4. A romantic dinner

Image: Disney

Okay, nothing at dinner will top the cheesy nose-push of a meatball across the plate, but you’re still going to want to eat another exquisite meal. The whole point of your dream day of love at Walt Disney World is to kick back and enjoy the calmer aspects of a park visit. While you’ll spend some time at Magic Kingdom and Epcot if you follow these suggestions, the point isn’t to ride a lot of attractions or to hang out at one of the parks all day. Instead, you should plan to take it easy. There’s nothing romantic about feeling like you’re on a time schedule all day. Every suggestion here -- except for the final one whose timeline Disney controls -- is something you can schedule on your own.

Keeping that in mind and anticipating the next suggestion as well, I would advise scheduling a meal at Epcot’s World Showcase. Walt Disney World’s second most popular theme park is a simple monorail ride away from your spa treatment, assuming you go straight there. Otherwise, it’s a boat, bus, or monorail trip to Epcot. Since arrival is easy, you’re free to set up advance dining reservations whenever you like. Without getting specific, I would suggest returning to your hotel for some quality time after the spa treatment.

Whatever you choose, the restaurants at World Showcase are among the most romantic onsite. I would recommend one of Monsieur Paul, Le Cellier, or La Hacienda de San Angel. Ordinarily, I’d suggest Tutto Italia Restaurant as well. If you’re taking the suggestion about Tony’s Town Square, however, that’s likely too much pasta for one day, though.

Wherever you choose to eat, mention that it’s a special day of romance when you book the ADR as well as when you check in at the restaurant. Disney wants to take care of its guests when they’re celebrating memorable days. Even if it’s not your anniversary or the like, just be honest about your situation. They might do something to enhance the magic of your meal. One of the unwritten rules of Disney is that it never hurts to mention when you’re trying to do something special for a good reason. Cast members are the gold standard at trying to help you reach your goals. 

5. An evening of wine and dancing

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Thanks to the magic of Disney planning, you can enjoy a wonderful night of wine tasting and dining without worrying about transportation. Since you’re already at Epcot, you can imbibe from potent potables across the globe as soon as you’ve finished dinner and whatever else you plan to do at the park.

How much you dip into the wine pool is up to you. More ambitious drinkers enjoy a multi-country bar crawl that can include 11+ adult beverages when they partake at each World Showcase pavilion. Personally, I’d call that poor strategy for a romantic evening, but you and your date can select the level of wining and dining appropriate to your amorous pursuits.

Once you’re appropriately liquored up and relaxed, the place to go is only a few hundred steps away. Exit the back door of Epcot then head left across the bridge to the Boardwalk. Your destination is the Atlantic Dance Hall, a nightclub featuring contemporary dance music, which is actually a step back from its original theme of big band, 1940s era swing. The generic atmosphere of the current version is fine, but it lacks the ambience and novelty of the previous iteration. Still, it’s a wonderful place to hold your body close to the person of your dreams. That goes triple when Disney has big band music playing. Consult with them to see if you might get lucky about the music schedule. Either way, the two of you will get dizzy from the combination of music and wine, guaranteeing you’ll feel like you’re at the Most Magical Place on Earth.

6. Enjoy the fireworks

Image: Disney

The storied tradition of Disney fireworks includes further benefits beyond ending the night with a bang. It’s also a perfect way to cuddle up with the person you love, enjoying some well-earned downtime after an eventful day at a Disney theme park. Walt Disney understood that his new venture asked a lot of its guests, so the fireworks show was his way of helping people taper off after countless hours of walking and waiting in line queues.

Over the past half-century, Disney park planners have mastered the art of fireworks, and that includes highlighted views. When you’re ready to wind down your evening with a brilliant lights display in the sky, several options exist. The best of them in terms of intimacy occurs at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. This quiet beach is perfect to set the mood. The sand between your toes, the dim lighting, and the tropical ambience will transport you to an island getaway, even as you stare the display at Cinderella’s Castle only a short distance away.

Alternately, you can zhoosh up the fireworks experience with Ferrytale Wishes: A Fireworks Dessert Cruise. It’s one of the upsell options at Magic Kingdom. Whether a walk on the beach or an upscale boat ride is more romantic is in the eye of the beholder. One is free while the other is more exclusive…at a cost. Select the one that best fits your budget and need/desire to impress your loved one. Either way, you’ll end the night in the most romantic manner possible.