Disney World has been focused on bringing in new experiences for guests throughout the parks, and one way they’ve been doing this is with lounges. Lounges are specialized spaces that mainly focus on drinks and small plates, where guests can sit in a relaxing space before heading back to their park day.
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Two new lounges are coming to Disney World. The Beak and Barrel, a pirate-themed lounge, will open in late 2025, and GEO-82, the first adults-only lounge, will open on June 4th. While we’re excited for these to open, let’s chat about why Disney is opening them.
The Beak and Barrel opening in Adventureland in Magic Kingdom will be completely pirate-themed. From ships in a bottle, an anchor filled with candles, and a parrot who tells stories from his perch in the lounge, this family-friendly experience will allow you to become a pirate.
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GEO-82, located in Spaceship Earth in EPCOT, will be an elegant, adults-only space with refined small bites and sophisticated drinks. This lounge will welcome all those who are 21 and older and will have views of EPCOT as you become “immersed in the storied history and enduring legacy of this timeless EPCOT icon.”
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These sound incredible, but why is Disney adding two new lounges this year?
1. Disney Wants You to Stay in the Parks Longer
Adventureland
Why does Disney add new attractions, restaurants, experiences, and anything to the parks? Because they want you to stay longer! New lounges, especially with booked reservations, could have you staying in the park longer throughout the day. If you’re local, you might come in earlier in Magic Kingdom before heading to The Beak and Barrel to catch a ride on Pirates of the Caribbean or stay later and watch Happily Ever After.
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Maybe as you head out, you stop at a gift shop and grab an extra souvenir, or maybe you stayed so late that you need to get another meal. The longer they can get you to stay in the parks, the more money they can potentially make.
2. They Want You to Spend More Money
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At the end of the day, Disney is a business with the goal of making money. While we don’t have prices for The Beak and Barrel, we do for GEO-82, and if you’re planning on going, be prepared to drop a fair amount of money. A small bite, like the Truffled Ahi Tuna, will set you back $23, and drinks cost on average about $25. With lounges, Disney can market them as specialized experiences, so hopefully you won’t bat an eye at spending more money than at another restaurant.
Luminous at EPCOT
Disney can even offer more experiences within the lounges, like the GEO-82 Fireworks Experience, which will allow you to watch Luminous: The Symphony of Us from inside the lounge. You’ll be in the air conditioning, with a seat, and can sip on champagne and special small bites. This sounds incredible, but it costs $179 per person, not including tax or gratuity.
Oga’s Cantina
Even about eight years later, Oga’s Cantina, another lounge in Hollywood Studios, is always busy and it can still be difficult to get reservations. The lounges are special, and Disney will add that special pricing to them.
3. Disney Can Target Specific Audiences
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While Disney Cruise Line is no stranger to adults-only lounges, GEO-82 will be the first adults-only space inside the theme parks at Disney World. Making this 21 can allow Disney to target the adults of the groups who want a special night out or a theme park space without kids everywhere. Lots of people are willing to spend a higher dollar amount to have a kid-free space!
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The Beak and Barrel lounge is geared towards families. Pirate-loving kids will want to get their super cool (alcohol-free) drinks, and adults will walk back with a souvenir mug all themed to pirates. These themed spaces make it easier to target that specific audience.
4. Lounges are Cheaper to Build
TRON
While we would love brand-new attractions every month at Disney World, it’s not practical, budget-wise. These lounges certainly aren’t cheap to build, but they are significantly more affordable than huge attractions or full restaurants. This way, Disney can still bring something new into the parks more often without breaking the budget.
Construction Walls
New spaces bring in more guests who don’t travel often or may only go to Disney World every few years. If Disney can bring hype around the lounges, people will be ready to dive in.
At the end of the day, Disney is always trying to build experiences to have you stay in the parks and come back more often, and lounges are a great way to do that. When both of the lounges open, we’re going to be visiting, trying the food and drinks, so you know if it’s worth your time and money to visit. Keep following Disney Food Blog for more!
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No. Not happy about lounges in parks at all!!! It completely changes the vibe and stabs Walt’s vision in the back. Disney has become a greedy, apathetic corporation. If you can’t make it through the day without a drink, you’ve got a bigger problem than Disney can fix….and if your idea of fun is to drink and/or get drunk, pick up someone, etc….why do it in a park which cost a lot at admission to enter and then spend a lot more on booze??? Just go to any local bar…or at best, head to a hotel bar. Totally disgusted with Disney’s approach to drinking in parks and them enabling such drinkers and their negative behaviors!!!!
Bad move for Disney…everyone knows alcohol hurts the family experience. This will eliminate adults with children 9 and under. Try lowering the prizes on these smaller snack meals. No one can afford to eat at Disney parks so we might as well leave and shop outside the parks for may entertainment and dining dollar. I don’t know why they just don’t get it.
I totally agree with the comments above. I am at a loss as to why Disney just thinks providing alcohol to guests is a great idea. It has been shown over and over that this can be a recipe for disaster. So now they have boozy lemonade, boozy milkshakes, boozy everything. Another thought, as well, unless there is a 1 drink minimum to minimize the chance of intoxication then these places are no better than an airport bar. All about the money but none of the responsibility/accountability. You know, families are already stressed because of the prices, the crowds, the wait times and lets toss in a few drunk people and let the brawling begin. I feel so badly for the children as people think they dont think twice about it but they will remember that fighting and that aggressive display for all of their childhood heck, Im an adult and it would ruin my bisit for sure. I was so disappointed when I read they are putting a bar in the Grand Floridian lobby – way to ruin the ambiance, Disney. I say a email campaign is in order at this point. Please do not think I am a “goody to shoes” trying to be a buzz kill but at the end of the day it is a family park and a die hard Disney fan park. When I lived in Orlando, I always, always chose Disney over any other park because of the clientele that went to the parks being both respectful in attitude, behavior and dress but that is slowly disappearing.
I’m for it. Lounges are a great way to relax and enjoy a moment. I have been going to the parks for several years and have yet to see anyone completely hammered or causing a disturbance because of alcohol.