When it comes to Disney World, bars and lounges aren’t just adults-only destinations — and they don’t just serve drinks.
In fact, here’s a Best Kept Secret in Disney dining planning — Disney bars and lounges can be great places to get a meal with the whole family. These hidden gems are often less crowded than standard restaurants, too!
In The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2013 e-Book, we have an entire section reviewing every single bar and lounge in Walt Disney World. It’s well worth a read to find out great spots to get a full meal or a snack — even with no Advance Dining Reservation!
Now let’s take a peek at a few of our favorites…
English Bulldog with Chips at Rose and Crown Pub in Epcot's UK Pavilion
Bars and Lounges Inside the Theme Parks
A Disney World trip can be hectic (meeting characters, dashing to attractions, and racing off to dining reservations!), so finding a place inside the parks to escape the hoopla is key to a relaxing vacation!
With signature cocktails, cheese plates, fondue, burgers, donuts, pasta, and more, you’ll find some truly inspired menus at Disney World’s bars and lounges. Sometimes you’ll even be able to order from the full menu of a nearby restaurant.
In Epcot, we can highly recommend stopping in to Tutto Gusto in Italy, Rose and Crown Pub in the UK, or La Cava del Tequila in Mexico.
Fireplace Area Seating at Tutto Gusto
At Tutto Gusto, order from an awesome menu of meats and cheeses, paninis, pastas, and more. A relaxing atmosphere and full tables allow for an easy meal for the whole family.
Cheeses, Meats, and Shrimp Cavatappi at Tutto Gusto Lounge in Epcot's Italy
Rose and Crown Pub, attached to Rose and Crown Restaurant, features a fun menu that — gasp! — the kids might even like! We can highly recommend the Scotch Eggs and the British Bulldog sausage (see our review of the British Bulldog here — and the photo at the top of this article)!
Scotch Eggs at Rose and Crown
If you’re there on a weekday, seek out Carl the Bartender and ask him to show you his amazing magic trick!
Carl the Bartender and the tipping pint
At La Cava del Tequila, sample a few Mexican appetizers like chips and salsa, queso, and guacamole along with your margaritas!
Chips and queso at Cava del Tequila
Another favorite place to unwind in the parks and get a great meal is at Tune-In Lounge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Here, you can get great shakes for the kids, fun signature drinks for the grown-ups, and order from the full menu at 50s Prime Time Cafe next door!
Order from the full menu at 50s Prime Time Cafe when you're at Tune In Lounge in Disney's Hollywood Studios
The Prime Time Cafe Sampler includes Fried Chicken, Pot Roast, Meatloaf, and Mashed Potatoes!
There are plenty of great spots to relax and grab a drink or a bite in Disney World’s theme parks.
A Tip to Remember: With the exception of beer and wine at dinner in the Be Our Guest Restaurant, the Magic Kingdom is a “dry” park. If your goal is to unwind with a potent adult beverage, head to a nearby hotel!
Hotel Lounges
No Advance Dining Reservation? Sick of Disney’s fast food selection? Head to a restaurant’s lounge for delicious food, fast. Whether you’re after a snack or a full meal, many hotel lounges offer great eats.
We love the lounge menu at the Territory Lounge tucked away in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. And it’s only a boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom!
Cognac-Glazed Chicken Lollipops with Lemon Spritz and Cilantro.
Pretzel Bread and Sharp Cheddar Beer Fondue at Territory Lounge in Disney's Wilderness Lodge
And don’t forget a stop at Tambu Lounge in Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Mizner’s Lounge at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, and Crew’s Cup Lounge at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort for more great eats!
And there are a LOT more where those came from!
Bars and Lounges with Entertainment
Remember, you’re on vacation! It’s time to head to a place where you can unwind and be entertained without having to wait in line!
One popular location for an evening of fun is the River Roost Lounge at Port Orleans Riverside Resort. Along with the family-friendly and hilarious antics of Ye-Haa Bob, you can also order a beverage and/or appetizer!
Ye-Haa Bob!
Here’s some video of this Disney superstar in action so that you can be a part of the fun, too!
Tip: Disney World has some great bars and lounges for adults-only entertainment too. One trendy spot is Rix Lounge at the Coronado Springs Resort!
Pool Bars
For times that you want to relax outdoors with a specialty cocktail or don’t want to leave your lounge chair to eat — we’ve included in the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining e-Book your options for poolside dining.
Caribbean Limeade!
Believe it or not, some of these pool bars also offer very robust “room service” menus of food that can be delivered to you pool-side! Very cool!
You’ll also know-before-you-go which pool bars can ONLY be accessed by registered hotel guests. One example is the Drop Off Pool Bar at the Art of Animation resort.
At the Art of Animation, the Drop Off Pool Bar is gated. Only guests of the hotel have access!
For more favorites, check out our Top 10 Disney World Bars and Lounges here!
Craving more information on the bars and lounges at Disney World?
We offer more options for adults-only hang-outs, family friendly lounges, and bars with great food in The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2013! In fact, we give you our personal review of every single bar and lounge in Disney World in the robust guide!
Be sure to check out The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2013 for over 400 pages of exclusive, experienced-based Disney Dining information and advice.
It’s time for you to discover a new location to “wine and dine”! Click here to get your copy of The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2013 E-book — and use code 2013 for an extra $4 discount for a limited time!
What bar or lounge is your favorite hideaway? Tell us in the comments below. Cheers!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
If you are looking for true craft cocktails, you must really mention Blue Zoo and the Cabanna Bar…they are two of the best on property along with La Cava. Paradiso and Il Mulino do a few as well.
Do any of the bars or lounges accept the TIW card?
That British Bulldog looks AMAZING.
Some secrets need to stay secrets AJ!
Let only the paying customers know about this one.
Now to business, when are we going to partner together to create the Disney Drink Blog. The DDB could focus on adult beverages and lounges. Have your people call my people.
Just a note – La Cava del Tequila doesn’t serve guacamole anymore. We were there several times last year, and each time we were told that it’s off the menu now, but may come back at some point. As of October 2012, it still was off the menu. Which is a bummer, because San Angel took it off their menu the year before.
Keith — We do love bluezoo’s cocktails! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/05/27/review-todd-englishs-bluezoo-2/
Richard — Most of them do! You can see the full list of TiW participating locations here: http://tablesinwonderland.com/
Christa M. — It IS amazing! Enjoy!
Mark D. — Ha ha; good point! And even with the standardized Disney bar and lounge menu, there are still plenty of signature cocktails, beers, and wines to make a great site! 😉
Dana — Very true; the menu changes seasonally. When it’s very busy in there, they take some of the options off the menu. They usually do return them to the menu during less busy times, though (yay!) 🙂
Was at the Yacht Club recently for an event and I found myself for the first time EVER eating a meal solo at Walt Disney World. I headed to the Crews Cup Lounge and ordered the short rib and a cold beer. It was a five star dinner in a lil ole Disney lounge and I’d go back and order it again in a heartbeat. That lounge is perhaps one of the best kept secrets in WDW.
Is there a list somewhere of all restaurants that have bars that will serve the full menu? Travelling solo in a few weeks and would rather grab a seat at a bar than take up a whole table.
Norma — All of these lounges/bars either serve the full menu from the nearby restaurant, or offer a robust enough menu that you could make a meal out of it easily. (Note — if full restaurants are listed, e.g. Yak and Yeti, you can get the full menu at their in-restaurant bar)
Epcot
Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room
Teppan Edo
Tutto Gusto
AK
Rainforest Cafe
Restaurantosaurus
Yak and Yeti Restaurant
DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
’50s Prime Time Cafe
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORTS
ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE AND VILLAS
Jiko
Sanaa
BEACH CLUB
Beaches and Cream
Martha’s Vineyard
BOARDWALK
Big River Grille and Brewing Works
ESPN Club
CONTEMPORARY
California Grill
California Grill Lounge
Cove Bar
Sand Bar
Top of the World Lounge
The Wave
CORONADO SPRINGS
Laguna Pool Bar
Rix Lounge
DOLPHIN
Cabana Bar and Beach Club
The Fountain
Todd English’s bluezoo
GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT AND SPA
Citricos
Mizner’s Lounge
Narcoossee’s
POLYNESIAN
Barefoot Pool Bar
Kona Cafe
Kona Island Sushi Bar
Tambu Lounge
PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE
River Roost Lounge
SARATOGA SPRINGS
Turf Club Bar and Grill
SWAN
Il Mulino New York Trattoria
Kimonos Sushi Bar
WILDERNESS LODGE
Territory Lounge
YACHT CLUB
The Crew’s Cup Lounge
DOWNTOWN DISNEY
Marketplace
Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant
Fulton’s Crab House
Rainforest Cafe
T-Rex
Pleasure Island
Paradiso 37
Planet Hollywood
Portobello
Raglan Road
West Side
Bongos Cuban Cafe
House of Blues
Wolfgang Puck Cafe and “The Dining Room”
I am dying to try Tutto Gusto. I looks amazing!
We were at La Cava the weekend of March 2nd and the guac was back on the menu–delish!
My wife and I always check the high-end restaurants to see if the bars are first come, first serve and if it is that is where we eat. The bar at Narcoossee’s has a limited menu but a great place to catch the fire works (try the calamari); Tune In Lounge is great (good crab cakes); and Crew’s Cup is great. The only thing that needs to happen is no kids at the bar. Sorry, but I had someone’s kid knock over my glass of wine once at Crew’s Cup and ruin a pair of shorts while another parent looked on as her child screamed at the top of his lungs annoying everyone at the bar while the father filmed it.
Nice picture of Carl. He bought a round of beers back in 06 when I returned from my first tour of the sandbox.