How to Make Disney Magic with your “Big” Kids

Everyone knows Disney World is a dream destination for the Mickey-loving kids in your life, but how do you keep that sense of wonder when your kids are older? Disney magic with your young adult kids will look different from the trips you took there 15 years prior, but can be just as fun!

We are big theme park fans (at least the kids and I are, the husband not so much but he’s a good sport), so we were excited to take a return trip to Disney World when the kids and their significant others were 19 and 22. These are some of the ways we curated the trip to have a “older” vibe!

• Amp up the Excitement Pre-Trip
• Enjoying Disney Food and Cocktails
• Think Beyond the Parks
• Don’t Take Yourself too Seriously

Amp up the Excitement Pre-Trip

Before we went, I downloaded the Walt Disney World app about 6 months prior to familiarize myself with it. Then I bought our tickets through Undercover Tourist, the cheapest place I have found. 60 days prior to the day, meal reservations open for the parks, Disney Springs, and resorts. Some reservations are extremely hard to get! Don’t get discouraged, and just keep checking in. The best times for getting reservations are either exactly 60 days ahead, or the week prior. A lot of reservations even open up the day before, when people cancel before the 24 hour penalty window. You can also use a service such as Mousewatcher to keep an eye on it for you!

Because of college schedules, our big family trips are typically around the December holiday break. That helps the budget, because a trip can double as a holiday gift! I love accumulating various things we will need/want to have for a trip, and presenting to everyone at once. I always include a homemade festive “ticket” for our destination – either Canva or Etsy can provide the template!

Enjoying Disney Food and Cocktails

Just say no thank you to the Mickey shaped chicken nuggets! The food/drink choices at Disney are plentiful and now there is no need to limit yourself to kid friendly options. It has become popular to “drink around the world” at Epcot – if you have a recently 21 year old, that is a fun and memorable activity! If you opt for that, the Orange Slush in France is one of the most refreshing things I’ve had on a hot day. Spice Road Table in Epcot (you can joint the waitlist via the app) is a great spot to both have a sangria and Moroccan fare, as well as watch the fireworks! If you can get a reservation for La Cava de Tequila, they have a menu of unique margaritas (try the blood orange or avocado margarita).

Besides the World Showcase in Epcot, below are some other recommended spots for more adult food and drink options.

• Oga’s Cantina in Hollywood Studios is a great spot for adult beverages and snacks for an elevated palate. There are a couple of non-alcoholic options as well, such as the Blue Bantha (blue “milk” served with a cookie) and Oga’s Obsession (a unique jello concoction served in a petri dish). The snack menu is simple with interesting flavors – Batuu Bits (a snack mix) and Happabore Sampler (a charcuterie-like platter).
• Nomad Lounge in Animal Kingdom – this is a little oasis attached to Tiffins fine dining restaurant. Tiffins has a decidedly adult oriented menu (and prices to match). If you don’t want to spend the big bucks, Nomad Lounge a great spot for an afternoon happy hour break, and serves a small menu of snacks from Tiffins (including their famous bread service). You can join the waitlist from the app!
• Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto in the Polynesian – this popular spot always has a long waitlist! Heavily themed and inspired by the Jungle Cruise, the cocktail you order triggers special effects, such as a volcano eruption. Note that after 8pm, the whole party must be over 21 to enter.
• Baseline Taphouse in Hollywood Studios – We always end up here late afternoon when we are at Hollywood studios! It doesn’t have all the eccentric specialty (and pricy!) cocktails as the themed bars throughout Disney property, but is a solid spot for beer, wine, and snacks such as a charcuterie platter or pretzels with beer cheese.

Think Beyond the Parks

The biggest thing we did to make this trip feel different was venture outside of the parks themselves! We stayed in a resort off the Disney campus so we wouldn’t get overloaded by Mickey. That gave us a great option for a couple of days off during the week to relax on a lazy river with a tiki bar. Plus, accommodations in the Orlando area are quite affordable – you’re spending the majority of your money on food, park tix, and drinks.

That said, heading outside the parks to the various themed resorts was my favorite part of the trip! That works either as a midday park break, or a destination dinner. Our arrival day, I made a reservation at O’hana in the Polynesian for dinner to get us excited for the rest of the week!

Resort restaurants to check out:

• O’hana at The Polynesian – This was the majority favorite! It is a prix fixe menu, and the wings and noodles are standouts. Plus the vibe at the resort is so tropical and fun! You can get your Dole Whip there as well, and it’s a great spot to admire the Magic Kingdom fireworks from afar.
• Primo Piatto at Riviera Resort – This is a quick service French style bistro at Disney’s newest resort. The tomato soup and croque monsieur are worth the visit, and it’s easy to get to using the Disney Skyliner. This is a network of chairlifts that connect Hollywood Studios and Epcot to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Disney’s Riviera Resort.
• Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge – This is a fixed price buffet that features a variety of interesting foods inspired by Africa. The gorgeous resort is worth a walk through as well – you may spot some wildlife! Jiko and Sanaa are two highly regarded restaurants in the Animal Kingdom Lodge as well!

Don’t forget to take an evening or day and check out Disney Springs (known as Downtown Disney, back in the day)! There are some great bars and restaurants with themed items not available in the parks. Check out Raglan Road Irish Pub, George’s Wine Bar, or The Edison! After 10pm, The Edison becomes an over-21 spot with nightly entertainment and a dance floor.

Don’t Take Yourself too Seriously

At the end of the day, it’s Disney, so there will be plenty of kids! Accept and know what you are getting into, dodge the strollers, and spend more time at the parks other than Magic Kingdom. We tried “Disneybounding” a couple of days, which is basically creating outfits inspired by a character or the park you are visiting that day – the color or the vibe. Also, stay late at the parks! If we needed a break, we would head back to to our resort for the afternoon, and return closer to dinner time to finish out the day. Many of the families with small children have called it a day by then!

Remember, it’s not a race – trying to pack in everything results in stress and no fun. Maximize what you can do by familiarizing yourself ahead of time with skip the line options Lightning Lanes and the Disney Genie (both on the app). Get to know the general layout of the parks you are visiting so you aren’t just wandering around aimlessly. Pick a few rides or experiences to prioritize, and just have fun letting loose and capturing that Disney magic with each other!