On today’s edition of All Things Disney Thursday, I thought it would be fun to share some free things to do while at Disney. Yes, that’s right, I said free, which basically means you don’t need park admission to enjoy them!
This will work especially well if you’re staying at one of the Magic Kingdom resorts, but even if you’re not and you’re in the vicinity, I suggest taking the boat ride (resort launch) around the Magic Kingdom resorts, especially romantic in the evening. The lights from the hotel twinkle in the twilight and it’s relaxing to boot!
Next on my list is riding the Monorail loop in its entirety. Besides, Monorails are cool anytime, but I adore riding this sleek contraption on the whole loop, usually starting at the Magic Kingdom. It goes through the TTC then onward to the Polynesian resort, the Grand Floridian resort as well as the Contemporary resort before going back to the Magic Kingdom. It’s like sightseeing at a flash.
Another freebie is the Electrical Water Pageant. If you’re staying at one of the MK resorts, you can watch the Electrical Water Pageant from the beach areas of the Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, the Contemporary and the Wilderness Lodge. It’s a charming “light parade” on Bay Lake, usually happening around 9:30. If you’re around the Magic Kingdom area, I highly recommend popping by to catch it!
Another really enjoyable thing to do is watching the street performers at Disney’s Boardwalk. Of particular interest to me is the magician. Love his dry sense of humor. I love how he rounds up the kids right before his act starts. If you’re in the area, swing by. If you’re staying at the resort, this is a must see! I have a video of the magician, I just couldn’t figure out how to upload it from the video camera LOL
If your feet are killing you and you don’t think you can deal with another step in the parks, take the ferry on the round trip between the Epcot resorts, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. This works well if you’re staying at an Epcot resort. It’s a resort ferry that visits the Boardwalk Inn, Yacht and Beach Clubs, as well as the Swan and Dolphin resorts before returning to either Hollywood Studios or Epcot. It takes about 45 minutes round trip but sometimes you need the downtime.
If you’re looking to soak up some culture, head over to the Grand Floridian. There’s always some sort of music in its vast lobby. Not to mention I love people watching over there, plus if your visit is over the holidays, you can spend a hour or so looking at the gingerbread house or the decorations on the trees scattered around the lobby.
Utilize your resort grounds! They’re oftentimes huge and have tons of places to walk or pose of pictures…or if you’re feeling romantic, to steal a secluded kiss.
And my last free tip, Downtown Disney. My favorite thing is to watch everything going on in this area. People watching, kids at the Lego shop, staring out over the water, enjoying a beverage on one of the umbrella covered patios. there’s also live bands to enjoy.
I hope you enjoyed the tips. Until the next time, make it a magical day!
Wow I didn’t know there were free things to do there. That is awesome. Those are great pictures. I would love the see the electrical water pageant and the magician. sounds so fun.
Now I want to go back and do all the things I missed doing when i was there at Christmas!
One of my fav places is a water park we went to years ago. I remember they had a boat that had a waterspout that came out of it every so often and around the park the was a ‘river’ that you could go on and float around the park on different things.
I love the Disney parks.