26+ Things to Do on a Non-Park Day at Disney World

During your Disney World vacation you should plan a non-park day to rest and experience some of the fun things to do at Disney besides the parks.

If you think the only thing to do at Walt Disney World is visit the theme parks? Think again!

There are so many things to do during a Disney World vacation without stepping foot into the parks.

Yes a visit to the four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom should be included in your Disney World trip, but you may want to include a few other activities that are fun for the entire family.

One of my best tips is to plan a rest day at Walt Disney World. This allows you to explore the Disney resorts, sleep in, and spend time by the pool.

By skipping the parks you will find plenty of things to do at Disney besides the parks.

Why Plan a Non Park Day at Disney World

A non park day gives you a chance to move at a slower pace and recharge after a full day at the parks.

Planning a rest day at Walt Disney World doesn’t mean there is nothing to do. You could spend a full week enjoying the Disney World activities outside the theme parks.

There are free things to do at Disney World as well as extra paid attractions that you can include in your Disney vacation.

Now that you have a rest day planned into your Disney World itinerary you need to decide what you would like to do. Your rest day should be planned based on your what your family likes to do.

My Favorite Things to Do on a Rest Day at Disney World

Below I list lots of ideas but I wanted to share how I plan a rest day during our Disney World vacations.

We always make reservations for a late breakfast, usually around 10:45-11:00. This can count as breakfast and lunch. We sleep a bit later and then head over to our reservation.

After our meal we will spend time exploring the resort and then head back to our resort for pool time, often laundry if needed, and just relax a bit around our resort.

25 Fun Things to Do at Disney World Besides the Parks

1. Explore the Art of Animation Resort

Exploring Disney’s Art of Animation is one of our favorite things to do on a rest day.

Art of Animation is themed to Disney’s animated movies Finding Nemo, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, and Cars. There is a Nemo playground and this resort is really fun to explore.

We love walking around and taking advantage of the fun photo-ops at the resort. Read our full review of Art of Animation to see more pictures from our visit.

Disney’s Art of Animation is also one of the Disney Skyliner resorts making it easier than ever to visit.

2. Spend Time at the Resort Pool

My kids love spending time at the resort pool. This is a Disney World activity that takes no planning at all! The moment we arrive at a Disney Resort the kids ask to go in the pool.

Visiting the pool gives the kids an opportunity to get their energy out. They can play freely and this is really important for most kids.

Walt Disney World resorts have some really amazing pools and it is worth making time to visit the pool at your resort. (Walt Disney World does not allow pool hopping. You are only permitted to use the pools at the resort you are staying at.)

3. Visit the Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort

Animal Kingdom Lodge is a great resort to explore, even if you are not staying there. It overlooks a Savannah and you may get to see giraffe’s or zebras.

They also have a great theme throughout the resort and a small playground for kids. If you have time consider making reservations at Boma for the breakfast brunch. We really enjoyed it during our recent day away from the parks.

4. Ride Disney’s Monorail Resort Loop

The Monorail Resort Loop is a fun way to explore different resorts and ride the monorail.

The resort loop goes from the Magic Kingdom, the Contemporary Resort, Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), Polynesian Resort, The Grand Floridian, and then back to the Magic Kingdom.

This is a free service and you can get on and off as much as you would like.

5. Make Character Dining Reservations at a Resort

Typically I don’t like to make dining reservations during park days because I want to maximize my time at the parks.

Using a rest day at Walt Disney World is a great time to make reservations to meet your favorite characters.

On our last visit we booked a late breakfast at ‘Ohana. I booked it later so we could sleep in and it covered lunch.

When booking consider the time it takes to arrive at the resort. I usually give myself about an hour from resort to restaurant, depending on where I am staying.

We also recently had brunch at The Grand Floridian for the 1900 Park Fare Breakfast. This has become one of our favorite character breakfasts and we loved meeting the Mad Hatter and Alice!

6. Enjoy the Day Shopping at Disney Springs

Disney has some serious shopping in the parks, at your resort, and at Disney Springs. Check out our article about best things to do at Disney Springs.

The Disney Style Store has some unique and fun Disney items and this fun tea cup photo-op. Disney Springs also has a Marvel store, LEGO Store, and the World of Disney store.

7. Play Mini-Golf

One of our favorite Disney World activities is mini-golf.  Walt Disney World has two Mini-Golf courses. Disney’s Fantasia Gardens is themed to Fantasia and is located in the Epcot Resort Area.

Disney’s Winter Summerland is a fun take on bringing the winter to Florida and is located near Blizzard Beach Waterpark. Both mini-golf courses are open year round and are a fun activity for a rest day at Walt Disney World.

8. Daily Resort Activities

Each resort has activities unique to the resort. The cast members organize them and they are so much fun.

During our stay we have done dance contest, trivia games, challenges, and made tie-dyes. It is really fun for the kids and adults to get involved.

When you check-in you will receive your Disney World activity schedule for the week at your resort. Use this to guide plan your rest day.

9. Watch a Movie Under the Stars

Another activity to look for on your weekly activity schedule is the Movies Under the Stars. At each resort they have a Disney movie playing outside.

10. Electrical Water Pageant Parade

This is one that you don’t have to plan too much if you are in the right place! The parade runs nightly on Seven Seas Lagoon.

The best place to see it is outside the Magic Kingdom or at one of the resorts that surround the lake.  It starts at the Polynesian Resort every evening. We have always caught pieces of it as we exit the Magic Kingdom and it is a magical end to our evening.

11. Chip ‘n’ Dales Campfire Sing-A-Long

Chip n Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long at The Campsites at Fort Wilderness Lodge is a family fun way to end the evening. Purchase a S’mores kit and roast marshmallows and sing songs with Chip n’ Dale.

This free activity is offered to all guests and even visitors to the resort can attend. Other Walt Disney World resorts have campfires but Chip n’ Dale are only at the campsites.

12. Eat at Chicken Guy at Disney Springs

This has become our latest favorite quick service place to eat on a day off. Chicken Guy is located at Disney Springs.

Everyone likes the chicken fingers and it comes with dozens of sauce options. I am a big fan of the honey mustard and my husband likes the Nashville Hot Honey.

13. Go Bowling at Splittsville

Splittsville is a fun bowling alley located at Disney Springs. It has a restaurant and everything you need for a family afternoon of bowling.

14. Visit ESPN Sports Complex

ESPN Sports complex is something you might not think of visiting when it comes to your Disney vacation, but if you have a sports fan in your house it is worth the visit.

ESPN hosts many youth sports teams from around the world and is a neat place to visit. Ticket prices vary depending on the event. Learn more in this article about What You Need to Know to Visit ESPN Wide World of Sports at Disney.

15. Cirque du Soleil at Disney Springs

Cirue du Soleil Drawn to Life is a brand new show coming to Disney Springs based on Disney classics. Drawn to Life will be a great family friendly addition to the Disney Springs entertainment.

16. See the Geyser at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort is a beautiful resort to explore. Guests can take the boat or drive to visit this gorgeous property.

Eat at Geyser Bar & Grill and watch the Fire Rock Geyser eruption. This resorts nature trails and relax atmosphere make it a great place to visit on a non-park day at Disney.

There is also a character dining experience called Story Book Dining at Wilderness Point with Snow White and the Evil Queen.

17. Visit the Coca-Cola Store at Disney Springs

The Coca-Cola store at Disney Springs has a rooftop beverage bar where guests can try different tasting experiences. Guests can try beverages from around the world or create their own tasting experience.

18. Ride Disney Skyliner

The Disney Skyliner is a transportation system at the Walt Disney World resort.

It is a gondola transportation system that takes guests from multiple hotels to Hollywood Studios and Epcot. During our stay at Disney’s Riviera Resort we had an opportunity to experience it.

If you are afraid of heights you may not like it, but it was a very efficient way to get from the resorts to the parks. It is much faster than the bus transportation. There is also a Disney Skyliner Scavenger Hunt that runs on certain days during the week.

Check in at the front desk of your resort to learn more about it. The Skyliner runs from Pop Century, Art of Animation, Riviera Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort, and Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

19. Aerophile-The World Leader in Balloon Flight

If you want to get a birds eye view of the Walt Disney World resort consider taking a ride up in the Aerophile Balloon.

This 8 minute flight takes guests up 400 feet for a unique look at the resort.

20. Take a Ferry Ride

There are many ways to go on a boat ride at Walt Disney World. You can take a boat to the Magic Kingdom resorts from the Magic Kingdom or take the boat from Disney Springs to Port Orleans resort. The boat is open to all guests and is a different way to see Disney World.

21. Go Fishing

Disney World is surrounded by water. There are lakes all over the area and you can sign up to go fishing at different resorts. Learn more here.

22. Walk the Boardwalk

Disney World has a Boardwalk in the Epcot area that has restaurants and is a beautiful place to spend an evening. There are also arcade games and entertainment available. Learn more here.

23. Visit Sprinkles for the Cupcake ATM

A cupcake ATM machine is a pretty unique experience and you can find it at Disney Springs. This is a fun way to pick up an after dinner dessert or a mid-morning snack!

24. Tri-Circle D Ranch at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

Guests can go on wagon rides, pony rides, and explore trails at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.

A rest day can be a great addition to a week at Walt Disney World. Spending a week at the resorts gives you the opportunity to enjoy the theme parks, but also all the things to do at Disney World besides the parks.

25. Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs

Gideon’s is a unique bake shop that serves huge cookies and cakes that are really good. So good that there is usually a very long wait to get it and guests have to join a virtual que to enter the shop.

If you want to stop by I suggest visiting around opening and add your name to the list. Then you can enjoy Disney Springs while you wait.

26. Disney Springs Drone Show

In summer of 2024 Disney Springs offered a nightly Drone Show called Disney Dreams that Soar. It only ran for the summer but I am hoping it returns.

The show featured your favorite Disney characters above the lake with a show set to music. It was free to any guests at Disney Springs and was a really great addition.

Free Things to Do on a Disney World Vacation

• See live music at Disney Springs
• Participate in the daily activities at your resort
• Explore different resorts. Use the monorail or Disney Skyliner to see the different resorts.
• Plan pool time.
• Watch the Electrical Water Pageant nightly from Seven Sea Lagoon.

Guests visiting Disney World can find many fun things to do outside of the Disney parks. We love planning a day off during our Disney vacation to check out the activities outside the park.

Read Next: Tips for Your First Visit to Disney World

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