Episode 422: Hello to our beloved Disney aficionados, In this week’s adventure on “Traveling with the Mouse”, we rev things up with a whirlwind of favorites and fun “this or that” questions. And, as we navigate through our fond memories, we also take a moment to bid farewell to the Galactic Star Cruiser. There’s something undeniably magical about recalling favorites. The memories, the emotions, the scents and sounds – each favorite transports us back to a treasured moment at Walt Disney World. In episode 422, we decided to race through our top picks across the resort. From that delectable snack that hits the spot every single time, to the ride we can’t help but revisit, this rapid-fire session is a love letter to the countless joys Disney offers.
In our recent episode, while diving deep into Jason’s Disneyland trip report, a theme park more than 2,000 miles away still managed to tug at his heartstrings – the one and only Epcot at Walt Disney World.
“The thing I missed most while out there in California? Epcot. There’s just nothing quite like it…”
A snippet from Episode 416 where we discuss Epcot
Indeed, there isn’t. Epcot has remained unparalleled since its grand opening in 1982. It’s a testament to the park’s uniqueness that even after visiting Disneyland, with its myriad of attractions and timeless charm, Epcot still held its own. It’s almost like Epcot is our little piece of Walt out here on the east coast. While Walt never saw Epcot come to fruition, he was obsessed with the idea of it in his final days.
What Epcot could have been…an experimental prototype community of tomorrow
Even through we didn’t get a living, breathing community of the future – it emerged as something perhaps even more special: a celebration of humanity’s achievements, a glimpse into our potential future, and a global cultural fiesta all rolled into one. Epcot seamlessly marries two contrasting worlds: the forward-looking, technology-driven Future World and the rich, diverse World Showcase. This blend allows guests to hop from experiencing the thrill of tomorrow in attractions like Test Track or Spaceship Earth to indulging in the culinary and cultural delights of 11 different countries, all in the span of a day.
For all three of us at “Traveling with the Mouse”, Epcot holds a special place. It has long been our favorite of the Disney World theme parks but sometimes it is hard to know exactly why. We touch on it in the clip above from our most recent episode. There is just something about Epcot that you can’t get anywhere else on earth. They tried to make a Westcot but those plans ultimately fell through. Disney hasn’t been able to replicate the uniqueness and originality that is Epcot. It really is the most unique Disney park in the world.
So, next time you find yourself wandering the pathways of Epcot…remember to: Thank the Phoenicians, Design your own car, Save the Galaxy, Visit Mars (or circle the earth), Soar around the World, Drink Around the World, go to La Cava and then ride Gran Fiesta Tour, enjoy some food and wine, soak in the atmosphere, learn to live with the land, visit our favorite purple dinosaur, get stuck for 25 minutes on the Seas, ride the Skyliner back and forth between Epcot and Hollywood Studios and so much more. No matter where your Disney travels take you, you might just find yourself missing this one-of-a-kind gem.
What are some of your thoughts, memories, and Epcot stories? Let us know!
Episode 409: Welcome to another exciting episode of Traveling with the Mouse podcast! In this week’s episode, Jon recently returned from a trip to Walt Disney World. He fills us in on everything from his stay at an Air BnB to attending an exclusive Epcot after-hours event, and being the first of us to try out Gideon’s Bakehouse. Jon also traveled with a party that used the DAS system. He explains how the Disability Access Service works. During his visit, Jon also experienced Tron and he lets us know where it ranks for him. Jon left just and Jason and I arrived so next week we will continue with Jason and Adam’s trip report. Stay tuned!
Welcome to the 400th episode of Traveling with the Mouse podcast! Today, we have a double trip report for you. Jason and Adam share highlights from their recent trip to Walt Disney World. One of the main focuses of this trip was dining at signature restaurants, and they did not disappoint. Among the standout meals were Takumi-Tei, Le Cellier, California Grill, and Narcoossee’s. They also enjoyed drinks at the beloved La Cava del Tequila and tried out a new experience at Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ. Jason got to experience the Deluxe after hours where he got to ride Tron by himself. We also toured some friends around the parks this week. Thank you for tuning in to this special episode of Traveling with the Mouse podcast. Be sure to follow us on social media and stay tuned for more episodes filled with Disney travel tips and reviews.
Episode 393: In this episode of Traveling with the Mouse we delve into the world of drinks at La Cava del Tequila in Epcot, We debate which beverage reigns supreme in a bracket-style competition. But the podcast doesn’t just stop at drinks. We also cover some exciting news stories happening around the Disney parks, including the annual passholder preview for the upcoming Tron attraction, the return of Sonny Eclipse to Magic Kingdom, and a hologram of Walt Disney himself to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company.
Episode 387: In today’s episode, we’ll be discussing Adam’s recent trip to Walt Disney World over the Christmas holidays. One of the highlights of his trip was riding the Walt Disney World Railroad. It is so good to have it back in service. He noticed that one particular station had the shortest lines while he was there. Another highlight of Adam’s trip was a visit to La Cave del Tequila. One of our favorite spots in all of Walt Disney World and the staff there is just amazing. He also got to sample Jock Lindsey’s “Holiday” Bar at Disney Springs and really enjoyed it. We also cover the Disney news and rumors that we missed over the past couple of weeks.
Episode 375: Jason just returned from a solo trip to Walt Disney World. He utilized some last minute DVC availability and stayed at the boardwalk. On this trip he experience a re-ranking of his favorite coasters at Disney as well as his favorite lounges on property. He was able to fit a lot into his 48 hour trip. He let’s us know his thoughts on the boardwalk and getting the most out of Genie plus during his trip. He visited all 4 parks and was able to get quite a lot done. We do also spend a few minutes talking about the news but there wasn’t much new to discuss at the time.
On our podcast we talk a lot about these lounges. We thought it would be a good idea to talk more about them in depth and put together a pros and cons list of each. We haven’t visited every single bar or lounge on Disney property yet but there are several that we keep repeating because they have become staples of our Walt Disney World experience! If your favorite is not on our list, let us know! With that out of the way, these are our current top five and I am even going to throw in some honorable mentions at the end. Let’s get started…
In no particular order (because we can’t agree on the ranking) We are starting with…La Cava del Tequila. This lounge is located in the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot, So you need a park ticket and a reservation for Epcot to get here. It’s hard to beat the Mexico pavilion when it comes to theming but throw in some good margaritas and some queso on top of that and you have an unbeatable combination!
Pros: Excellent Drink menu, especially if you like tequila. The Theming here is arguably the best on this list. The atmosphere inside the Mexico Pavilion is some of the best in World Showcase. If you are lucky enough to score a table…the chips, quac, and queso are also top notch. Shoutout to Barbas as well who is one of the best servers anywhere in Walt Disney World!
Cons: It Can be very crowded depending on the time of day that you visit. It is tough to get a table here but it is so much better if you do. Most people will do the walk up bar and enjoy their drinks outside by the fountain. Drink are on the expensive side. ($16-$30)
The next one on our list is the Nomad Lounge. Located just outside of Pandora at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. (A park ticket and reservation at Animal Kingdom is required) We finally got to visit this lounge for the first time this year and it was an instant favorite! The theming here is also outstanding (here’s looking at you Joe Rhode). We also really enjoyed the food options and the drink menu is very diverse. This one has it all…so much so that this lounge won our twitter poll by a landslide.
Pros: The theme of world travel here is incredible and the cozy atmosphere just makes you want to stay here all day. (we practically did on our first visit). The food options are outstanding and the wide variety of drinks means that you can find something for everyone here!
Cons: This place is popular so get your name in early. We had to wait 30 minutes to get a spot not long after it opened. This lounge is at Animal Kingdom so it is out of the way for most of Walt Disney World. Just make sure to work this into your Animal Kingdom day. I did also find that the seating areas can be a little close together depending on where you get seated.
The next one in our top five is Dahlia Lounge. This spacious lounge is located at the top of Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs resort. (No theme park ticket or reservation required) This is another one that has it all…Good food options and a nice variety of drinks that will please just about anyone. The views from the top of the tower are also quite nice.
Pros: Great Views from on top of Gran Destino Tower. It is very spacious and spread out for a lounge. There’s good food and drink options. We have had top notch service here as well. (It also has a great name 🙂
Cons: Unless you are staying at this resort you will have to go out of your way to get here. Some of the food options are on the pricey side. (I’m looking at you $35 charcuterie) but there are other options.
In no particular order, the next one on our list is Bar Riva. This one is located at Disney’s Riviera Resort. (No park ticket or reservation required) This is our favorite skyliner bar maybe because it is the shortest walk from a skyliner station. (we did the math) It also has fantastic food options and next door is Primo Piatto, one of our favorite quick service locations in all of Walt Disney World! We also have a favorite bar tender here, Chris.
Pros: Excellent food, there’s good options at Bar Riva but Primo Piatto is also right next door and just a mobile order away! The drinks here are outstanding and the service we’ve had has been wonderful. There’s a nice wide open courtyard area around this bar so there’s plenty of room and space for kids to run around. This one may also be the least crowded of any of the bars on this list.
Cons: The bar itself is covered but it is open air. If you aren’t familiar with the resort it may be difficult to find at first. I am also not a huge fan of the theming inside the bar but there’s plenty of other areas that you can sit and take in the beauty of this resort.
Last but not least is Baseline Taphouse. This is located inside of Hollywood Studios on Grand Avenue, just outside of the entrance to Batuu. (Park ticket and reservation for Hollywood Studios is required) The vibe here is chill and the music really sets that mood. If you love beer this is the place to go in Hollywood Studios. Prices here are very reasonable for a Disney Bar. This one has been on our list for a long time and I don’t see it going anywhere anytime soon.
Pros: The chill music creates a laid back atmosphere that is much needed at Hollywood Studios these days. The prices here are very reasonable for food and drinks. ($10 charcuterie) They have a good selection of craft beers on tap.
Cons: It has mostly outdoor seating and can get very crowded at times. There’s not a lot of cocktail options on the menu and the food is good but limited options.
So there you have it. This is our top five list of Bars/Lounges on Walt Disney World Property. Is there anything missing that should be here? Let us know! We are going on our experience and these are definitely the top 5 for us as of right now. In episode 372 linked here we go through 11 bars and lounges and easily narrowed down that list to these five. I will include some honorable mentions that we definitely enjoy often. Trader Sam’s/ Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. Banana Cabana at Disney’s Caribbean Beach report, and Brown Derby Lounge at Disney’s Hollywood studios. Those are all good but didn’t quite make it into the top 5.
Episode 372: Today we answer the age old question, What is the best lounge at Walt Disney World. The only problem is we can’t agree on which one is the best. We listed 11 of what we think are the best top bars/lounges at Walt Disney World and we discuss the pros and cons of each. We then narrowed down that list to our definitive top 5. We all agreed on which ones made the top 5 but we all had our own reasons for picking the order that these should go in. Truthfully, this like all other top 5 lists can change with our mood or over time. See if you agree with our list or if we excluded your favorite altogether. We also cover some of the latest news and oh yeah, Jason is back this week and hosted this episode.
Episode 353: This week Adam recently return from an Easter trip to Walt Disney World! This episode is all about the much needed getaway. I stayed at Gran Destino but I spent quite a bit of time at the Polynesian. I talk about the significance of that resort and why it means so much to me. It was nice to be back and reflect on good times that I’ve had there over the years. I also have more in Genie Plus. I go through the frustrations but also a glimmer of hope for the future. My family enjoyed the Flower and Garden festival and the easter egg hunt at Epcot. I got lucky with a table at La Cava! I also discovered a new lounge that will become a new regular at Hollywood Studios!
