Best Free-Play Areas in Disney Parks

Today I'm talking about the best places to let your kids play freely in Disney parks. With the crowds, lines, and being confined to a stroller for most of the day, sometimes your kids may need to run around for a bit to stretch their legs, enjoy some level of independence, get out some energy, and all without you worrying that they'll get lost or squished in a crowd of people. Here are some of the best places to do that in Disney parks!

1. Tom Sawyer's Island at Magic Kingdom. This is an underrated attraction at MK and often overlooked. You take a raft across the Rivers of America in Frontierland to the island. It's very rarely busy or crowded over there, which can elicit a sigh of relief on busy park days! There are all kinds of spaces for kids to explore -- bridges, tunnels, caves, and play areas. There's also a quick service location over there that is open during select hours. (Photo courtesy of Undercover Tourist)

Photo Courtesy of Undercover Tourist

2. The Boneyard playground in Animal Kingdom. This is a HUGE and highly immersive playground in DinoLand. I'm pretty sure my kids spent about an hour in there and still weren't ready to leave! Go up to the 2nd level and there's a giant fossil dig area. My favorite part is jumping on the different dino footprints and hearing the different sounding roars! 🦖

3. The Laughin' Place play area near the exit of Splash Mountain. This is a small, soft floored area that's geared more towards toddlers, but it's the perfect place to play if you have bigger people in your group who are riding Splash Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Photo Courtesy of Guide To Disney

4. Space Base inside the Mission Space building at Epcot. One side of the room has space-related video games where everyone works together on a mission while the other side has a regular play area with tunnels and slides. This is the perfect place to play while your bigger friends ride Mission Space and Test Track.

5. Various interactive queues. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh has a lot to keep kiddos busy while they wait in line. Dumbo has a full indoor playground where you can play freely until your number is "called" (via vibrating pager - like a restaurant). This is a great alternative to standing in yet another line. Though if the line isn't too long for the ride, they usually won't use the play area for waiting but you are still welcome to go play for a while and then join the line when you're done.

Bonus - during the Flower & Garden Festival of Epcot there is an excellent interactive garden play area for the kids.

What are some of your favorites? Anything I missed?