Things to do at Walt Disney World that don’t require a theme park ticket: Special Holiday Activities

There’s always something special happening at Walt Disney World, no matter the time of year. While they do offer special ticketed events inside the parks (like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party) as well as special events inside the parks that are included in park admission (such as the various concert series’ coinciding with the Epcot festivals), Disney does try to spread holiday cheer outside of the parks as well. 

Here are a few things you can experience outside of the theme parks around various holidays – no theme park tickets required!!

Make sure you resort hop during the Christmas season. Check out all of the beautifully themed Christmas trees in every resort lobby; witness the life-size gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian; catch a glimpse of the gingerbread carousel at the Beach Club… there is SO much to see!!!

Christmas Tree Trail at Disney Springs: Every year, Disney Springs sets up their Christmas Tree Trail. You’ll be able to view all of the beautifully decorated (and themed) Christmas trees while enjoying all that Disney Springs has to offer. You can pick up a special map to ensure you check out all the trees – and there’s usually a free gift you can receive if you receive a sticker/stamp on every tree on your map, signifying that you completed the trail!

Sleigh Rides: Did you know that you can take a Sleigh Ride at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort during Christmas time? Advance reservations are required to ensure you can secure your reservation for this special experience that the whole family will love. (These have not yet been confirmed to return for 2022). 

Easter Time: Resort hop to see all the Easter eggs! That’s right, at Easter time, there are special decorated Easter eggs across the resorts to go check out! This is a fun activity for the whole family!

Have you done any of these activities outside of the parks? Have you added some to your Disney bucket list? Did we miss something? We want to hear what your favorite things to do outside of the parks are!!