The assumption that Disney is just for kids is something I can debunk on the regular! If you want an adult experience in the middle of the magic it is easy to do and so fun to execute! During our last trip, we had one of the best Disney adult evenings ever and I’m ready to share it with you guys. Think pub crawl…..but add a monorail! That’s right, let’s travel around the Magic Kingdom area resorts grabbing samplings of small bites and drinks making an amazingly entertaining evening for the books! What made this crawl, particularly fun is we used this in place of a traditional dinner and were able to split and sample tons of items throughout the evening!
Territory Lounge
So, we are elderly, so we started our “crawl” at the lounge opening which around the property is usually 4 pm. That way we would be able to make it to all the stops on our list and still keep old lady bedtimes. We ventured off to start at Territory Lounge at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Their new menu was a huge draw and it did not disappoint. My favorite thing to grab here is the Loaded Baked Potato Flatbread! They also have a very interesting charcuterie presentation which of course we had to try. The atmosphere here is very fun and the servers are always fun and personable! This was the perfect spot to get started with some substantial bites!
Stop #2
On to the next! We grabbed an Uber and headed over to Disney’s Contemporary Resort to the lounge outside of Steakhouse 71. This is actually just their bar area and a few couches and chairs off to the side as well for extra seating. Here we just grabbed a drink. Of all our stops, I will say this one is my least favorite. It is definitely less lounge than all the others, and the couches and chairs off to the side can also double as a staging area for guests who are waiting to be seated at Steakhouse 71. For this one, I recommend maybe just hitting individually for a drink at the actual bar maybe later in the evening for a more relaxing experience.
Trader Sam’s
Next, we hopped the monorail to head to one of the most difficult lounges to score a table in and that is none other than Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. There’s really no accurate way for me to describe the intense atmosphere here. From secret chants when certain drinks are served to possible volcano eruptions and more, the fun here transports you to a beach shack style bar in the Hawaiian islands! Children are allowed to visit Trader’s until 8 pm, then this is a 21 and older kinda place! Here you’ll find famous drinks like the Mosquito Mojito (one of my faves) and the Tiki tiki tiki tiki tiki Rum! And if you are lucky they will have some of their iconic souvenir mugs for purchase! But, it’s not all about the drinks here either! I LOVE their small bites! Here we have the Pan-fried dumplings (yes like at Ohana), the Thai chicken flatbread, and the Chicken lettuce cups are to die for! So, needless to say, we had some small plates here as well! If you ever have the chance to hang out here, it is a Disney must do without question!
Enchanted Rose
Grab a car on the monorail and off we headed to our last stop for the evening, one of my favorite lounges of all time….the Enchanted Rose at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Since its opening, this lounge has been nothing short of impressive, and a fun fact, if you time it just right, you can catch a decent view of the fireworks while you relax! While I was super disappointed they changed the menu, leaving behind my favorite crab Mac and cheese, they redeemed themselves (sorta) by keeping their famous truffle fries. They also have an amazing charcuterie offering here but the real star is their espresso martini! Their bartenders here are the kings of this amazing cocktail! And, if you happen to be visiting and Laurie is taking care of you, ask for your espresso martini “Laurie style” and get a shot of Bailey’s added for some extra fun!
This was a great fun evening for a different sort of dinner time meal outside the parks. If you have a group of adults traveling together or want to have a different sort of date night while visiting Walt Disney World Resort, I suggest blocking off some time to do this. It’s not only a fun, filling, and safe night out, but also a great way to see other resorts and get a feel for their vibe! Not to mention, a great time with friends or family! And to be fair, none of us left “crawling”!
