Not to attack anyone’s long held beliefs, but let’s just get this common little misconception out of the way first. Then we can forget that it was ever a thought.
Walt Disney World is not just for kids.
I would say that this is true for Disney in general, but it is especially true for the theme parks. Specifically, Walt Disney World, which (as you will learn) is actually more of a vacation destination than your typical amusement park.
With 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, 25+ resorts, a big shopping and entertainment complex, 3 golf courses, 2 mini golf courses, there’s more to do than you’ve ever imagined a place that started off as one theme park could offer. A lot of the resorts, themselves, offer their own entertainment. There’s fishing, parasailing, horseback riding, jet skiing…. you can even learn archery. It’s impossible to list everything that the Walt Disney World resort has to offer without boring you to death.
So, as you can see, there are plenty of entertainment options, even outside of the theme parks. The entire Walt Disney World resort is about the same size as the city of San Francisco after all.
To be real though, the entire reason the vast majority of people make Walt Disney World their vacation destination is to enjoy the theme parks. Those are the main attractions, those are what it’s known for, those are why people return, and those are what people fall in love with. If you aren’t sold by the theme parks, you probably won’t be sold by anything else. So, here are 4 reasons the Walt Disney World theme parks aren’t just for kids. There are, of course, plenty of other reasons that Disney isn’t just for kids, but hopefully these 4 reasons will give you something to think about.
4 REASONS WHY THE WALT DISNEY WORLD THEME PARKS ARE NOT JUST FOR KIDS
1) There are rides for Thrill Seekers
If rides like “It’s a Small World” and “Mad Tea Party” teacups aren’t your cup of tea (see what I did there), there are also thrill seeking rides that thrill seeking adults will enjoy. For this purpose, I will also list simulator rides that will give you a thrill.
Let’s list them out by park:
Magic Kingdom
Space Mountain
Thunder Mountain
Splash Mountain
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Coming soon: Tron Lightcycle Power Run
Epcot
Test Track
Mission Space
Coming soon: Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!
Hollywood Studios
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Slinky Dog Dash
Star Tours
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
Animal Kingdom
Expedition Everest
Kali River Rapids
Avatar Flight of Passage
Primeval Whirl
DINOSAUR
These, of course, aren’t the only rides that adults would enjoy. But, if thrills are what you are after, thrills are available. Admittedly, some aren’t as thrilling as your typical roller coaster at, say, Cedar Point, but the elaborate theming more than makes up for it.
2) You can eat, drink, explore, and shop your way around the world in one day
that country, featuring replicas of iconic sites from those countries. A lot of the countries also have either a ride or a show about the country to go along with it. You may even forget that you are in a Disney park in this area. Although, this area is starting to become a little more “Disneyfied,” with rides/shows being installed in some of the countries that are based off of Disney movies that take place in that country, but, so far, they have blended in very well.
If this is your first time (or 100th), make sure that you come to this area with an empty stomach. There is no shortage of food around the World Showcase. You’ll find plenty of food to sample of every country. There are quick service restaurants, snack counters, and table service restaurants at every country. The one exception is the United States, which doesn’t have a table service restaurant (perhaps this says something about American culture that the main restaurant is basically fast food).
If you want to have even more of an adult time, you will also find different alcoholic drinks at every country. “Drinking around the world” has become somewhat of an unofficial activity in Epcot. I just wouldn’t recommend going on Mission Space right afterwards!
Lastly, if you happen to be there during Epcot’s annual Food and Wine festival, you will find even more food stands that serve food from even more countries.
3) You will appreciate the attention to detail more than the kids
Disney goes to great lengths to create the immersion that they want you to experience in their parks. Kids will, of course, eat everything up. However, if you forget about the crowds for a moment, you will realize how much detail there is around you. For example, most of the Magic Kingdom resort is actually above ground level. There is a tunnel system underneath the park, which is on ground level, where the cast members spend their time when they aren’t “on stage.” Walt Disney created this system for the Magic Kingdom so that you wouldn’t see cast members (which is what Disney calls their employees) walking across the park in their costume that is themed specifically for the area that they work. For example, the front of the park is called “Main Street,” and this is supposed resemble an idealized version of Walt Disney’s hometown. It doesn’t make much sense to see someone in a space costume, from Tomorrowland, in the middle of what is supposed to be a turn-of-the-20th-century American town.
Another example is the forced perspective walking into the Magic Kingdom. You probably won’t realize it, but you are actually walking up a small incline when you are walking towards the castle from Main Street. This makes the castle seem taller, and farther away, than it really is. The design of the castle also makes it look taller than it really is. The bricks at the bottom of Cinderella Castle are bigger at the bottom than they are toward the middle and the top.
It’s this attention to detail that makes Disney World special and a place that will truly make you forget the real world.
4) Who doesn’t like being a kid again?
Being at Disney World allows you to be a kid again, and who doesn’t want that? And don’t let the commercials fool you. Even if princess fairy tales aren’t your thing, there is really only one section of one park where you are surrounded with a fairy tale atmosphere. Many of the attractions aren’t even based on Disney movies (admittedly, they haven’t built anything new not based on a movie or franchise in recent years). Disney World is also the home of Star Wars and Avatar. Wasn’t it every Star Wars kid’s dream to fly the Millennium Falcon? Well you can do that here! It is very easy to forget about the real world and get caught up in the carefree atmosphere that Disney creates. Where else is it acceptable for adults to where Mickey ears?
There are plenty of other reasons that I could give as to why Disney World isn’t just for kids, but this is a start. Please don’t ever go to Disney World just to please the kids. You will always have a miserable time with that attitude. Walt Disney specifically created his parks for “kids” of all ages to enjoy. You don’t even have to look hard to find a ton of things that you will enjoy as an adult.
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