Does Disney World sell beer, wine, and mixed drinks?
Believe it or not, there are folks out there who aren’t sure if Disney sells beer, wine, and drinks. If you’ve been to Walt Disney World before, then you know that they do indeed sell alcoholic beverages. In fact, many consider it to be a big part of the Walt Disney World vacation experience.
By Dani Dennison Meyering
Walt Disney World has a variety of establishments that sell specialty beer, impressive wines, and unique cocktails. Yes, even in Magic Kingdom you can enjoy a glass of wine or cold beer with your meal. Let’s take a look at some of the options for enjoying a drink at Walt Disney World, from the theme parks, to the resort hotels, and Disney Springs.
Beer, wine, and cocktails available at Walt Disney World theme parks
Most people think of Epcot as the best park for grabbing some alcoholic drinks. It certainly does deserve that reputation, but each of the other Disney theme parks has a selection of offerings, too.
Magic Kingdom
The selection of drinks available is the smallest at Magic Kingdom, not surprisingly. It’s been nearly 10 years since Disney announced that guests could begin ordering beer and wine at select table service restaurants. Now, each of the table service restaurants in Magic Kingdom sell beer and wine.
It is important to note that there is no way to get a beer or glass of wine “to-go” and drink while roaming the Magic Kingdom. Beer and wine are only available at table service restaurants for guests who are dining there. The selection is pretty limited and quite basic. There’s also not much difference in drink selection from one Magic Kingdom restaurant to the other, with Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest Restaurant being the exceptions. These two have a few European options to go with their theme.
Epcot
Certainly Epcot has the best selection of international beers and wines, as well as special cocktails. At each World Showcase pavilion, you can browse beer and wine originating from the country the pavilion represents.
The selection of specialty cocktails varies by pavilion. Many Disney fans feel the Mexico pavilion, China pavilion, Japan pavilion, and United Kingdom pavilion have the best cocktails. Each of these pavilions have at least one bar where you can order cocktails you won’t find anywhere else.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Hollywood Studios shouldn’t be overlooked for specialty drinks, and beer and wine. Each of the table service restaurants at Hollywood Studios has a unique theme with beer, wine, and cocktails to match. Raid dad’s liquor cabinet at 50’s Prime Time Cafe, sip a sophisticated martini at The Hollywood Brown Derby, or savor a delectable Italian chianti at Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano.
Besides unique restaurants, there are plenty of bars and lounges, as well as drink options at the quick service restaurants. The most iconic bar at Hollywood Studios is Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. Here there are cocktails, beers, and a few wines that are genuinely other-worldly. It’s a place unlike any other at Walt Disney World, and you’ll want to snag your reservation early.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Finally, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a favorite for unique drinks among many Disney fans. With Asian and African influences throughout the park, you’ll find international beers and wines, and cocktails with unique ingredients. Inside Pandora – World of Avatar you can sip on craft beer and special wine made exclusively for this part of the park.
Each table service restaurant has its own special collection of beer, wine, and cocktails. Tiffins, the park’s signature restaurant, has one of the most extensive wine lists of any restaurant in any theme park. Right next to it is Nomad Lounge, which many consider to be the best lounge at Disney. Another unique spot for a drink is Thirsty River Bar, which is located right next to Expedition Everest and is actually built from the former FastPass distribution location, back when paper FastPasses were distributed.
Beer, wine, and cocktails available at Disney resort hotels
Even more impressive than the variety of drinks available inside Disney theme parks is the variety inside Disney resort hotels. There are three categories of resorts run by Walt Disney World: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe. Each move up in category leads to the variety of dining and drink options increasing.
At the Value level, there is only one quick-service dining location, but there’s also one pool bar. The variety of beer and cocktails is fairly impressive here, though the wine selections can be a little disappointing.
At the Moderate level, the variety increases a little. At Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, which is a Moderate but has some features that resemble a Deluxe, there are multiple lounges and restaurants. There’s even a lounge and restaurant located at the top floor of its Gran Destino Tower, offering sweeping views of Disney property.
As you might expect, the Deluxe resorts have the widest variety of options. Each of the Deluxe resorts have at least one signature restaurant, most of which have a lounge either as a part of it, or near it. Drink options at the Deluxe resorts are often the most exclusive and creative. Even if you’re not a guest of one of these Deluxe resorts, it is worth planning some time to grab at least one drink at one of them. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is a favorite thanks to its incredible collection of South African wine, and it’s hard to beat the tropical drinks available at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
Beer, wine, and cocktails available at Disney Springs
No other destination on Walt Disney World property has more variety of drinks than Disney Springs. As the center of dining, shopping, and entertainment at Disney World, it has the largest variety of restaurants, quick-service locations, and bars.
The majority of dining establishments within Disney Springs are owned and operated by companies other than Disney. This means each restaurant and bar has its own unique collection of drinks.
For the best wine, head to Wine Bar George, of course. But, don’t overlook Jaleo by José Andrés, which has a wonderful collection of Spanish wines. Multiple places around Disney Springs have great craft beer selections, like Polite Pig, House of Blues, and there’s great international beer at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant.
For unique cocktails, check out Homecomin’ by Chef Art Smith, The Edison, The Boathouse, and Enzo’s Hideaway Tunnel Bar. At Homecomin’, the focus is on Southern-style drinks, many featuring moonshine. At The Edison and Enzo’s Hideaway Tunnel Bar, the drinks are prohibition era-style, and both venues are built within the structures of former Pleasure Island nightclubs. The Boathouse has nautical-inspired drinks with a fantastic outdoor bar on the water.
We’ve only scratched the surface. There’s lots of places to explore and get a beer, wine, or cocktail at Walt Disney World. The prices on drinks at Disney are a bit high, but enjoying one to toast your Disney vacation is worth it.
