Best DVC Outdoor Activities
You won’t spend your entire vacation at Disney theme parks. Sometimes, you won’t even visit the parks during your stay. So, you’ll want to find a few entertainment options to keep you busy and happy during a visit. Here are what I consider to be the best DVC outdoor activities. One of them is especially timely.
Admire the Turtles
Do you know what a Chelonian is? They’re hard-shelled sea turtles! Each year, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort hosts its Tour de Turtles, and the Chelonians are about to have their day.
On August 2nd, the turtles will make their way to sea, and Disney conservationists will track their journey. Disney does this every year, as USA Today reported in 2025.
That article mentions a turtle named Moana, one of several that Disney tracked to learn who went the farthest. In 2026, Moana (the movie, not the turtle) will provide the inspiration for this year’s event. So, if you’re in the area, you’ll want to head to Vero Beach to watch the turtles “return to the big blue.”
PS: You have to love the slogan for the Tour de Turtles. “Saving sea turtles is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Eat at a Luau
I obsess on this one a bit, as I’m a Luau Cove loyalist at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Disney broke my heart when it decided to reclaim this space for the Island Tower at the Poly. So, the Spirit of Aloha show no longer exists, a thought that cuts me to the core.
Fortunately, another DVC luau still exists. Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, hosts KA WA’A – A Lū‘au on Oʻahu at the Hālāwai Lawn. It’s exactly what it sounds like: an even more authentic version of a luau. You’ll dine like royalty while watching an incredible live performance.
Golf with Friends
Disney’s Vero Beach Resort and Disney’s Hilton Head Island both provide ideal golfing options even for the casual golfer. For that matter, golfing in Hawaii provides an inimitable experience. On some courses, you can view active volcanoes in the background!
Still, Walt Disney World is undeniably the best place to go for DVC golf fans. Two of the resorts intersect with Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course. You can watch the players from your hotel room. Then, you can become one by playing a round in what’s basically your backyard for the week. It’s an incredible opportunity.
Lake Buena Vista Golf Course (Photo Credit: WDW News Today)
Meet the Animals
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas frequently wins DVC polls for the best resort. While it’s not in my top three, I fully understand the appeal, especially for families.
Children can watch animals frolic just outside the hotel lobby. This resort hosts animal habitats onsite, making it a de facto zoo. When a child realizes that they’re staying overnight at the zoo, their glee is palpable. It’s such a wholesome sight to behold and one that parents carry with them for a lifetime.
Rent a Surrey Bike
What’s a Surrey bike, you may wonder? Well, you’ve likely seen them at some Walt Disney World resorts, even if you didn’t know their names.
You can rent these bikes at the following DVC locations:
If you’re paying for a cash room, both Port Orleans properties rent them as well.
Surrey Bikes at the BoardWalk
I especially like it for the first-person perspective. Plus, one of the people clearly enjoys ringing the bell, a surefire highlight of Surrey bikes. They’re good, silly fun and a wonderful way to spend some time at your resort.
Ride a Horse
I rave about Tri-Circle D Ranch so much that you’d swear I’m on the payroll. I’m not wrong, though. Guests at The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort and the two properties at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek Villas) will back me up on this one.
This dude ranch houses all the horses that people watch on Main Street, U.S.A. At Fort Wilderness, vacationers can interact with the horses in several ways. You can pet them or go horseback riding. If the latter sounds too active, carriage rides are also available.
So, you have your pick of horse ride preferences. In fact, if you want a more predictable ride, you can just take a Segway tour instead. They’re kind of motorized horses.
Courtesy of Walt Disney World News Today
Swim at Stormalong Bay
I debated whether to include this one, but Occam’s Razor applies. When we discuss the best outdoor activities at DVC resorts, we all know swimming is one of them.
Where’s the best DVC swimming pool? Again, this answer is quite obvious. While we all have our favorites, the reality is that Stormalong Bay is the biggest and the best. So, Disney’s Beach Club Villas definitely hosts one of the best DVC activities. It’s just a bit more conventional than the others on this list.
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