Six Must-Do Sip Stops on the Disney Skyliner
No park tickets? No problem. Head straight for the Disney Skyliner and one epic afternoon bar crawl not to be missed on your next girls’ weekend or kid-free trip.
The Storm Chaser at Disney’s Beach Club
For convenience-sake, let’s start at Disney’s Beach Club. For those not staying at the Epcot resort area, getting to the resorts around Crescent Lake is as easy as a Disney bus ride to Hollywood Studios. Get in your steps via the New Balance walking path over to Hurricane Hanna’s, the poolside bar at Disney’s Beach Club. Though entrance to Stormalong Bay is reserved for resort guests, the seating area around this tucked-away spot is not.
The souvenir mug beverages certainly require this one to be shared with friends. The Storm Chaser (pictured above) is a fan-favorite sweet and tangy drink. It blends vodka and rum with sour mix and sprite. Fans of the Mai Tai served at Disney’s Polynesian will want to choose the Category 5, a tropical blend of rums, fruit liquors and juices.
Pop Century Sips
Let’s continue the pool bar tour! Head to the Skyliner station at EPCOT via the International Gateway. It’s a short stroll away. From there, it’s about a 12-minute ride to the hub at Disney’s Caribbean Beach. Switch gondola lines and head to Disney’s Pop Century. Go straight to the Petals Pool Bar at the Hippy Dippy Pool.
Sweet drinks are not usually my jam, but this one is entirely refreshing in the middle of they day during an Orlando summer. Plus, it comes with a slap wrap coozie (for an additional $4). The Piña CoLAVA’s fruity raspberry and pineapple slushies take the edge of the sweet piña colada involved.
A Tasty Sip of the Islands
Hop back on the Skyliner line to Disney’s Caribbean Beach. (If you wanted a little exercise, you could always use the walking path around Hourglass Lake to stroll over to Disney’s Art of Animation first, and then grab the Skyliner from there.) Once there, make your way to Banana Cabana, the poolside bar located just outside of the Sandcastle Pool.
A major perk of this beachy retreat is the wealth of clever non-alcoholic concoctions. My personal favorite is the Tropical Paradise, a blend of pineapple, coconut, lime and cinammon with nutmeg dust on top. Not ready for a break from the boozy bevvies? Try the Caribbean Smuggler, a rum-based delight with cranberry and pineapple juices that pack a real pucker.
A Tasty Trip to Riviera
Either walk or take the Skyliner from Caribbean Beach to our next regal stop, Disney’s Riviera Resort. After its opening on December 16, 2019, Bar Riva quickly became a favorite libation stop for Disney fans and for good reason. The snacks are on point, the atmosphere is classic Meditteranean,and the drinks pack a tasty punch.
Still looking for more sweet beverages? Try the Coco di Paradiso, which blends Plantation Pineapple Rum with coconut, pineapple and lime and a suprise Aperol twist. My personal favorite though is the crazy original La Petite Fleur, a vodka-based refreshing delight that includes Lillet Blanc, camomile tea and lemon with a spritz of soda water.
Back to the Boardwalk
As a person who really needs stories to come full circle, it seemed appropriate to end this story where it began … at the resorts along Crescent Lake. Both Disney’s Boardwalk and Disney’s Yacht Club serve up delicious ways to end this epic sky-based bar crawl.
A stop at AbracadaBar on the Boardwalk is a must for those in search of creative cocktails. The Black Manhattan really rounds out a stellar Disney Day with Bulleit Rye Whiskey, Italian liquor Amara Averna and orange bitters. The salty Abra Fries really add to the experience with the truffle cheese sauce.
The classy Ale & Compass Lounge at Disney’s Yacht Club also makes a great end to the evening for both delicious food and classic cocktails (and air-conditioning). Try the Maple Old Fashioned, a unique spin on the traditional with a touch of syrup adding just the right sweetness to the Jim Bean Black Extra-aged bevvie.
As with any other Disney day of drinks, make sure to pace yourself and drink responsibly. Cheers!