1. Celebration Buttons

Head to Guest Relations or an indoor merch location and ask a Cast Member (Walt Disney World employee) for a celebration button.

You can wear this free Disney souvenir throughout your trip. You’ll usually garner special attention from Cast Members throughout the park, who may shout, “Happy birthday!” from across the path or ask you about your new job while you board Space Mountain.

Disney characters may even offer extra magical interactions if they spy you wearing a birthday button or a button commemorating your first visit.

2. Autographs

Speaking of Disney characters, you can take advantage of special meet-and-greets at each of the parks. Each is free and allows you to interact with your favorite characters, like Mickey and Minnie, the Disney Princesses, and even Pixar and Star Wars favorites.

You can offer something for the character to autograph, but many of the costumed characters (who can’t easily sign their names) will hand out autograph cards, totally free. You’ll find the most character interactions at the Magic Kingdom, but every theme park at Disney World — from EPCOT to the Animal Kingdom — offers unique character experiences.

3. Prizes

• Collect treasure cards (one is signed by Captain Jack Sparrow) when you play A Pirate’s Adventure at Magic Kingdom.

• Collect badges (stickers) for animal observation activities via Animal Kingdom’s Wilderness Explorers.

• Collect stickers on a “Finding Dory” treasure hunt at the Seas Pavilion (aquarium area) at EPCOT.

• Collect various mementos from “around the world” at the Kidcot stations along EPCOT’s World Showcase.

Speaking of EPCOT, its festival food strolls are in no way free — you’ve got to buy five food items at various food booths during each festival to collect a stamp — but if you collect five stamps, you can claim a sixth food item for free. If you were planning to eat your way around the world during an EPCOT festival anyway, this is an easy Disney freebie to claim.

4. Water

You don’t have to buy an expensive plastic bottle of water while at the Disney World parks. Instead, just ask any vendor selling food and drinks for a cup of ice water.

You can also pack an empty water bottle and refill it at drinking fountains throughout the day.

5. Soda

Water isn’t the only free beverage at Walt Disney World. While you’ll pay for Coke products at restaurants at the Disney resorts and parks, there’s one place you can get soda for free: Club Cool at EPCOT.

Club Cool is a Coca-Cola shop located in EPCOT’s World Celebration neighborhood. For free, you’ll be able to sample eight different Coke products from around the world.

6. Transportation

If you’re staying at any of the Walt Disney World resorts, like Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Pop Century, or even the Walt Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin, transportation around the resort is totally free. Your day at Disney World might include a ride on:

• The historic monorail

• Buses

• Boats

• The Skyliner (gondola system)

You can also ask Cast Members for free transportation cards while aboard. These Disney freebies make great collectibles to commemorate your trip.

7. Parking at the Hotels and Parks

Guests who stay at an official Walt Disney World hotel get free parking at their hotel and at all of the parks, for the duration of their stay. This is a recent returning freebie for Disney guests; Disney had discontinued its free parking perks for several years.

8. Parking at Disney Springs

If you’re heading to Walt Disney World Resort by car but don’t have an Annual Pass and aren’t staying at a Disney hotel, there is still one place where you can find free parking — and that’s Disney Springs.

If it’s been a while since you’ve been to Disney World, you may know it as Downtown Disney. It’s Disney’s outdoor shopping mall, and its massive parking garages don’t charge a fee.

9. Disney Springs Entertainment

There are plenty of free things to do at Disney Springs to fill your day. Window shopping is always fun (as long as you can resist the urge to spend, and kids love to snap photos with the LEGO sculptures outside the LEGO Store.

10. Live Entertainment — Inside and Outside the Parks

Magic Kingdom is the pinnacle of live entertainment, from multiple parades and cavalcades throughout the day to the fireworks show each night. You can also catch castle stage shows each day.

Hollywood Studios is famous for its nighttime Fantasmic show and fireworks, while Animal Kingdom has the Festival of the Lion King and the “Finding Nemo” music. During each of EPCOT’s huge festivals, you can usually catch a concert with big headlining acts, like Smash Mouth, Boyz II Men of Air Supply.

• You can catch the fireworks from several prime locations at some of the hotels, like Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. No theme park ticket needed!

• You can also catch the free Electrical Water Pageant on Bay Lake each night just outside Magic Kingdom.

• Head to the Grand Floridian Resort to hear live piano music or to Fort Wilderness for Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long — totally free. (Just bring your own marshmallows; you’ll pay for those at Disney World.)

The BoardWalk area outside of EPCOT comes to life each night with street performers, and you can head to Atlantic Dance Hall to boogie all night. But steer clear of the nearby Jellyrolls dueling piano bar; there’s a $22 cover.

11. Movies

Each night, the Disney resorts host Movies Under the Stars — one of my favorite free things to do at Disney World. Cozy up with your favorite snack and watch classic Disney movies up on a big screen outside.

12. Drawing Lessons

Animal Kingdom is packed with rides and animals to check out, but leave time for the free art class at the Conservation Station at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. You’ll have to board the Wildlife Express train to get to the research and education center, where you also can get a look at animal habitats around the globe and see the expert veterinary care the park’s animals receive.

If you’re interested in art at the resorts, hop on a bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge, which has a massive collection of museum-quality African art for visitors to explore, free of charge.

13. Glow Cubes

These reusable light-up ice cubes are offered in select beverages across the Disney parks. They’re often part of special season menus, so you’ll need to do some digging before your trip.

14. Dining for Little Ones (and Even Some Snacks)

Anyone under 3, can eat free. Every little bit helps!

15. Pixie Dust

A princess makeover for your little one at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique can cost hundreds of dollars — yes, really. But there’s one special Disney transformation that’s completely free: getting sprinkled with pixie dust at Sir Mickey’s gift shop inside Magic Kingdom.

16. Games

Download the free Play Disney Parks app for some fun games. Some of them are related specifically to the queues you’re in, like Peter Pan’s Flight at Magic Kingdom or Soarin’ at EPCOT.

If you paid for a MagicBand+ bracelet, you can use the Play Disney Parks app in the Star Wars area of Hollywood Studios to play Batuu Bounty Hunters. The game is a cool way to interact with Galaxy’s Edge (the name of the land) and put yourself into the Star Wars saga.

17. Disney Genie

The Disney Genie service (no plus) is free for everyone — and it’s got some helpful tools.

Download the My Disney Experience app to your smartphone ahead of your trip to access Disney Genie, and then check it throughout the day.

Based on what you tell the app are your must-do rides and experiences that day, it can guide you through each Disney World park efficiently. In essence, it optimizes your trip.