Best Pool Bar?

[Jessica527]

Just found out local $1 store has wine/champagne plastic glasses! Looks like the cooler and my plastic glasses will be visiting!

 

[TDC Nala]

Kidani Village, Polynesian (drinks only, no food), Hurricane Hanna's (take the drink down to the beach area), Gurgling Suitcase (the above post is right, it's not just a bar, it's like your living room away from home). I don't like Wilderness Lodge's pool bar although I love the indoor lounge. And I don't rent a car or check luggage, so no lugging my own booze.

 

[skelooch]

Another vote for the Gurgling Suitcase, friendly bartenders and clients.

 

[skifast22]

great thread. I do wish the CR had a better pool bar. It's mostly just a counter for take out drinks. The pool bar was nicer at BLT, but seemed to be located in the back of the pool area, almost as an after though.

like the past several posters, I began brining my own booze down a few years ago. A couple 1 liter bottles of Bacardi in my suitcase, and a resort mug to fill with coke has served me well. I also use ME and have never had a problem with the bottles packed in my suit case either arriving or leaving. I did make it up to the Top of the World lounge a few times though my last visit and bought beer. The ambiance and views up there are certainly worth the price of a few drinks.

 

[Jessica527]

Will be staying at both POR/AKL for our honeymoon. Glad to know AKL has a great bar at Jambo and Kinadi!

 

[MdmMim]

Leaping Horse Libations at the BWV is my favorite of them all! The bartenders are like our friends, as we have been going there for years (80+ trips).

I am not a fan of the Gurgling Suitcase at all, though I realize it has many fans. I sat there one day listening to the bartender and a customer complain about "Yankees," and I don't mean the baseball team. Not cool. And the bar area is way too small. I know they have picnic tables outside, but that isn't a bar. JMHO

Trout Pass is a good one, too. I love the theme. Friendly bartenders there, also.

I have also enjoyed the pool bar ar ASMu.

 

[vettegirl]

I like the pool bar at CSR. However we mostly make our own drinks, unless I want a mojito then I visit the bar.

 

[jlk806]

I like both Petals at Pop and Banana Cabana at CBR - both are open till midnite I believe. The pool bar at Kidani closes at 9 and there is no where else at Kidani to get drinks at night

 

[Jessica527]

I like both Petals at Pop and Banana Cabana at CBR - both are open till midnite I believe. The pool bar at Kidani closes at 9 and there is no where else at Kidani to get drinks at night

That actually leads me to another question...

Do you know where I can get a listing of the pool bar hours at?

 

[rao363]

Bump*

I am also curious of the hours?? I thought they all closed at 9pm.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

Pool bar is my favorite part of Disney vacation, we've stayed at and utilized pool bars at POR, BC, WL, Poly, Swan, CSR, OKW and CB. For the most part I've never had a bad drink at a pool bar (2 exceptions) I've always found the pours pretty generous and the bartenders friendly.

Worst in my experience was OKW, it may have been a bad weekend, or bad timing, but the bar was criminally understaffed, we waited a really long time with the line never moving and ended up just buying vodka in the hotel store and taking it back to the room (it was the only trip we didn't pack our own, of course) I've heard good things, but we were sorely disappointed.

Similar experience at Poly (but we DID get drinks!), but we were there in the summer, and I think they now have a wrist band policy that probably cuts down on the crowd. Also, there was very little shade, not a lot of places to park yourself and waste an afternoon.


Swan- weakest pours. Long Island Ice Tea was more Arnold Palmer.

CBR I remember nothing about. . .so it was probably the best, pour-wise.

CB- Bartender was really nice, but put club soda in my vodka tonic. That's always the FIRST thing I think of when it gets brought up, fair or not.

This brings us to the Top 3 IMH(and boozy)O

#3- Stormalong Bay at Beach Club- scenery is awesome, lots of shade, one of the bartenders didn't know what a Grateful Dead was, but put together a decent one after I remembered what was in it, the availability of solid food allows you to REALLY waste some time.

#2- Muddy Waters at POR- My first Disney Pool bar makes me all nostalgic, so this might be more about that, but it's kinda quiet, the bartenders are super-great, and its again, shady, easy to miss a dinner ADR because you just don't wanna get up and go back to the room

Drumroll-

#1 Trout Pass at Wilderness Lodge- Plenty of covered seating, great pours, great bartenders if you are seated AT the bar, (I still have a handful of swizzle sticks from the bartender after I was asking my sister if having 3 sticks as evidence was "lushy". You probably had to be there.) if not, there's tables close to the geyser, you've got pool, you've got geyser, you've got resort scenery and have never been given club soda in your vodka tonic, that's vacation.

 

[disadventurer]

Stewart at WL--always nice to see the same bartenders working there--great CM

 

[Julie711]

The Pool side bar @ CBR is nice. Its is right outside of the pool area. They had a few different mixed drinks, nice sitting area and the pool @ this resort is awesome. We love the pirate themed with water slides, cannons and 2 hot tubs. Also if your going with kids they have a pirate ship w/ water slides, dumping buckets our daughter absolutley loves!

 

[Bob NC]

Best Pool Bar?

The one I'm at!!!

 

[BigDaddy1]

Petals is our favorite by far.

 

[Mickfarland4]

My fav pool bar is Muddy River at POR.

Good comfortable covered seating at tables as well as the bar stools. Friendly bartenders and rarely crowded.

Second choice is The Gurgling Suitcase at OKW, close enough to the pool with good outdoor seating.

We take our Disney Drinking seriously. We have a non-commercial web site dedicated to it at: www.DrinkingAtDisney.com

Favorite Bar On Property? No hesitation - it's The Gurgling Suitcase at OKW.

Love the idea of your site! Added to my favorites for reference!! For some reason beersandears won't come up on my phone so this site should help!

 

[bakie21]

Muddy Rivers POR

 

[patty57]

The one I'm at!!!

Great answer!
While not technically a WDW property, Cabanas at the Dolphin would win this contest hands down for me. Their drink mixers are all made onsite with fresh ingredients. I find the pool bars at the WDW resorts to be much more similar to each other than different. The drinks and food at Cabanas are great!

 

[dansdad]

Love the Banana Cabana @ CBR!!!

 

[natebenma]

The Sunken Treasure at Hurricane Hanna's at the Beach Club/Yacht Club has its own fan club.

The drink is no longer on the menu, but we have taken to making laminated recipe cards to show the bartenders to keep the drink alive. I even brought a recipe card with me to Mexico and had a bartender make one for me there.

Sunken Treasure: The unofficial beverage of the Beach and Yacht Club FAQ forum:

Contents: Malibu Rum, Midori, orange juice, pineapple juice and Sprite with a splash of BOLS Blue Curacao.


Thanks, pixarmom, Feckless, WDW4us2006 and Ninja Mom for the photos!

Please note that the Sunken Treasure is no longer on the menu at Hurricane Hanna's, however if you get a bartender who knows how to make the drink, you may still be in luck!


Thanks to medicgirl177, who experiemented at great personal risk to decipher the secret formula: