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When I was a kid, I loved the beach. As a teenager, we would head to the beach, first thing in the morning and only make the hour and a half drive home because we had to be at work by 6. We would spend the day body surfing and laying in the sand. As an adult, my tolerance for lying in the sand is a lot shorter than it was as a kid. I get bored. I know reading is always good, but I like to be comfortable when I read. Sitting in a wet suit, with the hot sun beating down on me isn’t a great way for me to spend a whole day. But I do enjoy sitting on the beach for a little while. Maybe an hour or two, but that’s my limit. It’s funny, because I happen to think that an hour or two is also the perfect amount of time for a break from the parks when you’re in Disney. So, when you are at Walt Disney World, maybe you could take some time and spend it at the beach.

I know you’re thinking, “The Beach”? Yes, there are nine beaches in Walt Disney World, located around Bay Lake, the Seven Seas lagoon, Crescent Lake Lago Dorado and Barefoot bay. All of theses beaches are wonderfully maintained, white sand beaches with wonderful views. There is one thing with the Disney World beaches though, there is no swimming (there is an Amoeba that thrives in fresh water lakes in Florida that can cause health problems). Even so, they are wonderful place to take a break from the rush of the day, sit and enjoy a good book, listen to some music or just relax.

My favorite beach in Walt Disney World is at the Polynesian resort. There are small cabanas and chairs and even a hammock out on the beach. Here you can relax under the palm trees with a drink from the Barefoot Pool Bar, and enjoy looking over at the Magic Kingdom. What a great way to catch some sun and still experience some magic.

Another great beach is at the Beach Club Resort. Here you don’t get to see any of the parks, but you have a great view of the Boardwalk Resort and Disney’s Boardwalk. This beach is a little smaller than the Polynesian Resort, but it is just as relaxing. They put lounge chairs out on the beach here and there is a swing set, that you can sit on as you are relaxing and watching the Friendship Launches go by on Crescent lake.

But it isn’t just the Deluxe resorts that have beaches, in the middle of the six villages of the Caribbean Resort is Barefoot Bay a 45 acre lake. Each of the villages that face the “bay” has sandy beaches for your enjoyment. At the Coronado Springs Resort, “the Cabanas provide a quaint beachfront retreat complete with cozy hammocks.”

Some of the beaches offer activities besides just sunning yourself. The Swan and Dolphin beach for example as well as the beach at the Contemporary Resort offer volleyball. The Beach at Fort Wilderness offers nightly campfires and many of them have movies on the beach with huge blow-up screens.

The Grand Floridian beach isn’t only special because it overlooks the Magic Kingdom and is near the Wedding Pavilion, but also because in 1988 before the resort had opened, The Beach Boys filmed the video for their song Kokomo on the beach at the resort.

Even if there wasn’t a music video filmed at them, all of the beaches at Walt Disney World can provide an Unknown Magical break from the parks, for you and your family. So, the next time you are looking for a place to relax and take a breather, look no further than the sand edge of the water.