Walt Disney World is a magical place–once you’re inside the parks, it’s hard to think of leaving… Savvy travelers know, however, that there are some needs that are best fulfilled by looking outside of the Disney bubble.
Overall, Disney has done a very good job making their parks convenient places—most of the random things you may need during a day at Walt Disney World—food, gifts, sundries, etc.– can be found inside the parks.
The problem is that not everything available inside Disney parks is the best quality or value—once inside, guests are usually willing to throw caution to the wind just to buy what’s available for the sake of convenience and not leaving.
In truth, there are some things you’re better off finding outside of Disney parks. Some of these are things that may be hard to find inside the parks without paying a premium price; others are things that are just better quality outside of the parks. Some of these can be most easily procured before your vacation but others are easily accessible by a short trip outside of Walt Disney World resort.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are 7 things we found that you’re just better off finding outside of Disney parks…
1. Coffee
If you’re picky about your coffee, a trip to Walt Disney World may test your patience…
Coffee isn’t necessarily hard to find in Disney parks. Coffee is available at most Disney dining locations, and coffee service locations abound, include Starbucks locations in all four parks.
The problem is your only two choices in Disney parks are Starbucks and Joffrey’s…
The Starbucks locations in Disney parks offer the usual variety of drinks visitors are used to—Starbucks has gotten better overall at providing a better range of drinks, including some items for discerning coffee drinkers. The rest of the coffee in Disney parks is all from Joffrey’s—most of which are various syrup-glazed concoctions.
I personally am not a fan of Joffrey’s—I just don’t find their coffee to be very good quality. For the most part, I feel the same way about Starbucks (though they have surprised me from time to time). I’ll drink Starbucks or Joffrey’s in a pinch, but if I really want a good cup of coffee, I know I need to look outside the parks.
The best coffee we’ve found on Disney property so far is at the Java Bar at the Swan hotel. Java Bar is able to source its coffee from other companies since Marriot owns the hotel, and their drinks are outstanding across the board. They also offer a range of specialty drinks including ketogenic coffee, collagen coffee, and a pretty good nitro cold brew. I’ve yet to try a drink from Java Bar that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy.
If you’re willing to go a bit further and have transportation, the Four Seasons Orlando is another great stop for a seriously great cup of coffee. Both the resort’s quick service café, Lickety Split, and the PB&G pool bar offer outstanding coffee. As a matter of fact, the pool bar alone is an amazing place to eat.
If you’re planning on making coffee in your room, you may want to take a trip outside of the Walt Disney World resort to pick up some quality coffee (if you don’t have a rental car, Uber & Lift are the most popular choice to get around). Publix, Trader Joe’s, and Sprouts Farmer’s Market are all good options both for groceries and for picking up some great coffee.
2. Sunscreen
If there’s ever a place you may find yourself realizing you need sunscreen at the last minute, it’s Walt Disney World.
It’s not any big secret that Florida is hot for most of the year—the problem is that even when it doesn’t seem that hot, sunburns happen easily at Disney parks. Even as a regular visitor, I often don’t remember I need sunscreen until I’m actually stepping out of my car at the parks and feel my shoulders start searing.
You could make the argument that it’s best to get most sundries overall outside of Walt Disney World—while this is true, a surprising number of things are actually easily available within the resort. Many of the odds and ends you might need from Walgreens in a pinch are available complimentary from Disney First Aid, and if you’re a Disney resort guest, overnight items like a toothbrush, toothpaste, and comb are just a call to the front desk away. Even mosquito repellent is easy to locate in the parks, either at mosquito prevention stations or at First Aid.
Sunscreen specifically remains weirdly elusive… You can buy it at Walt Disney World, but prepare to do some searching around then pay top dollar.
Your best bet for sunscreen is to either bring it with you from home (TSA will now allow you to bring larger bottles through carry on since it’s technically for medical purposes), or to make a trip off-site to somewhere near Walt Disney World like Walmart, Target, or even Publix. In pretty much all of these cases, you will have a better range of choices and save some money compared to buying inside the parks.
3. Rain protection
Florida can be a very soggy place—rain can bucket down unexpectedly even on the sunniest days, and during certain seasons, you may see rain every day of your visit.
Once again, Disney knows this, and they’re famous for charging premium prices for character-emblazoned plastic ponchos and Mickey umbrellas.
Unless your heart is just set on buying a Disney umbrella, you’re going to feel huckstered buying an overpriced poncho at Walt Disney World. Instead, your best bet is to bring your own rain gear. Pocket-sized ponchos are available online for cheap (both for adults or in family packs), but even if you wait until you arrive, a quick trip to the camping section at Walmart or Target (about 10 minutes from the resort) will provide easy access to cheap rain gear for reasonable prices.
4. Snacks & groceries
I want to start this one off with an important caveat—food is part of the magic at Walt Disney World. I do not recommend any cost-saving strategy that involves not enjoying some meals and treats on your trip that you can only enjoy at Disney parks. Where else can you go to enjoy a Dole Whip float, eat in a Star Wars docking bay, savor an ice cream and brioche sandwich, or taste cuisine from six continents in one place? Walt Disney World is the place to enjoy these sorts of culinary adventures…
It’s not an ideal place to buy a banana or a granola bar though…
No matter what your Disney dining budget is, no one likes wasting money on overpriced snacks that are exactly the same as what you can get at a local grocery store. The insulated nature of Disney parks allows them to charge extra for everyday snacks ranging from fruit to popcorn to candy bars.
Don’t waste your funds on snacks in Disney parks that don’t add value to your visit. Instead, bring snacks with you from home, or take a trip to a local grocery store at the beginning of your vacation to stock up on a few easy-to-carry staples.
The two biggest areas where you can save money is on to-go snacks and breakfast. Even if you choose to visit somewhere like Trader Joe’s or Sprouts (about a 12-15 minute drive from Walt Disney World) to pick up some premium snacks, you’ll still save money compared to what you’ll find at Disney parks. When we visit the parks, we always keep some munching snacks on hand like meal bars, dried fruit (Trader Joe’s and Sprouts are the two best places for this), and other quick bites. A small snack kit is an especially good idea if you’ll be travelling with kids to calm some of the “I NEEEED it” reactions to Disney’s plethora of treats on display.
As for breakfast, it’s the easiest meal to replace without missing much. If you really enjoy Disney character breakfasts, by all means book one for your trip, but one is often enough. If you’re staying in a standard hotel room, you can pick up some groceries for easy-to-fix quick breakfasts that don’t require much prep. Guests staying in Disney Vacation Club villas or Airbnb-type rentals with kitchens can even do full breakfasts if you choose—this is one of the major advantages of these resorts, particularly for big families.
5. Power banks for your cell phone
Disney parks are uniquely rough places for cell phone battery life. Largely, this is due to the battery-sucking powers of the My Disney Experience app (which is becoming an essential for most visits), but even hopping between Wi-Fi hubs while touring the parks can drain the most stalwart mobile batteries.
Recharging a cell phone at Walt Disney World isn’t particularly easy—electric outlets are strangely difficult to find at all four parks, though they can be located if you look hard. Disney tried to remedy the situation by partnering with Fuel Rods to offer guests one-time-purchase power packs that can be exchanged throughout your visit (and beyond if you find Fuel Rods station elsewhere).
The problem is, in truth, Fuel Rods are a terrible deal. It costs around $30 to get your first power pack, after which you are bound to keep tracking down Fuel Rods stations to exchange for new packs. The company already landed in hot water once previously for switching to a model charging guests a fee for every exchange. In our ever-changing world, it’s questionable how long the service will last or if new fees will be introduced unexpectedly.
A portable power bank that is all your own is an excellent investment to make when visiting Disney parks—particularly if you use your phone a lot (or enjoy roaming about Batuu playing Star Wars Datapad). Once again, this is the sort of item best ordered before your trip. I’ve been quite happy with mine which is an older version of this model from RavPower—it costs about the same as a Fuel Rod and has lasted through years of travel.
If you find yourself at Walt Disney World with a pressing need for a power bank, this is another item that can be easily picked up nearby. Along with Walmart and Target, there is also a Best Buy located in Kissimmee around 12-16 minutes from Walt Disney World. You may also find good deals on power banks at Orlando’s outlet malls.
6. Various gadgets for cooling down in the heat
Florida’s heat can be brutal to the point that simply staying hydrated isn’t enough. When the sun is pounding, splurging on a fan or personal mister inside the parks can be pretty tempting.
If you want to save a little money, you can find personal fans and other gadgets for cooling down at local stores around Walt Disney World (once again, Walmart and Target come to the rescue—I promise I’m not getting paid to mention them, they’re just familiar choices). On your trip to pick up groceries, sunscreen, and other items listed above, you may want to invest in a small fan or other items to help you cool down in the heat.
We did an entire article on unusual hacks for cooling down—a few items mentioned included bandanas (which can be soaked in ice-water and Sea Breeze astringent for a quick cooling effect), electrolyte tablets, and even peppermints. All of these are things you can find at stores around Walt Disney World.
7. Places to catch your breath and relax
If you find yourself exhausted during a day at Walt Disney World, sometimes the best thing you can do is leave the parks to take a breather. This is easy to do if you’re staying on Disney property or have easy access to a nearby resort—but what about if you can’t just retreat to a hotel room?
It’s not that there aren’t places to relax inside Disney parks—all four Disney parks have peaceful places where guests can easily enjoy a little downtime (like Star Wars Launch Bay, Tom Sawyer Island, the Discovery Island trails, or the gardens of World Showcase).
If you want to relax with some comfort, however, you may want to take a little trip to one of Disney’s nearby resorts.
All of Disney’s resorts are massive, and all of them include large lobbies and multiple lounges where guests can relax for a time—you do not have to be staying at the hotels to visit. This is particularly easy if you’re visiting Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios as all of the Epcot resorts are easy to access via walkway or friendship boats. If you’re visiting Magic Kingdom, a trip on the resort monorail will take you to the Contemporary, Polynesian, or Grand Floridian (Wilderness Lodge can be reached by ferry). Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a little more isolated, but a short bus trip can bring you to Animal Kingdom Lodge close by.
You do not have to be a guest to enjoy public areas at Disney resorts. By all means, find yourself a soft couch, a quiet deck chair, a bench swing, or even a hammock and catch your breath—with some energy restored, you’ll be up and ready to head back into the parks in no time.
Enjoy this article? Keep reading to learn…
–Things You Need to Do BEFORE Your Next Disney Trip (That May Not Be Obvious)
–Does Controversial History Have a Place in Theme Parks Like Walt Disney World?
–What to Expect at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Right Now (on a Full Capacity Day)
