Cocktails Coming To Three Disneyland Park Restaurants

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Things are about to get a lot happier at the, ‘Happiest Place on Earth’. Starting September 12th, 2023, you will be able to indulge in your favorite libations at three additional table-service Disneyland Park restaurants:

• Carnation Cafe (Main Street U.S.A)

• Riverbelle Terrace (Frontierland)

• Cafe Orleans (New Orleans Square)

All three locations will offer a variety of selections, including beer, wine and exclusive specialty cocktails. This is part of a park-wide effort to expand menu options and adjust to evolving guest expectations.

Previously, there were only two in-park locations where adults could order alcoholic beverages (aside from the ultra exclusive Club 33); Oga’s Cantina and Blue Bayou. However, this wasn’t until 2019 and 2021, respectively.

Prior to 2019, the members-only Club 33 was the park’s only location where alcohol was served. The rest of the park had been “dry” since opening in 1955 due to Walt’s insistence of the park being a place for families.

The same belief wasn’t upheld for Disney California Adventure (DCA), though, as alcohol has been served at several of its restaurants since its 2001 opening.

Overall changing attitudes towards alcohol (and a desire for huge profit margins, undoubtedly) caused Disney to switch gears at Disneyland Park, proper. Despite opposing pleas from Walt Disney purists, this latest addition strongly signals Disney’s desire to expand upon this offering.

Where Else Is Alcohol Served At Disneyland?

To recap, there are now six Disneyland Park locations that serve alcohol. They are:

1. Blue Bayou (New Orleans Square)

2. Cafe Orleans (New Orleans Square)

3. Carnation Cafe (Main Street, U.S.A)

4. Club 33* (New Orleans Square)

5. Oga’s Cantina (Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge)

6. Riverbelle Terrace (Frontierland)

*Must be a member to access

Additionally, there are several DCA restaurants that serve alcohol. They are:

• Pym Tasting Lab (Avengers Campus)

• Carthay Circle Lounge & Restaurant (Buena Vista Street)

• Clarabelle’s Hand-Scopped Ice Cream (Buena Vista Street)

• Flo’s V8 Cafe (Cars Land)

• Smokejumper’s Grill (Grizzly Peak)

• Award Weiners (Hollywood Land)

• Hollywood Lounge (Hollywood Land)

• Magic Key Terrace (Must be a Magic Key holder or guest of one to access)

• Mendocino Terrace

• Sonoma Terrace

• Wine Country Trattoria

• Lamplight Lounge (Pixar Pier)

• Rita’s Turbine Blenders (San Fransokio)

• Lucky Fortune Cookery (San Fransokio)

• Cocina Cucamonga (San Fransokio)

• Aunt Cass Cafe (San Fransokio)

• Port of San Fransokio Cerveceria (San Fransokio)

Outside the parks, you’ll find alcoholic offerings at just about every restaurant in Downtown Disney, The Disneyland Hotel, the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and the upcoming Pixar Place Hotel. A few of my favorites include:

• Tiki Bar (Disneyland Hotel)

• Hearthstone Lounge (Grand Californian)

• Napa Rose (Grand Californian)

• Ballast Point (Downtown Disney)

It’s important to note that while in DCA you can order your drinks to-go and walk around the park with them, you won’t be afforded that same luxury at Disneyland Park, proper. You’ll only be able to enjoy them at your table.

Where Could Disney Expand From Here?

If this move proves to be successful (and it likely will), Disney will definitely look to identify additional opportunities around the park. But where?

Earlier this year, Disney closed the French Market Restaurant in order to transform it into, “Tiana’s Palace”, a new restaurant featuring the namesake, Princess Tiana. It’s tentatively scheduled for a fall 2023 opening.

While this new eatery isn’t going to be table-service, I can easily see Disney adding one or two speciality cocktails to the menu (spiked Mint Julep, anyone?).

Whether Tiana’s Palace will offer alcoholic drinks or not is anyones guess, but I’d wager that any future park expansion plans will be inclusive of them.

In fact, this could open the door to two of my personal blue-sky ideas I’ve always wanted Disney to do…

1. A speakeasy style bar on Main Street, simply called, “Walt’s”

2. A Haunted Mansion themed lounge/bar (think Oga’s Cantina, but Haunted Masnion themed)

Will either ever happen? Probably not. But I can certainly dream.

Personally, I’m perfectly fine with this change. Disneyland serving alcohol wouldn’t have an effect on my visit. Good, bad or otherwise. Others, though, feel much differently. And their feelings are valid. To them, Disney should uphold Walt’s original ideals and ethos as much as possible.

While I agree to a point, I also know that Walt was as much astute businessman as he was creative genius. It’s feasible that had he been alive today, he would feel that change was necessary in this segment of the park’s offerings and at minimum, be open to it.

Despite how any one person feels, the change is happening. Let’s just hope some nimrod doesn’t have a few too many and decides to take a crack at climbing the Matterhorn.