Any adults-only experiences at the resorts?

[Lodge Captain]

Look at renting a watercraft out of the Poly Marina. A pontoon would accommodate your entire group if they are available.

 

[Cubbiecakes]

Can we keep it respectful, please? The OP has said nothing offensive, and there's nothing wrong with wanting a quiet spot to decompress for awhile. The rudeness they're getting in response is unwarranted, and if it continues it will result in infractions.

Totally agree. It's not an unreasonable request. I would though be respectful of the resorts, and not send them to other resort guest areas that are for the enjoyment of those staying there. Lobby and public areas are fine, but not all areas. Plus I feel they are just looking for some quiet areas where they're staying to unwind. Just my opinion.

Sorry if I hit a nerve, but I'm really just trying to find quiet things to do after days and days surrounded by hyper-overstimulated children. I know my group, and I'm trying to make sure they can unwind without getting snarky and irritable, which would make my vacation that much better. Disney vacations are generally not relaxing for us since we are definitely Ride Warriors at heart.

Thanks everyone for the tips so far, several of them are fabulous and will be very helpful!

Not trying to be rude or catty, I would simply try to lower your expectations of finding any place completely kid free unless you are at Jellyrolls, Atlantic Dance Hall or Trader Sam's after 8 pm.

Consider them lowered! LOL I suspect Disney is missing out on an untapped market here...

 

[smidgy]

karaoke at the swan resort is supposed to limited to under 21 after 10 pm. although one year we stayed at the dolphin and stopped there on the way back from epcot and had so much fun! the next night we stopped in and there were tons of middle school girls sitting cross legged on the floor, long line to sing, no where to sit. so we left. saw the KJ (karaoke jockey) on the way out and she recognized us from the night before..
"where are you going? " um no where to sit and we dn't want to listen to 12 year olds singin katy perry."
she assured us she was on break and would make them all exit but we were tired and wet and didn't want to bother at that point.

I get where the OP is coming from. of course there will be kids everywhere at disney. but it seems she is traveling with folks not used to it.. and my husband and I go (sans kids) all the time. I recommend an evening at the boardwalk.. a nice dinner (better make reservations) or first come first serve at espn club. you need to be over 21 after 10 at kimonos at the swan (they screwed u that night) and over 21 at atlantci dance hall and jelly rolls dueling piano bar.. (that place is so much fun, but at least $10 a person)

just go there after epcot, have a nice dinner. cab or uber back to the resort.

there have been many additions to disney springs.. but, again, that is shops, bars and restaurants.

 

[smidgy]

at which resort are you staying? some of the hot tubs are more conducive to adults than others. the hot tub at port orlean riverside is RIGHT next tot he pool,so you have kids jumping in and out, treating it like a splash pool... the hot tub at POR Frenchquarter is set apart from the pool, so it's quieter.

the hot tub at Coronado is also set aside from the main pool a bit, and is the largest hot tub on property. at Carribbean Beach resort, there are 2 hot tubs. there is one right by the main pool, where all the kids jump in and out of, and there is a little known quieter one back behind the pool slide.

 

[smidgy]

I should mention (of course) that you can only use the pools or hot tubs of the resort at which you are staying.. so these things should be taken into account when choosing your resort. while POFQ has the hot tub set aside, they have only one pool, no "quiet" pool
the other 3 moderate resorts each have a "feature pool and then smaller pools.. they used to be called "quiet pools" but they really arent' they are generally queiter, since the kids like to be at the feature pool, but there is no RULE that people or kids have to be quiet to use these pools.

 

[Nancyg56]

Sorry if I hit a nerve, but I'm really just trying to find quiet things to do after days and days surrounded by hyper-overstimulated children. I know my group, and I'm trying to make sure they can unwind without getting snarky and irritable, which would make my vacation that much better. Disney vacations are generally not relaxing for us since we are definitely Ride Warriors at heart.

Thanks everyone for the tips so far, several of them are fabulous and will be very helpful!



Consider them lowered! LOL I suspect Disney is missing out on an untapped market here...

I have always thought that an adults only resort hotel would be a Disney gift to many people. Personally, kids do not bother me and even if I traveled solo I would not feel the need to stay at one, but I know many folks who woudl saw their left leg off to stay in one. It's a funny thing, folks get all worked up if anyone suggests an adult only venue in Disney, but then cannot come up with any place adults can go to unwind that has no childen present. Even a lounge that at home would not include children is an option.

I think that you will be challenged but if you look at some of these options you may find a quiet spot.

 

[AngiTN]

I have always thought that an adults only resort hotel would be a Disney gift to many people. Personally, kids do not bother me and even if I traveled solo I would not feel the need to stay at one, but I know many folks who woudl saw their left leg off to stay in one. It's a funny thing, folks get all worked up if anyone suggests an adult only venue in Disney, but then cannot come up with any place adults can go to unwind that has no childen present. Even a lounge that at home would not include children is an option.

I think that you will be challenged but if you look at some of these options you may find a quiet spot.

I would guess that folks can't come up with many kid free places at Disney because it's Disney. Disney=kids. Kids=Disney. It's just the way it is.

I agree that an adult only hotel would be a hit. Maybe do a smaller, boutique type location. I'm sure it would book up with no problems. DH and I travel kid free more than we travel with a kid. But, hearing/seeing kids doesn't put a damper on our trip. So kid free zones hasn't been something we have ever felt a need to seek out. Beyond our room at least.

 

[loves to dive]

Since you aren't totally opposed to a bar just don't want to linger to take up space, try the new bar at Animal Kingdom back behind Tiffins. It is pretty isolated and has both inside and outside seating. I don't think many people have discovered it yet, I was there on a Monday afternoon around 4 and there were only about 5 couples there, only one outside. They have some decent small plates to eat and the drinks are interesting. You could linger there as long as you want, especially during the day. Be warned it's not cheap. I had sliders and one drink and I think it was $30, which for Disney is not bad.

 

[Nancyg56]

I would guess that folks can't come up with many kid free places at Disney because it's Disney. Disney=kids. Kids=Disney. It's just the way it is.

I agree that an adult only hotel would be a hit. Maybe do a smaller, boutique type location. I'm sure it would book up with no problems. DH and I travel kid free more than we travel with a kid. But, hearing/seeing kids doesn't put a damper on our trip. So kid free zones hasn't been something we have ever felt a need to seek out. Beyond our room at least.

Everytime a place that is only for adults is mentioned here on the DIS, feathers get ruffled. I don't understand. I had kids, I have grandchildren. I do not think they need to be welcomed in every restaurant, every resort and every bar. One resort that caters to adults, a restaurant that for at least eh dinner hour is just for adults. Who does that hurt? IF you want to bring your kids to eat, you are not compelled to go to that restaurant. And there are plenty of resorts to choose from if you are traveling with youngsters. Having one option for adults does not negate all the others there are for children.

 

[AngiTN]

Everytime a place that is only for adults is mentioned here on the DIS, feathers get ruffled. I don't understand. I had kids, I have grandchildren. I do not think they need to be welcomed in every restaurant, every resort and every bar. One resort that caters to adults, a restaurant that for at least eh dinner hour is just for adults. Who does that hurt? IF you want to bring your kids to eat, you are not compelled to go to that restaurant. And there are plenty of resorts to choose from if you are traveling with youngsters. Having one option for adults does not negate all the others there are for children.

I don't understand why there is a problem with them having one myself. Other than some people don't like the idea that their special little snowflake isn't welcome somewhere. I guess exclusion is always going to go against the grain of someone.

But until they do create some kid free areas it's going to be really hard, to down right impossible, to find a kid free spot at Disney that isn't a bar (since they do have a couple adult only options) or your room.

 

[Lynne M]

OP, it might be worth it for your group to rent a car, just to get out of the WDW bubble and explore Central Florida.

 

[DrunkJam]

Not sure if they are still doing it, but the WL tour is not kid focussed (you may get some older children, but...) and is also interesting and informative.

 

[Nancyg56]

I don't understand why there is a problem with them having one myself. Other than some people don't like the idea that their special little snowflake isn't welcome somewhere. I guess exclusion is always going to go against the grain of someone.

But until they do create some kid free areas it's going to be really hard, to down right impossible, to find a kid free spot at Disney that isn't a bar (since they do have a couple adult only options) or your room.

Exactly. And honestly those Snowflakes probably would rather be in any kid friendly place.

 

[Kevin355]

DO a Behind the Scenes tour at WDW. It was all adults when we did it last year.

 

[mommyrosa2]

Hi folks, our group of four adults is traveling next month and we were curious if there were any adults-only experiences to enjoy at the resorts (not DtD, not offsite) that are not bars and not restaurants.

We'd like to be able to recharge and relax away from and out of earshot of any children.

Any thoughts?

Nothing wrong with an adults-only trip and as many have already pointed out, there's plenty of things your party can do. That said, I do believe you may be way overthinking/worrying about dealing with "hyper-overstimulated children". It's Disney and yes there'll be kids everywhere but it's not like these kids will be jumping in your face and invading your personal space and even if they are within an earshot, you and your party will survive, trust me! We go often without kids and I can honestly say in all of our trips, we've never had any problems or issues with other people's children ruining our time. Relax, have fun and remember... you can't control what others do and think, you can only control your own actions - in other words - you'll be fine .

 

[cel_disney]

I think you are ruffling feathers by suggesting that all kids are hyper-stimulated jerks at Disney. It's going to be impossible to avoid all children - but you should (mostly) be able to avoid the locations and situations that have children who are not behaving to your liking.

I think that if you focused on quiet places to relax and less on Child-less locations you might not get as much vitriol in the responses!

For what it's worth - while I do consider Disney family friendly and I do bring my children there often - I do not expect all guests to speak in a way that meets my level of 'appropriateness'. As a parent - it's my job to educate my kids on handling situations where inappropriate communications are used, so don't feel that your group has to change the way they talk to other adults in a quiet relaxing setting (as a result - I assume they won't be yelling!) on our account!! I suspect that I'm not alone in this either - and if you are using appropriate voices for those environments - I doubt we would hear you anyways as eavesdropping is poor practice as well!

The cabana areas at the Oasis pool would be a place I tried at Poly! (I hope to be in them with my kids in 3 weeks too! But for the same reason - a little get away from the craziness!

 

[DrunkJam]

I also think you are conflating two issues. Children, and quiet.
It's fairly easy to find a quiet place to relax at WDW, in the resorts anyway.
It is harder if you are adamant that, such a place has to exclude the presence of all children.
I am also confused by you needing to be out of the earshot of children. You are going to say things children must not hear? Loud enough that no children must be in the whole vicinity? or do you mean children must be out of your earshot? (i.e., you don't want to hear them?)
I am a fairly sweary adult, but, unless you are in a queue somewhere, or shouting, it's fairly easy not to be offending anyone.
And the hearing of PEOPLE is part of disney. I mean, it is easy to find quiet places, but, I might chat with my 9 year old, which is quiet, but, he is a child so... Of course, there will be things that the 3 year old will squeal at (sadly she seems to be a squealer) but it's her joy, and she will be asleep well before the end of an adult evening, so...

 

[AngiTN]

DO a Behind the Scenes tour at WDW. It was all adults when we did it last year.

Watch those carefully. They recently dropped the age limit on Backstage Magic. DH and I did that tour for my birthday last month and it is 12+ now. There was a 12 on our tour with us. I was surprised as I didn't realize they had changed the age limit. I guess it had just happened. Even the tour leader was surprised and asked the child their age. The response was "if they accepted you when you booked the tour it must be ok"

 

[MakiraMarlena]

There are basically no adult-only experiences at WDW. Maybe some of the resort spas.

There is Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance on the Boardwalk. Both are for 21 and up. They are not bars or restuarants. Jellyrolls sells drinks, but it is a dueling piano show. Atlantic Dance is a dance hall. Probably also sells drinks. They are not going to be quiet spaces.

Those are the only places where you are guaranteed to not see any children, which are not restaurants or bars. Florida law does not ban underage persons from bars, so there will be children in the bars. There are only two other places with age limits - Victoria and Albert's restaurant (Grand Floridian) does not admit children under age 10, and Trader Sam's bar (Polynesian) is 21 and older only after 8 PM.

There are places where you may be less likely to see children at times, but if children show up they will be welcomed.

For what it's worth, I remember what happened when Victoria & Albert's made the decision to exclude children under age 10. There was an outcry. Even the local TV news read a "DISNEY WORLD RESTAURANT BANS CHILDREN!!!!" story. It was a brief outcry, and was mostly from people who had no interest in going to Victoria & Albert's in the first place, and many had no idea what type of restaurant it was - they just felt personally slighted (or slighted on behalf of their children), and objected to the idea of exclusion. It didn't last, and V&A remains age restricted.

 

[Leelo]

I totally understand where you are coming from with your question! Obviously you know it is a child-friendly place or you would not have asked the question for others to help you seek out some options. I think it's a perfectly reasonable question to ask. My husband and I LOVE Disney and we are child-free. I can say that we have never been bothered by any families with children. It is a big enough place that we just walk somewhere else if there is something distracting going on. It's been a wonderful experience. However, we have some very close friends who are easily affected by the presence of children and get overloaded quickly and would definitely need the kind of space you are looking for. The most relaxing experiences we have had are finding little seating nooks around the deluxe resorts. I'm sure a CM at the resort front desk could let you know where to find them. I know GF, AKL and WL have them and the Poly beach is quite nice in some areas. You could also consider taking a book and some ear plugs. Even if there are people around, dulling out the sounds can make a place that is normally busy feel very peaceful.