Disney World - The Online Guide -

Adults at WDW

Call 'em "tweenagers" -- the crowd whose generation falls somewhere between life's fast lane and easy-does-it, between Metallica and Montovani, between lasers and lava lamps.

Baby Boomers born from 1946 through 1964 represent a whopping one-third of the U.S. population. They grew up with Walt Disney World. But they haven't outgrown Walt Disney World.

Never mind that the kids have moved out and gray hair is moving in. Never mind that they can name the original Mouseketeers but are clueless as to who or what constitutes the "Screaming Tomatoes."

As they have grown, so has Walt Disney World Resort. From one Magic Kingdom to a 30,500-acre Vacationland consisting of theme parks, water parks, resort hotels, Downtown Disney nightlife/shopping district and other magical attractions and recreational centers.

Now that they've paid off the mortgage, the kids' college tuition and the last of the car payments, it's their time. And what better way for Boomers to spend it than to revisit and remember the magic of Walt Disney World Resort?

Sure, kid-friendly attractions are the cornerstone here. But there's a grown-up, less frenetic side of the Vacation Kingdom. Like music in a splendid dance palace. Salmon steaks at breakfast. Golf lessons. Jazz. Flower gardens that look as good as they smell.

"Lots of adults, both younger ones ('pre-kid') and older people whose children have flown the coop ('post-kid'), are descending on the parks with needs and notions that are vastly different from those of the parental persuasion," observed Pamela Weiers, author of Birnbaum's Walt Disney World without kids (Hearst Business Publishing, Inc.).

And, OK Boomers: You can ride Space Mountain like you did 20 years ago. Or drop in a free-falling elevator in The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, just to prove to your kids you're hip as ever.

But if your vacation march is to the beat of "brushes on snares" rather than ear-splitting heavy metal, here are some Disney best bets with a "grown-up" slant:

Resorts

Disney's BoardWalk is a whole district of dining, entertainment and recreation that might have shifted 700 miles south. A broad wooden boardwalk on a waterfront is the "main drag" of the resort complex. Guests can stroll or rent a peddle-driven surrey bike built for two or four. Shoot a "hoop," win a prize. Taste the micro-brewed beers of Big River Grille & Brewing Works. Dance the night away or sit and sip champagne in the elegant Atlantic Dance ballroom. Accommodations evoke the charm of early Eastern Seaboard inns.

"A forested wonder" -- that's the way Birnbaum's Walt Disney World: The Official Guide depicts Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. It is more than 700 acres of cypress and pine forest that have been carefully laid out as a campground with nearly 1,200 sites. It's a home-away-from-home for everyone from tent campers to folks who prefer one of the new Wilderness Cabins complete with fully equipped kitchens, air conditioning and maid service. A white sand beach and marina on Bay Lake, a nature trail and waterways for fishing, canoeing and pedal boating complete this idyllic vacation setting. To make reservations, call 407/W-DISNEY.

Imagine times and places long ago and sometimes far away. The fantasy experiences for which the Walt Disney World theme parks are world-famous extend to the resorts. Across the Seven Seas Lagoon from the Magic Kingdom are ports of call that welcome guests to the South Seas (Disney's Polynesian Resort) and the turn of the last century in South Florida (Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa). Some of the other adventures: the old New England seaside (Disney's Beach Club Resort and Disney's Yacht Club Resort), the heyday of the mid-Atlantic shore (Disney's BoardWalk), America's great western parks (Disney's Wilderness Lodge), the American Southwest (Disney's Coronado Springs Resort), the Old South (Disney's Port Orleans Resort) and exotic Africa (Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge).

Recreation

If golf's your game, Walt Disney World Resort has days worth of challenges -- 99 holes of golf that have helped earn the Vacation Kingdom a distinction as one of the country's top golf resorts. The courses at Bonnet Creek Golf Club were crafted by Pete Dye and Tom Fazio, while veteran designer Joe Lee was architect of the Magnolia, Palm and Lake Buena Vista courses. To make reservations, call 407/WDW-GOLF.

Tennis, anyone? Walt Disney World Resort answers with 30 of the finest courts in Central Florida. For "lookers," there is an 11-court tennis center used for organized competitions at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex.

Even sports fishermen's dreams come true at the Walt Disney World Resort. The heaviest largemouth bass caught and recorded at the Vacation Kingdom was 14 pounds, 6 ounces. Guests on two-hour guided fishing excursions routinely catch bass weighing 6 to 8 pounds. Tour guides monitor the lakes every day and take guests to the hottest fishing spots. For reservations, call 407/WDW-PLAY.

Relaxing and Eating

Breakfast can be a civilized great adventure if you know the menu. Some ways to start the day at Walt Disney World Resort: Smoked Norwegian salmon with bagels and cream cheese (Concourse Steak House at Disney's Contemporary Resort), thick French toast stuffed with bananas (Kona Cafe at Disney's Polynesian Resort) and Pizza del Sol, Norwegian smoked salmon and vegetarian rotollo (Spoodles at Disney's BoardWalk).

Indulgence knows no boundaries with the pampering guests receive at the two full-service spas at Walt Disney World Resort. The Spa at the Disney Institute combines Disney's expertise in service with natural spa therapies from around the world. The Grand Floridian Spa & Health Club offers 17 treatment rooms for massage, herbal wraps and aromatherapy.

Downtown Disney West Side, a hip new corner of Downtown Disney featuring some of the world's most exciting restaurants, nightclubs and shopping adventures. Highlights include Cirque du Soleil�, Virgin Megastore, House of Blues, Wolfgang Puck Cafe and Bongos Cuban Cafe.

Downtown Disney Pleasure Island is a nightlife district that includes a jazz club where the sounds are sometimes hot, sometimes soft, and a comedy club that is always good for a chuckle. Note: You'll hear plenty of hot-rocking sounds in the street en route to your club of choice.

Snuggled away on the far southeast corner of the Walt Disney World Resort property is Celebration, a new community with an old-fashioned downtown where an evening stroll can end at a cinema or a cozy restaurant with tables along the sidewalk.

Dinner is a regal occasion at Victoria & Albert's, an intimate dining room that seats only 65 at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Elegant touches include Royal Doulton china, Sambonet silver and Schott-Zweisel crystal. Don't look for a formal printed menu: culinary offerings daily depend on the best available fresh ingredients.

Theme Parks

Take a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad, churn along the Rivers of America aboard a Liberty Square Riverboat and catch a ride on a horse-drawn trolley down Main Street, U.S.A.

Be a kid again, revisiting the attractions of Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom -- It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, Cinderella's Golden Carrousel, Snow White's Adventures, "Legend of the Lion King," Dumbo, the Flying Elephant and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Epcot World Showcase features 11 nations of the world in architecture, dining, art and history exhibits, entertainment and shopping. A tree-lined promenade encircling a peaceful lagoon is the byway connecting the countries: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, American Adventure, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom and Canada.

The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is an annual rite of autumn celebrating the food, beverages and cultures from more than 30 regions.

The heyday of Hollywood is captured in the architecture of Disney-MGM Studios. The park has its own Hollywood and Vine, and also a Sunset Boulevard that recalls the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown. The trip down memory lane is completed by The Great Movie Ride, a ride through famous moments from the big screen, and The Hollywood Brown Derby, where the famous Cobb Salad of the former Vine Street restaurant is alive and well along with the interior design of the one-time hangout of Hollywood stars. You can even collect a treasure or two at Sid Cahuenga's One-of-a-Kind, a shop specializing in antiques and curios. Boomers who grooved to 70s rock will want to take a spin on the new Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.

The gardens of Epcot are never brighter than during the month of May, when guests discover the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. There are lectures, demonstrations and gardens ablaze with colorful displays from the entrance plaza to the far reaches of World Showcase.

Timing your visit for the cooler months and away from the peaks of family vacationing can add to the comfort of the adventure. Prime time for family vacations is when the kids are out of school -- during the summer months of June, July and August, around major holidays and spring break late February to mid-April.

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