Free or cheap things to do?

[tdelano]

Are there any free or cheap things to do in or near Orlando? I am trying to strech our vacation dollar. We will be traveling with three preteen- teenage kids. Thanks!!

 

[zaxmom]

We always spend an evening walking around Downtown Disney. We usually get dinner there and kill a couple of hours going around all the stores. Since we stay off site we have gone there for the evening just to ride the monorail (2 preschool age boys), boat, see the electric water pageant go by, and play in the contemporary's arcade. It always gets us excited about our first day in the park. City Walk can be a fun place to look around, too. There are lots of good restaurants there and not too far if you have a car. We get on their water taxi and ride it around looking at the hotels there. I try to schedule character dinners for the days when we are not going to any parks. We have had dinner at the Grand Floridian and Chef Mickey's. We always look around those hotels while we are there. An evening at the boardwalk is nice, too. You can see a lot of the fireworks from Epcot at night from the boardwalk. Pointe Orlando is a mall and entertainment area near Sea World and the Convention Center and I think it has an IMAX theatre there. My kids are easily amused, I guess it is harder with teens.

 

[Robinrs]

I was about to add Pointe Orlando. My son begged to go there every night. You have to pay for parking, $2 for 0-2 hours, but he loved the FAO Schwarz and the Disney Store there. It reminded me alot of Downtown Disney.

There is an interactive games place called XS Orlando there also. Sort of reminds me of Dave and Busters here in Atlanta. A bit too old for my son but I think it would be better for teens.

 

[GlennandAnn]

Maybe the teenage kids would like to head to the mall. There are several to choose from. Florida Mall and Millemium Mall.

I guess this only works if you have a car.

Glenn

 

[anniet]

Old Town on 192 in Kissimmee has an Old Car show every Saturday night. It has shops, restaurants some rides and a haunted house. We used to stay right near Old Town and walk over there at night. I love to ride the ferris wheel while Illuminations is setting off the fireworks. Great view up there!

http://www.old-town.com/

 

[MaryJo56]

If you want a cheap dinner-theatre experience...try Capones. We tried it last April. There is a Italian/American buffet. It costs $19.99 , I believe. Probably the cheapest there is. Don't know if you need a coupon, but there are free coupon books all over the restaurants and hotel lobbies. Have fun!
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[MiaSRN62]

Are there any free or cheap things to do in or near Orlando? I am trying to strech our vacation dollar.

You can catch the Electric Water Pagent at select Disney resorts during the night. Just drive to whichever one you'd like to view them from (my favorite is the Wilderness Lodge), tell the security guard at the gate that you are there to shop or dine and they will give you a temporary parking pass. We go and sit on the lounge chairs down on the small beach in the back of the resort and watch the free 10 minute parade on Bay Lake. Here's the nightly schedule :
9 pm--Polynesian
9:20 pm--Grand Floridian
9:35 pm--Wilderness Lodge
9:45 pm--Fort Wilderness
10:05--Contemporary
Make sure you allow time for parking and walking to the beach areas in the back. Afterwards you can grab a snack or shop in the hotel if you like.

 

[tednvon]

Hi...the Disney transport system is really no charge all the time...For some fun freebees...park at the Polynesian, tell them you are stopping for a snack and to check out dinner at O'hana's, and just to look around...wander around, it is a fun place...then hop the monorail to the Grand Floridian and just wander around for a while in this beautiful hotel...there is ice cream, some incredible gardens..then hop to Magic Kingdom and take the boat over to the Wilderness Lodge. This also is an incredible place...at one of the hotels make sure and ask if the kids can ride "up front" with the driver of the monorail...At Wilderness check out the store, the building and if you love BARBQUE their resaurant is great...you can always end up back at the Poly and pick up the car...I also agree with a trip around Disney Boardwalk...no charge, lots of snacks around, some games, and you can rent a family bicycle....all no charge to get in.....There is lots of minigolf along 192 for a reasonable price...For disney souvineers you cannot beat "Character Corner" at the Lake Buena Vista Outlet mall on Vineland Ave or 535 just south of Lake Buena Vista. Turn left coming out of Disney east entrance by Marketplace and go about 2 to 3 miles and the mall will be on your left...CCorner has lots of discontinued Disney stuff at unbelievable prices...good luck...enjoy...Ted