Eat, drink your way around iconic Disney World resorts with this monorail crawl
Many Walt Disney World guests have heard of eating or drinking around EPCOT’s World Showcase, sampling the flavors of each pavilion as they go. While fans debate the best country to start with, Mexico or Canada (I prefer France, entering from International Gateway), I’ve got a cheaper alternative that requires much less walking and no park tickets.
A Disney monorail crawl is a great way to soak in Disney vibes on your arrival day, a rainy day or a rest day between parks. And you don’t have to drink alcohol to enjoy it.
Here's how it works.
What is the monorail crawl at Disney World?
The monorail crawl is an unofficial pub or bar crawl across three popular Magic Kingdom area hotels, but instead of walking from place to place, you take the monorail.
Guests typically enjoy a cocktail, wine or beer at each resort hotel, but you don’t have to. Disney World has really stepped up its zero-proof offerings in recent years.
Alternately, you could make it a snack crawl or progressive meal, starting with appetizers at one resort, entrees at the second and dessert at the third.
You could also skip dining entirely and simply visit each resort to take in the theming, especially over the holidays when lobbies are all decked out. All three monorail resorts also offer views of the Electrical Water Pageant and Magic Kingdom fireworks at night.
How did the Disney monorail crawl start?
In an interview posted on YouTube in 2013, Disney Legend and former Imagineer Bob Gurr told TV writer and producer Jeff Heimbuch about what may be considered an early iteration of the monorail crawl. In Disneyland’s days, he said guests would take the California resort’s monorail from the park to the Disneyland Hotel’s former Monorail Bar for midday drinks.
“Two o’clock in the afternoon, while the children are going to take a nap, father could get on the monorail and go to the hotel and get off, get a martini and then 30 minutes later, come back,” Gurr said. “You didn’t have to go very far. You’d just step out of the exit turnstile, make a right turn, and you’re in the bar.”
That bar is long gone, and monorail crawls aren’t really a thing at Disneyland, but they are at Disney World.
Zero-proof drinks at Disney World
Many lounges now include zero-proof offerings on their menu. Where there isn’t one, bartenders can craft something on the spot.
Evan Rosenthal, food and beverage concept development manager at Disney Experiences, says the Florida resort’s bartenders and bar leaders love developing cocktails with zero-proof spirits, with the same care and creativity as traditional cocktails.
“The ability to offer zero-proof cocktails within our portfolio at Walt Disney World Resort has allowed us to broaden our reach to guests of all walks of life and experiences,” he told USA TODAY. “We’ve heard so many stories of gratitude from guests who cannot (or choose not) to consume alcohol.”
Other guests may choose to drink zero-proof drinks in between boozy beverages rather than as a substitute.
“The zero-proof cocktail moment often aligns many of today’s wellness concepts, including mindful consumption,” he said.
How many hotels are on the monorail?
There are three hotels along the monorail’s Magic Kingdom loop. In order of stops from the Transportation and Ticket Center, they are:
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
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Can you ride Disney monorail free?
Yes. Disney resort transportation is free. You’ll want to take the Resort Monorail for a monorail crawl, not the Express Monorail, which skips resorts and goes directly between the Transportation and Ticket Center and Magic Kingdom.
If you’re staying on property but outside the monorail resort hotels, you can take a bus from your Disney hotel to Magic Kingdom, then either hop on the Resort Monorail or walk to the Contemporary to start your crawl from there.
If you’re staying off-property, you can park or get dropped off at Disney’s Transportation and Ticket Center, then take the Resort Monorail or walk to the Polynesian to start your crawl there. Theme park parking costs $30 a day for standard cars. You won't be able to park at monorail hotels unless you have a table-service dining reservation.
If you’re coming from EPCOT, you can take the EPCOT Monorail to the Transportation and Ticket Center. If you’re coming from Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom or Disney Springs, you can take a resort bus to one of the monorail hotels.
What to do at the Polynesian
The most popular bar, by far, at the Polynesian is Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto. Typically, you need to join a waiting list in person and prepare to wait a while to enjoy this highly themed tiki bar with charismatic servers and decor that reacts to certain drinks. However, you can get the same tropical drinks along with nightly live entertainment, weather permitting, at Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace outdoors.
There are two fruity “no booze brews” on Trader Sam’s menus, each $6. There’s also a $12 zero-proof Polynesian Punch made with Lyre’s Spiced Cane Spirit, orange, pineapple, passionfruit, guava, soda water and a hibiscus ginger beer. “Guests love that the flavors of the drink and its presentation embraces the lounge’s unique aesthetic,” Rosenthal said. Just know that hibiscus ginger beer packs a punch.
Another option is Tambu Lounge. After 4 p.m. it offers à la carte versions of several beloved dishes from pricier, prix fixe ‘Ohana next door. Seating is quite limited.
Walk-up Pineapple Lanai just outside the lobby serves iconic Dole Whip as well as Dole Whip with rum floaters. Counter-service Kona Island offers 100% Kona coffee and a selection of snacks, including chocolate-dipped strawberries and seasonal treats like the Vampire Stitch Cake leading up to Halloween. And depending on the time of visit, quick-service Capt. Cook’s offers popular Tonga toast for breakfast and pulled pork nachos at lunch and dinner.
What to do at the Grand Floridan
Head straight to Enchanted Rose, the elegant, subtly Beauty and the Beast-themed lounge at the Grand Floridian for elevated drinks and bites crafted by the team behind nearby Citricos, “Many of the cocktails and signature non-alcoholic beverages feature garnishes, syrups and ingredients prepared by Chef Andres Mendoza, Rafael Frederick, and team,” Rosenthal said. Popular drinks include the silky smooth Espresso Martini and complex gin-based Lavender Fog, but the $7.50 non-alcoholic Rosemary Cooler is not to be missed. It’s made with lemonade, rosemary and vanilla and tastes like a grown-up lemon creamsicle.
Equally elegant Citricos and Narcoosee’s also have lounges where guests can grab a drink, bite or full meal.
Gaspirillia Island Grill offers quick-service meals and snacks, as well as seasonal treats like the Halloween Mummy Cupcake. Over the holidays and Easter, guests can also find special sweets for sale inside Grand Floridian’s lobby, along with the resort’s massive gingerbread house and intricately decorated Easter eggs.
What to do at the Contemporary
You don’t need a reservation for the California Grill Lounge, which is high atop the Contemporary Resort. Just head to the host stand on the hotel’s second floor to see if there’s room available at the bar. If there is, they’ll direct you to the express elevator to the 15th floor. In addition to drinks, you can order à la carte servings of popular dishes from the California Grill’s otherwise prix-fixe menu.
While there isn’t a signature zero-proof cocktail listed, the bartenders can expertly whip up a non-alcoholic blackberry mojito or something else to your liking. Make sure to hang on to your receipt, because anyone who dines at California Grill is welcome to come back that same evening to watch Magic Kingdom fireworks from the rooftop.
Other lounge options at the Contemporary include Steakhouse 71 Lounge, which also serves food, and Outer Rim.
Contemporary Grounds serves snacks, espresso drinks and smoothies, while Contempo Cafe offers quick-service snacks and meals. Seasonally themed treats are also available at Bayview Gifts.
Disney monorail crawl rules
Most people do monorail crawls with friends, family or significant others, but you can also go solo.
The only real rule for a Disney monorail crawl is you have to stop at each of the three monorail resorts.
There's no set schedule. You do it at your own pace. What you choose to eat or drink, if you choose to do so at all, is also up to you.
The reporter on this story received access from Disney. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disney monorail crawl: How to eat, drink your way around the resorts
