Disney on the Cheap: Downtown Disney

If you want to have a non-panic-attack-inducing trip to Disney World, Downtown Disney is the place to start. It's absolutely free! Don't get me wrong, there is plenty to spend your money on here: like yummy food, great shopping venues, bowling, a movie theatre, a Cirque Du Soleil show and even an interactive technological wonderland called DisneyQuest. But there is no admission to Downtown Disney, there are boats you can ride across the very large lake and all Disney transportation to and from other resorts is free with their bus system. For now, parking is limited, but free. They are building a parking structure so that may change in the near future. I know...it's a lot of information, so let me give you a few examples.

First, the stores. If you cannot successfully tell your children, "No, you can't have that," then this is probably not the place for you. But...if you're family likes to just wander around, reminiscing about Disney movies, trying on funny hats...

people watching and admiring all of the cute little princesses wondering around (whose parents just dropped a boat-load of money to have their girls "Bippity-Bobbity-Booped"...my new phrase)...then by all means, meander through the largest Disney store on Earth and be comforted by the fact that there are upwards of a dozen more throughout the Downtown Disney property.

Also take in the Lego store, which is simply...cool.

Yes, a dragon made from Legos

Yes, Legos

Other than my children...Legos again.

Step into Goofy's Candy Company and watch the chocolatiers make the most amazing dipped apples and yummy treats you may ever see.

This is one Disney turkey leg I didn't mind eating. (It's a marshmallow treat!)

Splurge $2.00 and let your kids ride the merry go round. It may not be as big as Cinderella's in the Magic Kingdom, but for a child who has never been there or has no memory of it...this one will do!

And the really wonderful, unreproducible thing about Disney is that you'll will find fun around every corner...if you just look for it. (And you aren't frantically looking for that one Frozen t-shirt you just have to have!)

Disney's topiary art is always incomparable.

If you just have to see some amazing animatronics action, step inside the Rainforest Cafe' or T-Rex restaurants. You can eat there, for a pretty penny, but just walking through T-Rex convinced us if we ever go back we will be making reservations there. It was that impressive.

Now pardon me...

to next blog post, go...we must.