When you think of a Disney World trip, you probably picture long days, packed crowds, extreme heat and sore legs.

And, of course, as a Disney lover, you also think of your favorite Disney hotel, the lovely Seven Seas Lagoon as you approach Cinderella’s Castle, unmatched Disney fireworks (the best in the world, right?), the Mickey ears you bought to commemorate a special occasion…

But even when you’re on a Disney World for couples trip, just you two, it can be easy to forgo romance. Early mornings, Genie Plus stress, heavy backpacks and 100-degree weather can zap those lovey-dovey feelings.

Here’s the thing: Walt Disney World for adults can be a lot different from Disney with the family. You’re not at the whim of kiddos who are going to beg to get to the park as early as possible, stay all day, and stand on line for carousel-style rides like Dumbo.

Why approach your Disney trip the same way everyone else does?

We’re here to help you think outside the box, reject the pressure of rope-dropping and park-hopping for 14 hours a day, and inject a heavy dose of Disney World romance into your trip. You deserve it.

You Heard It Here First: There Are Endless Disney Date Night Ideas!

Whether you want to plan a budget-friendly date night at Disney or you’re more into a splurge date night at Walt Disney World, there’s an itinerary for you. The best date night spots in Disney World depend on your preferences and mood.

A romantic Disney night at Disney’s Boardwalk, recreating the meatballs scene from Lady and the Tramp, a round of mini golf at Fantasia Gardens, waterfront dining at a signature restaurant like The Boathouse, practically having the park to yourself during an After Hours event…

There’s no end to how to design your perfect date night at Disney World.

Romantic Disney Restaurants for Date Night

Can’t picture a romantic evening for two without a Disney dinner date? Every park, as well as Disney Springs and many of the resorts, has fabulous options.

It’ll be impossible to hit up every Disney World restaurant during your trip, but you can definitely plan to visit some romantic Disney restaurants while you’re vacationing. Here are our favorites:

• Magic Kingdom: The Crystal Palace, Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen, Liberty Tree Tavern
• Epcot: Monsieur Paul when you’re feeling fancy, Rose and Crown Dining Room, Via Napoli
• Hollywood Studios: BaseLine Tap House for appetizers, The Hollywood Brown Derby, Oga’s Cantina for pre-dinner drinks
• Disney Springs: The Boathouse, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, The Edison, House of Blues, Morimoto Asia, Wine Bar George

Get an up-close look at the prix fixe dinner menu from Monsieur Paul in Epcot!

We also love a number of restaurants at Disney resorts:

• Trattoria al Forno at Disney’s Boardwalk
• Banana Cabana Pool Bar at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Steakhouse 71 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Geyser Point Bar and Grill at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

One unique way to experience Disney restaurants is to make your own Disney World food tour by planning a progressive dinner at one — or more! — of the Disney parks. Start somewhere for drinks, then move on to another eatery for appetizers, a third for your entree and a fourth for dessert. (The Confectionery counts if you’d rather take dessert back to the hotel with you!)

You may also like: What Happens if I’m Late to My Disney Restaurant Reservation?

Insider Tips About Planning a Romantic Disney Dinner

🔶 Some restaurants seem romantic in theory but are actually the opposite of intimate and adult-friendly once you get there.

For example, dining in Cinderella Castle or at Be Our Guest, the restaurant designed after Beauty and the Beast, sounds like the epitome of romance, straight out of a fairy tale. In reality, though, they can get crowded, are often overrun with kids who adore the theming, and generally don’t have a date vibe.

🔶 Interested in a healthy Disney date night? It’s totally possible. You just have to know where to look.

Here are a few ideas for those nights when romance at Disney World doesn’t mean indulging in calorie-heavy eats:

• Get your favorite snacks at a fruit and veggie stand. Each of the parks has them!
• Stick with quick service and order off the kids’ menu. The meals are smaller (yet still filling) and come with healthier sides and beverages.
• Browse menus via the My Disney Experience app to find a delicious salad or a build-your-own bowl.

Dying to have a romantic dinner as part of your nighttime Disney fun? You can order appetizers instead of entrees, share an entree, or apply the rule of two: Each of you can order two things, like a cocktail and an entree, an appetizer and dessert, etc.

Here’s how to make Disney dining reservations.

The Best Date Night Spots in Disney World by Park

Which Disney park is the most romantic? That depends on the type of date you’re after!

For a classic Disney World date night, you’ll want the MK. For a sci-fi Star Wars date night, you’ll want Galaxy’s Edge in HS. And if you don’t care about rides, you’re probably after a Disney Springs date for two.

Romance at Disney World takes all forms. Here are just a few ideas to get your amorous wheels spinning.

Magic Kingdom Date Night

MK is a classic, and it’s possibly the most Disney-feeling of all the Disney parks. Traveling on the ferry across the Seven Seas Lagoon only adds to that spirit even more. For a traditional date night at Disney World, head here.

Bop around the whole park or stick to one land. Cozy up to one another during the nighttime show or enjoy that time in the rest of the park when the crowds are super low. Pick three of your favorite eateries and treat yourselves to a progressive dinner.

Oh, and spend a few minutes in the garden area that faces Cinderella Castle — it’s practically empty in the evening and a sweet spot at Walt Disney World for adults.

Disney Date Night on Main Street

Main Street may be our favorite part of any Disney park. There’s much more to do here than you may think. Here are a few date night ideas:

• Have a yummy dinner that teenage-you would be thrilled with: hot dogs from Casey’s Corner.
• Stroll hand-in-hand down lit-up Main Street as the park empties. The shops stay open later than the rest of the park!
• Get coffee from the Main Street Bakery (aka Starbucks) and a pastry from the Main Street Confectionery. Enjoy your treats on one of the Town Square benches.

Disney Date Night in Adventureland

Have you ever been to Adventureland once the sun’s gone down? It’s one of the coolest parts of the park. The lighting here is great, and the setting gives an overall jungle feel.

There’s a lot to do here on Disney date nights. Here are three ideas to kick you off:

• The Jungle Skipper Canteen is an excellent restaurant — cool setting, yummy cocktails, delicious food and good service. Ask to sit in the butterfly booth if it’s available.
• No matter how many times you ride, Pirates of the Caribbean has a few spooky parts — perfect for getting close to your significant other so they can protect you.
• Are you even in Disney if you don’t get a Dole Whip from Aloha Isle? (Insider tip: If the line’s long, go to the Sunshine Tree Terrace instead, across from the Jungle Cruise. They don’t have pineapple flavor, but the menus are similar.)

Disney Date Night in Frontierland

With Splash Mountain gone (sniffle), you may think Frontierland is too desolate to bother with. Don’t overlook this part of the park, though. Here are a few ideas to add to your “date nights” list:

• Order a spread of southwestern fare from the Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe — it’s one of the best quick-service spots in Disney!
• Challenge each other to a competition at the Shootin’ Arcade.
• Buy a warm Chocolate-Chunk Cookie from the Golden Oak Outpost and share it on the walkway that goes over the water.

Disney Date Night in Liberty Square

Liberty Square is an underrated part of the park, but we think it’s a perfect spot for a date night at Disney World. Here’s why:

• You can take a cruise on the Liberty Square Riverboat, which looks custom-made for Disney World romance.
• The setting is lovely at night, with warm lighting everywhere and the Rivers of America running along one side.
• Liberty Tree Tavern is one of the best MK restaurants, especially if you’re in the mood for American comfort food.

Get even more ideas in this article: Disney World Date Night — Liberty Square’s New England Charm

Disney Date Night in Fantasyland

You don’t have to steer clear of Fantasyland just because you’re on a Disney World for couples trip! You can still spend quality time together surrounded by all-things-fanciful. Here are a few ideas:

• Once the sun goes down, enjoy how adorable Fantasyland looks by walking from the Liberty Square pathway to the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel. There’s nothing like it.
• Share LeFou’s Brew and a Grey Stuff Cupcake from Gaston’s Tavern.
• Head to It’s a Small World right before the park closes — we’ve been on the ride completely alone like this!

Disney Date Night in Tomorrowland

When we’re not in Walt Disney World, we get homesick for Tomorrowland. With major nighttime appeal, it’s an excellent spot for your next date night.

• Start with a comedy show at the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. Live actors behind the scenes crack jokes, and animated monsters on-screen move in coordination. It’s an awesome bit of Disney magic.
• Share an ice cream sundae from Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies. Two spoons, please!
• Ooh and ahh at MK lit up for the evening from the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.

Epcot Date Night

Whether you stick just to the World Showcase, prefer spending your time in Worlds Nature, Celebrate and Discover, or do a mixture of both, Epcot has endless Disney date ideas.

• Spend an evening in The Land pavilion. Enjoy dinner at the Garden Grill, watch Awesome Planet, and ride Living with the Land and Soarin’.
• Design a futuristic date. Get drinks at the Space 220 Lounge, brave Mission: SPACE and buy a Lightning Lane for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. (Bonus points if September plays. Jealous.)
• Max out your time together with a Genie Plus-free date. Put the phone away and head to the rides that never have lines, like Spaceship Earth, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, and Journey Into Imagination with Figment.

Romantic Evenings Around the World

The World Showcase is lovely to walk around in the evening. You don’t have to constantly duck into shops for shade, and the lighting is dreamy. There are also a lot of places to watch the nighttime Epcot fireworks show — you don’t have to fight for a place like at MK. Here are a few more ideas:

• Check the schedule for live music at the America Gardens Theatre, which is available on select nights.
• Buy an ornament from the Christmas shop in Germany, called Die Weihnachts Ecke.
• Find the most souvenir-y souvenirs from the House of Good Fortune gift shop in the China pavilion. (Bonus: This place has freezing-cold AC.)

This is also the perfect place to eat and drink around the world for a progressive dinner in Epcot:

• Start with a flight from La Cava del Tequila in the Mexico pavilion.
• Have dinner at Via Napoli in the Italy pavilion. The Carciofi Pizza is one of the best meals I’ve had anywhere ever.
• Order dessert (or several) from Karamell-Küche in the Germany pavilion.

Hollywood Studios Date Night

There are about a bazillion ways to design a date at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, whether you’re going for a progressive dinner or a straight-from-a-movie theme.

• Have pre-dinner drinks at Oga’s Cantina, the coolest bar that side of the galaxy. When you’ve had your fill of Jet Juice, stroll around Batuu and appreciate how insanely cool it looks at night.
• Get nostalgic in Toy Story Land and see how many games from your childhood you can spot. Then head to Muppet*Vision 3D to see your favorite puppets make a mess of things.
• Go old Hollywood with dinner at The Brown Derby and a Ride on the Tower of Terror.

You may also like: Best Places to Eat in Hollywood Studios (and the Worst)

Plan the Ultimate Disney Springs Date Night

Disney Springs has so many date opportunities that you’ll be tempted to head here on every park day off. It may not be one of the main theme parks, but it feels like an honorary one to us.

Plus, it’s free to visit, and if you’re staying on property, you can use complimentary Disney transportation to get there. What’s not to love?

• Plan a progressive dinner at Disney Springs. Start with a beer flight from City Works Eatery and Pour House. Follow with dinner from The Boathouse. And see if you can get on line for the greatest cookies in the world from Gideon’s Bakehouse.
• Stick with tradition and have a classic dinner and movie date at Disney World. Save dessert for the AMC Dine-In Theatre.
• Wander around to find live music. It’s always somewhere at DS, usually with a view of the water.

You may also like this article about the Art Walk

Disney Springs Romantic Restaurants

Disney Springs restaurants range from crowded quick-service to upscale lounges. Here are our favorite romantic restaurants:

• The Boathouse: This Disney World signature restaurant has never disappointed us, and the setting feels fancier than the more casual restaurants at Disney.
• Coca-Cola Store Rooftop Beverage Bar: There’s something about this open-air bar, sponsored by the world’s favorite soft drinks, that we love. And the vantage point over DS at night feels extra-special.
• Dockside Margaritas: Cold drinks, cool breeze, acoustic guitar. So long as you love margaritas, you’ll be hooked on this outdoor bar by the water.
• The Edison: Dinner and a show? Yes please! Our favorite seats are on the top floor overlooking the stage below.
• Wine Bar George: We like the cocktails here, despite it being a wine bar, and the Small Plates are made for sharing.

Disney Date Nights at Resorts

Another free date idea when you have a day off the parks is to hit up one of the many Disney resorts. Here are our top picks for a couples-only evening:

• Disney’s Boardwalk: What’s not adorable for a date night? Drinks at the magic-themed AbracadaBar, an Italian dinner at Trattoria al Forno, shopping for a boardwalk-y souvenir from the Screen Door General Store…
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort: We loved our meal (and the service) from Steakhouse 71. Opt for the sauce sampler — totally worth it.
• Disney’s Coronado Springs: This is a lovely resort to walk around, with pathways that go around and across the water. Stop in to the Three Bridges Bar and Grill for a drink and appetizer.
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort: This place is so romantic that you don’t even need a plan — just show up. Pick up bath bombs at Basin White while you’re there.
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort: The popular (and loud and wild) Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto can be hard to get into, so if you’re stuck with a long wait, head outside to the Tiki Terrace instead for waterside drinks and live music.
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge: We love this hotel at Christmastime. Get drinks and the charcuterie board at the open-air Geyser Point Bar and Grill.

We also suggest the Skyliner bar crawl, which includes one of our favorite Disney resort bars: the Banana Cabana at the Caribbean Beach Resort.

Questions and Answers

What is a Disney date?

How is a Disney date different from a Disney day? The pressure’s off to do everything. Instead, focus on a small, curated selection of activities that feel relaxing, romantic and rewarding.

If you spend the morning and afternoon in the park, head back to the hotel to rest and freshen up. Then go back to a park for a romantic dinner and whatever you’ve planned for the evening.

What time does the night show start at Disney World?

Whether you’re interested in catching the Magic Kingdom fireworks, Fantasmic or another Disney nighttime show, you can find the day’s schedule using the My Disney Experience app.

When you open the app, you’ll be on your homepage. Scroll down until you see the parks section.

Select the correct park, then click Today’s Showtimes.

This is where you can see times for that day’s entertainment, including the fireworks and other nighttime shows.

Which Disney park is best for a date?

That depends on the kind of date you’re interested in! You can go classic Disney at MK, sci-fi in Tomorrowland or Galaxy’s Edge, nostalgic at Toy Story Land, traditional at the Springs…

Consider starting with your favorite park, then plan the perfect date from there.

What are the best date night spots in Disney World?

Your entertainment options are unlimited. Here are just a few ideas to consider:

• Experience the seasons at Winter Summerland mini golf.
• Fairy tale Disney dinner at the Beauty and the Beast restaurant.
• Get a little unruly at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto.
• Have some healthy competition at Splitsville Luxury Lanes.
• Star Wars date on Batuu.
• Wine Bar George for share-able plates.

Want even more? Follow us on Instagram, where we post tips for your next trip to Disney World, just for kid-free couples who live a flight away.