Finding a cold, properly poured Guinness at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida should prove easy for fans of the smooth-drinking Irish stout. It’s served at dozens of the restaurants and pubs on the sprawling property, but on St. Patrick’s Day, the atmosphere in which you drink it is nearly as important as the beer itself.
Here are three top spots for drinking a Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day at Disney World.
Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant
This Irish pub in the Downtown Disney shopping and entertainment area in Disney World is as authentic as you can find outside of Dublin. The décor and furnishings were designed and built in the Emerald Isle itself, as were the more-than-130-year-old bars. Even the chef and much of the staff are Irish. Along with your Guinness, you can enjoy tasty dishes such as beef stew and Shepherd’s pie. If Guinness is not your style, the bar serves a wide variety of import and U.S. craft beers. And every St. Patrick’s Day, the pub parties from opening to closing with musicians and dancers from Ireland.
Hours
Lunch: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dinner: 3 to 11 p.m.
Bar Food: 11 p.m. to close
Reservations
Book online or call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463 up to 180 days prior to your visit. Reservations are not necessary for the bar.
Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
Part of the Epcot Park’s World Showcase, this British pub at the United Kingdom pavilion pours some of the freshest Guinness in the U.S., shipped directly from the brewery in Dublin. All of the friendly and helpful barkeeps at the Rose & Crown hail from Great Britain, many as members of Disney’s International Program, a working internship for university students. The Guinness is dispensed using the traditional “double-pour” system, and every pint has a shamrock outlined in the foam. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try some of the pub blends such as the Half & Half (Harp Irish Lager and Guinness) or the Golden Fox (Boddington’s and Bass Ale). You can order food from a limited menu in the pub area, or get a table in the dining room for such favorite dishes as fish and chips or bangers and mash.
Hours
Noon to closing.
Reservations
Book online or call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463 up to 180 days prior to your visit. Reservations are not necessary for the pub area.
Tambu Lounge at ‘Ohana
If you note the placement of the apostrophe, you’ll see that it’s not “O’ Hana,” but feel free to call it that as you enjoy a Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day at the restaurant’s bar in the Polynesian Resort. And I’ll let you in on a little secret: There is no alcohol served in the Magic Kingdom, per the wishes of Walt Disney. But anyone looking to sip an adult beverage either during a late-afternoon break from the princesses and pirates or after a long day at the park can just hop on the monorail to travel to this South Seas-themed venue. The open bar area allows you to keep an eye on the young ones as they participate in a regularly scheduled craft activity in the lobby, or the whole family can rest their aching feet at one of the many comfy chairs and couches scattered throughout the lobby.
Hours
5 to 10 p.m. for the Tambu Lounge.
Reservations
Not necessary for the lounge area, but if you want to join the highly popular character meals in the ‘Ohana restaurant, reservations must be made online or call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463 up to 180 days prior to your visit.