The goal of getting alcohol delivered to your resort isn’t to live like a monk on vacation. It’s about maximizing your fun money.
A single cocktail at a Disney pool bar can run you $18. Three of them and you’ve basically funded a VIP tour for someone else’s kid.
I love a good pool day. I do not love paying theme park prices for a White Claw (don’t judge) when my only goal is to move from a lounge chair to the water and back again.
When you order your everyday drinks ahead of time, you aren’t trying to be cheap; you’re just freeing up cash for the stuff that’s actually worth it…like a Lapu Lapu in a hollowed-out pineapple at the Poly, or a smoking cocktail at AbracadaBar. Don’t waste your Disney vacation budget on things you can buy at a gas station.
Where to Order Your Alcohol
You don’t need a specialized Disney-only service for this. The apps already sitting on your phone work just fine on vacation, but you do need to make sure the one you pick handles alcohol delivery around Orlando. Here’s who we use:
Service |
Best For |
ID Req. |
|---|---|---|
Instacart |
Full grocery + alcohol orders (Publix, Costco) |
Yes |
DoorDash / Uber Eats |
Fast, dedicated liquor store runs |
Yes |
Walmart Delivery |
Best overall pricing & bulk buys |
Yes |
Pro Tip: If you already use one of these services at home (so you have an account already set-up), go with that one for your delivery; it just makes it easier. If you don’t have any accounts, you can often find free promos for Walmart+ which would give you free delivery for 1 month.
Our Last Order: A Real-World Cost Breakdown
Item | Size | Cost |
|---|---|---|
Jameson Irish Whiskey | 1.75 L | $53.99 |
Patrón Silver Tequila | 200 ml | $19.29 |
Patrón Silver Tequila | 50 ml | $3.99 |
Subtotal | $77.27 | |
Fees (Service, Delivery) | $0.00 (DashPass) | |
Tip | $8.00 | |
Grand Total | $91.35 |
For less than $100, we kept three people stocked with pool drinks for the whole trip. Honestly, when you compare that to paying for five poolside cocktails, it’s a total no-brainer.
Disney World Alcohol Delivery: ID Verification Rules
The biggest issue with getting an alcohol delivery to Disney World resorts isn’t the cost or the selection; it’s the ID verification policy.
Unlike a regular grocery order that bell services can happily stick in a refrigerator for you, you must be physically present to show your ID to the driver.
Do not schedule your booze to arrive while you’re riding Guardians of the Galaxy. And unless you are POSITIVE of your arrival time, don’t schedule your delivery before your plane has landed at MCO. They will not, under any circumstances, leave an order containing alcohol with Bell Services. You must physically be there to meet the driver and show your ID. It’s the law.
Plan your delivery for a time you know you’ll be in your room or in the resort lobby. Missing the driver is a surefire way to waste time and potentially have your order canceled.
Other than that, the process is surprisingly easy. The driver will meet you at the main lobby entrance (or wherever you’d go to pick up an Uber or Lyft), check your ID, and hand over the goods.
It’s about a five-minute interruption to your day that saves you a fortune.
What to Actually Order for a Resort Day
Deciding what to get is half the fun. You could recreate your favorite bar order, or you could just keep it simple. After years of trial and error, we’ve got our resort-day order down to a science.
DATWs Go-To Drink and Essential Mixer
For pool days, I try to lean into things that I can drink all day without making me feel like crap. And for when I’m hot in the sun, that’s typically a hard seltzer. I know, I know, how basic of me, right?
But it’s something I don’t regularly drink at home, and they aren’t super heavy, so I don’t feel bloated. Also, they aren’t too strong; they’re easy to drink when it’s 95 degrees with 100% humidity, and you don’t have to mess with a bunch of mixers.
The one non-alcoholic item that is essential to add to any order? Say it with me: DIET COKE.
Diet Coke has never failed me. It’s versatile. It’s packed with happiness and caffeine, and it mixes oh so well with so many things.
Something else I might do, if I don’t want to worry about my drink getting watered down as the ice melts, I’ll go with Jameson and water or even Jameson and Crystal Light. Now that I’ve written it out, it sounds terrible, but I promise it isn’t. It’s light, low-sugar, and surprisingly refreshing. Plus, if it gets watered down, you can just add more Crystal Light to it.
Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.
Essential Gear to Bring From Home
If you think you’re going to do some pool day drinking, a little advance planning pays off.
- A Small, Soft-Sided Cooler: Bring one in your suitcase. It’s perfect for storing a couple of cans and keeping them cold, which saves you a dozen trips back and forth to your room. Plus, unlike on Disney Cruise Line, where you can get a cooler packed with canned beverages, WDW doesn’t sell anything like that that we’ve found.
- An Insulated Cup: If you prefer mixing drinks, a good insulated tumbler is non-negotiable. It keeps your drink from becoming a lukewarm soup in five minutes. Your resort refillable mug works perfectly for this, too, they are just a bit small for our liking.
A Quick Note on Disney Pool Drinking Etiquette
This should go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway. The goal is to have a few affordable, relaxing drinks by the pool. The goal is not to get obliterated and become the person who makes a scene at the DVC resort quiet pool. Don’t be that person. Don’t get trashed. Keep it respectable, be mindful of the families around you, and clean up after yourself. It’s a shared space, not your personal frat party.
Is Alcohol Delivery to Your Disney Hotel Worth It?
One hundred percent, yes, especially if you’re planning a trip with built-in resort time. If you’re a park commando who is out from rope drop to fireworks every single day, you’ll never have time to use it. But if your vacation style includes at least one or two afternoons lounging by Stormalong Bay or taking a break from the crowds, it’s a no-brainer.
The money you save is significant, and the convenience is unbeatable. Having your own supplies means you can make a drink exactly how you like it, whenever you want it, without waiting in line or wincing at the price.
Of course, a big part of this strategy depends on picking the right hotel. If you need help figuring out how to book a hotel for an adults-only trip so you aren’t surrounded by screaming toddlers, I put together a guide over on our sister site, Planning the Mouse, that covers everything about Disney World hotel and grocery delivery.
So next time you’re planning, throw a small cooler in your bag. The hundreds of dollars you save can be better spent on something that isn’t 90% corn syrup and ice.
