Our first day at Disney World was a free day. We did not have park passes so we decided to create our own fun outside the parks and do a Monorail Bar Crawl. The Walt Disney World Monorail System has 3 separate lines that travel throughout Walt Disney World Resort: the Resort Monorail (connects Magic Kingdom to the three resorts on the monorail line), the Epcot Monorail, and the Express Monorail. For this bar crawl you will want to make sure you are on the Resort Monorail line.

We decided to start at the Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and end at the Disney’s Contemporary Resort. To get to the Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort we hopped on a bus to the Magic Kingdom from our resort. Once at the Magic Kingdom you can catch the Resort Monorail line. But we decided to take the boat over instead since the line was much shorter.

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort celebrates the South Pacific culture with palm trees, grottos, waterfalls, tiki bars, and tropical food, and drinks. I love the South Pacific and was looking forward to the flavors of the Polynesian resort lounges.

Tambu Lounge

Our first stop was the Tambu Lounge, kind of. We actually stopped by Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto first to put our names in. This bar has only a few tables and chairs and sharing space with others is encouraged. They also have a tiki bar outside, but we came for the fun that is inside. The hostess took our name and phone number and said she would text us when space was available.

Now back to our official first stop of the night. Tambu Lounge is a Hawaiian themed tiki bar with tropical drinks and Hawaiian inspired appetizers —from exotic flatbreads and flavorful barbecue pork ribs to noodles and pot stickers. The Tambu Lounge is located in the center of the Polynesian Resort next to the popular ‘Ohana restaurant. If you can’t get a seat at the bar, grab a drink and find a comfy place to sit around the lobby and people watch. We were lucky enough to get a bar seat and ordered drinks and appetizers.

I ordered the Hawaiian Mule (Pau Maui Handmade Vodka, Lychee-Citrus Reduction, and Fever-Tree Ginger Beer) and Tim had the Watermelon Margarita (Patrón silver Tequila, Watermelon, and Lime Juice) along with pot stickers and a special request for Asian noodles from ‘Ohana .

These drinks were delicious. The Backscratcher cocktail was seen all around the bar and is probably the most popular. It even comes with its own bamboo backscratcher.

By the time our food was devoured and our glasses were empty, we received a text there was room for us at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto.

Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto

This whimsically themed lounge is decorated with ancient artifacts and exotic treasures and a very lively staff. Most of the specialty cocktails ordered come with an interesting response from the staff. I won’t spoil the fun here by giving you all the details, but is is a do not miss interactive experience.

I had the Dark & Tropical Stormy (Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, fresh Lime Juice, Ginger Beer, and Falernum) and it was perfectly presented with a broken cocktail umbrella to signify the storm.

We had places to be so we gave our seats up to some newcomers and headed off to Disney’s Grand Floridian.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Victorian elegance meets modern sophistication at this lavish Disney Resort hotel. Unwind outdoors, indulge in a luxurious massage and watch evening fireworks light up the sky over Cinderella Castle. This resort is just one stop away on the Resort Monorail to Magic Kingdom. A perfect location.

The Enchanted Rose

This newly reimagined lounge is inspired by Beauty and the Beast. You feel like Belle sipping cocktails under the chandelier inspired by her flowing golden ball gown. Or sit in the formal library which showcases classical baroque designs and French furnishings. Or the whimsical garden room represents the forest surrounding Beast’s castle. For those who prefer to sit under the stars, the outdoor patio evokes the beauty and romance of Beast’s garden terrace.

Tim ordered the Garden Daisy (Don Julio Reposado Tequila, Midori, Lime, and Cucumber. *Contains pasteurized egg whites) . I ordered one of their most popular drinks, the Island Rose (Ketel One Grapefruit and Rose, Lime, Orgeat (Almond), Pineapple, Bitters, and Rose Water). Both were perfect! You might have noticed that Tim enjoys tequila while I tend to choose vodka drinks.

We also decided to order the House-made Flatbread (Charred Broccolini, Seasonal Mushrooms, Fennel Sausage and Tomato Confit). This was a top choice of the night! We made a few friends at the bar, but once our drinks and flatbread was finished we headed off to our next stop.

Disney’s Contempary Resort

This ultra-modern Disney Resort hotel has award-winning dining, spectacular views, and dazzling pools. Whether you’re staying in the iconic A-frame Contemporary tower or the nearby Garden Wing, you can walk to Magic Kingdom main gate or catch the Resort Monorail as it breezes through the tower. Yes, through the hotel!

When we got off the monorail, we asked for directions to one of the lounges and the attendant opened our eyes to another possibility. He suggested we head to the lower level and put our name in for bar seating at the California Grill and then head to one of the lounges while we waited. We got lucky and two seats had just opened up for us on the top floor at California Grill Lounge.

We took the elevator to the top and was lucky enough to see Magic Kingdom lit up in magic! We snapped this photo from the observation area next to the restaurant.

California Grill Lounge

I quickly picked out the Blackberry Sour (Ketel One Citroen Vodka, House-made Lemonade, Blackberries) and Tim went with the Sonoma Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned (Sonoma Distilling Co. Bourbon, Vanilla Maple Syrup, Angostura Bitters and Luxardo Gourmet Maraschino Cherries with an Orange Twist). He quickly decided this was the best drink of the night. The liquor menu is huge. If you don’t know what to order, let the bartenders know what flavors you like and they will create something special.

We had two of the best appetizers of the night at the California Grill Lounge: Spicy Kazan Roll (crab, shrimp, scallops, tuna, fireball sauce) and Braised Beef Short Rib Wontons (Doenjang Miso-Cola-Onion Sauce, Crispy Garlic-Chili Oil, Radish, Pickled Lotus Root). We talked about these wontons the entire week. When we recapped the weeks food, we both decided this was the best thing we ate….and we ate a lot!

This bar crawl was so much fun, but it wasn’t cheap. Cocktails run from about $15-$25 per drink and about $19-$32 per appetizers. Incorporate this bar crawl into your budget. I recommend visiting any of these lounges during your next visit.