Until 2012 Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom was dry, with alcohol totally unavailable at all. Today beer and wine are available in limited select locations.
In this post we’ll go over the very limited selection of restaurants that serve alcohol in the Magic Kingdom and share our recommendations.
A Little History
From its opening day in 1971 the Magic Kingdom did not serve alcohol following in the tradition established by the west coast Disneyland.
However when Epcot opened in 1981 a wide variety of locations did serve not only beer and wine, but liquor as well. This is largely due to the World Showcase section of Epcot and the desire to sell beers and wines representative of the host countries. Disney Hollywood Studios and the animal Kingdom followed this new trend when they opened as well.
It had gotten to the point that you couldn’t turn around anywhere in WDW and see a location selling alcohol, except the Magic Kingdom that is.
But in 2012 when the new expanded section of Fantasyland opened, the Be Our Guest restaurant became the first location to serve alcohol in the Magic Kingdom during dinner only.
As time went on more locations were added.
Today
To date the only locations that sell alcohol in the Magic Kingdom are the Table Service Restaurants. You will not find it at Counter Service Locations or carts as you will everywhere else.
You have to enjoy your drink in the restaurant at your table. You can’t exit and walk around with your drink as you can elsewhere on property.
Because only Table Service locations offer adult drinks, there are several considerations to be aware of:
Lack of Spontaneity: You can’t just grab a beer and go on with your day as you can elsewhere on property. You’ve got to be seated in the restaurant when and if a table is ready.
Reservations required to highly suggested: Many people plan way ahead for their Disney vacations and make their Full Service Dining Reservations way in advance (as much as 6 months ahead. Some of the most popular locations have all of their reservations for a day taken first thing in the morning 180 prior to that date!
Disney does keep a percentage of available seating slots unreserved for walk up guests, but a longer wait can be expected.
How Dining Reservations work at WDW
Disney uses a system they call Advanced Dining Reservations. When you make an ADR you are not reserving a table at that time, you are reserving a time that you will enter the seating queue.
Disney asks that you arrive 15 minutes early for your ADR and in most instances you are seated very near that time or earlier.
the ability to make ADRs opens up for everyone 180 days prior to the date in question on a day by day basis. Those staying at a Disney Resort may make ADRs 180 days prior to their check in date for their entire trip (up to 10 days worth, often referred to as 180 + 10), giving them an advantage especially those with long reservations.
Make Reservations online or by calling 1-407-WDW-DINE. You may only make one reservation per meal i.e. lunch. A credit card is required to make the reservation and if you do not cancel the day prior a $20 fee will be charged for no shows.
Those Without Reservations
Walk-ups will enter the seating queue based upon availability after a wait. The amount of walk-ups entering the queue is adjusted or even stopped in preference to those with ADRs.
During busy periods waits can be LONG or they may have stopped taking walk-ups all together.
Don’t despair though, it is possible to have a fairly casual drink in the Magic Kingdom if you know where and when to try. So let’s take a look.
Drinking in the Magic Kingdom, Our Suggestions
Below you’ll see the restaurants that serve alcohol in the Magic Kingdom. We’ve listed them from least likely to be a good option to the best.
When considering our rating we took into account several factors:
- The ability to get in
- The variety of adult drinks served
- Other important Factors
Cinderella’s Royal Table
Cinderella’s Royal Table comes in last due to the difficulty level of even getting in and once you do you’ve signed up for a full meal with Disney princesses.
The ability to be seated: Bad
- Cinderella’s is the hardest reservation to get at Walt Disney World! Often all ADRs are taken first thing in the morning 180 days out! Especially for breakfast
- Walk-up waits are long
The variety of adult drinks served: Good
- Mimosa, Bellini, red or white Sangria – B/L/D – $10-$11
- A nice variety of red, white, and rose wines – L/D – $11-$19 per glass or $49-$100 per bottle
- Three Beers – L/D – $9-$9.75
- Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc
- Kronenbourg 1664 Pale Ale Lager
- Trois Pistoles Dark Ale
Other important Factors: Bad
- Meals at Cindy’s are a single price per meal per person. You can’t just get apps and drinks.
- Breakfast has several options to choose from: Traditional, Quiche, French Toast, etc.
- Lunch and Dinner are consist of a prix fixe, 3-course menu
- Meal prices are expensive $60+ B, $70+ L/D
- This location offers Character Dining – interaction with the Disney princesses during the meal
Our Thoughts:
The inability to get in easily, dining options, and character atmosphere rule this restaurant out in our consideration of locations to have an unplanned relaxing drink in the Magic Kingdom!
If you have reservations so that your kids can dine with the princesses, then by all means enjoy some fine adult beverages!
Breakfast 8:00 AM – 10:15 AM
Lunch 11:40 AM – 2:50 PM
Dinner 4:00 PM – 10:20 PM
The Crystal Palace
While not the second hardest MK restaurant to get into, this restaurant comes in at second to last place due to the buffet meal and character interaction.
The ability to be seated: Better
- This is a popular character meal
- But he Crystal Palace does have a large dining area
The variety of adult drinks served:
- Mimosa and white sangria – B/L/D – $11
- A fair selection of seven wines – B/L/D – $10-$14 per glass or $45-$49 per bottle
- Four Beers & One Cider – B/L/D – $7.75-$9.75
- Bud Light
- Michelob Ultra
- Blue Moon Belgian Wheat
- Cigar City Jai Alai IPA
- Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Apple Cider
Other important Factors: Bad
- The Crystal Place serves per person priced buffet meals. You can’t just get apps and drinks
- Meal prices are moderatly expensive ($25+ B,$35+ L/D)
- This location offers Character Dining – interaction with the Disney characters from Winnie the Pooh during the meal.
Our Thoughts:
The buffet meal, and often rowdy character atmosphere in this restaurant rules it out in our consideration of locations to have a relaxing drink in the Magic Kingdom!
Breakfast 8:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Lunch 11:30 AM – 2:45 PM
Dinner 3:15 PM – 9:30 PM
Be Our Guest Restaurant
This is the second worst restaurant to get into in the Magic Kingdom.
The ability to be seated:
- This is the second worst restaurant to get into in the Magic Kingdom.
- Reservations work slightly different here for Breakfast and lunch. When your ADR time arrives you are then allowed to get into the waiting queue (which can be long)
The variety of adult drinks served:
- Bellini, Mimosa, and Red Sangria – B/L – $10
- Beers & Ciders – $9-$12.50
- Stella Artois B/L/D
- Kronenbourg 1664 B/L/D
- Schofferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefeweizen L/D
- Hoegaarden Wit L/D
- Saison Dupont L/D
- Cigar City Jai Alai IPA L/D
- Chimay Blue L/D
- Angry Orchard Rosé Hard Cider L/D
- Wine
- Breakfast and Lunch a small selection of several types of good wines – $10-$16
- Dinner a large varied selection including private label wines and champagne – $9-$19 per glass and $45-$140 per bottle
Other important Factors:
- By day (B/L) order at the register, select a table, and your order is delivered
- By night (D) full table service with a prix fixe, 3-course menu featuring French-inspired dishes
Pre-Order Your Breakfast or Lunch
Be Our Guest Restaurant offers Order-Ahead Dining. Guests with breakfast or lunch reservations can pre-order their meals online, up to 30 days in advance!
Our Thoughts:
If you have reservations, lunch might be a decent option to have a drink or two, but the beer selection might be less than familiar to some.
Breakfast – 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Lunch – 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Dinner – 4:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Liberty Tree Tavern
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/liberty-tree-tavern/menus/
The ability to be seated: Not that Great
- This is a popular location and waits can be long
- The dining area is not as large as other options
The variety of adult drinks served:
- A good selection of American only beverages
- Beers & Cider – $7.75-$9
- Samuel Adams New England IPA
- Samuel Adams Boston Lager
- Samuel Adams Seasonal
- Michelob Ultra
- Bud Light
- UFO Hefeweizen
- Magic Hat #9 Pale Ale
- Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider
- Mimosa, Wine Spritzer, Sangria, and a Shadny – $9-$10
- Wine A good selection of American wines – $11-$15 by the glass and $45-$75 by the bottle
Other important Factors:
- Lunch Options are a la carte or a family style (serve yourself from bowls put on the table) Thanksgiving meal
- At dinner only the family style Thanksgiving meal is available
- No characters
Our Thoughts:
If the wait isn’t too long for lunch, there are a few nice appetizers to enjoy with some great American adult beverages.
Lunch 11:00 AM – 2:55 PM
Dinner 3:15 PM – 9:30 PM
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
The ability to be seated: OK
- This is another popular location due to the familiar Italian food
The variety of adult drinks served:
- Three beers, two Italian and Stella – $8-$10
- Peroni ‘Nastro Azzurro’ Euro Pale Lager
- Moretti La Rossa Dopplebock
- Stella Artois Belgian Pilsner
- A nice variety of Italian Wines -$10-$16 by the glass and $45-$69 by the bottle
Other important Factors:
- No characters
Our Thoughts:
This is a good option if you can get seated in a decent amount of time. A good selection of apps and great Italian wine selection.
Lunch 11:30 AM – 2:55 PM
Dinner 3:00 PM – 9:30 PM
The Plaza Restaurant
The Plaza Restaurant is our second best option in the Magic Kingdom
The ability to be seated: Very Good
- Early in the lunch seating is a great time to try getting seated or in the lull between lunch and dinner.
The variety of adult drinks served:
- Bellini, Mimosa, and Sangria – B/L/D – $10
- Beer – a modest selection – L/D -$7.75-$9.75
- Bud Light Lager
- Michelob Ultra Lager
- Blue Moon Belgian Wheat
- Cigar City Jai Alai IPA
- Wine a selection of six wines and a sangria – L/D -$9-$13 by the glass and $39-$55 by the bottle
Other important Factors:
- This is the smallest location in the MK
- No characters
- The appetizer selection is very weak, but great sandwiches and burgers will go good with a cold one.
Our Thoughts:
A good option, but can be hard to get into based on the time of day and it’s small size.
See our Plaza Restaurant Review
Breakfast 7:45 AM – 10:30 AM
Lunch 11:00 AM – 2:55 PM
Dinner 3:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen
We feel this is the best option for having an impromptu drink in the Magic Kingdom!
The ability to be seated: Best
- The more adventurous menu makes this the least trafficked locations on our list. Which is a plus for your getting in
The variety of adult drinks served:
- Beers – L/D – $7.75-$9
- Kungaloosh Spiced Excursion Ale
- Blue Moon Belgian White Ale
- Michelob Ultra Lager
- Stella Artois Pale Lager
- Tampa Bay Brewing Old Elephant IPA
- Tusker Lager
- Blue Moon Shandy
- A nice selection of wines from around the world – L/D – 12-$15 by the glass and $45-$75 by the bottle
Other important Factors:
- Nice relaxed atmosphere
- No characters
Our Thoughts:
Early linch time is perfect in Skippers! And cast members report that people often come in just for drinks especially in the lull between lunch and dinner.
See our Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen Review
Lunch 11:30 AM – 2:55 PM
Dinner 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Our Final Thoughts and Magic Kingdom Recommendations
Having a drink in the Magic Kingdom is definitely more challenging than elsewhere on Walt Disney World property but it is possible if you are prepared with knowledge!
Making Reservations Ahead
If you’ve got kids who want one of the character meals, your decision is made. Just be sure to make your reservations 180 days out!!!
If there is a particular place that interests you go ahead and make reservations for a time that suits you. You’ll have that guaranteed reservation in your pocket and could also try another location.
On the Fly
There are two ways to get into Magic Kingdom restaurants for a drink on the fly. These are:
- Walking in
- Making a short notice, day of reservation
Walking in – Depending on the restaurant and time of day your results will vary!
Some things to consider are:
Right when a restaurant opens and early in the lunch period is the very best time to try to walk up to the podium and ask for a seating. That’s because it is still close to when many have arrived for the day and they are busy getting rides checked off their list.
On a recent trip to the MK we did a tour of the full service restaurants from 11 AM to 12 noon. Skippers and the Plaza Restaurant had ample open seating, with almost immediate table assignment. Liberty Tree had full dining area and a moderate amount waiting waiting in the lobby. Crystal Palace had a small amount of people waiting outside, Be Our Guest had a short line out the door waiting, and Tony’s had a handful of people waiting to be seated. Cindy’s was not considered.
The Disney Cast has reported that there is a lull around 4 to 5 PM, this is a great time to try to be seated without a reservation, especially at Skippers and the Plaza Restaurant.
Towards the end of the day, or in very busy circumstances, some locations will stop accepting walk-ups due to existing volume.
Making Short Notice Reservations
You can do this in two ways. Either go to the restaurant and make a reservation for later or use your My Disney Experience smart phone app to see what’s available and reserve it.
Be aware that as the day progresses and then starts to draw to a close you will find less and less available.
Last Call
Thanks for checking out our Guide to Drinking in the Magic Kingdom! We hope that you find it useful.
Let us know your experiences and or thoughts in the comments section below!
Thanks for stopping by the Disney Drink Blog,
Cheers!
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