5+ Holiday Cocktails To Enjoy When In Orlando, Florida
Home » Travel »I don’t drink much alcohol, but one thing I am partial to, especially when on holidays, is a cocktail (or several!) And if I’m driving, I’ll sip on a virgin cocktail instead. When you’re away from work, and away from the stresses of daily life, nothing is more welcome than enjoying a few holiday cocktails at your destination.
Travel Republic have put together a fab infographic about fantastic cocktails that you can enjoy around the world. They’ve even asked bloggers (including yours truly) to tell you where you can find the best holiday cocktails. So if you need recommendations in any of the following destinations, make sure you take a look!
• Amsterdam • Paris • New York • Barcelona • Reykjavik • London • Venice •
• Orlando • Gran Canaria • Phuket • Cancun • Havana • Goa • Barbados •
Holiday Cocktails
From the list of destinations, can you guess which city is mine? Long time readers will know that it’s quite obviously Orlando! To find out my #1 cocktail recommendation you’ll have to check out the infographic! However I am going to tell you about several more cocktails you can enjoy in Orlando.
As the song by Jimmy Buffet goes – It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere – so I’ll start with Margaritaville!
Booze In The Blender – Margaritaville, Universal’s City Walk, Orlando
Anyone that knows me, knows I’m a sucker for a souvenir glass/mug/container, and so we couldn’t pass up on Booze In The Blender at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville! The 22oz souvenir blender cup is filled with your choice of margarita – there are 12 to choose from including the Who’s To Blame® with Margaritaville Gold tequila, triple sec and house margarita blend, and the Tropical Fruit Margarita with Margaritaville Gold tequila, triple sec and your choice of all-natural fruit purée: strawberry, raspberry or mango. Served frozen.
There are lots more yummy alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and frozen drinks so definitely somewhere to check out when you’re at Universal’s City Walk, Orlando.
Pele’s Fire Punch – Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Orlando
What sold this cocktail to me was the fact that it is served in a COCONUT MONKEY HEAD! Like that has me written all over it! Pele’s Fire Punch is made with the Volcano Goddess’ blend of Bacardi Superior Rum, Myers’s Original Dark Rum, Banana Liqueur, Blackberry Brandy, Pineapple Juice and Grenadine. This cocktail is super strong and really packs a punch! To enjoy it you have to book a table at the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, which we did a few years ago – great traditional Polynesian dancing and the Fire Knife Dance was amazing!
Various Cocktails – Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, Orlando
Most probably wouldn’t think associate Walt Disney World with booze, never mind cocktails – but there are bars, lounges and restaurants all over the resorts and parks where you can enjoy your holiday cocktails! For a long time Magic Kingdom was the only dry park, but they now serve alcohol at the Be Our Guest restaurant.
Another place to sampled cocktails at Walt Disney World is at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival that is held each year from September to November. We’ve been to the festival several times now and love it!
Here are three cocktails that I’ve sipped on over various visits – Pineapple Breeze Sake Cocktail from Japan, La Passion Martini Slush – Grey Goose Le Citron Vodka, with Cranberry and Passion Fruit Juice from France, and Pineapple Fuzed Sake from Japan.
People often [infamously] “drink around the World” at the Food & Wine Festival as there are upward of 30 booths to buy from!
Tiffins – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Orlando
A couple of non-alcoholic cocktails now from the new Tiffins restaurant at Animal Kingdom: Hibiscus Henna – Watermelon, Hibiscus, Soda Water, Lime Juice, and Zingiber Fizzie – Passion Fruit Purée, Mint, Ginger Beer, Lime Juice.
There are some cocktails on the menu including Annapurna Zing – Bombay Sapphire East Gin, Passion Fruit Purée, Mint, Lime Juice, Ginger Beer, and Tempting Tigress – Russell’s Reserve 10 yr Bourbon, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Tamarind Syrup, Lime Juice. But if you don’t want to sit down for a meal, check out the Nomad Lounge next door for a selection of light bites and several speciality cocktails.
Lapu Lapu – ‘Ohana, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Orlando
The Lapu Lapu is one of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resorts famous cocktails – it’s the one served in a whole pineapple – again it is made for me!! I love anything kitsch, and this ticks that box!
We had an adults only trip to Florida in 2015, and we stayed at the Poly for part of our stay. It meant that I didn’t have to drive after dining at ‘Ohana so I made sure to have one of these awesome cocktails! The Lapu Lapu is made with Myer’s Original Dark Rum and Tropical Fruit Juices served in a fresh pineapple topped with Bacardi 151 Rum. Another cocktail that packs a punch!
Again, if you don’t want to dine, you can grab one of these bad boys at the Polynesian’s Tambu Lounge too. While at the Poly you should also check out Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto & Tiki Terrace – it is a souvenir glass collectors dream place! We didn’t get a chance to visit, but it is top priority next time.
Hard Rock Cafe – Universal’s City Walk, Orlando
My brother makes it a point to visit a Hard Rock Cafe whenever he goes on holiday, and the holiday we had in Orlando with him was no different! It was actually my first time ever stepping foot inside a Hard Rock location! I was driving so I stuck to mocktails, but there are lots of speciality cocktails to enjoy – plus you can keep the souvenir glass, so it doesn’t matter [to me!] what kind of drink is inside!
Various Cocktails – Bahama Breeze, Kissimmee
Bahama Breeze is one of our favourite restaurants in Florida – we have to visit at least once during a trip! Since this is offsite (we stay at Disney Resorts as Disney Vacation Club Members) I have to drive, so it’s mocktails for me when we go. However they make a mean Virgin Piña Colada with Coco López and pineapple juice, as well as a Virgin Ultimate Pineapple made with virgin piña colada and strawberry ice, and Virgin Bahamarita – their signature frozen margarita made with kiwi, strawberry and mango ices.
Bahama Breeze also have a huge cocktail menu, and if you can’t decide, you could always go for one of their flights. My brother had a rum cocktail flight called Shark Attack Flight, that he shared with us.
Painkiller – Pusser’s Dark Rum, Cream of Coconut, Pineapple and Orange Juice, with Freshly Ground Nutmeg. Zombie – Bacardi Black and Barbanscourt Rums with Peach Schnapps and Shrunken Head Stirrer. Yaka Hula Hickey Dula – Riesling, Bacardi Black Rum and Pineapple Juice shaken and served with Fresh Pineapple.
Magical Star – The Green Cabin, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, Vero Beach
And finally, of course I’m going to buy a cocktail with a light-up, colour-changing ice cube! I enjoyed this Magical Star Cocktail made with X-Fusion Organic Mango and Passion Fruit Liqueur, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Pineapple Juice, and a souvenir multicolored Glow Cube, at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort on the Atlantic Coast of Florida. As soon as I saw it on the menu I simply had to have it!
I actually could go on writing about the holiday cocktails we’ve enjoyed in Orlando, Florida but I think I’ll leave it here for now! Don’t forget to check out the infographic to find out the best cocktails and where to buy them around the world, but before you go, tell me your favourite holiday cocktail!
And if you want to bring the tropics back to you, make this fresh watermelon cocktail spiked with coconut rum and tequila.