A round of golf at Winter Summerland Miniature Golf
We’ve all had those days at Disney: half days before we’re due back at the airport, days when we need a break from the hustle-bustle of the theme parks. In our case, we had a day to kill before setting sail on the Disney Magic. We decided to head over for a round at Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf.
As is the case with all things Disney-fied, the course is highly themed and includes a backstory. Supposedly Santa himself commissioned the building of Winter Summerland as a post-holiday retreat for his elves. (Located conveniently next to Blizzard Beach Water Park!)
There are two 18-hole courses for guests to choose from, one themed with all kinds of frozen fun, the other with a surf ‘n sand motif. We opted to take the Winter course, most likely because it had a shorter wait. Disney staggers start times for the course to avoid families piling up on each other on the greens.
The holes are entertaining and highly interactive: you putt through an ice castle, activate a “defrosty” cooler filled with Christmas treats, and aim under Santa’s feet as he either attempts to pop up or down the chimney. Keep an eye out for a kid-pleasing “snow machine”, a squirting snowman, and, at the ball return, a special video message from Santa. Cheerful Christmas tunes play throughout the course.
We enjoyed our 18 holes, but agreed that we were more impressed with the interactive elements at Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf course. We were also disappointed that the game did not include the souvenir character golf balls we had received at Fantasia Gardens. Apparently they are now given as prizes if your score qualifies for the “leader board”; candy canes were given out as a consolation.
Location: Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf is located next to Blizzard Beach Water Park in the Walt Disney World Resort.
Touring tip: Additional, same-day rounds of golf are half-off the regular price plus tax.
2013 will go down in Mouse Holiday history as the last year our family fit into nearly all of the moderate-level resort hotel rooms (the exception being the Fort Wilderness cabins, if you choose to lump them in the same category). This is incredibly bittersweet for us. On the one hand, our family has now outgrown the majority of hotel rooms in the Walt Disney World Resort. On the other hand…we no longer have to wedge a Pack ‘n Play into the room, and all family members can be expected to sleep through the night. So, yes, bittersweet.
Alligator Bayou guest rooms will sleep a family of 6 (including one under 3 in a crib), but it’s a snug fit in a 314 sq. ft. room. Beds include 2 queens and a bonus pull-down Murphy bed that is suitable for a shorter person. Also taking up space is a table with two chairs, a small fridge, and the bath area, divided from the sleeping space by a curtain. We were charmed by the subtle Princess and the Frog theming — Louis the gator featured prominently on the Murphy bed — as well as other touches of the bayou such as log bedsteads, a sugar sack-print privacy curtain, lantern light fixtures and carpeting made to mimic a wood plank floor. Our lodge’s location was a long hike from the “Sassagoula Steamboat Company” Main Building (and dining options), but we were conveniently close to one of the resort’s four bus depots. Proximity to the depot was important, as we utilize the Walt Disney World Resort transportation system in lieu of renting a van.
Plus! – You can take a free Sassagoula River Cruise to Downtown Disney directly from the Riverside Marina. The ferries depart about every 20 minutes throughout the day and the leisurely trip to Downtown Disney takes about as long, winding past Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter, the treehouse villas of Saratoga Springs Resort, and on into the shopping and dining district.
It was a stretch for me to fully envision the concept of a hotel built within a re-created African savanna – until we stepped foot into the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Though I had read about guests taking morning coffee on their balconies while watching the animals amble, I still expected the savannas to be less accessible to the curious public. Gladly, this is not the case. The animals are on display for all to admire from beautiful vantage points around this majestic resort.
Enveloping the deluxe units of Jambo House and the DVC Kidani Village are four painstakingly maintained savannas totaling over 40 acres. These are the habitat of more than 200 exotic birds and animals. In order to see the greatest variety of creatures, you’ll want to visit the specially designated savanna overlooks sprinkled throughout the property. We took our own mini-safari with the kids this past March.
The LEGO bricks for building vehicles and the track for racing them were a hit with our nearly-nine-year-old son. He was also drawn to the computer stations inside the store where LEGO enthusiasts can get help designing and building models.
The best cure for mid-winter blues in Minnesnowta? If I can’t hop a plane to balmier climates this very minute, the next best thing is getting a jump start on planning our next Disney venture! The fantasy: I’ll feel warmer just looking at pictures of water slides and wave pools. (The reality: We’re still a month out from a spring break trip to Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park.) I’ve still got time to chill here in the Midwest and test this theory.
My first task was choosing the Disney water park best suited for a family with four kids ages 9 and under. I’ve had my own fun at the parks as both a kid and (obviously more recently) an adult, but this will be our first time bringing along our brood. I’m impressed by what Blizzard Beach has to offer our non-swimmers: Tike’s Peak includes fountains, pop jets and mini slides for my toddler and preschooler; Ski Patrol Training Camp caters to my swimmers-in-training with inner tube slides and a zip line.
Update: Our 2.5-year-old daughter loved Tike’s Peak. She must have spent an hour alone beating a path down the multiple kiddie slides and enjoyed going down the larger one on our laps. The water in the zero-depth entry wading pool is comfortably warm (nice in the spring) and the material on the bottom of the pool is a soft but skid-preventing rubber. We definitely sacrificed a chunk of our water park time in Tike’s Peak, but it was worth it to watch Erin having a blast!
Once in a blue moon, we find ourselves with a little something called “downtime” at Walt Disney World. (And really, we don’t actually so much 
2011 saw the renovation and re-theming of the landmark Disneyland Hotel’s swimming pool. Sadly, our kids never got a chance to experience the “Never Land” pool complete with Captain Hook’s pirate ship and Skull Rock. Monorails are cool and all, but my guess is the kids would have enjoyed swimming like Lost Boys even more. 
Divided into themed rooms, the merchandise runs the gamut from pricey princess gowns to reasonable knickknacks with everything in between: clothing, toys, plush, kitchenware, home décor, jewelry, collectibles, and more. 
World of Disney is also home to one of the resort’s Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiques – a magical salon where, for a hefty sum, your little girl can be made-over into a princess. One of our own little princesses came away from the store with a book that teaches the art of drawing Disney characters, instead. Our son loved the selection of Disney-themed classic board games. The younger girls were happy browsing the candy, charms for bracelets, and plush Minnies.
With so much to do, see, and shop for at the World of Disney store, plan on setting aside a decent chunk of time.
Update: Only one perk need be mentioned when it comes to defending the Nanea Volcano Pool as having the best ambiance in Walt Disney World: Cinderella Castle view. The pool itself is on the small side, but being able to paddle about with the kids against a backdrop of the castle is unforgettable. Plus, adjacent to the pool is a beach of the finest white sand, perfect to settle down and catch an evening spectacle of Wishes fireworks over the Magic Kingdom. Other perks of the Polynesian’s main pool include a zero-depth entry (especially great for toddlers like mine), a waterslide through the dark interior of a volcano (older kids loved it) and a small splash pad.