One of the great things about staying at the Walt Disney World Resort is you are in the middle of the magic. While we all love the theme parks did you know there’s plenty to keep you busy outside of the parks as well?

Rent a boat! Many of the Disney resorts offer a marina with boat rentals. Take some time to explore one of the many waterways at Walt Disney World. Experienced boater or not, there’s something for everyone to enjoy with Disney’s fleet of boats. From arm powered, leg powered, wind powered to motorized ~ Disney has a boat for every speed. Please note not all boat types are available at all locations. Rentals are available by the half hour, hour and day depending on the type of boat.

Fun Outside of the Theme Parks

Go shopping! Downtown Disney is a restaurant and shopping district full of great things to do. There is even a movie theater and indoor interactive theme park, Disney Quest. You may reach Downtown Disney by bus from any Disney resort.

Ride the monorail! You don’t have to be staying at a monorail resort to ride the “highway in the sky”. You can ride the monorail for free for as long as you’d like. One loop runs around Seven Seas Lagoon to the 3 monorail resorts and the Magic Kingdom. The other loop runs from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Epcot and back (although you must disembark the train when it stops and reboard). The Epcot loop will give you a nice overview of Epcot’s layout. This is a great way to check out the lay of the land on arrival day if you don’t have park tickets.

monorail

Go fishing! Fishing poles (catch and release) are available at Port Orleans and Fort Wilderness and guided fishing excursions are available at many of the resorts. You don’t have to be staying at a resort to use their excursions so inquire at guest services at your resort about the nearest location.

Play golf! There are two miniature golf courses on property – Fantasia Gardens by Hollywood Studios and Winter Summerland by Blizzard Beach water park. For the more serious golfer Walt Disney World offers 4 golf courses as well as golf lessons.

Watch a movie! Many of the deluxe resorts offer movies under the stars. This is free to all Walt Disney World resort guests There is also a campfire and a movie at Fort Wilderness. Every evening (weather permitting) enjoy a sing a long and marshmallow roast with Chip and Dale followed by a movie on a large outdoor screen. This is a free event with the exception of purchasing the items needed for s’mores if you’d like to roast marshmallows.

Movies Under the Stars

My name is Susan Heidenrich and I am a travel professional with Travel with the Magic. I’ve visited Walt Disney World over 20 times and I would love to help you plan your next Disney vacation. Email me at SusanH@travelwiththemagic.com and follow me on facebook for tips, tricks and information on all things Disney!