You’re on vacation! For lots of folks, vacation time means that you want to indulge in some adult libations. If that’s you, then you’re in luck at Walt Disney World. With rare exception, alcohol is available throughout the Disney World theme parks, resorts, and other locations, in many forms and at many price points. Here’s what you need to know.
Who can drink at Walt Disney World?
As with everywhere else in the USA, the minimum drinking age is 21.
This can be frustrating to guests from other countries with less restrictive rules, but it’s the law here and people take it seriously. If you look younger than about 40, you can expect that you will be “carded” any time you order alcohol at Disney World. Acceptable form of identification to prove your age are:
- Drivers’s license from a U.S. state or territory
- Identification card from U.S. state or territory
- U.S. Military ID
- Nexus Card issued by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol for Canadian guests
- Original passport of any country
- A copy of the passport of any country (paper or electronic) AND a government issued photo ID
Note: Non-U.S. ID card or driver’s licenses are NOT acceptable on their own.
I thought Disney was dry? Am I wrong?
For many years, there was no alcohol available for purchase inside the Magic Kingdom theme park. While alcohol had been readily available from the outset at the Disney resort hotels and at the other theme parks, the Magic Kingdom first began serving alcohol in late 2016.
Where can I buy alcohol at Disney World?
With the limited exception of parts of the Magic Kingdom, alcohol is available pretty much everywhere at Walt Disney World. You can buy it at:
- Resort hotel food courts and gift shops.
- Resort hotel pool snack bars.
- Resort hotel bars and lounges.
- In-room dining (room service) at hotels that offer this.
- Theme park, resort, and Disney Springs table service restaurants.
- Carts or stands at Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, water parks, Disney Springs, and Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.
- Carts or stands along Disney’s Boardwalk.
- Many quick-service restaurants at Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, water parks, Disney Springs, and Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports complex
- At the stands and events related to Epcot’s festivals such as Food & Wine, Flower & Garden, and Festival of the Arts.
- … and more.
Are there limits to the amount of alcohol I can buy at Disney World?
Kind of, but not really.
Many Disney World quick-service venues and food carts have a sign posted that reads, “TWO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES PER PERSON WITH VALID ID.” That just means that one person can’t walk up to the counter and buy a round for a large party. You can buy two drinks, consume them, and then go back for more. You could also buy two drinks at one food cart and then a few minutes later go to a different food cart and buy two more.
Can I get cocktails at every location that sells alcohol?
No.
The Magic Kingdom continues to have more restrictions on service than other Disney World locations. At the Magic Kingdom, you can only buy alcohol at select table service restaurants, and the only alcohol available at those locations is beer, wine, and hard cider – there are no spirits available. You may find a cocktail-like variation on the “only beer/wine/cider” rule (sangria, for example), but you won’t find drinks containing vodka, rum, whiskey, tequila, or the like.
Additionally, some quick-service restaurants only sell cans or bottles of beer because they don’t have the requisite prep area for cocktails. And there are some food stands that specialize in a particular type of alcohol such as craft beer.
Can I get a drink at breakfast? (Don’t judge.)
There are many table service restaurants that offer cocktails during breakfast or brunch service (think mimosas, bloody marys, and the like). If you happen to be dining at a venue that has a full bar attached, it’s possible they’d make you something stronger if you asked.
You can also buy beer, wine, and some pre-mixed packaged cocktails at your resort gift shop or food court in the morning. Alcohol sales in the resort shops and food courts begins at shop opening on Monday through Saturday. On Sunday you must wait until 11:00 a.m.
Are there any dessert-specific boozy treats at Disney World?
Um, of course. Many of the table service restaurants have sweet after-dinner drinks on their dessert menus. The “Godiva Chocolate Martini” is a staple of Disney cocktail menus. You can get an Irish coffee at most bars and lounges. My personal favorite variation on this is the Cold Brew XO available at the 50’s Prime Time Cafe at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Patrón XO Café Coffee Liqueur, heavy cream, and Joffrey’s cold brew coffee. YUM!
There are also many variations on the evening “dessert party” at Disney World. These are currently on hiatus due to the pandemic. However, something like the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! Holiday Dessert Party at Hollywood Studios often includes a themed dessert cocktail as part of the menu.
Is alcohol included on the Disney Dining Plan?
All Disney Dining Plans are currently paused during the pandemic. So, not right now.
Prior to COVID-19, the Disney Dining Plan did include a limited amount of alcohol as part of this pre-paid meal program. We have no word yet on when, or if, the Disney Dining Plan will resume or whether it will continue to include alcohol.
Can I bring my own alcohol to my Disney hotel room?
Sure. You can’t bring illegal items or substances to any Disney World location, but booze is legal, so go for it.
If you’re driving to Disney World, or have access to a car during vacation, feel free to fill the trunk up with all the adult libations you want to consume in the privacy of your own hotel room. The resort hotel gift shops also sell beer, wine, some pre-mixed packaged cocktails, and a limited selection of bottled hard alcohol. You can enjoy any of these items in your hotel room.
I don’t have a car. I want to drink in my room and I don’t want to drink what Disney sells (or drink at Disney’s prices). What are my options?
There are several grocery delivery services that will bring alcohol to you at your hotel, often at a significant discount from the prices offered in the resort shops.
For example, GardenGrocer.com sells beer and will deliver to any Disney resort hotel (fees and minimums may apply). The Disney hotels sell single 16 ounce bottles of Budweiser for $8.00 each. Garden Grocer currently sells an 8-pack of Bud for $16.49. Basically, you get 8 for the price of two if you buy from Garden Grocer rather than from the hotel gift shop.
For hard alcohol, you may want to look at services like Drizly.com.
If I bring beer to my room, is there a place to keep it cold?
Every Disney World resort hotel includes a refrigerator. In most cases, this is small dorm-sized fridge, large enough to hold two or three six-packs. The one-, two-, and three-bedroom Disney Vacation Club villas include a full-sized refrigerator.
I want to make myself a cocktail in my room, where can I get ice?
Every Disney resort hotel includes large ice machines that are free for guest use. At some hotels these are located on every other floor. If you’re having trouble locating the ice machine at your hotel, check the hotel map or call the front desk for the exact location.
Can I sip my “homemade”cocktail by the pool?
Glass containers are not permitted on the pool deck, but as long as you’re adhering to that rule, go ahead an enjoy your cocktail poolside. A nice Disney-themed Tervis tumbler will keep your drink cool for hours.
Whether you buy your beverage at the poolside bar or prepare it in your room, it’s prudent to remember that you’re around water and likely in the presence of children. While you can drink at the pool, please keep safety and decorum top of mind.
Can I bring alcohol into the Disney theme parks?
Sorry, no. The list of items that guests are prohibited from bringing into the parks includes both glass and alcohol.
That said, they do sell full bottles of alcohol (mostly wine, but some others as well) at Epcot and Animal Kingdom. There’s nothing stopping you from indulging in that while you’re in the park (assuming its a twist-off or you can get a corkscrew through security).
There is a tiny hiccup around this topic, related to the [currently paused due to the pandemic] practice of park-hopping. If you buy a glass bottle of wine at, say, Epcot, but if you then wanted to Park Hop to the Magic Kingdom with your purchase, you would be stopped at the entrance. Similarly, there are other food items such as olives, pasta sauce, and soft drinks that are sometimes sold in the Epcot shops in glass jars that you would be prohibited to bring to another park. If you arrive at a WDW theme park with glass or alcohol purchased in another theme park, they may store it for you at guest relations or the park package pick-up area IF you have a same-day purchase receipt and the item is in Disney parks packaging. To simplify your travels, if you’re buying alcohol, or any other product sold in glass, you should plan do to this at a time when you have a car you can leave it in or when you’re heading back to your hotel rather than when you’re hopping to another park.
Can I bring my own bottle of wine to a restaurant at the Disney resorts or Disney Springs?
Maybe.
While this practice is generally discouraged, a few of the Disney restaurants (typically signature venues) do allow you bring your own bottle of wine if it is a special or unique bottle not already found on the restaurant’s menu. An example of this might be a bottle of the champagne you served at your wedding that you want to drink as a toast at your 10th anniversary meal at Victoria & Albert’s. Or, you have a bottle from the country you were born in that you want to share with family as you commemorate your new U.S. citizenship at California Grill.
There is a $50 corkage fee per bottle, with a one-bottle per sitting limit. You should plan to call ahead and discuss your corkage needs with the restaurant prior to dining.
Are there “open container” laws at Disney World? Can I walk around while sipping an adult beverage?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no walking around while sipping allowed for any beverage. Disney is now asking that guests remain stationary while consuming any food or drink.
Prior to the pandemic, you mostly could walk around with an adult beverage at Disney Springs, the Boardwalk, in the theme parks, and in your hotel lobby.
What’s the price range of alcohol at Disney World?
It’s all over the map. The low, for a pour of domestic beer at a Disney World restaurant, starts about $7.00. The price apex could be as high as several hundred or several thousand dollars for a rare vintage wine at Victoria & Albert’s.
That said, most beers will run in the neighborhood of $7-11 per serving, a glass of most wines is in the $8-18 range, and most cocktails are in the $12-$18 range. The menus for all Walt Disney World restaurants and lounges are available, with pricing, on the Disney website or on TouringPlans. You can check pricing in advance of visiting any restaurant.
Do I need to pay a park admission fee if I just want to get a drink at a bar/restaurant that’s in a theme park?
Yes.
You need to use a theme park admission ticket any time you enter any of the theme parks. No exceptions.
Are there any opportunities to learn about alcohol at Disney World?
Sure, that’s substantially what the Epcot Food & Wine Festival is all about. The Festival calendar will include many classes and other opportunities to learn about wine varieties or vintages, or tips on cooking with wine or other adult drinks.
Additionally, some of the Disney World restaurants may have their own events. For example, Wine Bar George at Disney Springs often hosts tastings.
Are there any particularly interesting or unique drinks available at Disney World?
Sure, but it depends on what you consider interesting and unique.
Lots of drinks at Disney World have cute names, but little else that unique. For example, the Sci-Fi Dine-In at Hollywood Studios offers a “Spicy Martian Margarita,” named for the sci-fi film theme at the restaurant, but it’s pretty much just a regular margarita.
The wine lists at some of the restaurants are interesting. For example, Jiko at the Animal Kingdom Lodge offers one of the largest list of African wines available in the United States.
If I had to choose one place where where the cocktails are truly different, I’d go with Oga’s Cantina at Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This spot is a recreation of the Cantina shown in the first Star Wars movie. (The real first movie, A New Hope, NOT that Episode One Phantom Menace dreck.) Oga’s has some weird stuff presented in wacky ways. For example, the Fuzzy Tauntaus (Cîroc Peach Vodka, Bols Peach Schnapps, Simply Orange with Tangerine, Pure Cane Sugar, and “Buzz Button Tingling” Foam) makes your entire mouth turn numb as you drink it.
What time do the bars close?
There is substantial seasonal variation to this, which has been further exacerbated by the pandemic. The in-park lounges obviously close when the parks close.
The bars and lounges at Disney Springs sometimes stay open as late as 2:00 a.m. The resort hotel bars and lounges are typically open until 11:00 p.m. or midnight. But we’ve seen pool bars, for example, close earlier during times of poor weather. And Disney Springs is currently closing as early as 10:00 p.m. on some nights.
Can I use Disney Dining Plan credits at the Disney World bars and lounges?
The Dining Plan is currently on hiatus, so that’s not a thing right now.
Prior to the pandemic, if a bar or lounge served food you typically could use a quick-service meal credit to get something like a salad or sandwich and chips.
Are there any ways to get discounts on the price of alcohol at Disney World?
A few of the restaurants at Disney Springs may offer happy-hour-style pricing from time to time.
My favorite way to save a bit on alcohol is by using the Tables in Wonderland card. Tables in Wonderland is a program where WDW Annual Passholders or DVC members ($150) or Florida Residents ($175) can buy food AND ALCOHOL at most WDW table service restaurants for a 20% discount. If you frequently dine and drink with a large party, this can amount to a substantial savings.
How much should I tip my bartender?
If you’re just having drinks, $2-3 per drink is the right amount. If you’re also getting food, go with 18-20%. If you’re drinking with a party of six or more, an 18% gratuity will be automatically added to your bill.
Do people really get drunk at Disney World?
It happens. The stereotypical place at Disney that people overindulge is at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. You’ll see a fair number of guests wearing “Drink Around the World” themed tees which promote the idea of having an adult beverage at every Epcot country or at every Food & Wine booth. There are 11 Epcot countries and dozens of Food & Wine booths, so even if guests are sharing drinks, the amount of alcohol some guests consume can indeed be problematic.
I’ve had a bit too much to drink and I want to go back to my hotel, what do I do?
There is free Disney transportation available throughout Walt Disney World. A system of buses, boats, monorails, and the Skyliner gondolas can get you back to your hotel without any need for you to get behind the wheel of a car. That said, using Disney’s free system is sometimes more time consuming than you want it to be. In that case, there are also Ubers, Lyfts, and taxis that serve the Disney World area.
If you drove yourself you Disney World, but don’t feel safe to drive yourself back to the hotel, speak with an attendant near the parking area. They can direct you to transportation options and tell you what to do so that your car doesn’t get towed before you can come back to safely retrieve it.
Will I be overwhelmed at Disney World if I don’t drink alcohol?
I’ve been talking about booze a lot here, haven’t I?
For the most part, it’s easy to avoid alcohol at Disney World, particularly at the Magic Kingdom where it’s only available at a few table service restaurants. While you can buy alcohol at many locations, no one will be pushing trays of alcohol at you as you walk around (as might happen on a cruise ship). That said, the Epcot Food & Wine Festival on a weekend evening can be a tough place if you’re trying to avoid imbibing. That’s when the real drinkers tend to be out and about. If you want to put alcohol out of your mind as much as possible while visiting Epcot during festival season, then try to stick to weekday visits.
Does Disney World offer any interesting non-alcoholic cocktails?
They’re working on it.
For example, Oga’s (the Star Wars cantina) offers almost as many creative non-alcoholic drinks as they do spiked ones. Their Cliff Dweller is citrus juices, coconut, hibiscus grenadine, and ginger ale served in a Souvenir Porg Mug. The Edison at Disney Springs has mocktails including the Amelie (lemon juice, simple syrup, mint, and seltzer). Topolino’s Terrace at the new Riviera Resort features a strawberry cucumber spritzer. If you don’t see what you’re looking for on the menu, speak with a bartender; they’re often eager to help.
If you’re interested in attending an AA meeting while on your Disney World vacation, start by visiting Central Florida Intergroup for more information on times and locations.
I want to spiff up my bar at home with some Disney glassware. Where can I buy Disney themed shot glasses?
“Shot glasses,” hahahahahahaha.
Disney sells lots of themed glassware, but they don’t sell shot glasses. (Because that would be a bad look for a family-friendly company?) However, they do sell “toothpick holders” at gift shops throughout the Disney World parks and resorts. Toothpick holder just happened to be the exact size and shape of a shot glass. We won’t tell what you use them for.
Where are your favorite places to drink at Disney World?
I’m a big fan of Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, located at Disney Springs. The food is fantastic and I’m especially fond of their Moonshine flights. For $18 you get tasting portions of your choice of three house-infused or blended moonshines served with a pickle juice chaser and candied pecans.
What do TouringPlans readers think is the best place to drink at Disney?
TouringPlans reader surveys show their favorite spots to be Nomad Lounge and Dawa Bar (both at Animal Kingdom). Other standouts include Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Polynesian resort and Baseline Taphouse at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Where are your favorite drinking spots at Disney World? What other questions do you have? Let us know!
The post FAQ: Get to Know Drinking at Disney World appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.
From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, Drinking, Walt Disney World (FL), bars and lounges, Epcot Food & Wine Festival, restaurants
