Disney Dining Serving up the latest Disney Eats, Treats, News, and More!
Angela S
Many visitors to Walt Disney World have heard of “Drinking Around the World” where guests enjoy adult beverages from every country in EPCOT’s World Showcase. However, not many have experienced the fun of the Walt Disney World Monorail Crawl.
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The Monorail Crawl is like your typical bar crawl, except that you don’t need a designated driver (if you’re using Disney transportation) and your mode of transportation between stops is the world famous monorail! The monorail crawl invites imbibers to experience the lounges of the beautiful resorts located on the monorail loop. My husband and I usually ride a bus from our resort hotel and walk to the Contemporary to start our crawl. We then follow the monorail loop around and finish at the Grand Floridian. With that being said, let’s get started as we head to our first stop, the Outer Rim Lounge in the Contemporary Resort.
Contemporary Resort
Located on the fourth floor of the Contemporary amidst the hustle and bustle of the resort’s concourse level, the Outer Rim lounge is a great place to start your monorail crawl. Offering up great cocktails and great views of the Bay Lake, the Outer Rim Lounge is a perfect meeting lace to start the crawl. Once your party is collected, saddle up to the bright blue bar and indulge in a matching, and ever famous, blue glow-tini! This sweet and fruit drink has just enough kick to start off the crawl without slowing you down. Once finished, grab your glowing ice cube souvenir. It’s a great accessory for all of the drinks you’ll have on the crawl!
Without a signature cocktail, I don’t suggest staying at the Outer Rim for more than one drink. Instead, head down to the check in desk for the California Grill and try your luck at getting a seat at the highest bar in all of Walt Disney World.
Should you be allowed entry into this exclusive elevator, then you have added a wonderful stop on your crawl. Once you step off of the elevator, you are greeted by a floor to ceiling wine cooler. If you are traveling with a larger group, then I suggest purchasing and sharing one of the California Grill’s signature bottles of wine.
The bar at the new California Grill is simply stunning. Be careful, though! The comfortable seating and the spectacular view might entice you to finish your crawl and spend the evening only here. The California Grill is one of my most favorite spots on property, so I won’t hold it against you if you make that choice!
While sitting at the circular bar, don’t play it safe and order only wine. Instead, order one of the California Grill’s signature cocktails. I highly suggest the Sake Martini or the Cucumber Fizz. The Sake Martini comes garnished with an edible flower and a bit of a kick from the combination of sake, licor 43 and rum. This should certainly be your choice if you are looking to make the most of your crawl. However, if your goal is to have a good time while keeping your wits about you, then the Cucumber Fizz offers a refreshing twist on a traditional gin and tonic.
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Once you have had a chance to sample some cocktails and take in the expansive and impressive view of the Magic Kingdom, it’s time to head down and hop the monorail for a visit to tropical paradise complete with copious amounts of rum.
Polynesian Resort
You know you have reached a magical spot when you step off of the monorail and into the mezzanine level of the Polynesian hotel. Go ahead and take in the sights and sounds of the South Seas, but be quick! When you’re done, head across the lobby area to what is arguably the best bar on property: the Tambu Lounge.
The Tambu Lounge has the best drink for your monorail crawl – the Lapu Lapu. It is my expert advice that you should order this, and only this, when you are privileged enough to visit this fine establishment. (However, I might let you get away with ordering a Backscratcher – MIGHT).
Served in a whole pineapple and garnished with an umbrella, the Lapu Lapu is what the Monorail crawl was made for! With such a hearty serving of dark rum and fruit juices, this drink takes all of your cares away and transports you to a tropical paradise. Be careful, though! This drink goes down fast and smooth so good thing the Monorail operator is your designated driver tonight. However, drinking more than one on an empty stomach may cause you to miss the next stop on the crawl! Once you have had a Lapu Lapu, you might not want to drink anything else, but the Backscratcher runs a close second to this iconic drink. The Backscratcher takes you away with two types of rum, whiskey for a kick, and passion fruit juice to sweeten it up a little. And, if you have an adverse reaction to the rum, or just have an itch you can’t reach, this drink is garnished with an actual backscratcher!
While I would encourage you to stay at the Tambu Lounge all night, we cannot forget you are on a mission to “crawl” through all of the lounges on the Monorail loop. So, once you have had your fill at this tropical oasis, head out to the monorail and compose yourself. The next stop on the Monorail crawl is the ever classy Grand Floridian and Walt Disney World staple: Minzer’s Lounge.
Grand Floridian Resort
This jazz bar is located on the back of the second floor at the end of the mezzanine overlooking the grand lobby. Listen for the jazz music and head toward the sound. The music is a great soundtrack for the last stop on your Monorail crawl. The lively jazz will take you away to a bygone era as you sit back and enjoy traditional cocktails, like a Manhattan or a Rusty Nail. On the other hand, go ahead and try something unique like the Grand Cocktail with lemon vodka and pomegranate liqueur.
Minzer’s is also one of the last places at Walt Disney World where a guest can still purchase and enjoy a cigar. For many, a great way to cap off a monorail crawl, or end a tiring day in the parks, is to step out onto the adjoining terrace and light up a cigar as you take in the beautiful view of the Seven Seas Lagoon. If you time your night right, you might even see Happily Ever After.
Speaking of Happily Ever After, any stop on the crawl is a great place to view these nightly fireworks. Although, I think your best bet is to time your crawl so you can enjoy the sights and sounds of this nightly Magic Kingdom show from the beaches of the Polynesian. It really is magical!
The Monorail Crawl is a unique way to tour the resorts located so near to the Magic Kingdom. However, as with any plans to drink alcoholic beverages, be sure to enjoy responsibly and mix in a glass of water or two every other drink. Also, most of the lounges offer pretty extensive appetizer menus, and some will even let you order from the main kitchen if you want, so grab a flatbread pizza at the California Grill or some wings at the Tambu Lounge. This will help keep your energy up and sop up some of the alcohol. Finally, be sure not to over imbibe. You certainly don’t want to be the guy who gets kicked out of the Grand Floridian. With that being said, enjoy and happy crawling!
