No one who knows me would say I am an adult. Well, I guess I am an adult because of my age, but I am definitely not grown-up. So how can I write a series on adult things to do in the Disney parks? I know a lot of adults and if I was visiting the parks with them I would recommend these ideas. The fun part is that the five ideas I have listed work for both grown-ups and those of us who never grew up. My short list works for those adults who don’t want anything Mickey Mouse. Why would they go to a Disney park, you ask? Because the parks are for everyone. Let’s start at the original, Disneyland.
At first it looks like Disneyland is for families and children. Walt Disney certainly had that in mind when he built the park, but there are still lots of fun things for adults who don’t want to do childish things to experience. The trick is to stay out of certain lands and enjoy the nostalgia that Walt Disney was trying to create.
5 fun activities that adults can enjoy at Disneyland:
1) Visit the right areas. It is impossible to avoid Mickey and the gang at Disneyland, but to limit exposure stay out of certain lands, mainly Mickey’s Toontown. Stay in Adventureland, Frontierland, and New Orleans Square and you’ll get to enjoy great architecture, great food, and great music without many animated characters.
2) Don’t miss certain attractions. Obviously I think you should ride all the rides, but some of the attractions are more grown-up than others. For a lovely relaxed time I would take a ride on the Mark Twain River Boat or the Sailing Ship Columbia. Both of these majestic ships sail around the Rivers of America and take you back in time.
3) Think New Orleans for dinner. For a more sophisticated dinner than just hamburgers and fries head over to New Orleans Square. Café Orleans and the French Market have great food and great music. If you are looking for something more intimate than I recommend the Blue Bayou. And I recommend you make reservations. This restaurant is very popular.
4) Ride the train. Walt Disney loved trains and the Disneyland Railroad is a lovely way to enjoy the park in a relaxing and old-fashioned manner. There will be children around but the train has a way of calming the most active child.
5) Shop Main Street, U.S.A. When people think of shopping at Disneyland they normally think of the Emporium, which is the largest store on Main Street, U.S.A. and filled with all things Mickey Mouse. But if you skip that store and wander through some of the smaller stores you’ll find treasures from watches to dishes and everything inbetween.
Disneyland was built for everyone to enjoy, from the most child-like to the most mature. The trick to enjoying your visit is to look past the obvious and find the pockets of magic. Happiness squared.
Goofy Tip: If you are looking for a very grown-up experience at the parks consider a behind-the-scenes tour. Most of the parks have them and a lot of them don’t allow young children. They are a great way to see the park though the eyes of the imagineers.