2. Take a tour of Discovery Island (from the water)

If you like the Magic Kingdom resort area, but find a bike tour a bit too normal for your taste, try renting a boat at either Fort Wilderness or the Contemporary Resort.

Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon are best viewed up close, and Disney’s rental boats let you explore it all.

Sure you can sail over to the Bungalows at the Polynesian Village Resort, but that just scratches the surface of this body of water’s sights. Make sure to check out Discovery Island (but don’t get out — the island is forbidden to guests). The island was a kind of proto-Animal Kingdom, serving as a sanctuary for animals and featuring zoological exhibits for much of Walt Disney World’s early life.

Also, check out the northernmost shore of Bay Lake to find the village of Bay Lake — a small collection of houses that exist to help Disney maintain municipal control of the Walt Disney World Property.

And, while much of it has since been removed, make sure to check out the remnants of the Seven Seas Lagoon wave machine on an island across from the Polynesian Village — which operated for roughly one day, right at the beginning of Walt Disney World’s history. 

3. Tour Crescent Lake on a surrey bike

While lacking in the history of Walt Disney World’s early resorts, Crescent Lake provides the best public space in Walt Disney World. Comprised of the Boardwalk Inn Resort, the Yacht and Beach Club, and the Swan and Dolphin, Crescent Lake is a fantastic walk.

But it’s an even more fantastic surrey bike tour.

Yes, you can rent these large, comfortable contraptions and circle the resorts at your own pace. During the early evening, when the sun goes down, the entertainers come out, and the crowds are still relatively thin, this tour can be one of the most enriching at Walt Disney World.

Plus, Crescent Lake is larger than it might appear, so your feet will appreciate the wheels by the time you finish your lap.