Things to Do at Disney Springs
The one part of Walt Disney World you can enjoy without a ticket. Here is what is worth your time, what costs nothing, and what is worth paying for, in 2026.
Disney Springs is the rare Disney destination with no turnstile. People treat it as a shopping center, which sells it short. There is a Cirque du Soleil show, a balloon that floats four hundred feet up, a vintage car that drives into a lake, the largest Disney character store in the world, and live music most nights. A good chunk of it costs nothing at all. Use the board below to filter by what you are in the mood for, then read on for the details.
What do you feel like doing
See Brickley the LEGO sea serpent
A 30-foot dragon built from around 170,000 LEGO bricks rises out of the lake outside the LEGO Store, with a baby serpent beside it. Free to see and the best photo in the Marketplace.
Walk through World of Disney
The largest Disney character store in the world, a sprawling hall of ears, pins, and souvenirs. You can wander the whole thing without spending a cent.
Ride the Aerophile balloon
A tethered helium balloon that floats up to 400 feet for an eight-minute ride and a view clear to the parks. Tickets run about $29.99 for adults and $24.99 for kids, weather permitting.
Take an Amphicar tour
Climb into a restored 1960s convertible at The BOATHOUSE and watch your captain drive it straight down a ramp into the lake. About 20 minutes, up to four people per car.
See Drawn to Life by Cirque du Soleil
A Cirque du Soleil show built around Disney animation, with acrobatics set to the films you grew up on. Tickets start around $69 and most performances run in the evening.
Play at Level99
Newly opened in summer 2026 in the long-empty building on the West Side, Level99 is a maze of dozens of physical and mental challenge rooms with a two-story bar. Tickets start at $29.99 per player.
Catch live music for free
Bands, DJs, and dance parties play the outdoor stages and the House of Blues porch most evenings at no charge. The lineup rotates, so check the app for the night you visit.
Bowl at Splitsville
A two-story luxury bowling alley with billiards, a full menu, and live music. A fun rainy-day stop or an easy group night out.
Catch a movie at the AMC Dine-In
One of the largest movie complexes in the country, with dine-in auditoriums that bring food and drinks right to your recliner.
Cool off in the splash fountains
Pop-up fountains the kids can run through, plus a Stitch statue outside World of Disney that sprays water on the unsuspecting. All free.
Browse the LEGO Store play zone
Giant LEGO builds, a sea-serpent backdrop, and free build-and-race bins that buy parents twenty quiet minutes.
Eat your way down The Landing
The waterfront dining row, from Gideon's Bakehouse cookies to Morimoto Asia to a hidden Indiana Jones bar called Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar.
Shop Town Center
An open-air main street of brands you actually recognize, from UNIQLO to Sephora, mixed with Disney-only shops. Window shopping costs nothing.
Visit Disney's Days of Christmas
A year-round Christmas store stuffed with ornaments and decor. Even in July it is worth a wander.
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The four neighborhoods, quickly
Disney Springs is laid out as four connected districts along the water. Knowing which is which saves you a lot of walking.
Marketplace
The family end. World of Disney, the LEGO sea serpent, splash fountains, and the lakeside.
The Landing
Waterfront dining and bars, the Amphicar dock, Gideon's Bakehouse, and Morimoto Asia.
Town Center
The open-air shopping hub, national brands mixed with Disney stores, the main entrance.
West Side
The entertainment end. Cirque du Soleil, the AMC theatre, Splitsville, the balloon, and Level99.
The best free things to do
You can spend a whole evening at Disney Springs and not pay for anything but a churro. Start outside the LEGO Store in the Marketplace, where Brickley, a thirty-foot sea serpent built from roughly 170,000 LEGO bricks, rises out of the water with a baby serpent beside him. It is the best free photo on the property and the kids will not leave it alone.
Walk through World of Disney, billed as the largest Disney character store in the world, which is a genuine attraction even if you buy nothing. Outside, the splash fountains let kids run wild, and a Stitch statue squirts water at anyone who stands too close. As the sun goes down, live music starts up on the outdoor stages and the House of Blues porch, free to stand and listen to, with the lineup changing nightly. And down at The Landing you can watch the Amphicars splash off their ramp into the lake without paying to ride one.
The paid experiences worth booking
When you do want to spend, a few things at Disney Springs are genuinely special and hard to find anywhere else.
The Aerophile balloon
About $30 adultA tethered helium balloon that lifts you up to 400 feet for an eight-minute ride, with a view that reaches the theme parks on a clear day. Tickets run about $29.99 for adults and $24.99 for children, and it flies weather permitting, so it pauses in storms or high wind. Disney installed a brand-new balloon in early 2026.
The BOATHOUSE Amphicar tour
$125 per carOne of the only experiences of its kind anywhere. A captain drives a restored 1960s Amphicar down a ramp and straight into Lake Buena Vista for a roughly 20-minute tour. The price is per car, up to four passengers, and you book it in person at the dock.
Drawn to Life by Cirque du Soleil
From about $69A Cirque du Soleil show built with Disney, weaving acrobatics through the story of a girl and her father's animation. Tickets start around $69 and climb by seat and date, with most performances in the evening. Confirm the current schedule and price when you book.
Level99
From $29.99The newest thing on the West Side, opened in summer 2026 in the long-empty building that once held the NBA Experience. It is a maze of dozens of quick physical and mental challenge rooms played on a wristband, wrapped around a two-story bar and restaurant. Tickets start at $29.99 per player.
Add a movie at the AMC Dine-In, a few frames at Splitsville's two-story bowling alley, and a long dinner, and you have a full day. For where to eat specifically, our ranked guide to every Disney Springs restaurant sorts them by price, vibe, and how hard the table is to book.
Doing Disney Springs with kids
For families, the math is friendly. The LEGO Store play zone, the splash fountains, the sea serpent, and the evening dance parties at the Marketplace are all free and all a hit. When you want a paid treat, the balloon and the Amphicars are the easy wins, both short, both memorable, neither a thrill ride. A note for planners, the splash features are interactive fountains for kids to play in, not a choreographed nighttime water show, so set expectations accordingly.
Hours, timing, and getting there
Disney Springs is generally open from about 10 in the morning to 11 at night, a little later on weekends, though every store, restaurant, and attraction keeps its own hours, so check the My Disney Experience app for your date. Most people spend two to four hours. The calmest time is a weekday afternoon or early evening, and Saturday nights are the busiest by far.
What is new at Disney Springs in 2026
The headline is Level99, which finally fills the big West Side building that sat empty for years after the NBA Experience closed. The Aerophile balloon was replaced with a new one in early 2026. More dining and shops have been announced for later in the year, so it is worth a fresh look at the app before you go to catch anything that has just opened.
Frequently asked questions
Is Disney Springs free?
Yes. There is no admission charge, no ticket, and no reservation needed to enter Disney Springs, and you do not need a Disney park ticket. Self-parking is free too, in three garages and two surface lots, with no time limit and no charge to leave. You only pay for the food, shopping, and optional experiences you choose once you are inside.
Do you need a park ticket to visit Disney Springs?
No. Disney Springs is open to everyone with no park ticket and no reservation. It is the one corner of Walt Disney World you can enjoy without paying to get in.
Is parking free at Disney Springs?
Yes. Self-parking is free in the Orange, Lime, and Grapefruit garages and the surface lots, with no time limit and no charge when you leave. Valet is the only paid parking option.
How long should you spend at Disney Springs?
Most visitors spend two to four hours. A quick dinner and a walk is about two hours, while a full day with a show, a movie, shopping, and a couple of meals can fill four to six hours.
What are the hours at Disney Springs?
Disney Springs is generally open from about 10 in the morning until around 11 at night, a little later on weekends, but individual stores, restaurants, and attractions keep their own hours. Check the My Disney Experience app for the exact day you are visiting.
What is there to do at Disney Springs for free?
Plenty. You can see the giant LEGO sea serpent, walk through the world's largest Disney store, run through the splash fountains, catch live music on the outdoor stages, watch the Amphicars splash into the lake, and browse every shop, all at no cost.
Is Disney Springs good for kids?
Yes. The free splash fountains, LEGO play zone, and giant LEGO sculptures keep little ones busy for nothing, and the Aerophile balloon and Amphicar rides are easy paid treats. Evening dance parties at the Marketplace are a hit too.
Is there a water ride at Disney Springs?
Not a theme-park ride, but you can book a vintage Amphicar tour at The BOATHOUSE that drives right off a ramp into the lake. It runs about $125 per car for up to four people and lasts roughly 20 minutes.
What is Level99 at Disney Springs?
Level99 is a team-based challenge venue that opened in summer 2026 on the West Side, with dozens of quick physical and mental challenge rooms and a two-story bar and restaurant. Tickets start at $29.99 per player.
Are dogs allowed at Disney Springs?
No. Only trained service animals are permitted at Disney Springs. Pet dogs and emotional-support animals are not allowed.
Is Disney Springs worth visiting?
For most people, yes, especially as a free evening. You get shopping, a huge range of dining, live music, and a lakeside to stroll without paying any admission, which makes it an easy add-on to a park trip or a night out on its own.
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