>Activities for Everyone*

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I love HGTV. Well, not all of it. I enjoy watching Ahmed on Yard Crashers and the show the Outdoor Room, and the other shows that have people redesigning their backyards. I mainly like these show, because I like to get ideas for my own yard. Over the past 3 years, we have turned our yard into a comfortable Island/Tiki Bar hang-out. I just love to kick back and relax there. Jump in the pool, sit at the bar, have an adult beverage, listen to some Buffett and relax. As pointed out in earlier posts, this is way we do Disney also. Not fast paced, not rushed, and defiantly not commando style. We do the things we enjoy and we find ways to relax. But people relax in different way, I know that. So, a recreation activity that you find relaxing someone else might not. Disney understands this and has got you covered. The Recreational Choices in Disney qualify as an unknown Disney, because as you read this list, you won’t believe the activities that are available.

The first thing that you need to know about these Unknown Magics in Disney World is that depending on the resort you are at, there may be different choices for you. Also, not all of the Activities take place at the resorts. As posted earlier, Mini Golf is a great Family activity that can lead to a magical Experience. Disney also offers four championship golf courses for your enjoyment. Three are actually on the PGA Tour. If you‘re not a golfer, but a fisherman, you can take a guided fishing excursion from marinas at 14 different Resorts and Downtown Disney. These excursions take place on

Bay Lake, Seven Seas Lagoon, Village Lake, Crescent Lake and World Showcase Lagoon. These excursions last 2 hours and are all catch and release. There is also Dockside fishing allowed at Port Orleans and Fort Wilderness Campground Resorts.

If you’re are the more active type and find sports relaxing, there are Volleyball courts on some of the beaches and wonderful Basketball and Tennis Courts available at many of the Resorts. I have shared the story recently of how my son was taking Tennis lessons one year and he kept wanting to play me. We played on the Courts at the Yacht Club. It was a very hot day and it was tough to hold onto the racket (are you sensing an excuse here?) after a long hard fought game, he beat me. It was the first time he had ever beat me at a sporting event. I still hold it as a magical Experience and I’m pretty sure he does also. If you do want to play either basketball or tennis, they will let you borrow the materials to play for free provided you have a room key to leave as collateral.

If you are a horse rider, make your way to the Fort Wilderness resort. This is home to the Tri-Circle-D Ranch, home to Pony rides, Horseback riding and also to carriage rides. Carriage rides are also offered at the Port Orleans Resort. If Horseback riding isn’t your thing, but you’re into Water Sports, As I have mentioned before you can head to the Contemporary Resort. Here you can Water Ski, Wake Board, Parasail, and even get pulled around the Seven Seas Lagoon on a tube. You can also rent your own personal Water craft at many of Resorts; you can rent Sea Raycers which are small

power boats. These little boats are neat to ride in and very safe, you must be over 12 to ride one by yourself. (One word of advice though, if you are going to rent a Sea Raycer, do it at Magic Kingdom Resorts. There is much more space for you to enjoy) You can also rent kayaks, pontoon boats, canoes, sailboats and pedal boats and take special cruises. For information on these things ask at the front desk of your Resort.

Bicycles are also available for rent at seven different Resorts. Almost all of the Resorts have playgrounds for the kids to play at, as well as other Children’s Activities at the Children’s activity centers and Now, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is offering a Wonderland Tea Party, and the Disney’s Pirate Adventure is a new offering for the kids too. Also for the kids, don’t forget that every Resort has an Arcade/Game Room.

Some of the neatest Recreational activities are on opposite ends of the Relaxation Spectrum. The first, Richard Petty Driving Experience is run at the Walt Disney World Speedway, and is one of many throughout the country. You can ride along or Run by yourself for 8, 18 or even 30 laps. The other is the Movies Under the Stars. This activity is just what it says. At some of the resorts with beaches, they blow up huge movie screens and show Disney Movies after the sun goes down. What a great magical Experience to be able to end a wonderful day in Walt Disney World.
So, now you know, no matter how you relax, there is a Disney activity that can help you to have a magical Experience.

*This Article originally ran as How Do You Relax.

>It’s Wild

>Walt Disney World was built on 47 square miles of “virgin land” as Walt Disney himself called it. This land was mostly swamp back in the 1960’s before Disney started building on it. Today they still have not developed more than 3/4 of the land and a quarter of it has been designated as a wildlife preserve. Back before Animal Kingdom

was opened, there was an Island in the middle of Bay Lake called Discovery Island. This 11 acre island was only accessible by boat and originally started out as Blackbeard’s Island in 1974 and then was changed over to Animal Preserve type place in 1977. This animal preserve, Discovery Island, housed over 140 species of animals and the 250 species of tropical plants. Late in the 1970’s or early ‘80’s it was accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.
 Discovery Island was officially closed on April 8, 1999 after Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened on April 1, 1998. The Safari Village portion of Animal Kingdom was renamed Discovery Island as a tribute to this great area. When Discovery Island was open, you could go there and see different types of birds and gators and things like that.

Today there isn’t one area where you can go to see wild life like this. Yes, Animal Kingdom does have the Safari and a bird aviary and all, but to see the animals just free to come and go there is no one specific place to go. But you really don’t need to go anywhere to see wild life at Disney. It is all around the parks all the time. This is Today’s Unknown Magic; The Wild Life of Disney World. And by Wild Life I mean truly wild birds and things being able to come and go at Disney.

At all of the resorts, there is little gecko type Florida Lizards running around from tree to tree and bush to bush. It’s fun to see how different people respond to these critters. My Dad a few years ago kept trying to catch one for the grandkids (he did and they found it really cool- creating a Magical Experience for them), while our friend this year didn’t like them at all. In the Water Ways there are fish (you can actually go on a catch and release fishing expedition from different Resorts) and there are many different kinds of birds that are around Walt Disney World. There are even bunny rabbits that show themselves from time to time throughout the resort. Once in a while, there is even a young alligator that can be found in the waters around the resorts, but the Disney Maintenance crews take care of moving these back to areas on property away from the guests.(this could create an Experience whether or not it is Magical would be your choice.)

Many of these animals scurry away when people come by, but a few are accustomed to the people and even come towards you as you are sitting in certain areas. Others make themselves seen, but don’t bother the guests at all. The animals all add to the feeling of comfort in the parks though as it seems natural for ducks to be swimming in front of Cinderella Castle or a Crane to be in the trees above the Rivers of America. Sitting and watching the kids watch the animals can be a Magical Experience, as the animals will be doing their thing and the kids will find this fascinating.

So, now you know, there are Unknown Magics to be found from the wild all around The Walt Disney World Resort. Just take the time to look and watch, it will be Magical.