Free/inexpensive activities?

[Surgie2]

We (family of 6 adults + 5 kids) will be in Orlando Thanksgiving week 2023 visiting both WDW and Universal parks. We have all been previously. Not everyone will be doing the same activities. I would like to have a list of some fun, free or inexpensive activities while in the area (besides searching out playgrounds). We are staying at Windsor Hills so will have a pool at the villa and waterpark nearby.

I know we can visit Disney Springs and all that it offers. I read we can take a short boat ride from DS to POFQ to get some beignets. We might do a monorail circle. Anything else?

 

[tguz]

We (family of 6 adults + 5 kids) will be in Orlando Thanksgiving week 2023 visiting both WDW and Universal parks. We have all been previously. Not everyone will be doing the same activities. I would like to have a list of some fun, free or inexpensive activities while in the area (besides searching out playgrounds). We are staying at Windsor Hills so will have a pool at the villa and waterpark nearby.

I know we can visit Disney Springs and all that it offers. I read we can take a short boat ride from DS to POFQ to get some beignets. We might do a monorail circle. Anything else?

You could take a Skyliner trip. We thought it was great and you can see some resorts from above.

 

[Surgie2]

You could take a Skyliner trip. We thought it was great and you can see some resorts from above.

Do we need to be in the park that day for a Skyliner trip? There was no Skyliner when I last visited.

 

[Mle8308]

Do we need to be in the park that day for a Skyliner trip? There was no Skyliner when I last visited.

You could park at Disney Springs and then take a resort bus to the Caribbean Beach and board the Skyliner there, it's the main hub. That way you don't have to pay to park at DHS to use it. You are going at a busy time and it's not likely security will let you park at a Skyliner resort (AoA, Pop, Riviera, or CBR). The Skyliner goes to Epcot (International Gateway) and DHS, for parks. It is fun!

 

[Surgie2]

We may be paying to park at DHS anyway since we'll likely visit that park. Good to know we can go over to Epcot from there...after 2:00...with a park hopper ticket...

 

[Barbydoll8]

Not sure if you are going to have a car or not. If you are, it's worth driving to Celebration for their holiday lights/snow in their town square.
If not, I always refer people to the campground. They have activities there that are low cost or free. Archery, horse back riding (not inexpensive but) walking the stables for the horses, at night you can take a wagon (not carriage) ride through the campground and that time of year, the campers decorate for the holdiay. They also have a fireside sing along with Chip & Dale there by the main pool.
Fantasia gardens or Winter/Summer mini golf.

 

[Surgie]

Thank you! Yes we will have 3 cars so lots of options. We’ll look into Celebration and the campground.

 

[erinch]

A monorail crawl to look at the decorations is fun.

 

[HerzerHerrick]

We may be paying to park at DHS anyway since we'll likely visit that park. Good to know we can go over to Epcot from there...after 2:00...with a park hopper ticket...

They will usually let you scan in at a park at 145.

 

[Lewisc]

Does mini golf count as inexpensive?

 

[noneal]

If you do the Skyliner you can also walk around the Boardwalk area and check out the resorts.

 

[erinch]

Here is a big list of Cheap Things to do with Kids in Orlando
https://orlandoonthecheap.com/cheap-things-kids-activities-orlando/

If you watch for specials, sometimes Sea World runs specials that sometimes include 2 days or Aquatica as well

 

[DL1WDW2]

Celebration for holiday activities has limited parking available but it does have some parking lots . I think they might use the local school parking lot for example.
Do you want ideas for the Universal Studios area also?

 

[BingandNelsonFan]

We were just down in the area at the end of March. The boat ride from Disney Springs all the way to Riverside (past POFQ) was one of our favorite parts of the whole trip! It's amazing and free. We ended up eating at Riverside Mill and just exploring the Resort. We also walked from Riverside to FQ to catch the boat there back to Disney Springs. Absolutely amazing!

We were also able to park at Polynesian (maybe they didn't mind since we had out-of-state ID?) and ride the monorail to all the stops. We visited each Resort in the circle (including gifts shops and pin trading boards) and even stopped off to take pictures outside Magic Kingdom. You can also catch a boat from MK to Wilderness Lodge. That was beautiful, and that resort has a lot to see and enjoy.

 

[erinch]

We always make a trip to Krispy Kreme in Kissimmee for a free hot donut. And some to take home. If you are a Disney + subscriber, you can take a fire stick and watch Disney movies related to attraction you will experience.

 

[Surgie2]

Do you want ideas for the Universal Studios area also?

That would be great!

 

[snowwite]

We (family of 6 adults + 5 kids) will be in Orlando Thanksgiving week 2023 visiting both WDW and Universal parks. We have all been previously. Not everyone will be doing the same activities. I would like to have a list of some fun, free or inexpensive activities while in the area (besides searching out playgrounds). We are staying at Windsor Hills so will have a pool at the villa and waterpark nearby.

I know we can visit Disney Springs and all that it offers. I read we can take a short boat ride from DS to POFQ to get some beignets. We might do a monorail circle. Anything else?

Have you taken the kids to the chip and dale sing along campfire? They sell s’more kits and there are small fire pits for roasting marshmallows. They also show a movie.
Pioneer village at shingle creek is kinda neat and although it’s not free it’s pretty cheap.
Leu Gardens is cheap and some events are free. It’s a nice picnic spot.
Lake Eola is another beautiful park and you can rent swanboats. I think they were under$10 but you would need at least 2-3 for all of you.
I’m not sure if they still do it but we used to get a kids meal in a pail at Poly resort and go to the beach to watch the boat electric light parade. It used to be at 9 pm
Go to the arcade at one of the resorts.
Go to quick service at AKL and walk around the resort to see the animals.
Visit the world’s largest McDonald’s play place. It’s on sand lake road and it’s open 24 hrs. It’s good for a couple of hours in the ac.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We were just down in the area at the end of March. The boat ride from Disney Springs all the way to Riverside (past POFQ) was one of our favorite parts of the whole trip! It's amazing and free. We ended up eating at Riverside Mill and just exploring the Resort. We also walked from Riverside to FQ to catch the boat there back to Disney Springs. Absolutely amazing!

That sounds like such fun! Where at Disney Springs did you get the boat to Riverside? Then, coming back, does the same boat go from Riverside as FQ?

 

[kanerf]

You can walk for miles and miles and it won't cost a cent.

 

[BingandNelsonFan]

That sounds like such fun! Where at Disney Springs did you get the boat to Riverside? Then, coming back, does the same boat go from Riverside as FQ?

You can catch the boat at the Water Launch dock on the NE end of Disney Springs. You go on the path between The Art of Disney and the Christmas Store, make a left onto the dock path, and you can't miss it! They have boats that go to both Port Orleans resorts, Old Key West and Saratoga Springs. It's clearly marked, and the CMs there are very helpful when you're trying to figure out which way to go.

Can't recommend it enough. The ride out to Riverside was the highlight of our trip! And the quick service area in Riverside Mill is the quietest, coolest sit-down spot we've ever found at Disney. Lovely to sit and eat -- or just have a drink and/or snack.

Coming back from any of the resorts, it will be the same type of boats. They're just sort of running a lot of boats all the time, so you never have to wait very long for one. Ten minutes might have been the longest wait we had, but it was usually quicker.

If you like a bit of walking (but not hiking, just a casual walk), it was amazing to take the boat to Riverside. From there is a beautiful paved path over to French Quarter, and then we caught the boat there back to Disney Springs.

All of these Resorts have multiple pin boards, too -- in case anyone enjoys pin trading.