Disney World for Grown-Ups

10 Reasons Why Disney is THE Place to go Without the Kids

Walt Disney World is the dream trip of children the world over. So you save up and plan a trip. It’s wonderful. Magical. Everything you dreamed it could be. But after about the third meltdown, you may have thought to yourself, “This would be a lot more fun without the kids.”

Of course we all want to provide our kids with memorable experiences growing up, so we take them on trips. But it’s nice to get away without them every once in a while. You may not have thought of Disney World as an adult friendly destination, but I assure you, it is!

I’ve been on multiple adults-only trips to Disney World, and as I’m planning another one right now for a girlfriends getaway, I thought I’d start with my top ten reasons to visit Disney without your kids.

1. YOU CAN SKIP THE KIDDIE RIDES
Do you REALLY want to ride Dumbo? For the third time today? No, you don’t. When you go without your young’uns, you can pass up the attractions that are geared towards the preschool set and do what YOU want to do. Yes, you can SKIP the teacups

Rock N RollerCoaster at Hollywood Studios

2. GROWN UP THRILLS & SHOWS
Without kids, there’s no worrying about height requirements or whether the haunted mansion will be too scary. Ride the rollercoasters! Watch the shows they wouldn’t sit through – you know you always wanted to see Hall of Presidents, didn’t you?

Brunch at Citricos, photo courtesy of Disneyparksblog.com

3. FANTASTIC FOOD
Haven’t you had enough chicken fingers and fries? There are SO many great dining options at Disney when you don’t have to worry about the kid’s menu or how many princesses you’ll meet. From unique snacks and treats, to great pub food, steaks, seafood, a wide variety of ethnic specialties (ever had food from Moara?) to a AAA Five-Diamond award winning restaurant – you could spend a month here and barely scratch the surface. No fear, foodies, Disney has you covered!

Enjoying an adult beverage at Jock Lindsey’s

4. ADULT LIBATIONS    
You’ll need something to wash down all those great meals and there is no shortage of quality adult beverages to be had – EVEN in the Magic Kingdom, which was until recently, a dry park. And hey – you don’t need to get behind the wheel, so you might be tempted to indulge a bit. In fact, you can even make a game of it – as many do, trying to “Drink Around the World” (having a drink in each of Epcot’s World Showcase countries). Just don’t forget – your kids aren’t here, but plenty of others are, so you may not want to let it ALL hang out!

Town Center Shops at Disney Springs

5. SENSATIONAL SHOPPING
Sure, the kids don’t mind popping in to a park gift shop to look for that stuffed Mickey they’ve had their eye on, but that’s usually where the shopping ends. And yet, there is some GREAT shopping out there – especially at Disney Springs, which recently underwent a complete makeover. In addition to great dining, bars and entertainment, Disney Springs is home to over 100 vendors – and we’re not just talking Disney tee shirts and magnets! There are clothing stores like Uniqlo, Anthropologie and Free People. Jewelry and accessory shops like Vera Bradley, Kate Spade and Alex & Ani, and bath / beauty suppliers like Kiehl’s and Basin. You’re going to want to spend some time here. And some money too.

Slinky Dog Dash at Hollywood Studios. Nighttime is the best time!

6. EXTRA MAGIC HOURS
I’ll be honest – I NEVER make it up for morning Extra Magic Hours. That’s when one of the parks opens an hour early for resort guests. In my opinion, it just leads to bigger crowds earlier at the park that opens early. But evening Extra Magic Hours? Those I like. Except the kids are usually just pooped out by then, and you don’t want to exhaust them for the next day. So leave them at home and you can take advantage of the best time in the parks – nighttime! 

The view from the upper deck of Paddlefish at Disney Springs

7. NIGHTLIFE
Extra Magic Hours leads to the discussion of other things you can do in the late night hours. Did you know there is quite a bit of nightlife at Disney World? I mean the over-21 kind of nightlife! There are some really great bars and clubs that you just can’t do with kids. Jellyrolls at the Boardwalk and Trader Sam’s at the Polynesian are two of my favorites – but you can even hang out at your resort’s pool bar if you don’t have to worry about getting the kids to bed!

8. OUTSIDE THE PARKS    
When it’s just adults, you don’t tend to feel the same need to ride every ride, and that loosens up your schedule somewhat. You might actually have some time to enjoy some of what Disney has to offer OUTSIDE the theme parks. Did you know there are several world class spas? Yep. Also 3 championship golf courses. And tons of recreation options like watersports, horseback riding and bike rentals. You can do behind-the-scenes tours, carriage rides, dinner shows – a huge variety of activities that you might never have thought of – and all without leaving Disney property!

One of many lovely courtyards at the Grand Floridian Resort

9. SAVOR THE DETAILS
My favorite ‘outside the park’ activity is to tour the resorts. Why? Because one of the things Disney does best is magical detail. Inside and outside the parks, everywhere within all of Disney proper, there is nothing that wasn’t thoughtfully and creatively designed to capture the imagination and transport you to another time or place. From hidden Mickeys in the gingerbread trim at the Grand Floridian, to the angels painted on the ceiling of Be Our Guest restaurant (actual portraits of the employees’ babies!), there is so much to take in when you have the time to slow down, pay attention and soak up the ambience.

10. YOUR TIME IS YOUR OWN
Can you imagine not having to worry about nap time? Having to get everyone up and groomed and fed and out the door in time to make rope drop at Magic Kingdom? It’s wonderful to be able to sleep in if you like, have coffee on the balcony, leave whenever you want, stay out late if you want, only consider your own sleep and meal schedule. Just a few days without responsibility. Heavenly.

Stay tuned – I’ll be back next week with my tips and tricks for planning a grown-up magical vacation!

If these reasons have you thinking it’s time to plan your own adults-only Disney trip, you can contact me for help through the CONTACT page, or just send me an email at rebecca@magicaltravel.com