Laughing Lindsay

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Break Day at Disney World Guide

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When you are planning a trip to Disney parks, you may be wondering should I build in a break day at Disney World? Also, what activities are available for a non-park day? If that’s you, this post is for you.

Break Day at Disney World

Should you have a non-park day?

A theme park trip can be pricey. So, the idea of taking a break day may sound weird. So, I thought I would start this post with a list of pros and cons of taking a break day.

Pros

  • Time to relax – Most theme park days at Disney are go, go, go! So, it can be nice to sleep in and not worry about rope dropping the park or an early restaurant reservation.
  • Can enjoy non-park activities – There’s so much to do at Disney World and in Orlando that a non-park day doesn’t have to be boring.
  • Feel better – Taking a rest day can help you feel better when you return to the parks the next day or when you return home.
  • Can save money – This sounds counter-intuitive, but you are paying for one less day in the parks. Note, this wouldn’t mean anything for passholders.

Cons

  • Added expense – You will have to pay for another night at a hotel and a whole day’s worth of food and possibly entertainment.
  • Longer trip – I know how difficult it can be to schedule time off of work or to leave things at home. So, another day may be too much.
  • Some people may get bored – If you prefer to constantly be moving, then maybe you don’t need a break day.

What to do on a break day at Disney World

Here are some ideas for things to do outside the parks!

  • Go swimming – Most resorts have nice pools and a break day is a wonderful day to take full advantage of them! I’ve heard good things about the pools at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and the main one at Coronado Springs is pretty.
  • Go shopping – My mom loves to hit up the local outlet malls. We prefer the one near Universal but they are both good.
  • Watch tv – I know it doesn’t sound exciting, but it can feel refreshing to just catch up on a favorite show or watch an old Disney cartoon on tv.
  • Enjoy the resort – Lots of resorts have fantastic restaurants to enjoy. Plus, some deluxe resorts have great entertainment options. For instance, Fort Wilderness has the Tri-Circle-D Ranch that anyone can visit. I keep thinking I will visit someday, but never have time. You can even book a carriage ride at certain resorts!
  • Go fishing – Yes, there are several resorts on property where you can go fishing!
  • Play golf – There are two mini golf courses as well as three full golf courses on property!
  • Visit Disney Springs – There’s lots to see and eat at Disney Springs!
  • Visit a water park – There are two water parks on property, with one being open at a time.
  • Visit Orlando – You could visit Kennedy Space Center or another theme park! There’s lots to do in Orlando besides Disney or other theme parks. There’s even a Medieval Times in Orlando!

What do you do on a break day at Disney?

Do you take break days at Disney? If so, what do you do on those non-park days?

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Tips

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Since I always like to do a guide for every theme park I visit, here’s my Busch Gardens Williamsburg tips post.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Busch Gardens Williamsburg

For those who don’t know, Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a SeaWorld, now known as United Parks & Resorts theme park in Virginia. SeaWorld acquired both this park and Busch Gardens Tampa in Florida years ago. Tampa’s park is themed to Africa whereas this one is themed to different European countries.

If you have visited another United Parks & Resorts theme park recently, then you probably know what to expect here since most policies are resort wide. However, there were some updates since the last time I visited one in early 2023. So, here are my tips and suggestions for visiting this particular park.

Tips

  • Arrive early – The earlier you arrive, the closer you get to park to the actual park. In fact, we didn’t even need the upgraded parking on the Sunday in May that we visited to have a close parking space.
  • Have a card – Since my last visit to a United Park, they have all gone cashless. Personally, I find that to be a nuisance. They do have atm’s and machines to convert cash to a Visa gift card. However, the Visa card begins charging a $3.95/month inactivity fee after just 92 days without a transaction! So, I would advise going with a low amount to avoid forgetting and losing money.
  • Know prices are 5% higher than advertised – A few years back, United Parks & Resorts instituted a 5% surcharge on all purchases. Unfortunately, this surcharge remains. So, be prepared to pay an additional 5% over the advertised prices. Also, note that this kind of ruins the passholder discount.
  • Download the app – Similar to the other parks in the family, they did away with paper maps. So, you must use the app to navigate the park. I highly suggest having the app downloaded on your device prior to your arrival.
  • Slow down – This park has received numerous awards for being the most beautiful theme park. It’s a very nice and peaceful park to walk around. Be sure to make time to notice the differences between countries, but wear a hat and sunscreen as there’s not much shade here.
  • Consult the park calendar – The park hosts several limited time events throughout the year. So, you might want to plan a trip around them. Also, the hours vary from day to day. So, be sure to check the hours before heading over.
  • Keep an eye out for deals – Once again, I recommend doing the math on an annual pass or fun card. I purchased an annual pass and used a bring a friend free pass for my husband. I plan on returning later this year and using my second bring a friend pass on my mom. So, it was cheaper to buy this pass and get entry for all four of us than buying four separate one day tickets. In fact, they had a special that made the two park pass cheaper than the single park when we went, so I got that one.

Other Suggestions?

Have you ever visited Busch Gardens Williamsburg? Do you have any tips for visiting?

Virginia’s Historic Triangle Tips for Visiting

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Last month, my husband and I took a trip to explore Virginia’s Historic Triangle. So, I thought I would create a post with tips to help other people avoid making the same mistakes we did.

Virginia's Historic Triangle

Virginia’s Historic Triangle

For those who don’t know, the historic sites of Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg make up Virginia’s Historic Triangle. All three are relatively close to one another, which makes visiting all three in one trip super easy. I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that I didn’t realize this triangle existed or how close things were until our first trip last year. We saw signs about it and were surprised to discover how close the sites were to one another. So, when we made a return trip to Williamsburg this year, I knew we had to complete the triangle.

I already posted Tips for Visiting Colonial Williamsburg, a Jamestown Settlement Guide and an American Revolution Museum at Yorktown Guide filled with tips for visiting those individual things. So, feel free to check those out for more tips. This post is going to focus on the overall picture of planning a trip to this area.

Tips

  • Stay in Williamsburg – Williamsburg is the central location and is the first one you come to. Plus, staying on-site gives you free tickets to Colonial Williamsburg. Previously, we have stayed in a tavern room but I will look into staying in a hotel in the future.
  • Plan at least one day per town – We crammed Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum into one day. I wish we had spent one whole day in Jamestown and visited the Historic Jamestowne. Then, another full day in Yorktown with the addition of the battleground would have been ideal, I think. Depending on your level of interest, you can probably spend 1-3 days in Colonial Williamsburg. Plan another day if you plan on visiting Busch Gardens.
  • Examine all ticket deals closely – There are several ticket options for visiting this area and each one requires you to do some math. Since we are Virginia residents, we took advantage of a deal that gave us an annual pass to the Jamestown Settlement and American Revolution Museum for the price of a one day ticket! I don’t know if we will return in the next 11 months, but it’s nice to have the option. I also got an annual pass to Busch Gardens, which comes with free bring a friend passes and discounts.
  • Keep an eye out for special events – I didn’t realize it when we planned our trip, but there were special events happening in Yorktown and at Jamestown on the Saturday we visited. The event in Yorktown had roads blocked off and made navigating the town for the first time for dinner stressful.
  • Watch out for the Colonial Parkway Rehabilitation Project – Several roads are currently closed for construction and it makes getting around a little more difficult. It looks like there are 3 phases planned with full completion projected for 2026. So, if you are visiting in the next two years, plan to take a detour.
  • Pack comfortable clothes and shoes – You will be doing a lot of walking here. Wear sunscreen and a hat too.

Other Suggestions

Visiting Virginia’s Historic Triangle is a fun and informative trip. However, it can be a lot to take in. I could see taking a break day at a hotel to enjoy a pool. I can also see some folks only wanting to visit one town and maybe Busch Gardens. You know your crew. Plan what you think you can do and have fun!

Do you have any other tips for visiting this area?

American Revolution Museum at Yorktown Guide

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On my most recent trip, my husband and I visited Virginia’s Historic Triangle including the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. So, I thought I would do a little guide for it.

American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown tells the story of America’s struggle for independence. This location consists of three parts: the inside museum, a Continental Army encampment, and a Revolution-era farm outside. The museum makes for a great half day or more activity for history buffs and those wanting to learn more. It is similar to the Jamestown Settlement but is smaller in scope. In fact, both locations are managed by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.

Indoor Gallery

Just like at the Jamestown Settlement, you first enter this location by purchasing tickets inside. Once you’ve done that, you can browse the indoor museum. It’s text heavy as well, but very interesting. There are also several videos to watch here. We particularly enjoyed the Siege of Yorktown 4D film with a huge curved screen that feels realistic. I didn’t take any photos indoors as I wasn’t sure if that was permitted.

Continental Army Encampment

Once you head outdoors, you are greeted by a series of tents. It’s a re-creation of what an army camp may have looked like during the Revolutionary War. You are free to walk around to hear costumed interpreters tell stories and explain what life was like for soldiers during the war. We were even able to witness them firing a cannon and firing some shots! It was also interesting to learn about how they prepared food.

Revolution-era Farm

Just beyond the camp there is a re-creation of a Revolution-era farm. It’s really interesting to see what life was like for regular people during the war. Unfortunately, we were too late in the day (we spent the morning in Jamestown) to witness the cooking demonstration but it’s great they offer something like that. We walked around to look at the garden and house. It was interesting to hear the interpreters talk about what life may have been like for those people.

Tips for Visiting the American Revolution Museum

  • Allow enough time to enjoy it – Unfortunately, we opted to do Jamestown in the AM and Yorktown in the PM. By the time we headed to Yorktown we were tired and we missed some demonstrations. So, maybe just do one a day.
  • Visit Yorktown – Just up the road from the museum is Yorktown the town. It’s a quaint place with good food.
  • Eat lunch at the 1781 Cafe – If we had started our day here, we probably would have eaten here. It’s so nice and convenient that they have a cafe on premises. They serve primarily coffee drinks, salads, and sandwiches. Personally, I think I would eat breakfast prior to arriving here but then fuel up at their cafe for lunch.
  • Stay in Yorktown or Williamsburg – They have portions of the main road between Jamestown/Williamsburg and Yorktown blocked off for construction right now. That made for a longer trip but it’s totally doable. Although, it did make staying in Yorktown attractive.
  • Save on admission – As I mentioned in my Jamestown post, we actually purchased an annual pass that is good for the Jamestown Settlement and this museum. It was the same price as a one day pass for Virginia residents. I know there are lots of ticket deals out there for this area, so be sure to look at each one and do the math.
  • Ask questions – You can just watch demonstrations but the day is so much more interesting if you ask questions.

Have you ever visited the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown? What was your experience like?

Jamestown Settlement Guide with Tips for Visiting

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Having just returned from a trip to explore Virginia’s Historic Triangle, I thought I would post a Jamestown Settlement guide.

Jamestown Settlement Guide

Jamestown Settlement

For those who are unaware, the first permanent English settlement in the US was at Jamestown in 1607. The Jamestown Settlement is a living history museum featuring three re-creations from that time period. Each area has several costumed historical interpreters for visitors to interact with and learn from. This is separate from but located beside the historical fort area.

The settlement can be broken down into four areas: the indoor museum, the Paspahegh Town, the James Fort, and the Ships. This guide will take a closer look at each of these areas.

Indoor Museum/Gallery

When you first arrive at the settlement, you go inside to purchase tickets. After purchasing tickets, you can stay indoors to look at the gallery and various exhibits. We actually headed outside first and then came back to look over things at the end of our visit here since the weather was questionable. It’s a lovely and very informative museum about colonial times. However, it’s probably a bit dry or boring for younger folks. There are things for children to interact with in the museum, but it’s also a text heavy area. Additionally, they had a sign posted about limiting photos here, so I didn’t take any.

Paspahegh Town

Once you leave the building and head outdoors, you encounter the Indigenous community re-creation or Paspahegh Town. The Paspahgeh were a tribe under the Powhatan chiefdom. Here you can explore what their community may have been like. You can enter their homes and learn about their way of life. There are several costumed historical interpreters here to tell you about different aspects of their lives. We saw someone burning out a canoe and my husband got to help scratch some of the burnt wood away. So, it’s also interactive here.

The Ships

Once you leave the town, you can head down to the water to visit the ships. These ships are re-creations of the three ships to bring the first permanent English settlers to this country: Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery. My husband really liked this area as he found the ships to be really interesting. We were even able to board the Susan Constant! It was neat to imagine what life would have been like on the long voyage from England to America in 1607! There were a few costumed interpreters here as well to answers questions about daily life on the ships.

James Fort

Lastly, there’s a re-creation of the James Fort itself. Once again, there were several costumed historical interpreters available to showcase life in the early 1600’s. My husband was even able to learn about some of the recreational games they played. We also learned about various surgical equipment and saw some folks fixing food. It was especially interesting to see the difference between the governor’s home and a working class person’s home. It seemed like the activities available may vary from day to day, depending on an interpreter’s schedule.

Tips for Visiting Jamestown Settlement

  • Eat breakfast before you arrive – We ate a lovely meal at the adorable Carrot Tree Kitchens and it fueled us for hours!
  • Eat lunch at the Jamestown Cafe – We took a mid-day break to eat lunch at the on-site cafe. They had lots of options and everything was fresh. The prices weren’t too terrible considering it’s a museum.
  • Plan to spend half to a full day here – We could have stayed all day here. We did about half a day, but could have stayed longer.
  • Look for special events – We were lucky enough to be visiting on Indigenous Arts Day and got to witness some fantastic dancing! We also tried frybread from the Hungry Hungry Arrow food truck!
  • Save on admission – We purchased Virginia resident annual passes good for here and the museum in Yorktown for the same price as a one day ticket. So, I recommend looking at all specials before buying a regular ticket.
  • Be open minded and ask questions – A visit here goes best if you visit with an open and curious mind.
  • Wear comfortable shoes and clothing – It will be a good bit of walking, so dress accordingly. Also, I recommend checking the weather before heading out.
  • Stay in Williamsburg – It was a short and peaceful drive over from our Colonial Williamsburg tavern room.

So, have you ever visited the Jamestown Settlement? What was your favorite part?