If you know anything about me or my blog, you know that I am a firm believer that Disney is for all ages. I think you can have just as much fun at 5 years old, 25 years old, and 75 years old. In fact, as you get older there’s certain activities that Disney has created just for you. Here are some of my favorite things to do at Disney World for adults.
Enjoy Disney Nightlife
The fun doesn’t have to stop after the parks close for the night. There are several great options to hang out and grab a drink after the parks close and all of the kids go to bed.
One of my favorites is Jellyrolls, a dueling piano bar for 21+ on the Boardwalk. Jellyrolls is usually open until 2:00am and does require a cover charge, but I promise you it’s worth it.
Another great bar is Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto. This is a fun tiki bar located at the Polynesian Resort. The bar is open from 3:00pm – 8:00pm for guests of all ages, but from 8:00pm – 12:00pm it is 21+. This is a popular spot, so expect to wait a bit for a seat.
Disney Springs is filled with adult-friendly evening experiences. Wine Bar George and Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar are some of my favorites. You can also grab a margarita at Dockside Margaritas and walk around listening to the various live music playing around the area.
Go on an Adult’s Only Tour
Disney offers some incredible experiences outside of the parks. There are several that have age restrictions which make them perfect for an adult-only trip. I highly recommend the Keys to the Kingdom Tour, it may be my favorite thing to do in Disney World for adults. I went on this tour during my last trip and it was the highlight of the entire trip. There are several other adult-only tours including: The UnDISCOVERed Future World and World Showcase: DestiNations Discovered.
If you’re not into tours, but still looking for an adults only experience, try the Jiko Wine Tasting at Animal Kingdom Lodge. This experience is offered every Wednesday afternoon at 3:00pm and is hosted by the sommelier at Jiko. If this is something you are interested in I would book in advance. Reservations open 180 days in advance and only 12 seats are available for each tasting.
Eat at Signature Restaurants
Disney World is home to some incredible dining experiences. If eating with Mickey Mouse and Pals isn’t your thing, Disney has plenty of other options for you. Disney has a category of restaurants that they consider ‘signature restaurants’ that are more of a fine dining experience. There’s no age restriction on these restaurants, but these dining experiences are definitely geared towards adults. Some of my favorite signature restaurants are Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Narcoossee’s at Grand Floridian, Yachtsman Steakhouse at Yacht Club, and California Grill at the Contemporary (especially the Sunday brunch).
In additional to regular restaurant dining, Disney also offers a few culinary experienced geared towards adults as well. The Wanyama Safari is offered at Animal Kingdom Lodge which includes an afternoon of animals and incredible food at Jiko. You begin with taking a 90-minute tour around the safaris of AKL. After the safari, a multi-course meal at Jiko awaits you, one of the best restaurants on property in my opinion. This experience has an age limit of 10+, and is available for only 12 guests a day.
Another culinary experience offered on property is the Highway in the Sky Dine Around. This is essentially a monorail loop dinner crawl. The evening starts with appetizers and libations at the Polynesian, followed by the main course at the Grand Floridian, and concluding with an assortment of desserts, cordials, and coffee at the Contemporary with a perfect view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks. This experience is only available Monday – Thursday and will require advanced reservations.
Stay at an Adult-Friendly Hotel
For your adult-only Disney trip, you probably don’t want to be surrounded by large groups of cheerleaders and football players or kids screaming about how they didn’t get to meet Moana. While none of Disney’s hotels are adult-only, there are a few that I would consider more adult-friendly for an adult only weekend.
For an adult-only weekend I would stay away from the value resorts all together, as that is where the cheerleaders and football players usually stay when they come to town. If you’re looking for a lower-budget hotel I would go with the new Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs. The tower has beautifully done, brand new rooms, built with the business traveler in mind. The theming of the hotel is more subtle-Disney and the hotel has even been deemed a moderate-lite hotel.
If your budget has a bit more wiggle room I would opt for either the Grand Floridian or the new Riviera Resort. The Grand Floridian is a victorian-era themed hotel with a full spa and several signature dining restaurants. The theming may turn some families off, so you may find less children, and the amenities are definitely more geared towards adults. The Riviera Resort is the newest resort on property, and is themed towards the French and Italian Rivieras. The Riviera has an interesting new room category, the Tower Studio, which sleeps only two adults as the only bed in the room pulls out from the wall. If you want to stay at a deluxe resort for a lower price, this could be a good option for you.
Experience One of EPCOT’s Festivals
EPCOT is the perfect park in Disney World for adults. It seems like there is almost always a festival going on at EPCOT lately between Festival of the Arts early in the year, Flower and Garden Festival in the Spring/early Summer, Food and Wine in the fall, and International Festival of the Holidays to finish up the year. While these festivals of activities for all ages, I think adults will find both Flower and Garden festival and the Food and Wine festival particularly enjoyable.
EPCOT’s Flower and Garden Festival usually takes place in the Spring. This year it is occuring from March 4, 2020 to June 1, 2020. Not only does the festival feature incredibly designed topiaries of your favorite Disney characters, but also Garden Rocks concerts, Outdoor Kitchen food booths with Flower and Garden-specific food and drinks. If you’re really into horticulture, Disney also offers some special tours during the festival such as Gardens of the World and the Royal Tea Garden tour.
If your trip is between late-August and mid-November then be sure to plan plenty of time to experience EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival. This is EPCOT’s most popular festival which features Eat to the Beat concerts, culinary demonstrations and seminars, food and wine pairings, and of course the numerous Global Marketplace booths featuring food and drinks from around the world.
There are just as many unique experiences for adults at Disney as there are for kids. What are your favorite things to do at Disney World for adults? Let me know in the comments below.