The Grown-Ups Guide to Disney World

You may think that Disney World is only for kids, but trust me when I say there are plenty of things for adults to do at Disney World. My husband and I love visiting Disney World during the colder months of the year, and it helps break up the winter so well that we just keep going back. Not to brag, but I like to consider myself a ‘Disney-pro’ because I have been there so many times in my young adult life. Here are all my tips on how to have the best adults-only Disney World vacation.

Best time to visit Disney World for Adults

This is important if you are traveling without kids. There is basically no such thing as a ‘slow’ season for Disney World anymore, but there are certain times of the year where crowds are less overwhelming. As adults, the last thing we want to do is wait in hours long lines, and throw elbows with small children in strollers. I have been to Disney World in January, March, September, and May. The best times to visit are when school is either just starting (September) or about to wrap up for the year (May). On our last visit, we traveled to Disney World in January, and the crowds were manageable, but I find that early-mid May is the best time to visit Disney World as an adult-only traveler. The weather is in May is perfect, the crowds are low, and there are fun festivals happening at the parks.

Where to Stay at Disney World for Adults

Another ‘pro-tip’, it is no longer necessary to stay on Disney property to get the full Disney experience. As adults, we are all on a budget, right? Disney hotels are PRICEY. I have stayed in the value Disney World resorts, and did not enjoy them as much as I enjoyed off-site accommodations. In the age of Uber and Lyft, you no longer need to rely on Disney transportation to get to and from parks and airports.

My hands down, favorite off-site hotel is the B Resort & Spa Hotel. It is located in the Disney Springs resort area, and is walkable distance to the downtown nightlife in Disney Springs. It is also an official Disney World Resort hotel, but without the giant price tag. You can take advantage of free shuttles throughout the day to the parks, excellent amenities, and access to fast passes (which I will discuss later) two months ahead of time. This hotel is family friendly, but it’s aesthetic is crisp, clean, and modern without being childish. Also, I have to mention the incredible restaurant inside the hotel, American Kitchen Bar & Grill. JD and I expected a TGI Fridays-like menu, but we were pleasantly surprised by their locally-sourced menu and drink selection. We opted for the Tempura Avocado (a MUST try), the market flatbread, and the grilled chicken wings. As an Upstate NY native, we are actual snobs about chicken wings, and these were some of the best we have had.

How to Do Disney Theme Parks for Adults

I am going to assume that if you are visiting a theme park on an adults only trip, you are going to want to go on rides. The best advice I can give about this is utilize the fast pass feature of your ticket or magic band. If you are staying on Disney property, you have access to ride fast passes 60 days in advance of your trip. If you are staying off site, you can book your fast passes 30 days in advance. My recommendation is to book them as soon as you are able, because they will sell out. You can pre-book up to 3 fast passes per day, and once they are used up, you can book additional passes, if you can get them, while you are visiting the park. I am going to break down which 3 rides are worth it by theme park.

Magic Kingdom Fast Passes

My top picks

1. Space Mountain
2. Splash Mountain
3. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Other solid choices

1. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
2. Peter Pan’s Flight
3. Buzz Lightyear’s Spaceranger Spin
4. Pirates of the Caribbean

Epcot Fast Passes

Epcot does ‘tier’ fast passes. Actually, Magic Kingdom is the only park that does not.

Tier 1 (choose 1 of these)

1. Frozen Ever After
2. Soarin
3. Test Track

If you like Frozen, I would pick that and then visit Soarin’ as soon as you can in the morning. Otherwise, do Test Track. All the other rides are not worth fast passes, in my opinion, and you can easily visit these without long wait times.

Animal Kingdom Fast Passes

Tier 1 (choose 1)

1. Avatar Flight of Passage – a MUST DO if you can snag this one. JD and I are still talking about how incredible that ride was.
2. Nav’i River Journey

Tier 2 Top Picks

1. Expedition Everest
2. Kilimanjaro Safari – try to book this at either 10am or 4pm when the animals are most active!
3. Kali River Rapids – if the weather is good.

Hollywood Studios Fast Passes

After addition of Toy Story Land, this park completely restructured their fast passes. The rides in this section of the park are SO LONG. GET A FAST PASS IF YOU CAN.

Tier 1 (choose 1)

1. Slinky Dog Dash – most worth it in my opinion, as an adult traveler.
2. Toy Story Mania
3. Alien Swirling Saucers

Tier 2 Top Picks

1. Rockin Roller Coaster
2. Tower of Terror

Where to Eat and Drink in Disney World for Adults

This is my FAVORITE part about Disney World. I could write 100 blog posts about food and drink in Disney World. I think the easiest way to do it for now is to break it down by park and just TRUST me that these are must-dos if you have the time.

Where to eat and drink in Epcot

Epcot is arguably the most adult park at Disney World. There are a ton of great options for food and drink in this park. I recommend visiting during one of their festivals, as you can experience a lot of items from each ‘country’ and save some cash in the process. During the festivals, there are several food kiosks that sample small dishes (and drinks) in the $5-$10 price range. We like to get one from each kiosk to share. The three festivals are Festival of the Arts (usually in January-February), Flower and Garden Festival (my FAVORITE, March-June), and Food & Wine (August-November).

If you can’t make it during those times, here are my top restaurant picks

1. Rose and Crown Pub, in the U.K Pavilion – we love it here and it reminds us of an Irish pub we have at home. It also is a fun environment to have a beer.
2. Tutto Italia, in the Italy Pavilion
3. La Cellier, in the Canada Pavilion – good steakhouse, but pricey!
4. Biergarten Restaurant, in Germany Pavilion – not my favorite for food, but they have an amazing grapefruit beer that we look forward to each time we visit.

Where to eat and drink in Animal Kingdom

Besides Epcot, Animal Kingdom is the most culturally diverse when it comes to food. Their table service restaurants serve up excellent Asian and African inspired dishes, but some come with a steeper price-tag. Here are my more affordable recommendations.

1. Flame Tree Barbecue – split a sampler platter, it’s enough for two and budget friendly!
2. Yak & Yeti – table service, easy to go without a reservation
3. Kusifiri Coffee Shack – Grab a coffee and a cinnamon bun on your way to Kilimanjaro Safaris!
4. Pongu Pongu – Located in Pandora, grab a green Hawkes Grog Ale (if you don’t mind a little green food coloring), and a pretzel the size of your head.

Where to eat in Hollywood Studios

We are now heading into more theme-park type fare, but there are a few hidden gems we have discovered over the years!

1. Woody’s Lunch Box – only to get a Raspberry Lunch Box tart, its like a modern day pop tart and its full of sugar, so it’s obviously delicious.
2. Baseline Tap House – grab a charcuterie board and a beer! Our favorite spot in Hollywood Studios
3. 50’s Prime Time Cafe – fun atmosphere, cast members are hilarious.

Where to eat in Magic Kingdom

Not my favorite place to eat or drink. This park is designed for someone who wants the true Disney World character experience, not the foodie. Here are our favorite places to go when we are igniting our inner-child.

1. Be Our Guest Restaurant – go for lunch, it is much easier to get a reservation, and it is much cheaper. The food is okay, but it’s a must do to experience the atmosphere. You really feel like you are in a castle!
2. Columbia Harbour House – I got a decent lobster roll there once, and the portion sizes are good for the price.

Pro-tip: Bring your own snacks to Magic Kingdom, and spend more time enjoying the Disney experience than the food in this park.

Where to eat off-property at Disney World

Disney Springs and Disney Resorts can be visited by anyone! That’s right, they are free to visit without a ticket, reservation, or pass. Here are some of our favorites:

1. Raglan Road in Disney Springs – EXCELLENT nighttime entertainment and Irish fare.
2. The Boathouse in Disney Springs – waterfront view and seafood
3. Wine Bar George in Disney Springs – An easy date night spot. Charcuterie boards and wine, do you need anything else?
4. Big River Grille & Brewing at the Disney Boardwalk Resort – a great brewpub at Disney!
5. Jellyrolls at the Disney Boardwalk Resort – a great late night spot for drinks after dinner! They feature dueling pianos and it’s great entertainment!

Whew, if you are still with me, congratulations! That was my longest post yet! I could go on for hours about Disney World, and love planning other peoples Disney World vacations! Do you visit Disney World as an adult? If so, what is your favorite thing to do?

I would love to continue making posts about this if people are interested, and if you have any questions or would like me to elaborate on anything, leave me a comment below!

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xo, Kristen

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