The Monorail Bar Crawl (or Monorail Pub Crawl) at the Walt Disney World resort is a fun, unofficial excursion that Disney adults absolutely love to partake in! This is a great way to see all of the Magic Kingdom area Disney resorts without needing to take a ride share or Disney bus. The Walt Disney World Monorail system is the quickest way to get from resort to resort.
What is the Monorail Bar Crawl?
Hop on board the monorail, keep your arms and hands inside the cabin, and enjoy the ambiance of the bars and lounges. Your next stops are at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, and the flagship hotel, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
The best part about doing this Disney resort bar crawl is that you can modify this itinerary to suit your monorail crawl needs. If you’re running short on time, do the bars and lounges that you’re most interested in visiting.
There’s no wrong way to do this Disney World Monorail Bar Crawl. Another reason Disney fans absolutely love doing this Disney World Bar Crawl is that you don’t step foot inside a theme park. That’s right! You don’t need a theme park ticket to do this unofficial excursion. This is a great opportunity to see Disney World without needing to be in crowds of people.
I mentioned that there’s no correct way to start your monorail Disney bar crawl. If you’re already staying at one of the monorail resorts, determine if you want to start at that resort or end at the resort. If you’re staying anywhere else on Disney property, you can decide where you want to begin. But wherever you start, any of the three resort hotels is a great choice! Also note, the Disney lounges we visited do not require dining reservations.
Our Itinerary for the Monorail Bar Crawl
I’ll be sharing our itinerary of the Disney monorail bar crawl and why we chose the route we decided to take. Here is the order in which we wanted our Monorail Bar Crawl to look like:
- Steakhouse 71 Lounge at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Resort
- Enchanted Rose at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
On our journey, we’re not only tasting some specialty drinks, but we’re also eating some light bites along the way as well. I’ll include the prices of all of the drinks we ordered along with the food prices.
Our itinerary actually begins at Copper Creek at Wilderness Lodge, because that’s where we were staying. From here, you can either take a bus or boat over to the Magic Kingdom park for our first stop: Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
Steakhouse 71 Lounge at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
From the Magic Kingdom park, take a very quick walk on the walking path that takes you directly to Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Take that path and head to the lobby of the resort. Steakhouse 71 Lounge (formerly the Wave Lounge) is located just off the lobby on the first floor of the Contemporary resort.
There is plenty of bar seating, high tops, and a few lower tables to suit everyone’s needs. I always prefer sitting at the bar personally, because you get to chat with your bartender and get some fun Disney tips and tricks from them. They also are very knowledgeable about the cocktails they are making and serving to guests, so being able to talk to them firsthand is always a plus.
Eats at Steakhouse 71 Lounge
My main reason for starting our adventure at Steakhouse 71 Lounge is due in part to the food. I know, this is a drinking excursion, but listen! There is something you absolutely must have when you’re here: the notorious Bacon and Eggs Appetizer. And I’m not talking scrambled eggs and bacon strips. I’m talking about a large, perfectly cooked egg nestled on top of the best cheese grits I’ve ever tasted, along with a side of maple pork belly aka bacon. And to top this all off, you’re given a small serving of sauce that is essential in rounding off this fantastic appetizer. Lightly drizzle (or dump, like we did haha!) this over your bacon and eggs and you’ve got the best dish to go alongside your drinks.
Drinks at Steakhouse 71 Lounge
For drinks at the Steakhouse 71 Lounge, I thought I would stick with the ‘breakfast’ theme and go for a spiked cold brew, the Curious Cold Brew.
Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Joffrey’s Coffee™ Cold Brew, Maple Flavoring, and topped off with a Vanilla Bean Cream. Absolutely delightful and the perfect pick-me-up to begin our monorail bar crawl. The coffee was actually strong, along with a heavy pour of bourbon, however, the vanilla cream on top created the perfect balance to this fairly strong drink.
My husband went with a Heron Gimlet.
This twist on the traditional gimlet was excellent and unique. It has Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Chartreuse Green Liqueur, Seedlip Garden, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, and Lemonade. The Seedlip Garden was an extremely interesting addition. We got to talking to our bartender about how we love making Gimlets at home and how they’re making a comeback. We started talking Seedlip Garden and what it was, and he actually gave us a sample of it. It has a very earthy, slightly herby taste that aids in the citrusy Chartreuse green liqueur. Excellent choices on our first stop on our Monorail Bar Tour!
Receipt for Steakhouse 71 Lounge
Bacon & Eggs – $15.00
Curious Cold Brew – $14.50
Heron Gimlet – $13.50
Total with 6.5% Sales Tax = $45.80 (not including tip)
Steakhouse 71 Lounge is open daily from 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm and no dining reservation is required for the lounge. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Runner-ups for Sips & Bites at Steakhouse 71 Lounge
- 1971 Sunset – Herradura Reposado Tequila, POG Juice, Rosemary Simple Syrup, House-made Grenadine – $27.00
- Citrus Blossom Groves – Campari Liqueur, Chartreuse Green Liqueur, Citrus Juices, Simple Syrup, Orange Bitters – $13.50
- PB&J Chicken Wings – Sweet Peanut Glaze and Jelly Powder – $14.00
- Steakhouse 71 Onion Rings – $10.00
Wanting to try other places at Disney’s Contemporary Resort?
- Outer Rim – Has light snacks and a full bar, with a wonderful view of Bay Lake. Located on the 4th floor and is open daily from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
- Top of the World Lounge: A Villians Lair – Located at the top of Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, this Disney Vacation Club (DVC) eligible members-only lounge has a fantastic view of the firework show from Magic Kingdom at night. No reservations are required, but you need to show your DVC card (or be with a DVC member) to enter. It’s open nightly from 5:45 pm to Midnight.
- California Grill Lounge – Located on the top floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, this lounge serves up delicious rolls (calling all sushi lovers!) and signature cocktails nightly from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Resort
Next stop, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto! From the Steakhouse 71 Lounge, take the elevators or escalators in the lobby, upstairs to the monorail station, and hop on board the next arriving monorail. The first stop on the monorail from Disney’s Contemporary Resort is the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). At the TTC, this is where guests will park their vehicles if they want to go to Magic Kingdom, get on the Epcot Monorail, or visit one of the Magic Kingdom Resort Hotels. Don’t get off at the TTC though, cause we’re headed to Disney’s Polynesian Resort!
When you stop at the Polynesian Resort, you’re going to make your way downstairs to the 1st floor, and to the left of the lobby (if you were facing the lobby as you were walking in from the monorail). There is a very inconspicuous door on the right-hand side of a hallway with a small wooden sign that reads, “Trader Sam’s”.
This is where you’ll be going to put your name on the waitlist, assuming you’re arriving any time after 3:00 pm. And how do I know that? Because this place is known for not only the drinks but for the fun, interactive experience. Every single cast member here is incredible and so in character, I’d pay an entry fee just to watch them! For a 3:00 pm opening, people have been known to line up 30 minutes before the doors open, to make sure they get a table because it’s very small inside. And for reference, we put our name in at 6:46 pm and got called back via text at 7:18 pm.
Eats at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
The theming is totally opposite from that of Steakhouse 71 Lounge and our next and final stop, Enchanted Rose, but it’s a welcome change. Sometimes you need a little bit of cheesy and fun to break up the classiness of the other lounges haha! This is another great reason why this is the 2nd stop on our monorail bar crawl. Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto is a great place for themed, tropical drinks, and it did not disappoint.
For bites, we went with the Kahuna Tuna Sushi Roll which I believe has mango, cucumber, and spicy tuna inside. But the cool part about this roll is the rice! It’s dark pink in color, because the rice is cooked in beet juice! Not only is it neat to look at, but it was so refreshing and deliciously paired with our massively sweet drink.
Drinks at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
Normally, the hubs and I don’t share drinks. We always tend to order different cocktails which is nice so that we can each taste the other’s drink! But at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto they make a lot of cocktails that are made for two or more people. Which I actually think is kind of fun! Also, because this is a tiki bar, there are a lot of sweet, rum-based drinks. So I thought sharing a big cocktail would be a great idea if we wanted to continue on our Monorail Bar Crawl journey.
We decided to share the Nautilus.
The Nautilus is made up of Cruzan Mango Rum, Appleton Estate Reserve Rum, Combier Crème de Pêche de Vigne Liqueur, Tropical Juices, and Falernum. Half of these ingredients I have no idea about, but the couple next to us recommended it, and it was delicious! I believe the tropical juices were made from POG juice (pineapple juice, orange juice, and guava juice) so that made this extra fantastic. It was pretty strong, and I’ll be honest, a never-ending drink haha! It was massive and actually, super fun to drink out of a large (and heavy!) wooden ship with large, striped straws!
I don’t want to ruin the experience of what takes place, but there are some amazingly fun antics here when your order certain classic cocktails. You’re just going to have to come and find out for yourself!
Receipt for Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
Kahuna Tuna Sushi Roll – $18.00
Nautilus – $35.00
Total with 6.5% Sales Tax = $56.45 (not including tip)
Trader Sam’s Grogg Grotto is open daily from 3:00 pm to 12:00 am and no dining reservation is required for the lounge. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Runner-ups for Sips & Bites at Trader Sam’s Grogg Grotto
- Polynesian Pearl – RumChata Cream Liqueur, Grand Marnier, and Cinnamon with Tropical Juices – $22.00
- Uh-Oa – Plantation Original Dark Rum, Bacardi Superior Rum, Orange, Passion Fruit, Guava, Pineapple, and Grapefruit Juices, Falernum, Cinnamon, and fresh Lime Juice. Recommended for Two or more Guests – $26.00
- Thai Chicken Flatbread – with Bacon and Peanut Sauce – $12.50
- Chicken or Tofu Lettuce Cups – served with Hoisin-Ginger Sauce – $12.00
Wanting to try other places at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort?
- Tambu Lounge – Located on the second floor of the Polynesian Resort and connected to the Ohana restaurant, this lounge is a tropical oasis offering up Hawaiian-inspired drinks and appetizers including a Hawaiian Mule, Lapu Lapu, and Pot Stickers. Tambu Lounge is open daily from 8:30 am – 11:00 pm.
- Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrarce – Too long of a wait for Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto? No worries! Head out to the patio under the tiki string lights and enjoy the same cocktails and food that is served at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto (without the antics). There’s even live music here! Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrarce is open daily from 3:00 pm to 12:00 am.
Enchanted Rose at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Head back upstairs to the second floor to the monorail station, and finish off our Monorail Bar Crawl. We’re headed to our final stop and it’s quite possibly one of the best bars on Disney property. We’re headed to Enchanted Rose at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. But while you’re taking your short one-minute flight in the sky on the monorail track, check out the scenery and the beautiful Seven Seas Lagoon.
What used to be Mizner’s Lounge is now the gorgeous Enchanted Rose Lounge, a Beauty and the Beast-themed lounge with different beautiful ‘libraries’ to sip on your cocktails from. This lounge is absolutely stunning, with a large chandelier hanging over the bar. If you don’t want to sit at the bar, take a seat at one of the cozy tables lined up against the windows, for a view of the fireworks from Magic Kingdom. Not the best view, but you’re able to see them in the sky!
Since this was our last stop on our Monorail Bar Crawl we decided to go all out. The ambiance at Enchanted Rose makes you want to stay all night, it’s just so relaxing and rejuvenating. Every time I’ve visited, all the guests at the bar are super kind and talkative, which is always so fun!
Drinks at Enchanted Rose
My first cocktail at Enchanted Rose was the Floral Bitter Beauty
This Featured Cocktail is made up of Hendrick’s Gin, St~Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Campari, Aperol, Lemon, and Soda and is so refreshing and no ingredient out-powers the other. It was perfection.
My husband ordered one of the Grand Cocktails, the Boulevardier
This great drink is made of Angel’s Envy Port Barrel Finish Bourbon, Campari Liqueur, and Carpano Antic Formula Sweet Vermouth. This was incredibly smooth, and a definite sipper that is to be enjoyed slowly.
Eats at Enchanted Rose
Because we enjoy frequenting the bar area, we always get to chatting with the bartender. Our bartender was so incredibly knowledgeable on not only the cocktails but the appetizers as well. He told us that all of the appetizers you see are made in-house and come from the kitchen of Citricos, one of the fine dining restaurants at the Grand Floridian. We ordered three of his appetizer recommendations:
Artisanal Cheese Selection Plate – Four Chef-selected Tasting Portions, Honeycomb, Quince Paste, Apricot Jam, Pumpkin Seed Brittle, and Cranberry Bread.
Beef Jerky – made in house
Charcuterie Board – Duck Rillettes, Bresaola, Serrano Ham, Sopressata, Tomato Jam, Cornichons, Citrus Mustard, Pickled Carrots, Olive Crostini, and Grissini.
The combination of all three of these plates was phenomenal. The spicy meats, paired with the sweet pumpkin seed brittle (I begged and pleaded for the recipe of this to no avail haha! But I’m determined to recreate this at home), the chewy beef jerky, the savory duck rillettes (sorry Donald, but this was amazing!)and the briny pickles created the most appetizing meal.
If I were to recommend only one thing that we ordered, I would suggest the cheese plate. The cheese pairings with their accompaniments were spot on. My husband and I both agreed this was probably the best cheese plates we’ve ever had.
Additional Drinks at Enchanted Rose
This was a lot of food, so we did order more drinks, for me a Salty Dog, made of Grey Goose Vodka, Grapefruit, and Salt and my husband the Old Fashioned made of Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Orange, Sugar in the Raw, and Angostura Bitters. But due to all the social activities we were having, I failed to take pictures, oops! But here’s another cocktail I’ve had on a past solo trip to Enchanted Rose that I recommend!
The Sunny Margarita made of Patrón Silver Tequila, Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge, Juices of Orange and Lime, and Agave.
This bar area tends to get busy around the time that the fireworks end at Magic Kingdom, but you should still be able to score a table in one of their cozy rooms. If you are pressed for time and can only make it to one bar, I highly recommend that you check out Enchanted Rose.
Receipt for Enchanted Rose
Artisanal Cheese – $19.00
Beef Jerky – $8.00
Charcuterie – $22.00
Bouleverdier – $21.00
Floral Bitter Beauty – $17.50
Salty Dog – $18.50
Old Fashioned – $21.00
Total with 6.5% Sales Tax = $135.26 (not including tip)
Enchanted Rose is open daily from 3:30 pm to 11:00 pm and reservations are not required.
Runner-ups for Sips & Bites at Enchanted Rose
- Lavender Fog – made with Nolet’s Silver Dry Gin, Rothman Crème de Violette, English Breakfast Tea, Vanilla, and Cream – $18.50
- Seasonal Old Fashioned – Widow Jane 10yr Straight Bourbon Whiskey, House-made Seasonal Syrup, and Bitters – $26.00
- Kir Royale – Laurent Perrier Brut Champagne and Pomegranate Pearls – $28.00
- Espresso Martini – Stoli Vanil Vodka, Espresso, Crème de Cacao – $15.50
- House-made Truffle Fries – Black Truffle, Aged Parmesan, Truffle Aïoli – $14.00
- Seasonal Flatbread – Artichoke, Fig, Ricotta, Roasted Garlic, Watercress – $18.00
Wanting to try other places at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa?
- Citricos Lounge – Located on the second floor of the Grand Floridian, this stylish lounge connected to Citricos, is a trendy lounge where you can order off the dinner menu at Citricos and get specialty cocktails like an 1806 Old Fashioned or a Cucumber Vodka Martini. The lounge is open nightly from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm.
If this is your last stop on the Monorail Bar Crawl (or maybe you want to finish at Disney Springs!), you’ll want to get back on the monorail and get off at the Magic Kingdom to transfer to a bus or boat. If you’re staying at one of the Magic Kingdom resort hotels, stay on the monorail until you reach your destination.
I really hope you make some time for this Monorail Bar Crawl on your next Disney World trip. It is one of our favorite ways to explore the resorts on our Disney vacations without needing to visit one of the Disney parks.
Pin it for later!
Have you ever done the Monorail Bar Crawl? Is there anything I’m missing that I should check out next time? Leave me a comment so we can chat!
Check out my Disney World resort room tours!
- Disney’s Riviera Resort Preferred One Bedroom Villa
- Copper Creek Deluxe Studio Villa Tour
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Studio Villa Tour
- Bay Lake Tower Lake View Villa
- Disney’s Beach Club Studio Villa Tour
- Disney’s All-Star Movies Room Tour
Yes! You do not need to pay to ride or have a theme park ticket to ride the monorail.
Yes! However, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto does not allow children after 8:00 pm. Kids are also not allowed to sit at the actual bars, but can sit at any of the tables.
Absolutely! I would recommend starting at Territory Lounge at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge first because this lounge closes the earliest of all the other bars at 10:00 pm.
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