Things to do in Disney World without buying a theme park ticket will excite you as it reduces costs and amplifies the fun!
Disney World vacation is a dream trip for most tourists, both kids and adults alike. Many of us have grown up watching Disney cartoons and movies.
So, seeing them live inside theme parks is one of the fascinating dreams kids and adults have. Planning a Disney trip can be a tedious task.
You have many things to do in Disney Park. From riding new attractions to trying out new foods and meeting new characters, Disney is full of spectacle.
But, if you do not have a theme park ticket, is there anything you can engage yourself in? So, here is our list of twenty amazing things and activities you can indulge in outside the park premises.
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Things to Do in Disney World With Theme Park Ticket
Even if you have park tickets but want to devote a day outside it or wondering what to do on the check-in and check-out days, here is a list to fill you up:
1. Water Parks
Along with Disney Springs and the four theme parks, Disney is home to two water parks- Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.
Blizzard Beach has been closed since January 2022 for construction and refurbishment-related work. But you still have Typhoon Lagoon on your list.
If you are tired of the hustle and bustle and thrill of Disney rides, this can be a relaxing detour for you and your family.
With a serene atmosphere, these water parks have their theme, along with a lazy river, a wave pool, water rides, and an area exclusively for kids.
You can buy the tickets for the water park at $64, which will give you one-day access to the park, including the block-out days.
2. Hoop Dee Doo
Disney World is filled with exquisite dining experiences. One such memorable experience is a dinner at Hoop Dee Doo.
Along with the platter of southern comfort meals, you will be accompanied by a show. Situated at Fort Wilderness, this is an experience worth having. But, if you have decided to attend this show, you must make prior dining reservations.
3. A car-cum-boat ride
We have read about two-in-one species in our childhood fantasy stories and mythologies. But, have you heard of cars which are like boats?
If you were wandering around in Disney Springs and got bored of shopping, Amphicars are worth your try.
It is a car that looks like a boat but works on land. So, it will cost $125 per head, and 3-4 people can get in each car.
You can go to the Boathouse to make your reservations. But, if there is an approaching storm in the area, the 20-minute ride can also be canceled, subject to the authorities’ discretion.
4. Aerophile
If you have spotted the giant balloon above the water in the Disney Springs area, you must have had the desire to get on it. Unlike the hot air balloon, it is a helium balloon and ranks as the largest one of its kind.
Tickets are worth $25 for adults and $20 for a child for an eight-minute-long ride. However, if the wind speed in the area exceeds 22miles per hour or there is an approaching storm, the balloon will not work. So, before booking your tickets and getting your hopes built up, check the area’s weather forecast.
5. LEGO Minifigure
Here is one of the coolest things to do in the Disney World LEGO store at Disney Springs. This activity gives you the amazing opportunity to turn yourself into a LEGO. This, however, doesn’t mean that you will be transformed into a LEGO person. Instead, you can customize your own Lego Minifigure.
By paying only $11.99, you can customize your own LEGO Minifigure. Along with this, you can also design its clothes. So, if you are out for a creative venture, this can be the best place. However, if you are going on a busy day, you might have to wait a little longer for your turn.
6. Bowling
Disney Springs is springing with newer options that don’t require a theme park ticket. It seems that it is not only a shopping area but also many activities in this zone.
One such is the bowling alley of Disney Springs. Situated on the Western side of Disney Springs, Splits Ville Luxury Lane has its bars, food joints, billiards, and bowling lanes.
You will have to pay $30 per head to participate in this activity. Moreover, you can also visit Splitsville Website to make prior online reservations. If you want a dining experience, the My Disney Experience App can help you book a reservation in the dining room.
7. Watch a movie
AMC Theatre is the famous movie hall of Disney Springs. Say your favorite Disney or Star War movie got its theatrical release during your Disney trip. Wouldn’t it be best to watch it in one of the Disney cinema halls. You can visit the AMC Website to purchase tickets for the theatre.
8. Watch Cirque du Soleil
If you love watching performances, shows, or animations, you have multiple options at Disney World without a theme park ticket.
We discussed the AMC theatre in the previous section. Apart from that, you can also watch Drawn to Life. A Cirque du Soleil show that collaborates with Disney. It is the best animation show in town!
The show timings are Tuesday to Saturday nights at 5:30 PM and 8 PM. You can buy a ticket at $85 per person, which is available directly from Cirque du Soleil’s Website.
9. Coca-Cola Rooftop Bar
Disney World is a hub of different food and beverages. If you have visited Club Pool at EPCOT, you are well aware of the variety of options of Soda from around the globe available there. However, at Coca-Cola Rooftop Bar, the experience is elevated as you can try 16 different soda flavors in this bar.
The platter of soda containing 16 different flavors will cost you $15. Moreover, you can also get a guide that will enlighten you about the different stories and places of origin of these sodas. Along with coke, if you are a beverage fan, this is the bar that should be on the must-try list of your Disney trip!
10. Fireworks show
Disney World in July is famous for its fireworks celebrations. However, did you know you don’t need to stay in Magic Kingdom to experience Enchantment? You can very well stay at your hotel- Polynesian or Contemporary or Grand Floridian and enjoy it.
Get down to the resort beach, listen to the music that Disney usually pipes in, and enjoy the show. Also, if you are not staying at a resort but want to park there and enjoy the show, you will need to have a dining reservation at that resort.
11. Ride a motorized boat
Apart from Disney Springs, Disney World resorts are also a great place to spend time if you do not have a theme park ticket.
Hotels that are adjacent to the water also offer boat rentals. So, if you are staying in Contemporary, Beach Club, or other water-adjacent hotels, this is a fun activity in which you can engage.
However, getting permission to ride would help if you were at least 18 years old. You will also need a State ID or driver’s license. The price depends on the vehicle you are selecting for rent.
13. Video Games
Videos Games are a good way to kill time and relax as well. So, staying in a Disney World resort can give you access to video game forums where you can play any game you want.
However, firstly, you will have to buy a Game Card, and upon adding points, you can unlock newer machines. Moreover, these cards are also reloadable, and you can use them at any Disney World resort arcade.
The availability and size of the arcade will vary in each hotel.
14. Play Tennis
If you do not want to block your vacation days on the digital screens of video games, you can also opt for some physical activities.
Most of the Disney hotels have tennis courts, including Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, Old Key West, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort. However, the tennis court’s availability and the playing hours will vary from hotel to hotel.
15. Go fishing
Another physical activity which is way more relaxing than tennis is going fishing. You can lay back and wait or a fish to take your bait.
If fishing is your favorite pastime hobby and a fishing rod and hook are your best companions, then Disney World has your back.
The fishing trips from hotels at Disney World include a guide, bait, non-alcoholic beverages, and rod and reel.
You can either book the trip for two hours or four hours. The hotels also provide the means to fish dockside at Fort Wilderness and Port Orleans Riverside.
So, if you are not in the mood to go on a boat ride for fishing, you can relax on your hotel dock and do it!
16. A massage
The best way to relax and rejuvenate your body is to get a body massage in the famous spas of Disney World resorts.
The most famous is the Grand Floridian Spa, where you can have a spectrum of options. The signature massage among the options is The Grand Massage. Other options include a pregnant mother’s massage, warm stone, couples, and more.
17. Bike rentals
One of the favorite scenes of the movie Call Me by Your Name is when Oliver and Elio go on a sojourn bike trip in the Italian countryside.
So, if you want to recreate that scene with your loved one inside Disney World, you can do that. Disney World hotels gave options for renting bikes.
Some bikes even have training wheels at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, Old Key West, and Caribbean Beach.
Along with adult bikes, they have children’s bikes as well. Also, you can get a complimentary child seat and a helmet. The bike’s rent fee varies between $9 and $20.
18. Surrey Bike rentals
Disney World hotels also have those bikes which have benches. So, they can be available for renting at Saratoga Springs, Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside, Old Key West, Broadwalk Inn, and Villas. You can either rent a four-person or a two-person Surrey Bike.
19. Horseback riding
Do you want to try out something adventurous without a theme park ticket> Well, a stay at the Fort Wilderness can help you with that. You can get on horseback riding at Fort Wilderness Cabins and Campsites.
The trails begin from Tri-Circle-D Ranch and continue for 45 minutes. You will have to make reservations for $55 per person. Reservations open from 60 days before the day of the tide, and you can book them on the My Disney Experience App.
20. Canoe or Kayak Rental
Disney’s Fort Wilderness has another exciting activity for you. You can hire a kayak or canoe for $13 per hour. However, it follows a first-come, first-serve rule. So, you do not need a prior reservation for this.
In peak seasons, you might not get the chance to enter the property without staying/dining/recreation reservations at the hotel. Otherwise, you can rent them from 9 AM to 5 PM at Bike Barn.
21. Mini Golfing
If you are a golf fan, you will not have to stay off the golf course during your vacation. Winter Summerland Mini Golf and Fantasia Gardens Mini Golf are the two miniature golf courses where you can golf for $14 per person.
Final Thoughts
So, your life is not boring when you set foot inside Disney World. Whether you have a theme park ticket or not, if you have time and money, life shines differently inside Disney World!
