This is a guest post by my friend Jennifer. Jennifer is a Disney Vacation Specialist with Destinations in Florida. Get the best price on your Walt Disney World Vacation Package… Guaranteed!
Everyone loves freebies! There are lots of things at Disney World that actually do not cost a cent. They are perfect for your lighter days away from the busyness of the parks. Here is our favorite list of Top 10 Free Activities at Disney World:
#10. Downtown Disney – You can walk around this huge shopping, dining and entertainment complex at Disney World. There is free entertainment at the Downtown Disney Marketplace that includes getting your picture taken with statutes of Buzz Lightyear and a pirate from the crew of the Flying Duchess, watching the boats, sprites, and ferries travel across the bay, pin trading at the pin pavilion, dig for dinosaurs at T-Rex, and the kids can play at the LegoLand playground and Legos area. To stay cool, the kids can bring their swimsuits and play in the water jet areas. We could easily spend an entire day just wandering around Downtown Disney.
#9. Animal Programs at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – You can visit the animals in the savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Depending on your viewing location, of which there are several, you will see giraffe, pelicans, flamingos, and gazelles roaming the 33-acre wildlife preserve that surrounds the resort. Great way to see some animas without spending more!
There are several educational programs throughout the day including special viewings in the evening with night vision goggles and special feeding times throughout the day. At the end of the day, stories will be told around the fire pit just outside the main lobby. Be sure to call and find out what time activities will be happening.
#8. Hidden Mickey Hunt – Here’s another one of our favorite activities! Take a Hidden Mickey Hunt around any of the Disney resorts. Many of the resort front desks will have a Hidden Mickey guide for that resort, such as the Hidden Mickey Safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. These hidden versions of the classic Mickey ears logo (°o°) can be found throughout Disney property. This is a fun activity for kids and adults!
#7. Stables – Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort has a fun area near Pioneer Hall that has stables with horses from Magic Kingdom. My kids love checking out the ponies. Plus for a nominal fee, kids can take a pony ride. There are height restrictions, so check into those before you end up with disappointed kiddos.
While you’re here, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort has some of the most scenic and lengthy walking paths of any resort on Disney property, so get out there and enjoy some fitness in the beautiful Florida weather! There are very nice playgrounds and trading posts for pin trading as well.
#6. Water Taxi/Ferry Ride – Enjoy a leisure boat ride from Downtown Disney to Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort. You can walk around the beautiful trails and rivers around Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside and then ride the water taxi back to Downtown Disney.
Additionally, you can take a ride on one of the ferries that takes resort guests to the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These include the ferry from the Wilderness Lodge that goes to Magic Kingdom, then Fort Wilderness, and finally back to Wilderness Lodge. This ferry gives riders great views of both Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon, including seeing long forgotten Disney attractions like River Country and Treasure Island.
Also, this ride will take you over one of the engineering feats on Disney property, the water “bridge.” This canal passes over a road as cars pass “under” the water. Disney’s Boardwalk, Yacht & Beach Clubs, and the Swan and Dolphin have a ferry that travels from these resorts to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and back providing amazing views of the Florida landscape and the Tower of Terror ride. All the resorts will provide you with a short-term parking permit (2-3 hours, depending on the season) to explore the resort.
#5. Electrical Water Pageant – Spend an evening in a hammock on the beach at Disney’s Polynesian Resort while you watch the Electrical Water Pageant. This fun water parade runs in front of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort, and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, nightly. We’ve always watched it from the beach at Fort Wilderness Resort. It doesn’t get too crowded.
#4. Wishes Fireworks – You can watch the Wishes Fireworks at Magic Kingdom from the Deck at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. This is an amazing view of the fireworks above Cinderella’s Castle. You can also see these at many areas throughout the property if the weather cooperates.
#3. Ride the Monorail – Need a place indoors and out of the heat? You can take a ride on the monorail loop to see some of the Walt Disney World Resort. This is always a fun ride for the whole family. In fact, my kids have always assumed it is, in fact, a ride!
The main loop goes from the Magic Kingdom front entrance to the Ticketing and Transportation Center to EPCOT and back. There is also an “inner” loop that will take you from the front entrance of Magic Kingdom to Disney’s Grand Floridian, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and then returning to the front entrance of Magic Kingdom.
#2. Campfire Singalong – Enjoy a fun evening at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. Chip and Dale will greet you for this fun campfire sing-along. You can roast marshmallows and then sing some fun songs around the campfire. After the sing-along, enjoy a classic Disney movie on the big screen for FREE! You can get Chip and Dale’s autographs and even photos with them!
#1. Disney’s Boardwalk – Enjoy evening activities on Disney’s Boardwalk including games and live entertainment. Walk over to Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort and enjoy a campfire and movie under the stars. You can even see some of the IllumiNations Show at Epcot along the Disney’s Boardwalk.
For more information about Disney World, view our Disney World post roundup.
What are your favorite free things to do at Disney World?
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