Monorail Pub Crawl and alternatives

[wareagle57]

Is the MPC still a decent idea now that you have to go through security every time?

I've never really drank at Disney, but I am having my bachelor party in Orlando with mostly people who have never been. We are doing 1 day at Universal because I think they will enjoy it more and frankly, I miss it. It's been 3 years.

But one of the night at least, I wanted to go to Jellyrolls on the Boardwalk. Do you think a group that normally enjoys the more conventional "college bar" will enjoy JR? I've never been but everyone raves about it. For the other night, or combined with that night, I thought it would be fun to do a pub crawl at either the monorail loop, or possibly Boardwalk or Disney Springs.

What would you suggest for any of these 3 possibilities or do you have have better suggestions (even if outisde of Disney.) Maybe even City Walk.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[DeanDoug]

Firstly, congratulations!
While I love the idea of the MPC, I think it's important to consider you will be sharing the monorail with- families. This may not be an issue, but you want everyone to feel free to have fun. For this reason, I think City Walk or Disney Springs might be better options... especially after 9pm! At Disney Springs, for example, Raglan Road, the Irish Pub hops after dark and people can be as loud as they like! You could also grab a cigar at either Sosa's (Disney Springs) or Cigarz (City Walk). Jelly Rolls is fun, and a "college crowd," will likely get into it... especially after a few cocktails (hence my caution about the monorail crowd).

But, if you really want to travel via monorail, and I get that, remember that even in the lounges you will find a more "family oriented" crowd. Here are the bars to check out:
Contemporary: The Wave Lounge and the Outer Rim... neither is raucous and you'll likely find a cabernet, scotch, martini crowd.
Poly: You'll have more of a party vibe here... especially at Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace. This joint alone could make the trip worth it! There are volcanoes, thunderstorms, the bartenders throw water... it screams bachelor party! Not to mention, there are other bars such as the Tambu Lounge and Ohana.
Grand Floridian: Have you been there? I love it, but it screams grandma, pressed pants, and blazers. There you will find Mizner's Lounge... again, with people drinking Cabernet, Scotch, and Martinis.

I hope this is helpful... the key is having fun (safely) and feeling comfortable doing so! Best wishes!

 

[JZCubed]

Is the MPC still a decent idea now that you have to go through security every time?

I've never really drank at Disney, but I am having my bachelor party in Orlando with mostly people who have never been. We are doing 1 day at Universal because I think they will enjoy it more and frankly, I miss it. It's been 3 years.

But one of the night at least, I wanted to go to Jellyrolls on the Boardwalk. Do you think a group that normally enjoys the more conventional "college bar" will enjoy JR? I've never been but everyone raves about it. For the other night, or combined with that night, I thought it would be fun to do a pub crawl at either the monorail loop, or possibly Boardwalk or Disney Springs.

What would you suggest for any of these 3 possibilities or do you have have better suggestions (even if outisde of Disney.) Maybe even City Walk.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Wave - meh.

Mizners - OK, but not a 'drinkers' pub. It's a lovely lounge.

Trader Sam's - excellent! You may not want to leave.

But if Jellyrolls is intriguing - Boardwalk Crawl seems better to me.....ending at Jellyrolls.

FWIW, cocktails at BlueZoo include some with 'drama'. For instance, Burnt Orange arrives on fire, Smokin' Sangria arrives smokin' (from dry ice).

 

[NYCgrrl]

I still see lots of "younguns" doing the pub crawl thingie mostly at Epcot. Easy to spot some of them in their Disney longjohns with large plastic cups in hand, LOL.
Haven't been to HoB or JellyRolls but saw happy looking crowds of the young heading there when we stay at Boardwalk hotels and visit DS.

As far as security checkpoints are concerned it's no biggie as long as you don't weigh yourself down with gigonda backpacks, portable Radio Flyers, and double side by side strollers. Doesn't sound like your group's current needs though.

May your future life be just as you imagine it.

 

[wareagle57]

Firstly, congratulations!
While I love the idea of the MPC, I think it's important to consider you will be sharing the monorail with- families. This may not be an issue, but you want everyone to feel free to have fun. For this reason, I think City Walk or Disney Springs might be better options... especially after 9pm! At Disney Springs, for example, Raglan Road, the Irish Pub hops after dark and people can be as loud as they like! You could also grab a cigar at either Sosa's (Disney Springs) or Cigarz (City Walk). Jelly Rolls is fun, and a "college crowd," will likely get into it... especially after a few cocktails (hence my caution about the monorail crowd).

But, if you really want to travel via monorail, and I get that, remember that even in the lounges you will find a more "family oriented" crowd. Here are the bars to check out:
Contemporary: The Wave Lounge and the Outer Rim... neither is raucous and you'll likely find a cabernet, scotch, martini crowd.
Poly: You'll have more of a party vibe here... especially at Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace. This joint alone could make the trip worth it! There are volcanoes, thunderstorms, the bartenders throw water... it screams bachelor party! Not to mention, there are other bars such as the Tambu Lounge and Ohana.
Grand Floridian: Have you been there? I love it, but it screams grandma, pressed pants, and blazers. There you will find Mizner's Lounge... again, with people drinking Cabernet, Scotch, and Martinis.

I hope this is helpful... the key is having fun (safely) and feeling comfortable doing so! Best wishes!

I’m not really worried about them being rowdy. But you make a good point. Trader’s Sam really would be the highlight of the monorail, aside from actually riding it and possibly stopping outside MK or watching the fireworks from one of the resorts.

I was thinking it could be more of a starting point. You make a good point that neither Contemporary or GF would really be interesting to them and more just a stop to buy another $10 drink. Maybe we could just start at Trader Sam’s before or after the fireworks and then take the bus/monorail to Disney Springs/boardwalk.

I think a night of both Trader Sam’s and Jellyrolls would impress them. Disney Springs might offer more flexibility and options though.

 

[wareagle57]

Wave - meh.

Mizners - OK, but not a 'drinkers' pub. It's a lovely lounge.

Trader Sam's - excellent! You may not want to leave.

But if Jellyrolls is intriguing - Boardwalk Crawl seems better to me.....ending at Jellyrolls.

FWIW, cocktails at BlueZoo include some with 'drama'. For instance, Burnt Orange arrives on fire, Smokin' Sangria arrives smokin' (from dry ice).

What are some other good options for the boardwalk?

Is it still difficult to get into Trader Sam’s (particularly the main room) on Friday and Saturday nights? Can you wait in the outside bar place waiting to get inside?

 

[kastoney]

As others have said Disney Springs may be the better option as they have a lot more places available and if one is too crowded you can journey on quickly (and without security). Raglan Road, Boathouse, and Jock Lindseys are but a few of a lot of options.

If you go the Monorail route I'd suggest trying to work in Geyser Point. Not on the monorail per se but its a quick boat ride from Magic Kingdom or the Contemporary and it offers a laid back atmosphere right on the water.

For the boardwalk we enjoy Jelly Rolls, but I'm a 40 something year old Mom who loves 70s and 80s music. I enjoyed it in my 20s too, but I'm not sure how it would go over with a group of guys. If you do go that direction ESPN would be fun to do as well.

 

[georgina]

I've been considering The Edison at Disney Springs for my next trip. Steampunk theme, interesting (and expensive) cocktails, including some 'punchbowls' for groups, evening entertainment including stilt walkers and dancers.

 

[Cramden]

You can do a pretty decent Pub Crawl right at Crescent Lake. In addition to Jelly Rolls you have the Crew's Club and Ale and Compass Lounges at Beach and Yacht Club. Il Mulino, bluezoo and Kimonos at the Swan and Dolphin. Back toward Jelly Rolls on the Boardwalk you have Abracadabar, ESPN Club, Big River Brewing and Belle Vue Lounge. It's a fun loop and the Dancing Palm Trees over at Swan and Dolphin are pretty cool to see at night.

Congrats and have fun!

 

[wareagle57]

You can do a pretty decent Pub Crawl right at Crescent Lake. In addition to Jelly Rolls you have the Crew's Club and Ale and Compass Lounges at Beach and Yacht Club. Il Mulino, bluezoo and Kimonos at the Swan and Dolphin. Back toward Jelly Rolls on the Boardwalk you have Abracadabar, ESPN Club, Big River Brewing and Belle Vue Lounge. It's a fun loop and the Dancing Palm Trees over at Swan and Dolphin are pretty cool to see at night.

Congrats and have fun!

Thanks! I haven't seen anyone mention Atlantic Dance Hall. Is it worth checking out?

 

[Ralphmiller007]

We really like Jellyrolls...it gets pretty busy, especially on the weekends. When we went on the weekend or later at night we saw plenty of people younger than us and CMs. Earlier in the night is a little more sedate haha. We've done the monorail crawl, and while I thought is was fun, I wouldn't think it would be interesting for a bachelor party group. I vote Disney Springs or Jellyrolls over anything on the monorail line.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Consider this:

Start at Trader Sam's when it opens at 4 pm (I would start lining up around 3:30/3:45 pm). You'll get in early and it's always full, so it's always lively, IMHO. Then, take the monorail either around the entire resort loop (without stopping - I don't think the other bars/lounges are going to be as much fun as Trader Sam's) or just to MK. Get off and take a bus to Boardwalk. Go to Abracadabar. Not as many effects as Trader Sam's, but some cool drinks (including one with absinthe!) and some effects. By then, the entertainment on the Boardwalk will probably have started (jugglers, magicians) and the go to JellyRoll's. You could also check out bluezoo which has some good cocktails and great lounge food. Then head to Disney Springs (via bus or uber/lyft) for the rest of the evening.

 

[nkereina]

Pat O'Brien's at City Walk is also a dueling piano bar like Jellyrolls, and we like it a little better. No cover before a certain time and its generally less busy. Plus, hurricanes! Otherwise at City Walk, we like NBC Sports Grill & Brew.

I think Trader Sam's at the Poly is worth visiting, but I agree with PP that you should get there at opening. Especially with a group. If you're more than 4 people, I would arrive around 3:15 to put your name in so you can ensure you're one of the first groups in so you can have your choice of table. Once they open and they start letting the line in, its a free-for-all with people running to tables and not everyone gets a seat.

After Trader Sam's, you could take the bus to Disney Springs. Jock Lindsey's Hanger Bar is a cool atmosphere, and with a group of guys there are bound to be some Indiana Jones fans. Splitsville has a nice bar area that's always showing sporting events that are on. Bongo's and Sosa Family Cigars may appeal to cigar smokers, if you're into that. Homecomin' has a decent size bar area with good appetizers and drinks. Same with STK and Morimoto Asia. There's really something for everyone there.

 

[JZCubed]

What are some other good options for the boardwalk?

Is it still difficult to get into Trader Sam’s (particularly the main room) on Friday and Saturday nights? Can you wait in the outside bar place waiting to get inside?

Yes, Traders Sam's is a difficult admission. A place to end a 'crawl'.

Boardwalks is described well, here:

You can do a pretty decent Pub Crawl right at Crescent Lake. In addition to Jelly Rolls you have the Crew's Club and Ale and Compass Lounges at Beach and Yacht Club. Il Mulino, bluezoo and Kimonos at the Swan and Dolphin. Back toward Jelly Rolls on the Boardwalk you have Abracadabar, ESPN Club, Big River Brewing and Belle Vue Lounge. It's a fun loop and the Dancing Palm Trees over at Swan and Dolphin are pretty cool to see at night.

If I had to chose four --
1.) ESPN Club. Cold beer, good pub grub.
2.) AbracadaBar. First cocktail.
3.) BlueZoo. 2nd Cocktail. As much as I enjoy BlueZoo, this would be the bar I'd skip.....
4.) JellyRolls. Yes, the piano music is fun.
5.) You could skip BlueZoo (#3.) after AbracadaBar, then go to Dolphin Hotel Lobby after JellyRolls - because the new bar and live music are another consideration.

It's all good!

 

[nkereina]

2.) AbracadaBar. First cocktail.

I don't know what time you're starting, but I'll warn that while we were there last February, AbracadaBar didn't open until 4pm. It was a bit of a ghost town until after dinner. Perhaps a good as a last stop or before Jellyrolls.

 

[wishuponastar1984]

Where are you staying? Since you are doing Universal for your park day I would think you are staying near there. I would just stick with City Walk as it is more oriented to an older crowd. You would also have to factor in transportation to WDW which adds costs. Have you chatted with your groomsmen about what they can afford to do? All these bars are quite expensive.

 

[Captain Kittens]

What someone said about being around families on the monorail is a solid point. Dont want to get too sloppy and be a obnoxious to others or embarrass yourself.

Disney Springs is a great spot to bar crawl and there are a few solid places there. Jock Lyndsey's is a favorite of mine, The Edison is cool but has expensive drinks, there is a cool mexican restaurant/bar right next to The Edison which had a fun vibe last time I was there. You can try and go for Jelly Rolls but if you are not staying at the resort or have an ADR you might have a hard time getting in. People will tell you otherwise, every experience is different, but I was down in WDW last month and security would not let us in to other resorts without a valid reason (staying there or dining reservation) and I was staying on property at Riverside.

If you like Universal and City Walk just go with that. Disney is hella fun, I prefer it over Universal, but with Disney being a family environment and places enforcing a two-drink limit you might have a better time at Uni.

 

[FWphanatic]

I have crawled around Bay Lake, Crescent Lake and Disney Springs. No need to get sloppy if you pace yourself. I love any excuse to visit the resorts!! If you time the Poly right, you can walk out to the pool to watch the fireworks. Once you check into Trader Sam's and it's busy, they will give you a pager. You can wait at the outside lounge until you are paged. Remember, you can walk up to the California Grill Lounge without a ressie. Keep your receipt and you can go up to the private bridge to view the fireworks from there. Check the lounges/bars hours. I arrived at Mizner's at 11:02 PM; they stopped serving at 11:00 PM

 

[nkereina]

You can try and go for Jelly Rolls but if you are not staying at the resort or have an ADR you might have a hard time getting in. People will tell you otherwise, every experience is different, but I was down in WDW last month and security would not let us in to other resorts without a valid reason (staying there or dining reservation) and I was staying on property at Riverside.

What resort were you trying to get into? I presume your experience relates to parking, because this is NOT typical. Anyone - registered WDW guest or not - is free to visit the resorts at any time for any reason. Disney encourages this because they want people to patronize their bars and restaurants, spend $$, and even just see the resort so it entices them to stay there on a future visit. No one should have a hard time being allowed at a resort. But parking is a different story. There are limitations on who can park at resorts, when, and for how long. Boardwalk is pretty strict on this because of the points of interest at and near this resort, as well as limited parking options to start with.