If you know us, you know that Disney World is usually a family affair for us. With four kids, most of our Disney trips involve park days, character meals, rides, snacks, and trying to squeeze in as much magic as possible before someone needs a snack… or a break… or a bathroom.
But last year, my husband and I decided to do something a little different.
We took a quick adults-only weekend trip to Walt Disney World—and it was SO much fun to experience Disney without the kids.
Our plan? A little resort hopping, a Monorail bar crawl, Disney’s Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios, and the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
It reminded us that Disney World isn’t just for kids.
Starting the Weekend With a Disney Monorail Bar Crawl
We arrived ready to ease into the weekend, so instead of immediately heading into a park, we started with one of our favorite ways to experience Disney: exploring the resorts.
Our first stop was Disney’s Contemporary Resort, where we headed to Steakhouse 71 Lounge for a drink.
There’s something so fun about visiting Disney’s resorts without having anywhere you need to be. We could sit, have a cocktail, enjoy the atmosphere, and just take our time.
From there, we hopped on the Monorail and headed over to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
We wanted to check out The Perch, the resort’s new lobby bar, and of course, take in all of the beautiful Christmas decorations. Disney resorts during the holidays are an experience all on their own, and the Grand Floridian is especially gorgeous.
After enjoying the Christmas atmosphere and another drink, we made our way to our final stop: Tambu Lounge at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
Three resorts. Three drinks. Christmas decorations. No kids asking when we were going to the next ride.
It was a pretty perfect way to start an adults-only Disney weekend.
Then It Was Time for Jollywood Nights
After our resort-hopping adventure, we checked into our hotel and took a quick rest before getting ready for the main event:
Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
If you haven’t experienced Jollywood Nights, it’s Disney’s holiday party at Hollywood Studios, filled with seasonal entertainment, special characters, holiday food and drinks, and plenty of Christmas atmosphere.
One of the things we loved about being adults-only was that we could really prioritize the things we wanted to experience instead of trying to make the night work around four different sets of interests.
We were able to enter Hollywood Studios a couple of hours before the official party start time, so we immediately headed over to get good seats for Fantasmic!, which is one of our favorite nighttime shows.
Getting a great spot for Fantasmic! was definitely worth prioritizing. We could relax, enjoy one of our favorite Disney shows, and then jump right into the party afterward.
Our Jollywood Nights Priorities
Once the party officially started, we had a short list of things we really wanted to see.
A few Stars Wars characters, some of the holiday shows, and trying a bunch of Christmas snacks and drinks!.
We were especially excited to meet The Mandalorian and Chewbacca in his Life Day outfit. Disney holiday events are such a fun opportunity to see characters in outfits you don’t normally see during a regular park day.
We also made sure to catch the Muppets Christmas show, which was one of the entertainment offerings we didn’t want to miss.
And then, of course, there was the food and drinks.
Because what would an adults-only Disney night be without trying some of the specialty cocktails?
Christmas Cocktails & Holiday Snacks
One of my favorite parts of Jollywood Nights was getting to slow down and actually try some of the specialty drinks.
We loved the champagne drinks at The Twilight Soiree at The Tip Top Club, and we also tried the arepas over at the street party.
There was something about walking around Hollywood Studios at night, surrounded by Christmas lights, live entertainment, holiday music, and specialty cocktails that made the whole evening feel completely different from a typical Disney park day.
And the snacks were amazing, too.
We eventually stopped for a late bite at The Hollywood Brown Derby, where we were able to enjoy some food along with live Christmas jazz music.
It was such a fun way to slow down in the middle of the party and take in the atmosphere.
Sometimes the best Disney memories aren’t necessarily about riding every attraction. They’re about sitting together, listening to live music, enjoying a great meal, and realizing how lucky you are to be there.
The Next Day: Epcot Food & Wine Festival
After a late night at Hollywood Studios, we slept in a little and headed to Epcot the following day for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
And this was another place where being adults-only made the experience completely different.
We could wander around the World Showcase without a schedule and stop whenever something looked good.
So that’s exactly what we did.
We hopped from pavilion to pavilion, trying different foods and drinks from the festival booths and enjoying the atmosphere.
There was no rushing to the next attraction. No trying to keep everyone together. No negotiating over what everyone wanted to eat.
Just two adults walking around Disney World, eating our way around the world.
And one of the things we specifically wanted to do because we didn’t have the kids with us was visit GEO-82, the adults-only lounge at EPCOT.
A Drink at GEO-82
This ended up being one of the highlights of our weekend.
We ordered what became one of the best Old Fashioneds we’ve ever had: the Brown Butter Old Fashioned.
It was SO good.
GEO-82 was also a completely different Disney experience than what we’re used to as a family. It was a chance to sit down, enjoy a beautifully designed space, have a really good cocktail, and just relax together.
It was one of those moments where we looked at each other and thought, We really should do Disney like this more often.
Why We Loved an Adults-Only Disney Trip
We absolutely love taking our kids to Disney World.
Those family trips are some of our favorite memories, and there is nothing quite like seeing Disney through your kids’ eyes.
But I also think there is something really special about experiencing Disney World as a couple.
You can slow down.
You can linger over a cocktail.
You can hop between resorts just because you want to.
You can try foods that the kids probably wouldn’t eat.
You can prioritize a show you’ve been wanting to see.
You can stay out late at a holiday party.
And you can spend an entire afternoon wandering around Epcot with no real agenda other than What looks good?
Disney World Is Magical for Every Age
If you’ve only ever thought about Disney World as a family vacation, I would absolutely encourage you to consider an adults-only Disney weekend.
You don’t have to take a full week off.
You don’t have to visit every park.
And you don’t have to spend your entire trip running from attraction to attraction.
You could fly down for a quick weekend, stay at a Disney resort, enjoy a holiday party, do a Monorail or Skyliner bar crawl, spend an afternoon at Epcot, and fly home.
For us, it was such a fun reminder that Disney can look completely different depending on who you’re traveling with.
And honestly, that’s one of the things I love most about Disney.
It’s magical for kids of all ages—including us.
So if you’ve been thinking about an adults-only Disney trip, take this as your sign to book the weekend.
Leave the kids with the grandparents, pack your bags, and go enjoy a little Disney magic for yourselves. ❤️
