Favourite Disney Lounges

[dreamfinder]

Is the Grog Grotto worth a visit, or is it just a gimmick that tires quickly?

Do you like Tiki bars? Or just tiki/polynesia in general? I'd say it's worth stopping in at least once. And even if the inside bar isn't your thing, plenty of people like hanging out on the patio when they have live Hawaiian/Poly-esque music. If you go at open you will see most of the interactions in short time, and see em again and again. Later on there may be more time between them as not everyone is ordering at once.

 

[DisneyJeff]

I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the Top of the World Lounge at Bay Lake Tower this summer. I can't express how enjoyable it was. Behind the bar, you have a view of Bay Lake. On the other side, you have a view of the Magic Kingdom and the Seven Seas Lagoon. We were there at sunset and the views were incredible. The sky looked different every time you looked out the window. Unfortunately, we could not stay for Wishes. I would have loved to be able to experience this.

I almost want to sign up for DVC just so I can return!! Perhaps, I will start a Go Fund Me account...

 

[MagicalMaci]

So many great places have already been mentioned, and it looks like I have some new places to scope out as well!

Here's my list:
Tune In Lounge
Top of the World
Belle Vue Lounge
Mizner's
Brown Derby Lounge

I feel like that's on the short side, but I was really just trying to pick my favorite favorites!

 

[The_Jobu]

Do you like Tiki bars? Or just tiki/polynesia in general? I'd say it's worth stopping in at least once. And even if the inside bar isn't your thing, plenty of people like hanging out on the patio when they have live Hawaiian/Poly-esque music. If you go at open you will see most of the interactions in short time, and see em again and again. Later on there may be more time between them as not everyone is ordering at once.

I've never actually done anything Tiki related, so there's an appeal to me to try it out there. Thanks for the info, sounds like it's definitely worth a shot next time I'm in town.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Is the Grog Grotto worth a visit, or is it just a gimmick that tires quickly?

I have been to Trader Sam's at both WDW and DL and I love both. I like the tiki vibe and tiki culture, both atmosphere's are very relaxing to me. I don't get tired of it at all.

 

[dreamfinder]

I've never actually done anything Tiki related, so there's an appeal to me to try it out there. Thanks for the info, sounds like it's definitely worth a shot next time I'm in town.

And for what it's worth, Grog Grotto actually scores better than the original on Critiki.com (https://critiki.com/location/trader-sams-grog-grotto-orlando-856/) and the original is number 10 on their top 10 Tiki bars in the world (https://news.critiki.com/2015/09/19/critikis-ten-best-tiki-bars-in-the-world-2015/).

 

[danyoung56]

My favorite will always be the Rose & Crown. Several of the bartenders there know me by name (NORM!!!), and know my strange martini mix even though I only visit every 6 months or so. I also like to stop in to Mizner's in the Grand Floridian - it's fun to watch Tammy behind the bar, who seems to get happier as she gets busier! I've been to the Tune-In Lounge a couple of times, but it's never really done anything for me. One of my new favorite things to do is go up to the bar at the California Grill a couple hours before fireworks time, enjoy a few drinks and even a full meal right there at the bar without having to make reservations 6 months out, and then taking a drink out on the balcony and enjoying the fireworks while continuing to sip. Pure Disney magic!

 

[Disney Shib]

I don't know if I could just choose a couple lol. I have great memories at many but some of my favorites;

Trader Sam's
JellyRolls (Just don't order a double lol)
Rose & Crown
La Cava
The Wave (Surprisingly, a great place to catch an out of state hockey game.)

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

River Roost....If you haven't hung with Yehaa....you haven't hung at Disney.

 

[ABQ]

.......
The Wave (Surprisingly, a great place to catch an out of state hockey game.)

Well they have to show the out of state ones, because no one watches games within Florida

 

[The_Jobu]

And for what it's worth, Grog Grotto actually scores better than the original on Critiki.com (https://critiki.com/location/trader-sams-grog-grotto-orlando-856/) and the original is number 10 on their top 10 Tiki bars in the world (https://news.critiki.com/2015/09/19/critikis-ten-best-tiki-bars-in-the-world-2015/).

Wow, I never knew people took Tiki so seriously!

Checking out the menu for Sam's though I see that a lot of the drinks have either Falernum or Orgeat which are made from almonds, which I'm very allergic to. So maybe I'll just hang out and have a beer or three!

 

[Skippy]

And for what it's worth, Grog Grotto actually scores better than the original on Critiki.com (https://critiki.com/location/trader-sams-grog-grotto-orlando-856/) and the original is number 10 on their top 10 Tiki bars in the world (https://news.critiki.com/2015/09/19/critikis-ten-best-tiki-bars-in-the-world-2015/).

That shocks me. Trader Sam's was one of my favorite things about visiting DLR. The atmosphere was great, but more impressively the bartenders were awesome at sharing their extensive tiki bar experience with us. In Disneyland the bartenders were excited to share off-menu, more complex drinks that they thought we'd like.

When visiting Grog Grotto, the bartenders had never even heard of the (not obscure) tiki drink I learned about out west, and when I asked for a recommendation, I got an unsure "uh.. mai tai's are pretty good."

 

[dreamfinder]

That shocks me. Trader Sam's was one of my favorite things about visiting DLR. The atmosphere was great, but more impressively the bartenders were awesome at sharing their extensive tiki bar experience with us. In Disneyland the bartenders were excited to share off-menu, more complex drinks that they thought we'd like.

When visiting Grog Grotto, the bartenders had never even heard of the (not obscure) tiki drink I learned about out west, and when I asked for a recommendation, I got an unsure "uh.. mai tai's are pretty good."

I'd suspect it has to do with a) smaller sample size at Grog Grotto and b) less Tiki bars in the FL/East Coast so less to compare to. If you look at that top 10 list, only 2 were east coast, but yet 4 in CA alone with a few more right nearby. So it may be easier to overlook small issues when you have no place else to compare it to. Also, that whole tourist at WDW vs local at DLR thing. Tourists are idjiots, what do they know........

 

[EvilQueen-T]

I love that they have the lounges. I'm only an occasional drinker but we (including my now 12 y/o granddaughter) often enjoy just some quiet down time without having to go back to the hotel room.

La Cava is my favorite, Tune In a close second, Tambu at the Poly, Territory at WL, Dawa in the past more than now but still ok, Rose & Crown but usually not when we have kids in tow. Looking forward to visiting Nomad and Trader Sam's.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

If you teach your kids bar etiquette when they're young you can enjoy the lounges lol. This is my granddaughter when she was 8 at Dawa bar. We'd gotten adult beverages and she'd got a soda but it was flat so she was standing in front of me waiting to get it replaced. I just couldn't resist snapping the pic and sending it home to my son/her dad saying she was having fun at the bar.

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[NiarrNDisney]

If you teach your kids bar etiquette when they're young you can enjoy the lounges lol. This is my granddaughter when she was 8 at Dawa bar. We'd gotten adult beverages and she'd got a soda but it was flat so she was standing in front of me waiting to get it replaced. I just couldn't resist snapping the pic and sending it home to my son/her dad saying she was having fun at the bar.

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OMG that's Sherry - one of my favorite Bartenders on property! I swear she lives at that bar!

 

[Seminole09]

I'm looking forward to doing a monorail pub crawl this June and am particularly excited about visiting Mizner's Lounge! I have never been before and definitely want to go when the live jazz music is being played. Does anyone know what time the live band starts performances?

 

[NiarrNDisney]

I'm looking forward to doing a monorail pub crawl this June and am particularly excited about visiting Mizner's Lounge! I have never been before and definitely want to go when the live jazz music is being played. Does anyone know what time the live band starts performances?

I believe they start around 3 or 4pm

 

[Mark P.]

I'm looking forward to doing a monorail pub crawl this June and am particularly excited about visiting Mizner's Lounge! I have never been before and definitely want to go when the live jazz music is being played. Does anyone know what time the live band starts performances?

You can view the schedule of performances for a given day here:

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/e...rt-and-spa/grand-floridian-society-orchestra/

 

[Figgy1]

I believe they start around 3 or 4pm

^^^This we caught them around 6 or so last summer