Disney World Date Night Ideas

When most people think of romantic vacation getaways, Walt Disney World probably isn’t very high on the list. But for those who know it well, the family vacation destination has some incredible and unique opportunities for a date night. So, whether you’re visiting Disney World for an adult only trip or ditching the kiddos for some fun on your own for a night, we’ve got some ideas for a date night at Disney World that you won’t soon forget.

For the budget-conscious couple:

• Fireworks picnic
  • Treat yourselves to a beautiful view while skipping the crowds and cost of admission. Pack a picnic dinner and head over to either the Boardwalk area for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, the Transportation and Ticket Center for Happily Ever After, or the resort walkway to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular.

    

• Yehaa Bob
  • Yehaa Bob manages to combine live piano, singing, dancing, and comedy into this one of a kind show. On select nights, you can laugh along with the crowd at the River Roost Lounge at Port Orleans Riverside, and there’s no cover charge.
• Animal Kingdom Lodge
  • Whether you opt for a free culinary tour, offered every afternoon, or to check out the spectacular safari views, you won’t be disappointed with a visit to Animal Kingdom Lodge. Plus, if you stay past dusk, you can relax by one of the resort fire pits or use the free resort provided night vision goggles to watch the animals after dark.

    

For the foodies:

• Victoria and Albert’s
  • Now that the budget friendly options are out of the way, I think it’s time to kick it up a notch. Victoria and Albert’s at the Grand Floridian Resort is the go-to suggestion for a date night at Disney World. It’s elegant, lavish, and a AAA five-diamond award winner since 2000, but it doesn’t come cheap. Pricing starts at $185 per person for the 7-course option without the wine paring and reaches $355 per person for the chef’s table with wine pairing.
• California Grill
  • One of my personal favorites, California Grill, comes in at a more reasonable price point than Victoria and Albert’s and offers stunning views of Walt Disney World from its perch atop the Contemporary Resort. You can see the firework shows at both Epcot and Hollywood Studios in the distance, but the real draw here is the view of Magic Kingdom’s fireworks. As for the food, flatbreads ($16) can be an inexpensive alternative to a full meal, but the sushi and regular entrees (priced right around $50 each) are all delicious as well.

    

For grabbing drinks:

• Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
  • Located in the Polynesian Resort, Trader Sam’s is an impressively themed tiki bar and a favorite of Disney regulars. It’s on the small side, so the wait to get in can be long. The souvenir cups and special effects make it worth the wait though, and prices for most drinks including a souvenir cup will be in the $10-$25 range.
• Monorail Crawl
  • Mix it up a bit and take advantage of the free and direct transportation between The Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian resorts. Each resort has at least one bar or lounge you can visit, and you’ll get a feel for three of Disney’s prime resorts. I highly recommend a Lapu Lapu ($14) from Tambu Lounge in the Polynesian. It’s served in a pineapple! And if you time it right, you can probably catch fireworks from any of the three resorts or even from the monorail itself.
• Boardwalk Resort Area
  • With hotspots like Jellyrolls (a dueling piano bar), Atlantic Dance Hall (a retro style nightclub), and AbracadaBar (a magic themed bar) all within easy walking distance of each other, you’ll have plenty of options for drinks and entertainment. Jellyrolls is the only one with a cover charge ($12), but drinks will run the usual $5-$15.

For the active couple:

• Bowling
  • Challenge each other to a game at Splitsville Luxury Lanes in Disney Springs. Bowling rentals start at $12 per person for early bird pricing and goes up to $32 per person for priority bowling during busy times.
• Mini-golf (loser buys ice cream!)
  • Disney World has two locations for mini-golf: Fantasia Gardens near the Swan and Dolphin resorts or Winter Summerland near Blizzard Beach. Personally, I prefer Fantasia Gardens because it’s a short walk to either Beaches and Cream or Ample Hills Creamery for a well-deserved treat. Mini-golf costs $14 per person and you’re probably looking at $10 or less per ice cream order for a total in the range of $40-$50.
• Surfing
  • Take a surfing lesson at Typhoon Lagoon. After all, learning new things together can be fun, and nothing says romance like belly flopping off your surf board into a wave pool, right? Once you’ve built up an appetite, head on over to Olivia’s Cafe at the nearby Old Key West resort for a hearty breakfast. Surf Lessons last 3-4 hours and start at $165/person, and Olivia’s Café breakfast entrees range from $12-$16 for a grand total just shy of $400.
• Rentals or excursions
  • Rent canoes, kayaks, boats, bikes, or even try an excursion like parasailing provided by Sammy Duvall’s Watersports. Prices range from $18 for a bike rental to close to $200 for tandem parasailing. Fort Wilderness and Port Orleans Riverside also offer carriage rides starting at $45.

For those who want to be pampered:

• Massages
  • After walking all over Walt Disney World, who wouldn’t be ready for a massage? Some Disney resorts offer spa services, and most have a massage for two package. The Grand Floridian offers 50 minutes of pure relaxation for $275 or 80 minutes for $390.
• Shopping Spree
  • Disney Springs offers plenty of opportunities to splurge. Since the transition from Downtown Disney, the area has grown to include plenty of higher end shops that would love to help lighten your wallet. PANDORA charms, typically $45+ each, and designer purses, usually $70+, are perpetual favorites.
• Dinner and a show
  • In addition to shopping, Disney Springs has an excess of dining options to choose from. And with multiple open-air theaters for performances, an AMC movie theater, and a Cirque du Soleil theater, you have plenty of entertainment options available as well. Splitting a pizza from Wolfgang Puck Express can cost as little as $15 and tickets to the Cirque du Soleil show La Nouba (soon to be replaced) start at $59.
• Fireworks Cruise
  • Enjoy IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth or Happily Ever After fireworks from the comfort of your own chartered pontoon boat as others look on with jealousy. No battling the crowds to hold your spot for an hour before the show starts and no navigating through those same crowds to leave after the show ends. Starting at $299 per hour, this one is definitely on my bucket list.

Do any of these sound like something you’d enjoy for your night on the town at Walt Disney World? Did we miss any of your favorites? Tell us what you think in the comments below!