What to do outside of Disney when you are solo?

[Lorettainny]

Hello,

I'll be going solo for the first time in December. This will also be the first time I have a car instead of using DME. Anything outside of Disney I should take a look at? Just wondering if there are other attractions or must eat places around Orlando? I'll be there from the 10th-19th. I have plenty of time to see something on a down day. I won't be going to Universal as I will be going there with the hubby sometime next year.

Thank you,
Loretta

 

[com_op_2000]

Outside of WDW, at Gaylord Palms Resort; they have 4.5 acres under a glass roof. The area under the roof is divided into three areas Key West, Everglades, and St. Augustine/type fort. There are fish, snakes, gators, etc that you can view. You can spend 3 to 4 hours over there touring the resort/areas and it does not cost anything.

sports: golf, mini-golf, fishing, marathon, bowling, ESPN Club, WWS/ESPN Zone, etc
shopping: DTD, area outlet malls, large scale malls
drinking: Jellyrolls, Raglan Road, monorail tour of resorts, walking tour of resorts in the Boardwalk area
movies: DTD 24 screen theater some with meals served by waiters
night clubbing: Jellyrolls, Atlantic Dance, Raglan Road, Citywalk
resort tours: monorail tour of resorts, Boardwalk around the lake tour of resorts, horse drawn tour of FWC, AKL/AKV
offsite: Gaylord Palms Resort, Citywalk, swamp tour
eating: Formal GF 5* Chef's Table @ V&As

 

[Lorettainny]

Is there anything specifically Christmas outside of WDW I should check out? I've heard of a place called Celebration or something like that.

 

[Greggieb]

The Kennedy Space Center is around an hour or so drive from WDW. Very interesting if you like that sort of thing (which I do).

 

[goofyernmost]

Sea World, Universal, Kennedy Space Center, Legoland, the real central Florida easily reachable by car. All kinds of tourist traps ranging from old ones like Gatorland, to newer ones like Ripley's. Golf courses everywhere. About a two hour or less to Silver Springs.

 

[com_op_2000]

Is there anything specifically Christmas outside of WDW I should check out? I've heard of a place called Celebration or something like that.

Celebration is a town just outside of WDW off Hwy 192 on the East side of I4. They have a nightly fake snow falling and other things during the holiday season.

 

[JonUK]

If you want something Christmassy and super close to Disney, head over to the Gaylord Palms resort. They have an event called ICE! which is tons of ice sculptures and interactive stuff that looks fun for all ages. You can also meet some characters and do some activities. I've heard rave reviews about it.

You can also go shopping to the outlets - I did that alone. I'm happy going to the Premium Outlets or other malls like Mall at Millenia alone and just doing a little bit of shopping. Otherwise, maybe you could go visit Winter Garden and walk around, it's like a little village. BOK Tower and Gardens is nice and quiet too. If you want a beach, drive just over an hour East to Cocoa Beach - there's cool place to eat and chill called Coconuts On The Beach. Amazing fish tacos there!

Hope this helps.

 

[com_op_2000]

If you want something Christmassy and super close to Disney, head over to the Gaylord Palms resort. They have an event called ICE! which is tons of ice sculptures and interactive stuff that looks fun for all ages...

This year's theme of ICE! is "Peanuts/Charley Brown Christmas".

 

[spiceycat]

Orlando has a bunch of things to do besides WDW or US/IOA - what do you like to do at home or on vacation - boating, cruising, horseback riding, alligator shows, what?

 

[drp4video]

Might be a little cold for the ocean, but Cocoa Beach is just an hour away and we have spent the day there. As has been suggested, good outlet malls, Kennedy Space Center is interesting and celebration is a place to see. If you are staying on property, AKL is fun to go to and watch the animals, and at night they have night goggles as well as CM from countries in Africa who give a talk about their country..interesting, as well as a campfire and stories. Other resorts are also fun to visit to see the decorations, especially the Grand Floridian.

 

[Stephanator]

When visiting another town, I like to check out an events calendar if there is a sporting event, concert or special festival or anything going on during the time frame I'm there. Groupon and Living Social are good way to see if there's something inexpensive you might want to check out (and often never knew about... I'm looking at you World Chocolate Museum in Orlando). Celebration is a cute little town that is worth a visit. The last time I went there was during the summer and happened upon a farmer's market.

 

[rangerxenos]

This year's theme of ICE! is "Peanuts/Charley Brown Christmas".

Darn, I'm just going to miss this, I would have loved to have seen it!

 

[rangerxenos]

If you like gardens, there are several within an hour's drive: Bok Sanctuary and Harry P. Leu Gardens. We've toured both, they are beautiful.

 

[Disney Doll]

Celebration is a lovely little town to visit. Cute shops, nice restaurants. DH & I have spent rainy Sundays there looking at open houses.

Melbourne, which is an hour or so east of WDW, is also a cute little town with a nice Main Street area that has some cute shops. Vero Beach also has a nice shopping area, a beach and a Disney Vacation Club resort.