Romantic Eats

So let's talk about food. If you are big foodies like my husband and I are, then this is the section for you. A lot of times I find myself trying to please everyone else that are with my husband and I during a Walt Disney World vacation. Whether it's the kids or other family, our restaurant choices are usually depicted by picky eaters, immature palettes and a daughter with Celiac Disease. When its just you and your significant other, however, all bets are off and you get to choose some of the best places on property! No worrying about chicken tenders and pizza here.

My suggestion to you would be to pick a place that not a lot of people flock to, especially those with kids in tow. You really want your couples weekend trip to be as peaceful as possible, especially when you are not in the parks. You should choose a restaurant that is a little less known, and appeals to both of your appetites. 

My husband and I chose Steakhouse 71 and Wine Bar George. Although Steakhouse 71 is still quite popular right now, it's more of an adult focused restaurant, and is located inside the Contemporary Resort rather than in one of the four parks. Wine Bar George is much less well known, located at Disney Springs, and although talked about quite a lot within the Disney community, for some reason it doesn't get much traffic, and you usually can find a reservation for it on the My Disney Experience app. It has much more of a date night vibe, serving lots of different cocktails, wines and beer, as well as small plates and appetizers. 

Wine Bar George was our absolute favorite. Hands down some of the best food we have ever had on property, and that is saying a lot as my husband and I have been going to Disney since we were in Diapers. If you ever get a chance to go here on your next couples trip, please do yourself a favor and try this place out, and get yourself the Cheese Board and Short Ribs, because both are to die for!

Resort Hopping

A huge part of doing a couples only vacation, not just at Disney, but anywhere really, is the relaxation. Now we all know Disney isn't necessarily the go to vacation choice for beaches, hammocks and a serene escape, by any means. Disney has its own unique charm and allure of why it draws people in of all ages. There are ways, however, to create moments of calm and serenity while at the most magical place on earth.

One of those ways is the resorts. With over thirty resorts to pick from within the Walt Disney World bubble, and the current price tag of a Disney vacation, it's probably unlikely many will get to experience every single one. Yet, that is the beauty, and magic, of Disney though. With all of the different transportation methods included in your stay, the ability to at least visit and explore the resorts is very doable. With most guests at the parks during the day, if you can make time for a little resort hopping, I would highly suggest doing that. Now in a short trip, you won't be able to get to all of them, however you can pick one or two to get a taste of while you're away, and to stay away from all the hustle and bustle of the parks and Disney Springs.

Pick resorts that are on your dream stay list, or ones that are known to have less traffic with families. Maybe there is a resort you'd like to see for its views or unique dining experiences? Whatever the reason, pick them, again, based on your combined loves. My husband and I decided to hop to the Polynesian resort for breakfast at Ohana and to walk the grounds before heading home on our last day. We enjoyed the Disney transportation in order to get to the resort, and gave ourselves ample of time to eat, explore and travel back to our resort that we were staying at. 

Ohana had been a place him and I have wanted to try for some time. Plus, the Polynesian is a dream stay of ours, along with the Riviera and the Boardwalk. We were able to get an early breakfast reservation and the resort was beautiful. The views from the restaurant overlooking seven seas lagoon was gorgeous, and we could see the castle from our table. Although our breakfast left us feeling short, the company was perfect, the views were beautiful and the cast members were spectacular. After eating we explored the gift shops, and then walked out back and toured the pool, walkways and the beach that overlooked the lagoon. I have to say, that was probably where I felt the most "at peace" the entire trip. The gorgeous music they played, and taking that time to just relax and reflect on our weekend together in our favorite place in the world. The most magical place in the world, Walt Disney World. 

Don't let this opportunity pass you by the next time you take a couples trip to Walt Disney World. You will not regret it.

Park To Park Memories

Let's admit it, we go to Disney for the parks, am I right? There is just something about seeing Cinderella's castle at the end of Main Street, riding your favorite ride with the ones you love, taking pictures with your favorite characters, hearing the hustle and bustle of Hollywood Studios, eating and drinking away during the festivals at Epcot, and watching those iconic Disney fireworks after a long park day, that keep us coming back for more. However, trying to make all of these amazingly special moments remain peaceful with one child complaining about the heat and another whining about being hungry and tired every fifteen minutes can sometimes take away from the magic. 

So rather wishing we could take all of that away and do it all again without them, my advice here is to pick some of your favorites that you would like to create new memories with, with just your spouse. Also, maybe do something new that neither one of you have ever done and do them for the first time together. These new experiences will change the way you view Walt Disney World entirely. Plus, doing it with your significant other just makes it all the more special. So now instead of saying at the end of your trip, I never want to do Walt Disney World again with my kids, you will find yourself wanting both, because both experiences will be their own. 

My husband and I only had one day for the parks. Yes, one day to do three out of the four parks. Are we crazy? Yes, probably. Can we do it? You bet. 

We had to knock one park out because being able to do all four parks during an Epcot festival would be close to impossible for us just because I knew I didn't want to be rushing all day. Since my husband isn't the biggest Disney's Animal Kingdom fan, and I only can do a couple of choice rides, we decided to let that one go and focus on Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Epcot. Next time, my take away would be to only do two parks to focus on, or make your trip three full days instead of two. 

My husband and I both love Pirates, and he loves Space Mountain and I love Winnie the Pooh. So we took our shared love, and each of our own loves, and combined them to add up to our Magic Kingdom portion of the day.

Combining the things we both loved individually, and together, then taking into account the wait times at those specific rides, is probably the best advice I could ever give anyone (ie. we both love Haunted Mansion too, but the wait time was way to long to fit into a big park hopping day). Then we took a snack we both loved, along with one we never tried, and did those too. It curated some of the absolute best memories I have inside of Magic Kingdom. I could have stayed all day doing more of that together, but you only get so much time in a weekend, so that is the best advice I can give. Throw in an epic couples picture in front of the castle and you got the worlds best three hour trip to Magic Kingdom, hands down. 

Catch An EPCOT Festival

My last tip for your perfect Disney couples getaway is, if you are visiting during an EPCOT Festival (which is pretty likely since there is one of four going on at some point during the year), go! This is a perfect way to enjoy EPCOT without the hustle and bustle of rides and waiting in lines. Each festival has so many different foods and drinks you can try around World Showcase, combined with festive specific merchandise you can purchase, it just makes for a really fun time together. I highly suggest going during either Festival of the Arts or Festival of the Holidays, if you can, because not only is there fun food and drinks and merchandise, but the Art festival has special art booths by different artists that you can purchase their art form, and the Holiday Festival has unique storytellers throughout the showcase telling stories and sharing traditions. 

Research the festival booths before your trip, so you and your husband can pick your favorites. For a one day experience, I would suggest keeping it to no more than five booths. The lines can get long and it takes a while to walk the showcase as well, and the key to a couples only trip is to not feel rushed. After enjoying drinking and eating around the world, don't forget to cap off the night by seeing the new lights show at EPCOT over Spaceship Earth. 

And that is it. Our quick, weekend only Disney Couples trip, was a huge success. By focusing on relaxation and combining our favorites with the desire to do a few new things together, made for the perfect Disney getaway for two. No trip is perfect (like our ONE park day being cold and rainy), but by focusing on each other and the highlights you take away from it, I guarantee you will want to go back again and again, with just each other.

So, what exactly makes a couples only Disney weekend getaway a dream come true? Each other. Disney is a magical vacation that can be experienced in so many different ways. However, when your'e on a time crunch and don't want to be stressed, take these tips and tricks into account and I promise your next Disney World weekend vacation with your significant other will be much more relaxing, romantic and feel like, well, a dream come true.