Today's guest blogger is Mary Waring, editor of the indispensable Disney deal-finding site Mousesavers.com. You can enjoy each of her five favorite free things at Walt Disney World without paying for park admission, making them ideal if you're arriving late in the day or leaving midday.
BoardWalk: Disney's beautifully themed BoardWalk, built along the edge of a lake, is reminiscent of Cape May or Coney Island in the 1930s. It's fun to walk around and enjoy the old-fashioned atmosphere, and kids will love checking out their reflections in the funhouse mirrors. In the evenings you can enjoy street performers such as jugglers, comedians, fire-eaters and jazz ensembles.
Downtown Disney: This attractive shopping and restaurant zone that is perfect for a family stroll. Check out the interactive fountains where children (and adults who have the guts) may enjoy playing and getting wet. The LEGO Imagination Center has a free 3,000-square-foot outdoor play area filled with thousands of LEGO blocks, plus huge LEGO sculptures for you to admire. There are also free magic demonstrations at the Magic Masters shop.
Disney Value Resorts: If you're looking for a fun photo opportunity, consider visiting one of Disney's Value Resorts: All-Star Sports, All-Star Movies, All-Star Music or Pop Century. Each of these hotels features enormous models of pop culture icons. You can take a family photo in front of a 35-foot Buzz Lightyear at All-Star Movies, or with Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head at Pop Century. Just tell the gate attendants you'd like to visit the resort and they'll give you a three-hour parking permit.
Monorail: There is no charge to ride and you can get a bird's-eye view of the Magic Kingdom. You can even ride up front with the monorail driver if you ask the cast member at the gate. Usually the drivers are very friendly and will give kids a special certificate.
Electrical Water Pageant: This floating parade is visible every night, usually starting at 9pm, from Disney's Magic Kingdom-area resort hotel docks and beaches. The pageant takes about an hour to move slowly around the lake, stopping at each resort in order: Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness and Contemporary. You can also get a wonderful, and free, view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the beach areas at Disney's Grand Floridian and Polynesian resorts.
But wait, there's more! Heading to Orlando during the holiday season? Mary came up with a bonus freebie:
Holiday Fun at Celebration: Just a ten-minute drive from Disney World is the town of Celebration, a planned community originally developed by the Walt Disney Company. This is a pedestrian-friendly, very tidy Mayberry-style small town. You can have a great time exploring the old-fashioned downtown area called Market Street, which has different events scheduled each month, such as craft festivals and antique car shows. Throughout December, Celebration hosts an evening event called "Now Snowing Nightly," which features a snowfall four times a night, on the hour between 6pm and 9pm. The town provides entertainment and kids can even visit Santa in his lakeside chalet, all for free.
