Disneyland is known for its immersive rides that will transport you to another world, but there is so much more that makes up the Disney experience at the parks. Between the entertainment, rides, characters, and more, visitors will find more than enough things to do without stepping foot on a single ride.
These activities can easily fill an entire day, and spending some time at Disneyland without rides is a great way to appreciate the parks at a slower pace. We will take you through the top 5 things you can do at Disneyland without going on any rides! These are good as an escape from crowds at the parks or just to enjoy all of the wonderful non-ride offerings.
1) Eat breakfast inside the parks. We normally wouldn’t recommend spending time sitting down and eating breakfast at the parks if you want to use the morning hours efficiently to get on popular rides. However, with pressure to get onto popular attractions with shorter waits taken out of the picture, you can spend the morning time eating a leisurely breakfast!
You can grab a coffee and breakfast, then sit and soak in the ambiance of Main Street U.S.A. when the vehicles and horses are going by or go to another one of your favorite spots. See our guide to the best Disneyland breakfast ranked for the spots you need to try.
2) Beyond enjoying the bigger-scale entertainment like parades and nighttime spectaculars, make sure to see some of the atmosphere entertainment at Disneyland during a day without going on rides. These are smaller entertainment offerings and shows that constantly take place throughout the day. You could easily fill an entire day just going between these entertainment offerings!
You could listen to the Dapper Dans, the Disneyland Band, or the Main Street Piano Player, or you could enjoy the atmosphere entertainment in Avengers Campus with shows like Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Dance Off!, Warriors of Wakanda: The Disciplines of the Dora Milaje, The Amazing Spider-Man!, and more. We also recommend taking the time to attend the Flag Retreat Ceremony honoring veterans which takes place at Disneyland Park daily.
3) Another great activity that doesn’t involve rides is seeing the characters around the parks. There is so much to do during a park day that it can be difficult to carve out time for the characters you want to see, but you can do this more easily if you’re not going on any rides.
There are a variety of characters you can meet, from roaming characters in Galaxy’s Edge to meet-and-greets with classic characters like Mickey and friends on Main Street U.S.A. Make sure to check the Disneyland app for character locations and times. You can also use your time trying to find a character you haven’t seen before! See our full guide to characters at Disneyland for everything you need to know.
4) Secure a prime spot for parade or fireworks viewing. Without spending your time planning out the best way to get on all of the rides, you can spend more time staking out a prime viewing spot for bigger entertainment offerings.
For the Disneyland parades, you can grab a snack or pack a picnic to eat as you wait. For the Disneyland fireworks, you might consider spending some time securing the most coveted viewing in front of the castle, a popular spot that gives you a stunning view of the projections and fireworks. This can be even more worth it if it’s a seasonal fireworks display like the fireworks during Christmas at Disneyland or Halloween at Disneyland. If you’re saving a spot for a while, we recommend bringing a blanket to help mark your space and keep you comfortable.
5) Doing some shopping is another great activity to enjoy at Disneyland on a day without going on any rides. You’ll have more time to look through the shops when you’re not rushing to your next ride, so you can take your time and explore all of the offerings.
You can simply wander around and see all of the merchandise, look for a Disneyland souvenir to buy, or pick out a gift to give to someone. Between the shops at the parks and in Downtown Disney, there is a great deal to explore. You can also plan for special experiences in Galaxy’s Edge like constructing your own lightsaber or building your own droid!
There are more than enough offerings at Disneyland to fill an entire day without going on any rides. See more of the best things to do when visiting Disneyland without rides!
At Mickey Visit, we share the most important tips for planning your trips to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Universal, and beyond. Each week, we’ll share some of our top tips here on Laughing Place.