little girl with sleeping beauty
Posing with our favorite princesses at Disney Springs

It’s absolutely possible to plan a budget-friendly trip to Disney World. That being said, there are times when you may not be ready to go all out on a Disney vacation.

These tips are for times like those. We had a couple of weekends to kill, but didn’t have the time or finances for a spur of the moment Disney trip, and we weren’t sure we wanted to pay full price for the partial experience with current Covid measures. Instead, we decided to experience Disney and skip the parks!

Eat the Treats

Craving a Mickey Waffle or some of that irresistible Dole Whip? You can find most of your favorites at the resorts. The resort restaurants are open to all, just make sure you book ahead because some of the favorites fill up fast! You can grab a DOLE Whip at Disney’s Polynesian without stopping for a sit-down meal. There’s even some Disney dining available at Disney Springs.

Meet the Characters

minnie mouse at breakfast
Chef Mickey’s

One of the biggest things that Disney offers that you can’t get anywhere else is Mickey Mouse… and all his friends, of course.

Fortunately, there are several Disney resorts that offer character dining experiences, and you don’t have to stay there to eat there. These experiences look a little different right now, with social distancing measures in place. The characters do several parades through, instead of stopping and mingling for pictures. The perk of this is that you get to see each character several times, instead of being limited to your three minute table visit. I recommend Riviera Resort or Chef Mickey’s for the best character meals… at least until things go back to “normal.” Make sure you book in advance, since everyone staying at Disney is also looking to book these experiences.

It was still a bit pricey for breakfast for the five of us – but only about the cost of one park admission ticket!

You’ll be required to show your reservation to park at the resort, but parking is free.

Ride the Rides

disney boat
Taking the boat back to The Grand Floridian

Ok, if you want to journey up Space Mountain, you’re going to need a ticket. Lucky for me, my middle child’s favorite ride ifs the parking lot tram – and that one’s totally free!

If you’re doing a meal at one of the resorts, hop on the monorail for a scenic ride past the parks. We took the boat from The Grand Floridian, but you can also try the new skyliner.

Look at that! There are at least four rides you can do without entering a park.

Do the Activities

grand floridian christmas tree
The iconic tree at The Grand Floridian

Character meals aren’t the only resort perks available to non-guests. You can check out:

Archery lessons

S’mores and singalong with Chip n Dale

Disney miniature golf

Carriage rides

Movies under the stars

There are loads of other activities available at the resorts. Many require reservations. Also, because Covid policies are ever-changing, I always recommend calling before you go.

Shop the Shops

lego elsa and anna
LEGO + Disney = Perfect

You can do all of your Disney shopping at the massive World of Disney shop, but there’s so much more to find at Disney Springs! The larger than life LEGO masterpieces are an attraction of their own. T-Rex and Rainforest Cafe welcome you in to see the animatronics and participate in the discovery zones, even if you’re not dining there. You can spend the day blowing through your shopping money on Disney Pandora beads and giant LEGO sets, or not spend a dime and still enjoy the sights.

See the Sights

Grand Floridian outside
Each resort offers it’s own unique charm

What comes to mind when you think of Disney? The giant Christmas trees? The perfectly manicured shaped shrubs? The themed areas and attractions?

You can sample a lot of these sights by touring through the resorts. Some of this is a bit limited right now, due to Covid, but I’m hoping we turn that corner, soon.

We enjoyed checking out the giant tree and the southern porches at The Grand Floridian. It’s a nice walk from there to Magic Kingdom. You can grab your dole whip and check out the Polynesian, or play on one of 17 resort playgrounds.

Go Beyond

Disney resort view
Resort views

If all of that isn’t enough for a magical experience, you can always go beyond Disney. Orlando and the surrounding area has endless attractions for families.

LEGOLAND has an incredible themed hotel – with or without its theme park.

You can check out SeaWorld, The Holy Land Experience (temporarily closed), Gatorland, or one of the world’s largest ferris wheels.

If you decide to do any of these things, it’s worth looking into Go City for a discounted pass to see more for less.