"But What Would We DO At Disney World Without Kids?"

While it's obvious to some of us, others haven't really ever considered going to Disney World without their children in tow. Here's a quick guide to some of the advantages to leaving the little ones behind.

Not sure you're ready to take the plunge and visit Walt Disney World without your kidlets? Nervous to leave them with Mom and Dad or the babysitter for an evening while you get to feel like a kid again? Here are a few things we like to do at the Happiest Place on Earth, sans little ones.

1. Travel At a More Relaxed Pace. Walt Disney World is often a once-in-a-lifetime vacation for a family, and there's a desire to see and do it all immediately. Days are planned down to the minute to take advantage of the opportunity to ride everything, see every show, experience every possible chance to create a memory.

   This is wonderful--we've done it! But there's a serenity in visiting Walt Disney World without a schedule and without the single-minded focus of collecting as many autographs and riding Dumbo as many times as possible. You begin to experience a completely different vacation than ever before when you realize that you're on your own schedule now; you can still ride Dumbo as many times as possible if you wish, but that's up to you now, isn't it?

2. Eat at Big Kid Restaurants. Perhaps you've been the blessed guardians of little ones with foodie palates, but most of us are relegated to plastic-y pizza and soggy fries for many a meal. In fact, there are 4- and 5-star restaurants at Walt Disney World that are well worth the trip and that offer relaxing and peaceful atmospheres after a long day in the parks.

3. Take a Backstage Tour. Ever wonder what those groups of people with name tags are doing? Most likely, they're on a Walt Disney World Backstage Tour. You can learn all about Disney's agricultural programs, the utilidors under the Magic Kingdom, or the care and feeding of Disney's Animal Kingdom's finest residents (to name just a few). You can even swim with dolphins at Epcot's Living Seas Pavilion. Prices vary, but the tours are definitely worth checking out. See the Disney's Backstage Tours page for more info.

4. Talk With Cast Members. Have you ever wanted to talk to the interpreters at the Animal Kingdom Lodge about the countries they've come from? Have you ever wanted to hear more about an Innoventions exhibit or wonder who creates the light shows for Epcot's Lights of Winter at Christmastime? Conversations with cast members are some of the most interesting I've ever had at Walt Disney World, and I look forward to having more. Visiting without the kiddos gives you an opportunity to linger at exhibits, ask questions, and learn even more behind-the-scenes information about Walt Disney World history and future plans.

5. Do Things On a Whim. Yes, planning your trip carefully makes all the difference at Walt Disney World. But you're bound to find an attraction you'd like to see again or a show that you're actually not that interested in seeing, even though it's on your itinerary. When your day no longer revolves around the whims of your children, you're suddenly remarkably flexible to do whatever YOU want to do. Take advantage and linger for another cup of coffee, sleep in an hour later, stay out for that extra song or two at Jellyrolls, or skip Wishes and just go have a glass of wine in the hot tub at the hotel. It's your call!

These are just a few of the perks you encounter when traveling without kids. It's magical to be there with them, but it can be just as magical in a completely different way to be there without.