The Perks of an Adults-Only Trip to WDW

by Tony Boese
AllEars® Guest Columnist

Feature Article

This article appeared in the November 4, 2014 Issue #789 of ALL EARS® (ISSN: 1533-0753)

(EDITOR'S NOTE: We recently ran a feature on traveling to Walt Disney World with several different generations. This week's feature has another perspective and looks at the advantages of traveling with a group of all grown-ups.)

I am not sure if this is as rare as it seems to me, but I have never gone to Walt Disney World with a child. I went AS a child, sure, but I was the only one. As an adult I have only ever traveled there with other adults. This is primarily because I don't have any children, to date — it's not that I leave the kids at home and run off to Mickey's House on my own! This tends to lead to weird, and sometimes even derisive, questions from peers and acquaintances: "Isn't that for kids?" "Why not go on a REAL vacation?" "Didn't you go there already?" But it also leads to a slew of fantastic memories.

I write today to share some thoughts I have based on my repeated "adults-only" trips to The World. I find that having never gone with kids has made me think of and handle Walt Disney World in a way somewhat different from my friends who visit the parks with children.

Let us now turn to the matter at hand and review the perks, pitfalls, and even responsibilities of adults-only groups traveling to Walt Disney World.

Perks at the Parks

First and foremost for me is how much easier it is to deal with hunger and discomfort. I recently read an article that reminded me that for many children simple discomfort is the worst thing they have ever experienced. When the Florida heat gets high, and the sun is beating down, and you're standing in line for far too long for a sweet treat at Dinosaur Gertie's Ice Cream of Extinction, sometimes the kids might get a little… antsy. It's sometimes hard to keep the kids in good spirits and everyone's blood pressure low. I've found that my adults-only groups don't have this problem as often. In that same line, under that same sun, my friends and I will either wait… or we will be happy to move on to something else. (By the way, Gertie is a reference to one of the first animated films ever — and a key influence to Walt — it is worth a watch, and is always on exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.) This is surely the biggest benefit to visiting with an all-adult ensemble — no one considers the lines or the heat to be anything other than expected. Surely, here and there, tensions rise in any group, but when your group is all adults, you can, I hope, usually find other options.

Seeing All You Can See

The concept of "divide and conquer" also seems to be well-suited to adults-only groups. Yes, family groups can and do split up while at the parks. But with a group of adults each and every member could, if necessary, go off on his or her own and see whatever they want to see. For example, for me and a couple of my friends, Voyage of the Little Mermaid is a must-see, but the rest of the group considers it a waste of time, so we split and then meet up later. On the flip side, I don't like Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, but since I don't need to wait with or for children while my friends ride, I can go off and spend my time on the Great Movie Ride or something else I enjoy. Indeed, each of my friends and I have been able to see and do everything we want on each trip, whether together (seeing Fantasmic is always a group event) or apart.

Getting Your Money's Worth

If you're with a group of adults, you'll find it's easier to park-hop at will. Also, you can pass on one thing in exchange for something else, you can skip one ride in exchange for another. I've learned from my little cousins that children don't really get this concept, though it can mean getting a lot more bang for the big expense of a Disney World trip. My friends who are parents complain about losing money and wasting time while at Disney World more than anything else. I've rarely had to deal with that when I go with my adult friends.

This leads to the next perk: Nothing is off-limits because it is too intense, or too boring, or is made out of squid. Above I mentioned splitting up for sake of rides, but should your group want to stay together, there is generally still a much wider range of acceptable activities for an adult group. For me this hits home most with food. Some offerings, like those in the Japan and Morocco pavilions in Epcot, Yak and Yeti in Animal Kingdom, and Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge, might not be appealing to children. Of course, sometimes I have had to talk some grown-up friends into experiencing these favorites of mine, but by and large they are ready for the adventure. In contrast, one of my good friends has yet to try Boma because the kids are never interested. Fireworks are a fine example, too. They are one of the best "free" and no-line features of Disney that are missed by many family groups due to the late hour and noise involved.

In all, in the end, with an adults-only group one essentially needs only worry after their own wants and needs, which is exceedingly liberating. This is not to suggest ignoring what your travel companions also want, but when push comes to shove adults can find their own snacks and bathrooms.

Pitfalls with Pals

Obviously, adult groups don't get all the wins without any losses. For every positive, there is some bit of Magic in The World that might be kept from you. What I notice the most is that we are never selected for anything. Yes, there are things that adult groups can do that groups with children may not be able to do — for instance, my now-wife and I were allowed on the roof of the Wilderness Lodge when I proposed. However, adult groups seem to be passed over when it comes to participating in parades, flag ceremonies, Family of the Day, etc. I don't ever begrudge the children and families — Disney World is a family place, after all — but these Magical Moments are a big part of what sets Disney apart, and are something we adult groups tend to miss out on.

This notion of Disney as a family place also extends to the attitude of fellow patrons. When I'm with my wife only, I don't notice this as much, but when in a larger group of adults, we sometimes get some weird looks. Some people seem to look upon adults-only groups with apprehension, either wondering what our malfunction is, or assuming we are up to no good. The assumption seems to be that we are supposed to be more mature and responsible, but also can be shoved past because we don't have kids with us. It sometimes feels that although we can make the most of those parts of the Disney Experience that are open to us, not all parts of the Disney Experience are open to us.

Duties at Disney

Finally, I want to make an appeal to those of you who do travel in adult-only groups, and those who may be inspired by this article to travel with an adults-only group.

I think it is important to accept that while The World is for kids of all ages, it's still "for kids." Clearly I don't mean this in the strictest sense. If I did I wouldn't have made so many visits sans child. Nevertheless, when it comes down to your party versus a party with kids, why not give way? When one is with kids, the aim is to give them a perfect trip and a magical time. They are immersed; they most truly believe. As adults, we know there will be shortages and closings, and we also know we can come back as we'd like (more or less). So, when the last showing of The Voyage of The Little Mermaid is virtually full, and they can only let in one more family, consider allowing the family with kids to take the spot. It is much more likely you can come back tomorrow, or can better handle the wait until your next visit.

I also want to remind all-adults groups, and everyone really, that Disney World is a place filled with small children who are closer to the ground — near shelves, knees, and swinging hands. I have seen one too many a child take a water bottle to the face, or shelf corner to the back. These are not magical experiences for those children to say the least. BE CAREFUL!

All things considered, I have found there are a lot of benefits to traveling with only adults, and relatively few pitfalls. In exchange, be a good neighbor and a good citizen of the World — both Disney and Real.

Bon Voyage!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tony Boese considers it part of his mission in life to help everyone he knows have the chance to visit the World at least once, and for that trip to be both great and affordable. He's also a textbook fanboy — his friends always know when he has "exciting news" to share, it's going to be something to do with Disney! Outside of Disney, Tony is a PhD candidate in Philosophy at UVA.

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RELATED LINKS

Jim's Attic: Gertie the Dinosaur

Birthday Ideas for Adults at Walt Disney World

Going Solo to Walt Disney World

Empty-Nesters at Walt Disney World

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Editor's Note: This story/information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all current rates, information and other details before planning your trip.