16 FREE Things to Do in Disney World
Everyone knows Disney World is expensive. However, they’re not opposed to throwing a few freebies at their guests. This post is going to dig into 16 things you can do in Disney World for Free.
First, we’re going to cover ten things you can do for free on Disney property (as in completely free).
And the last six will be things you can do for free inside the parks or if you’re staying at a Disney World hotel. So you do need to purchase a park ticket or room to take advantage of those.
Completely free
Resort Tours
Disney World Resorts are known for their magnificent theming. And at some of those resorts, you can get a free tour!
These tours offer insights into the culture, history, and individuality behind the theme and decor. Not every resort offers a tour, so you’ll have to do a little poking around, but the Deluxe resorts are a great place to start!
If you go to the “Recreation” tab of the Disney World Resort you want to explore, they’ll likely have it listed somewhere there. For instance, at the time of writing this, Wilderness Lodge has their activities schedule available for download.
On this schedule they share that the Wonders of the Lodge tour runs daily at 9:00 am and meets at the lobby fireplace.
If you’re looking to have a resort day, this can be a great activity to be on the look out for.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of staying at a Disney World Hotel, check out this post!
WiFi
There is free WiFi available all over Walt Disney World Resort. This includes in the hotels, the parks, Disney Springs, and even the buses.
It’s not always super fast, but it will get the job done! And you don’t need to be a guest or have a log in to take advantage.
Electric Water Pageant
This is a free night time show that’s been at Disney World for decades. This pageant takes place on Disney’s Seven Seas Lagoon and runs for about fifteen minutes.
If you would like to see this show, you can visit the beaches of any of the Magic Kingdom hotels.
Start time can vary, so be sure to check out today’s time here. It’s also worth noting that this pageant moves around Seven Seas Lagoon, so the time it makes it to your location can vary.
Disney Springs
Disney Springs is Disney World’s shopping and dining district. Now of course, this location is designed for you to spend money, but you don’t need a ticket or anything like that to physically get into Disney Springs.
It’s free to park at Disney Springs if you’re driving there.
There’s also a Waterside stage that often has live entertainment that’s absolutely free. It’s a great place to take a walk, hear a band, and window shop if you’re looking for a no-spend day or night.
My Disney Experience
The My Disney Experience App is everything you need to plan your vacation and navigate the parks. And while there are a few things in the app that you need to pay for (like Lightning Lanes), you can use most of it without paying a cent.
This app allows you to track wait times, manage dining reservations, view park hours and so much more!
It’s a great resource in both planning and executing your Disney World Vacation.
Campfires and Movies
There are campfires most evenings at a number of Disney World Resorts, and they’re typically followed by a movie. They’re completely free and you don’t have to be a resort guest to enjoy them.
And you’ll find movies at most, if not all, Disney World Resorts, whether they have a campfire or not.
You can learn more about time and movie selection by visiting the recreation tab of your preferred resort.
The Animals at Animal Kingdom Lodge
You may need a park ticket to get into Animal Kingdom, but you don’t need one to visit Animal Kingdom Lodge. In fact, you can actually see the animals for free.
Animal Kingdom Lodge has several public viewing areas that allow anyone to check out the animals on the savannas at absolutely no cost.
This might be a great activity if you’re looking to have a relaxing non-park day.
Ice Water at Quick Service (and Water Refill Stations)
Most Quick Service stations around Disney World will give you a cup of free ice water if you ask for it. Disney doesn’t want you to get dehydrated, so they make this service available.
If you’re carrying a water bottle, you can use a free water refill station to refill your water bottle. The My Disney Experience App can show you where these refill stations are.
If you’re at a Disney Resort, you can also get a complementary cup of water at any dining location and refill your water bottle at the tap near the Quick Service dining location.
Celebration Buttons
If you’re celebrating something, Disney has a button for that! Whether it’s your birthday, first visit to Disney World, or some other special occasion, you can mark the occasion with a free celebration button.
To get a button, you can go to any guest relations locations in each park, at most merchandise locations, and at the front desk of your resort.
And if you’re not going into the park or staying at a hotel, you can also get a free celebration button at the Disney Springs Welcome Center near the Lime Garage.
Character Appearances
Characters are known to pop up around Disney Property. This includes Disney Resorts!
Sometimes these appearances are a surprise (so, you’d just have to be in the right place at the right time). But lately, there’s also been a good number that are planned.
Now, this does take a bit of legwork. You do have to pop into the resorts in order to see when the meet and greet is scheduled for, and this isn’t happening at every hotel.
But it is a completely free experience you can have at Disney World and it’s a great way to meet characters without needing a park ticket.
With a Park Ticket or Hotel Stay
Skip the Line for Free
If you’re riding alone or willing to split up from your group, you’re able to skip the line at a handful of rides for free! No Lightning Lane required!
This is by using Disney’s single rider line. Disney pulls from this line when there’s an empty seat or two on a ride.
This enables them to fill the ride so they can move as many people through the ride as quickly as possible. And since most people like to ride with their travel party, the single rider line has a significantly reduced wait time.
For the most updated information on the single rider line, check out this Disney World webpage.
Professional Photo
Disney PhotoPass photographers are stationed at some of the most photogenic places throughout the parks. And while they always have their cameras, they are also happy to take a photo with your phone if you ask.
It’s likely they’ll also want to take a photo of you or your group with their camera, which you’d have to pay for if you want to purchase. But it’s also completely okay to ask for a version of the same photo on your phone.
Many of the PhotoPass photos have fun Disney characters or scenes added, so you won’t be able to get those on your camera. And you’re also forfeiting the ultra high quality camera the PhotoPass photographers are using.
But smartphone cameras are pretty great these days, so if you want a quality photo of your group in the parks from a professional photographer, just ask a PhotoPass cast member.
Epcot Concert Series
Epcot regularly has concert series that they pair with their festivals. These concerts happen at the American Garden Theatre at the American Adventure Pavilion.
There isn’t a ton of seating, and since it’s free, these seats can fill up. But it’s an open air theater so if you want to hear whatever group is playing, all you have to do is be in the vicinity.
Pixie Dust
Did you know you can get dusted with Pixie Dust in Magic Kingdom? And it’s completely free?! Both of those things are true!
If you go to Sir Mickey’s in Fantasy Land, you can ask a cast member for a complementary dusting of PIxie Dust.
Now Disney will tell you that these offers can sometimes change, so this one might not be 100% guaranteed. But it’s been going strong for a while now, so it feels safe to include in this list.
Luggage Storage and Transfer
If you’re staying at a Disney World Resort hotel, they will store your luggage for you at the beginning and end of your stay. This is a super helpful option if you’re planning to arrive before check in and hit the parks, or if you want to get one last ride on your departure day.
If you’re doing a split stay (ie, staying at two different Disney World Resort Hotels during your visit) Disney will transfer your luggage from one resort to another at no charge.
Head to bell services on your check out day at your first resort and tell them you’re transferring resorts and what resort you’re headed to. Then, you go to the parks and enjoy your day!
When you’re finished, head to your new hotel. Once you check in, you can go to Bell Services and pick up your luggage or have them delivered to your room.
And again, all of this is complementary.
First Aid Centers
Disney has First Aid Centers available in every park. And if you’re feeling less-than-great, they will give you single doses of over-the-counter medicine for free.
This is designed for more run-of-the-mill issues (like headaches, stomach aches, and that type of thing). But even if your issue is larger, they can still help you get the care you need.
This is also a good place to go if you’re over heated and just need a place to sit and rehydrate for a bit.
What’s your favorite free Disney perk to take advantage of?