by Disney Magic Diva
Everyone thinks about a special night with their significant other when Valentine’s Day rolls around, but have you ever thought about a date night while you’re visiting Walt Disney World Resort? There are so many things to do – from the romantic to the adventurous to the just plain fun! And let’s face it – all the hustle and bustle of a Disney vacation can sometimes make you feel like you need a vacation from your vacation! So, make arrangements for the kiddos (I highly recommend Pixar Play Zone – our grandkids loved it!) and plan a night just for the two of you. Here’s a quick list of ideas in no particular order for you to think about on your next visit to the Most Magical Place on Earth.
Dessert Party If you’re a believer in “sweets for the sweet” a dessert party may be a perfect choice for you and your – well – sweetie. While you could of course take your children to a dessert party, the $70-80 per person price-tag (and late night) can be prohibitive for a family with young children. So, enjoying some delectable desserts and a spectacular show is a wonderful way to spend the evening as a couple. Thankfully, there is no shortage of dessert parties available at Walt Disney World Resort. Each park has at least one – Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios have two or more options! IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot will be ending in a few months – a dessert party is a wonderful way to see it for the last time. And although Animal Kingdom doesn’t have fireworks, there is a Rivers of Light Dessert party. We’ve attended several dessert parties, and always enjoy the reserved prime viewing space as well as the desserts!
Night Out on the BoardWalk I first discovered how much fun a night out on the BoardWalk could be when we were looking for something special to do for my daughter’s “bachelorette” party on the night before her Disney wedding. (Read all about her fairy-tale wedding, here!) We decided to have a girls’ night at Jellyrolls. If you’re not familiar with it, Jellyrolls is a dueling piano bar – and a wonderful place to spend a fun night! We had a marvelous time strolling the BoardWalk enjoying the entertainment, then having a drink (or two) and singing along at Jellyrolls.
Diva Tip: With all the fabulous restaurants on the BoardWalk, you could also plan a lovely dinner and top it off with some delicious ice-cream from Ample Hills Creamery. (Ice-cream flights? Yes, please!)
Tiki Diva also has ideas for a date night on the BoardWalk. Check it out here!
Looking down at the dance floor at The Edison
Dinner and Dancing at The Edison (or any restaurant in Disney Springs) Nightlife at Disney Springs is unbelievable, and an ideal place for a date night. If you really want to take it to the next level, stop by The Edison for a night of dinner and dancing! The atmosphere is extraordinary, and the live entertainment provides for an unforgettable night. We had the chance to visit shortly after it opened and will certainly return!
Diva Tip: If you forgot your dancing shoes, look for a table upstairs over the dance floor. You’ll get a great view of the dance floor and all the live entertainment from above!
Ride their Faves What better way to show you care than to do whatever your sweetie wants to do? When the kids are in tow, it’s hard to enjoy some of the thrill attractions sitting by the one you love. So, here’s your chance! Of course, it doesn’t have to be a thrill ride. Snuggling next to your honey on the PeopleMover can be very romantic. So, head to the parks and let your better half choose the attractions!
Seeing Pandora at night puts a whole new “light” on its beauty.
Visit Pandora If you haven’t seen Pandora at night, you haven’t seen Pandora. It truly is beyond belief! Stroll among the exotic bioluminescent flora and fauna, and maybe even soar on a banshee. Be sure to try the Night Blossom at Pongu Pongu (we won’t tell if you choose the alcoholic version) and pose for a photograph by one of the waterfalls.
Trader Sam’s and Fireworks on the Beach This is one we’ve never been able to do. (But Tonga Princess Diva did! Check out her review!) Getting into Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is an exercise in patience (or luck!) – it is extremely small and does not take reservations. But it is a wonderful place for a tropical evening, full of fabulous food and awesome drinks. Then stroll outside to the beach and watch the fireworks over Magic Kingdom. What a night that would be!
Highway in the Sky Dine Around This may be the ultimate date night for foodies. Imagine beginning your night at Disney’s Contemporary Resort nibbling on delicious delights and sipping cocktails. Board the monorail, and travel to the South Pacific (okay, maybe it’s really the Polynesian) where you indulge in appetizers and tropical drinks. Another monorail ride finds you at the elegant Grand Floridian, sipping more cocktails and nibbling on a divine charcutiere selection before dining at Citricos. One more trip on the monorail finds you back at the Contemporary finishing your evening with dessert, on a private patio, watching fireworks and sipping cordials. Highway in the Sky Dine Around is definitely on my Disney Bucket List!
Diva Tip: If this is a little out of your budget, think about making your own monorail crawl. You can have drinks at one resort, dinner at another, and dessert at the third. Or just dessert at all three — it’s your night, do what you want!
Sunsets on safari are sensational!
Safari at Sunset If you and your bae are into animals, you might want to go on safari! Schedule a FastPass+ for Kilimanjaro Safari around sunset. The animals are likely to be a little more active, and the gorgeous colors in the sky are unforgettable. After that adventure, head over to Tiffins and enjoy a drink at Nomad Lounge. It’s one of Passholder Diva’s favorites! Read her review here.
Victoria & Albert’s Of course, if you want the absolute ultimate in romance and fine dining, there’s nothing comparable to dinner at Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. For this one you’ll need to do some serious planning because this reservation is very difficult to score. The restaurant is extremely small and intimate and sure to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Check it out, here.
Mini-Golf and Ice Cream Not all date nights need to bust your budget! One evening my hubby and I tried mini-golf at Fantasia Gardens, then walked over to Beaches & Cream at Disney’s Beach Club Resort for ice-cream. (If you’re a peanut butter and chocolate fan, be sure to try the No Way Jose sundae!) If you want to sit inside, you’ll likely need a reservation. But the take-out window is a great choice if you are willing to sit outside!
Diva Tip: If you time it right, you might even get a little extra pixie-dust for your evening and be able to see fireworks from both Epcot and Hollywood Studios from Beaches & Cream Soda Shop!
Happily Ever After from Seven Seas Lagoon is unforgettable!
Fireworks Cruise I had to beg and plead with my husband to try this, and it turned out to be one of his very favorite experiences! There are many options for a fireworks cruise – Pirates and Pals Fireworks Dessert Voyage, Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise, or even a private cruise. We’ve done the Pirates and Pals with the grandkids and loved it! Tinker Belle Diva had a great time with her family, too. I’ve also done the Ferrytale Fireworks Sparkling Dessert cruise and thought it was more geared for adults since it didn’t have the character interactions of Pirates and Pals. You can read about it here. And the private cruise would be an extra-special way to spend a romantic evening!
Carriage Ride What could be more romantic than a private carriage ride around the resort? Both Disney’s Riverside Resort and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort offer horse-drawn carriage rides – and you don’t need to be a guest of one of those resorts to partake in this delightful experience. At Riverside, you’ll enjoy a charming ride alongside the banks of the Sassagoula River, leisurely making your way down to Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter and back. At Fort Wilderness, you’ll enjoy a ride through the forest of pines and cypress trees past the cabins and campsites of the resort. So snuggle up with your sweetie, maybe grab a drink, and enjoy a relaxing horse-drawn carriage ride.
Diva Tip: During the holidays, you can take a special Holiday Sleigh Ride at Disney’s Fort Wilderness! The horses don their finest holiday attire and jingle bells, and you can enjoy all the decorations- especially those the campsite guests put up to celebrate. Read about our sleigh ride, here!
Meeting YeHaa Bob was such a fun evening!
YeHaa BobIf you’re looking for a fun time without using a park ticket or spending a fortune, go see YeHaa Bob Jackson in the River Roost Lounge at Disney’s Riverside Resort. We avoided this for quite a while, because I’m just not a “lounge” person. But don’t let that stop you! The environment is very family friendly, and YeHaa Bob puts on a non-stop, sing-along, funny, interactive show! He’s been recognized as a Disney Legend, and it’s easy to see why! Bob will work the room before the show, and unbelievably remember your name. His energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Whether as a date night or with the entire family, it’s a show you will enjoy! You can read about our experience here.
Drinks at California Grill and Fireworks You may have heard that there is a patio on top of the Contemporary Resort where, if you’re a guest at California Grill, you can view the Magic Kingdom fireworks. Now, dining at California Grill is an experience not to be missed (read about our dinner, here) but it may not fit in your budget or schedule. Did you know you can also enjoy fireworks viewing if you are a guest at the California Grill Lounge? It’s a great way to see the specatular show without investing all the time and money of a full meal at California Grill.
Diva Tip: Seating at the lounge is on a first-come, first-serve basis. You may want to go early, enjoy a cocktail, and save your receipt for entrance to the patio later that evening when fireworks are scheduled.
Taste Your Way Around the World If you’re really up for an adventure (and are very, very hungry) you could head to Epcot and taste your way around the world. Get a snack or dessert in each country, then waddle home. This could be especially fun during one of the Epcot festivals when there are food kiosks with specialty items. (Read about tasting your way around the world at the Festival of the Arts and the Food and Wine Festival ) An alternative to this would be to pick your favorite country, and have a date night there. Dinner in Paris? Get a henna tattoo in Morocco? Linger in the Japanese gardens? Or, if you’re local to the area, you could date your way around the world – have a date night once a month at a different country!
We really enjoyed a food and wine pairing seminar at Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. So delicious!
Festival Seminar If your visit to Walt Disney World Resort coincides with one of the Epcot festivals, you should think about attending one of the many special festival seminars. We attended our first seminar at the Food and Wine Festival in 2018, and it was so informative and fun! They are reasonably priced and give you such insight into the topic. Passholder Diva has attended several workshops and seminars. You can read about them here and here.
Take a Tour Did you know there are several types of tours available at Walt Disney World Resort? You can go behind the scenes at Magic Kingdom, learn about elephants at Animal Kingdom, dive with dolphins at Epcot, discover what it takes to decorate Disney World for the holidays, find out about hydroponic farming, learn about the Disney steam trains, march with stormtroopers, or even create your own customized tour! Just search “tours” on Disney’s website, and you’re sure to find something interesting!
Dine with an Imaginer Do you have an interest in what a career as an imagineer must be like? Did you know you can actually MEET one and hear their story? Passholder Diva has done this, and it sounds like a completely magical experience! You can choose to dine at either The Hollywood Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios or Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Or, if you’re an animal lover, you can dine with an animal specialist at Sanna! How cool is that?!
Kiss Goodnight What better activity for a date night than seeing the “Kiss Goodnight?” It is perhaps the sweetest moment of the day at Magic Kingdom, and most guests never experience it. You won’t find it on the Times Guide, but it’s something you should see at least once. The “Kiss Goodnight” takes place about 30 minutes after park closing. The lights on Cinderella Castle dim, and an announcer comes over the public address system to thank you for spending the day at Magic Kingdom, and to remind everyone to make magical memories with those they love. It’s a special little wish good-bye that makes you feel like you’ve been sprinkled with pixie dust and can just imagine coming directly from Walt himself. You can read more about the Kiss Goodnight here and more about the story behind it here.
This list is by no means exhaustive. There are undoubtedly countless more ways to spend a memorable evening with the love of your life while at Walt Disney World Resort. What are your ideas for date night activities?
If you’re ready to sweep your sweetie away, be sure to contact Patricia at All for Dreams Travel. She can help arrange your magical trip and make any reservations you need for your special date night. And her services are FREE!
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