56. Free Things at Disney World

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[00:00:26] Coming up, did you know there are a lot of free things at Disney World? Every morning, every afternoon, and every night, there are things happening all around the Disney bubble that are not going to cost you a single penny. You can stretch your fun without stretching your wallet, and we're going to tell you so many of the fun and unique and hidden ways right now. Hey there, everyone. Welcome in to More Magic on a Thursday. I am your host, Allie, and I'm here today with Becki Smedley, and we are giving you exactly what you've always wanted.

[00:00:54] We're giving you free Disney World. That's what's happening today. Are we doing air quote free, or is this, are we insisting this is included? I am actually, if you're new here, welcome. If you're not new here, then you're shocked that I said free at Disney. I actually don't believe in free at Disney because I have taught my children that things are included. They aren't free. Becky was very passionate about taking this from the free angle.

[00:01:18] So I'm going to say the word free here today, but I am just going to make sure everybody knows that I believe that these are included with your trip to the bubble. I guess in this case, then, because pretty much everything we're talking about, well, not everything, but most of these are talking about outside of parks. True. So some of these things you really could go do for free. I mean, granted, it's included in the cost of you getting yourself to Walt Disney World.

[00:01:43] You know what? Free or included, either way, you're not paying a dime to do the things we're going to talk about today. How about that? Very good. And it's all going to be really fun things. We kept this clear of parks because it costs a lot of money to go into the parks. So we did avoid free or included things in the parks, things like the pixie dusting at Sir Mickey's, little nuggets like that that you may have heard of.

[00:02:06] But we are talking about just things you can do outside of the parks, not going to pay extra, maybe free, maybe included, depending on how you're there and why you're there. But it's not going to cost you extra. And these are the things that are building your memories. Some of these things that I have done with my family are what our best, biggest memories are made from. Yeah. I was just listening back to one of the previous episodes. And now because I listen to them back to back and we're doing two per week, we're doing two per week.

[00:02:35] How exciting is that? It starts running together when I'm listening back on these. And so with that, I was talking about one of my very best days of my entire life was one of these free things. So, yeah, so good. So one of the things that costs the most money is a park ticket. Park ticket prices have actually just increased. If you didn't catch that, they are more expensive now than they were. And you see those little quick hikes in price just about every year of this time of year.

[00:03:02] And it's inevitable, right? Everything is getting more expensive. That is sort of the world that we live in. And so it's very fun because free fun stretches that budget. You know, it fills your arrival day. It fills your rest day, which, you know, we are going to be talking a lot about rest days here on the Moms Behind the Magic. And when you can find those nuggets that aren't going to stretch your wallet but are going to stretch your fun, we want you to know about them because it is how you're building the best vacation you can have.

[00:03:29] So this is more magic. So, of course, we're not going to be super in-depth here. We are going to really list these, have a little bit of nuggets of information, maybe personal experiences. But I want to jump right in to number one. And this is, we're titling Free Nighttime Magic. This includes a lot of great things. A lot of it's happening over in the Magic Kingdom Resort area. You have fireworks out of the park. That can happen at multiple, multiple locations for multiple parks.

[00:03:54] So you can see fireworks if you're at the Grand Destino Tower. You can see them from top of Riviera. You can see them from the boardwalk. You can see them from any of the resorts in the Magic Kingdom area. You can see fireworks from a lot of different locations around Disney property while enjoying beautiful surroundings. Perhaps you're enjoying a dinner, a cocktail, or just literally free fun and not included with your meals of you. And you're just at a destination that has a good view.

[00:04:23] There are some very special places in those fireworks outside of the parks areas, though. Because, for instance, if you had dinner at the Polynesian and you walked out to the beach, they do pipe in the music to some of these resorts. And so places like the Contemporary, especially Contemporary, the Polynesian, the places around the Monorail Loop, you'll often be able to find a place to hear the music while you're seeing the fireworks across the water. My favorites are the beach at the Polynesian and the rooftop at the Contemporary. Well, really, Bay Lake Tower.

[00:04:52] Both of those places are going to stream the music. I really think my favorite is top of Bay Lake Tower. Sometimes that area is closed and reserved for Disney Vacation Club members, but not always. And so kind of pressing your luck there and seeing if you're able to go to the top of the world there, which is what they call it, and see the fireworks. It is a very special view. And it is a very spectacular way to see my favorite fireworks show, Happily Ever After. Or the party shows you can also see from up there. We've hinted at this a lot, but while we were at the...

[00:05:22] What's the name of the restaurant at Grand Floridian? Narcoossee's. Narcoossee's, thank you. When we were eating at Narcoosi, we weren't paying for like a special firework dinner show. But it ran while we were there for dinner. And they allow you to go out on the balcony or the deck that wraps around and see it. And the music is piped in and the lights from within the restaurant were dimmed. It was wonderful. It was amazing. Another nighttime fun, because you're looking to... Maybe you needed to get out of the parks. You were overstimulated and you couldn't stay all night.

[00:05:49] Or maybe it's your down day or your arrival day. Nighttime fun is something that's really important to fill. Another great one is the Electrical Water Pageants, which I bet some of our M&Ms don't even know about. If you're staying anywhere around that same area we were just talking, around the Monorail Loop, right? In that water that's out in front of Magic Kingdom. Seven Seas Lagoon. Yes. It is the Electric Water Pageant. It's basically a parade on water.

[00:06:17] It plays music that, to me, kind of reminds me of the old Light Parade. Yeah. And it absolutely nods to that same soundtrack and music. And it kind of sounds like an Atari. Yeah, a little bit. Very old school Disney. And it's not like characters and things. It is very much just these floating pontoon type of rafts that are connected to each other. They are definitely not on tracks, right? So I actually did the Keys to the Kingdom tour, which I've talked about on here.

[00:06:46] And that is not a free thing at Disney, but it is an add-on. And one of the really cool things you get to do on that tour is go back and see where they house all of the parade floats for every Magic Kingdom area parade. So the Christmas parade, the Festival of the Fantasy Parade, all of them are back there. And then the Electrical Water Pageant floats are back there. So I actually got to see them up close. And they are these massive grids with lights strung all through them.

[00:07:14] And then they are on the back end somewhere being synchronized to the music. And so the different lights are in each panel are choreographed to the music. So that's how you're getting the different display. But it's, what is it, five to seven of those giant grids. And then they are responding to the right cue in the music to become an octopus or to become a flag or to become a Disney, you know, a dragon. You're explaining this.

[00:07:39] And I'm realizing in the moment that this is like a really, really early version of what a drone show is now. Exactly. Totally. Yeah. Yeah. They light up at the right time and they create different pictures. So absolutely. You can see that. I think if you don't have any sort of nostalgic roots to this show, you might show up and be like, this is the most lame thing I've ever seen. Like, what is this?

[00:08:02] But if you really kind of give yourself a minute to realize this is the oldest running thing at Disney World, it is really, really unique and special. And a lot of people have seen this over, you know, five decades or whatever. So that is fun to check out, worth seeing, especially if you're staying in that area. It will just happen. It happens right after the fireworks and you'll just see it. I think that's a perfect is like, you don't need to seek this out. But if you're in the area, it's a really cool thing to experience. Absolutely. For sure.

[00:08:31] One that's kind of difficult to get to, I think, because you have to be very, very intentional about doing it. But if you do, this one is worth seeking. And to me, that is the Chip and Dale Campfire sing-along in the movies under the stars at Fort Wilderness. Disney officially lists these as complimentary and held nightly, weather permitting. Families bring their own marshmallows and s'mores kits. So other resorts are selling the supply kits to make the s'mores. At Fort Wilderness, they encourage you to bring your own.

[00:09:00] A lot of people are out there camping and you're in a cabin. So I think it's a lot more likely that people have had groceries brought in or they brought them with them. And so families bring their own and you do a sing-along with Chip and Dale. It is seriously the cutest thing. They like bring them up on stage. It's almost a little show. It's like a micro dose of what a Disney show is. You are very much in the wilderness, though. Like the first time I went to this, I was like, how am I on Disney property?

[00:09:26] How is this Disney property that I am sitting in a campground with the woods around me? And Magic Kingdom's right there. It feels very... Taking the boat from Magic Kingdom is the way to do this. Yes. Just FYI. Unless you're staying on property, right? Unless you're staying there. And if you're not in the park that day, but you're staying in a different resort. I mean, there are a couple of ways to get there, but getting to Magic Kingdom and then boating over is one of the simpler ways.

[00:09:50] I think one of the things we've always said forever is that Disneyland has this vibe of hanging out with characters that Disney World lacks. And they are trying to rectify that with Hollywood Studios. And the new Animation Courtyard is very Disneyland-esque. And you're hanging out with characters. And I crave that in the Disney experience with my kids. And nightly, you can hang out with Chippendale and do this sing-along. And it is such a hidden gem. And it is absolutely a free thing you should be seeking. Yeah. And this actually extends into other things.

[00:10:18] You had already mentioned that basically all Disney resorts have these movies under the stars, have campfires. And maybe this is a space that's like Disney World has this and Disneyland doesn't have this at this grand level. At Chippendale's Campfire Sing-along, you can still buy the s'mores kit. And it's super cute. Different resorts have different options. Some of them have Mickey-shaped graham crackers. Not graham crackers. Graham crackers. And marshmallows that you can roast. They are really, really protective.

[00:10:47] Like if your kids have never experienced roasting marshmallows over an open fire, they take it very seriously. They let all people participate from the littlest up to the oldest. It's a really, really fun way to just spend some time when you're outside of the park. Totally is. You can do this. This is going to be our last nighttime fun recommendation for free things that you can do while you're at your Disney vacation, on your Disney vacation. Resort campfires in general and movies. Most resorts hold nightly campfires and outdoor movies.

[00:11:15] So you're going to want to check with your resort if you're staying on property and figure out what their calendar is. Oftentimes you don't have to seek this out. You know, wherever they're having it is often a common space. And there is typically like a wedge board that will tell you exactly what's going on. The movie that's going to be coming, sometimes it's up in a sign that's usually pretty simple to locate. But you can always ask a cast member and they will help you. But it's great.

[00:11:40] You know, at the Polynesian at the Boardwalk, they have those hubgrass areas and the Grand Floridian has one as well. And that's where they set it up. And I just have great memories of my kids laying on those lawns, watching the movie and totally the feeling of a drive-in movie. But you're watching it sitting on a blanket, sitting on a towel. Our family has a really fond memory of watching it at Art of Animation. We have a really fond memory of watching it at the beach club out on the beach, kind of where you would go get on the slide. It's just Disney movies happening everywhere around you. It's magic.

[00:12:10] Disney magic. And some of the resorts, and I wouldn't bank on this nightly, but I would assume it's going to happen while you're there. Ahead of the movie, they will be doing other things. So I know our last, most recent Polynesian trip, I'll give you as the example. They did a limbo competition before the movie. And then they had Dance Dance Revolution set up. And so the kids were just doing Following Dance Dance Revolution. And it was just really, really great. So often it's definitely the campfire and movie, but typically there's also other things as well. Yeah. Especially if you're there during Cool Kids Summer. And hopefully that comes back.

[00:12:40] Cool Kids Summer, they do an extra level of just entertaining kids. And this is like this moment of saying, like, Disney knows how to entertain children. What? Yes, they do. And some things you don't have to pay for. Exactly. So good. All right. Segment two here in your free thing. So that's nightly. Look at all that nighttime stuff. We just filled your nights with free fun. You're not paying anything extra. You're going to have a great time. Transportation as an attraction. Go ride the Skyliner. Please do. Ride it during fireworks. Ride it during sunset.

[00:13:06] Ride it when the parks aren't closing and the lines are crazy, but just few enough people are on it that you get your own gondola. And you're just up suspended above the Disney bubble. And you can see fireworks or you can see the sun going down. Whatever it is, whatever time. Go ride it. And make it fun and play I Spy. You know, I see Tower of Terror. Can anybody else see it? Things like that. And your kids will love it. Yes, completely agree. I feel like the Skyliner in and of itself is its own kind of attraction. And worth considering if you should be staying on the Skyliner.

[00:13:36] But you do not have to be staying on the Skyliner to ride it. Go out the back gate of Epcot. Go out Hollywood Studios. Get on a Skyliner. Go explore some of those resorts. We'll talk more about that. But also equally to the Skyliner is the monorail. And the monorail is the thing that goes around that Bay Lake, right? Seven Seas Lagoon, where we're talking about having the Disney transportation be something that is a memory. The monorail is one of those memories for me as well.

[00:14:04] Going through the contemporary, getting to go past the Grand Floridian and see the beautiful grounds. Like it really is one of those uniquely Disney World things. Make it a scavenger hunt. You know, get off at each resort and find five hidden Mickeys. And then take a photo and get back on the monorail. So a monorail resort hop is great. Just riding it. It's an iconic piece of Disney. Absolutely. Boat rides. Some kids just love being on boats. You know?

[00:14:31] And so hopping on a boat, they run between Magic Kingdom, Fort Wilderness, Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary. They run over in the water by, between Epcot and Hollywood Studios. You can get a nice lengthy little boat ride. You know, if you really take it to all of the stops, you could be on board for a half an hour or more. And you can get different types of boats. If you're getting on the Grand Floridian and going over to Magic Kingdom, that is a smaller boat compared to if you're going from the TTC over to Magic Kingdom. That is a massive, massive boat.

[00:15:01] And we're getting a new one of those. Did you know that? They're putting a fourth one into rotation. For the first time in a very long time, they're putting a new one. So I think that's great. I love the investment in Disney transportation. Like, yes, keep upgrading this. I've talked before about staying at the Polynesian. And the building we're always in is right by the TTC. So we always hear that boat. People screaming, the horn honking, which doesn't bother us, but could be problematic for some people. We love it. I'm excited that they're going to put another one in.

[00:15:27] So Disney transportation, look at it as for your, if you're a mom and you have a kiddo that loves planes, trains, and automobiles. This is going to be very fun for them to be on the monorail, to be suspended, to be on the water. You know, really great stuff. Absolutely. And turning it into Hidden Mickey scavenger hunts, that just makes everything more fun. That's just a reminder of where you are. Could not agree more. Segment three. And this kind of leans into those transportation rides because you're going to need those to do this one. And it's just plain and simply resort hopping.

[00:15:57] Some of the ones you should prioritize. Animal Kingdom Lodge. You can, without staying there, see animals on the savannas. You can talk to culture specialists that are down, you know, safari guides that are down on the ground. They can teach you about the animals and the safaris and the conditions. You can see giraffes and zebras. It's not just low-end animals. This is like high-end peak safari things. The life of animals, yeah. Yes, absolutely. You should be going there.

[00:16:27] I actually, while I was there, we weren't staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge. We just went to visit. We did end up eating there. We ate at Sanaa, which was fantastic. We went out and saw one of these viewing areas. We caught the perfect timing to be roasting marshmallows on the savannah. And this was all just included in our visit to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. This is sort of a must. You should definitely prioritize doing this. Just seeing the animals is free.

[00:16:51] I know we're focusing on free, but I want to just say also there is a nighttime safari you can book and pay for. And that's really cool too. But you can just go and see them. Wilderness Lodge, absolutely beautiful. The geyser near the pool erupts. There is a great little beach area with seating. I think Wilderness Lodge is a little hard to get to to prioritize it as resort hopping if you're not going there for dining or something,

[00:17:18] which now it's not free anymore, but it is a beautiful space if you are just doing a boat ride. It is. And if you are out exploring the boats that are connected to Magic Kingdom in particular, this is one of the ones that you could stop at. The next one that we could jump to is, like I always say, Wilderness Lodge, Grand Floridian, my two. Grand Floridian is at the top of the top that everybody should see. Even if you're just seeing it from afar, it's iconic. It's the red roofs. It is. It is everything that is magical.

[00:17:45] But the Grand Floridian in particular, that lobby. There is live music. Somebody live playing piano that is typically like a Disney cover of a classic version of a Disney song. If you can get there during the holidays, they'll have a grand tree in the middle of that. There are beautiful, beautiful picture spots for you to take. There is a photo pass place in the lobby of the Grand Floridian.

[00:18:10] So if you happen to have Memory Maker on your package, go to the Grand Floridian and take that Cinderella slipper picture in that lobby. Do not skip that. We do not get the gingerbread house this year. We know that they have removed it. Who knows where it's going to pop up? What that's going to look like as we're heading into the holiday seasons with the Grand Floridian. Get yourself to that lobby and experience. Make the memories. Also, straight through the lobby, there is a hub grass with tons of games.

[00:18:36] There's like chess and checkerboards and so many fun things to do out there. Sounds like a dream to me. Like I wish I was there right now. Also, after Grand Floridian, like all of these, you'll see a theme here. We're talking about the deluxe resorts. And that's because the deluxe resorts bring so much to pack beyond just the room that you're sleeping in and the location you're staying in. The beach club and the yacht club. Walk those waterways. Walk around to the boardwalk.

[00:19:01] On the beach club and yacht club side, there is a really beautiful space that has both a, what's the word? A deck, like a deck space that goes out towards. A pier. Thank you. Yeah. So the pier walks out to where you would get it on the boats if you were going to take the boats around that area. But also that beach is gorgeous. And there are swings that you can go on. We had already talked about going out and watching the movies out on the beach. It is a fantastic place to spend some time.

[00:19:29] And do not skip walking around that lagoon and go to the boardwalk. It is so beautiful down there. My friends got engaged there. I love that. And it's a picture worthy place to capture that moment. Yeah. Our pictures are gorgeous. And if you can get yourself there around Golden Hour, I do not know that there is a more beautiful place on Disney property than around that lagoon at Golden Hour. It's amazing. So I want to give a pitch now, one that you should definitely be prioritizing if you're resort hopping. Art of Animation.

[00:19:59] We did this recently. You are stepping into a Disney movie at this resort. You really are. If you can get yourself to that beach club boardwalk area, hop yourself on the Skyliner. You can get there from Epcot or Hollywood Studios. Get yourself honestly to that end. I think it's worth the trip to get on the Skyliner and get down there to Art of Animation. Go explore especially the Cars area. Honestly, it's worth the trip just to go see the Cars area. But you might as well check out all of those areas.

[00:20:25] And then go to the other side and go to Pop Century, especially if you are on an adult trip and you're interested in some nostalgia. All of those walkways have like date points that will tell you about things that were happening in history. And the lobby has so many things that will take you down a walk down memory lane. Cabbage Patch dolls, old cell phones, record players, Walkmans. If you're on a multi-gen trip and you can talk about these things, you can have grandparents stories and make it really fun for your kids. So fun.

[00:20:53] I mean, we just loved walking the grounds of Art of Animation and just sort of pretending we were in the films and taking pictures of the cars. I mean, we really did it all. It was a really fun day. The gift shop there was amazing. We actually did end up buying something in that gift shop. That's where my son picked his souvenir. I know that's not free, but we love to check out the gift shop. So definitely resort hopping and including Pop Century and Art of Animation on that list would be really, really wise. Great time. Super immersive and fun. And easy to get to. Yeah.

[00:21:21] And while you couldn't necessarily go to the gift shop and get a free souvenir, you could go and take pictures at all of these resorts. And taking a picture on your phone is a free souvenir. Right. And I think just talking to the resort desk saying, do you happen to have any fun scavenger hunts? A lot of the resorts do. Wilderness Lodge actually does have a great one. And my kids have done it. We had a really fun time when we were staying there. So just asking, do you have any scavenger hunts or fun things? A lot of the resorts will have things like that. So keep that in mind as well.

[00:21:50] And don't be afraid to make up a game. Right. Even if you don't have a scavenger hunt, create one. The Hidden Mickey game is the game to play. You're going to find Hidden Mickey is just in the most fun places. So fun. Segment four, sticking sort of with resorts, but also adding a layer. So the Boardwalk and Disney Springs, and I say sticking with resorts because, of course, the Boardwalk is a resort. But we're talking the entertainment district in the backside of the Boardwalk Resort. Lots of dining there. Obviously, that's not free or included.

[00:22:17] However, the nightly entertainment of musicians, magicians, acrobats. I've told the stories before about how my kids have been brought into these shows. There was this daredevil once and jumped over my son. And there was a magician that had my daughter's mind bend a fork. And when I was younger, I specifically remember this guy balancing a dryer, a gutted dryer or something on his teeth. Like he had it and he like balanced it. Oh my gosh.

[00:22:45] And then did the same thing with the kickstand of a motorcycle. You know, these are things I remember from when I was a little. I haven't seen anybody do anything like that recently. But you will see really fun, unique shows. Kids get involved. And it's happening every night with music and lights. I have so much fun walking behind my kids along the Boardwalk because you can tell they're at peak happy. So they're just like dancing. Yes. You know, they're walking but also dancing. And they're just in their feels and having fun. And it's so good. Yeah. I feel that way about Laker.

[00:23:13] Like my 16-year-old still will just like walk along the Boardwalk and I can hear him whistling. And it's like that's when he's peak happy. We also did McKenna's senior pictures at the Boardwalk. I just took them myself. But it is a gorgeous place for that. And if you're on an adult's trip, another thing that they will have, aside from like the shows that are meant to entertain families, is there will be live music out on the pier that you can just sit and listen to live musicians. So, so good.

[00:23:38] And while not at the Boardwalk, a little plug for the Coronado Springs because they have a smaller version of what the Boardwalk is. So if you're staying there, don't miss the nighttime entertainment over at Coronado Springs as well. Mm-hmm. Disney Springs, also live music, also street performers, also just window shopping. I mean, I don't know who's doing that, but. You can't window shop at Disney. You got to go in and actually like touch the thing, see the thing, smell the things. Yeah. Watch the Amphicar boats on the water.

[00:24:07] Watch the balloon go up and down. Sit and listen to live performers. Do a little Lego sculpture scavenger hunt. There are really cool Lego statues, sculptures all over Disney Springs. There's a Lego store there. So kind of identifying those and doing a scavenger hunt. Go into the Lego store. They have build tables. Lots of fun to do there. I don't typically go to Disney Springs to do free things. We usually go for dinner and shopping. So we usually spend a lot of money at Disney Springs.

[00:24:35] I think I would personally prioritize a night along the Boardwalk if I'm looking for free over a night at Disney Springs. What about you? Yeah, it's just going to ask you to spend money at Disney Springs because there's things to spend money on in every direction. But Disney Springs does have a really cool perk that they have free parking. Unlike, for example, Universal Studios down the road, if you go to Disney Springs, no matter when you get there, the parking is free. I know there's probably people in their minds thinking through this moment.

[00:25:04] Well, why don't we just park at Disney Springs and take the buses to the park? They do not run park buses until late, late into the day. For that reason alone, you are not intended to park at Disney Springs and bypass the parking lots to the parks. You did not just unlock some hack. Don't do that. You can't do that. It's not a nightmare. It's not even possible. Your life is going to be terrible. Don't do it. Yes, don't do that. Do not do it. Okay. Segment five here. Pools and recreation. Pool party activities are happening daily.

[00:25:33] Now, I know that anybody that listens really, really knows that I believe this is an included perk because you do have to be staying at a resort and spending money in order to use that resort's pool. However, this does not cost you extra to attend. It's not like they're saying you can go to the pool party and it's $5. The pool party is free. It's no additional money for your day. It is included in that stay. And it is so much fun.

[00:25:58] I mean, we will sit, it's usually, what, one to four, and we are out there for the full party every single day. It doesn't matter what resort we are at. They are doing so many fun things. Musical stars. What's in your pool bag? They do like this thing where you have to grab creatures out of the water. They do dance parties. They do chalk walks. They do limbo's. Dance. Trivia. It is literally our favorite thing ever. We are so relaxed.

[00:26:25] My kids do not want to go until the party is over. It is, the cast member always knows them by name. And that's not unique to my kids. That is what's happening out there at the pools. It is. And I will say, if this feels, when you're doing this, if this feels fun and your kids enjoy it, I'm just going to plug that you should consider doing a Disney cruise. Because this feels very Disney cruise-ish in the way that your kids are interacting when your kids are going to the kids club, when your families are doing things up on the decks at Disney cruising.

[00:26:54] So while this is not a Disney cruise episode, Disney cruising might be a really good extension to your trip or an alternative for a future trip to consider for your family. Yeah, absolutely. The walking and jogging trails, those are included in a lot of resorts. So just kind of taking a moment, being out there. Not like you don't get enough walking at Disney. Let's add some more. There are those people who do go out on runs every day while they're at Disney. Like, you will see them. They absolutely do.

[00:27:22] I mean, I have a friend here in town who is a full marathon runner. Just the most intense marathons you can imagine. If that friend went to Disney, she would be running every single day. So for those people that exist and are out there and that matters, at least it's a fun, pretty place to run. It's true. Probably see some really pretty things. And very safe. Like one of those things, sometimes runners will have to make sure they're on a safe jogging trail. All of these are very, very safe, beautiful places for you to go get in a jog or a walk if you're a walker. Some resorts have playgrounds.

[00:27:52] So prioritize that. Honestly, we have just built a staycation. Yes, we did. That if you find a good promo and just book a resort within budget, now we've just outlined a Disney trip that's phenomenal and didn't cost you any extra money. Yes, just the cost of your hotel. And then maybe you get a villa or a cabin on a really good promo and use the kitchen. So then you have to spend less money on food, too. This is almost a little staycation trip in and of itself. You are completely right. We've done it. All right. Here's the lightning lane. Last round.

[00:28:22] Segment six here. Just some really good, quick pop-ups. Go ahead. You give us a couple. So these ones are not necessarily only in resorts. These ones can also be in the park. So just nods to things that are free, not just outside, but also inside the parks. Celebration buttons. You can get those at your resort. I see number two that you put on here, and I am laughing out loud. If Carla is going to be creating a really spectacular guide for this with this information in it, and if she includes this, I'm going to die. Wait until you say it. This is crazy.

[00:28:52] Free ice water at any quick service location. It seems so silly. However, I'm pointing it out because... Free water. Not water. Free ice water. Which is a huge difference because when I'm filling my Ouala, I have to have ice or I'm not going to drink the water. Okay. So free ice is what you're saying then. Yes, but also I am the person, because I want my water to be cold, that's going to go pay $5 for a Dasani water, and I don't like that.

[00:29:20] There are places in this world that are going to charge you for an ice water. Yes. I think I cut you off before you finished about celebration buttons. These are so fun to collect and have, and you can really put anything. I mean, my family has gotten me fun buttons just, you know, I own a travel agency, so they got me one that said, congratulations on that. Or when we won nationals, it was congratulations on winning nationals and things like that. You can put birthdays, anniversaries, first visits, but you can also put fun, important things that are happening in your life. And that's just a great thing to collect.

[00:29:49] We have a little drawer, and, you know, it's wonderful. Not just can you, but should you. You should be doing this, because if you are there for a birthday, put the birthday badge on, and not just the cast members. You will get so many birthday wishes from other guests. So fun. It will make your day so happy. Another one is hidden Mickeys. Hidden Mickeys are just little nuggets that aren't necessarily something that's more. I will plug, there is a very affordable book that's out on the market that lists hidden Mickeys that you can go on and actual find.

[00:30:19] But just adding it to your day, great spaces. And not just the hidden Mickey ones, but also there is like the treasure hunt one that is in Adventureland, etc. My kids, it's just a nature of habit. This is what we do. We walk along these paths, and we walk around these parks, and we walk around the resorts, and we're just looking for Mickeys. And they will just shout out, hidden Mickey, there's one. You know, it's just part of the culture at this point. Yeah, and you see it at home too. The bubbles floating in your coffee. All the time. Yes. Asking for character autographs.

[00:30:47] You know, if you have something for them to sign, that's included and free. Getting stickers. You can ask customers. They will often have a roll of Mickey stickers, and they are happy to give you some of those. You go ahead with this one. Okay, so one thing that we haven't talked about yet, and it's not currently happening in this season we're in, but coming in summer of 2027, I think this is our third year doing this. We are getting another year of free water park admission. I should say included because it does come with your package.

[00:31:16] So you get a day of water park admission connected to your stay at the resort. So whether you're coming in for just a resort stay or you're doing a package, you'll get to go to the Disney water parks this summer, summer 2027, and listen as we're coming closer to that time frame for all of the dates and the details that will be connected to that. That comes along with the, typically with Cool Kids Summer, and we really, really hope that Cool Kids Summer will be coming back in the same space,

[00:31:42] or even more than what it already has because Cool Kids Summer brings so much free and included entertainment for your kids to engage in. I mean, there was a library. You could read the characters. You could take books. I mean, it's awesome, and it really does level up that free entertainment engagement. Listen, we spent a lot to go to Disney World. It's a lot to make it happen. And in any way you can stretch the fun without stretching the budget really, really matters. And for any M&Ms listening today, our hidden Mickey will be stretch.

[00:32:07] And we are constantly and consistently looking for ways to make that stretch matter. And honestly, everything we laid out today, that was a zillion free things. And it can make your trip a zillion times better. You could actually not go to a park and actually just do these things and make memories and have a vacation that matters. We do this. We do resort onlys all the time where we maybe do one park hopping day. I talk about it often. More often than not, this is what we do.

[00:32:36] I am hoping to take my parents to Disney again. And when we do, they're not going to be able to do the parks a bunch, if at all. And just being in the bubble, I know, would bring them great joy. So these are the types of things we're going to be looking for. You know, it doesn't have to be an all or nothing. It just has to be a get there. Get there, see it, and experience it. And you can build the fun around all of these free things. And hey, you know what my favorite free thing of all is? You and I, we're the free thing. We're the free thing. Yes. I don't think we talk about it enough.

[00:33:04] But we are obviously travel agents, as are the rest of our hosts. And our services are free. People do not realize that when they book Disney packages in any form, they're paying for our help. It's included in that price. It is free to you. It costs you no extra. And then we get to be your Disney bestie by your side the whole way. I have a client call today. And you know what we're doing? We're talking about their days, how they look, and how we can implement these exact things.

[00:33:30] So we are the most knowledgeable resource you can have. And it is free. So my favorite free thing, it's us. It is. And one other thing that's free, this podcast. If you're listening to this podcast, you are listening to us for free. The things that pay our bills, though, are our sponsorships. So please, please, please consider pushing the follow button for us. It really helps us for you to be along for us week after week. We really appreciate you being here. And we appreciate you leaning into us both as podcast hosts and as travel agents. Absolutely.

[00:34:00] Lean in in all the spaces. If you like listening to us, let us keep being a free source in your life. We'll be good for it. That was really fun, Beck. And I think we just changed a lot of vacations. I agree. Okay. That's going to do it for us here on another episode of More Magic. More Magic brought to you by the moms behind the magic. And until next time, we're sending you fun, love and joy. And we'll see you real soon. What did we say that was called? I just talked about it. With lights strung all through them.

[00:34:24] And then they are on the back end somewhere being synchronized, synced up, synchronized up. How do you say that? They were synced, yeah. They were, yeah. You hear me? You go. There's a leaf blower outside my window. Oh, I'm like, what are we saying? Okay. You need to get yourself over there. It is so beautiful. You can hear that, huh? It's gone for a minute now.

[00:34:51] What is one big thing that is seasonal for all guests coming to Disney Resort? Wait, what? One big thing. I thought it was what is one big thing. You go ahead with this one. You can hear her, huh? Yeah. That's better. Freaking dog, leaf blower, lawn mower. It was not meant to be on the quiet side today, but you made it work. Amazing. Sometimes I do that. Sometimes I do that intro. I'm like, what am I even talking about?

[00:35:22] Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh.