That’s right folks, Disney isn’t just for the kids! One of my favorite ways to do Disney is as a girls trip. So whether you’re planning a bachelorette party or just a fun getaway with your best gals, I’ve got you covered.
For 13 magical years I was a Walt Disney World Cast Member. I spent YEARS entertaining guests during Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party, Fantasmic, and Cinderella’s Royal Table. I also spent several years working as an Assistant General Manager for one of the largest restaurants on Disney property. Sooo my entertainment and food knowledge are pretty solid. And bonus, I’ve been taking/planning Disney girls trips since 2008! So lets plan your adult only Disney vacation!
1: Food
I could write for hours about Disney food and I will but for now I’ll just give you some general tips. If you’re going to make a table service reservation, make it for first thing in the morning or at the very end of the night. Trying to coordinate your day around a mid day reservation is annoying and a waste of time.
My last girls trip, we got a 9pm reservation at La Hacienda de San Angel. The food was great, sitting down at the end of a long day was needed and it was during the Epcot fireworks. For breakfast, it’s awesome if you can snag one that is earlier than the park opening. I LOVE getting an early reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table so that I can walk down main street with barely anyone else around. Prime time for awesome pictures and then you have the rest of your day to catch shows, rides etc.
The rest of your time can be spent grabbing whatever looks delicious as you walk by. Some of my favorites (besides almost everything at the Food and Wine Festival) are the Nutella waffle in Magic Kingdom, Crepes in France, quick service nachos in Mexico and the cinnamon roll at Gaston’s Tavern.
Okay, lets talk about Disney Springs real quick. There is something here for everyone but what I am so excited to do on my next girls trip is to treat the springs like Epcot. We plan to grab a drink, appetizer or dessert at several restaurants and then move on to the next one. This way we can experience more in less time. Fun tip-you can walk around with alcohol in Disney Springs so get drinks to go to save time. We plan on going to Wine Bar George, Mori Moto, Homecomin, The Edison, Paradiso 37, The Boathouse and Paddlefish.
2: Where to stay
This comes down to your priorities and budget. If you’ve got money to spend and want to be close to the parks then the Grand Floridian, Polynesian and Contemporary are your best options. Right on the monorail so you’ll have easy access to the parks which saves a ton of time. This does mean spending the most money.
My FAVORITE OPTION for a girls trip is the Wyndham or Hilton at Disney Springs. Those are the closest two to Disney Springs so you can easily walk back and forth for all the shopping and restaurants you could ever want.
You can also take the buses from Disney Springs to any of the other resorts. The price tag on these are a fraction of the price of a true Disney resort stay. Because they’re technically on Disney property, you’ll still get the perk of EXTRA MAGIC HOURS. If you have a longer trip that will require a kitchen and you’ve got a car, then I love the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa. Very easy to get to and from the parks, condo style rooms, great Irish restaurant, and walking distance to a small set of outlets. The price on these is a steal on top of all that.
3: What to pack
In addition to what you would normally pack to be away from home…toothbrush, makeup, etc, I highly recommend a few extras.
**Portable charger. You’ll be talking so many pictures, videos and posting to social media. A full charge isn’t going to last a whole Disney day.
**2 outfits a day. Most of the year, you’re going to feel pretty gross after a day of walking around the parks so if you’ve got dinner plans, want to stroll Disney Springs in the evening, or planning on partying at Jelly Rolls, you’ll want a change of clothes.
**2 pairs of walking shoes. Even if you have the most comfy sandals or tennis shoes for day one, your feet will thank you later for switching to something else on day two.
4: What to do
If you’re going anytime between the end of August and end of December, I love the holiday parties for a girls trip. I tried to take my kids to a Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party and they didn’t last an hour. It’s something special and lines and crowds are way smaller. If you do this, don’t bother getting a park ticket for that morning (in my opinion it’s not worth it) you’ll be able to get into the park for the party by 4:00 anyway which gives you plenty of time to enjoy everything. Instead, spend the morning at Disney Springs, the boardwalk, or dine at one of your favorite resorts.
Do I need to tell you to go do the Food and Wine Festival? Just incase, go and go when there is a band playing that you like during the eat to the beat series. Boyz 2 Men anyone? Two other things that my friends and I are doing on our next trip are taking the SKYLINER from the Riviera to the Epcot entrance and then walking the boardwalk to Jelly Rolls and taking a boat in the morning from Disney Springs to Port Orleans for some coffee and Beignets. I’ve seen the SKYLINER get stuck too many times to take my toddler so that’s what landed it on my girls trip list and then being able to get dropped off within walking distance to Jelly Rolls? YES PLEASE!
The other thing to look into will be on the ENCHANTING EXTRAS COLLECTION list. If you google those words with Walt Disney World, you’ll find things like VIP tours, dessert parties, dining packages, dolphin encounters, horseback riding, carriage rides and a ton more to make your trip extra special.
5: Prep
*Make sure you have a ride share app downloaded and ready with payment. Of course there are Disney shuttle buses to get you to and from where you want to go but at the end of a long day, it’s usually less than the cost of a Starbucks coffee to call an Uber and it’ll save you a ton of time.
*Look at menus ahead of time. There is nothing worse than wandering around for an hour just to find something to eat. There are a million options but do some research on the front end to save time in the parks.
*Follow Disney Food Blog on Instagram and YouTube. Those folks have ALL the updates and give great tips for dining. Things at Disney change often so following an account that keeps up to date with changes is a lifesaver.
*Get the right bag. My last girls trip I just used my Lululemon belt bag which was at first seemed great compared to carrying a diaper bag BUT I wished I had a small backpack to carry a water bottle in. I just bought one that is a little over 9 inches tall and it’s perfect. Not bulky at all but holds a water bottle, wallet and phone.
Obviously this is not a fully comprehensive list of Disney info but these are the top things I consider when I’m planning a girls trip. If you want more info on my adult only trips to Disney, you can check out my Instagram for pictures and videos. As always, message me anytime with questions or to tell me all about the amazing trip you had, I’d love to hear from you!
If you do decide to take the kids with you, click here to read what I always pack in my Disney stroller.
