Okay readers, confession time, right out of the gate here: I’m not a manly man. Sure, I love sports, red meat, and watching Shark Week, but that’s about as far as I go. I don’t know how to change my own oil, can’t fix anything around the house (I think I own two screwdrivers and a hammer), and I’d never even entertain the idea of going camping or even sleeping somewhere remotely close to outside (I think a screened-in porch would be too much for me to get any decent rest). At the same time, I do love manly activities. I often want to do things that make me feel like I’m a man’s man, even though I’m not. That’s why it drives me crazy when I hear people (mostly real men with beards and calloused hands) say that Walt Disney World is “just a place for kids” or “there’s nothing for guys to do there.” Fellas (and ladies who know these fellas), I’m here to tell you that you’re missing out! There are TONS of things for really manly, plaid-wearing guys to do in Walt Disney World! Let me give you some of my tips on How To Vacation Like A Man In Walt Disney World.
Play Golf – Did you know that the Walt Disney World Resort offers FOUR different beautiful, professionally maintained championship level golf courses? Disney’s Magnolia, Lake Buena Vista, Palm, and Oak Trail courses are available to play all year round and offer a great challenge to any level golfer, from hackers with terrible slices (me!) to professionals. Disney’s Oak Trail course even has junior tees for younger golfers so that Dads (or Moms, of course, but we’re talking about manly men here!) can take their kids out for a round while on a Disney vacation. At the time I’m writing this, Disney is even offering a great Sunrise Golf Deal (details HERE) so all you manly men out there really have no excuse to stay at home on your family’s upcoming trip to Walt Disney World!
Go Fishing – Here’s another confession for you guys and gals: touching a live fish completely freaks me out. I love fishing, but won’t touch anything that’s flipping and flopping around on a boat or a dock. And as far as baiting a hook with a minnow goes, forget about it. Not. Going. To. Happen. But I’ll happily go fishing with a friend (or one of my kids) if they handle all of the fish duties for me. I really like sitting back in a boat with a fishing rod in my hand, enjoying the sun and water. While that further proves that I’m not a real man, actual men can have an amazing time fishing at the Walt Disney World Resort. Guided catch & release bass fishing excursions are an awesome way to MAN UP on your next WDW trip. These outings include an experienced fishing guide, a rod & reel. bait (both artificial and live – not sure if the guide would bait my hook for me!), non-alcoholic beverages, and more. Several WDW resorts offer these guided excursions and if you book with Phil at Ear To There Travel (that’s me!), I’d happily book and set up your excursion for free. If you’re the type of fisherman that would rather stay on land, dockside fishing is available at Fort Wilderness Resort, and old school, Huckleberry Finn style cane pole fishing is available at Port Orleans Riverside Resort.
Try the Wild Africa Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Have you ever imagined sneaking through an African Savanna, rifle in hand, tracking a lion or another large, dangerous animal? If you answered yes, well, this isn’t the blog post for you, because you can’t hunt wild animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. But, WDW does allow you to get a bit more of that African safari feeling when you book Animal Kingdom’s Wild Africa Trek. You’ll have the chance to get up close and personal with some amazing animals and even walk ten feet above the heads of hippos and crocodiles on a shaky rope bridge (you’re secured by an overhead harness…this is manly, not crazy!) While out on your rugged, 3 hour journey, you’ll also get the chance to sample some gourmet, African-inspired foods and you’ll receive complimentary photo service from a professional photographer throughout your trip. If you’re looking to feel like a real man, at one with nature and some of its most amazing animals, the Wild Africa Trek is definitely something you need to check out on your next trip!
Experience A Meal At Yachtsman Steakhouse – Located at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort (a short walk from Epcot’s International Gateway if you’re not staying there), the Yachtsman Steakhouse is the ultimate carnivore getaway in WDW. Any restaurant where you can see the cuts of meat before you order them makes even the least manly men feel like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. All of their steaks are dry-aged and most of them are pretty enormous so this is the perfect place for guys to chow down after a round of golf or after running around the theme parks all day. If you’re not up for a steak (but want to lose your man card) they offer chicken, salmon, and vegetarian options as well. And I was only kidding about the man card thing (kind of).
Run A Marathon – What in the world can be more manly than running for 26.2 miles throughout the entire Walt Disney World Resort? Absolutely nothing (hey, I’m a runner!) While running is far from a guy thing (annually, more women than men run in half marathons), marathons are one of the ultimate tests of a person’s will and endurance. Even signing up to run a marathon can be one of the most daunting and scary things you’ll ever do (and not just because of runDisney’s prices, either). Committing yourself to the weekly miles it takes to train for a marathon is tough on your mind, body, and even tough on your family who you’ll be seeing a lot less of during your training months. Once you cross that finish line though, I promise it is all worth it. I’ve never been prouder of myself than when I finished my first full marathon. The feeling was just unbelievable. Then I VOWED that I’d never run one again! As soon as the soreness went away and I could walk down the stairs normally again, however, I was back on runDisney’s site signing up for my second marathon! So if you want to feel like a real, tough, manly man (or girl!), sign up for a runDisney race!
Of course, now I have that theme song from that Charlie Sheen show stuck in my head (Men, Men, Men, Men…or something like that). Seriously though, these man-ish activities are only the tip of the guy iceberg. Disney parks have crazy fast thrill rides like Test Track, Expedition Everest, and Rock ‘N Roller Coaster to really get any guy’s adrenaline pumping. There are so many more great spots to enjoy manly food and drinks (Big River Grille and Brewing Works at the Boardwalk Inn is one of my favorites), and so many other things to do that I could go on and on all day. But I’ll stop here and let you guys HUNT around for the rest (see what I did there?!)
Thank you, as always, for reading and coming along with me this time on my search for manly things at WDW. If I missed anything or if you’d like to just talk about man stuff, please find me on Facebook HERE, Tweet me HERE, or email me at phil@eartotheretravel.com. Also, please feel free to share any and all of my blog posts by clicking the social media buttons at the top or bottom of every post AND please go to my site’s homepage HERE and enter your email address into the banner bar at the top of the page to stay up-to-date on all Disney news and vacation deals. I promise, you will NEVER receive any spam from me and I’ll NEVER give out your email address to anyone else.
Thank you again for reading and spending your time here and please enjoy the rest of your stay here at Ear To There Travel!
