Best Bars on the monorail loop?

[guy_incognito]

Hey DisFolks!

We are making our first adults-only trip since 2007, headed there for our anniversary and looking for something to to mix it up.
We haven't done the "bar thing" at WDW, always having kids in tow. ;-)

Seeing if we can get consensus on the best bets for each stop (not necessarily the same night, just the same trip...
Challenge level: We most likely won't set foot in a park and we don't drink wine.

FYI Staying at the Poly. All suggestions and conversation welcome! Would love to hear your favorites and why.

Poly - Tambu Lounge / Trader Sam's
GF - Enchanted Rose
Wilderness - Geyser Point
Contemp - California Grill

Bonus DS - Boathouse (just because)

 

[Micca]

Trader Sam's/Tambu by some measure. Also the Outer Rim at CR is a small nook for a bevvy.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Territory Lounge at WL is also very good. I haven't had any of the food so cannot comment there but I love the drink options as someone who does not enjoy overly sweet drinks.

 

[Disneylover99]

Tambu Lounge is always my top pick for the food and The Backscratcher.
We’ll go there a few times during our trip when staying at the Poly.

 

[OKW Lover]

Enchanted Rose at the Grand is our favorite!

 

[erinch]

Make your way to AKL for Victoria Falls.
Jock Lindsey’s at DS
Spring for AK just for Nomad

 

[guy_incognito]

Make your way to AKL for Victoria Falls.
Jock Lindsey’s at DS
Spring for AK just for Nomad

Our home resort is AkL, so we love it… but we won’t be making that trip from the poly lol.

Gonna be a great time of pool, eat, drink… and so on.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

At the Grand Floridian, Enchanted Rose is terrific but sitting at the bar at Citrico's and/or Narccoossees are also great options. The bar at California Grill is pretty small so you might want to rope drop that one. It's not exciting from a theme/decor standpoint but the bar at Steakhouse 71 has some amazing onion rings and a fun tequila drink for two that's served in a fish bowl. Potentially controversial but I actually prefer the terrace to the inside of Trader Sam's -- but if you've never been you should go at least once! Have fun!!!

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

I personally love Trader Sams. I recommend all folks visit Trader Sams for a cocktail or mocktail.

But Outer Rim has a special place in my heart because when I was 5 years old on my first Disney trip I was able to sit at the bar (we are from Wisconsin so this is not unusual for us Badger State folks) with my Dad and he drank a beer and I drank a Roy Rogers and I played with my small Mickey and friends figurines that my Dad bought me at Fantasia Market. The bartender was so kind and impressed that he put like 10 cherries on a stir stick for me. It was probably less, but as a 5 years old everything seemed larger than life.

 

[Pens Fan]

Territory Lounge at WL is also very good. I haven't had any of the food so cannot comment there but I love the drink options as someone who does not enjoy overly sweet drinks.

Agree completely with this. We stay at Wilderness Lodge at least a couple of times a year and love Geyser Point for the food and views. But the cocktails are not great unless you like sweet, fruity drinks made with mixes. It's a shame because Territory Lounge has some really fantastic cocktails. I don't know why they can't send a few lessons down to GP. The apps at Territory Lounge are really good as well. You can also get the mushroom soup and chocolate cake from Artist Point even though it's not on the lounge menu.

Yes, we spend an inordinate amount of time at Territory Lounge .

Also agree with the @erinch that if you're throwing DS into the mix Jock Lindsey is a must. But Boathouse and Wine Bar George are great options there as well. And they are also on point with the Nomad suggestion. We never miss it when in AK - fantastic food, drinks and service.

 

[han22735]

The lounge at steakhouse 71 is also fantastic.

 

[tony67]

I think the Wave in CR is pretty good - did have a great beer selection.

Unless things have changed most of the bars are pretty much the same so not much unique other than Trader Sam's of course. Tambu Lounge as well.

Its seems like there used to be a lot more unique theme drinks in the various bars, but now its a somewhat standard menu - maybe that has changed.

 

[Deb1993]

We loved Enchanted Rose on our anniversary trip. Have Fun!

 

[POTCfan]

For an experience, I would say Trader Sam's, but it is also the most difficult to get into. If you can't get into Trader Sam's Tambu Lounge upstairs is pretty good (they have some menu items from Ohana that you can get such as the noodles, pot stickers, wings, and bread pudding - as long as Ohana's is open when you go).

 

[guy_incognito]

Agree completely with this. We stay at Wilderness Lodge at least a couple of times a year and love Geyser Point for the food and views. But the cocktails are not great

I don't drink liquor, all I care about is beer and view or ambience. ;-)
My wife likes maybe 2 different drinks. I am just looking for stuff to do. We have been to Geyser Point and liked it.

Maybe one day we'll try JL's at DS. Would prefer to stay on the loop for the trip. I only threw Boathouse out there because we'll definitely go to DS at least once and we like the Boathouse.

 

[guy_incognito]

The lounge at steakhouse 71 is also fantastic.

We were there recently for a 50th anniversary. It was pretty cool. I guess I was thinking of amazing views as a priority but it's always nice to have backups when option A fails for sure!

 

[guy_incognito]

I personally love Trader Sams. I recommend all folks visit Trader Sams for a cocktail or mocktail.

But Outer Rim has a special place in my heart because when I was 5 years old on my first Disney trip I was able to sit at the bar (we are from Wisconsin so this is not unusual for us Badger State folks) with my Dad and he drank a beer and I drank a Roy Rogers and I played with my small Mickey and friends figurines that my Dad bought me at Fantasia Market. The bartender was so kind and impressed that he put like 10 cherries on a stir stick for me. It was probably less, but as a 5 years old everything seemed larger than life.

May check it out. Like I've said to others, looking for places with a view. We have reservations at CG during fireworks... so we don't have to do the bar there.

 

[guy_incognito]

At the Grand Floridian, Enchanted Rose is terrific but sitting at the bar at Citrico's and/or Narccoossees are also great options. The bar at California Grill i

We stayed at GF late last year and watched the fireworks on the dock by Narcoossee's almost every night. We made reservations for this trip. I have never set foot in Enchanted Rose, but just wanted to try it for the view.

As mentioned in an above post, we do have reservations at CG so maybe do one of the other bars at CR instead.

We have no obligations or anything. It's gonna be amazing.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I don't drink liquor, all I care about is beer and view or ambience. ;-)

Go to City Works at DS - they have the best beer selection on property. I'm a beer drinker too and most resort lounges have a horrendous beer selection if you don't like Bud Light or Stella Atois.

 

[OKW Lover]

I have never set foot in Enchanted Rose, but just wanted to try it for the view.

There really isn't a view in Enchanted Rose. Its inside the main building and the windows look out on the DVC building more than anything.