I don’t know about you, but I can’t do all day every day at the parks. I mean, the parks are amazing! What’s not to love about Slinky Dog, meeting Mickey, and chowing on a churro, but I need a break every few days!

Sometimes people are shocked when I suggest this.

I like to recommend a minimum of a six-night stay for a first visit. That gives you four park days (one for each park) plus a down day or a rest day in the middle. This day gives you time to rest and recover, maybe sleep in, relax, and just not have a schedule or a deadline of somewhere to be!

So, the next question I get is: What can you do on a down day?

There are so many options that I’m going to do a whole series on this!

My first down day option is mini golf!

Did you know there are two mini golf courses at Walt Disney World? AND each one has two separate courses? Literally that’s four different options right there!

First up is Winter Summerland. Located next to Blizzard Beach, Winter Summerland is where you find Santa and his elves hanging out for their off-season retreat! (Where else do you think Santa goes for vacation?) The story goes that Santa loved Florida so much that he built a vacation destination for his elves when they’re off duty—a Winter Summerland—but discovered that it needed a golf course. Every good resort in Florida needs a golf course! He built two: The Summer Course and the Winter Course!

On the Summer Course, you’ll find surfboards, sandcastles, decorated palm trees, and Santa asleep snoring in the sand! Over at the Winter Course, winter icons rule with hockey, peppermints, snowmen, and even a message from Santa himself on the 18th hole!

Bonus: When Blizzard Beach water park is open, you can easily walk between the two and experience both in the same day

Next, Fantasia Gardens & Fairways Miniature Golf themed after…well, Fantasia! Here you’ll find two courses as well.

The first takes you through five scenes from the movie, Fantasia. Put around tutu-wearing hippos, dancing ostriches, and watch out for the broomsticks ready to splash you with water!

The other course is a traditional golf course built on a smaller scale. This one is NOT for the faint of heart or for young children! No fun holes here—just sand traps, bunkers, and water hazards. No joke…this course is challenging and takes quite a long time to play. It’s a great option for real golfers playing for fun or with children who are budding golfers. Don’t try this option with your 3-year old or anyone who has a short attention span!

Fantasia Gardens is conveniently located near Beach Club, Yacht Club, Boardwalk Inn, and Swan & Dolphin—just a quick walk across Epcot Resorts Blvd (use the crosswalk!).

Who’s ready for some fun? Did I mention that everyone who books a Walt Disney World package gets FREE mini golf tickets to use before 4pm? If you want even more fun, upgrade to the Water Parks Fun & More add on option, and you can play all the mini golf you can handle! Hours are typically 10am to 10pm, so it’s an all-day fun option.

Mini golf is also a great option if you don’t have park tickets on your arrival day or have a late flight out and no plans to enter the parks. Both courses have parking available although you do need to get the parking validated at Fantasia Gardens.

Sometimes the mini golf courses get busy, and you may have a wait. You can shorten your wait time by calling 407.WDW.PLAY to make reservations or simply ask your travel advisor for more information!