Jenna SaxtonPlanning the perfect evening at Disney World doesn’t have to be complicated! Whether you’re celebrating something special or just looking for a fun night out, these Disney World date night ideas cover everything from casual, budget-friendly options to over-the-top luxury splurges. From signature dining and fireworks cruises to late-night lounges and unique tours, there’s truly something for every couple and every budget. So grab your partner, pick your vibe, and get ready to experience Disney in a whole new way!
Dine at a Signature Restaurant
If you’re looking to do something that’s sure to deliver on the romance, Disney World’s signature restaurants provide the perfect setting for an upscale date night. These table service restaurants require advance reservations and have a dress code that guests must abide by, making the entire experience more adult-oriented.
Some of our favorite signature restaurants for date night include:
- Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera at Disney’s Riviera Resort
- Toledo — Tapas, Steak and Seafood at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
- Jiko — The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Citricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Takumi-Tei at EPCOT
- Monsieur Paul at EPCOT
- Tiffins at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Book a Magic Kingdom Fireworks Cruise
If you want to skip out on the Magic Kingdom crowds and do something truly unique for date night, a Magic Kingdom fireworks cruise offers couples an intimate way to watch Happily Ever After from the water. You’ll board a private pontoon boat at Disney’s Contemporary Resort that accommodates up to 10 guests with a Disney captain approximately thirty minutes before the fireworks show and sail to prime viewing spots on Bay Lake or the Seven Seas Lagoon.
You can even request special decorations for anniversaries or celebrations when booking! Just keep in mind that this is a pricier date night with costs hovering around $500 per boat regardless of group size.
Spend the Evening at Disney’s BoardWalk
Disney’s BoardWalk is one of the lesser known areas in Disney World, but it offers some of the best late night activities without needing a theme park ticket! The quarter-mile waterfront boardwalk features dining, entertainment, and scenic views along Crescent Lake.
The BoardWalk stays lively well into the late night hours making it easy to spend an entire date night exploring the area’s restaurants, bars, and entertainment options while enjoying the charming Atlantic City-inspired atmosphere.
We recommend grabbing dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse, then stopping by AbracadaBar for a specialty cocktail before heading to the bridge to watch EPCOT fireworks. You can then cap off the night dancing at Atlantic Dance Hall or grab some ice cream at Beaches and Cream at Disney’s Beach Club Resort.
Do the Starlight Safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
If you and your partner love animals, then the Starlight Safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is sure to be a really fun experience for your date night! This one-hour tour takes you through the Sunset and Arusha savannas at Animal Kingdom Lodge and pairs really well with a dining reservation at Jiko – The Cooking Place. Advance reservations are required, so be sure to book before you go!
Bowl and Grab a Bite at Splitsville in Disney Springs
If you’re looking for a Disney World date night idea that is sure to be fun from start to finish, check out Splitsville Luxury Lanes at Disney Springs! This two-story building has multiple bowling lanes and offers full dining service. So, you can grab a bite to eat and partake in some friendly competition.
Do a Disney Bar Crawl
Disney bar crawls are a fun way to explore multiple Disney World Resort hotels while still having time to relax a little in between stops. The best Disney bar crawls take advantage of some kind of free transportation option (like the monorail or skyliner) to conveniently get you from place to place and give you plenty of time to enjoy each hotels theming and adult lounges.
We recommend planning 3-5 hours for your bar crawl, depending on how long you plan to stay at each lounge and how many stops you plan to make.
You can check out our FULL GUIDE to Disney bar crawls HERE!
Or Try Out Other Disney World Bars
Disney World has dozens of hidden bar gems beyond the popular spots that you can visit for a nice evening out. For example, Dahlia Lounge at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is a rooftop bar with views of EPCOT fireworks. And, Nomad Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom offers a relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle of the theme park with African-inspired drinks.
Here are a few other lesser-known Disney bars you might want to try:
- Bar Riva at Disney’s Riviera Resort
- Geyser Point Bar & Grill at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar at Disney Springs
- Scat Cat’s Club at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
- Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
- Tambu Lounge at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Mini Golf at Disney’s Miniature Golf Courses
Disney World offers two miniature golf courses perfect for couples who want a playful date night activity. And, this is one Disney World date night option that won’t cost you an arm and a leg!
Fantasia Gardens miniature golf course is located near the Swan and Dolphin Hotel, featuring scenes from Disney’s classic film Fantasia. You’ll be surrounded by dancing hippos, marching broomsticks, and pirouetting ostriches across 18 holes. And, if you want a bit more of a challenge, the Fantasia Fairways course has more difficult holes.
The second miniature golf course in Disney World is Winter Summerland, which is located next to Blizzard Beach Water Park. This Santa-themed course offers two 18-hole options: Summer and Winter courses that merge just in time for the final holes.
Parking is free at the miniature golf courses and adults cost around $14 per person with discounts available for Annual Passholders.
Explore the Parks After Dark
While the Disney Parks might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of romance, they can actually be a great place for a date night after dark!
Hang out and much on some snacks on Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom, walk around Pandora – The World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom, explore World Showcase at EPCOT, or see Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios! There’s so much to do inside all four theme parks and crowds tend to thin out a bit into the evening, giving you the chance to actually enjoy your night.
And, even better, if you’re staying at a Disney World Deluxe Resort, you can take advantage of Extended Evening Theme Park Hours and get an extra two hours in select parks on select nights when almost no one else is there with you!
See Cirque du Soleil’s Drawn to Life at Disney Springs
The amazing Cirque du Soleil crew has their very own show made just for Disney World at Disney Springs! Titled, Drawn to Life, this 90 minute show is filled with amazing music and acrobatics that are sure to wow you. Pair the show with a dinner reservation at Jaleo, House of Blues, or any other restaurant at Disney Springs for the ultimate date night.
Explore Disney Springs
Speaking of Disney Springs, this massive shopping and dining complex offers couples a perfect blend of dining, entertainment, and unique activities in Disney World. The entertainment district provides date night options for every budget, from under $40 to luxury experiences exceeding $200.
Some of our favorite things to do at Disney Springs for date night include:
- Take a ride in a vintage Amphicar at THE BOATHOUSE
- Get a birds-eye view of Disney World on the Aerophile balloon
- Grab a drink and snack at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar or Wine Bar George
- Dance at The Edison (after 10PM)
We recommend visiting during weekday evenings for fewer crowds and better table availability at popular restaurants.
Go to a Concert at The House of Blues
Most people don’t know this, but you can actually see some of your favorite bands and singers LIVE at the House of Blues in Disney Springs! Many touring artists pass through here and you just might get lucky enough to see someone you love with the person that you love. You can view the full schedule on the House of Blues’s website. And, be sure to make a dining reservation here for before the show so you can make a whole date night out of the event!
Take a Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride at Port Orleans Riverside
Horse-drawn carriage rides have to be among the top ten most romantic things ever, right? Well, you can do it at Disney World! Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside offers 25-minute private horse-drawn carriage rides through the resort’s scenic pathways daily. Carriages depart from the Riverside Levee Marina behind the main lobby building and finish in the same spot.
Then, after your ride, you can take the complimentary boat transportation from the resort over to Disney Springs for dinner!
Get a Spa Treatment
For the ultimate relaxing date night, schedule a couples spa treatment at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa! The spa offers several treatment options for two including couples massages, individual treatments, specialty packages, and facials. So, you’re sure to find something that both of you will enjoy.
Since the Grand Floridian Spa closes earlier in the evening, plan this as an early date night (or even date day!) activity. You can book treatments for late afternoon and still have time for dinner afterward.
Book the Savor the Savanna Tour at Animal Kingdom
If it felt like something was missing from the Starlight Safari tour at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (like, say, wine), then let us introduce you to the Savor the Savanna tour at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! This 2-hour guided safari takes you through the park’s wildlife reserves and ends at a private viewing area of the savanna where you can enjoy African-inspired appetizers and a selection of regional beer and wine while watching the giraffes and other animals roam the savanna.
This experience works well for early date nights since it only takes 2 hours of your park day. You’ll still have plenty of time to explore Animal Kingdom or return home at a reasonable hour.
Do Dinner and a Movie at Disney Springs
If you’re looking for the Disney World version of the classic dinner and movie date night, then you’re in luck! You can find both at the AMC Dine-In Theater at Disney Springs. In each theater, you can order from a full menu of appetizers, entrees, and drinks and then sit back and watch the latest blockbusters. Plus, all of the seats fully recline and are so comfortable that you might never want to do the traditional dinner and a movie date night ever again.
Buy Tickets for an After Hours Party
If you and your partner are big Disney Parks people and want a special night out, a Disney After Hours party is the perfect date night plan! Disney World offers several late night after hours events where you can take advantage of special eats and drinks and lower park crowds including traditional After Hours events (see Disney’s schedule for what parks are offering them and when!), Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and H2O Glow Nights at Typhoon Lagoon Water Park.
Most of these events come with a select assortment of free snacks and drinks plus a ton of specialty ones too! And, you don’t even need to buy a theme park ticket on top of your event tickets if you plan to enter the part at or after 7PM for date night. Just note that after hour events can sell out months in advance, so this one will take some planning!
Spend the Evening Laughing at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
Now, we’ve already talked a lot about different Disney World bars and restaurants that are great for a date night. But, there’s one hidden lounge that we love spending the entire night at – Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto! Located inside Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, this lounge offers one of the most unique date night experiences that is sure to have you and your partner laughing the whole way through.
This interactive tiki bar combines tropical cocktails with the playful Disney humor from the Jungle Cruise attraction at Magic Kingdom. The bar features special effects and surprises triggered when anyone orders certain drinks and the Cast Members that work here fully commit to their role.
Getting in here does require some planning, as the bar is small and popular. Reservations are not accepted, so we recommend arriving early to join the virtual waitlist and grabbing a drink at Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace just outside while you wait.
Relax in a Cabana at Your Resort Pool
Several Disney World resorts offer private cabana rentals that you can take advantage of throughout the entire day and create an intimate poolside escape for couples. These are great for an extended date day that goes into the night, as you’ll be able to get away from the chaotic pool crowds and have a space of your own with a mini-refrigerator, flat-screen TV, and complimentary bottled water. Plus, you can even order food and beverages directly to your cabana throughout the day/evening.
But, not every hotel offers this. You can currently rent cabanas at:
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and Beach Club Resort
Note that cabana rentals range from $175 to $400 per day depending on the resort and season. Advance reservations are recommended.
Book an EPCOT Fireworks Dining Package
Crowding around World Showcase to watch the nightly Luminous fireworks show isn’t particularly romantic. But, luckily, you don’t have to do that! EPCOT’s Rose & Crown Dining Room, Spice Road Table, and GEO-82 Lounge all offer exclusive fireworks dining packages that give you some of the best views of fireworks while you share a meal.
These dining packages must be booked in advance and are extremely popular, so be sure you know which one you want and are ready to book 60 days in advance! Keep in mind that you’ll also need a valid park ticket for EPCOT to make it to the reservation.
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