Can Disney World be a good trip away for adults?

The place where magic exists and dreams come true. Disney World has always marketed itself as the ultimate family-friendly resort destination. The parks, the characters, and the themed restaurants were all created with the intention to entertain families. However, can Disney World really be a good trip away for adults too?

The question of whether Disney World is a place for adults was recently thrusted into centre stage due to a Facebook rant by one mother who complained that only those with children should be admitted into Disney World. This was followed by an article in the New York Post titled: “Sorry, childless millennials going to Disney World is weird.”

Yet, a recent study shows that 75% of childless millennials want to visit a Disney theme park next year. It is clear that Disney is being considered more and more as a destination for a travel away not just for families, but adults alike.

For me, Disney World has been a regular feature of my childhood. I have been to Paris, California and Florida six times, and I visited once again with my family this summer. I’ve had the experience of looking at Disney through the lens of both a child and an adult and can firmly say, there is plenty to do for both demographics.

If getting away from the realities of life is your intention, Disney World serves as the perfect form of escapism

What’s strikingly clear the minute you arrive is that you’re not going to experience anything “real” during your stay. You are certainly not going to experience any new culture, or truly travel to a new and real environment.

But, it’s not branded as that type of travelling. Whilst you won’t be travelling to a new country to experience its culture, people and sights, you are certainly transported into an entirely separate world.

If getting away from the realities of life is your intention, Disney World serves as the perfect form of escapism that is unlike anywhere else I have ever been. It is immensely clean, the staff are trained in second-to-none hospitality and, if you wanted to, you could entirely immerse yourself into this separate world enclosed within the Disney gates.

Whilst the parks are, of course, geared towards families, that’s not to say you can’t enjoy the attractions of the four major parks: the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In particular, the new Avatar ride, Flight of Passage was absolutely breath-taking.

During the tour, you are given access to locations that the general public never see

What I found this summer was just how much you could do as an adult that was closed off when I was a child too busy meeting my favourite characters. One experience that I did this summer was Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom Tour, a 5-hour in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at Magic Kingdom. During the tour, you are given access to locations that the general public never see, including the mysterious underground tunnel system directly beneath the park, named the “Utilidor”.

Epcot, my personal favourite of the parks in both childhood and adulthood, epitomises just how much Disney can offer adults at their parks. There are a number of rides that appeal to adults, such as Soarin’ Around the World, Mission: SPACE, Test Track and even Frozen Ever After (which is a deceptively great ride).

However, what makes Epcot stand out is the World Showcase. Centred around a reflective lagoon, it features eleven themed pavilion areas, each representing a different country. Here, there is a host of dining options and events representative of the country you are in. The annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival hosts a celebration of all sorts of food from around the world.

Despite popular belief, there are tons of bars and dining establishments at Disney World for adults. Most of them have interesting themes and – of course – serve alcohol. In fact, you can also find original alcoholic beverages just about anywhere, including at the parks and resorts.

The nostalgia of remembering the memories you had here as a kid, and making new ones when you are older, continues to be timeless

Even if you didn’t want to go to the parks, the resorts are a perfect place for adults. The Grand Floridian is by far the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in, with its Victorian-style architecture and magnificent multi-story lobby. The grounds are beautiful, the restaurants are superb, and the resort is located conveniently on the monorail loop. To just sit by the pool and beach is a holiday in and of itself.

A Disney vacation for adults is all about tapping into your inner child. The nostalgia of remembering the memories you had here as a kid, and making new ones when you are older, continues to be timeless. It is clear that Disney Parks spend a lot of money deliberately cultivating millennial audiences.

People should be entitled to travel and experience wherever and whatever they like, regardless of age. If a group of middle-aged adults find it “weird” that more students are going, they are equally entitled to their opinion. But, I have no doubt who will be having more fun.

A good place to start is the figure that started it all, Walt Disney. He said: “You’re dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway.”