There are lots of ways to make a Disney World vacation extra special for an ‘Adult Only’ vacation. Of course, feel free to ride all the rides, meet every character, and act like a kid yourself. That’s one of the reasons we all love Disney World; however, if you want some extra special “Adult” experiences, here are a few.

Stay at a Deluxe Resort

The following resorts have extraordinarily beautiful grounds, lovely restaurants, and tons of charm. All of these Resorts are in the Deluxe Resort category, with the addition of two Moderate Resorts. Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter, which offers some pretty unbeatable charm of its own in the Moderate Resort category. And with the addition of the Gran Destino Tower, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort also made the list.

Most Adult-Friendly Disney Resorts:

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (Deluxe )
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn (Deluxe)
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort (Deluxe)
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (Deluxe)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (Deluxe)
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter (Moderate)
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort – Gran Destino Tower (Moderate)

Eat & Drink in Epcot’s World Showcase

Walking…no, strolling around the World Showcase lagoon in Epcot is incredibly romantic. You are taking a quick jaunt to 11 different countries, tasting incredible small bites and drinking plenty of beer, wine, and cocktails. Take in some of the country’s shows and enjoy some upscale shopping. For an extra treat, have dinner at one of the more Adult restaurants.

Most Adult-Friendly restaurants in the Epcot’s World Showcase:

Le Cellier (Canada)
Bistro de Paris (France)
Monsieur Paul (France)
Spice Road Table (Morocco)
Tokyo Dining (Japan)
Rose & Crown – outdoor patio (United Kingdom)

Monorail Crawl

There are about a million ways to do this. Here is just one…

Monorail Crawl:

Start at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort – Trader Sams for drinks & small bites
Monorail to Grand Floridian, enjoy a drink at the Enchanted Rose lounge / stroll through the grounds with a glass of wine
Monorail to Contemporary – California Grill for drinks, desserts, and fireworks view
Bonus: Boat to Wilderness Lodge – Geyser Point for drinks & small bites, beautiful lake view

Evening at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn

Simply walking along the Boardwalk at night is amazing and you’ll feel transported back to the turn of the century when life was Grand. Have dinner at the Flying Fish, followed by drinks at Jellyrolls to watch the Dueling Pianos. Jellyrolls is one of the only “21+” venues at Disney World, and it’s so much fun!

Dinner & Drinks at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Jiko at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Animal Kingdom Lodge is a popular Disney resort for adults and also home to a wonderful, upscale restaurant, Jiko. With an award-winning South African wine list and master chef, this is an incredibly romantic venue. Arrive early for a drink at Victoria Falls, the lounge overlooking Boma. Ask the bartender if they know how to make a “Victoria Falls Mist”. This drink hasn’t been on the menu for almost 20 years; however, a few of the bartenders still know how to make it. You’re welcome!

Evening at Disney Springs

This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you don’t know where to go, you could end up feeling like you’re at a mall on a Saturday night *cough – Marketplace – cough*. Start in The Landing – you’ve got lots of lakefront venues to enjoy drinks and small bites. Some favorites are Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar (go all the way through to the outdoor bar in the back), The Boathouse, The Edison, and Wine Bar George. Head over to the West Side for shopping and shenanigans.

The California Grill is an upscale restaurant that sits on top of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The view of Magic Kingdom and the Seven Seas Lagoon is incredible.

Snagging a reservation at California Grill is no easy task. Now, imagine my surprise when I could snag a 7 pm dinner reservation on Christmas Night! I almost fell over.

Overall, California Grill’s look and feel had not changed much since my last visit. The atmosphere is a perfect combination of romance and excitement. The service is as good as it gets!

In years past, I would have given the food a 10/10 rating. It was perfection. This time around was really close. But I have to give it a 9/10 rating. Here’s what we had and my thoughts about it.

I hate to start with the worst, but we started our meal with sushi. This is the California Combination Roll. It was just awful. Worse than I can even explain. Something was off with the rice; there were zero flavors at all. The dipping sauce didn’t seem to compliment any of it—just a big disappointment.

Luckily my faith was restored when I ordered an all-time favorite appetizer at Walt Disney World — the Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli. It was perfection, possibly even better than I’ve ever had it. I crave this dish.

For my entree, I actually ordered the Hearts of Romaine salad from the appetizer section. I was already feeling full, and I thought I’d be good with a salad and a few bites of my wife’s entree. I was pleasantly surprised when it came out, and it was loaded! As you can see, this is no ordinary salad. It was delicious! Next time, I would order this as my starting appetizer instead of the sushi.

My wife’s entree was the Grilled Pork Tenderloin, which completely surprises me as she always gets the filet. She LOVED it, and I have to agree that it was delicious. The pork was cooked perfectly, and the pork sausage was a nice touch.

We were too stuffed for dessert, but I did finish the most delicious Lemon Drop Martini on the planet (I always get this when I dine at California Grill!) and enjoyed the view of the castle, as well as the Electric Water Pageant as it floated past us.

Overall, a wonderful experience, and other than that unfortunate sushi, the food was incredible.

Cheers!

I recently had the opportunity to have breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace, located on the top of Disney’s Riviera Resort. This is a character breakfast, although it was quite different from character meals of the past.

My first impression of the restaurant is that it is beautiful! The entire hotel is beautiful, and if you’ve ever been to Europe, you’ll be showered with memories of your past trips.

The food was also delicious! Definitely not worth $60 per person, which is the flat rate for dining here. But because it is a character dining experience, I would expect the high price tag.

The characters at this meal are Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy. They are ADORABLE! They are all European versions of themselves — Mickey is a painter, Minnie is a poet, Donald is a sculptor, and Daisy is a ballerina.

The characters do NOT come to your table, and there are no physical interactions with them. They each take their turns coming out to dance and play around the restaurant. They will pose to allow you to take their picture, or sometimes they’ll pose perfectly for you to take a picture of them behind your children or for you to snap a selfie (but only while you are seated). Then all 4 of them will come out together to sing a song and do a dance. It’s super cute.

Overall, I am glad to have experienced this new restaurant and have the opportunity to check out a new Disney resort. But because of the high price tag, I won’t be rushing to do another character dining experience right away.

BONUS TIP: After your meal at Topolino’s Terrace, go outside, where there is a large seating area. The views up there are amazing!

Character dining has been at the Walt Disney World Resort since 1977. The first character meal was located at Coconino Cove at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. This meal was only available as a brunch on Sunday mornings. Reservations were not required at that time. Fast forward a few years to 1984, there were only 3 locations that hosted Disney Characters for breakfast. The Polynesian Village hosted Minnie’s Menehune, The Contemporary at the Terrace Cafe, and at the Village Restaurant in the Rainforest location we know today in Disney’s Springs. In 1989 the Village Character dining was named Chef Mickey’s and later in 1996 moved to Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Reservations were required.

In just 2019, Character dining was all over the Walt Disney World Resort and expanded beyond breakfast to lunch and dinners, special meals, and even brunch at times. Reservations were required and would begin booking 180 days before arrival. It most certainly has become one of the most popular parts of a Disney Vacation. It really depends on who you talk to as to which one is the crowd favorite. Chef Mickey’s still ranks pretty high, but having a meal in Cinderella Castle isn’t too shabby either.

In late 2020 after Walt Disney World would safely reopen during the pandemic, Character dining made an appearance at Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riviera for breakfast. Guests were so excited to sing along and wave as their favorite characters appeared. Soon other locations followed. Now you can go to the Garden Grill in Epcot, Chef MIckey’s at the Contemporary, Hollywood, and Vine at Hollywood Studios, Cinderella’s Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom, and Ravello’s at the Four Seasons.

Due to social distancing and safety restrictions, your Character dining experience has changed, but the magic of their appearance certainly did not fade. During the Holiday Season 2020, Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and Goofy dressed up in their holiday fashions at Disney’s Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios. The characters danced, waved, stood at a safe distance behind children for pictures, and addressed each table with cheer. The meal was partially served family-style, and each could choose their entree. Chef Mickey’s introduced Mickey and the gang in mid-December to dance their way through your meal. The buffet has been replaced with menu items, but you don’t lack for food! Just as delicious as ever.

Character dining will always be a favorite experience for families. Although all of them haven’t fully opened yet, there still is a chance you can snatch a reservation for your family. Reservations are currently being booked 60 days out on your My Disney Experience. If you don’t get in before you arrive at the resort, you can try on your mobile device during your stay.

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is home to one of my favorite “hidden gems,” the Ale & Compass Restaurant. This delightful restaurant has not only a beautiful dining room but also a large and comfortable lounge.

The dining room serves breakfast and dinner, and the lounge serves light fare in the evenings. But I’ll tell you a tip…if there is something from the dining room menu that you are after — ask your bartender! The Cast Members will most likely help you out.

One of the Dining Rooms

The atmosphere is upscale casual, which appeals to the many guests of the Yacht Club Resort. If you are a foodie, this is a restaurant you must experience. The bread service alone is worth a try. On a recent stay at the Yacht Club, we dined at Ale & Compass three times (once in the dining room, twice in the lounge) because we kept wanting the bread service! (see below)

My absolute favorite dish was something I had on the last night – buffalo cauliflower. It was fantastic!

Roasted ‘Buffalo-style’ Cauliflower

Enjoy some foodie pics, and make sure to check out the Ale & Compass restaurant on your next Disney vacation!

Parker House Rolls and Spreads: Bacon Jam, Pub Cheese, Citrus Butter

‘Brick’ Lemon-Herb Half Chicken: Duck Fat-roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Broccolini, Sautéed Wild Mushroom, and Pan Jus

Bacon and Vermont Cheddar Burger

The best Bloody Mary – simple and spicy!