Disney World ticket costs are at an all-time excessive — and Disney’s Annual Move program hasn’t gotten any cheaper both. You’ll pay greater than $100 an evening simply to camp at Ft. Wilderness (Disney World’s campground), and Disney did away with the free FastPass+ program in favor of the paid Genie+ service, the place you pay extra cash to skip the road.
That raises the query: Is it nonetheless doable to plan a Walt Disney World trip on a price range? And are there nonetheless stable Disney freebies to benefit from?
You may need to look a bit more durable for that discounted magic, however there are nonetheless free issues to do and gather at Walt Disney World Resort. You’ve simply obtained to know the place to look to seek out these Disney freebies.
Disney Freebies to Take Benefit of on Your Subsequent Disney Trip
You may need to pay to get into the theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort — plus pay to park or keep the night time in one of many lodges — however when you’re on Disney World property, there may be loads of secret free stuff to seek out.
Listed here are 17 of our favourite free issues to seek out on a Disney trip:
1. Celebration Buttons
You don’t want a purpose to take a trip to Disney World, however when you’re celebrating an vital milestone — birthday, anniversary, commencement, new job, you title it — the journey may be much more magical. Head to Visitor Relations or an indoor merch location and ask a Solid Member (Walt Disney World worker) for a celebration button.
You’ll be able to put on this free Disney memento all through your journey. You’ll often garner particular consideration from Solid Members all through the park, who might shout, “Completely happy birthday!” from throughout the trail or ask you about your new job when you board House Mountain.
Disney characters might even provide additional magical interactions in the event that they spy you carrying a birthday button or a button commemorating your first go to.
2. Autographs
Talking of Disney characters, you possibly can benefit from particular meet-and-greets at every of the parks. Every is free and means that you can work together together with your favourite characters, like Mickey and Minnie, the Disney Princesses, and even Pixar and Star Wars favorites.
You’ll be able to provide one thing for the character to autograph, however lots of the costumed characters (who can’t simply signal their names) will hand out autograph playing cards, completely free. You’ll discover essentially the most character interactions at Magic Kingdom, however each park — from EPCOT to Animal Kingdom — provides distinctive character experiences.
3. Prizes
There are many free issues for youths to do in Disney parks — and a few of them even include prizes. For instance:
- Acquire treasure playing cards (one’s signed by Captain Jack Sparrow) once you play A Pirate’s Journey at Magic Kingdom.
- Acquire badges (stickers) for animal commentary actions through Animal Kingdom’s Wilderness Explorers.
- Acquire stickers on a Discovering Dory treasure hunt on the Seas Pavilion (aquarium space) at EPCOT.
- Acquire varied mementos from “all over the world” on the Kidcot stations alongside EPCOT’s World Showcase.
Talking of EPCOT, its competition meals strolls are under no circumstances free — you’ve obtained to purchase 5 meals gadgets at varied meals cubicles throughout every competition to gather a stamp — however when you gather 5 stamps, you possibly can declare a sixth free meals merchandise. In the event you had been planning to eat your means all over the world throughout an EPCOT competition anyway, that is a straightforward Disney World freebie to assert.
4. Water
Feeling thirsty? You don’t have to purchase an costly plastic bottle of water whereas on the Disney World parks. As an alternative, simply ask any vendor promoting meals and drinks for a cup of ice water.
It’s also possible to pack an empty water bottle and refill it at ingesting fountains all through the day.
5. Soda
Water isn’t the one free beverage at Walt Disney World. Whilst you’ll pay for Coke merchandise at eating places on the Disney resorts and parks, there’s one place you may get soda free of charge: Membership Cool at EPCOT.
Membership Cool is a Coca-Cola store positioned in EPCOT’s World Celebration neighborhood. At no cost, you’ll have the ability to pattern eight completely different Coke merchandise from all over the world.
Be warned: These aren’t your Grandma’s Coke cans. The soda flavors should not all of the carbonated goodness you’ve come to count on. Essentially the most divisive Club Cool flavor is Beverly, an Italian non-alcoholic aperitif.
If you would like a full serving of your favourite Coke from across the globe, head to the Coca-Cola Retailer Rooftop Beverage Bar at Disney Springs. However the Coke doesn’t circulation free right here.
6. Transportation
In the event you’re staying at any of the Walt Disney World resorts, like Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Pop Century, and even the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, transportation across the resort is completely free. Your day at Disney World may embody a journey on:
- The historic monorail
- Buses
- Boats
- The Skyliner (gondola system)
It’s also possible to ask Solid Members free of charge transportation playing cards whereas aboard. These Disney freebies make nice collectibles to commemorate your journey.
Whereas it doesn’t get you to any of the parks, there’s a free boat that runs the Sassagoula River between Disney Springs and Port Orleans Resort. Catch a journey to Scat Cat’s for a Mickey-shaped beignet.
6. Parking at Disney Springs
Free parking at Disney World? Not an opportunity… It’s important to pay to park as a resort visitor, and you must pay to park at every of the Disney World parks. In the event you’re flying in from out of city, it’s cheaper to rearrange journey from the airport to your resort and simply depend on the free Disney transportation throughout your keep.
Nonetheless, in case you are heading to Walt Disney World Resort by automotive, there may be one place the place you could find free parking — and that’s Disney Springs. If it’s been some time because you’ve been to Disney World, you could understand it as Downtown Disney. It’s Disney’s outside shopping center, and its huge parking garages don’t cost a charge.
The catch? The free Disney parking garages are for Disney Springs buyers solely. Which means you shouldn’t park free of charge at Disney Springs, catch a bus to one of many Disney World resorts, after which take one other bus to the parks. (Disney doesn’t actually police this, however no matter your ethical code, doing this to keep away from $20 in parking charges is a large waste of time.)
However when you’re planning to spend the afternoon on the outside mall after which head to the parks within the night, you’re in all probability within the clear to depart your automotive on the parking storage for the day.
7. Disney Springs Leisure
There are many free issues to do at Disney Springs to fill your day. Window purchasing is all the time enjoyable (so long as you possibly can resist the urge to spend), and youngsters like to snap photographs with the LEGO sculptures outdoors the LEGO Retailer.
On sure days, you possibly can hear stay music at Dockside Margaritas. The margaritas aren’t free, however the music is!
And at Christmastime, you may spend a complete day looking down all of the particular Christmas timber on show, and typically Disney Springs even provides free outside health courses.
9. Dwell Leisure — Inside and Outdoors the Parks
Disney Springs doesn’t nook the market on stay leisure and your Disney World ticket unlocks extra than simply curler coasters and darkish rides. Whether or not you’re in Magic Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you possibly can catch an abundance of stay leisure.
Magic Kingdom is the head of stay leisure, from a number of parades and cavalcades all through the day to the fireworks present every night time. It’s also possible to catch fortress stage reveals every day.
Hollywood Studios is legendary for Fantasmic whereas Animal Kingdom has Pageant of the Lion King and the Discovering Nemo music. Throughout every of EPCOT’s large festivals, you possibly can often catch a live performance with large headlining acts, like Smash Mouth, Boyz II Males and Air Provide.
Certain, you paid the worth of admission — however when you’re within the parks, stay leisure awaits. However there’s additionally loads of free stay leisure outdoors the parks:
- You’ll be able to catch the fireworks from a number of prime areas at among the lodges, like Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Up to date Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. No theme park ticket wanted!
- It’s also possible to catch the free Electrical Water Pageant on Bay Lake every night time simply outdoors Magic Kingdom.
- Head to the Grand Floridian Resort to listen to stay piano music or to Fort Wilderness for Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long — completely free (simply carry your individual marshmallows; you’ll pay for these at Disney World).
The BoardWalk space outdoors of EPCOT involves life every night time with avenue performers, and you’ll head to Atlantic Dance Corridor to boogie all night time. However keep away from the close by Jellyrolls dueling piano bar; there’s an $18 cowl.
10. Films
Every night time, the Disney resorts host Films Underneath the Stars. Cozy up together with your favourite snack and watch basic Disney motion pictures up on a giant display outdoors. Relying on the Disney resort lodge, the film is likely to be poolside or in a clearing surrounded by timber.
11. Drawing Classes
Animal Kingdom is filled with rides and animals to take a look at, however go away time for the free artwork class at Conservation Station. You’ll must board Rafiki’s Planet Watch to get there.
Earlier than the pandemic, Disney’s Artwork of Animation, one of many extra reasonably priced lodges, provided free artwork courses as effectively, however they haven’t come again but. In the event you’re excited by artwork on the resorts, hop on a bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge, which has a large assortment of museum-quality African artwork for guests to discover, freed from cost.
Animal Kingdom Lodge additionally has a number of savannas to take a look at. Which means you may get your fill of animal recognizing with out paying for a ticket to the park!
12. Glow Cubes
Drinks at Disney World are costly, whether or not you’re ordering a cocktail or a mocktail. In the event you’re going to shell out for a particular beverage, you could as effectively discover one that gives a free glow dice.
These reusable light-up ice cubes are provided in choose drinks throughout the Disney parks. They’re typically a part of particular season menus, so that you’ll must do some digging earlier than your journey. It’s completely value the associated fee — including a glow dice to a cocktail again at residence can immediately transport you again to your Disney trip.
13. Pixie Mud
A princess makeover in your baby at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique can price tons of of {dollars} — sure, actually. However there’s one particular Disney transformation that’s fully free: getting sprinkled with pixie mud at Sir Mickey’s inside Magic Kingdom.
Certain, it’s only a Solid Member sprinkling some glitter in your hair. However on a Disney trip, some whimsy and make-believe are OK, even for adults.
14. Video games
A lot of your Disney World trip shall be spent ready in line — there’s no means round it. The themed queues often provide sufficient pleasure to make it well worth the wait. But when you end up bored, you possibly can obtain the free Play Disney Parks app for some enjoyable video games. A few of them are associated particularly to the queues you’re in, like Peter Pan’s Flight at Magic Kingdom or Soarin’ at EPCOT.
In the event you paid for a MagicBand+, you may also use the Play Disney Parks app within the Star Wars space of Hollywood Studios to play Batuu Bounty Hunters. The sport is a cool approach to work together with Galaxy’s Edge (the title of the land) and put your self into the Star Wars saga.
15. Disney Genie
Prefer it or not, you’ve obtained to pay for Disney’s Genie+ service, which helps you to use Lightning Lanes to keep away from lengthy traces for crowded points of interest. However the Disney Genie service (no plus) is free for everybody — and it’s obtained some useful instruments.
Obtain the My Disney Expertise app to your smartphone forward of your journey to entry Disney Genie, after which examine it all through the day. Primarily based on what you inform the app are your must-do rides and experiences that day, it may possibly information you thru every Disney World park effectively. In essence, it optimizes your journey.
Pack a transportable charger. Between utilizing your telephone for Disney Genie, to cell order meals, to snap selfies and to examine journey wait instances, you’ll run out of battery earlier than the day’s finish.
16. Journey Brokers
Planning a Disney journey may be overwhelming. You’ve obtained to maintain monitor of your reserving window for eating places, you’ve obtained to determine which lodge provides the perfect location in your park experiences, and also you’ve obtained to grasp bizarre Disney jargon like “Park Hopper” and “Boarding Group.”
Disney journey brokers make it loads simpler — and so they don’t price a factor. As an alternative, Disney journey brokers make their cash from Disney, and their major aim is that will help you plan your journey stress-free and sometimes at a reduction. Journey brokers have entry to reductions and offers most informal vacationers aren’t conscious of.
17. First Assist
Right here’s a Disney World freebie you by no means wish to use, however it’s one to maintain behind your thoughts. You will discover first assist stations at every of the parks, and visiting one in every of these can prevent from spending extra cash on issues like Band-Aids and Tylenol again on the resort.
You’ll discover all of the staples of your drugs cupboard right here: cough drops, painkillers, bandages, chilly meds, tissues, you title it. There are additionally on-site nurses in case you want medical consideration.
Contributor Timothy Moore is a author and editor who covers banks, loans, insurance coverage, journey and automotive subjects for The FinanceGrabber. He’s additionally the managing editor of print for WDW Journal — and has loads of expertise doing Disney on a price range.