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  • Haley Haskin
    • Aug 15, 2017
    • 5 min read

The Classically Obscure DCP Bucket List

Aside from the obvious things you will do in the parks, here are some hidden gems and must do's, as a lowly CP scavenging for adventure at a discounted price. None require park admission, but all are fun and affordable!

11. Resort Hop

Resort hopping is one of the most classic things to do on a day when you're feeling Disney, but don't feel like fighting the park crowds. As there are over 25 resorts in Walt Disney World property, seeing all of them in one day can be a little exhausting, so you should split them up by area. Resort hopping is one of my favorite ways to get a taste of Disney without having to pay for admission. You get to explore a themed and luxurious atmosphere, and enjoy scenery, some live entertainment, and sitting on the beaches, all for free. Did you know you can also take advantage of all the resort's Disney movies under the stars every night? There are also a lot of really cool dine in and quick service restaurants, as well as gift shops, that you can enjoy away from the crowds, chaos, and heat of the parks. Just be careful, because in some busier seasons, the resorts won't let you into their parking lot without a room or restaurant reservation. You have to be smart about how you get in. This usually involves steering clear of trying to park at the resorts around Magic Kingdom (Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge), and taking a resort bus to get around instead.

10. Twistee Treat

Twistee Treat is a quaint a beautiful place of happiness any way you serve it. These delicious ice cream places are unique to Florida and Texas. They serve amazingly cheap, but amazingly delicious soft serve and hand-dipped ice cream, in any flavor with any toppings or mix ins. It is a super fun place to go create your own treat when you're feeling a chill outing with friends that doesn't involve parking, taking a tram, and waiting on a monorail for 30 minutes.

9. Downtown Orlando

Why not escape from that Disney bubble and just have a fun night out with your friends as a "normal" human, and not a cast member.

8. Splitsville

While it is still located in Disney Springs, the Splitsville Luxury Lanes bowling alley is a really fun way to feel like a normal human and just forget about Disney for a little while. In addition to the lanes on the first floor, they have a whole upstairs restaurant section with a full menu. And cast members get a great discount on bowling after 10:00pm. It's a great time to just order some pizza and throw a heavy object at some innocent, unsuspecting white pins.

7. Natural Springs

Florida has some of the most beautiful springs and state parks, many of which are only an hour or two away. Gather some friends on your day off, and take a nice peaceful day trip, kayaking through nature. Almost all of these places have gear rentals for a reasonable price, especially when split between a few people.

6. Beach Trip

Remember how you always wished you lived at the beach? Well now you basically do! Take advantage of how close you are to the sandy shore and make another day trip to one of the many beaches along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts.

5. Chip and Dale's Campfire Sing-Along

Chip and Dale's Campfire Sing-Along at the Fort Wilderness camp grounds is one of the most underrated resort offerings. And it is free to everyone who happens to be roaming the campgrounds! In this festive little gathering in Chip and Dale's home in the woods, guests will get the chance to meet and dance with Chip and Dale themselves, sing songs, make s'mores, and then watch a Disney movie on the big screen under the stars. It is a wonderful night to meet characters, and experience the simplicity of the great outdoors. Don't forget to bring marshmallows ... and bug spray.

4. Dole Whips and Fireworks

One of my favorite things to do whenever I arrived in Orlando for a Disney vacation, was to go to the Polynesian that night and get a Dole Whip. Then my family and I would sit on the beach, and watch the fireworks across the lagoon, in anticipation of the magical trip that was to come in the following week. This is a really exciting way to kick off a Disney trip, but it can also be a really fun date night, or just a good excuse to buy a Dole Whip. It just feels like vacation, even if you live here.

3. Kitchen Sink/Disney's Boardwalk

Behold, the glorious Kitchen Sink, with eight scoops of ice cream, every topping in the house, and a whole can, that's right, a whole can, of whipped cream! This gargantuan bowl of fatality can be found at the Beaches 'n' Cream Soda Shop at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort. Be sure to book a reservation in advance, because this dessert is incredibly popular and the soda shop is authentically small. Bring your roommates with you, as it is impossible to tackle alone. And after you have eaten your sugar fill for the month, you can take a nice slow stroll around Disney's boardwalk to regret your life choices, or bask in your accomplishment that you just ate a whole can of whipped cream. Your choice.

2. Hoop Dee Doo Revue

If you are a cast member, this is the place to be. The Hoop Dee Too Revue is a hootin' hollerin' napkin wavin' face stuffin' grand ole time that can be found, once again at Disney's Fort Wilderness camp grounds. Cast members get half off tickets. This means you pay around $37 for all you can eat homestyle cooking, all you can drink (that's right) beverages, and a lively night of entertainment. The show is hilarious, the food is delicious, the drinks are unlimited, and it is cheaper than your Starbucks for the week.

1. Trail's End

Trail's End Restaurant, namely breakfast, is by far my favorite special cast member offering. This all you can eat buffet is once again located at Disney's Fort Wilderness resort, is once again underrated, and is once again very very cheap for cast members. If you are used to Disney's prices, you know that Disney buffets usually cost you around $30 even with your cast discount. This buffet is about half that, because cast members get such a great discount on this particular hidden gem of a restaurant. It is one of the more delicious breakfast offerings at Disney because there is a lot more variety in the choices. The best food on the buffet is the french toast bread pudding, and of course you get the delicious passion guava orange juice and Mickey waffles as always. This restaurant may not have character meet and greets, but it encompasses the country blue grass feel perfectly. The atmosphere makes you feel as though you're up in the mountains visiting grandma, even when there is a beach just down the path. The rocking chairs on the front porch are the perfect way to relax, socialize, and gaze at the scenery, while you let your Mickey waffles run their course.

So there is your DCP bucket list! As you can see, ice cream is important, and Fort Wilderness is the place to be. That is all! Enjoy your program! Oh, and try to save a little bit of money ... maybe?

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