Walt Disney World may be known as the “Happiest Place on Earth,” but many people assume that it’s only for children. However, Disney World is a fantastic destination for adults as well, offering a wide range of attractions, dining options, and entertainment that cater to a more mature audience. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway, a solo trip, or a group vacation with friends, there are plenty of reasons why Walt Disney World is an excellent choice for adult travelers.
As someone with no kids of their own, this topic is squarely in my wheel house. I could probably write a dissertation on it, but who would want to read that? Instead, I’ll do give a high level overview of why my Wife and I keeping coming back to Disney World nearly every year. My experience is not that Disney World is aimed at children, rather it’s aimed at people who want to have fun and there is no age limit on that!
Attractions
Disney World is certainly not the thrill ride capital of them parks; the coasters are quite tame when compared to the real thrill rides are your regional Six Flags or similar. However, Disney attractions are a step above nearly all others when it comes to design, theming, and overall execution. The older I get, the less thrill rides are what I’m after. Don’t get me wrong I love a good coaster, but DIsney coasters scratch that itch just fine. Where I’m going here is that attractions don’t need to be rip your face off thrill rides to be appealing to adults. Disney has plenty of attractions that appea to adults for many reasons. Here are a couple of my favorites:
- Avatar: Flight of Passage – This is the premier attraction at Animal Kingdom and has perpetually long wait times. But there’s a reason for that. It’s a stunningly beautiful simulator type ride. The ride vehicle adds some nice technology to add to the experience. The ride is thrilling and not to be too hyperbolic, breathtaking at times. A must do.
- Slinky Dog Dash – It may strike you as strange to see a roller coaster themed after a childrens toy as a must do attraction for adults, but trust me. This outdoor rollercoaster at Hollywood Studios won’t blow your socks off, but it’s an extremely fun ride with just enough speed and variety to make repeat rides just as enjoyable. I find myself audibly saying “wheeeeee” every ride. Just let your inner child out and go along for the rid. Then do it again..and again. We’ve ridden this as many as 5 times back to back during hard ticket events and could have gone for more if we didn’t want to see more of the park.
- Hollywood Tower of Terror – Hollywood Studios has some of the best attractions for adults, so they get 2 on this list. I’m sure this one doesn’t need much justification. It’s a scary ride both in what it puts your body through and the setting and theme. The last time we rode this there was a little girl around 7 or 8 screaming bloody murder from the first drop “MOOOMMMM! WHHYYYY? I DON’T WANT TOOOOO”. Maybe I’m a bad person, but this cracked me up and actually added to the experience. Any ride that strikes fear in the hearts of children has to be a worthy inclusion on the list, right?
- Haunted Mansion – There are absolutely more thrilling rides at the Magic Kingdom; Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain (RIP), are all worthy inclusions for sure. However, the Haunted Mansion is quintessential Disney and is my favorite ride anywhere in the park. As a kid I was enthralled by the sensory experience the imagineers were able to create and as an adult I am….enthralled by the sensory experience the imaginers were able to create. Just a great ride that probably wouldn’t get made in any other theme park.
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – This is still pretty new, so no spoilers, but I’ll say that this IS a thrilling coaster. As someone with mild motion sickness, it’s so thrilling I could only do it once in a day despite having a virtual queue position after our Individual Lightning Lane ride. This is the coolest coaster I’ve ever been on and I can’t wait to ride it again, but just the once!
Entertainment
This is another area where Disney excels, and frankly I was surprised at how much I enjoy their shows. You see, I’m not a theatre person at all. I respect the craft, but it’s just not my thing. I’m also not that into fireworks (I know, who am I?), so I was initially resistant to filling up any part of my day with shows and those kinds of offerings. The first few trips I took as an adult were centered around the rides. After doing them all many times, I started to look for new experiences. I was very surprised at how much I ejoyed the shows, live and animitronic, fireworks and other nightime spactaculars. Don’t think the Beauty and the Beast stage show is just for the kids! I did and was proven wrong. Here are a few of my favorite shows.
- The Lion King – I passed by this show probably 10 times before I finally gave in and got in line. I knew it was a theater style show, so it didn’t seem like something I’d be into. Boy was I wrong. This more Cirque du Soleil than broadway. The skill on display form the cast members if just flat our impressive, especially the Tumble Monkeys! Well worth a stop, even moreso if you’re in Animal Kingdom on a hot day and need to get out of the sun.
- Beauty and the Beast Stage Show – This is a more traditional theater style show at Hollywood Studios. I was very skepitcal of this, but my wife loves the Beauty and the Beast story (probably why she married me!) so being the good husband I am I worked it into the plan. I found myself completely drawn into the story and the time flew by. This gets some mixed reviews, but honestlsy I’m not sure why. It’s a very good show and you don’t need to be a kid to appreciate it.
- Any nighttime spectacular – Really it doesn’t matter, any of them will be entertaining to completely enthralling the first time you experience them. Disney has been switching these out at rapid pace recently, but they almost never miss on these. Fantasmic! at Hollywood Studios is a mainstay and a crowd favorite. The nightime shows at Epcot and especially Magic Kingdom are incredible feats of engineering and logistics that result in awe-inspiring and sometimes emotionally moving visuals and sounds.
- Carousel of Progress – This an absolutely classic. First debuted at the 1964 New York World’s Fair and is still a testament to Walt Disney’s vision and creativity. If you don’t like this show, the I don’t like you! Just kidding, kind of. Really though, what are you doing at Disney if this isn’t somethign you can appreciate? Experience it with an open mind and experience an incredible testament to the human spirit and the enduring “Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow”!
Dining
This is probably what most people think of when they think of what Disney World has to offer adults. Whether you’re a foodie or just someone that likes to snack all day, Disney World has got you covered. If you’re on site while there is a festival at Epcot (and there is almost always a festival at Epcot) then you can easily spend multiple days eating and drinking around the world showcase. You can do that no matter what, but a festival adds exponentially more options. If eating while standing at a garbage can isn’t your thing there are excellent sit down restaurant offerings no matter your mood. Here are a few of my favorites.
- California Grill – Situated on the top floor of the Contemporary Resort is one of Walt Disney World’s best restaurants. The food, atmosphere, and view are all superb at this location. Highly recommend you time a visit coincide with the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. They have their own viewing deck and pipe in the audio so you still get an immersive experience.
- Monsieur Paul – Located in the France pavilion in Epcot’s world showcase is one of the most upscale restaurants in all of Disney World. Named after famed french chef Paul Bocuse, and own by his son, this location offers upscale French cuisine. Make no mistake, this location will cost you a pretty penny. Expect to pay around $200 per person if you drink wine or spirits with dinner. In my experience, the experience is worth that. You’ll find mixed reviews online, as is typical, but for me this is a great choice for a date night dinner if you’re staying near Epcot or don’t mind upscale dining in park clothes!
- Flying Fish – This is probably my favorite restaurant in all of Disney World. Located on the Boardwalk it offers a seafood heavy menu (who would have thought?!). This is a signature restaurant so expect to spend around $100 per person. For that price you can expect expertly prepared cuisine and service to match.
- Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto – This fan favorite location is known more for drinks than food, but they do offer a decent menu as well. Come here for the atmosphere and drinks first, but the dining is table service quality if you find yourself needing something to soak up your third HippopotoMai-Tai. It’s mostly communal seating so come prepared to socialize and enjoy one of the most unique locations on the property.
As I mentioned earlier, this is a broad topic that I could write about for hours and this is just the very tip of the iceberg. This will undoubtedly be a recurring theme for several different posts moving forward. It’s what I know and I feel like I have a lot of information to offer on Disney World Adulting. So let me know what else you’d like to see on that topic! Always open to ideas, suggestions, and feedback!
