out and about: drinks of disneyland '23 - '24

Being a passholder has it’s perks. And one of those is being able to leisurely enjoy the parks throughout the year, trying new foods, drinks, and experiences.

It’s nice to look back on some of the new-found favorites over time, that are now a staple of our visits. Especially when passes are blocked out, and you need a little disney in your life.

blue bayou: le grand courtâge, blanc de blancs brut grand cuvée, france

Blue bayou is always a favorite spot. We love being able to watch the pirates ride from terrace, you spot so many new things you don’t see from the boat itself.

Plus, the food is generally pretty darn good. Especially the revamped menu, that changes seasonally.

I love the champs they serve. And I love how it comes in a coupe. So very louisiana of them.

splitsville downtown disney: tequila mule

On of our favorite things to do as a family, is to hit the bowling lanes at splitzville. And for some reason, drinking a mule goes hand-in-hand with bowling for me.

I love the mules here. They are the perfect mix of tequila, ginger beer, and lime.

carthay circle lounge: sparkling mare: saint-hilaire sparkling wine, st-germain elderflower liqueur, and aperol orange aperitif

Pro tip: go to the lounge at carthay circle. They always have the best shareable bites, that change out occasionally, so you’re never bored.

And, they also have the sparkling mare, which is kinda a cross between a french 75 and a french blonde, with a little aperol spritz thrown it.

I love it because the aperol is not heavy- it just adds the right touch of flavor.

grand californian craftsman bar: passion fruit mojito: flor de caña extra seco 4 yr aged rum, creme de fruits de la Ppassion liqueur, passion fruit syrup, lime juice and club soda

Y’all know how much we love the craftsman. It’s the best spot for a disney lunch. Kiddos can come and go. You can sit for a bit. It’s just the best.

This was a random cocktail try… instead of my usual watermelon collins.

Super light. Super refreshing. And passion fruit forward without being overly sweet. Loved it.

magic key terrace: avalon cooler: j. vineyards cuvée, tito’s handmade vodka, st-germain elderflower liqueur, strawberry purée and lemon juice

So part of the fun of having an annual pass, is that it grants you access to the magic key terrace, above wine country trattoria. And at the terrace, it’s a constant revolving menu of snacks, shareables and drinks.

So fun. I also love the view, and people watching it affords if you get a spot on the rail.

Avalon cooler? Yes please. Although, for me… it’s a swap with gin instead of vodka. Which… I’ll tell you, is the pro play. It’s so, so good. And refreshing. And I pretty much love anything that’s a french blonde/french 75 blend (see above).

Not gonna lie. Huge bravo fan. Every since having 4 kiddos in 4 years, I need to watch things at night that take no brain power whatsoever to follow. And bravo is the perfect turn your brain off solution.

So… when the magic key was hosting a vanderpump rose special, i jumped on it. After watching countless shows where it was feature, I always wanted to try, but i never wanted to spend the money to buy a bottle. I was worried the hype was just for “show.”

Guys! This is actually a really good rose. Like seriously. Like, I’ve bought it off the shelf several times now, because it’s just that good.

aunt cass cafe: peach soju citrus cocktail: Citrus Beverage with Peach flavored Soju

With the remake of paradise pier into san fransokyo, so have the food vendors changed to take on a san franscisco/japan fusion.

This has long been a favorite spot for our family. Two of the kiddos loved the boudin bakery, one the lucky fortune cookery, and the other the cocina… dad and mom? We just went along to any of the above.

Boudin, has now turned into aunt cass’s cafe… mostly the same stuff… with a lot of added japanese fusion. Kids still find their favorite turkey sandos there. And now, they have an alcoholic beverage, that’s kinda the bomb.

Super light and refreshing, and not too sweet… which was my issue with rita’s margaritas; located in the center of the food court. It’s a fun addition, and one of my new favorite things.

downtown disney black tap: cookies ‘n cream supreme: oreo® shake with a vanilla frosted rim with crushed oreo® topped with a 'cookies 'n cream' sandwich, crumbled oreo, whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle

Have you been to black tap? Or better question. Have you seen the crazy creations that come out of black tap?

Yes, they have excellent burgers and sides… highly recommend. But it’s the crazy shakes that command attention.

This cookies and creme shake is a fav. And may or may not have been devoured by one of my kiddos without sharing (teens!).

downtown disney black tap: blanco teremana tequila shot

Pro tip: if you need one, you can order a shot at black tap. It’s kinda the pro move, just while walking through dtd. Kids get a shake, you get a shot. Win-win.

Also. I’m a huge fan of teremana tequila. Smooth, light, and you can actually sip it if you want (how I do it).

grand californian: hearthstone lounge: schramsberg, blanc de blancs

Hearthstone lounge is another fav.

Kids love it. Burgers, crispy chicken, pizza, salads, fish. Anything you could possibly want, and walk ins accepted. It’s a great spot to rest and recharge. Especially when raining.

I also love that they have one of my favorite champs of all time. Perfect with dinner, or if just sitting by the fire.

oga’s cantina: outer rim: patrón silver tequila, pomegranate liqueur, lime juice, and pure cane sugar, topped with exotic fruit purée, rimmed with black salt

If you don’t know, oga’s is the star wars themed bar in batuu. It’s the cantina y’all remember. It was also the first place in disney proper to serve alcohol… so it was kinda a big deal when it opened.

The outer rim has been my go-to and favorite drink they have. Albeit without the fruit puree - which contains pineapple. Hello allergy.

No idea what it tastes like with it, but it’s perfect without. Just an all around good tequila drink. Not too sweet, and the addition of the black salt rim? Genius.

oga’s cantina: coruscant cooler: maker's mark bourbon, maraska maraschino liqueur, carpano antica sweet vermouth, cranberry juice, lime juice

Tried a new drink at oga’s this year. Not as good as my usual. But not bad either. I’d order it again. Not gonna lie.

bayside brew: seasonal margarita: watermelon

Can we just give this drink a rip?

Prior to covid, the seasonal margarita at bayside was always my go to. It was never too sweet, and always excellent. We had the grapefruit, the tangerine (excellent!), the citrus, the watermelon.

And then covid.

And then to be followed by two years of the watermelon margarita. “Seasonally” of course. As in fall, winter, spring, summer. For two years running. No change.

Which, was the fun of the seasonal.

But then, you just got used to the watermelon. It wasn’t too sweet. It was consistently good. And reliable.

And alas. All good things come to an end. No more watermelon. It’s actually changed twice now since January. Which is also a good thing.

All in all, a good year of fun new tastings across the board. Can’t wait for next year.