The average five-night vacation to Walt Disney World costs over $6,300 including accommodations, park tickets, dining, and flights for a family of four, according to Disney travel site MouseHacking.com. It’s fair to say that the lively Orlando-area resort isn’t exactly budget-friendly in many ways.
However, there’s a lot that you can do for free at Disney World, and while you’ll still probably want to spend a lot of time in the theme parks, you can incorporate some of these free activities into your schedule to make the overall trip more affordable. My family has been Walt Disney World annual passholders for several years. We make frequent trips to the resort and have learned a lot of tips and tricks along the way. Here are four of our favorite things to do at Disney World that won’t cost you a dime.
1. Disney Springs
Disney Springs is the Walt Disney World resort’s main shopping and dining district. It features the largest Disney Store in the world, some fantastic restaurants, and many other popular shops (and some you’ve likely never heard of).
To be honest, I’m a Disney World annual passholder, and I’ve never made a visit to Disney Springs without spending money. But there is no cost to get in, there are plenty of things to do, and there are often free live entertainment options, especially in the evenings, at several locations throughout the property.
2. Go resort-hopping, especially on the monorail or Skyliner
There are more than 25 Disney World resort hotels, and each of them has a specific theme. They range from budget-friendly hotels to extravagant luxury resorts. And while they can certainly be expensive to stay at, you can visit any of them for free. Some have breathtaking displays in their lobbies (especially around the holidays), some have character experiences, and many of the resorts contain some of the best restaurants on Disney property. As a personal example, my family loves having breakfast at Ohana, which is in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
Many Disney resorts offer nightly campfires (some with characters) where you and your family can roast marshmallows, as well as nighttime “Movies Under the Stars,” where Disney film favorites are shown outdoors. Both of these activities are completely free.
Some of the resorts are accessible via Disney’s monorail system, while a few others can be reached by the free (and very scenic) Skyliner transportation system.
Many of the resorts, such as Disney’s Boardwalk Resort, often have live entertainment to check out. And Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has some excellent views of the savannahs of the Animal Kingdom theme park from its public areas.
3. Disney’s BoardWalk
Disney’s BoardWalk is a publicly accessible area, located just outside the back entrance to Epcot, and adjacent to the BoardWalk Resort. It offers a quarter mile stretch that is modeled after turn-of-the-century boardwalks, complete with live entertainment, classic arcade games, dining, shopping, and more.
4. Watch the fireworks
On most nights, there are fireworks shows that take place in the Magic Kingdom and Epcot theme parks. But what many people don’t realize is that there are some very clear views to be had outside the parks.
For the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks, which usually start at 9 p.m., there are excellent views from the three resorts in the Magic Kingdom area — Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort (you can get to all three by riding the monorail). When it comes to the Epcot fireworks show, the nearby Disney’s Boardwalk Resort provides excellent views.
This tip isn’t just about saving money. Even if you’re spending the day at the parks, it could be worth it to leave and watch the fireworks elsewhere, as there is typically a massive rush to exit as soon as they’re done. I can tell you firsthand that trying to leave the park after Epcot’s fireworks is similar to leaving a concert as soon as the band finishes.
Not an exhaustive list
This is just a small list of things you can do at the Walt Disney World resort completely free of charge, and there are many others. The key takeaway is that while a Walt Disney World vacation isn’t likely to fit anyone’s definition of “cheap,” if you get a little creative, you can have a lot of fun for less of an impact to your personal finances than you expect.
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