Obscure Disney World Activities

There is one activity that I'd love to try and as of yet have not been able to. If you're staying at The Wilderness Lodge, you can ask to be the "Flag Family" on one of the mornings of your stay.

The Flag Family actually goes onto the roof with a CM and helps raise the US flag, the WDW flag and the WL flag. From that vantage point you can see all four theme parks as well as much more of the vast expanse of the WDW resort.

Allearsnet.com has a scrapbook page for families that have done it. Here's a link to that page: http://allears.net/acc/faq_wl10.htm


Others that come to mind would be the IllumiNations Cruise, or one of the many tours that are offered at WDW. The Keys to the Kingdom Tour at MK is very popular but also, from many accounts, overpriced and overrated. The Behind the Seeds Tour at The Land pavilion at Epcot is also very popular. There are also tours for those interested in the landscaping at Epcot and the steam trains at MK. One can even go on a scuba diving tour at The Seas pavilion at Epcot.

Disney also offers a "Dine with an Imagineer" package which I've always thought would be interesting to try. Here's Allearsnet's take on that.

http://allears.net/din/dine_imag.htm

So you guys are scheduling some of those things for your January and August trips, right?!? Now that you have DVC, you can start scheduling your trips around some of those awesome things!

I've always wanted to do the flag family thing. Sitting in the lobby of the WL and looking at those "stairs to the roof"... they look so cool

Would also like to do the divequest thing at Epcot. Do you have to be certified SCUBA to do that?

@Brad:
Another thing I'd like to do someday is the campfire and movie over at Fort Wilderness. I love that whole "get-the-feel-of-camping-then-go-back-to-your-hotel-to-sleep" thing! And it's free! NOTHING'S free at Disney!

I think they have more than one in which you do not need to be certified, and at least one where you do.

Just thought of another thing that I've always wanted to do and soon may get the chance to: Stay at the Treehouse Villas. I've been enamored with them since I saw them as a kid in the seventies, and now they are being rebuilt and redesigned and will become part of the Saratoga Springs Resort.

already looking forward to the pictures!

http://allears.net/din/dine_imag.htm[/quote[/url]]

We've been interested in that, too, Imagineer. Thanks for the reminder

Not sure if these are obscure, but here's my list:

1. Wanyama Safari at AKL
2. Segway tour around the world at World Showcase
3. Segway tour at Ft. Wilderness Campgrounds
4. Afternoon Tea at Grand Floridian
5. Yuletide Fantasy tour during the holidays
6. Parasailing at the Contemporary

I've yet to do #6 and that's near the top of my list.

Zz.

Hi,

I've done both #5 and #6 on your list. Parasailing 600 feet above Bay Lake, as I did in December, 2007, provides some amazing views of both the Contemporary Resort and Space Mountain. I had to exceed the 500 feet above the water that I had parasailed on December 5, 2006, off Castaway Cay.

Jim

Hi,

I do not keep a journal; God has blessed me with a very good memory for numbers and dates. Or; I don't go out on dates, and I don't eat them, so I may as well remember them.

It was Monday, December 10, 2007 when I went parasailing at the Contemporary. I remember this because I went home on the evening of Sunday, the 16th.

Jim

That sounds like fun! Can you do tandem parasailing, or just one person?

@ SpaceAce

I believe you can do a tandem parasail, but I think the weight limit is around 350 lbs.

Jim

I have always wanted to try that--even with my fear of heights!

This is a great thread--it's reminding me of all kinds of things I have to book for upcoming trips.

Just thinking this thread would be a great compliment to (and be informed by) the Disney Day with no parks thread from a while back.

A lot of this stuff can be sequestered to "no parks" days...which I'm finding I can have more and more of these days. I once met a couple of DVC members who routinely came to stay at Disney World and didn't ever go to the parks. Has anyone had a trip like that?

Didn't even think about a weight limit. Thanks for the info. Sounds like a lot of fun.

That would be so amazing. I always thought those looked interesting as well. Is there a timeline for when those will be available for booking? And will they be connected to Saratoga Springs?

The boat rentals we discussed a while back are good ones. I was surprised you could get those big pontoon boats if you wanted. The weight limit on the little motorboats is a drag, because unless you're very small you have to go alone. I might consider getting one of the big ones next time.

Hi,

Isn't there a wiener roast/marshmallow roast with a movie @ Ft. Wilderness?

I think Wilderness Lodge does a tour at 9:00 am.

Jim

Has anyone gone to those movies? That would have probably been a lot of fun as a kid, not sure if it's very "adult friendly?"

Years ago, we took the "behind the scenes tour". I don't know if they still offer it, but we went to all kinds of odd places. They took us to the Disney Laundry, which was the size of a manufacturing plant; the nursery, where they keep back up plants (including topiaries) for most of the plants and trees that are in the tourist areas of Disney property; took us to the place were they store the barges for the nightly lagoon water show; to the costume shop where uniforms are maintained and distributed; and finally into the tunnels where the cast members roam.

We wandered through the tunnels, went up some steps, out a door and we were right beside "It's a Small World".

Like I said, I'm not sure they still offer it, but it sure is worth taking if you get the chance.

I believe this is the Backstage Magic tour that covers 3 parks and a bunch of stuff in between. I took it a few years back and we ended up at the Disney Florist (wish we'd gone to the nursery!).

But we also got to see the Disney sign shop, where all (and I mean ALL) signs are made for Disney property (rides, hotels, restaurants, shows, etc.), and we got to see where they fix broken and build new ride vehicles. Pretty neat!

I have already told Donna we are taking a 'Keys' tour next time we go...as many times as I have been (especially DL), I have never taken any kind of tour.

Don't know if this qualifies as obscure or not, but we did a dinner at Victoria and Alberts in the private dining room. It was fabulous (and VERY expensive). But having your own waiter and waitress was great. They explained everything they served. We did the wine pairings with it and they explained all of those too.

Did you feel like it was worth the money? We've always been tempted, but we have so many places we know we like that we're reluctant to spend that kind of money without being sure we'll love it.

Cdub...It was worth the money. It was our special treat to ourselves because we were on our honeymoon. Is it something we will do again? Oh, heck no...not for that kind of money!

We haven't done this either -- also not sure if it's something we'll like enough to really think it was worth the money. I think you have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy a dinner like this (and not feel like you're stretching your budget to the limit). Your endorsement is just one more in the "pro" pile, though!

Also, Mike, the keys tour is something I'd love to do. Backstage safari is also one I can highly recommend.

You really do have to go into V & A's with an open mind...and not think about the money part of it. You also have to be ready to try some food that you will never have again...but when you are putting in your mouth, it is so GOOD!

Really sad part is...I couldnt begin to tell you what we had. We got a personalized menu...and its around here...somewhere...

Pairing the food with wine was another part of the treat...and I figured if we were going to spend that much, we may as well go whole hog!

Hi, gang! I did Backstage Safari and enjoyed that. Did Seas Aqua tour (posted a TR) and loved it. You have to be scuba certified to do Dive quest but not seas aqua. Great experience, will definitely do it again. Also did lunch with an imagineer (also a TR), again loved it.

One thing no one has mentioned (maybe not obscure?) is a spa treatment. I did an aromatherapy full body massage and body wrap, absolutely wonderful and worth every penny (well, used Visa points!)

We love to spend time at WDW enjoying great service and beautiful resorts......longer trips (a week or more), we plan a few nonpark days, not always on shorter trips.

Have not done V&As at all, let alone the private room......someday! We have done many of the signature and fine dining restaurants and have enjoyed them all! We enjoy our food!!!!!!!