I know that Walt Disney World is not the first place one thinks of when they think of adults-only getaways. To be honest, before our son was born, my husband and I took just as many cruises for our vacations as we took trips to WDW. Since our son was born, we have taken exactly zero cruises, and 3 WDW trips, with 2 more in the works. But that does not mean that you can’t have a great time as an adults-only group! In this post, I plan to highlight my favorite experiences from previous adults-only trips, as well as some things we’ve done with children that I think would be a great time with just adults, too!
If you are traveling as a group of adults, may I first suggest, right off the bat that you do NOT visit during times when schools are out on break? I know that for teachers and others who have specific vacation times, this may not be possible, but I highly recommend going during a slower time of year if at all possible. I love to travel during the fall season, not only to take advantage of the promotions which are typically offered then, but to also enjoy the warm weather when it starts to get cooler in the Midwest. I would classify the crowds as ‘moderate’ during this time of year, which is more than manageable, in my opinion. Another great time of year to visit with a group of adults would be mid-January through the end of February. Promotions are typically available, and the crowds are light (in Disney terms, of course- Disney is always somewhat busy!).
As I prep for my first RunDisney Half Marathon next month, I can’t help but feel the need to add in that for active adults, a RunDisney trip may be a perfect vacation (or ‘race-cation’, as I’m lovingly calling next month's trip). Personally, if I was going to do an event on an adults-only trip, I would choose the Wine and Dine Half Marathon in November. This is a night race, and after the race, World Showcase in Epcot is hopping until the wee hours in the morning! Now that I have a young child, this event just is not feasible for me- there is no way I could stay out taking advantage of the festivities in Epcot until 3am, and then wake up and start my day when my son does (Edit: Unfortunately, 2015 was the last year of the 'night run'- the Wine & Dine Half is now during the day). I hope to do this run at some point in the future, but it will certainly be years down the road before I am able to, which is why I so strongly recommend this event for a group of adults.
Another popular event among adults-only travelers is the unofficial ‘Drinking Around the World’ adventure in World Showcase at Epcot. If this is up your alley, may I suggest sharing an appetizer in each country to soak up some of that alcohol? Some of my favorite drinks are the grapefruit beer in Germany, the Grand Marnier slushy in France, a margarita in Mexico, and plum wine in Japan (way to mix my alcohol, right?). If you are visiting in the fall during the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, you’ve got a whole host of other booths to visit as well. If you like pineapple, do me a favor and try the Dole Whip with rum at the refreshment port near Canada- my mouth waters just thinking about this delicious concoction!
One of my favorite nights of my fall 2015 trip with my family was spent at Splitsville Luxury Lanes at Disney Springs. My family chose to eat dinner and bowl, though you can also just bowl, or even just eat dinner if you prefer to just take in the atmosphere. While I cannot speak of being here sans children, as my group had my son and my nephew, I think it’d be even more of a blast without kids knocking over drinks, grabbing at everything on the table, and flinging spoons over to the next bowling lane. The music is loud, the drinks are flowing steadily, the atmosphere is one-of-a-kind, and the food is delicious here at Splitsville- I think this was a wonderful addition to Disney Springs West Side! One tip I have is to call and make reservations if you plan on bowling and eating at the same time (which is a lot of fun, especially with a larger group, allowing time between turns to enjoy your meal). I made our reservations online, not knowing that I was only making reservations for a table, and not a bowling lane, but luckily, Splitsville was very accommodating and found us a table at a lane right away. All 6 adults in my party loved their meals, and we had so much fun letting loose and competing against one another. Splitsville does take the Disney Dining Plan, for those of you wondering!
Some ideas for fun nights out after dinner include visiting my favorite bar, the River Roost Lounge at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort, or the newest resort lounge, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. River Roost Lounge offers one of the best ‘piano men’ that I have ever seen, Yehaa Bob Jackson. Yehaa Bob plays a show every Wednesday through Saturday night from 8:30pm until about midnight. This lounge, and Yeehaa Bob’s show, is always family-friendly, but it is a lot of fun for all ages. Port Orleans is themed to resemble the Old South, and it’s a beautiful resort to walk around and explore if you arrive before Bob’s show begins (though this bar is typically pretty crowded, and so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to grab a seat a bit early).
If you are looking to escape to a more tropical locale, please visit Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, which is themed to resemble the South Seas. Trader Sam’s, which opened in April 2015, is open from 4pm until midnight, though no children under the age of 21 are allowed inside after 8pm. This lounge is ‘interactive’- when certain specialty drinks are ordered, scenes on the wall change, or the Tiki goddess is alerted and comes to life… you get the idea. If you’d rather enjoy your beverages outdoors, Tiki Terrace is right outside of Trader Sam’s and boasts a beautiful lakeside view of the Magic Kingdom.
If you would like to visit Trader Sam’s/ Tiki Terrace, but would also like to check out some other resorts, a ‘monorail crawl’ is another fun idea for an evening out. The three resorts along the monorail line- Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa are all very different in theming and atmosphere, and so a visit to three of Disney’s most popular resorts would make for a lot of fun. No driving is necessary, as a bus ride from any Disney resort to the Magic Kingdom is easy, and drops you off close to the monorail station where you may get a monorail straight to the Contemporary Resort. Outer Rim Lounge at the Contemporary has some enjoyable drinks, and features large picture windows which look out over Bay Lake. If anyone in your party is a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) member, might I suggest heading up to Top of the World Lounge next door at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, which is exclusive to DVC members. Two other lounges here include the Wave Lounge, which offers organic beer and trendy cocktails (per Disneyworld.com), and the California Grill Lounge (which can be very difficult to get into- if you are interested, visit the California Grill podium inside the Contemporary Resort and ask about availability) high atop the Contemporary Resort.
Your next stop on the Monorail Crawl would be Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. As I mentioned before, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and/ or the Tiki Terrace are the newest night spots at this resort, but if you prefer, a Lapu Lapu (a rum cocktail which is served in a hollowed out pineapple) or Mai Tai can be enjoyed at Tambu Lounge in the lobby of this resort. I visited this spot on my 30th birthday before enjoying dinner with work friends and family next door at ‘Ohana, but since I was pregnant with my son, I was not able to enjoy any of the featured drinks here. The bartender was kind enough to put the non-alcoholic pina colada I ordered in a pineapple, which I really enjoyed!
Your last stop on the monorail crawl is Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney’s Flagship Resort. This resort is GORGEOUS (and it should be for the price point per night!)- feel free to walk around, taking in the atmosphere here and enjoying the shops and boutiques in the lobby (I once ran into my favorite Disney blogger, Tom Bricker [www.disneytouristblog.com] in one of the boutiques here). My absolute favorite Disney restaurant Narcoossee’s is here, located outside of the main lobby on a pier overlooking Seven Seas Lagoon- I know there is a small bar inside, and if you are interested in visiting this beautiful establishment, feel free to inquire about availability at the podium located just inside the entrance to Narcoossee’s. If you prefer to stay inside the lobby of the Grand Floridian, Mizner’s Lounge is your place to go. Vintage brandies and ports are some of the specialties here, and often, live jazz music can be heard from the bandstand located just outside of the lounge. Rounding out the selection of lounges here is Citrico’s Lounge, another lounge located inside of a restaurant. I have not visited this establishment, but I have heard that in the past, escargot and veal have been offered on the bar menu, and so if you are craving some fine appetizers, this may be your perfect go-to lounge.
Another great night out can be spent at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. Jellyrolls features the dueling pianos, and is 21+ only (open from 7pm until 2am), and Atlantic Dance Hall plays music from the 80’s, 90’s, and today, and is also 21+ (open from 9pm until 1:45am). ESPN Club can also be found on the Boardwalk for my fellow sports fans who don’t want to miss a game, even when visiting the happiest place on Earth. If you plan on eating dinner at the Boardwalk, I recommend trying Big River Grille and Brewing Works. Note that this is a family-friendly microbrewery, but I find that dinner out on the patio is a pleasure, and if you time it right, you may even see fireworks from Epcot while you dine! There is a lot more to see on the Boardwalk, from live entertainers to midway games with prizes- personally, I don’t feel my trip to Disney is complete without a stroll on the Boardwalk!
One final idea I have for adults visiting WDW is to check out Cirque Du Soleil- La Nouba in Disney Springs. This show is exclusive to Walt Disney World, and though children are welcome, I think it would make for a great night out for a couple or a group. I would assume that the 9pm show (there are typically two shows per night- 6pm and 9pm) appeals more to the 18+ crowd, and a great nightcap after the show would be to walk over to Raglan Road Irish Pub (open until 12:30am) to enjoy some music and Irish dancing, or Splitsville (open until 1am) for a drink on the outdoor patio.
I hope that I have opened up your eyes to some of the fun available for adults at Walt Disney World- I have visited multiple times since I turned 18, from an impromptu trip on New Year’s Day when I was in college and home on break (my dad suggested 2 days before Christmas that we go, but all of my warm-weather clothing was still packed up in boxes in my college room- I managed to find some clothing the day before we went at Macy’s, but I would have NEVER thought my dad would be that spontaneous!), to my final ‘kid free’ trip my husband and I took in late 2013 that I dubbed our ‘baby-moon’, and each one has been very different, and so much fun! There is truly something for everyone at Walt Disney World. Even taking an evening to sit out on your patio (deluxe resorts only) and enjoy a cold beer just screams ‘vacation’! As usual, feel free to email me at dana_aimee@hotmail.com with any questions. Happy Travels!
