Free and cheap things to do in Orlando

1. Disney Springs. Free entry and free self-parking in every garage and lot. Stages start around 6 p.m. The catch: everything inside is priced like Disney. Walk our 1.7-mile evening loop and eat somewhere cheap.
2. Universal CityWalk. No admission, and self-parking is free after 6 p.m. The catch: not on Halloween Horror Nights event nights (49 nights from August 28 to November 1, 2026) or December 31, and never at the Epic Universe lot. Before 6 p.m. parking is $35.
3. Lake Eola Park. A 0.9-mile loop downtown, open 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. The Orlando Farmers Market runs Sundays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and downtown meters are free on Sundays. The catch: the live swan flock was rehomed in 2026 after an avian flu outbreak.
4. Old Town Kissimmee. Free entry and free car shows: muscle cars on Friday, classic cars on Saturday, both cruising at 8:30 p.m. The catch: on other nights it is a tired strip of bars and gift shops.
5. Rollins Museum of Art, Winter Park. Free, closed Mondays. Pair it with the Park Avenue walk and free parking on floors 1, 4 and 5 of the Park Place garage.
6. Winter Park Farmers' Market. Saturdays 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Central Park's West Meadow.
7. Morse Museum free Fridays. 4 to 8 p.m., November 27 to December 18, 2026 and March 5 to April 30, 2027. No January or February dates are listed.
8. Leu Gardens free Mondays. October 5, November 2 and December 7, 2026, and January 4, 2027. Normal admission is $15.

• Wekiwa Springs, $6 a car for up to eight people, 72-degree water. Reservations are required for every day visitor; book up to 60 days ahead.
• Blue Spring State Park, $6 a car. Reservations became mandatory on July 15, 2026. Manatees gather from mid-November to March; swimming is closed November 15 to March 31.
• Kelly Park, $5 a car for tubing at Rock Springs. The catch: 280 cars each morning, and summer weekends fill fast.
• Morse Museum, $8 for adults, free under 12, for the Tiffany Chapel.
• Dole Whip at Pineapple Lanai in the Polynesian, $5.99, no park ticket needed.
• I-Ride Trolley, $2 a ride or $8 for a day along International Drive, 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

• Black Bean Deli's Cuban, $11, the best cheap meal we found. See our restaurant shortlist.
• Lake Eola swan boats, $15 per boat for 30 minutes, up to five people, Tuesday to Sunday, cards only.
• Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, $20 adults, $10 children 2 to 11, tax included, hourly 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Hollywood Drive-In Golf at CityWalk, 18 holes of mini golf for $22.99 before 6 p.m. or $25.99 after, plus tax. Go after 6 p.m. on a non-Horror Nights date and the parking is free too, which makes it the cheapest evening at Universal.
• Aerophile at Disney Springs, $29.99 plus tax, up to 400 feet, grounded in storms or high wind.
• Gatorland, $34.99 for adults with free parking, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. It costs less than a park parking fee plus a snack.

Parking. Free outings stop being free if you park in the wrong place. Disney Springs and Disney's water parks are free; Disney's theme parks are $35. CityWalk flips from $35 to free at 6 p.m. on most nights. Downtown city garages are $2 an hour with a $15 daily maximum. Our parking guide has the full list.

Reservations. Florida State Parks now require day-use reservations at Wekiwa Springs and Blue Spring. Turn up without one and you may be turned away, even with $6 in hand.

Days of the week. The Orlando Science Center closes on Wednesdays, the Morse and the Rollins museum close on Mondays, Lake Eola's swan boats do not run on Mondays, and Se7en Bites opens Thursday to Sunday only.

ICON Park is free to walk, but The Orlando Eye was closed for annual maintenance on September 22, 2026 with no reopening date posted. The remaining attractions, such as SEA LIFE and Madame Tussauds, cost about $29 to $34 each and exist in many cities. Unless you are staying on International Drive anyway, spend the money at Gatorland.

Timeshare offers of "free" or cheap park tickets in exchange for a sales presentation are not free: you pay in hours of your trip. Read park tickets without getting burned before you say yes.