While part of the appeal of Walt Disney World is the fact that anyone visiting can feel like a kid, age still plays a factor in any visit to the “Most Magical Place on Earth.” Specifically for those in their 50s, it means following some “unspoken” rules that they never needed to consider in their younger years.
I’ve been visiting Disney World for over 30+ years at this point, and for at least 20 of those, visits have become just as much about recapturing the feelings of my youth. However, as I approach 40, I’ve learned that I need to adjust certain things and can’t quite visit the same way I did when I wore the proverbial “younger man’s clothes.” Speaking of clothes, let’s begin there when talking about guests over 50.
Embrace Comfortable Clothes
While younger guests may aim for the most stylish look for their Disney trip, with hip shoes and Disney Bound outfits, older guests generally go for a different approach. Specifically, it’s all about COMFORT.
Comfortable shoes to avoid blisters, foot pain, or aggravating plantar fasciitis, and lightweight, climate-appropriate shirts and pants to make sure making one’s way through the resort’s parks. Of course, comfort doesn’t mean ugly. There are plenty of comfortable, easy-to-wear options that still look stylish.
Rethink Those Rides
While some theme park aficionados may not want to hear this, the reality is that as we age, the types of thrill rides our bodies can handle tend to change. Whether it’s becoming more prone to motion sickness or dealing with back or knee issues, some rides, motion profiles, and even vehicles become a no-go.
However, being in your 50s generally doesn’t mean you can’t ride ANY rides. It just may mean finding some balance. For example, you may be able to do Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT… but it may also mean skipping Mission Space and Test Track this time around.
Drinking Around the World May Be a No-Go
For Disney fans of a certain age, Drinking Around the World is a go-to EPCOT experience, with sampling an alcoholic beverage from each country around the World Showcase being something of a rite of passage. However, as guests age and their alcohol tolerance gets lower, or their recovery time gets longer (potentially endangering the rest of their trip), it may be time to cut back.
That said, it doesn’t mean those in their 50s need to eliminate alcohol altogether. Instead, though, pick 2-3 of your EPCOT favorites and spread them out throughout the day.
Pace Yourself
While you may have been a rope-drop to park close, “go, go, GO!” kind of guest in the past, aging may slow you down just a bit. Whether that means taking a midday hotel break, or simply pacing out your theme park day with lots of breaks – even at the expense of a few rides or experiences.
Take a Swim
Speaking of your hotel, when you arrive home from a park day, if you have the time, we’d definitely recommend taking a swim in your hotel pool. It’ll do good for your aching muscles. In fact, that’s frankly good advice for Disney World visitors of any age.
Anyone in their 50s planning to head to Walt Disney World should keep these unwritten rules in mind to make sure they make the most of their trip. Stay tuned to AllEars for more tips on visiting Disney World.
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Have your “unspoken rules” about Disney World changed as you’ve aged? Let us know in the comments below.
I’ll be at Epcot to celebrate my 50th in a few months, and I was looking forward to reading this, but it’s left me a bit cross. I’m 50, not 97. I don’t have “aching muscles” leaving me in need of a swim every day, I don’t need to skip Test Track because it’s too much for my decrepit old frame, and I can drink many 20 year olds under the table. You make it sound like life ends at 50!
I’m 75 years old and my favorite rides are Tron, Guardians, Sorin, and Flight Of Passage. I take my disabled / Blind son once a month. There is no slowing down the type of rides here. I do walk slower, but my son walks with a white cane, so I need to slow us down,as people don’t see the cane in the daytime, it glows in the dark, they still don’t pay attention. They are in such a hurry that they often almost trip over it! I wish people would learn to walk to their right. it would make things a lot easier.