Did you know that there are so many fun and cool things you can do at Disney World without buying a park ticket?
Here are my go-to options.
What to Do at Disney World without a Park Ticket
Forget buying an expensive park ticket for the day when you can do these things and still have a great time:
1. Go to Disney Springs
The best thing to do at Disney World without a park ticket is going to Disney Springs mainly because I think it’s the closest thing to Disney without having to buy a park ticket. Plus, it’s the first place I bring out-of-town friends and family to give them a taste of Disney.
From the food and drinks to the shopping and entertainment, these are some things I enjoy doing at Disney Springs.
- Brunch at The Boathouse
- Cookies, coffee, and cake from Gideon’s
- Mac and Cheese from Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming
- Shopping at Uniqlo, Zara, and Lululemon
- Lego Store
- Local wine tasting from Wine Bar George
- Buy souvenirs at the World of Disney
- Grab a cocktail at Paddlefish’s rooftop and take in the sights
- Watch a movie in Dolby Atmos at AMC
- Take an amphicar tour at the Boathouse ($120 for 20 minutes for up to 3 or 4 people)
- Live entertainment and concerts at House of Blues
- Grab a cocktail form the Indiana Jones themed bar Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar
- Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique makeovers
- Take the kids to T-Rex Cafe
- Buy a red velvet cupcake from the Sprinkles ATM
- Try some unique ice cream flavors at Salt and Straw (get the Olive oil lol)
- Lunch at Summer House on the Lake for some great pizza and one of the best key lime pies ever
- Visit Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy restaurant
And so much more.
2. Have a Spa Day
There’s nothing better than a spa day after a long week of walking in the heat at Disney World.
Here are all of the spas located at Disney World:
- The Grand Floridian Spa (best Disney one)
- The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Orlando (best overall)
- JW Bonnet Creek Spa (newest)
- Waldorf Astoria Spa Orlando (recently renovated)
- Mandara Spa at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
- Ship Shape at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Zahanati at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
The Grand Floridian Spa is nice but I definitely had the best overall experience at the Four Seasons Orlando.
3. Go to a Disney Water Park
Although you will have to buy a ticket, they are surprisingly affordable at $74.
You have two parks to choose from:
- Typhoon Lagoon (best wave pool and lazy river)
- Blizzard Beach (lots of slides)
4. Take a stroll around the Disney Boardwalk
Grab a drink, eat some food, visit a dueling piano bar called Jellyrolls, and take in the sights on the Disney Boardwalk.
5. Go Golfing
There are four official Disney courses on property:
- Magnolia (18 holes)
- Palm (18 holes)
- Lake Buena Vista (18 holes)
- Oak Trail (9 holes + foot golf)
6. Play Mini Golf at one of the four courses
The mini golf courses at Disney World are great! Fantasia Gardens is my favorite because it’s the most Disney. That unfortunately might come with a long wait.
- Fantasia Gardens (best)
- Fairways (hardest)
- Winter Summerland (there’s a winter course, and summer course)
7. Go Bowling
Disney Springs is home to a pretty nice two story bowling alley called Splitsville. Their food ain’t half bad either.
8. Resort Hop
One of my favorite things to do is check out all of the resorts to see what they have to offer. Whether that be restaurants, shops, bars, lounges, special displays, etc.
My favorite one to visit is always the Grand Floridian around Christmas and Easter because they have some really cool decorations, displays, and even snacks.
Here are some other things you can do at the resorts:
- Snack on marshmallows at Chip ‘n’ Dales Campfire Sing-A-Long at the Campsite a Disneys’ Fort Wilderness Resort
- Catch a free movie under the stars
- Look for Hidden Mickeys
- Visit Geyser Point Bar and Grill in the Wilderness Lodge and grab an outdoorsy cocktail
- Explore Disney’s Tri Circle D Ranch at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
- Ride on the Disney monorail
- See the animals on the savanna at Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Take the Skyliner and resort hop
- Watch the fireworks from the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, or Contemporary rooftop (after eating dinner at California Grill)
- Take a boat ride to Disney Springs or the Boardwalk
9. Eat at some cool Disney restaurants outside the parks
Although a few of the really good restaurants are found inside the parks, there are still some heavy hitters that can be found at Disney Springs, some Disney resorts, and even a few non-Disney hotels.
These are my favorite spots:
- Beaches and Cream
- Topolino’s
- Sebastian’s Bistro
- Steakhouse 71 (breakfast/brunch)
- Yachtsman’s Steakhouse
- Ravello’s
- Todd English’s Bluezoo
- Capa
- Bull & Bear
10. Take the Disney Skyliner
This is such a fun and scenic way to soar through WDW.
Be sure to catch it from Pop Century and ride it all the way to Epcot. Just make sure that you get a clear gondola so you can see everything perfectly.
11. Watch the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue
This is a 2-hour dinner show where you’ll sing along, dance, and pig out on some fried chicken, smoked ribs, cornbread, mac and cheese, and strawberry shortcake.
Plus, it’s unlimited beer and sangria.
12. Take a Specialty Fireworks Cruise to watch the fireworks
Hop on a chartered boat with up to 10 of your friends and family and watch either Happily Ever After or Illuminous at Epcot.
Each fireworks cruise is accompanied with a captain as well as some snacks and drinks.
Prices start around $399 and you can make a reservation by calling 407-WDW-PLAY.
13. Go fishing
This is one of my top picks for dads at Disney World.
You can participate in catch and release bass fishing on tourney style Nitro bass fishing boat or a Sun Tracker Pontoon.
It’s a 2 or 4 hour excursion that comes with an experienced guide, artificial or live bait, rod and reel, tackle, and some drinks. Plus, you’re even allowed to BYOB.
Fishing is available at these marinas:
- Caribbean Beach
- Contemporary
- Fort Wilderness
- Grand Floridian
- Old Key West
- Polynesian Village
- Port Orleans Riverside
- Yacht Club
And if you don’t wanna be on a boat, you can dockside fish at Fishing Hole at Ol’ Man Island at Port Orleans Riverside or the Bike Bar at Fort Wilderness.
14. Check out the animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
There is a free animal viewing area where you can see some of them roam the savannah.
15. Watch Happily Ever After from the Polynesian
Grab a Dole Whip and pop a squat on the grass or beach to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks with accompanying music.
16. Watch a Cirque du Soleil Show
Drawn to Life by Cirque du Soleil is a thrilling love letter to the art of Disney animation.
I love Cirque du Soleil so it’s pretty cool to know that we have our own show in Disney Springs.
17. Monorail Bar Crawl!
One of the coolest things to do for adults is the monorail bar crawl.
You’re basically going from hotel to hotel via monorail and grabbing a drink at their bars.
- Enchanted Rose Lounge (Grand Floridian)
- Steakhouse 71 Lounge (Contemporary)
- California Grill Bar (Contemporary)
- Tambu Lounge (Polynesian)
- Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto (Polynesian)
18. Check out Epcot from the Monorail
I gotta admit, this might be pretty lame, but if you still wanted to technically go inside a park without actually buying a ticket, then riding the monorail from the TTC to Epcot will actually give you a pretty cool view from “above” and inside the park.
