Getting Started

You are probably reading this article for one of two reasons: #1 You have a friend, relative or significant other who wants to take you on a trip to Disney, even though you don’t have children.You are hoping against hope that there is something there for “grown-ups” to do …or #2 YOU want to go to Disney and you are trying to come up with things to do that will appeal to your skeptical adult traveling companions. Am I right? Let me assure you that I feel your pain! My family visited Walt Disney World when I was around five years old back in the days before Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Downtown Disney, ESPN and all of the resort hotels made the resort what we know it to be today. As I made my way from Tennessee to central Florida in 2007 I recall asking myself, “What am I doing? I am thirty four years old and I’m going to Disney World. I’m not a child!” What awaited me was a “world” that I truly could not imagine.
The first stop for the skeptical adult without children should be Epcot. Of the four theme parks, this is the one that I think has a theme that is best-suited to the “childless adult” park guest. If you enjoy thrill rides and technology, then the first half of the park, Future World, will be a real treat. If you enjoy history, art, culture, wines and cuisine from around the world, then the second half of the park, The World Showcase, will be an even bigger treat. Epcot has paid homage to the nations represented in the World Showcase in amazing detail including cast members (Disney employees) from each of the countries represented in each national pavilion. A short walk from the World Showcase entrance at the back of the park is a walkway leading to The Disney BoardWalk. This is another treat for the adult guest and it doesn’t even require park admission. The BoardWalk is actually a Disney resort hotel with a real lakeside boardwalk with shops, restaurants and live (night time) entertainers that will make you feel like you are on an Atlantic Boardwalk from days gone by.
Your next stop will depend on which you love more: Hollywood and thrill rides or animals and thrill rides. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a unique blend of the look and feel of the glamour and glitz of 1930s and 1940s Hollywood along with some of Walt Disney World’s very best thrill rides, including the Rockin’ Roller Coaster by Aerosmith, the Hollywood Tower of Terror, Star Tours and the wildly popular Toy Story Mania—even though that last one isn’t actually a thrill ride. The live shows at “the Studios” (as I call it) are nothing less than the quality of Broadway and Hollywood itself, including Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, Beauty and the Beast, Lights-Motor-Action and of course, Fantasmic! The other park tied for second is Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This is the newest, and at 500 acres, the largest single theme park ever built by the Walt Disney Company. If you are an animal lover, if you love visiting the zoo, this park will be a hit in your book. Animal Kingdom features exotic animals from Asia and Africa and even some from Australia and a few from right here in North America. The Africa section of the park features a safari ride through the 100+ acre wildlife reserve or “savanna” with all of your favorites including giraffes, gazelles, crocodiles, hippos, lions, and many more than I can name. The Asia section has tigers, monkeys, snakes and a host of other fauna. Even if you are not a zoo person or an animal lover as such, Animal Kingdom still has a lot to offer. This park has my two favorite musical stage shows in all four of the parks: Finding Nemo the Musical and The Festival of the Lion King. Additionally, there is It’s Tough to be a Bug which is in the base of The Tree of Life (which is the icon of the park). Beyond the animals and the great shows are the rides. Expedition Everest is probably the best themed outdoor roller coaster at Walt Disney World. Primeval Whirl is probably the most whimsical and unusual coaster-type ride in all four of the parks. Dinosaur is another adventurous ride that is packed with Disney thrills and near-misses.
And then there’s Maude! OK, actually I’m going to talk about Downtown Disney, not a TV show from my childhood! When I first heard the words “Downtown Disney” I thought it was some sort of local jargon referring to the center of the resort, or the area in front of Cinderella Castle or something of the sort. I had no idea that Downtown Disney was (and is) an immense and beautiful complex of shops, restaurants and special attractions like Cirque du Soleil, Characters in Flight (a fabulous tethered helium balloon ride), DisneyQuest (an indoor virtual theme park) and a fabulous movie theater.
I’ve saved the best for last. The true heart of Walt Disney World, the flagship of the Walt Disney Company, is The Magic Kingdom. Words fail me when I try to describe the feeling I get when I descend the monorail platform, walk through the gates and stroll down Main Street USA and see Cinderella Castle in the distance. When Walt Disney built Disneyland and drew up the plans for Walt Disney World, he wanted to create a slice of Americana that showcased America’s very best. He succeeded. Walking through the Magic Kingdom, even as an adult, is an experience that is like few others. There are many things to admire and enjoy from the amazingly intricate architectural details in the buildings to the variety of the costumes worn by the cast members. The rides and attractions, whether geared for children or adults are great fun! Some attractions may rekindle memories of your own childhood (Country Bear Jamboree) while others appeal to your adult-size sense of adventure and thrill- seeking (Space Mountain). Some attractions appeal to your love of history and nostalgia (The Hall of Presidents and the Carousel of Progress).
There are many other aspects of Walt Disney World that I could describe for you, but then I would run out of material for future articles! There are fabulous hotels, restaurants and golf courses and even a real-life NASCAR-style race track where YOU get to ride in the racecar! After my second or third visit to “the world” I remember saying to a friend, “you know, Disney World might even be a fun place to take children.”