enjoyed the boat ride in the afternoon sun.

So, can you be at Walt Disney World, not at a theme park, and still have a good time?  Yes!  The answer is yes!  This day gave us a chance to explore, take our time, and take advantage of Disney transportation.