Downtown Disney has more to do than eat dinner and walk through World of Disney. You can bowl, listen to live music, create a custom LEGO Minifigure, watch a Disney artist work, explore elaborate Marvel and Star Wars stores, or make an entire evening out of dining and entertainment.
You also don’t need a Disneyland park ticket to do any of those things. Downtown Disney District is free to enter and sits outside Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.
This guide is specifically for Downtown Disney at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. If I’m visiting without a park ticket, arriving before my first park day, or looking for something to do after leaving the parks, these are the activities I would prioritize.
What Can You Do at Downtown Disney?
| Activity | Park Ticket Needed? | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowl at Splitsville | No | Paid | A real activity rather than just shopping |
| Watch Downtown Disney LIVE! | No | Free | Live music and evening atmosphere |
| Listen to music at The Alley | No | Free to watch | Drinks, dinner and live music |
| Hear live jazz at Jazz Kitchen | No | Free entertainment | Evening dining |
| Create a LEGO Minifigure | No | Paid purchase | Kids and LEGO fans |
| Watch a Disney sketch artist | No | Free to watch, artwork costs extra | Disney art and unusual souvenirs |
| Explore Avengers Reserve | No | Free to browse | Marvel fans |
| Shop for Disney merchandise | No | Free to browse | Souvenirs and collectibles |
| Try a destination restaurant | No | Paid | Couples, families and evenings |
Go Bowling at Splitsville Luxury Lanes
If I wanted an actual activity rather than simply somewhere to eat or shop, Splitsville Luxury Lanes would be my first choice.
Splitsville has 20 bowling lanes, more than 25 large-screen TVs and indoor and outdoor dining. It works for adults, kids and groups, so it can easily become the main reason for visiting Downtown Disney rather than something you squeeze in between stores.
You can combine bowling with food and drinks without leaving the building, which makes this particularly useful if I have several hours to fill before checking into a hotel or before a flight home.
Disney posts current operating information on its Splitsville bowling page.
Catch Live Music at Downtown Disney LIVE!
Live entertainment is one of the better free things to do in Downtown Disney because it turns the district into something more than an outdoor shopping center.
The Downtown Disney LIVE! Stage hosts rotating musical acts that can include Motown, rock, jazz, reggae and seasonal performances.
Performance times and artists change, so this isn’t something I would plan around without checking the schedule first. But if a band is playing while I’m already there for dinner or shopping, I usually stop for a while rather than rushing to the next store.
Disney maintains the current lineup on its Downtown Disney entertainment schedule.
Listen to Live Music at The Alley
The Alley is another option if I want live music with a more relaxed evening atmosphere.
It is located on Splitsville’s outdoor patio, where local musicians perform while guests can order food and cocktails.
I see this as more of an adults’ evening stop than a scheduled attraction. I can sit outside, have something to drink and listen to music without needing to commit to bowling.
Hear Live Jazz at Jazz Kitchen
Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio gives Downtown Disney another live-music option, with scheduled jazz performances accompanying its Creole and Cajun-inspired restaurant.
If dinner is already part of my visit, choosing a restaurant with entertainment makes more sense to me than eating first and then trying to invent something else to do afterward.
The performance schedule varies, so I would check Disney’s entertainment listings for the date of my visit.
Make a Custom Minifigure at The LEGO Store
The LEGO Store is one of the few Downtown Disney shops where browsing can feel like an activity itself.
There are large LEGO models of Disney characters throughout the store, but the more interesting feature is the Minifigure Factory.
Disney currently describes this as the only Minifigure Factory on the West Coast, allowing you to design a personalized LEGO Minifigure.
If I’m visiting Downtown Disney with kids, this is one of the first places I would include because it gives them something interactive to do instead of asking them to follow me through a series of merchandise stores.
Watch a Disney Artist Create a Sketch
WonderGround Gallery is another store that offers something beyond normal shopping.
A Disneyland sketch artist creates traditional animation-style character drawings inside the gallery. You can watch the artist work and purchase a finished sketch if you want one to take home.
I like this much more as an activity than simply walking past shelves of standard souvenirs because you’re actually seeing someone create something by hand.
WonderGround also carries Disney artwork, collectibles and home goods, so I would stop here even if I weren’t planning to buy a sketch.
Explore Avengers Reserve
Avengers Reserve is technically a store, but Disney has built enough into the space that Marvel fans can enjoy walking through even without buying anything.
The shop includes Super Hero statues, artwork, authentic film props and a gaming station. There are also character sculptures including Hulk, Captain Marvel, Groot and Black Panther that make easy photo stops.
If I’m visiting with a Marvel fan who doesn’t have a Disney California Adventure ticket that day, this gives them something themed to explore outside the park.
Browse the Disney Stores With a Purpose
Shopping is still one of the main things to do in Downtown Disney, but I wouldn’t spend the afternoon walking into every store.
I would choose based on what I’m actually interested in:
- World of Disney: widest overall selection of Disney merchandise
- Disney’s Pin Traders: Disney pins and collecting
- Star Wars Trading Post: Star Wars and Galaxy’s Edge merchandise
- Avengers Reserve: Marvel merchandise and displays
- Disney Home: kitchenware and home décor
- Disney Storyland Boutique: rotating character collections and a Create-Your-Own Plush Headband experience
- WonderGround Gallery: art and more unusual souvenirs
I break down the stores by what they’re best for in my Downtown Disney shopping guide. If you just need the complete current directory, see my list of Downtown Disney stores.
Make Dinner the Main Activity
Downtown Disney currently has enough destination restaurants that I wouldn’t treat eating as merely something to do between activities.
Din Tai Fung is an obvious choice if I want dumplings and a full sit-down meal. Paseo offers upscale Mexican cuisine, while Parkside Market gives a group several different choices in one food hall.
Parkside Market currently includes GG’s Chicken Shop, Seoul Sister, Parkside Market Coffee and the upstairs Vista Parkside Market bar.
If I’m planning a date night or an evening without park tickets, I would pair dinner with live music or bowling rather than just walking the district after eating.
For menus and the full lineup, use my Downtown Disney restaurants guide.
Things to Do in Downtown Disney at Night
I actually think Downtown Disney works better as an evening destination than as a standalone morning attraction.
At night I have more choices that feel like activities rather than errands:
- Catch live music at the Downtown Disney LIVE! Stage.
- Listen to musicians at The Alley outside Splitsville.
- Combine Jazz Kitchen dinner with live jazz.
- Book a bowling session at Splitsville.
- Have drinks at Vista Parkside Market overlooking the district.
- Browse Disney stores that remain open into the evening.
The entertainment schedule and individual business hours change, so I would check the day of the visit rather than assuming every performance or store runs until Downtown Disney itself closes.
My guide to when Downtown Disney closes explains how the district and individual business hours work.
Free Things to Do in Downtown Disney
You can spend time in Downtown Disney without buying anything, although shopping and dining obviously make up a large part of the district.
The free activities I would actually consider worthwhile are:
- Watch scheduled live entertainment at the Downtown Disney LIVE! Stage.
- Listen to live music at The Alley when performers are scheduled.
- Browse the large Disney LEGO sculptures inside The LEGO Store.
- See the props, statues and character displays inside Avengers Reserve.
- Watch the sketch artist work inside WonderGround Gallery when available.
- Browse World of Disney, Star Wars Trading Post and the other themed stores.
There is no admission charge just to enter Downtown Disney, although parking can still cost money if you’re driving.
Do You Need a Ticket for Downtown Disney?
No. You do not need a Disneyland ticket or theme park reservation to enter Downtown Disney.
You can shop, dine, bowl and watch Downtown Disney entertainment without entering Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure.
The Disneyland Monorail is different. Downtown Disney has a Monorail station, but boarding there takes you inside Disneyland Park, so you need valid Disneyland admission and the appropriate park reservation requirements.
If your main question is about visiting without admission, my separate guide to whether Downtown Disney is free covers the costs and entry rules in more detail.
Does Downtown Disney Have Rides?
No. Downtown Disney does not have theme park rides.
Disney’s current Downtown Disney attractions and entertainment directory lists live entertainment and Splitsville bowling rather than traditional Disney attractions.
The Monorail station can sometimes cause confusion because it is physically inside Downtown Disney, but the Monorail transports ticketed guests into Disneyland Park. It isn’t a free Downtown Disney ride.
How Long Can You Spend at Downtown Disney?
If I’m only shopping and getting something to eat, I would allow around two or three hours.
If I add bowling, a long dinner and live entertainment, Downtown Disney can easily fill most of an evening.
I wouldn’t personally plan an entire day around the district unless I had a specific activity such as bowling plus dining. There simply aren’t enough attraction-style experiences to make it comparable with a theme park.
If you’re visiting for only a couple of hours, my Downtown Disney map can help you avoid walking back and forth unnecessarily.
A Simple Downtown Disney Evening
If I wanted to make Downtown Disney the destination rather than just pass through it, I would build the evening around one actual activity.
I might start at WonderGround or The LEGO Store, have dinner at Din Tai Fung or one of the Parkside Market options, then bowl at Splitsville or catch whatever live music is scheduled that night.
That gives the visit some structure without turning it into another park day.
If you’re driving, check my Downtown Disney parking guide before arriving. Disney currently uses the Simba Lot for Downtown Disney parking, and qualifying purchases or table-service dining can extend the paid parking period through validation.
Disney also keeps the current entertainment lineup on its official Downtown Disney entertainment page.
