Disney World at Any Age

I was one of those lucky kids. I got to go to Disney at different points in my childhood. My grandparents were snowbirds and not that far from Orlando, so whenever we took a family trip down South my parents would try to have Disney as part of the itinerary. Many people have this notion that you can’t go to Disney past a certain age (unless you have children with you). As a 20-something year old, I would go back without question. In fact – I am planning an up coming trip to California this February and will try to include Disneyland into the trip!

Where to stay:

For those of us a little past our early teens, there are still some really great hotel options in and around Disney World.

The Cabin’s at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort: This was where we stayed when I was much younger. It was perfect. A little more secluded for those looking to stay away from the hubbub of activity at Disney but still looking to be close by. You can rent your own cabin with separate bedrooms, a kitchen and dining area. I would recommend staying here if you have your own car.
Average Price:$300 USD / night

Walt Disney World Dolphin and Swan Hotel: These two adjacently facing hotels are also great options for staying near Disney without feeling like you’re staying in Disney. The hotels themselves aren’t really anything special, they’re nice and what you would expect from most 4* hotels but they lack that Disney-esque feel. They do however have great pools and are easily accessible when travelling to and from Disney (usually you travel by boat)!
Average Price: $250 USD / night

Disney’s Boardwalk Inn: These are my favourite accommodations that I’ve never stayed in. Located right on the Disney Boardwalk, central to everything and easily accessible, these luxurious rooms will have you feeling as if you’re staying at some seaside town instead of in Disney.
Average Price: $400 USD / night

Where to eat: 

One thing is for sure, you’ll never go hungry at Disney. While many of the restaurants and places to eat are filled with children, and more often than not Disney characters – you will still find a few that are more adult friendly. You’re best bet is heading to Epcot and viewing the many different cultures and countries represented (not to mention how beautiful it looks at night). There are obviously too many options to list in this blog but below are a few of my favourites.

California Grill in Disney’s Contemporary Resort is a staple and a favourite among many. With a variety of menu items, all inspired by California you’re sure to find something you’ll love. Many boast about the sushi or the flatbread. Just make sure you do a quick search and look through of the dress code, as with many of the Signature dining restaurants at Disney there are certain clothing items that aren’t allowed.

Flying Fish Cafe located at Disney’s Boardwalk is another great restaurant for the surf and turf lovers. They have a great collection of fish and mouth watering steak but all in all a rather ‘normal’ menu if you could call anything at Disney World by that name.

Il Mulino inside the Disney Swan Hotel is reasonably priced for a ‘fine Italian restaurant’. I would recommend dining here on a night when you don’t feel like venturing into Disney and are looking for a night in.

Coral Reef Restaurant located in future world is a must. This may be the kid in me coming out but I remember walking into the restaurant and being so excited to be eating right beside giant fish tanks. Sit and be mesmerized with all various types of sea creatures floating around watching you eat!

Anywhere in Epcot. Obviously as a traveler and a lover of different cultures (which I’m assuming you are too), you absolutely must eat at Epcot. Heck, you could probably eat there every night of your trip and never get bored. Eat anywhere from Mexico to China to Morocco and enjoy!

Top Attractions

Cinderella Castle (Magic Kingdom) – You can’t walk past Cinderella’s castle without a little bit of you inner child coming out and wanting to take a million pictures in front of it. The architecture is amazing, beautiful and realistic. It’s hard to imagine that no one lives there, nor anyone ever has.

Haunted Mansion (Magic Kingdom) – Okay this isn’t actually a scary haunted mansion but is still one of my favourites to this day. Every time I travelled to Disney World it was a must. The line up is usually long but you’re always entertained by the plethora of grave stones lined up with funny scriptures on them. Once inside you’ll be taken through the mansion filled with dancing ghosts and lots of laughs.

Pirates of the Caribbean (Magic Kingdom) – Another classic Disney World ride that you can’t miss. Created long before the movie franchise, this ride can be a bit scary (for the younger audiences) but is wildly entertaining with it’s story from beginning to end. Just make sure you stay inside the boat – you wouldn’t want to be captured by any of those nasty pirates 😉

Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom) – If you’re looking for more of a roller coaster type ride this is close as you’ll get. Speed through the galaxy and take in the beautiful lights as you seemingly fly through darkness to reach your destination.

Twilight Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios) – True to it’s name this ride will seriously frighten you. You’re placed in an elevator (of course you are seated) and as the elevator goes up, it breaks in places and the doors open so that you see the entire park before your eyes. It’s unbelievable and definitely not one to miss.

Tree of Life (Animal Kingdom) – This isn’t so much a ride as just somewhere to walk around. It’s a really cool structure to hike to and take in. It really does it’s job in making you seem small and insignificant in the circle of life.

Epcot – literally the whole park is my favourite Disney World attraction. As a lover of travel and different cultures, who wouldn’t love the opportunity to be able to travel to 11 very different cultures in one day?! It’s fun and pretty easy to imagine you’re actually in these countries as you travel through.

So whether you are young or old, with kids or without you’ll definitely find something worth doing at Disney World. If you’ve never been I would very strongly recommend biting the bullet and booking your next trip!