Panera Bread for great sandwiches, soup, and salads--plus free wifi (especially nice when the Disney resorts were still charging for this).
Ikea.
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Panera Bread for great sandwiches, soup, and salads--plus free wifi (especially nice when the Disney resorts were still charging for this).
Ikea.
We usually make a run to Bahama Breeze for the Jamaican wings.
We like to eat at Fuddrucker's and Sweet Tomatoes (soup, salad, desserts) in the Crossroads Shopping Center.
Also, Joe's Crab Shack and Chick-Fil-A, which we don't have up here.
Another place is Walgreens to stock up on water, soda, chips, breakfast items, and anything else we need.
If we're there when oranges and tangerines are in season, we also make it a point to visit an orchard.
My wife also likes A Taste of India and the gift shops in Kissimmee.
We like having a car, but we rarely leave WDW. We may do a day at Universal or a beach day, but not every trip.
Home....:(
We always have a car (mostly free on Hertz points due to my business trips). We drive to Downtown Disney and the McDonalds which are still on property, but off we like to venture to the east of downtown Disney to the McDonalds or Taco Bell for a break and a cheap meal, especially if we are eating a nice sit down meal that evening. It helps balance the costs a little.
We go to the Kennedy Space Center, air boat rides in Poinciana and Clearwater to visit relatives.
Go to indoor miniature golfing (to avoid super high heat & humidity), inside one of the malls.
Go to SeaWorld.
Eating - try a Firehouse Subs location (similar to Jimmy Johns or DeBellas Subs)... so awesome. I don't miss a visit to Firehouse if I'm in the area.
Catching a Grapefruit League baseball game at a nearby city.
Visiting family who are about 2 hrs from WDW.
When I go with my husband, we never leave... it is part of the "experience" of getting away from it all on our trips.
However, when I go with my parents we spend a LOT of time out of the parks. I've most enjoyed the trips to Celebration and they never go to Orlando without going for a meal at the Orlando Ale House.
I generally need a Target run (FL Target has fun flip flops), a restaurant called Smokey Bones (awesome baked beans) and Dunkin Donuts. We don't have DD here...it's sad.
About half an hour down I4 (towards Tampa) is an awesome aircraft museum called Fantasy of Flight.
Cruising WDW property is enjoyable too.
7-11 for an ICEE drink :number1:
Chevy's for Tex-Mex
And I totally agree that the bussing system for DTD :ill: has a lot to be desired. Much easier to drive down there.
We typically don't leave WDW property once we're there, and after arrival, we don't usually get into our van again until we leave! That being the norm for us, last year we did venture out twice to Walgreens for misc. items, and since we were out & passed the Golden arches, :eat: enough said. :blush: I never realized just how close everything was just outside the "Back Door"! Normally I don't want to be in touch with the "Real World" while we're in WDW, but it's nice to have a vehicle & have places so close for those times that you hadn't planned for! I had a tooth that broke, I called my dentist & they told me to get this temporary dental bonding stuff & that I could get at Walgreens, etc. We had to ask our Concierge for directions, as we'd never ventured off property before! :blush: Even knowing now how close so many things are to WDW & how quick & easy it is to get to them all, I still prefer to spend our time within the magical world of Disney, without bursting that bubble if possible! :tink:
There are alot of really good local restaurants that we have been to in the area. The chain, Sweet Tomatoes, is a great stop if everyone in your party wants to eat alot. Running out to the grocery store or Walgreens at the end of the day to pick up something you need is great. It allows you not to have to pack every single thing in your medicine cabinet "just in case" you need it. It also allows you to pick up something like a rain jacket, having a selection to choose from and not over paying for it like you would at the parks.
On the way in, we usually hit WalMart and one of the outlet malls. Not that we love outlet malls, but both of the outlet malls along I-4 have Disney Outlets, and they are *true* outlet stores. It's where the parks clear out old merchandise and apparel. We've gotten princess dresses for our DD for $25...you know, the ones that cost $100 in the parks? We get pins for rock bottom prices, golf shirts, etc, etc. We've usually gotten most of our gifts and half of our souvenirs out of the way before we even pass through the entrance to WDW.
Once we're on property, we'll go to Walgreens if we need something, and we usually go to church (if we're there over a weekend).
We've never left property to eat, though i'm looking at the Maldonado's Chicago-style pizzeria thinking that one of these days i'm going to do it. I love Chicago-style pizza, and it's been years since i've had any that was good.
Of course, a car is invaluable if you need medical care. We've had to go to urgent care twice, I believe.
Does anyone know if there is a P.F. Changs nearby we could drive to? We enjoy It and the closest one to us is over 60 miles away, so we don't go too often. We usually try to go once while on vacation if we can find one. Thanks!!
We usually like to drive to one of the local Walmarts, can bulk up on cheap snacks and such and also the WDW merchandise, its not official Disney stuff, but a huge selection, very good if your lookinng for generic Disney stuff and not looking to spend alot, i.e. kids wanna bring home stuff for friends and classmates.
We also like to drive to the outlets all the way at the top end of international drive, i dont remember what they are called but they are a place we visit every trip, there is a disney outlet up there that has a lot of stuff there, and alot of other store outlets.
when i say all the way up at the end i mean a the end, intenational drive actually ends in the parking lot for the outlets so you dont really need directions just find intenational drve and head north.
There is a PFChangs at the Mellinium Mall north on I-4. Also a Cheesecake Factory....yum
Besides that PF Chang's there are Pei Wei's (owned by PF Chang's) nearby. Love Giordanos for Chicago style pizza. We always rent a car. We buy groceries, eat offsite, shop and most trips are split between WDW and Vero Beach.