Why Disney isn't just for Kids

This Thursday on A Spoonful of Teaching, we are talking about Walt Disney World!! While my blog is mostly a teaching blog, I love to talk about all things Disney. I’m a big advocate for Disney vacations. Not only is it the most magical place on Earth, but it’s also an overall amazing vacation spot. Now you might be thinking, “I’m a grown adult. There’s no way I’m going to Disney World,” but hear me out. You’ll want to book a Disney vacation after reading this post.

High-class relaxation

If you are looking into booking a Disney vacation, staying on property is a must. Resorts are broken up into tiers: value, moderate, deluxe, and deluxe villas. In my personal opinion, I think the higher the resort tier, the less children.This is not always the case, however, most families with young children prefer to stay at the budget resorts as they are more “kid-friendly” with their themes. While I’ve only had personal experience at moderate and budget hotel pools, pools at any Disney resort are outstanding. There are multiple pools at each resort and some pools even have a swim-up bar. Not only can you relax by a beautiful pool, but you can also get an outstanding massage. While I’ve never had a massage at WDW, I’ve only read positive reviews. Senses is the highest-rated Disney spa (4.5 stars), located in the Grand Floridian.

“Drink around the World”

Not sure if you’re familiar with Walt Disney World’s EPCOT Center (or just Epcot), but half of Epcot is the world. Yep, you can travel the world in approximately 1.2 miles while visiting Epcot’s World Showcase. The World Showcase allows guests to experience a glimpse of 11 countries: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, The American Adventure (aka America), Japan, Morocco, France, The United Kingdom, and Canada. While visiting each “country,” you can experience the architecture, cultural shops, food, and (most importantly) alcohol. Drinking around the world is the process of making your way around the World Showcase while stopping for drinks and snacks in each country. It is SO much fun! I personally recommend the margaritas in Mexico. I know it sounds like a basic recommendation, but it’ll make you re-evaluate every margarita you’ve ever had. Bonus tip: enjoy a margarita with fresh, hot churro bites and you’ve got a winning combo.

Here's a (silly/weird/kinda funny) pic of us enjoying our alcoholic slushies in Epcot's World Showcase

Nightlife

Don’t think Disney is a great place to experience exciting nightlife? Think again. Disney Springs is a great place to find specialized shops, beautiful views, and unique experiences. During the day it’s full of families experiencing the magic of Disney Springs. After sunset, it turns into nightlife like you’ve never experienced. There are currently 7 bars in Disney Springs (an eighth is on the way!). All are up-to-date and accompanied with an accommodating service staff. After Joey and I enjoyed an awesome meal at D-Luxe Burgers (*hightly* recommend) we milled around Disney Springs. I remember walking down the street with Joey and running into a phenomenal live band outside of a busy bar. It was a wonderful atmosphere because everyone was so happy and just enjoying life at that moment. It’s one of my favorite moments from our most recent trip!
The Boardwalk is another great spot to experience nightlife in Walt Disney World. The Boardwalk also houses amazing restaurants, views, and experiences. When visiting, be sure to check out Jellyrolls- an entertaining dueling piano bar. While I raved about the fabulous margaritas in Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion, Boardwalk Joe’s Marvelous Margaritas on The Boardwalk are absolutely something to try. Not only can you enjoy a delicious margarita, but you can also enjoy it with an incredible view.

Joey posing in front of Joe's Marvelous Margaritas

Extra Magic Hours

Extra Magic Hours are only available to guests staying on WDW property. Extra Magic Hours, or EMH, are not offered at the same park every night. One day, you could have the option to experience Animal Kingdom past closing time. Another day, you could enter Epcot one hour prior to rope-drop. It varies depending on the time of year you take your vacation. Joey and I experienced EMH to its full potential during our last trip. Our last day in the parks, we took a break late afternoon to return to our resort (Coronado Springs) to take a rest/much-needed nap. This re-energized us so we could head to Magic Kingdom to enjoy the perks of EMH. That night, Magic Kingdom was open until 2 am. There are so many advantages to EMH. First, there are usually less people. Because not everyone enjoying a WDW vacation stays on property, this is an exclusive perk. Of course, less people = shorter lines. Second, because it’s much past closing time, there are significantly less children in the park. Personally, the parks exude a different type of magic late at night.

Coolest photo I've taken at 1:30 am

Chance to be a kid again

Where else is it 100% acceptable/normal for an adult to rock a pair of Mickey Ears? Seriously any adult can fully experience being a kid again without being judged- actually, it’s often encouraged. From meeting your favorite Disney characters to enjoying unique dining options, you can fully immerse yourself in the magic of Disney. The high-thrill rides and attractions are top-notch and definitely something to enjoy. Honestly, even the “kiddie” rides at Disney are incredible. The attention to detail in their rides, restaurants, and overall ambiance is something I will never get over.

Seriously, where else can you meet Chewbacca with your parents? 

End your perfect day at Walt Disney World with one of their unbelievable fireworks shows. There is at least one fireworks show per park. The following are the most recent/most popular per park:
Epcot Forever (new this year; only for a limited time)
Magic Kingdom’s Happily Ever After
Animal Kingdom’s Rivers of Light (they project images on water!)
Hollywood Studios’ Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular
Joey and I’s favorite fireworks show ever is Magic Kingdom’s Happily Ever After Fireworks Show. The fireworks are set to Disney music and inspiring voice-overs. They even project images on Cinderella’s Castle! It’s one of the most incredible things I’ve ever witnessed. Here’s a link so you can see how much detail Disney puts into their shows: https://youtu.be/Lqqb0m0NJkU  It brings Joey and I to tears every time. (Backstory: the first time we watched this show was minutes after we got engaged)

Not the most quality photo, but just one of the blurry photos I have of the castle during the Happily Ever After Fireworks Show. Look at the projection on the castle!

If this post doesn’t inspire you to begin planning your next Walt Disney World vacation, you might need to re-read! I hope I’ve convinced you that Disney isn’t just for kids. Our next Disney vacation is a little over 100 days. When is yours? 😉