2. California Grill Lounge

Image: DisneyDining at the California Grill isn’t the easiest thing to do. As the anchor restaurant at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, it always has a wait. The California Grill Lounge works a bit differently, though. It’s a first come/first serve restaurant. To be seated, you go to the second floor check-in area, just as you would if you had a reservation. The difference is that you state your intent to order at the bar.

You enjoy the same benefits, which is to say that if you drink long enough, you can see the fireworks. The question is whether you CAN drink that long, as you’ll probably have to arrive around 6 p.m. to be guaranteed a seat. Otherwise, you could wait 60-90 minutes and even that’s not guaranteed.

California Grill Lounge tries to help you with the extended drinking session. Everything here is absurdly good. You won’t even notice the alcoholic content since the potent potables are so tasty. Wines, ciders, beers, and specialty cocktails are all available. Several of these glasses are so popular that they have ardent supporters. The Classic Side Car, the Anaheim Mule, and the Monte Ray are all treasured favorites whose recipes you can find online. You probably can’t do these beverages justice the way that the bartender at California Grill Lounge can, though.

1. Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto

Image: DisneyGlow drinks, waitress, I need two more glow drinks. Okay, those aren’t the right Jimmy Buffett lyrics either, but they are applicable. This list started with a bar that serves magical beverages that fizz and smoke. It ends with ones that glow in the dark.

Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto is THE best bar at Walt Disney World for its drinks, its atmosphere, and its overall entertainment value. Nestled on the bottom floor of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, this is the place where the head salesman (literally) from Jungle Cruise runs his other business, a bar. It’s presumably easier to get this product than the heads.

Sam’s running a tiki bar with mystical elements, ones that cause the beverages to shine. The black lighting causes all of the colors to seem that much brighter. The bar also has some fun elements such as special effects when patrons order certain beverages such as the Uh-Oa!, which summons a tiki deity named Uh-Oah. Little touches like these differentiate Trader Sam’s from other bars, but the drinks are also sublime.

The most beloved one is the Krakotoa Punch, highlighted by two types of rum and something called Gorilla Grog, who I think is a villain on The Flash. The Shrunken Zombie Head, Tahitian Torch, and Dark & Storm Tropical are also phenomenal drinks that come with a sense of pageantry. By far the best thing on the menu in terms of names, however, is the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum. Seriously, this is a bar for Disney lovers, and that’s why it’s the best of the best.