Doing Disney World With Teens And Tweens: 20 Of The Best Tips And Tricks
Think Disney World is just for little kids? Not so! You’ll love these 20 tips and things to do in Disney with teens and tweens.
Walt Disney World ranks as one of the top tourist destinations in the world. And it’s where our family’s passion for learning through travel began.
It’s not just the four theme parks that keep people coming back again and again. Two water parks, a huge array of themed hotels, and a slew of other things to do add to the appeal in big ways.
All the entertainment isn’t just geared toward little kids. Big kids will find there may even be more for them to do than for their younger counterparts.
Here are tips and tricks for making your Disney vacation with teens your best Disney trip yet.
The Disney Boardwalk hotels are some of our favorites for teens.
Pick A Teen-Friendly Disney Resort Hotel.
One of the first decisions you need to make when planning a Walt Disney World vacation is where to stay.
While the Orlando area offers lots of fantastic places to lodging options, we’re huge fans of staying on property. Choosing which Disney resort to stay at is one of our favorite things to do when planning a Disney trip. There’s truly a resort for every type of trip.
Want to be whisked away to the tropics? Head to Disney’s PolynesianVillage Resort.
Love the splendor of the Victorian era? The Grand Floridian Resort is for you.
Or do you want to feel like you’ve stepped inside some Disney classics? The Art of Animation can’t be beat.
Our teens love helping to choose the resort we’re staying in and they, like me, have trouble picking a favorite. But, being on property equates to teen-friendliness because it means the resort will be themed and close to the parks. You’ll get benefits like extra hours to enjoy the parks. And you’ll be immersed in the feeling of Disney throughout your vacation.
Club level rooms, villas, or a splurge like the Four Seasons Resort at Disney World might be worth it with teens.
2. Consider a splurge for your Disney resort choice.
Chances are if you’re a family with a teen, you’re fitting in a Disney vacation amid a myriad of other obligations, like sports, clubs, and school. So, your trip may be a little shorter than it would be otherwise.
Also, as a family of older kids, hotel room space becomes a commodity and access to food a necessity.
If your budget allows for it, you might want to consider a villa. Villas are offered near Magic Kingdom at Wilderness Lodge, Polynesian Village Resort, Grand Floridian Resort, and Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Beach Club, and the Riviera Resort feature villas in the Epcot and Hollywood Studios area. Saratoga Springs and Old Key West’s villas are near Disney Springs while Animal Kingdom Lodge’s villas are near Animal Kingdom Park.
Suites are offered at most of the deluxe category resorts at Disney World but they also can be found at four moderate or value resorts. The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Coronado Springs Resort (our favorite) are both moderate level resorts with suites. Art of Animation, another of our favorites, and All-Star Music Resort are value resorts with suite options.
Club level rooms are available at every deluxe resort as well as at Coronado Springs Resort. Access to food and drinks throughout the day comes with a price. But it’s oh-so-fantastic for keeping teens’ bottomless pit stomachs full.
Especially for a shortened stay, these options can add a lot of bang for your buck.
No need to spend money on countdown calendars. Just something simple will build some hype for your trip.
3. Build some hype
My teens and tweens like to build some hype before our Disney vacation by doing a countdown calendar. It’s just a simple way to get everyone excited and ready for the day we leave to start our Disney trip.
There are tons of ways do a countdown. You can buy some online but they’re also really easy to make on your own. Check out these countdown calendar ideas from Disney Tourist Blog or get creative, like we did, in the one above.
We also love to prepare for our trip is by watching Disney movies that are the inspiration for some of the things we’ll see and do in Disney World. Some movies are the inspirations for whole lands, like Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy Edge. Others inspire single rides, but represent some Disney faves none-the-less.
You can even go a little retro. Check out movies (or, even better, books) like Swiss Family Robinson or Adventures of Tom Sawyer, also Disney attraction inspirations. Or do the reverse and watch movies that came after the ride. The new Haunted Mansion movie is the latest such film.
Entertainment Weekly has the whole list of movies based on Disney rides HERE.
Different age groups mean different interests, but there’s something for everyone at Disney World.
4. Divide and conquer.
This mom of four knows it’s next to impossible to find things that entertain the wide range of interests of my kids.
So at Disney World, we often give up the fight.
While we all do the same parks in a day, we sometimes split up to ride attractions for a portion of the day. Now that some of the kids are older, we can skip the fights about what to ride next.
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You might even catch a glimpse of a few famous faces when you take a break from the rides.
5. Don’t try -to fit it all In.
Think you only need breaks from the Disney mayhem if you have toddlers? Not so, my fellow parents of the oh-so-hard-to-comprehend teenager.
One of the biggest mistakes we made doing Disney World with teens? Assuming marathon park days were suddenly ok.
Although we still occasionally fit in a really long park day, we also just as frequently factor in afternoon breaks. And we try to not rush from ride to ride.
Yes, moms and dads, believe it or not, the ideas of slow travel can even be applied (at lest somewhat) to Disney vacations. It’s ok to not see it all. I’m fact, it’s impossible to see it all. And even if you could see it all, you would be too tired to enjoy it.
So, slow down a bit. And know that you might actually come back from your Disney vacation not needing a vacation.
Eating in a car-table is one of our teens favorite things at Sci-Fi Dine In in Hollywood Studios.
6. Don’t skimp on Disney Dining Reservations.
Themed dining is something that makes Disney World special. The magic doesn’t end when you enter a restaurant. And it doesn’t end just because your kids are out of the stroller stage.
There are great restaurants for teens at Disney. And, we’ve found booking dining reservations is kind of like multi-tasking with our teens. We get a much needed break while still doing something unique.
Some of our favorite, themed restaurants at Magic Kingdom are Crystal Palace, Jungle Navigation Co., Ltd. Skipper Canteen, and Be Our Guest.
Choosing favorite Epcot restaurants is tough because there are so many good ones. A few at the top of my teens’ lists are Space 220, Garden Grill, and Biergarten.
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant and 50s Primetime Café are our go-to’s in Hollywood Studios.
And Animal Kingdom’s Tusker House Restaurant and Tiffins are top notch for teens as well.
The Tron attraction is a must-do for teens and tweens in Disney World.
7. Visit the newest attractions at the parks.
Chances are your teen has heard a thing or two about what’s new in Disney World. And even if they haven’t, they’ll be familiar with the movies on which the new attractions are based.
Do a little research prior to your trip to find out what’s new and make sure to add them to your to-do list. Fitting in the latest and greatest is a sure way to up the hip factor on your park visits.
Lightening Lane and Genie+ can dramatically reduce wait time at the parks.
8. Utilize Lightning Lane and Genie+.
Hitting the newest rides while doing Disney World with teens means you’ll need a little help.
Lightening Lane and Genie+ is just what the doctor (or more appropriately, imagineer,) ordered.
Yes, you need to get up a bit early to choose your attractions for the day, but I promise it’s worth it. Being able to enter a much shorter line will be the factor that turns an ok Disney trip into a great one. Just because you don’t have tiny kiddos anymore doesn’t mean waiting in long lines became any more fun.
Contrary to slowing down a little bit? Nope, just the opposite. This is a preemptive way to make sure you can get a little rest time in later in the day.
Check out this YouTube video from Ear Scouts on 27 Tips for Using Genie+ and Lightening Lane.
Mad Tea Party is one of 14 rides that are original to Magic Kingdom.
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9. Bring out the little kid in them.
Racing from mega attraction to mega attraction is a sure way for even our Disney-loving family to get burnt out.
But, slipping in a few rides that have short waits and that are fun for all ages is a win-win.
Not every ride needs to be uber fast or ultra intense on your Disney World with teens trip. Rides like Toy Story Mania, Pirates of the Caribbean, or even Mad Tea Party may have less of a thrill factor. But they’re still Disney favorites to bring out the little kid in every age group.
Garden Grill in Epcot checks the box for fun character photos, good food, and a recharging break.
10. Don’t (Completely) skip meeting Disney characters.
Sure, the lines for character greetings may be filled with more sippy cup carrying guests than not. But, our teens still love a few photo ops with their favorites. We just tend to skip the lines and visit restaurants that feature characters. Since we’re not tracking down a ton of characters, usually one character themed meal is plenty.
Another way to incorporate characters into a teen’s Disney trip is by catching characters that roam, like those in Hollywood Studios’ Galaxy Edge. They tend to interact with guests, which makes a fun way to check the box for a character experience.
11. Take advantage of Extended Evening hours.
If you have teens, the days of having to (or being able to) hit the sack by 8:00 are over. Teenagers are often night owls.
So Early Theme Park Entry may be tough to swing. This is the 30 minutes to a hour formerly known Extra Magic Hours, the pre-opening park hours when only resort guests are gained admission. (And truthfully, we always found this time not worth the hype anyway. It made for rushed mornings for 30 minutes to an hour that went by quickly.)
But, evening Extended Evening Theme Park Hours may be your teen’s jam. The catch is that you have to be a guest at a deluxe resort or deluxe villa resort. The payoff is that the pool of people eligible is relatively small compared to general admission, so lines are often minimal.
Disney After Hours is a separately ticketed event open to all guests. And it’s another way to take advantage of small attraction lines in the evening or night.
Finally, events like Mickey’s-Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party are evening events too. While you’ll see kids of all ages, older kids will be the majority as the evening wears on.
12. Add an enchanting Extra.
Not only are some things at Disney World good to do with teens. Some are specifically made just for teens or tweens.
Several Disney Enchanting Extras fall into that category. And they make great ways to do Disney World with teenagers.
Starlight Safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Animal Kingdom Park’s Savor the Savannah caters to guests 8 and up. Although they’re really best suited for a bit older than that. And teens can receive spa treatments at The Grand Floridian Spa or Madera Spa, located at Walt Disney’s Dolphin Hotel.
Other Enchanting Extras are appropriate for a variety of ages. But, there are still great ways to make Disney World with teens a little extra special. Firework viewing parties, private firework cruises, and fishing excursions in one of Disney’s lakes or lagoons have been our favorites.
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13. Plan around Disney World’s parades and shows.
Of course, no one would blame your teen if he or she wants to get a glimpse of the fantastic line-up of parades and shows. But, if there are things your teen wants to skip anyway, planning around them is a good idea.
Crowds can get heavy and streets become temporarily closed off during parades and shows. Getting ahead of them helps if you don’t want to become part of the traffic jam. Although Disney does a good job of getting foot traffic moving again, saving a few minutes is never a bad thing.
Snack break options, like this one at Animal Kingdom, are located throughout the parks.
14. Take plenty of snack breaks.
Luckily for our bottomless-pit teens, Disney has the snack department covered too. And making frequent stops, for a frozen treat, snack or even just a water, makes all the difference.
Bringing snacks and waters with you is allowed too. And those club-level rooms we raved about? They encourage guests to stock up on a few snacks from their lounges before hitting the parks.
Disney Springs has loads of things to do with teens.
15. Visit Disney Springs.
Disney Springs has a little something for every teen. Want to see a show? Watch Cirque du Soleil’s performance, stop by a restaurant with entertainment, or see a movie at the dine-in theater. For more entertainment, teens can ride in a tethered hot air balloon or go bowling.
Teen shoppers will love stores like The Coca Cola Store, Sephora, and, of course, The Art of Disney.
Teen foodies can enjoy everything from cupcakes and coffee to fare from places like Morimoto Asia and The Boathouse.
In fact, Disney Springs has a little less than 100 shops, almost 70 restaurants, and just under 2 dozen entertainment options. You’re sure to find something to make your Disney trip with teens fantastic.
Disney’s Boardwalk on a rainy night.
16. Visit Disney’s Boardwalk.
While Disney Springs takes the cake for sheer numbers of things to see, do and eat, Disney’s Boardwalk wins the prize for quaintness.
Disney’s Boardwalk area sits between Hollywood Studios and Epcot. It encompasses several resort hotels and some great restaurant choices all its own. Themed after the Atlantic City Boardwalk at the turn of the century, Surry bike rentals and street performers provide entertainment.
We love the restaurants here and the laid-back atmosphere. With fewer crowds than Disney Springs, it’s also a great place to fit in a meal while visiting Epcot. The park is easy walking distance to Boardwalk restaurants, shops, and things to do.
Disney World with another family means every one has a Disney-loving friend along for the trip.
17. Bring along a Disney-loving friend.
As one of the most visited places on the planet, Disney World is a perfect place to take a large group. Doing just that is one of the best ways to do Disney with teens.
Some of our very best trips have been with friends and extended family. Because there’s so much to do, everyone has something to keep them entertained. And having a friend for our teen makes it easier to divide and conquer.
18. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
Have you tried in vain to get your teen to put his or her phone away while on vacation? Well, if it’s a futile cause at least we can make the phone useful.
Play Disney is a fun way to use a cellphone to pass the time while waiting in lines for attractions. It’s a free app stocked full of games and trivia. (Andy’s Board Game Blast and Disney Parks Trivia are our favorites.) In addition to playing games, users can earn digital badges and use it to find things within the park.
To see how it can fit into your Disney trip, check out THIS link from Park Savers on how to gamify your Disney vacation.
19. Explore Disney off-the-beaten-path.
Now that your kiddos are older and wiser, they just may enjoy some of the lesser known parts of Disney World. This is especially true if this isn’t your first Disney rodeo. Sure you want to revisit your old favorites. But, throwing in something unexpected is a unique and special way to do a Disney vacation.
Explore the lesser visited World Showcase attractions. Take a Keys to the Kingdom Tour. Do a progressive dinner at the resorts located on the monorail or Disney Skyliner.
Getting off the beaten path helps your teen see Disney World in a whole new way.
20. Take a splash break.
It’s easy to spend all your time at Walt Disney World at the theme parks. Especially if you’re traveling for a shorter trip because of your teen’s busy schedule, park time can be all-encompassing.
But, checking out Disney World’s water parks makes for epic vacation days all on their own. Both water parks on property have their own take on the wet attractions in Disney World.
If you can’t devote a day to the water parks, Disney World Resort’s pools can be a fun alternative. All deluxe and moderate resorts feature pools with slides. And all resort pools are themed. That theming turns even a couple hours at the pool into a vacation-worthy experience.
