If you’re headed to Walt Disney World why not add a few fun activities to your vacation? Like a round of Disney Mini Golf? While heading to the theme parks daily is everyone’s favorite pastime, there is definitely something to be said, for going a little slower with one of our favorite Disney Family activities, miniature golf! Disney World has 3 miniature golf courses; here’s what you should know before you go.
Is Mini Golf Included in Disney World Tickets?
No, but if you book a Disney Vacation Package you will be gifted a free round of mini golf at Disney World as part of your Magical Extras. Additionally, if you buy a 2-day ( or more) Disney World Ticket you get a Disney Mini Golf Ticket Free with your purchase.
Disney World Mini Golf Courses
Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course
Located across the Swan Reserve Hotel parking lot, Fantasia Gardens is a Fantasia-themed miniature golf course at Disney World, including 18 holes of whimsical challenges perfect for kids and grown-ups alike.
Perfect for families and beginner golfers, the Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course invites you to join the reverie as you aim through twirling obstacles, cross fanciful fountains and discover musical surprises. Beware of the broomsticks, ready to douse golfers who pass below!
Fairways Miniature Golf Course
Accessible at the entrance of Fantasia Gardens, you can choose to play a more difficult course at Fairways Miniature Golf Course. This course doesn’t come with Disney statues or leisurely gameplay. But, is great if you’re looking to improve your golf skills!
Resembling a traditional golf course built on a miniature scale, this course emphasizes skill over chance. Sand traps, bunkers, water hazards and sloping greens make the Fantasia Fairways Miniature Golf Course an exciting challenge, where par-3 and par-5 holes range in length from 63 to 109 feet long.
Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course
Another Miniature Golf Course at Walt Disney World is Winter Summerland. Comprised of 2 themed golf areas, both are 18 holes and offer family fun through a series of Disney-themed challenges featuring Santa and Florida-esque statues.
The Summer Course
Enjoy fun in the sun at the Summer Course amid surfboards, sandcastles and ornaments hanging from palm trees. Deck the balls as you putt around peppermint-striped inner tubes, snapping clamshells and a melting snowman. Don’t wake sleeping Santa buried in the sand!
The Winter Course
Putt your way to the North Hole on the Winter Course; but watch out for Squirty the Snowman! This “jolly, happy soul” sprays water at golfers when golf balls pass beneath him. Merry obstacles include giant peppermints, hockey sticks and the drawbridge of a fantastical, melting castle. The courses combine for the last holes, and after sinking the last putt on Hole 18, golfers receive a special message from Santa Claus, courtesy of the WinterNet!
Which Disney Mini Golf Course is Better?
A tough question to be sure! If you’re looking for Disney Mini Golf to be fun, easy to get to, and great for kids, we’d say Fantasia Gardens is the best Mini Golf Course at Disney World. For a couple of reasons. Fantasia Gardens is within walking distance of the Disney BoardWalk, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios. So, chances of you getting to it easily, without adding transportation time to your day are good. It’s also not as complicated a course as Fairways. Additionally, you can tackle this Disney-themed mini golf course in about an hour, with kids and they’ll love it.
HOWEVER, if you’re traveling to the water parks, and want to head to Winter Summerland instead, we love that course too! And it’s located just next to Blizzard Beach. It’s a little more out of the way, but if the distance or transportation doesn’t matter, the kids will love this one. Themed around Santa Claus, what’s not to like?
Fairways mini golf course at Disney World is more for the grown-ups. Not themed, and a bit more difficult, this one is great for date night at Disney World.
Disney Mini Golf Hours
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How Long Does Disney Miniature Golf Take?
While each course is able to be played at your leisure, know that because they can get busy, and there’s typically a waitlist to get in, there are expected time limits for gameplay. Each course is different, so here are the average times for each.
- Fantasia Gardens
- The Fantasia Mini Golf course takes about 1. 5 hours.
- Fairways
- The Fairways Mini Golf course takes about 2 hours.
- Winter Summerland
- The Winter Summerland Mini Golf course takes about 1.5- 2 hours
Disney World Miniature Golf Cost
How Much Does Mini-Golf at Disney World Cost? Disney World Minature Golf costs $14 per Adult, and $12 per Child (Ages 3–9) plus tax.
Can you get Disney Miniature Golf Passes for Free?
YES! One of the best things to know before you go is that you can sometimes get Disney Miniature Golf Passes for FREE! As part of Disney’s Magical Extras, often included when you book a Disney Vacation Package. You can also get free mini golf at Disney World by purchasing a 2-day ticket or more for a free round. While you don’t get magical extras for only booking a resort or buying tickets separately, if you’re using a Disney Travel Agent be sure to ask about them!
Do you Need Reservations for Disney Miniature Golf?
No! You’re welcome to just walk up and put in your name. Know that during busier times the wait can be quite long, like an hour or two. So to save yourself some trouble, it’s easier to just call and schedule a time. Call (407) WDW-PLAY for Disney Miniature Golf Reservations.
Disney World Miniature Golf Locations
If you’re wondering how to get to the Disney World Miniature Golf courses then you’ll be surprised at just how EASY it is! Because while these courses are tucked away, they are also just hidden in plain sight! In places where you’re probably already going!
Fantasia Gardens and Fairways Minature Golf
These two courses are located in the same area and can be accessed in several ways.
- Driving: If you’re driving there is a parking lot accessible by turning into the shared driveway with the Swan Reserve Hotel.
- Walking: If you’re staying nearby at the Swan, Swan Reserve, Dolphin Hotel, or any of the BoardWalk Hotels, then you’re able to just take the path leading towards the Swan Reserve Hotel, and cross the drive to the entrance.
- By Bus: You can alternatively take a Disney Bus to the Swan and Dolphin Hotels to get yourself closer to the entrance.
Winter Summerland
- Driving: If you’re driving, head to Blizzard Beach Water Park. The water park and Winter Summerland mini golf share a parking lot. And you can find the entrance of Winter Summerland just to the right of the Blizzard Beach Entrance.
- Walking: If you’re staying at Coronado Springs Resort, you can walk there, along the pathway adjacent to Buena Vista Drive. This is about a 15-minute walk. Check out the details of Walking to Winter Summerland from Coronado Springs Resort, so you feel prepared if you go this route.
- By Bus: Take a Disney Bus, serving Blizzard Beach, from your Disney Resort. Alternatively, Animal Kingdom has a bus that goes to Blizzard Beach and you can always catch the bus there.
NOTE: While Winter Summerland is open till 10, Blizzard Beach is only open until 6 pm, and bus transportation will stop approximately half an hour after the park closes. As such, if you’re planning a late mini golf experience, we recommend you plan for your own transportation, or to walk the 15 minutes to Coronado Springs Resort, so that you can catch a bus to the parks, and then your resort from there.
If you’re looking for fun for Families at Walt Disney World, without the need for a park ticket, we think that Disney’s Miniature Golf Courses are a great option! Perfect for an easy afternoon or evening, and budget-friendly enough to help you save money on your Disney Vacation. We hope you get a chance to try out one of these courses on your next stay or visit to Orlando.
Rochelle Mariah is a writer, designer and photographer with an MLIS in Information Science and a B.S. in Arch and Design. Determined to make Planning a DIY Disney Vacation easier she makes lots of lists and drinks lots of coffee. When not designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's watching old movies and planning the holidays. She has been traveling to Disney destinations since 2010.
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