No one does the holidays like Walt Disney World, but lots of the special holiday activities can come with a pretty hefty price tag.  Usually, our Christmas includes the renewal of Annual Passes and one on-site stay, which is already a large price tag for a one income family, so we don’t participate in any special extras.   We still want to make sure that our family has a great time during our stay, but we also have to make sure we stay within our budget.  There are many things that you can do during your holiday visit to Walt Disney World Resort that brings a lot of holiday cheer, but doesn’t cost a pretty penny.  Here are a few activities that are sure to delight your family without any added cost!

Holiday Decoration Resort Hopping

Like I said above, NO ONE does Christmas like the Walt Disney World Resort!  The Deluxe Resorts on property are decked out to the nines with Christmas Joy!  At the very least you will find a beautifully decorated Christmas tree that compliments the theming of the resort.  Most impressive are the life-size gingerbread creations at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and Disney’s Beach Club Resort.  The gingerbread displays are crafted by Walt Disney World chefs, and can be considered works of art rather than confections.  I love visiting the Grand Floridian Resort and seeing the Gingerbread House!

My favorite Christmas tree on Walt Disney World property has to be the unbelievably large tree in the lobby of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.  The stunning tree takes your breath away as you enter.  The tree reaches to nearly the top of the high ceiling of the lobby.  It’s simply decorated with rustic ornaments and white lights which really compliments the dark wood that fills the lobby.  I could sit for hours in the rocking chairs near the fireplace and stare at the tree.  It’s that beautiful!

It does not cost anything to visit the resorts on Walt Disney World property; even if you are not a registered guest of that resort.  Take advantage of using the monorail to easily check out the decorations at three different resorts.

Campfires

Chip ‘N Dale Campfire Sing-A-Long-Photo Credit Disney

Many of the Walt Disney World Resorts have nightly campfires!  Roasting marshmallows over an open fire pit is a great way to spend a chilly Florida evening.  Marshmallows and roasting equipment is provided by the Cast Members at no charge!  Even if the resort you are staying at doesn’t offer a campfire, there is no cost to participate in one at another resort.  My favorite resort for marshmallow roasting is Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort.  My girls love cooking their marshmallows, and then running off the sugar at the nearby playground.   Grab a spot and warm up by the fire while enjoying the budget friendly dessert!

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground Activities

I had to give Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground its own section because of all of the no-cost activities that would be great for the holiday season!  Like many other Walt Disney World Resorts, Fort Wilderness has a campfire. However, at this campfire, you can roast marshmallows while enjoying a Sing-A-Long with Chip and Dale!  After the Sing-A-Long bundle up for a movie under the stars shown on a big screen.  If you don’t feel like a movie, you can make your way down to the beach at Fort Wilderness and watch the Electrical Water Pageant.  After the pageant floats by, you have a wonderful view of the fireworks at Magic Kingdom without having to pay for admission.

Electrical Water Pageant – Photo by Mary Spina

Looking at Christmas lights is a tradition for many families during the holidays.  You can still view lights just as you would at home around the campsites of Fort Wilderness.  Many of the guests at Fort Wilderness show their Christmas Spirit by decorating their tents, campers, and RVs with lights.  It is so fun to wander around and look at all the creative displays of the campers!

These are just a few of my favorite, FREE holiday activities at the Walt Disney World Resort!  It’s always nice to still have a great holiday experience while managing to stay within a smaller-sized budget.  I’d love to hear about some of your favorite budget friendly holiday activities at Walt Disney World!  Share them in the comments section!