Top Five Ways Adults Can Feel Like A Kid in Walt Disney World

Sometimes, as adults, we take life a little bit too seriously. We’re constantly worried about our jobs, our finances, our families, etc., and we don’t appreciate the little, fun things in life. This even carries over to our vacations sometimes. I know I’ve been on vacation, even in Walt Disney World, and have become completely focused on life after the trip. But then I look at my kids, see how much fun they are having, and decide to just do what they’re doing and worry about all of the real life stuff when I get home. Here are the Top Five Ways Adults Can Feel Like A Kid in WDW!

5. Take A Spin On Dumbo

Yes, you might think Dumbo is for children, with the playground inside (air-conditioned, by the way!) and all of the strollers parked outside the attraction. But if you REALLY want to feel like a kid in the Magic Kingdom, I promise you there is no better feeling than that wind whipping through your hair (or in my case, over my bald head!) while flying through the air on this classic Disney attraction. Believe me, you’re not going to be the only adult on the ride at all and some of the greatest pictures I have taken while in Walt Disney World are of my wife and myself riding Dumbo!

Dumbo is fun for kids of all ages.
Dumbo is fun for kids of all ages.

4. Get A Haircut at the Harmony Barber Shop

What better way to be brought back to your childhood memories than by getting your ears lowered in the Magic Kingdom’s turn-of-the-century barber shop? The barbers who are cast members there are phenomenal and walking in always reminds me of my haircuts at an old school barber shop when I was a kid! Honestly, for $19 for an adult haircut, you really can’t beat the experience! You may even get lucky and have the famous Dapper Dans barbershop quartet singing while you’re sitting in your old-fashioned barber chair!

3. Take a Ride on the Monorail

When I was 12 and took my first ever trip to Walt Disney World, I really couldn’t get enough of the monorail. We stayed off site and the first time I rode it from the Transportation & Ticket Center to the Magic Kingdom, I was completely hooked! I’ll never forget that I thought it was SO COOL and loved it so much that my dad would take me on it in the middle of a Magic Kingdom day while everyone else in our family was riding Snow White’s Scary Adventures or Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. There’s just something about that trip around the Seven Seas Lagoon, through the resorts, and right up to the Magic Kingdom’s front door that makes me feel like that same 12 year old kid again! I particularly love riding the monorail from the Transportation & Ticket Center (or TTC, for the cool kids) into Epcot! Riding a monorail over a theme park is one of the coolest experiences any kid or adult can possibly have! The next time you’re in Walt Disney World, ride the monorail (even if you don’t have to!) and then tell me I’m wrong! But please stand clear of the doors (and you just said the Spanish translation in your head, didn’t you?!)

The monorail is your highway in the sky.
The monorail is your highway in the sky.

2. Meet Disney Characters

I used to be the guy who was too cool to wait in line or reserve FastPasses to meet a Disney character. Not anymore! Let me ask you this: Do you think you’ll still feel like an adult after giving Mickey Mouse a hug? I sure don’t! The Disney characters are literally all over the place in the Walt Disney World theme parks so there’s really no excuse for you not to meet a few if you’re trying to bring back that childhood feeling! Better yet, go have breakfast with the princesses at Akershus in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion or have dinner at 1900 Park Fare with Cinderella, her stepsisters, stepmother, and Prince Charming! Those are some of my favorite character interactions anywhere in Walt Disney World! Talk to the princesses and see how their days are going! Ask Lady Tremaine why she is so mean to Cinderella! Those are moments you’ll never forget and you’ll be talking about those stories long after your trip to Walt Disney World has ended!

Go ahead - give Mickey a hug!
Go ahead – give Mickey a hug!

1. Buy Mickey Ears & Wear Them All Day

Yes, I know if you’re reading this, you’re more than likely an adult. And yes, I know that you might spend an awful lot of time in front of your mirror every morning getting that hair of yours to look perfect (luckily I don’t have that problem!) Here’s the deal though: if you really want to feel like a kid in Walt Disney World, the Mickey ears are the ultimate accessory! It is impossible to feel like an adult while wearing a pair of these! In fact, I’ll bet you you’ll find yourself skipping down Main Street, USA and craving a Mickey Ice Cream Bar if you wear these for more than like five minutes! Confession time: I used to be one of those people who really worried about what others thought, even while on a vacation to Walt Disney World. I would stress over which t-shirt I was going to wear, if it matched my Philadelphia team hat that I’d be wearing in the parks that day, and what shoes would best complement that ensemble. Now? Hey look, I have three little kids and all I want to do is feel the way they do on a Disney trip! I’m in the Mickey ears, Dole Whip t-shirt, and sneakers and socks that don’t match! The thing is, I have fun, I feel like a kid, and that’s what Disney is all about!

The next time you’re in Walt Disney World, try a couple of these out for me! Sure, it’s fun to be an adult in Walt Disney World too and I often talk about just how much the parks and resorts have for adults only, but remembering what it was like as a kid is one of the best ways to experience all of the magic that Walt Disney World has to offer!

Do you feel like a kid when you are at Disney World?