Help make a list of "magical extras"

[mousehappync]

I'm trying to have a full bag of tricks for Spring Break, when I know the parks may be too busy for the rides to be our primary source of fun. I thought it would be fun to compile a list/thread of all the little extra things that make Disney so magical-- especially low/no cost things that make the our time there special. I'd love to hear any tips/ideas you have!

Here are some things I'm thinking of:
--Mail a coconut home from the Poly gift Shop
--Visit Trader Sam's
--Pony Rides at Ft Wilderness
--Monorail Tour
--Easter Eggs at the Grand Floridian
--Pirate Adventure Cruise (we've never done this because it cuts into prime Rope Drop time but it looks cute)
--Ask to "pilot" the Liberty Belle in MK (we haven't tried this but I told my kids I'd read about it and they want to try)

Any other things you can think of?

 

[paradesintherain]

You can roast marshmallows at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and of course check out the animals!

 

[Parker Clan]

Listen to the pianist or Grand Orchestra at the Grand Floridian!

 

[Lorelei18]

If you are there on Easter, the Easter egg hunts at Epcot. My kids love playing checkers at the Frontierland Shooting Gallery. And actually shooting at the Frontierland Shooting gallery.

 

[Random Ninja]

Fort Wilderness also has a campfire sing-a-long with Chip & Dale and wagon rides
Surrey bike rentals at several resorts
Collecting free transportation card from the boat, bus, and monorail cast members
There's 2 mini-golf courses with 2 courses at each location
Watch the performers at the Boardwalk
Explore Disney Springs and take a boat ride to one of the resorts
Photo ops with the decor at the All Star resorts and AOA
Collecting pressed pennies at the resorts
Wilderness Explorers at Animal Kingdom (See if you can fill the book)

 

[Ceilidhscot]

Epcot passport round the different countries (can buy one or make your own)

Animal Explorers (similar sort of thing to Epcot but fact finding)

Hidden Mickeys round the parks (give them a map to "Mark" the location and have little prizes e.g find 10 and they get a pin badge, 20 and a pen etc

Character hunt - give them a cheap camera and they have to take photos of different characters. Can then get them printed in a book perhaps

 

[Barbydoll8]

Yehaa Bob at Port Orleans. One of the best "free" shows in WDW.
Many new street performers at Disney Springs now starting around 6 pm.
Free tour at Boma/Jiko at 4 pm with tastes of food!
Tour Wilderness Lodge. You should call a head but they do have a free tour of the hotel you can take with a guide.
Ft Wilderness also has wagon rides which are WAY cheaper than the carriage rides and they are fun. They start around 6-7pm in front of Trails End.
Night time animal viewing at AKL. Better at Jambo as it's darker on the savanna but totally free.
Bowling at Splitsville.
Movie night at the hotels. You can check which movie is playing where by calling a head but maybe a late picnic on a blanket and a movie at night.

 

[mousehappync]

Yehaa Bob at Port Orleans. One of the best "free" shows in WDW.
Many new street performers at Disney Springs now starting around 6 pm.
Free tour at Boma/Jiko at 4 pm with tastes of food!
Tour Wilderness Lodge. You should call a head but they do have a free tour of the hotel you can take with a guide.
Ft Wilderness also has wagon rides which are WAY cheaper than the carriage rides and they are fun. They start around 6-7pm in front of Trails End.
Night time animal viewing at AKL. Better at Jambo as it's darker on the savanna but totally free.
Bowling at Splitsville.
Movie night at the hotels. You can check which movie is playing where by calling a head but maybe a late picnic on a blanket and a movie at night.

I love the idea of touring the restaurants at AKL, eating at Sanna and then viewing animals!

 

[ZoZo]

I think they still offer free drawing classes at AoA, where you learn to draw a Disney character.

 

[Wild4Walt]

If you have a car, I love to do tours of the hotels. Great photo ops at all of them.

 

[Luv0fDisney]

Hmm. If you are going with friends perhaps make a scavenger hunt for each person or group. Then by the time your trip ends, see who got ALL the items (preferrably free stuff like trading cards you get from buses/monorial) or take certain types of pictures needed for the scavenger hunt. Its a fun game and it keeps you busy trying to get all the items on the list.

(Free Stuff: Character Autographs, Disney Plastic Bag from your purchases etc).

Also a good tip, is downtown disney the boat rides. Love them.

 

[Moramoon]

I can't remember the name of the shop, but the store behind Cinderella's castle after opening you can help wake up Tinkerbell. I've watched a few youtube videos and it's pretty cute if you have little ones. We might try this one of our MK days next trip.

 

[pooh2001]

You could monorail to the CR, Poly, GF and tour them easily without a car
Then boat from MK to WL and tour there. 4 resorts, free transportation.

 

[tobikaye]

I can't remember the name of the shop, but the store behind Cinderella's castle after opening you can help wake up Tinkerbell. I've watched a few youtube videos and it's pretty cute if you have little ones. We might try this one of our MK days next trip.

Were any of those videos from the last couple of years? As far as I know, you can no long wake Tinker Bell. I think once her store was fully changed over to Castle Couture, she was evicted.

 

[piglet1979]

My kids have done the pirates adventure a few years ago. They still talk about and say it was the best thing they have done at Disney. I highly recommend it.

 

[fely1st]

Watch the Water Pageant Parade from on of the MK resort beaches, it is an really old disney original and we loved it. Also there is a nice walking path from the Wilderness Campground to the Wilderness Lodge, we saw some deers and owls there last time. The boat rides between resorts and Disney Springs are also a nice way of transportation.

 

[msk]

My grandchildren love to collect transportation cards - each bus, monorail CM, riverboat driver has cards.
Our all time favorite is to play Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom and collect cards.

 

[richkaryn]

Take in a movie at AMC Dine In theater at Disney Springs
AKL has lots of different activities/classes going on throughout the day (African drumming class, lobby floor animal track rubbings (like leaf rubbings), making African masks,etc
Pin Trade with King Pin in gift shop at AKL Jambo House (he's there a certain time each day/certain days)
Pin trading in general
Ice cream from Ample Hills Creamery on the Boardwalk/treats from Boardwalk Bakery
Night time entertainment on the Boardwalk
Try the Coke Float flight at the Coca Cola store in Disney Springs
Explore different resorts
Hidden Mickey hunt

Our son did the Pirate Adventure cruise in 2013 on our non-park day at CBR and LOVED it!

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Walk the path between the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian.
Be at Le Cellier when they first open for the day, and listen to the cast members sing "O Canada" (if they still do this).
Pay the magic forward if a cast member has done something extra great, by putting in a compliment for them at Guest Relations.

 

[GoldenAfternoon]

My niece absolutely loved watching many of the performers in WS at Epcot; particularly the Mexican musicians and Voices of Liberty