My Favorite Activities that aren’t Attractions in Each Disney World Park

Hey there! Today I’m sharing my favorite activities that aren’t attractions in each Disney World Park. Just picture it, the most relaxing, sunny day in Orlando, Florida. You have a Mickey Pretzel in hand, the sun is shining but certainly isn’t causing a sunburn or sweat, and you’ve just finished completing every single attraction in Magic Kingdom Park.

When I speak to folks who don’t frequent the Disney Theme Parks, oftentimes this is their dream of a perfect Disney trip! And while I hate to be the barer of bad news, unfortunately, I’m going to pop your dream bubble! The reality is, the parks are becoming increasingly more and more crowded and there’s rarely a “perfect season” when wait times are low, so you likely won’t be able to enjoy every single ride and show. Further, the sun is almost always burning brightly, causing sweat in places you didn’t realize were possible, and sunburns after only a few moments in the parks. And that Mickey Pretzel you’ve been dreaming about? Likely, it’s going to cost more than you’ve budgeted for.

Please understand me, I’m in no way trying to convince you to not plan that dream Disney trip! Even with all I’ve mentioned, the parks are still truly magical, and you can still experience your dream. I simply want you to plan your visit with realistic expectations that you’ll absolutely love your trip but might feel a bit more tired and hot than you expected, and likely won’t get to ride absolutely every single attraction each park has to offer.

With that said, today I’m so excited to be sharing my favorite activities that aren’t attractions in each Disney World Park! It’s important to note, when I mention attraction, I mean rides, shows, parades, and nighttime entertainment, so this blog post will not include any of these categories. When the wait times are higher than you want to wait for that popular roller coaster, or when it’s the middle of the day and you’re looking for some rest in the cold air conditioning, these are my absolute favorite places to visit! I even prefer some of these non-attraction activities to those over-hyped rides! Read on for some amazing activities that aren’t attractions to add to your Disney World itinerary!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

My favorite non-ride activity at Animal Kingdom must be the trails! There are three walking trails throughout Animal Kingdom: The Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail, The Maharajah Jungle Trek, and The Discovery Island Trails. If you’re an animal lover, you absolutely must check out these trails, as they will provide a much closer look to the animals than what you might see on the Kilimanjaro Safaris. Additionally, there are animal caretakers stationed throughout the trails providing fun facts and unique information about the animals spotted throughout the trail. I bet you’re wondering what animals you can see on each trail! During The Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail, you can get a close-up with gorillas, hippos, zebras, and more; located at The Maharajah Jungle Trek are tigers, Komodo dragons, bats, 50 species of birds, and more; and at The Discovery Island Trails you’ll find storks, otters, kangaroos, flamingo, and more!

My husband and I love to grab a pretzel or snack to share while we embark on the trails to get away from some of the crowds and enjoy some tree-covered shade. The animals are so adorable it’s hard to not have fun on these trails! The trails are also a great way to distract yourself while you get a ton of steps in, but this can be both a blessing and a curse! I must mention that the trails can be a challenge if long walks are difficult for you. For a similar experience to the trails and much less walking, I’d visit Rafiki’s Planet Watch.

EPCOT

If you’re a live entertainment fan, you absolutely must visit the Voices of Liberty show in the American Adventure Pavilion! Of all the activities that aren’t attractions in EPCOT, this is by far one of the most popular. The Voices of Liberty are an acapella singing group, and their shows leave me with goosebumps every time! They sing everything from colonial classics, americana, Disney favorites, and current Disney hits. Even better, the American Adventure Pavilion is fully airconditioned, with numerous benches scattered throughout. There isn’t a bad seat in the building; you will be amazed no matter where you sit! This is one of my family’s favorites that we never miss – trust me, you will be glad you visited!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

There are a ton of non-attraction activities at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but the nerd in me absolutely loves Walt Disney Presents. This non-ride activity is unlike any other experience you can find at Disney, with a museum-style walkthrough gallery showcasing Walt Disney’s life from a small child to one of the most beloved adult figures in the world. Here, you can catch unique photos, costumes, artwork and more, all dedicated to Walt’s rich history. This is a great place to catch a break from the sun, as it is fully indoors with the air-conditioning blasting!

At the end of the tour is a theater where you can often catch sneak peak, never-before-seen movie clips of upcoming Disney and Pixar movies before they hit theaters and Disney+! I’ve been able to witness some pretty incredible movie trailers and scenes here. When not playing movie previews, the theater plays a 15-minute documentary about the life of Walt Disney in Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream. Narrated by Julie Andrews, you can catch such interesting information about Walt’s life story in during this presentation!

Magic Kingdom Park

Magic Kingdom is flooded with amazing attractions and shows, often making it the most crowded Theme Park at Disney World. Given the increased crowd levels, it can be helpful to have some non-attraction activities you can count on! My favorite non-ride activity at Magic Kingdom Park has to be all the entertainment that can be found on Mainstreet, U.S.A.! Catch incredible ragtime piano performances outside Casey’s Corner, the best barbershop quartet you’ve ever heard, The Dapper Dans, the many cavalcades rolling through the streets, and the Flag Retreat Ceremony. This is some of the most unique, magical, and comical entertainment you can experience at Disney, so you won’t want to miss it! I especially love visiting Mainstreet, U.S.A. during sunset when Mainstreet begins to glisten with all kinds of enchanting lights! This just touches the surface of all the amazing things you can do at Mainstreet, U.S.A.; for more reasons to love it, check out this blog post!

Conclusion

I hope this helps build the excitement for all there is to do in the Disney Parks, not even counting the attractions! These are just a few of My Favorite Activities that aren’t Attractions in Each Disney World Park; what’s your favorite? Let me know in the comments!