How to Enjoy a Disney Vacation without entering a Theme Park

Disney has a lot more to offer travelers than just their famous theme parks. So if you want to experience a little of that Disney pixie dust without waiting in long attraction lines, here are some alternatives you might think about for your next Disney vacation.

Set Sail on the Disney Cruise Line

Disney currently has two Cruise line ships. The Disney Wonder travels to ports of call in the Bahamas. The Disney Magic visits the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Disney has its own private island in the Bahamas, called Castaway Cay.

In addition, there are all sorts of magical touches during your journey, such Disney musicals, 3-D movies and characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck on hand to greet you. The Disney cruise ships also feature lots of kids activities, as you would expect from the Disney company, so it makes for a great family vacation.

Stay at the Disney Vacation Club Beach Resorts

There are no beaches in Orlando or Anaheim, but Disney has that covered as well. The Disney Vacation Club timeshare properties include two resorts near the Beach. There's a DVC resort at both Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island.

The Vero Beach property is set right on the beachfront on the Atlantic Coast of Florida. At the Hilton Head property in South Carolina, the resort is not directly on the beach, but the Disney Vacation Club have their own beach house and to get there you can just call the resort staff and they'll send someone to take you over. It's about a five minute drive and there's a nice swimming pool and activity room as well as access to the beach.

In just a few years, Disney will be opening their Hawaii resort, giving you even more options for vacationing the Disney way without the theme park crowds. The Disney Ko Olina Resort and Marina is being built on the island of Oahu and should be opening sometime in 2011. It will include both a resort hotel and DVC timeshare villas.

Tour the World with Adventures by Disney

And finally, there's the Adventures by Disney tour program. Adventures by Disney offers packaged tours with the Disney touch. All-inclusive trips include guides, transport (except airfare to your destination) and hotel accommodation and meals. Destinations are all over the US, Europe, Australia and Central and South America.

These are guided family vacations and they include big city trips and more adventurous destinations and types of journeys. So if you are ready to go on a bike tour or white water rafting with your family, taking your vacation with Adventures by Disney is a special way to do it.

For the Adventures by Disney program, all of your Disney-trained guides are local to the area you are visiting so you get a better sense of cultural immersion. There are also lots of special touches that you would expect from Disney such as backstage access to certain attractions and privately guided tours.

So hopefully this will give you some great ideas for your next Disney vacation while giving you a break from the theme parks and a great opportunity to do something just a bit different.