Jimmy Buffett once offered a wonderful suggestion. Why don’t we get drunk and…you know what, that’s not the most Disney example. Buffett more famously sang about wasting away again in Margaritaville. And that’s something you can definitely do at Walt Disney World. Some would argue that the World Showcase was built for it. Let’s not be quite so insular, though. Let’s take a look at the best eight bars at Walt Disney World, but I’m adding a degree of difficulty by limiting the World Showcase selections to two.
8. AbracadaBar
Image: DisneyDisney’s latest bar at the BoardWalk opened to huge buzz thanks to its magical theme. The company seemed to be directly attacking Universal’s Harry Potter theme by opening a place that served its own versions of Butterbeer. That was the theory anyway.
In execution, AbracadaBar was initially underwhelming. Sure, drinks like Pepper’s Ghost and Magic Mirror seemed fitting for Disney, but there was plenty of room for improvement. In recent months, Disney has revised the menu and enhanced some delicious concoctions like the Conjurita. Plus, the wine bar here is divine. It’s not the best in the area as we’ll see, but if you want to stay out of the parks, this is a great option. And how can you not love a magical potion like the Elixir 13, an actual absinthe concoction? Did you ever think there’d come a day when Disney served absinthe on property?
7. Tune-In Lounge
Image: DisneyRegular guests at the 50s Prime Time Café know a secret. You can order the same foods at the adjoining lounge without having to wait on a table or make a reservation. The theme at the Tune-In Lounge is identical, though. It’s the 1950s, and if you’re not sure on the point, black & white televisions are on display above the bar.
As for the drinks, they’re precisely what you’d expect from the era. They’re stiff cocktails like any working man needs when at the lodge rather than at home with the family. I jest about the clichés from 1950s television sitcoms, but the restaurant does pay tribute to the premise. The menu features 10 types of beer and 18 wine variants, including the hilariously named Fess Parker Chardonnay. Fans of fruity wines should also try the Dr. Loosen, Dr. L Riesling, Mosel wine for the name AND the peach and apple flavors. A dessert wine, it pairs wonderfully with Dad’s Favorite Chocolate-Peanut Butter Layered Cake.
6. ESPN Club
Image: DisneySometimes, you want some sports at your bar, and ESPN Club is perfect for that. Also located on the BoardWalk, this establishment is smaller in size, and the intimacy adds to the enjoyment. You’re guaranteed a great view of the various televisions, although you should know that the place gets crowded for major sports events.
As for the beverages on tap, any self-respective sports fan has to try the Espy, which combines peach schnapps with Absolut Mandrin vodka. Beyond that, the options seem limitless. ESPN Club has one of the deepest bar menus at Walt Disney World, with more than 40 wines and beers on tap. Fittingly, they even offer a couple of wines from the vineyards of Arnold Palmer and Wayne Gretzky.
5. Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar
Image: DisneyDisney Springs only has one entry on this list, but it’s a great one. A couple of years ago, Disney announced that they were building a bar based on the world of Indiana Jones. They didn’t include Indiana Jones in the bar, though. Instead, a pilot named Jock Lindsey from Raiders of the Lost Ark is the host, and the theming is phenomenal. The setting is an airport hangar that Lindsey has converted into a dive bar. There, he holds court in a room that would seem right at home at Jungle Cruise and/or Skipper Canteen.
The drinks that Jock Lindsey serves are potent. Disney’s not as worried about binge drinking at Disney Springs, after all, so guests are encouraged to loosen up and have more fun. The names on the drinks are recognizable to Indy fans, particularly the Shorty’s Singapore Sling, the Pancho’s Margarita, and the Anything Goes. Reggie’s Revenge is the most fitting beverage for Orlando, as it consists of Orlando Orange vodka with Midori Melon Liqueur and other ingredients. The other Florida-thematic beverage I’d recommend is the Fountain of Youth, which uses St. Augustine Florida Cane Vodka to make you feel like time has stood still. It hasn’t, but you’ll be too numb to notice.
4. Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar
Image: DisneyMy favorite part of drinking here is saying the name in a horrible Italian accent. I feel like a native, even though any Italian citizen would slap me for butchering the language. And the accent.
Seriously, when you think about wine production, Italy is likely one of the two or three countries that springs to mind. And the Italy Pavilion takes pride in this reputation. They’ve imported more than 200 wines from the home country to serve to Epcot guests. They also added a line of craft beers in recent years, but I’m not going to recommend those. Yes, they’re good. That’s not the point, though. This is a wine bar, and the term “When in Rome…” is applicable to the Italy Pavilion by extension. Your best bet is to order a wine tasting sampler so that you can enjoy three or four different flavors at once.
While the wine offerings at AbracadaBar are good, the ones at Tutto Gusto are otherworldly. This is THE place to order wine on the Disney campus. Just don’t do the fake Italian accent. They hate that.
3. La Cava del Tequila
Image: DisneyThey serve more than 100 different Tequila drinks here. Enough said.
2. California Grill Lounge
Image: DisneyDining at the California Grill isn’t the easiest thing to do. As the anchor restaurant at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, it always has a wait. The California Grill Lounge works a bit differently, though. It’s a first come/first serve restaurant. To be seated, you go to the second floor check-in area, just as you would if you had a reservation. The difference is that you state your intent to order at the bar.
You enjoy the same benefits, which is to say that if you drink long enough, you can see the fireworks. The question is whether you CAN drink that long, as you’ll probably have to arrive around 6 p.m. to be guaranteed a seat. Otherwise, you could wait 60-90 minutes and even that’s not guaranteed.
California Grill Lounge tries to help you with the extended drinking session. Everything here is absurdly good. You won’t even notice the alcoholic content since the potent potables are so tasty. Wines, ciders, beers, and specialty cocktails are all available. Several of these glasses are so popular that they have ardent supporters. The Classic Side Car, the Anaheim Mule, and the Monte Ray are all treasured favorites whose recipes you can find online. You probably can’t do these beverages justice the way that the bartender at California Grill Lounge can, though.
1. Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
Image: DisneyGlow drinks, waitress, I need two more glow drinks. Okay, those aren’t the right Jimmy Buffett lyrics either, but they are applicable. This list started with a bar that serves magical beverages that fizz and smoke. It ends with ones that glow in the dark.
Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto is THE best bar at Walt Disney World for its drinks, its atmosphere, and its overall entertainment value. Nestled on the bottom floor of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, this is the place where the head salesman (literally) from Jungle Cruise runs his other business, a bar. It’s presumably easier to get this product than the heads.
Sam’s running a tiki bar with mystical elements, ones that cause the beverages to shine. The black lighting causes all of the colors to seem that much brighter. The bar also has some fun elements such as special effects when patrons order certain beverages such as the Uh-Oa!, which summons a tiki deity named Uh-Oah. Little touches like these differentiate Trader Sam’s from other bars, but the drinks are also sublime.
The most beloved one is the Krakotoa Punch, highlighted by two types of rum and something called Gorilla Grog, who I think is a villain on The Flash. The Shrunken Zombie Head, Tahitian Torch, and Dark & Storm Tropical are also phenomenal drinks that come with a sense of pageantry. By far the best thing on the menu in terms of names, however, is the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum. Seriously, this is a bar for Disney lovers, and that’s why it’s the best of the best.
