Nearly 18 months later, we came back to Wailulu...but this time for a full meal. This advanced…read moredining reservation is popular, but if you check the Disney app frequently within 48 hours of your desired date, you should luck out. Wailulu is a gorgeous restaurant and bar with sweeping views of Bay Lake. Much of the amazing art comes from recycled materials (waste) recovered from the ocean. We planned our dinner reservation so we could watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks. (They pipe in the music, too!). We were fortunate to have a table by the window. In cooler months, there are plenty of spots outside with probably even a greater view. Roberto was our server, and he was fantastic. He gave us excellent recommendations from our drinks through dessert. Ask if you can sit in his section and you won't be disappointed. We started the night with an old fashioned (with banana liqueur) and a mai tai. They were lovely. We then shared the ahi tuna nachos which are not to be missed. I could make that my dinner and be happy! My husband and daughter also loved the chicken wing appetizer. Roberto recommended the kampachi fish in a green curry. (It was the grilled fish of the day.) This dish was fabulous. A true star. And my husband very much enjoyed their Wayfinder burger, hailed to be the best on property. Roberto timed our crème brûlée to arrive at the table right after the fireworks ended. It was quite a magical meal. If you're choosing between Ohana and Wailulu at Disney's Polynesian Resort, definitely choose Wailulu. Always.

While on vacation - wanted to have a nice dinner - in the monorail line and something we had not…read moretried before. We settled in Wailulu - and it did not disappoint! We did not have reservations in advance and tried to get a walk up for three via the Disney app - what was weird was you could not get for three but would let you for 2 or 4 ... so helpful tip to know... play with the numbers! We settled in walk up to the bar and got seated quick outside. Beautiful view as you can see in the pics Ahi tuna nachos .. yummy. We had the hummus as well which was also delicious. For entrees - ahi poke bowl did not disappoint and was very filling! My neephew had the loco moco and my sis a burger - everyone was very happy with the meal, the venue and the view! They even gave me a cupcake for my bday! Will def be back next trip!

back at it again at the best kept secret in disney. Name a better bar (other than trader sams) that…read morehas this ambiance and vibes at a disney hotel ? and this has no wait. the food is delightful little bites too

Nice ambiance. Great service, theming and drinks. I would have liked more ambiance music and it was…read moreconfusing that I couldn't bring my drink to sit in the open seating area on my own. I had to stay at the bar and it wasn't busy. In the time it took me to drink my drink I could have been done and the seats open for the next person. They have green chartreuse which was nice and the drinks were very tasty. Real Champagne as well is available. The pictures are beautiful.

Great spot to grab a drink while waiting for your table at ohana. It's not a particularly large bar…read morebut I found a seat. There is a large lounge area just outside the bar where you could take your drink too. I didn't get any food here but the espresso martini was amazing.

We came to Tambu Lounge to try the famous Back Scratcher drink, and the bar was lively and busy…read morewith really good service. We managed to find two empty seats as other guests were leaving, but there were no other seats available around 6 p.m. on a Saturday night. Now for the drinks: they were excellent, refreshing, and a very generous portion. You even get a souvenir back scratcher, which was a very nice touch. I loved the Polynesian theme of the hotel and would definitely stay here in the future.

Top of the World Lounge is a villain-themed lounge at the (you guessed it) top of Bay Lake Tower…read morewith views overlooking Magic Kingdom. Getting into the lounge is a bit tough. For starters, the lounge is for DVC members (and their guests) only. If you're lucky enough to be a DVC member, you also have to hope that you either had the common sense to make a reservation in advance or that you go when it's quiet and they can possibly seat you anyway. We went with the second option and only had to wait for about ten minutes before being allowed access. The lounge gives off a ritzy, 1930s/1940s vibe with a massive chandelier and red & black velvet decor. If the creepy child kidnapper from The Rescuers and Jafar and Frollo were to all meet and discuss how to be terrible people over some delicious cocktails, they would do it here. The service at TWL is top-notch, which makes sense since they are catering to some of Disney's biggest fans and most frequent visitors. The menu is small, it is a lounge after all and not a full-service restaurant. There are some incredible drinks and a few appetizers on the menu, plus a modest selection of beer and wine. While the lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows that allow you to see the castle at Magic Kingdom, TWL also has an outdoor, private balcony where you can watch the fireworks and feel the boomies (an official, scientific word) from the show. Reservations to watch the fireworks are not required, but they will verify your DVC membership before being allowed access. And yes, you can get a drink to go from the bar in the lounge and sip it over some fireworks. I've been a DVC member since 2012 and have come to Disney at least 10 times since purchasing. How I neglected to experience this is beyond me. Thankfully the TWL isn't only for Bay Lake Tower guests (aside from 4 nights in the entire calendar year). I would absolutely come back to TWL to watch some fireworks with a world-class experience

A classy smaller bar with light fare. This was a villains…read moretheme and allows for some of the best firework viewing of Magic Kingdom nightly fireworks. Usally accessible to members who are staying at one of the DVC Bay Lake Tower resort. There is a somewhat secret elevator available just off of the lobby and is the only one that goes to the 16th floor

What an exclusive experience! A bar with such limited…read moreseating and such a reputation that you will undoubtedly have a two hour wait at minimum - if you can even get on the waitlist for the entire evening - with it usually filling up by 3:00 everyday. Transported into another realm, Trader Sam's Grog Grotto is a Jungle-cruised tiki bar with decor upon decor and epic theming! As certain drinks are ordered, the waitresses and bartenders have skits to do with squirt guns, interactive decor pieces, and chants for the entire room to repeat! You are fully immersed into the experience with fake windows showing volcanos and jungle views, an octopus tentacle reaching in through a port hole and around the ceiling beams, and tons of details that are just true to Disney's excellence. We grabbed a reservation before dinner and enjoyed the: Skipper Sipper - fresh lime and mint perfume the tropical juices with the zippy pops of soda water Polynesian Punch - POG with Ginger Beer! It sounds like a them park duo made for greatness. Flavor was on point and extremely refreshing! If you are around for an afternoon or staying at the Polynesian, snag a waitlist spot and enjoy this niche but epic experience!

ALL PRAISE SHELLY!…read more The servers were great, but the bartenders made the visit for us. Their dry humor and wit had us cracking up and waiting for more. Drinks - Polynesian (Black) Pearl 5/5: (Noting a full point for receiving the infamous black pearl.) As someone who may occasionally scoff at RumChatta, this was surprisingly good. Not too sweet, with the cinnamon flavor hitting first and staying through the finish. - The Heart of Polynesia 4.5/5: Another well balanced drink, even with ingredients that had me timid due to the potential of excess sweetness. It was rum forward, with a smooth and mild pineapple finish. The presentation is pretty rad, with it glowing green in the dimly lit space. - Nautilus 3/5: We expected this to hit harder. The juices made of the flavor profile, without the rum really coming through. We purchased the Nautilis souvenir mug, which is of great quality and was well packaged. However, there were no stir/swizzle sticks, coasters, or napkins included. I did not think to check until after we left, but they have automatically included when purchasing from the Disneyland location. The wait time in the application was pretty accurate; it said 55 minutes and we recieved the text at 50 minutes and were seated at 65 minutes. We were at the shared table in the middle of the room, which seemed strategically set up to prevent us from getting too comfortable or staying too long.

If you are in the mood for steak at Disney, Steakhouse 71 at the Contemporary is a good option!…read more I thought prices were reasonable for a steakhouse and I especially liked the sauce flight that you can get with steak. Service was only okay during my visit - not as friendly as usual Disney restaurants.

For some reason, my review for The Wave (this space's previous occupant) is listed on this page…read more Meaning, a new Yelp page for Steakhouse 71 was never created, the name of this business was simply updated. Odd, but I digress. I decided to dine at Steakhouse 71 for breakfast the morning I was going home. This worked out for several reasons as I had never been here before, it was in my hotel, and I didn't purchase park tickets for this day so I needed to grab food elsewhere. Steakhouse 71 is located on the first floor of the Contemporary - just off the check in desks. The restaurant is large - all of the tables are housed in a large room that's decorated mostly in a blue color scheme. I didn't love the aesthetics - they didn't give steakhouse, and the acoustics were loud which gave me the feel I was in a large food hall or cafeteria. The menu contained various breakfast items - nothing too noteworthy except for their pancakes which my server explained are seasonal. I decided on something with protein, so I went with their omelette. This included cheddar, ham, spinach, and peppers along with sides of potatoes and a biscuit. The dish was pretty good - the omelette had good integrity to hold all the ingredients, and the sides were solid. My server explained I could get the seasonal pancakes as an additional side - and since they were pumpkin spice I decided to be festive and get them. These were good, but very over the top - covered in candied nuts and cream cheese icing. Good as a side, but I can't imagine having them as my main. Service was good - everyone was friendly and attentive as I expected from Disney, and my meal came out promptly. Overall, Steakhouse 71 is fine. I'm curious what their dinner offerings are, but I'm not running back.

Outer Rim is a great place to grab a drink when at the contemporary!! They don't serve any food but…read moreare conveniently located next to a quick serve location that has tons of good snacks! The bar tenders are always friendly! Keep in mind there isn't always someone walking around taking orders, so sometimes you'll have to go up and get them yourselves! It's a comfy and cozy spot but can get a little loud because it's right next to Chef Mickeys. Overall one of my go tos!

Outer Rim is a very small and overlooked bar/lounge, which is located on the main level at Disney's…read morecontemporary resort. This is not a place I visit all the time, but it is a fine stop. It reminds me of a sports bar, they do have 1 TV so not crazy. I also usually see adults, particularly men, coming here to grab a drink to go. This spot is directly next to Chef Mickey's, which mean it can get loud and it can be really hard to grab a seat. My biggest issue with this spot is the people who have zero intention of buying a drink, sit at the tables or the lounge chairs and wait for their table at Chef Mickey. There is a really great view of Bay Lake but it can be so hard to sit here and enjoy a drink and the views. I do wish the cast members did a better job at Outer Rim and Chef Mickey telling people it is a not a waiting area. I also do not understand why Chef Mickey's does not have better waiting benches or seats. I do feel for the servers because the guests are taking up seats from those that would actually spend money and grab a drink. My wife and I have had to leave because there were no seats. The menu is simple, just drinks, no food. There is a pretty well stocked bar along with a few of their "specialty" drinks. They are nothing super fancy and I do think if they had some themed drinks to their name, outer rim, they would be more popular. I also used to love ordering their bourbon flight which they have recently removed. It was one of the best deals and I'm sure Disney realized they were offering this at a steal! I would say the best part of this lounge is the views of Bay Lake and getting to watch the monorail going through the hotel. It can be relaxing in the middle of the day when Chef Mickey's is closed and it is quiet in the hotel. As I said, I think this is more of a stop for people to run in and grab a quick drink to go. Overall this spot is fine. We do not run here all the time, esepcially when our favorite lounge is on the first floor, but we will swing by from time to time. It is a great stop if you are partaking in the Monorail Crawl. If you want food or a snack, the quick service location is directly across from here as well. You are able to grab food and bring it into the lounge. I would say it is worth looking at, it could use some updating, maybe walling off the side of Chef Mickey's and making it more enclosed, refreshing the carpet but the drinks are solid. But please if you are just waiting for your table at chef mickey's, remember that outer rim is a bar/ lounge. Do not sit here to wait for your table, you are taking away tips from the server.

Fun atmosphere. The Disney tavern theme I was hoping for. Although the drinks were very delicious,…read moreI was surprised at the small drink menu. Only a few beers and about a dozen mixed drinks. Some non-alcoholic and of course libations for the little ones. Family friendly. A few apps abai You have a hard 45 minutes, 2 alcoholic drink max in the tavern. You will not be able to sneak extra time or a third drink. You will be seated with people You don't know. This could be fun or not at all. Th server is helpful and in character at the same time. I would return. Enjoy! My part of 2 got the salty sea margarita and the Hibiscus.

Food is good and vibes are cool, but not worth the prices or the hard to get reservation…read more -Cornbread skillet things were really good. I love that they were spicy because that's kinda rare at disney. -Beverage prices are crazy and super limited in terms of options. -The main draw is the ambiance and decor and you really only get to enjoy that from certain tables. We were in a booth in a side room and couldn't see any of the light changes or other little theatrics. -They only do reservations and reservations are a strict 45 minutes. -They only do community style seating. So basically you have to share a small table with strangers (unless your party is big enough to necessitate their own, i assume). -Servers were in character and very helpful despite the limits of the menu.

This is one of the most enjoyable and delicious restaurants I've been to at Disney. Located on the…read morelake at the Wilderness Lodge, my family and I never had trouble getting in during our visit. We ate here multiple times and were not disappointed in any of the items we ordered, but the turkey sandwich was our favorite. Service was also great on all of our visits! Highly recommend.

During a recent visit to Disney, my husband and I chose to try Geyser Point bar & Grill before…read morechecking out of our room and head home. It wasn't incredibly cold outside so we chose to sit relatively close to the water outside and enjoy the views of nature with our meal. Upon arrival we were told there was a somewhat lengthy waitlist to be seated. Meanwhile, there were 4-5 employees standing at the hostess stand doing absolutely nothing other than talking amongst themselves and sipping their personal beverages. Upon examination on our surroundings, both my husband and I noticed countless empty tables and absolutely NO VALID reason for the extensive wait to be seated. The disappointment and aggravation didn't stop there. Once seated at our table, the service was slower than slow and never improved during our meal, despite the server's attempt to be jovial as well as apologetic while blaming the other staff members for the issues. And as a final blow, the bill was hyper- exorbitant for basic burgers, fries, and a drink. The long wait, unconscionably slow service , grossly unremarkable food, and high cost made for a decision to not return during future visits!

Although we've stayed at the Wilderness Lodge many times, this was our first time we popped into…read morethe Territory Lounge. It was great! The decor is perfect for the resort. We had the absolute best server ever. And the drinks were outstanding.

The decor had a lovely pacific north west feel to it. Servers were very attentive and super…read morefriendly. We didn't try any of the small plates but they looked amazing. The charcuterie looked particularly good! They have a nice selection of beer on tap and the sangria is amazing!