You could spend $150 on park tickets. Or you could ride a gondola from bar to bar, sipping frozen cocktails under a giant foosball player.
It’s your call, but we’re team Skyliner Bar Crawl. It’s free to ride, easy to plan, and one of *the best* ways to drink around Disney without stepping foot in a park.
Whether you’re doing the full Disney Skyliner resort bar crawl or just picking a few favorites, this guide walks you through every stop – and yes, you can do it all without a park ticket.
TL;DR: What’s the Skyliner Bar Crawl?
- Hit 5 resorts and 6+ bars, all connected by the Disney Skyliner
- No park ticket required
- No dining reservations needed
- We like starting at Art of Animation, but you can start from any Skyliner-connected resort (to get there you can take Disney transportation from any park or Disney Springs)
- Give yourself 3–5 hours (longer if you’re easily distracted)
- Bonus stops at BoardWalk and parks if you have a ticket
- It’s one of the best ways to spend a Disney day without paying park admission
Skyliner Crawl Overview: 7 Skyliner Stops
Here’s the full route, whether you’re crawling the whole line or cherry-picking based on what’s in your cup.
Note: This crawl isn’t about efficiency, it’s all about the “vibe”. Yes, you’ll backtrack a little. That’s by design. The goal isn’t to hit each stop as fast as possible. It’s to pace your drinks, enjoy the best bars in the best order, and end on a high note (or at least a frozen one).
No Park Ticket Required Stops:
- Art of Animation – The Drop Off Pool Bar
Frozen machines, bright theming, and a sneaky strong start. - Riviera Resort – Bar Riva (plus Le Petit Café & Topolino’s Terrace Lounge)
Mediterranean chic, strong pours, and rooftop views if you’re lucky. - Caribbean Beach – Banana Cabana
Poolside island vibes with top-tier wings and hammocks. - BoardWalk Area – Multiple lounges: AbracadaBar, Belle Vue, Ale & Compass, more
Deluxe-level cocktail options and dangerously cozy vibes. - Pop Century – Petals Pool Bar
Retro weirdness and frozen drinks that hit harder than they should.
Bonus Stops (Park Ticket Required):
- EPCOT – World Showcase bars
Frozen slushes, champagne, and every beer you could dream of. - Hollywood Studios – Baseline Tap House, Brown Derby Lounge, more
Strong drinks, outdoor lounges, and at least one spiked Coke.
Skyliner Route, Hours, and Parking Tips
Not sure how to do a Skyliner bar crawl without getting stuck mid-line or stranded during a lightning delay? We’ve got you. Here’s what you need to know before you start sipping.
The Route
The Skyliner connects these resorts (in this order):
- Pop Century & Art of Animation → Caribbean Beach (hub) → Riviera Resort → EPCOT (International Gateway entrance)
- You can detour to Hollywood Studios by switching lines at Caribbean Beach, but this crawl skips it unless you have a park ticket.
You Don’t Need a Park Ticket to Do This Crawl
- You don’t need a park ticket to ride the Skyliner or visit any of the resort bars in this guide. Just show up and drink like a gondola-riding pro.
Operating Hours
- Generally runs from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00–10:30 p.m., depending on park hours.
- Important: The Skyliner shuts down for lightning, which Florida is very good at.
- Hours aren’t posted in the My Disney Experience app. The only place you can find them are on sandwich board signs Disney sets out near the stations. Always check posted hours before you crawl.
Where to Park
- You can’t just drive and park at these resorts unless you’re a guest or have a dining reservation
- Start at EPCOT or Hollywood Studios if you already have a park ticket, or
- Take a bus from Disney Springs to one of the Skyliner resorts (we recommend Pop Century or Caribbean Beach as starting points)
Stop 1: Art of Animation – The Drop Off Pool Bar
Link to The Drop Off Pool Bar menu
Vibe: Bright, bold, and aggressively themed. It’s kind of like sipping cocktails inside a Pixar coloring book (in a good way).
What to Order:
- Frozen Jack & Coke or Frozen Rum & Coke – straight from the machine, delightfully trashy in the best way. No judgment, you’ll probably order a second one.
- Big Blue Ocean – Fruity, bright blue, and borderline radioactive. Disney kitsch in a cup.
This place is rarely crowded, and the theming makes for excellent post-drink photo ops (yes, you should take a selfie with Crush). We love kicking off our Skyliner Crawls here because this resort feels the most “Disney”. You can’t help but be happy when hanging out here and it is a fun resort to just explore.
Stop 2: Riviera Resort – Bar Riva (plus Le Petit Café & Topolino’s Terrace Lounge)
Link to Bar Riva menu
Vibe: Poolside Riviera chic. Feels fancy, even if you’re sunburned and still wearing your MagicBand.
What to Order:
- Mediterranean Wave – Tart, frozen, and ridiculously photogenic. It’s the drink you post.
- Coco di Paradiso – Creamy coconut and rum. Order if you love piña coladas but want to sound cooler.
- Arancini or the Baked Brie – These aren’t filler bar bites. They’re real food and they’re good.
This open-air bar is stylish, shaded, and right next to the pool. It’s low-effort fancy, and we love it.
We originally didn’t get the Bar Riva hype, but after several visits we totally get it. It’s a pool bar that doesn’t FEEL like a pool bar.
Grab a bar seat if you can. The bartenders here are great, and this place usually isn’t swamped. Shaded, stylish, and right by the pool (no swimsuit required).
Other Bar Options at Riviera
- Le Petit Café
A tiny lobby wine bar that feels like a secret. Great for espresso martinis or pretending you’re on your way to a gallery opening. - Topolino’s Terrace Lounge
Rooftop views. Drinks are great. Gnocchi is even better. If you snag a seat here during EPCOT fireworks, you win.
Note: If your next stop is Caribbean Beach, we recommend walking there from Riviera instead of riding. It’s about a 5-minute walk from Bar Riva to Banana Cabana, which is way faster than taking the Skyliner to the main Caribbean Beach station and walking 15 minutes back to the bar. Trust us: walk it, sip it, then hop back on at Riviera.
Stop #3: Caribbean Beach Resort
Link to Banana Cabana menu
Vibe: Island vibes, poolside energy, and maybe the chillest bar at Disney. Expect lots of rum, bright colors, and no urgency whatsoever.
What to Order:
- Banana Cabana (the drink) – Their signature for a reason. It’s a tropical rum blend that goes down so easy it should come with a waiver. You’ll want another before you finish the first.
- Pink Guava Colada – Frozen, fruity, and somehow even more refreshing than it sounds. One of the most underrated frozen drinks on Disney property and totally worth the brain freeze.
- Jerk Chicken Wings – Real food. Real flavor. If you’re on stop three and haven’t eaten, start here.
Ok, don’t judge but in addition to the drinks we list above (which are our favorites), we also like to order the Rum Flight here, too. You don’t need a room key or a swimsuit here, even though it will feel like you’re at a Caribbean resort. Grab a spot by the water or claim a hammock. We call it a strategic pause.
Stop #4: The BoardWalk Area (Bonus Round)
Vibe: Vintage seaside boardwalk meets deluxe-level bar crawl.
Once you exit the Skyliner at EPCOT’s International Gateway, you’re steps away from a cluster of lounges and bars across BoardWalk, Beach Club, and Yacht Club. It’s dangerously easy to turn “just one drink” into a whole evening.
Boardwalk Bars Worth Stopping For:
- AbracadaBar: Magician-themed, dimly lit, and oddly seductive. The cocktails are solid, especially the Parlor Trick. The Seashore Sweet? Think cotton candy in a coupe.
- Belle Vue Lounge: Hidden gem with old-school radio vibes and no crowd. Get a bourbon neat and pretend you’re in a 1940s speakeasy.
- Ale & Compass Lounge: Dark, sleek, and usually chill. The Maple Old Fashioned is the move. It’s sweet, smoky, and surprisingly potent.
- Crew’s Cup Lounge: Home of coffee cocktails and scotch. You’re on vacation so both are acceptable to drink at any time of the day.
- Hurricane Hanna’s: Boozy slushes by the water. Enough said.
The BoardWalk Area is one of our favorite spots to slow down, even without Jellyrolls (RIP). Still plenty of places here to grab a drink. Or two. Or three.
Stop #5: Pop Century Resort
Link to Petals Pool Bar menu
Vibe: Bold, loud, and wildly nostalgic, like a ‘70s gym class and a high school dance party had a baby with a blender.
What to Order:
- Piña Colava – Raspberry rum + coconut + pineapple = Disney’s signature frozen cocktail. It’s everywhere for a reason. Some may call it basic, but we think it’s the perfect drink for the setting.
- Totally Tropical – Campari and pineapple walk into a bar. It’s bitter, juicy, and surprisingly adult for a pool bar with a giant foosball player nearby.
Let’s be honest: Petals isn’t the highlight of the crawl, but it is often the last one open (usually until 11:30 p.m.). It’s a solid final stop if you’re staying nearby, or just not ready to let go of the night.
The people who hang out at Petals are loyalists – and that often includes us. It isn’t fancy, but neither are we. And since we often stay at Pop Century, it also makes it super convenient.
Related Reading
Want to hit even more bars on Disney property? Check these out:
• Disney Monorail Bar Crawl
• Best Bars & Lounges at Disney World
• Best Bars at EPCOT
• Hollywood Studios Bar & Drinking Guide
Bonus Stops: EPCOT & Hollywood Studios (Park Ticket Required)
If you do have a park ticket, the Skyliner conveniently connects you to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, making it easy to kick off your crawl in a park, or wrap up your crawl with fireworks and one last cocktail.
EPCOT (World Showcase Wins Again)
If you’re ending your crawl at EPCOT, congrats because you’re graduating to the big leagues.
- Drinking Around the World at EPCOT – Our full guide with drink-by-drink breakdowns, pro pacing tips, and what to skip unless you like disappointment in a souvenir cup.
Hollywood Studios (Themed Bars + Hidden Gems)
Hollywood Studios is technically connected to the Skyliner, so if you want to detour, go for it. We wouldn’t recommend doing both parks and the full crawl in one go (unless you’re a pro).
- Bar Hopping at Hollywood Studios – Lounge reviews, drink rankings, and which spots to skip.
Final Tips for a Successful Skyliner Bar Crawl
Do:
- Hydrate – Seriously, water between stops is the move.
- Eat – Grab wings, skewers, or bread service. Keep it together out there.
- Pace Yourself – 4–5 stops is plenty. You’re here for fun, not regret.
- Go Solo – This crawl is incredibly Disney solo-traveler friendly. Zero judgment and lots of lounge seating.
- Check Skyliner Hours – Lightning = shut down. Plan accordingly.
Don’t:
- Try to hit every bar at every resort. You’ll lose steam, or your wallet.
- Park-hop and crawl unless you’ve got serious stamina.
- Skip Banana Cabana. It’s basically the heartbeat of the whole thing.
Ready to Crawl?
Whether you’re a Disney bar crawl pro or just want to ride the Skyliner and “accidentally” order five tropical cocktails, this is one of the best ways to enjoy the adult side of Walt Disney World, no park ticket required.
Want more?
→ Head to our Monorail Bar Crawl if you’re in the mood for tiki drinks and castle views