I’m not trying to rub it in or make you jealous, but we’ve successfully completed the child-rearing phase of our lives and are in the “reaping the rewards” part.  They’ve flown the coop, our offspring, and when we vacation together, we are now all grownups and enjoy each other’s company in a completely different way than we did when our children were younger.

On our most recent vacation, we made the most of our grownup status and embraced all that Disney Cruise Line has to offer adults-only traveling parties.  And it was fun!  Looking back at the highlights of being aboard the Magic as she made her inaugural cruise through the Norwegian fjords, I discovered it was easy to come up with a quick list of…

5 Reasons to Take a Disney Cruise (Without Kids)

1. Mixology Class – That’s what we chose, but there were loads of options for learning about adult beverages!  Other seminars like chocolate and liquor tasting, tequila and margarita tasting, martini tasting, and mojito and caipirinha tasting were also offered.

2. Cove Café – We let Megan and Joseph sleep in while we ate breakfast in Cabanas before dropping in at the Cove Café – an adults-only specialty coffee shop full of peace, quiet, and tons of amazingly delicious coffee options!

3. Movies Anytime – First run movies are shown in the Buena Vista Theater throughout the day and night.  We caught Avengers: Age of Ultron in 3D on our last at-sea day in a very uncrowded, virtually kid-free theater.

4. Staying Up Past Our Bedtime – What a blast we had!  We loved the Irish Trio called Runa that was performing for the first three nights of our cruise so much – we went to see them all three evenings.  We even bought their CD and asked them to autograph the cover – which they were happy to do for us.We saw Paul Zerdin‘s (ventriloquist/comedian) show and were hysterical with laughter.  We played several games of trivia and had a ton of fun (even if we didn’t win a single game).  Keys, O’Gills, and Fathoms in the nighttime adults-only entertainment district had something for everyone…including late-night snacks and excellent bar service.

5. Kid-free Dining – We were on the Magic, which has Palo – a grownup Italian eatery.  Yes, there’s an upcharge per person, but the view (dining room surrounded by windows on the uppermost Deck 10), the quiet, the exceptional service, and the menu make for an extraordinary experience!  Try the Chocolate Soufflé for dessert – you won’t be sorry.

Bonus Perk:  Doing Whatever We Wanted – whenever we wanted!  (And there was no whining.)  When we wanted to meet characters, we did! When we wanted to have a glass of wine and an “All Hands on Deck” cheese platter in our stateroom in the afternoon, we did!  When we wanted to sleep late, we did!  When we wanted to visit with new friends (I’m talking about YOU, Linda and Phillip) – we had plenty of time to do that, too.  It was guilt-free!  We were together most of the time – doing grown-up stuff (and some not-grown-up stuff) as a family and having the time of our lives.

Have you taken a kid-less Disney cruise?  What was (or would be) your favorite part?

I’ve been hearing a lot about the new Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Polynesian Village Resort and it sounds like a great place!  Really, it does – especially if you like a party atmosphere and cool mixed drinks served in exotic containers with flair!  I’m sure we’ll get there someday, but to be honest, it may be a while.  We have some favorite lounges at Walt Disney World and when happy hour arrives, we’d be hard-pressed to choose something new unless we’re on an extended vacation.  We usually prefer a place that’s quiet enough to allow for un-shouted conversation and we like having the option of ordering a snack to go along with our beverage of choice- which is nearly always a glass of red wine or a craft beer.  If you happen to find yourself in need of a quiet-ish corner to relax with a cocktail and good company, I offer you…

Disney World Lounges – Five Great Places

1. Victoria Falls – If you’re staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge or simply have an ADR (advance dining reservation) at one of the amazing restaurants there, make time to enjoy a few minutes at this little out-in-the-open spot perched just below the Jambo House lobby and above the restaurant Boma.  There’s a great selection of drinks and snacks and, if you like wine, you’ll find some wonderful African selections to choose from.  Excellent service, classy, detailed décor.  It’s a must-do for us on every vacation.

2. Belle Vue Lounge – This is a quaint, retro, 1930’s-style spot off the Boardwalk, with a small bar and overstuffed chairs and couches that invite you to sink in and soak up the relaxed and very cozy atmosphere.  The Belle Vue Lounge is great as a destination on its own, but is also a wonderful place to spend a few minutes while waiting for a table at The Flying Fish Café.  Lively nighttime hotspots are plentiful on the Boardwalk – the Belle Vue is special for being relaxed and quiet after a busy day.

3. The Wave – More often than not we stay at Bay Lake Tower, so once we’ve returned from the parks and have a bit of time to spare before we venture back out for whatever evening activities we have planned, we love to drop by The Wave in the Contemporary Resort.  We love the wine list, the quiet atmosphere (detecting a common thread here?), the excellent service, and the unique, fresh menu items.  Late lunch, happy hour, snack and a beer – this place is where we go when we want to escape for a few minutes.

4. Territory Lounge – Worth the trip to the Wilderness Lodge just to kick back for a few minutes and soak up the atmosphere.  A great excuse to hop a boat from Magic Kingdom to enjoy the gorgeous grounds, majestic lobby, and awesome happy hour spot.  It’s dark, cozy, inviting, and full of awesome Disney details.

5. Mizner’s – I honestly only care about stopping here when I can listen to the Grand Floridian’s Lobby Society Orchestra play right outside Mizner’s door.  It’s a nice place, don’t get me wrong, but the comfortable Victorian atmosphere’s not the draw.  The music is.  We think the Grand Floridian is one of the most relaxing places in all of Walt Disney World – add the music, a comfy chair, and a glass of wine…amazing.

Honorable Mention – We’ve only been one time, but for an in-park happy hour, we loved the patio at the Hollywood Brown Derby in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Which Walt Disney World lounge is your favorite place for happy hour?

If ever Aristotle’s saying, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts” was true, it’s with regard to the new-and-improved Fantasyland in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.  Upon close inspection, each element attracts certain, consistent criticisms (except for Gaston, he’s perfect and everyone loves him) – but add all the pieces together and the overall experience is extraordinary.

Ten Best Things About New Fantasyland

10.  Best Bathroom Beacon in the World – I feel a little bit sad every time I see the amazingly perfect and gorgeous Tangled Tower – I want it to be an attraction.  Alas, it’s only the greatest theme park restroom area known to man.

9. Walls of Great Beauty – The grand entrances to Fantasyland set the perfect tone for what you can expect overall.  It feels big and majestic, royal and whimsical – all at once.

8. Beast’s Castle is a Sight to Behold – Both inside and out, this recreation from Beauty and the Beast is absolutely (and amazingly) perfect.  While I might not love the food (although I’ve yet to try the breakfast), I adore every room and each tiny detail.  Based on my experiences at both lunch and dinner, I recommend lunch.

7. Antlers in All of the Decorating – Even if you don’t want to eat, do step into the courtyard area around Gaston’s Tavern and have a look around.  The details (check the fountain!) are awesome.  Head on into the tavern and you’ll find it exactly as you’d imagine.

6. Little Mermaid’s Clever Queue – The queue is actually better than the ride for most of us.  Unless you’re a little one who has yet to exhaust the ability to see the Little Mermaid’s story again and again, the wait may be better than the attraction.  Plenty of things to see and do while waiting in line make this a great place to skip using a FastPass for and just soak up all the special touches.

5. Magical Details Do Not Disappoint – Look up, look down, listen carefully – all that we love about Disney’s attention to the minutia is alive and well in Fantasyland.  Overall the new additions blend well with the “old” Fantasyland elements, but there are plenty of excellent tiny surprises to delight guests of all ages.

4. Belle is Everything You Hoped She Be – Enchanted Tales With Belle is worth a FastPass (or visiting during Extra Magic Hours).  Interactive, fun, and special – I’ve not heard anyone say they didn’t love this meet-and-greet experience.

3. Pork Shank of Happiness – If you’ve been here at all before, you surely know how much our family adores the Roasted Pork Shank in Gaston’s Tavern.  If you’re looking for a snack, there’s plenty to share.  If you’re starving…it’s an awesomely satisfying hunk of meaty goodness.

2. Seven Dwarfs – Short but Sweet (HA! See what I did there?) – Two minutes is such a short time, I almost stress over how much there is to take in before the ride is over!  A wonderful kiddie coaster, guests of all ages will love this attraction.  You’ll want to ride it multiple times.  I’d book a FastPass if arriving after park opening or expect a very long wait in line.

1. The Many Moods of Gaston – He’s worth waiting for.  If it’s at all possible, while you’re in Magic Kingdom, do NOT miss seeing Gaston (in the courtyard near Gaston’s Tavern).  Boys, girls, men, women – Everyone loves Gaston!  He’s THE best character we’ve ever seen at Walt Disney World and I cannot recommend meeting him enough.

Have you visited the new Fantasyland area?  What did you love most?

I don’t get as many questions from friends, family and coworkers about why we’re taking another Disney cruise as I usually get about returning to Walt Disney World again and again.  But I still get asked why we keep choosing Disney Cruise Line since our children are now adults.  Raise your hand if you feel my pain here!  We sail with Disney Cruise Line because we love the atmosphere (no casinos, lots of family-friendly activities), the service, the food, the shows, and the large, well-appointed staterooms.  Oh, and we love the itineraries.  Speaking of which, our next trip is coming up this summer and excited doesn’t begin to describe how we feel about this particular Disney vacation!

Our Next Disney Cruise – The Top 10 Things I’m Most Looking Forward to…  (Sure, I coulda said, The Top 10 Things to Which I’m Most Looking Forward, but I want you guys to like me!)

10.  Traveling to far off lands on a grand adventure!  We’ll be visiting Denmark and Norway, both for the first time, and cannot wait to see the beauty of these countries while learning a bit about their cultures.

9.  The Disney Magic!  On one hand, having sailed on the Magic three times before, it’ll be a bit like visiting an old friend.  We haven’t seen her since her makeover though, so we’re looking forward to her new-and-improved form.

8. The Food!  We think the restaurants on Disney Cruise Line’s rotational dining are wonderful – add in a visit to Palo for an adults-only dining experience and we’re set for some pretty amazing meals.  Oh, did I forget to mention the on-deck quick-service pizza and treats?  The soft-serve ice cream?  The no-extra-charge in-room dining?  Oh, yeah, we’re stoked about the food.

7. The Entertainment!  Disney’s live shows are top notch – renowned as being the best in the cruise industry.  We’ll also be able to enjoy just-released movies, live music, comedians, and more.

6.  The Service!  We may be changing dining rooms each evening, but (except for Palo) our servers will stay the same.  They quickly learn guests’ likes and preferences and can be relied on to deliver friendly, efficient, and personalized service throughout the entire cruise.  Our cabin steward will, based on prior cruise experiences, seemingly never sleep and remain nearby, waiting for an opportunity to be of assistance.  As a family of complete slobs, whose suitcases seem to explode everywhere, the fact that our cabin continuously stays neat and orderly is magical indeed.  The towel animals, turndown service, and bedtime chocolates don’t hurt either.

5.  The Characters!  I know, if the kids were little, you could understand this one better.  But there is nothing that compares to the charm and excitement of seeing your favorite Disney characters and Princesses everyday, sometimes unexpectedly, always willing to pose for a picture.  I once ran into Mickey and Minnie in their formalwear on the Red Carpet before The Golden Mickeys show and I got such a kick out of it!

4.  Frozen!  Oh, hush up.  I know I’ve said a thing or two in the past about the Frozen-ization of Walt Disney World and how hurt I was when Anna and Elsa booted Snow White and Aurora from Princess Fairytale Hall, but if Frozen fits in anywhere, it’s on a cruise to the fjords of Norway!  We get a Frozen-themed deck party! (and more!)

3.  Copenhagen!  I could go on and on about Hans Christian Andersen, Tivoli Gardens and the Disney connection to them both.  And I probably will.  Go on and on, I mean.  Check back when I get back and brace yourself for tons of posts packed full of all the deets!  First we’ll explore the city on a Segway tour and then we’ll spend an evening experiencing the Tivoli Gardens.  If jet lag doesn’t slow us down too much, this will be an excellent day.

2.  The Excursions!  In Stavanger, we’ll be hiking to Pulpit Rock!  In Alesund, we’ll be kayaking!  In Geiranger, we’ve chosen a “Sky to Fjord Bicycle Adventure” and in Bergen, we’ll explore via the “Hanseatic Bergen And Mount Fløien Walking Tour”!  Lots of action-packed, fun-filled excitement awaits!!!

1.  Spending time with our kids!  They’re grown = we hardly ever see them.  We’re busy, they’re busy – our intentions are good, but we don’t get to spend as much time together as we’d like – and that is the beauty of a family vacation – lots of time to reconnect, catch up and celebrate what we love so much about each other.  I’ll get to have all-of-the-above, in their company, for more than a week!  (Now I’m secretly hoping they’ll do their best to make me sick of them, so I won’t miss them too much after we get home.)

Do you have a Disney cruise in your future?  What are YOU looking forward to?