Hello and welcome to my 2026 WDW Marathon Weekend trip report! You can see all the posts in this report here. Today we’ll be recapping our post-marathon bar crawl on Disney’s Boardwalk. Onward!
There is no wrong way to fete a successful runDisney race weekend! Some like to show their medals off in the theme parks; some take themselves to a fancy dinner; there are even those who treat themselves to spending the remainder of the day in bed.
I’ve done it many ways over the years, and the vibe of every trip is different. For the 2026 Walt Disney World Marathon, we wanted a celebratory plan with some structure but not too much… and one that would enable us to head straight back to our resort and go to bed whenever we were ready. The perfect solution for our Beach Club race basecamp? A bar crawl on Disney’s Boardwalk!
WHAT’S DISNEY’S BOARDWALK?
Disney’s Boardwalk is, well, a boardwalk on Crescent Lake, behind Epcot just outside the International Gateway in World Showcase. It is indeed a proper boardwalk, with wooden boards and everything.
Situated along these boards are six resorts (Disney’s Boardwalk, Yacht Club, and Beach Club resorts plus the Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve resorts) alongside an assortment of shops and restaurants. Between the establishments on Disney’s Boardwalk itself and the offerings inside the three resorts themselves, it is extremely easy to slap together a bar crawl of no small breadth. That’s not even considering the places you could theoretically go via the Skyliner.
WHERE COULD A BOARDWALK BAR CRAWL TAKE YOU?
In fact, Becky put together a list of all the available bars and lounges accessible from the Boardwalk (not including those in Epcot and those a ride away on the Skyliner) and came up with quite the expansive list:
On the boards, you’ll find Abracadabar, Atlantic Dance Hall, and Boardwalk Joe’s Marvelous Margaritas, plus bars inside full restaurants Cake Bake Shop and Flying Fish and Belle Vue Lounge inside the Boardwalk resort.
At the Yacht Club, you can hit up Ale & Compass and Crew’s Cup.
Over at the Beach Club, there’s Martha’s Vineyard, and Beaches & Cream restaurant has alcohol drinks on the menu including ice cream (no technical bar though).
The Swan & Dolphin resorts comprise a smorgasbord of choices! Aside from proper bars Phins and Stir, there are bar options and/or alcohol drinks available in Bourbon Steak Lounge, The Fountain, Rosa Mexicano, Todd English’s Bluezoo, Il Mulino, and Kimonos.
We pored over these options, put together a loose itinerary ready to change subject to our whims, and the Boardwalk Bar Crawl was on!
THE BOARDWALK IS BETTER WITH BUDDIES
We were greater than the sum of our runDisney parts for this bar crawl. In addition to our runner group of me, Becky, and Erika, Becky had not one but TWO spectators for her marathon: her husband Jason and friend Eric. Naturally we invited them too!
Plus of course fellow Goofy Challenger and valued cohort Kate dropped in for a few appearances, but she decided to prioritize sleep and went to bed early. Honestly? RESPECT. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t drooping a bit by the end there… and I only had two drinks! (After the ordeal I’d been through, I wasn’t about to risk more.)
BOARDWALK BAR CRAWL STOP #1: ALE & COMPASS
We began our Boardwalk bar crawl over at the Yacht Club at the Ale & Compass. This is a split venue – half is a proper restaurant with reservations, and the other half is a bar and lounge. We ensconced ourself in the cozy lounge, finding no difficulty in securing a couple tables at this five o’clock hour.
Since this was the start of a bar crawl, we decided to start off strong with some fortifying food. We grabbed some truffle fries, which came with a very tasty aioli and were dusted liberally with sea salt. The truffle wasn’t too strong, so I think any potato lover would be happy with them.
I was more into the Parker house rolls, which came with bacon jam, citrus butter, and pimento cheese. The rolls themselves were soft and well baked, but it’s the spreads that make it great. I was particularly into the pimento cheese, but you really can’t go wrong.
For my drink, I elected to try the Purple Mariner, with gin, creme de violette, simple syrup, lemon juice, and soda water. Anyone who knows what I like in a drink knows I LOVED this. Florals? Citrus? BUBBLES? It was refreshing and delicious and I heartily recommend it.
When we asked for our check, our server seemed genuinely sorry to see us go… or at least faked it REALLY well. It was tempting to stay and hang out with him as he suggested, but alas, we had more bars to crawl. Onward!
STOP #2: ABRACADABAR
Next up on the list? Abracadabar! This magic-themed bar is wedged between Trattoria al Forno and Flying Fish, and can serve Disney-goers waiting on tables at both. Although we didn’t order any food here, I seem to recall that orders are serviced in the Flying Fish kitchen. This could be a good way to try dishes from one of Disney’s fancier locations without committing to a full meal’s bill.
Abracadabar is well themed but no overtly so. According to Becky, they used to lean more heavily into the magic bit, but it’s been pared back. Ain’t that always the way. You can spin your coaster for a fishy optical illusion, though, and the drink names are all magical in some capacity.
I came already knowing what I wanted from the drink menu: the Pepper’s Ghost! In addition to being the practical source of the specters in my beloved Haunted Mansion, the beverage version promised spice. I love a spicy drink, and the Pepper’s Ghost has three simple ingredient that spoke to me: pineapple vodka, habanero, and lime.
Ummmmmmm, do you like your drinks strong? Order a Pepper’s Ghost! It just barely managed to not be too vodka-forward. Add the habanero and I bet this is a polarizing drink. By the time I was halfway through I was talking poor Jason’s ear off. In my defense, he also likes Star Trek, so there was much to discuss, you know?
I don’t know if another drink here would’ve been wise, but luckily our third destination was calling. At this point we parted ways with Kate and Eric, both of whom were bound for their respective dreamlands. Off we went to the next stop. Bet you’ll never guess where…
STOP #3: ATLANTIC DANCE HALL
I know! We were all flabbergasted to discover that Atlantic Dance Hall was still open as well. As of this writing there appeared to be posted hours on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. We were on the Boardwalk already and there was no cover, so we figured hey, why not check it out?
There was indeed a live deejay as advertised, who played music accompanied by respective music videos on a large screen. The selection was eclectic, to say the least; everything from modern pop to ’80s rock to ’90s hip hop. Rarely did we see more than a few people on the dancer floor at a time, and sometimes none at all, with most of the occupants setting up camp at the tables scattered around the perimeter.
The place was, well, not exactly hopping. But it wasn’t empty either. Maybe 8:30pm was too early? I myself was done drinking alcohol for the night, but there was at least one bar open, and the room itself is interesting to explore. The upper floor in particular was intriguing, with excellent views of the boardwalk and some vaguely art deco decor. I was pretty into the green couch up there.
I’m not sure what Disney could do to draw a larger crowd to this area – maybe some aggressive drink specials or happy hour? I imagine it stays open because it’s a popular rental for weddings and other special events. As it stands, if you want to have a party at Atlantic Dance Hall, I suggest you bring the party yourself. That’s what I did, and we had a great time!
STOP #4: KIMONOS
Kimonos is a Japanese restaurant on the Swan side of the Swan & Dolphin resorts. We were less there for comestibles as much as the karaoke, which is lo-tech (a monitor, small stage, and facilitator) but of course fun!
While we were there, we picked up a some potstickers, sushi rolls, and fried chicken bites. None of it was extraordinary, but it was all tasty and the sushi ingredients were fresh. If you like Japanese food, Kimonos will definitely do the job for you.
Becky regaled us with a couple karaoke songs as she is much braver than I am. Maybe next time, though – I know what song I want to do now. 😅 Allegedly karaoke is available nightly from Wednesday through Sunday, 9:30pm to 1am(?!) as of this writing. So when you’re ready, Becky, let’s go for round two!
STOP #5: BEACHES & CREAM
By this point it was 10:30pm, which is arguably early in real life but way late for marathoners who got up at 2am, naps notwithstanding. Despite my best efforts I didn’t have much energy left for spirited conversation and just kinda blinked at everyone like a happy cat. Although I did perk up a bit when another table ordered the Kitchen Sink, which includes every single ice cream flavor and topping plus a whole can of whipped cream. (“A WHOLE CAN???”) There’s a siren for it and everything!
Sure, I could’ve excused myself and everyone would’ve understood… but miss the dessert stop?! Surely you jest.
This being a bar crawl, we put in an order for a boozy s’mores milkshake with vodka. And this being Beaches & Cream, we ALSO put in an order for one of Walt Disney World’s finest longstanding desserts: the No Way Jose!
I’m not a big s’mores person so I can’t speak to the accuracy of its flavor profile. The No Way Jose, however, continues to be one of the best things on property. But then of course it is, because it contains peanut butter. Should I mention peanut butter is one of my all-time FAVORITE foods?
For those unfamiliar, the construction of the No Way Jose ice cream sundae is comparatively simple. You’ve got vanilla ice cream covered in hot fudge, melted peanut butter, and chocolate and peanut butter chips. It tastes exactly like it sounds and it is INCREDIBLE. The perfect topper for our marathon celebration. Should we go get another one? Like right now real quick?
IS DISNEY’S BOARDWALK WHERE THE PARTY’S AT?
It was after 11pm by the time we left Beaches & Cream. Technically there were still a few area bars open until midnight, but us marathoners were bushed. We stumbled back to our Beach Club room and fell face first into bed, satisfied with the day’s proceedings.
So yes, we had a wonderful time executing our bar crawl on Disney’s Boardwalk. While I adored last year’s post-marathon dinner at California Grill, there was a charm to the freedom and excitement of hopping from place to place as we pleased. And being able to walk straight back to our hotel room at the end without waiting for a bus was a major plus. I’d highly recommend a Boardwalk bar crawl for anyone staying at an area resort.
And if you’re not, there are other bar crawl-worthy areas! Disney Springs is easy to get to from Old Key West and Saratoga Springs, or maybe you’re staying at a monorail resort and can make a grand circle tour. Even citizens of the All-Star resorts could try the respective bars at Sports, Music, and Movies, and those on the Skyliner can string together a crawl with the resorts on the gondola line.
In conclusion: no advanced dining reservation, no problem! Marathoners do what we want. 😉
Don’t forget, you can follow FRoA on Threads @fairestrunofall and on Instagram @fairestrunofall. If you have any questions or thoughts, leave a comment or email fairestrunofall@gmail.com. See ya real soon!