What to Do on a WDW Free Day with your Buddy
Who plans to travel to Walt Disney World all alone? No one? I didn’t think so! Although I’m pretty sure I could have a great time spending a day on my own at the place where dreams come true, I always choose to travel with a friend or group. There are countless experiences meant to cater to large groups and families, but at first glance, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of activities meant for a party of two. From family-style meals to family focused resort activities, you and your best buddy have to search a little harder than groups of 3 or more to find activities specifically designed for two. The next time you travel to WDW with your best friend and are looking to fill your free day, follow this game plan for a sure-fire best day ever with your buddy! If you need help planning, our friends at MickeyTravels would love to assist!
Breakfast
You two are in for a jam-packed day of exciting tandem adventures, so you’d best start the morning off right with a hearty meal. Recently, a friend and I were searching for a fun, hearty, no reservations required breakfast that would both fill us up and entertain us.
Ultimately we chose to try for a table at Whispering Canyon Café at Wilderness Lodge. If you aren’t familiar with the restaurant, the atmosphere is a rootin’ tootin’ good time as waiters and waitresses’ rambunctious personalities and loud, hilarious mouths rattle off funny jokes- and maybe a well meaning insult or two- while they serve your food.
Speaking of food, this place is my new go-to for hearty breakfasts. The all you care to enjoy breakfast skillet is a hidden gem that comes with scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, waffles, sausage, and biscuits covered in gravy. Whew! Everything in both of our skillets were served hot and were definitely made to order. Once it sunk in that this meal was all you care to enjoy, we decided right then and there to make this meal into a brunch instead of breakfast to save us a few dollars and precious vacation time! I will admit, I didn’t have it in me to finish my whole skillet, but my friend did a mighty fine job on hers and opted for a second. Hey, it’s all you care to enjoy after all!
Mid Morning
After you’ve finished fueling up, follow the signs to Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. First I recommend taking a stroll through the shops, checking out the restaurants, and taking in the view of the adjacent Yacht and Beach Club Resorts as you walk along the Boardwalk. The real reason I sent you to the Boardwalk though isn’t to window shop, but to rent a surrey with your buddy!
2-person surreys are available for rental at Disney’s Boardwalk, and mid morning, before the Florida sun heats the boards too much, is the best time to take a spin around Crescent Lake on one of these brightly colored bikes! Crescent Lake is my favorite place to rent a surrey, as the path connecting the Boardwalk, Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Epcot’s International gateway make a perfect loop for you to tour on your surrey.
Afternoon
All of that pedaling can make you tired, especially when the temperatures climb into the 90’s on a hot Florida afternoon. Seeking refugee from the sun is exactly what you’ll need to do when the afternoon heats up, so take to the water!
At Disney’s Contemporary Resort, you can rent a two person motorized boat and try your hand at captaining your very own vessel around Bay Lake. The breeze from the water will cool you down while you take in sights of the Contemporary, Bay Lake Tower, Space Mountain, and Cinderella Castle!
*Tip: Steer your boat over towards the Campsites at Fort Wilderness and you just might happen upon the abandoned River Country water park. The old water slides and pools are still completely intact, but years of plant overgrowth has left the site looking like a ghost town…and it’s so cool!
Dinner
A day of sporting around Walt Disney World never fails at two things: tiring me out, and leaving me hungry! For a meal designed specifically to share with a friend, D Luxe Burger at Disney Springs is the place to go! The restaurant caters to groups of two, as they have an entire section of the menu dedicated solely to duos.
There are three duo options for you to choose from- classic, premium, and ultimate. No matter which you choose, each duo features two burgers, two fountain beverages, and an order of the hand cut fries that make me drool every time I think about them. The order of fries is big enough to share while you reminisce about your day of exploring!
Drinks
I know you’re tired and probably have another big Disney day on the horizon for tomorrow, but don’t give in to the call of your bed just yet! Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is a quirky tiki bar themed in the style of the Jungle Cruise and features exotic drinks and an eclectic group of bartenders who chant, hoot, and tell hilarious Jungle Cruise-style jokes as they mix your drinks well into the night.
All the drinks here are served in souvenir glasses available for purchase when you’ve drained your drink, and the storms and volcanic eruptions you can see in the windows will hold your attention for as long as you choose to sit. So, which drink should you order? One that’s meant to share with a friend, of course! The Nautilus, a mixture of rum, fruit juices, and liqueur, comes served in a huge vessel of a glass that’s magnitude is daunting if you choose to order it for just yourself. Luckily, this drink is served with two straws, so you and your friend can end your way sipping away in an enchanted tiki bar!
Disney is definitely better with friends, but planning a non-park day for two can be challenging if you don’t have a plan of action. All of the activities here are perfect to enjoy with a friend, or even a small group. From breakfast through to post-dinner drinks, you’ll spend the day seeing a large portion of Walt Disney World Resort. To recap, you’ll visit Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Boardwalk, Contemporary, Disney Springs, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Bonus points if you found River Country! No matter which of these experiences you choose, you and your friend are certain to make lifelong memories together at Walt Disney World Resort! Which will you choose?
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Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article: Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer/musician thrilled to be bringing you all things Disney! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: NYCtoAP and find me on YouTube: NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!
