Adult Trip to Disney- Day 1

Is going on an adult only trip to Walt Disney World really enjoyable? Absolutely! Here are some of my top tips on how to plan an enjoyable adult trip to Disney.

Our Adult Trip to Disney

In early December my hubby (Rick) and I went on an “adult only” trip to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios for my Birthday! Although we would have loved to share some of our great experiences with our kiddos, it was AH-MAZING to be able to have this trip on our own. We’ve already been to Walt Disney world with our kids, multiple times actually, but this time I wanted to enjoy “The Most Magical Place on Earth” with my boo!

So here are my tips for an adult trip to Disney:

Adult Disney Trip Tip #1: Don’t Bring the Kids

Hear me out on this ok? Can you have fun at Disney with your kids? Yes! Absolutely. It’s so wonderful to see the look on your kids faces as they experience the magic that Disney works so hard to create everyday. But it is a completely different experience and just as magical to experience Disney and maybe even become a kid yourself for a day or two… or 5.

So here is what it was like for my husband and I on the day we flew out for my Birthday Adult only Disney Trip:

Day 1- December 5th

We flew out of New York’s JFK airport on December 5th with Jet Blue… just us. All I can say is… Wow! I definitely recommend flying without children. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE MY 2 KIDS! But I almost forgot what flying was like without having kiddos to tend to. I mean, we simply sat in our seats, put our headphones on and finished binge watching Season 2 of Stranger Things on Netflix… without interruption! (Except to order a drink or snack) Wow!

Adult Disney Trip Tip #2: Rent a Car

We landed in Orlando and went straight to pick up our rental. Yes, you heard me right. No checked bags!! Carry-on only for these two parents with no kiddos!  We opted out of Disney’s Magical Express this time around because we planned on visiting Universal Studios on our trip. For those that are unfamiliar with the term, Disney’s Magical Express is the complimentary transportation that Walt Disney World provides from Orlando’s International Airport to all of their “on property” resorts.

Renting a car allowed us complete control and flexibility in when and where we wanted to go. To be honest with you renting a car is a great idea for an adult trip to Disney as well as a trip with kids. We did take Disney bus transportation from time to time, but loved having the option to jump in the car whenever we wanted.

Adult Disney Trip Tip #3: Stay at a Resort “mature” Theming

There is nothing wrong with staying at a resort that has kid friendly theming if you just love it and want to fully experience feeling like a kid again. But for us staying at a more “maturely” themed resort let us have the best of both worlds. It gave us fun and kid-like experiences as we played in the parks and a quiet, beautifully serene experience as we rested in our resort.

Port Orleans French Quarter

Rick and I arrived at our resort, Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter. It was so pretty. This resort is categorized as a Moderate Resort, referring to it’s pricing category. It might be one of the prettiest resorts on property, giving the Grand Floridian a run for it’s money in my humble opinion.

While Disney’s Grand Floridian boasts luxury and “grandness” (if that’s even a word), Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter feels smaller, quaint and oh so pretty. And the price is a bit more managable for those with a modest budget.

The rooms are pretty spacious and have simple decor. The restrooms are different that what we were used to with the Deluxe resorts. The sinks were separated from the rest of the room by a curtain. Which wasn’t a big deal it was just us, so noise wasn’t a big issue. The toilet and shower were in another small room to the left of the sinks with a door and full length mirror on the outside. To the left of the sink is an open closet area for you to hang your clothes and other things.

After getting settled in, and a quick outfit change for me, I had one major priority before we hit the parks… the beignets at Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory! This is the counter service restaurant at the resort and the only place on Walt Disney World property you can get  beignets! I ordered it with a side of Chicory Ganache, but you can order it with Caramel or Raspberry as well. So messy. But so Yum!

For more ideas on what to eat at Walt Disney World check out What to Eat at Walt Disney World Part I and Part II.

Adult Disney Trip Tip #4: Pick Up Park Buttons

Buttons Rosie… Really? Yes! Disney has buttons for almost every occasion. In Magic Kingdom they are located in the Chamber of Commerce to the very left as you enter the park. Right next to the train station. Even if its your first time at Disney without your kids you can get a button and write that on it and everyone will celebrate with you. I wore my birthday button for all days in the Disney Parks and I got tons of “Happy Birthdays” from cast members and regular folks and lots of special treatment and free treats! So fun!

Magic Kingdom

After getting settled in, and a quick outfit change for me, we headed of to my favorite park, Magic Kingdom for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!

We picked up our park buttons and headed out to enjoy Magic Kingdom with the freedom of two adults with no kids! This created such an amazing opportunity for us to see and experience the park in a way we couldn’t do before. Amazingly enough our time was fun AND relaxing.

Adult Disney Trip Tip #5: Plan… to Live it Up!

Even on an adult trip to Disney planning is key. Plan before you arrive! Do your research. See what is available on the days you will be at Disney and choose when you’d like to do those things. Having a plan of what and when I wanted to do things gave me the freedom to wander the parks without rushing funnily enough. I planned for my “must do’s” and for the free time I wanted. My husband and I did everything we wanted to do and had lots of free time to roam and just soak in the experience.

I planned our trip so that we could attend one of the special ticketed events called Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. On the days when they have the Party, the park closes early for everyone (6pm to be exact) except for those who have purchased a ticket to the Party. During the party they have special treats that they give out throughout the park and special photo opportunities to meet characters you normally can’t meet in the parks.

We had a ton of fun in at Magic Kingdom riding rides TOGETHER! Something we couldn’t do when we went with just us and the kids. We rode “Jingle” (Jungle) Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, People Mover, Buzz Light Years Space Ranger spin, The Haunted Mansion (got stuck on that for a bit) :), The Little Mermaid ride, and others!  We ate all the free treats and just enjoyed each others company as we meandered through the park. Enjoy these photos from a few of our stops.

My score is on the left and Rick’s score on the right on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin! He took this loss really hard and vowed to redeem himself at Toy Story Midway Mania in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Stay Tuned for the results! 🙂

I highly recommend seeing Disney’s Magic Kingdom during Christmas time. It is the most beautiful.

As you can see, my husband and I had a wonderful time on our adult trip to Disney, at Disney’s Magic Kingdom on our own as adults. We left our kids home, rented a car, stayed at a beautiful relaxing resort, celebrated with fun buttons, and came with a plan and had the most magical day. We couldn’t believe how much we enjoyed the parks as adults. We would totally do it again. You can enjoy it too!

For more tips on how to have the best time on an adult only trip to Walt Disney World keep a lookout for my next few posts. I’ll share some things we did and what made it so fun!

Have any questions about Day 1 of our Adult Trip to Disney? Would you consider doing an adults only trip to Disney’s Magic Kingdom? What would be your must do’s for your trip? Leave me a comment below!

UPDATE: Want plan your own Disney Vacation? I can totally help you book one! Visit my Travelmation Facebook Page to find out how.