It’s hot. Florida hot. It’s peak season at Walt Disney World and you are in the middle of a sea of strollers, all of which are clipping at your heals. There is a half hour wait for It’s a Small World, that’s how crowded it is at the Magic Kingdom.

You look like you need a drink.

I’m not suggesting a week of blackouts and bar fights, but you’re on vacation - have a cocktail. Even the bars are cute at Walt Disney World, and I have my favorites. These are in no particular order and by no means a definitive list, but I like them.

1. 1)Lauren and I like mother-daughter cocktail hour at the Polynesian Resort’s Tambu Lounge (in the Great Ceremonial House). We get Lapu Lapus (rum and fruit juices served in a fresh pineapple) and play scrabble on rainy days. We usually stay at the Polynesian Resort and so it’s not only the best resort bar, it’s handy!
   

2. 2)Another good resort lounge is the Outer Rim at the Contemporary Resort. It’s a little oasis in the middle of a lot of action; from it you can look up at the monorail, out to Bay Lake, and see all the little Mickey and Minnie lovers dragging their parents to the character meal at Chef Mickey’s.
   

3. 3) It’s fun to take the boat from the Magic Kingdom over to Wilderness Lodge (look for the resort landing that says “Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Campground”). First of all, the Lodge itself is adorable, and it has a really nice, quiet bar called “The Territory Lounge.”
   

4. 4)A new favorite is at Animal Kingdom Lodge, The Victoria Falls Lounge. We love to arrive early for our dinner at Jiko (an absolute must for us) and have a cocktail while we wait for our table. The bar overlooks the cookie table at AK’s other restaurant, Boma and we like to sip our drinks and monitor everyone’s cookie consumption.
   

5. 5)I have a real affection for “The Tune-In Lounge” at 50’s Prime Time Cafe because it reminds me of what my house was like when I was 5. I like to get one of “Dad’s classic cocktails”, like a Singapore Sling”, have them put one of those ice cubes that blink in it, and watch the antics of the servers at the restaurant.
   

6. 6)One of the biggest and best places for a drink is World Showcase at EPCOT, in fact there are groups of people who like to do something they call “Drinking around the World” or rather, going around all of world showcase and having a drink in every country. I have met some of these people and they are a very merry lot!
   

7. 7)On a really hot day I love to go into the Sci-Fi Dine-In at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a nice cool “out of this world” drink. The restaurant has been designed to make you feel like you are outside at a drive-in theater (and it is adorable!). Tables are like classic cars and they serve you a beer in a brown paper bag. Stick the kids in the back seat, watch the clips from the Sci-Fi movies of the 50’s and recharge before you head back out to the heat.
   

Beware! The place you are most likely to need a drink on a hot, crowded day is the Magic Kingdom, but alcohol is not served  there - not a drop. (Walt wanted it that way.) Never fear! EPCOT is but a monorail ride away!

Cheers!