Last updated on March 26th, 2024 at 11:46 am
Wondering where to find the best alcoholic drinks at Disneyland?
Even the Happiest Place on Earth can get a little happier when cocktails are involved. The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California is one of the most kid-friendly destinations in the world. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t adult beverages to be found.
A few years ago, I fulfilled my lifelong Disney dream of getting to “Drink Around the World” at Epcot at Walt Disney World. Margaritas in Mexico! Champagne in France! Beer in Germany! It was so darn fun. And although I am not a huge drinker, it did make me wonder if throwing back a few cold ones at other Disney parks would be just as awesome.
Luckily, we live in Southern California and visit the Disneyland Resort all the time. So, we said yes to this research assignment and have been scouting out our favorite drinks and the best spots for alcoholic drinks at Disneyland. And there are a lot! Here is a helpful guide to the best alcoholic drinks at Disneyland and where to find them.
Where to Find Adult Beverages at Disneyland Park
Does Disneyland serve alcohol? Up until a few years ago, the answer was no.
Why?
Because when Disneyland opened in 1955, Walt Disney did not want it there, plain and simple. And so it remained booze-free (with the exception of the exclusive Club 33) for more than 60 years.
But that all changed with the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019! And more recently, several other spots inside Disneyland Park started serving alcoholic drinks, as well.
Here is a rundown of all the bars and restaurants at Disneyland that offer adult beverages, and our picks for the best alcoholic drinks at Disneyland.
Oga’s Cantina
- Location: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
- Type: Lounge
- Recommended Drink: Jedi Mind Trick (Ketel One Botanical Grapefruit and Rose Vodka, John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, Bols Blue Curaçao, White Grape Juice, Lime Juice, and Grapefruit Bitters)
In May 2019, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened, ushering in a new era at the Disneyland Resort. Oga’s Cantina, the outpost’s favorite watering hole, was the first place guests could go to enjoy alcohol in Disneyland without having to finagle a way into the pricey Club 33.
Die-hard Star Wars fans will love this bar. It is meticulously themed, from its design to the music and even the cast members who work there. Some of the Disneyland drinks available at Oga’s Cantina include the Fuzzy Tauntaun, Jedi Mind Trick, T-16 Skyhopper and The Outer Rim. There is also a large selection of wine and unique beers on tap. Don’t plan on having a meal there, however, as light munchies are the only food served.
If you have kids (aka “younglings”) or prefer a non-alcoholic drink, there’s the Blue Milk, Jabba Juice, and a variety of other kid-friendly concoctions. Whatever you choose, the ambience alone makes venturing inside this Disneyland bar totally worth it!
Blue Bayou Restaurant
- Location: New Orleans Square
- Type: Table Service Restaurant
- Recommended Drink: Hurricane Cocktail (Bacardi Reserva Ocho Rum, Myer’s Original Dark Rum, Simply Orange Juice, Passion Fruit Puree, Grenadine and Lime Juice, Luxardo Maraschino Cherry and Orange garnish)
Another big change to the No Alcohol at Disneyland tradition came in 2021, when the Blue Bayou Restaurant, located inside Pirates of the Caribbean, added alcoholic drinks to its menu.
If you are lucky enough to snag a reservation for this coveted eatery, you can now enjoy wine, beer, or unique Disneyland cocktails with your meal. Get yourself into the Caribbean state of mind with Blue Bayou’s signature cocktail, the Hurricane, made with two kinds of rum, orange juice, and passion fruit purée.
Among the many wine offerings on their menu is the Wine Tasting Selection, which gives you the option to try a smaller three-ounce glass instead of the standard five-ounce pour. If you enjoy sampling wines, this is a nice way to do it without drinking too much.
Carnation Café
- Location: Main Street, U.S.A.
- Type: Table Service Restaurant
- Recommended Drink: Peach Pie Margarita (Patron Tequila Silver, Peach Pie Margarita (Finest Call Sweet & Sour, Monin Peach Puree, Lime Juice), Frozen Peaches with a Graham Cracker Crumbles Rim)
Located right on Main Street, U.S.A., Carnation Cafe is one of the newer spots to find adult beverages at Disneyland.
If you are headed there for brunch, enjoy a Bloody Mary, Mimosa, or glass of sparkling wine.
Drinks are available all day, and Carnation Café serves some of the best alcoholic drinks at Disneyland. In addition to their signature cocktails, they also offer wine and beer.
River Belle Terrace
- Location: Frontierland
- Type: Table Service Restaurant
- Recommended Drink: Wildberry Mule (Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Blackberry Purée, Lime and Ginger Syrup and Blackberries)
With a spacious patio and views of the Mark Twain Riverboat paddling down the Rivers of America, River Belle Terrace is the place to go for comfort food with a Southern flair. And now you can add a cocktail to your brunch or dinner.
Options for alcoholic drinks at River Belle Terrace are limited in comparison to some other Disneyland restaurants, but include wines by the glass, two kinds of beer, and of course their signature cocktail, the Wildberry Mule.
Alcoholic Drinks at Disney California Adventure
Even though Disneyland Park has upped its game when it comes to serving alcohol, Disney California Adventure still has many more options. In fact, in many quick service restaurants at DCA have added alcohol to their menus. (Did you notice only table-service restaurants serve drinks at Disneyland theme park?)
In addition, Disney California Adventure hosts a variety of special events throughout the year, including the Food and Wine Festival in the springtime and Festival of Holidays during the holiday season. You’ll find kiosks with a variety of unique beverages to sample from around the world.
But for the purpose of this guide to the best alcoholic drinks at Disneyland, here’s where you can enjoy a drink at California Adventure any time of year.
Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge
- Location: Buena Vista Street
- Type: Table Service Restaurant and Lounge
- Recommended Drink: Carthay Martini (Classically prepared with Hendrick’s Gin or Double Cross Vodka, Lillet Blanc Dry Vermouth, and Gourmet Blue Cheese-Truffle Olives served with an Ice Sphere)
Located on Buena Vista Street near the entrance to the park, Carthay Circle Lounge is a sophisticated spot to enjoy classic cocktails, draft or bottled beer, an impressive wine list, and even after-dinner drinks like Irish Coffee or a Brandy Alexander.
Carthay Circle is designed to feel like a swanky restaurant from the Golden Age of Hollywood, where Walt himself would have dined. The drinks here are classic and classy – and there are lots of them.
If you are not planning to have a meal at the restaurant (reservations are recommended!) sit in the lounge and pair your drink with one of the many delicious and unique bar snacks on the menu.
Pym Tasting Lab
- Location: Avengers Campus
- Type: Lounge
- Recommended Drink: Honey Fusion 2.0 (Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Whiskey and Elysian Space Dust IPA, with Lemonade and Honey Syrup, and a Mint Sprig)
For beer and cocktails with a super hero’s twist, visit Pym Tasting Lab. Disney calls this bar an “innovative beverage laboratory.”
This highly-themed outdoor lounge has a big selection of beers, cocktails, and even some “beer cocktails.” No wine here though. Their innovative drinks have names such as Molecular Meltdown, Particle Fizz, and X-Periment.
You can also get a Pint-sized Pints Mini Flight, which is perfect for sharing. The flight comes on an oversized ruler board with mini beer steins filled with your choice of select beers or cocktails.
One quick note about Pym Tasting Lab! The lines get very long, especially on hot afternoons when everyone wants to take a break and enjoy a cold one. We found that visiting this spot earlier in the day is the best way to avoid having to wait for a drink.
Cozy Cone Motel
- Location: Cars Land
- Type: Quick Service
- Recommended Drink: Orange Cone-sicle (Orange-Vanilla Cream Slush with Vanilla Vodka, topped with Whipped Cream)
The Cozy Cone Motel in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure is a fun spot for snacking – five giant cones serving up everything from churros to ice cream. Now two of the cones serve alcoholic beverages. (It used to be only one!) Cozy Cone 1 offers one special cocktail – the Orange Cone-sicle.
Cozy Cone 4 offers a variety of drinks. You can try the Peanut Butter Whiskey Cocktail, a few kinds of beer, or a choice of two vodka drinks.
Flo’s V8 Cafe
- Location: Cars Land
- Type: Quick Service
- Recommended Drink: Hard Sparkling Black Tea
This fun, Cars-inspired cafe serves road trip diner comfort food. The menu includes a few types of beer and their sparkling black tea cocktail.
Hollywood Lounge
- Location: Hollywood Land
- Type: Lounge
- Recommended Drink: Backlot Michelada (Modelo Especial Michelada with Chile-Lime Seasoning and Lime)
Tucked into the corner of the park behind Monsters Inc., Hollywood Lounge is a walk-up bar where you can enjoy beer and creative seasonal alcoholic beverages that change throughout the year.
Award Wieners
- Location: Hollywood Land
- Type: Quick Service
- Recommended Drink: Brewery X Sangria Seltzer
If you’re craving a hot dog and beer, this is the place to be! Award Wieners also serves Sangria Seltzer.
Bayside Brews
- Location: Paradise Gardens Park
- Type: Quick Service
- Recommended Drink: Karl Strauss® Brewing Co., Aurora Hoppyalis IPA
Bayside Brews is one of the best spots to buy beer at Disneyland! Choose from more than a dozen craft beers on tap and fresh-baked soft pretzels at this quick-service dining location. They also offer a seasonal margarita.
Smokejumpers Grill
- Location: Grizzly Peak
- Type: Quick Service
- Recommended Drink: Frozen Coca-Cola® with Captain Morgan Rum
What goes better with burgers, fries, and chicken tenders than a nice cold beer? Smokejumpers Grill has a lot of them, including seasonal pours like Karl Strauss Oktoberfest.
They also offer a few frozen concoctions like my favorite, the Frozen Coca-Cola® with Captain Morgan Rum (they also have one with Tennessee whiskey instead of rum). This is a boozy, slushy take on the classic cocktail and it really hits the spot on a hot day!
Lamplight Lounge
- Location: Pixar Pier
- Type: Table Service Restaurant and Lounge
- Recommended Drink: Scream Canister (Bacardi Reserva Ocho Rum, Cream of Coconut and Pineapple and Orange Juices with a mist of Angostura Bitters)
Lamplight Lounge at the foot of Pixar Pier offers an array of tasty food, draft beers and one-of-a-kind signature Disneyland cocktails with a Pixar twist.
The upstairs lounge offers appetizers and drinks. (Shareable menu options include potato skins, tuna poke, carne asada rolls and the guest-favorite, lobster nachos.) In addition to non-alcoholic beverages, you can choose from a selection of California draft beers, hard cider or specialty drinks bearing names with a nod to Pixar filmmaking—The Short, Plot Twist, Over Budget, and Scream Canister.
Port of San Fransokyo
Fans of Disney California Adventure know that Pacific Wharf has always been the place to go for some of the best alcoholic drinks at Disneyland. Now that it has been rebranded as the Port of San Fransokyo, it still holds that rep.
There are two great spots to enjoy alcoholic beverages at the Port of San Fransokyo.
The newest venue is the Port of San Fransokyo Cervecería, hosted by Karl Strauss Craft Brewery. Just outside the facade of the brewery is an inviting beer garden, decorated with lights and papel picado—elaborate designs cut into sheets of paper—featuring some of San Fransokyo’s favorite heroes.
Swing by Rita’s Turbine Blenders (formerly Rita’s Baja Blenders) for a frozen drink. The frozen margaritas come in delicious, fruity flavors with a splash of liqueur at this old water tower converted to a giant drink dispenser powered by wind turbines from high in the sky. My personal favorite is Rita’s Grand Strawberry Margarita, which comes with a splash of orange liqueur. They offer both non-alcoholic and alcoholic options, so everyone can enjoy a refreshing drink!
Other Spots to Find Drinks at Disney California Adventure
Here are a few more places you can find beer, wine, and other Disney drinks at DCA.
- Wine Country Trattoria (you’ll feel like you are in Napa Valley in Northern California!)
- Mendocino Terrace
- Magic Key Terrace (Formerly Alfresco Tasting Terrace)
- Sonoma Terrace (an extensive craft beer menu here)
- Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream
- Angry Dogs
- Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta
- Paradise Garden Grill
- Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats
Downtown Disney
Visit Downtown Disney any night of the week and you’ll find it hopping. That’s because this dining and entertainment district is a mecca for locals as well as those visiting the parks. There are plenty of Disneyland bars to choose from here!
But if you are on the hunt for a unique place to stop for drinks at Disneyland, here are some of my favorite places.
Ballast Point Brewing Company
One of the newest restaurants in Downtown Disney, Ballast Point Brewing Company is great spot to relax for a meal or just grab a beer at the Disneyland Resort. There is a tasting room at Ballast Point Brewing Company where guests over 21 can try handcrafted drafts ranging from crisp and bright lagers to award winning IPAs!
At this brewery and restaurant, you can enjoy award-winning beer and California cuisine like the Smokey Blue Burger, Baja-Style Fish Tacos or a Caesar Salad.
My son and I had dinner at Ballast Point not too long ago, and even though most of the adults were drinking beer, the restaurant maintained a perfectly family-friendly atmosphere.
Black Tap Craft Burgers
Black Tap Craft Burgers is a casual dining restaurant in Downtown Disney, famous for their amazing hamburgers and Crazy Shakes. But they also have a great selection of craft beers on tap (I tried the Anaheim Blonde Ale and it was fantastic!) along with the usual array of cans and bottles. Pair that with a lively bar or patio seating, and this is the perfect place to enjoy a refreshing cold beer at Disneyland.
Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio
Jazz Kitchen delivers Creole and Cajun specialties in a 2-story building reminiscent of the French Quarter, with outdoor patios and balconies and live music nightly. Drink options include the Hurricane, Louisiana Lemonade, and beers from New Orleans breweries. Jazz Kitchen also features an assortment of wines by the glass.
Splitsville
Splitsville in Downtown Disney is the perfect spot to take a break from the parks. Bowl a game, have a cocktail, or just grab a bite to eat on the patio. They have some amazing specialty drinks, such as the Pink Paloma, Watermelon Smash, and a lower calorie Skinny Strawberry Margarita.
Of course you have to be 21 to order a drink, but it’s still a super kid-friendly place to bring the family!
Tortilla Jo’s
If you are in the mood for a margarita, look no further than Tortilla Jo’s in Downtown Disney. They use their own 100% Blue Agave Tequila and have a great selection of unique flavors to create something special just for you, making this one of the best alcoholic drinks at Disneyland. Flavors include pineapple-cilantro, melon, strawberry-mint, and blood orange.
Tortilla Jo’s also serves cocktails, beer, and they have an extensive wine list.
Naples Ristorante e Bar
Naples Ristorante is Downtown Disney’s premier Italian restaurant, serving traditional dishes like chicken parmigiana, spaghetti and meatballs, and wood-fired pizzas. They have a lovely outdoor bar and seating area.
Their very extensive drink menu will make it hard to choose! The wine list leans international, with labels from Spain, France, Italy, and of course California. With some of the best cocktails at Disneyland, options include the Naples Old Fashioned, an Italian Lemonade, Sicilian Mule, and Aperol Spritz. You can also order a flight – they have a wine flight, rum flight, mule flight, tequila flight, and sangria flight. All perfect for sharing!
Earl of Sandwich Tavern
The newest edition to Downtown Disney is the Earl of Sandwich Tavern, which replaced the space formerly occupied by La Brea Bakery right next to the Disneyland Esplanade.
Although typically know for their quick-service sandwiches, this is a new table-service concept from Earl of Sandwich. In addition to the sandwich shop (don’t worry, those yummy sandwiches aren’t going anywhere!), they now have a full-service bar and restaurant.
They now serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, and there is a full bar so you can pair your meal with signature cocktails, beer or wine. Or, just saddle up to the fun British bar and order yourself one of the best alcoholic drinks at Disneyland!
Best Alcoholic Drinks in Disneyland Resort Hotels
There are three hotels on-property in Anaheim (one is currently closed and being rethemed!), and each has a great variety of lounges and restaurants. Here is where you’ll find the best drinks at Disneyland resort hotels.
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar
If Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise and Tiki Room attractions got together and started serving cocktails, you’d get Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar.
Located near the pool at the Disneyland Hotel, Trader Sam’s is a tropical oasis where colorful cocktails are served in a lively bar with adjoining tiki-lit terrace. Shipwreck on the Rocks, Krakatoa Punch and the Shrunken Zombie Head are a few cocktail names, so you get a pretty clear idea of the place’s exotic theming!
Tangaroa Terrace
Adjacent to Trader Sam’s is Tangaroa Terrace, a quick service restaurant and walk-up bar. It features a tropical-themed patio with tables overlooking the Disneyland Hotel pool. Tangaroa Terrace recently underwent some major renovations and reopened in 2019 with some serious upgrades.
One of those upgrades is the addition of the walk-up window that serves Disneyland’s famous Dole Whip soft serve, Dole Whip floats, and Dole Whip floats with a splash of rum, plus a full bar of island cocktails.
Yup, I said Dole Whip floats with a splash of rum. Thank you, Disneyland!
► Be sure to also check out these Best Places to Find Healthy Food & Salads at Disneyland.
Napa Rose Lounge
Although reservations are highly recommended to dine at the Napa Rose, the Grand Californian Hotel’s signature restaurant, no reservations are needed to enjoy its lounge. With inside and outside seating, plus a big fireplace, this is the perfect spot to relax with a nice glass of wine.
Hearthstone Lounge
Hearthstone Lounge is location at Disney’s Grand Californian resort, right off the main lobby. It is a nice, quiet spot to duck into if you need a break for a glass of wine and some light bites to eat. In addition to a wide selection of mixed drinks, they have beer, sangria, and non-alcoholic mocktails.
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