Well, the old version of this post began “I’m a childless millennial…”. In case you missed it, that’s no longer true. Fortunately, I still go to Disney World without my kid on occasion, and I have plenty of past experience to build on when it comes to adulting at Disney. Read on to learn more about planning your adults only trip to Walt Disney World Resort!
Disney World is continues to be popular with families (or solo travelers) without children. There are lots of reasons for this: economic factors, the coming of age of those of us who grew up during the Disney Renaissance, and the expansion of Disney properties to include things like Marvel and Star Wars are some notable ones.
In this guide, we hope to help you plan an adults only trip to Disney World. We’ll cover everything from flights to tickets to what makes the theme park experience different for adults.
Related Posts
Our master Walt Disney World Planning Guide is a more general planning guide that you’ll also want to read. This guide deals with issues specific to adults, but some very important things that are common to adults and family trips—like Lightning Lanes and Photopass—won’t make major appearances here.
You’ll also probably want to read our 80+ Tips for Planning a Disney World Trip. That’s sort of a list version of the planning guide. It covers simple things like “download the My Disney Experience app” and more complex things like rope drop strategy.
For adults content, we’ve also got park-specific posts:
Additionally, we have a post specifically to help adults choose their Disney World hotel and a post specifically covering Eight Disney World Bar Crawls.
This post starts with a rant—er, helpful section—to tell you that, basically, there aren’t two Disney Worlds. There’s no “adult Disney World” and “kid Disney World.” If your question was simply “should I plan differently because we’re only adults,” the answer is “mostly no, but we’re happy to give perspective in the small areas where you might” If you don’t want the long version of that, scroll past it to “What Type of Visit Is This?”
About Disney World “For Adults” (Rant)
I have to confess right off the bat…I’m not entirely sure why this post is necessary. I’m writing it because I know people search for it and want to read something about it, but I’d encourage you to rethink your question because pretty much everything at Disney World that’s fun for kids is fun for adults!
Yes, you definitely can have a different kind of trip with just adults, but as a baseline, I’d recommend the same four days / four parks plan to adults only that I recommend to families.
There are some kid-exclusive activities at Disney World, like Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (ages 3-12), but these are few and far between. There are also a few adult-exclusive activities (like certain spa treatments and certain behind-the-scenes tours), but those don’t typically make a first-timer itinerary (which many of you are building). They’re also just nowhere near the bulk of the experience. If you’re thinking “I want to do Disney World but not be around kids”…then…I dunno…think harder.
Most of the time I go to the parks, it’s as a single adult, but I’ve traveled with a group up to ten, including kids, and I write primarily for families. The real difference between being an adult and a kid at Disney World—besides the adult beverages—isn’t what you do, it’s usually:
What you appreciate about the things you do
How quickly you get things done
Because of (2), how much you get done
None of these needs to substantially change how you plan a trip. As we mention in the park-specific guides, there’s a few rides you might skip, but unless you’re packing your trip with non-park things (golf, massages, fancy dinners), you shouldn’t be skipping too many park activities. Rides, characters, live musicals—all of these are fun for kids and adults.
Just because the resort is also for adults, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t recognize that there are small gestures you can do for kids. Maybe let them pilot the Millennium Falcon, let them sit on the crowded bus, make sure they have good views of shows, etc. And, you know, don’t drink so much that you start ruining other guests’ trips.
The point of this excessive introduction is that I really don’t want to have to make these caveats every time I talk about visiting Disney World as an adult. I don’t need comments or emails telling me that “you said Peter Pan’s Flight is for kids but I think adults will love it too!” The baseline is “do the same things everyone else would do,” and you should make specific adjustments based on what type of visit you’re looking for.
What Type of Visit Is This?
Everything I said above applies to a median group of adults who just want to go to Disney World to have a good time. If your adults only trip is a special type of trip (honeymoon, bachelorette party, etc.), you’ll deviate a bit more from the norms because you have different factors to consider…
Is it romantic? Do a fireworks cruise. Book table service meals. Propose in front of Cinderella Castle. Book spa treatments. Don’t stay at Pop Century.
Is it a relaxation visit? Book a hotel that is good for a no-parks day. Don’t book tickets for every day of your visit. Accept that you’ll sleep in and miss rope drop (and thus some major rides).
Is it a party? Budget for Ubers home from the bars. Or pick a hotel near nightlife (Boardwalk has Atlantic Dance Hall and Jelly Rolls piano bar, but you’ll want to research more). Don’t plan a 6AM park open the morning after Drinking Around the World.
The list could go on, but my point is just that if you’re planning a trip like one of these, it’s those factors that you should be most focused on, not simply “we’re all over 21.” (But yea…we’ll talk more about alcohol below.)
Hotel Selection
We have a separate post about picking your Disney hotel for an adults only trip. It’s basically a three step process:
Avoid the All-Star Resorts and Art of Animation (I’m not even going to link to them here!)
Pick the Disney hotel that otherwise best fits your budget / schedule / desired theming
Consider Club Level at Disney World
But here’s why I have so many caveats about “adults only” trips…I’m leaving in four days for a trip and I’ll be staying at the All-Star Movies resort as a single adult. So, you know, exceptions to every rule. (In this case, it was a budgetary decision.)
Park Tickets
You’ll typically just buy tickets from a discount Disney World ticket broker. In our tips and planning posts (linked earlier), we discuss how to choose your ticket type and length, and that won’t differ much if you’re traveling with adults only. Only thing I’d add is that I’m comfortable saying you can max at one day at Magic Kingdom, rather than the 1+ we recommend for families.
Flights
When visiting Walt Disney World, I typically book the cheapest flight to Orlando International Airport (MCO) that I can find, within reason, though your adults-only trip might have more flexibility than a family trip. Here are some quick thoughts…
Plan to start with a no-parks day. This allows you to actually book the cheapest flight possible. It’s silly to arrive at 11PM having paid for a ticket for that day. (Keep in mind you might save a vacation day if you fly in the evening.)
Especially if you have multiple people arriving at different times, you don’t need park tickets for your first day. Just plan to spend the evening enjoying yourself at your hotel or Disney Springs. As adults, it’s likely you’ll be having a fast-paced next few days, relax on your travel day.
Pack light. You can save on plane tickets if you book a low cost airline or basic economy and travel with as little baggage as possible. We’ve done ten-day trips in our personal sized backpacks.
Pick a flight with wifi. If you’ll be working while traveling, pick a flight with wifi.
Figure out how you’ll get from the airport to the hotel (and back). We have a post discussing getting from MCO to Disney World. A shuttle, usually Mears Connect, might be cheapest if you have one or two people, but it’ll be slower than Uber, my preference.
Park Touring With Adults Only
As a general rule, the fewer people you have—adults or kids—the more efficient you’ll be. Fewer people means fewer bathroom breaks, fewer people sleeping in, fewer slow people holding the group back, etc. etc.
Without kids, you’ll likely cut down on nap time, and you’ll be able to stay up later. You’ll also probably be able to arrive at the parks earlier for rope drop, which means your morning ride strategy should go a little more quickly.
One final difference for adults is that they’ll be more inclined to use Disney World’s single rider lines than families, who have an understandable hesitance toward splitting up.
Our “Related Posts” at the top already directed you to park-specific guides (those include things like dining, drinking, entertainment, and tours in addition to rides). Our one-day Disney parks itineraries are what we recommend for any guests visiting the resort for the first time. They can be found here:
What are the best Disney World rides for adults?
Honestly, we’ve ranked every Walt Disney World ride and I’d use that for adults or children in a heartbeat. Adults looking for thrill might be most interested in Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, Space Mountain, or other roller coasters at Walt Disney World, and there are a few non-coaster thrill rides (DINOSAUR, Test Track, Tower of Terror, for example).
But if you’re not in a time crunch, stick to the same plans we offer for everyone. Kilimanjaro Safaris isn’t a “thrill” ride, but it’s a unique experience I wouldn’t miss for any coaster in the resort.
Is it okay to meet characters?
Yes. Adults have as much right to meet Disney characters as kids. Bear in mind you have a responsibility to do so respectfully to both the character and the other guests. In most cases, kids are going to be watching you interact with the character, so keep it playful and fun.
Disney Springs
Disney Springs is the dining, shopping, entertainment, and nightlife district at Walt Disney World. It is not a theme park.
While you could do a bar crawl at Disney Springs, and there is some good shopping to be had, our rule of thumb is that if you’re going to go to Disney Springs you should at least have a purpose.
Book a meal at one of its restaurants (Morimoto Asia, Frontera Cocina, The Edison are popular options), or plan to see at movie at the AMC, or plan a ride in the Aerophile. If you have a park day that ends at 8PM or 9PM, fine, make an recon visit to Springs. But don’t cut a significant chunk out of your day just to “check it out.”
Dining
Dining is an area where many adults will have a different experience when traveling without children. Without kids, your dining options probably shift a little. You might be less inclined to do character meals (which tend to be overpriced in terms of food quality) and more inclined to do the classy, signature dining experiences like Narcoossee’s or Jiko.
As with all things, you won’t find any completely child-free spaces, though. Victoria & Albert’s at Grand Floridian Resort is the closest you’ll get, as kids must be at least 10 years old. Other than that, there will be fewer families in the signature restaurants, but they’re still a significant portion of the guests.
We’re not foodies. Our take on dining without kids is just that it’s convenient to do it when we want and for as long as we want. If we need a speedy quick service meal, we do that. If we want a table service lunch, we do that.
If you have a smaller group, you’ll have an easier time finding advance dining reservations on short notice and making the Disney Dining Plan work for you. Larger groups will need to plan nicer meals long in advance to secure reservations and will probably want to skip the complicated dining plans.
Drinking
Note: The drinking age in the United States is 21, and all guests should be prepared to present identification (I suggest passport) to reflect their age when purchasing alcohol. I’m 31 and still get regularly ID’d at Disney World.
Casual consumption of alcohol at Disney World is common and totally acceptable (in my view). But I have to disclaim here that while I fully believe adults should visit Disney World as they please, I also fully believe you’re responsible for making sure you don’t ruin the trips of families who have come to the world’s premier family travel destination.
I don’t believe this changes just because it’s New Year’s Eve or Food & Wine Festival, either. If your party needs to have a wild night, you first might consider downtown Orlando. If you have to do it on Disney World property, at least keep your composure until 10PM or 11PM, when most families will be in their hotel rooms.
I don’t think anything I say is going to stop you from doing what you’re going to do (and for most of you I don’t care to stop you), just remember that there are families for whom this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip to what they hope is the most magical place on earth. Try and keep it magical for them. Beyond that, here’s some tips…
Transiting responsibly. In most cases you shouldn’t be driving to the parks anyways. Disney has free transportation between all its hotels, parks, and Disney Springs. If you want faster transportation, use Uber to get around Disney World.
I’ve never had this misfortune of forgetting that I parked in a Disney parks parking lot, but the easiest solution to avoid having to have your car towed from such a lot overnight is just to not drive in the first place.
Alcohol in the parks. This is discussed in detail in each of our park specific guides (“Related Posts”, at the top of this post). Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom all sell alcohol openly, and you’re free to carry it around the parks. At Magic Kingdom, you can only get alcohol at table service restaurants, and you cannot take it to go. Outside alcohol is not permitted in Disney parks.
Alcohol in the hotels. Every Disney hotel has at least one bar. You can always take your drinks to go at Disney hotels, and you can carry them wherever you’d like on hotel property.
Bar Crawls. We’ll have a separate post on Disney World Bar Crawls, but you basically have two options. The first is Disney Springs, which has plenty of bars and restaurant bars. The second is any group of hotels you can string together. The hotels on the monorail, the hotels on the Boardwalk, the hotels on the Skyliner, and the hotels on Bay Lake all have bars and transportation between them.
Drinking Around The World. As discussed in our Epcot for Adults Guide, Drinking Around The World involves drinking 11 drinks in 11 country pavilions at the World Showcase in about 11 hours.
This is obviously an activity that involves a lot of day drinking that you can’t push until 10PM or 11PM as I previously recommended. Besides the obvious tips (split drinks, eat plenty) this one just falls on you to not be that group in the late hours of the park.
Working From Walt Disney World
We’re certified digital nomads, and we’ve worked (both on this site and for other remote-capable jobs) from every hotel at Disney World (other than some of the DVC properties). It’s not as great at the value resorts as other hotels, but it’s manageable from every hotel.
If you’re going to be spending a lot of time working, we’d recommend you consider a club level stay, but know that the clubs can get quite loud during mealtimes, and the Animal Kingdom Lodge Kilimanjaro Club gets quite loud as drummers walk through the lobby every so often (seriously, Emily had a call once when this happened).
Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs is our top choice for hotels to work from. It’s new, geared toward conference guests, and has a good amount of working space in the lobby.
We’ve also done some laptop work from every park other than Magic Kingdom (which is mostly because I prefer to work at nearby Polynesian Village Resort). It’s a little awkward to be on your laptop in the middle of a theme park, but if you have to be on call 24/7, the parks all have wifi and you wouldn’t be the first person to take out your laptop in a theme park. Outlets can be hard to come by, though.
(Unfortunately this amazing, work-friendly area of Epcot has been demolished)
Other Adult-Targeted Activities
Golfing. There are several golf courses at Disney World, including two (the Palm and Magnolia) that have hosted PGA Tour tournaments. Read more at the Walt Disney World Golf website.
Spa Services. There are a few spas around Walt Disney World, but Senses at the Grand Floridian and Senses at Saratoga Springs are the most notable.
Character Couture. There are a few salons that will make you up or do your hair in character-inspired styles. Read more about Character Couture.
Weddings. This is obviously an entirely separate world of planning, but you can plan to do your wedding (or engagement or honeymoon) at Disney World. Read more at the Disney Weddings website.
Victoria & Albert’s. Disney’s finest restaurant prohibits kids under 10 and has a stringent dress code.
Fireworks Cruise. Kids permitted, but a fireworks cruise can be a good activity for a romantic visit to Walt Disney World.
Everything at Fort Wilderness. Fort Wilderness has a ton of activities, including fishing, archery, horse-drawn carriages.
(!Non-Disney!) Consider Universal, too. Universal Orlando Resort has a higher density of attractions aimed at adults. It also has the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered
Don't be overwhelmed by Disney World planning! Take a second to check out our most important content and you'll not only be an expert, but you'll save big $$$ along the way.
Just starting out? Check out our Walt Disney World planning guide! If you're still picking dates, we've got everything you need to know about Disney World crowd calendars. For picking your hotel, check out our Walt Disney World hotels guide.
When it comes time to book we’ll help you find discount Disney World tickets. Decide whether you need a dining plan in our Complete Guide to Disney World Dining Plans! And at 180 days out it's time to book those Disney World Advance Dining Reservations!
Don't forget to master your Disney World FastPass+ strategy a few months in advance. We'll keep you out of long lines so you can maximize the magical time in the parks! We've got park-specific guides as well: Magic Kingdom FastPass, Epcot FastPass, Animal Kingdom FastPass, and Hollywood Studios FastPass.
Know what to ride with our guides to: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, Epcot rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our guide to Blizzard Beach and our guide to Typhoon Lagoon! And for some some fun prep, check out our Ranking of Every Ride at Walt Disney World.
Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.