While Drinking Around the World at Epcot is the most popular drinking activity at Walt Disney World, it isn’t the only option (or even our favorite). In this post, we’ll outline eight different bar crawls you could embark on during your visit to Walt Disney World. Some of these can be combined with others, and most have a great deal of flexibility. Read on to learn all about Bar Crawls at Walt Disney World!
Related Posts
We have a Guide to Disney World for Adults that covers the ins and outs of planning an adults-only trip. Throughout this post, we’ll also link to other relevant posts, and you might check out our “Adults at WDW” tag.
Introduction and Basics
Bar hours vary across Walt Disney World. Many hotel lounges open at 11AM, while many of the better / more popular spots don’t open until 3PM/4PM or even 7PM. Closing time is typically midnight, but 1AM and 2AM closes can sometimes be found.
Several of these bar crawls occur across hotels with multiple bars. In those cases, we’ll list recommended bars and then a shortlist of others bars we’d consider. There might be bars along the route that don’t make either list, but their exclusion doesn’t mean there’s anything particularly wrong with them.
We also give tips for crawls you might want to pair together to make for longer bar crawls. In these cases, it helps (and pays) to remember you don’t have to get alcohol at every stop…
Tambu Lounge, Polynesian Village Resort
Visiting Hotels (Why To Bar Crawl)
Most guests stay at the same handful of hotels every time they visit, never seeing what else is out there. I get that a standard “hotel crawl” just to check things out won’t sound fun, which is why I lured you into this post with promises of bar crawls.
In our opinion, most of the fun of these is just seeing the different parts of Walt Disney World resort and checking out the transportation between them (e.g. boats, monorail, Skyliner). At any hotel bar, you can take your drink to go and explore the hotel (pool areas are restricted to guests, and you should avoid room corridors, obviously).
The highlights of this list are hotel bar crawls, but we do discuss Disney Springs and the theme parks at the end. For each bar crawl, we’ll include a small gallery of photos to tap through.
Standard Drinking Disclaimers
The drinking age at Walt Disney World is 21 and you should always be prepared to present identification to that effect. As you probably gathered from the above paragraphs, we’re fans of drinking in moderation at Disney World, but we always think that the relatively lax policies (allowing open carry around the hotels, allowing non-guests to access the bars, etc.) come with a responsibility on the part of those partaking to recognize that Walt Disney World is the premier family travel destination in the world.
Boardwalk Bar Crawl
Just outside Epcot’s World Showcase exit sits Crescent Lake and three of Disney’s deluxe hotels—Boardwalk Inn, Yacht Club, and Beach Club—in a mile loop around the lake.
The Boardwalk Inn side sits on a literal boardwalk and houses several bars and restaurants, making this a respectable dining and nightlife district at Disney World. There are eight bars that come straight to mind around the lake, and that doesn’t even include the bars at The Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin, also a short walk away.
All of the bars and hotels are along a walkable mile-long loop, and you could even pop in or out of Epcot in the middle of your visit (or at either end).
Recommendations: AbracadaBar (Boardwalk), Big River Grille & Brewing Works (Boardwalk, for food), Crew’s Cup Lounge (Yacht Club), Ale & Compass Lounge (Yacht Club)
Also Consider: Martha’s Vineyard (Beach Club, for wine), Jellyrolls (Boardwalk, piano bar, late night), Atlantic Dance Hall (Boardwalk, dance club, late night), Belle Vue Lounge (inside Boardwalk Inn), Rose & Crown (at Epcot’s UK Pavilion)
Connect It With: Skyliner Bar Crawl, visits to Epcot / Hollywood Studios
Monorail Bar Crawl
There are three resorts along the Walt Disney World monorail—Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian. Each has multiple bars, though some of the restaurant bars are quite small.
To get between these resorts, you can take the monorail. You can also walk between Polynesian and Grand Floridian. It’s a nice walk and takes only a few minutes, so we definitely recommend that as well.
If you’ll be crawling at night, we strongly recommend planning to watch the fireworks at Magic Kingdom from the beach at Polynesian.
Recommendations: Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto (Polynesian), Steakhouse 71 Lounge (Contemporary), Enchanted Rose (Grand Floridian)
Also Consider: Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace (Polynesian), Tambu Lounge (Polynesian), Outer Rim (Contemporary)
Connect it With: Bay Lake Bar Crawl (Outer Rim at Contemporary overlooks Bay Lake and is a great spot to start that bar crawl), a visit to Magic Kingdom, or a visit to Epcot (connected to Transportation and Ticket Center, which is adjacent to Polynesian, by its own monorail)
Bay Lake Bar Crawl
The Bay Lake Bar Crawl is the pro move in this part of Walt Disney World. The monorail bar crawl—while respectable and with some highlights—is just too obvious.
Most guests would be be forgiven for not actually realizing where Bay Lake is. If you’ve been to the Magic Kingdom, you’ve probably seen the Seven Seas Lagoon, the body of water on which the monorail resorts sit.
The lagoon is connected to Bay Lake, which sits on the other side of Contemporary Resort, via a small channel. Bay Lake, in turn, is the lake on which Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness sit. You can complete this loop via the Blue Flag boat service, which has finally returned!
Recommendations: Outer Rim (Contemporary, overlooks Bay Lake), Territory Lounge (Wilderness Lodge), Geyser Point (Wilderness Lodge, good for food), Crockett’s Tavern (Fort Wilderness)
Also Consider: None
Connect it With: Bay Lake Bar Crawl (Contemporary is a part of both bar crawls) or a visit to Magic Kingdom
Skyliner Bar Crawl
The Skyliner Bar Crawl is the one bar crawl on this list where the transportation is far and away the highlight. The Disney Skyliner gondola system is a fun way to get around, but most guests’ itineraries won’t require them to ever use it.
The Skyliner connects Epcot to Disney’s Riviera Resort and then to the hub at Caribbean Beach Resort. From the hub, a line goes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and another line goes to Pop Century Resort and Art of Animation.
Pop and Art of Animation only have standard, value resort pool bars. The bar at Caribbean Beach is better than those. Riviera Resort is a deluxe DVC property with better options. Riviera’s maybe excepted, the bars are also all a few minutes walk from the Skyliner stations.
Disney World Skyliner, Epcot Station
Personally, I recommend just taking the Skyliner for fun rather than doing the bar crawl. If you do crawl, you’ll want to visit in the following order: Leave Epcot, Riviera Resort, Caribbean Beach, Pop Century / Art of Animation.
You could start with Pop/Art of Animation and end at Epcot, but it makes most sense to start your drinking at Riviera, which is the nicest hotel with the best bars on the crawl.
Not that Topolino’s Terrace requires a reservation and you’ll have to request to be seated outdoors if that’s what you wish.
Recommendations: Topolino Terrace (outdoor rooftop bar, Riviera Resort, reservation required), Banana Cabana (Caribbean Beach), The Drop Off (Art of Animation, small pool bar, only option), Petals (Pop Century, small pool bar, only option)
Also Consider: Bar Riva (open air pool bar at Riviera Resort)
Connect It With: Boardwalk Bar Crawl, visits to Epcot / Hollywood Studios
Disney Springs
As the prime nightlife district of Walt Disney World, there are plenty of bars to visit at Disney Springs. Most of the restaurants have bars—either inside or attached—and there are a few bars that are unaffiliated with restaurants.
Given that, I’ll just be listing our recommendations. You should “also consider” the dozens of other options at Springs.
Recommendations: Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, Enzo’s Hideaway Tunnel Bar, The Edison, Raglan Road
Bar Crawls In the Disney World Parks
I really don’t see bar crawling as a good use of your time in the theme parks. While there are a handful of excellent or unqiue bars you should visit (like Nomad Lounge at Animal Kingdom, La Cava del Tequila at Epcot, and Oga’s Cantina at Hollywood Studios), the theme parks actually excel in being theme parks.
The reason we like the hotel bar crawls is because you’ll be seeing something new (the hotels). But you’re hopefully already enjoying the theme parks in their capacity as theme parks. Focusing on the bars at the parks would sort of be like paying to go to the Super Bowl and then crawling the concession stands.
That said, obviously where we list three bars in a park, you probably won’t have much time setting aside 3x30=90 minutes of your day to relax with a drink. Just don’t head into the parks obsessing over some list of must-visit watering holes.
These lists won’t be exhaustive of the drinking options at the parks, but they’re a quick look at the highlights. We’re also skipping the photo galleries here (except for Oga’s Cantina, you can just pop into these while passing by a to check them out).
The DJ at Oga’s Cantina
Epcot Bar Crawl
We have a separate Guide to Epcot for Adults if you’re looking for more about Epcot.
Yes, drinking around the world is a popular activity at Epcot…but that’s not what this post is about. Instead, we want to highlight that there are three bars inside Epcot where you can grab a seat and grab a drink (or take it to go, if you please).
Rose & Crown is the pub in the United Kingdom Pavilion. It stays pretty busy throughout the day, but you can often find standing room and the bar has a regular piano players (schedule available in the app).
Rose & Crown, Epcot
La Cava del Tequila is an awesome “hidden gem” (that of course many people know about because this is Disney World) inside the Mexico Pavilion. The tequila bar is located inside the pyramid (don’t confuse it with Choza de Margarita, outside) and can get long lines during festivals and holidays.
Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar is a wine bar located in the Italy Pavilion. I have to say I’m not hugely familiar with its crowds, but even on New Year’s Eve we only waited about 30 minutes for a seat. I’d imagine most of the year you can walk right in.
If you’d like to add onto this, you can either grab a drink at any of the world showcase pavilions, or you can combine this with the Boardwalk Bar Crawl or the Skyliner Bar Crawl.
La Cava Del Tequila, inside the Mexico Pavilion
Hollywood Studios Bar Crawl
We have a separate Guide to Hollywood Studios for Adults if you’re looking for more about Hollywood Studios.
Oga’s Cantina is the popular bar inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Reservations are recommended, and you’ll be limited to two drinks and 45 minutes. We actually don’t recommend spending the money on alcohol here. Save some money, grab a fun non-alcoholic cocktail, and enjoy your 45 minutes of fun, cantina atmosphere.
Tune In Lounge is the 1950s-themed bar attached to Prime Time Cafe. The theming makes it pretty cool and it usually isn’t hard to find a seat, though it is busier with guests waiting for their tables during peak meal times.
BaseLine Tap House (pronounced “bass-uh-leen” by the pros) is a great, casual option near the Grand Avenue entrance to Galaxy’s Edge (between Muppet Vision 3D and Star Tours).
Oga’s Cantina (Hollywood Studios)
Animal Kingdom Bar Crawl
We have a separate Guide to Animal Kingdom for Adults if you’re looking for more about Animal Kingdom.
Nomad Lounge is the best bar at Animal Kingdom. It’s located next to Tiffins, on the path between Discovery Island and Pandora. It’s travel themed, with beautiful indoor and outdoor seating. Dawa Bar is an open-air bar in Africa adjacent to the area where the streetmosphere is performed.
While not a bar, Pongu Pongu is a walk-up window in Pandora where you’ll find green beer. Tamu Tamu Refreshments also serves a boozy dole whip. You can read more about Where to Get a Drink at Animal Kingdom.
Magic Kingdom Bar Crawl
We have a separate Guide to Magic Kingdom for Adults if you’re looking for more about Magic Kingdom.
You probably know by now that you won’t find beer or alcohol openly served at Magic Kingdom. Your only option is to go to table service meals, which you can’t really crawl (you could book one for each of three meals, though, I supposed).
We have a separate post on Where to Find Beer and Alcohol at Magic Kingdom, but mostly you’ll just either visit a table service restaurant or do the Monorail Bar Crawl or Bay Lake Bar Crawl, discussed above.
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