Six years after my first visit to Walt Disney World Florida, when my children were just 7 and 10, I returned, this time as an adult traveller. In that time Disney has evolved from a place I associated mainly with princesses and small rides to a destination filled with thrilling, grown up attractions, sophisticated dining and premium experiences that feel every bit as magical for adults as they do for children.

One of the biggest differences of this trip was how much more time I spent exploring Disney hotels and resorts.  As well as staying at the incredible Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, I visited:

Disney's Beach and Yacht Club

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

Disney's Grand Floridian

Disney's All Star Music and Sports Resort

Disney's Art of Animation

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

From the relaxed beachy elegance of the Beach and Yacht Club to the tropical Polynesian and the classic Victorian style of the Grand Floridian., there is truly a hotel at Disney for every taste and budget.  The all-stars resorts and Art of Animation offer great value and fun theming, while Caribbean Beach Resort has a lovely laid back island feel.

Animal Kingdom Lodge is very unique, waking up to savanna views with giraffes and buffalo outside your balcony feels just like being on a mini African safari, yet I was only minutes from the parks.

Staying onsite still means early access to the parks, this makes a huge difference to how much I could fit into each day, whilst retaining that element of relaxation by the pool to rest weary feet.  

VIP Disney

A real highlight of my trip was having a Disney VIP Tour Guide for the day, its not cheap and costs approx $600 per hour and the tour can accommodate up to ten guests so it becomes very good value when split between a group. Our VIP Guide planned our day from start to finish and took almost all the stress out of park touring. If you travelling in a group where everyone wants to do different things, this is absolutely worth the investment. It allows you to experience a huge amount in a single day without spending your time standing in queues or worrying about logistics.

Benefits included:

Being escorted right to the front of the queues - a massive help with queuing up to three hours on newer rides

Private vehicles to transfer us between parks

Popcorn, snacks and drinks included, on tap.

VIP merchandise cupboard access and surprise gifts

A prime viewing area for the evening fireworks and parades.

Magic Kingdom

One magical day watching the parades to soak up the atmosphere before diving in to the rides and attractions.  

TRON Lightcycle Run, the newest high speed rollercoaster, which made me feel I was racing though a digital world.  Its the fastest coaster I have ever been on, just do it!

Space Mountain, the indoor rollercoaster with so much adrenaline, went on twice.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, for all ages this is a classic that shouldn't be missed.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure, a log flume ride with great storytelling and a fun final drop.  Recommend a waterproof.

Haunted Mansion, a castle filled with spooky features, a huge attraction and a retreat from the heat.

Lunch at Jungle Navigation Co was a healthy Shrimp noodle dish, fresh and delicious.  It was a perfect example of how Disney Dining has moved on , its certainly not all burgers and chips anymore.

Our evening at Magic Kingdom ended with Disney Gelato and the "Happily Ever After" night time spectacular. A combination of fireworks, lasers, projections and music was even more emotional than I remembered, and had genuinely forgotten just how impressive this show is.

Animal Kingdom

The park closest to my hotel, we made full use of the early entry to get a head start beginning the day with Expedition Everest, a brilliant roller coaster with a great mix of speed, drops.

Headed on to Kilimanjaro Safari vehicles which truly  feels like being on safari in Africa, taking you on a drive spotting leopard, elephant, giraffes, lions and rhinos from the comfort of your vehicle.

From there to my favourite part of the park, Pandora, The World of Avatar to ride Flight of passage a simulator attraction sitting on a native mountain Banshee, soaring across the landscape of Pandora. Absolutely breath taking it will bring you close to tears of joy.  Whilst in Pandora, you can ride the Na'vi River Journey which is an immersive slower paced boat journey through the world of Avatar.  

Finally a cool down on the Kali River Rapids for a fun soak before lunch at Tusker House.  Tusker is a character filled dining buffet that is a real standout. The selection ranged from smoked salmon to Mickey waffles with caramel sauce and bananas, there's a dish for everyone here and its delicious food. Their special Tusker juice is also well worth sampling, nobody leaves Tusker House hungry.

Before leaving the park, we took the time to admire the Tree of Life with its 326 carved animals. I recommend returning to Avatar in the evening as the whole park lights up impressively, and you can simply wander around taking in the atmosphere after dark.

Hollywood Studios

Perfectly pitched to older children, teens and adults now but filled with Disney Characters to collect autographs. Watching the parade on Main Street was a real treat before heading to the rides and attractions.

Toy Story land has a good selection including the iconic Slinky Dog Dash, so popular as a rollercoaster for all the family to enjoy. Toy Story Mania is also worth checking out, a competitive carnival style shooting game.  Alien Swirl Saucers ( similar to the tea-cups) is ideal for little ones.

For a thrilling experience, headed to Sunset Boulevard to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, a must do however not for the faint hearted. Its a haunted service elevator in a 1930's hotel with random drop sequences. It was built by a lift company randomly, this information made me feel safer riding.  

The Rock 'n' Roller Coaster stars the Muppets now instead of Aerosmith, re-opening May 26th 2026.  Its an indoor coaster that takes you a ride through Hollywood.

Then it was time for Star Wars Galaxy's Edge, the newest attraction Rise of the Resistance was incredible, so is Millennium Falcon, Smugglers Run and Star Tours.  The level of detail in this park is unbelievable, it truly feels like stepping onto a Star Wars film set, with every element carefully designed - even the toilets are themed.

When its time to sit down, Hollywood Studios has plenty of interactive shows.  I watched "for the First Time in Forever."  This was surprisingly immersive, even featuring snow falling from ceiling as Olaf sang his little heart out.

We rounded the evening off with a couple of really good margaritas at the Baseline Tap House pub, before heading to Fantasmic.  This 30 minute night time musical in a large amphitheatre combines water screens, projections, live performers and so many Disney characters.  I would recommend arriving 45 mins to an hour before the showtime to secure good seats as its its popular.

Epcot

Remains one of my favourite parks, particularly for adults.  The World Showcase is home to 11 pavilions representing Canada, UK, France, Morocco, Japan, USA, Italy, Germany, China, Norway and Mexico.  You can spend hours just strolling around, tasting local specialities and admiring the architecture, there's no shortage of attractions here.

Headed first to Test Track, you design your own virtual car and then put it thought its paces on a  high speed track, its a thrilling ride and remains one of my favourites.

Next to the most exciting Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind, an incredibly smooth, story driven coaster that is probably the best ride in Disney.  I just don't want to spoil it for you.

Spaceship Earth, a gentle ride as you journey though the history of communication and step in to the future, a must for all the family.

Remy's Ratatouille, an immersive 2D trackless dark ride based on the Pixar film Ratatouille. You shrink to the size of a rat and scurry through Gusteau's Paris restaurant in a Rat-mobile.  

Frozen Ever After in Norway, a gentle boat ride through Arendelle meeting all the Frozen characters

This evening was particularly special.  We enjoyed a private dinner on the lake with a perfect view of Luminous, The Symphony of Us, Epcot's current night time spectacular, which brings everyone together though music, light and fireworks.  Just when I thought the day couldn't get any more magical, I was treated to one last surprise ride on Guardians of the Galaxy, so exciting!

Water parks

Before I finish this Blog, after several action packed park days, I spent a morning at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon having previously done Blizzard Beach. Its exactly what's needed with the lazy river, water slides and huge wave pool with beach style cabanas you can hire.  Just having that rest really helps reset your mind and body.

Seeing Disney though adult eyes

This trip has given me a huge amount of up to date, first hand knowledge, from hotel comparisons and dining recommendations to time saving strategies such as VIP tours and the benefits of staying on site. I now feel even better equipped to add real value to any Disney holiday I create and plan, whether it is for families, couples, friends or solo travellers.  I  won't ever forget my Disney experiences, it really is one magical holiday of a lifetime with even the biggest sceptics often leaving completely transformed by the magic.