"Happy Hour" @ Magic Kingdom: The Plaza vs. Tony's Town Square?

[alliecat726]

Planning a late September 2020 trip rescheduled from March (& first WDW visit as a DVC members)! Our 60-days-out ADR date is approaching & I'm trying to line up a plan to have a little "mask break" Happy Hour @ each park (Nomad @ AK, Oga's @ HS, Rose&Crown or La Cava @ Epcot) & I'm considering a 4:00 ADR @ The Plaza or Tony's @ MK for an app and wine/beer. Any thoughts or advice?

 

[sharonabe]

I haven't checked the list for open restaurants, but if Skipper's Canteen is open, I'd book there over the other two. The arepas are one of my favorite apps in all of WDW.

 

[jpolak]

Tony’s is horrible. I’d avoid it at all cost.

 

[alliecat726]

I haven't checked the list for open restaurants, but if Skipper's Canteen is open, I'd book there over the other two. The arepas are one of my favorite apps in all of WDW.

Thanks! We're actually eating lunch @ SC so I was looking for another option for HH. Will be 1st time @ SC so we're excited! Will order that app if available! : )

 

[alliecat726]

Tony’s is horrible. I’d avoid it at all cost.

I've heard such mixed reviews about it, wasn't sure--plus we're just looking for drinks and maybe one or two apps... Maybe we'll just stick w/ The Plaza. : ) Thanks for the info!

 

[sharonabe]

Thanks! We're actually eating lunch @ SC so I was looking for another option for HH. Will be 1st time @ SC so we're excited! Will order that app if available! : )

Okay, another idea. Assuming MK is still closing early in Sept, why not wait until then and go to one of the MK resorts for drinks. Poly has some great lounges. Cali Grill has the view.

Neither Tony's or The Plaza scream happy hour and apps to me. Does The Plaza even have apps???

 

[MomOTwins]

Skipper's appetizers are definitely my favorite food wise. Tony's has the little semi-outdoor shaded patio area though which is nice for getting fresh air with masks off. Can't go too wrong with a caprese salad and some fried mozzerella or a flatbread to share, and a glass of wine to wash it down

Plaza has those cheesy fries but not really much else in the way of appetizers.

Okay, another idea. Assuming MK is still closing early in Sept, why not wait until then and go to one of the MK resorts for drinks. Poly has some great lounges. Cali Grill has the view.

Neither Tony's or The Plaza scream happy hour and apps to me. Does The Plaza even have apps???

Currently, to visit one of the MK resorts you have to be a resort guest or have an ADR. Also, Poly lounges are closed except for one of the pool bars (which you need to be a resort guest to access).

 

[jsmla]

I’m only doing outside dining right now and had lunch at Tony’s during the PassHolder Preview. There was a chicken Caesar salad available that I didn’t see on the online menu. I ordered that and two beers.


The pros:
-Service was excellent. I was given a paper menu when I couldn’t do the QR thing. The waiter was friendly and made sure my water glass was kept filled.
-They accepted my AP discount.
-Sitting out on the patio having a cold one while watching the Cavalcade roll past was fantastic.

The cons
The food was, at best, extremely mediocre.



I don’t really go to WDW for the food (I brown bag it a lot in the other parks.) but I do enjoy my adult beverages and have booked Tony’s twice for my September trip.

 

[alliecat726]

Okay, another idea. Assuming MK is still closing early in Sept, why not wait until then and go to one of the MK resorts for drinks. Poly has some great lounges. Cali Grill has the view.

Neither Tony's or The Plaza scream happy hour and apps to me. Does The Plaza even have apps???

So here's the (long) deal... We've never gone to WDW with just the 5 of us in our fam (me, hubby, 3 kids/teens) as we've always gone w/ my inlaws, and they never had stamina to stay in parks past 3:00--so we ALWAYS left parks in afternoon, went back to hotel to rest & shower, & went to dinner @ schmancy resort restaurants--never been inside parks around HH or @ dinnertime.

My FIL passed away recently & the MIL doesn't want to come to WDW, so 1st trip w/ just us 5 & I'm trying to make it special as it'll be hard & a little sad for everyone. We're looking forward to, for the first time, staying in each park til (albeit now earlier) close & eating dinner in the parks. The kids want to go on every single attraction, so we're not planning to leave the park at any point & go back in--just stay inside all day til close. So I'm looking for someplace to take late afternoon break @ each park & MK seems to be the toughest.

We're doing lunch @ Skipper Canteen & dinner @ BOG--looks like only other 3 places that serve drinks are Tony's, Plaza, & Lib Tree (& we're not going there lol). I totally get that MK is the family-centric OG park & didn't even serve alcohol for years, but sure would be nice if they had ONE nice loungey place like the other parks; we're just looking for somewhere to take a late afternoon, less than an hour-long break (take off our masks, sit in a booth in the AC, and get a drink--kids can get NA foo-foos--& possibly some apps/snacks). Choices @ other parks were easy & obvious to figure out, just this MK piece a conundrum. And no, both Tony's & The Plaza have little/lame offerings for appetizers & looks like they only serve wine & beer--hence my elevated interest in what others have to say esp since we've never been to either place.

(I mean, we don't HAVE to have a Happy Hour @ MK, I was just wondering if anyone had enough experience to swing a "mock Happy Hour" there, possibly @ either Tony's or Plaza, & which might be better as I don't know where else to consider. Much appreciate all suggestions & ideas! Maybe after this trip I'll do a post on the best places to Happy Hour in the parks, lol!)

 

[alliecat726]

Skipper's appetizers are definitely my favorite food wise. Tony's has the little semi-outdoor shaded patio area though which is nice for getting fresh air with masks off. Can't go too wrong with a caprese salad and some fried mozzerella or a flatbread to share, and a glass of wine to wash it down

Plaza has those cheesy fries but not really much else in the way of appetizers.



Currently, to visit one of the MK resorts you have to be a resort guest or have an ADR. Also, Poly lounges are closed except for one of the pool bars (which you need to be a resort guest to access).

Well, even though Tony's gets such mixed reviews, it does seem like a better candidate for what I'm trying to do--sounds like it'd be easier to fake a Happy Hour experience @ Tony's w/ the apps & wine you suggest over the Plaza fries... & I'd been envisioning sitting inside in the AC but the shaded patio area sounds nice! Thank you!

 

[alliecat726]

I’m only doing outside dining right now and had lunch at Tony’s during the PassHolder Preview. There was a chicken Caesar salad available that I didn’t see on the online menu. I ordered that and two beers.


The pros:
-Service was excellent. I was given a paper menu when I couldn’t do the QR thing. The waiter was friendly and made sure my water glass was kept filled.
-They accepted my AP discount.
-Sitting out on the patio having a cold one while watching the Cavalcade roll past was fantastic.

The cons
The food was, at best, extremely mediocre.



I don’t really go to WDW for the food (I brown bag it a lot in the other parks.) but I do enjoy my adult beverages and have booked Tony’s twice for my September trip.View attachment 509963

Thank you! : )

 

[sharonabe]

(I mean, we don't HAVE to have a Happy Hour @ MK, I was just wondering if anyone had enough experience to swing a "mock Happy Hour" there, possibly @ either Tony's or Plaza, & which might be better as I don't know where else to consider. Much appreciate all suggestions & ideas! Maybe after this trip I'll do a post on the best places to Happy Hour in the parks, lol!)

Thanks for the added info. Just to make your decision a little harder (HA!), the kids could get banana splits or sundaes at The Plaza instead of some kind of app. Ice Cream for dinner???

 

[alliecat726]

Thanks for the added info. Just to make your decision a little harder (HA!), the kids could get banana splits or sundaes at The Plaza instead of some kind of app. Ice Cream for dinner???

Ha ha! I'm sure they'd love that! I wouldn't even be trying to plan like this if we could just waltz into one of the places on a whim when we're there, but since we have to have an ADR, I have to choose now. If I mention the ice cream, I'm sure I know where we'll end up! : )

 

[MomOTwins]

they only serve wine & beer

Yeah, this is an MK thing--wine, beer and champagne are the only alcohol allowed in MK, so it's just more limite. It's kind of a holdover from when it was a dry park a few years ago. All other parks serve cocktails.

Just realized I never gave recommendations for the other parks. My favorites in the other park for happy hour are:
HS: Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge
AK: Nomad Lounge
EP: usually I just grab a cocktail from one of the World Showcase festival stands, but if I were going to sit down at a TS for drinks, it'd probably be Rose & Crown on their outdoor patio near the water since it is so pretty there.

 

[alliecat726]

Yeah, this is an MK thing--wine, beer and champagne are the only alcohol allowed in MK, so it's just more limite. It's kind of a holdover from when it was a dry park a few years ago. All other parks serve cocktails.

Just realized I never gave recommendations for the other parks. My favorites in the other park for happy hour are:
HS: Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge
AK: Nomad Lounge
EP: usually I just grab a cocktail from one of the World Showcase festival stands, but if I were going to sit down at a TS for drinks, it'd probably be Rose & Crown on their outdoor patio near the water since it is so pretty there.

Thanks! We are actually eating dinner @ Brown Derby & haven't been to HS since Galaxy's Edge opened so we're doing a HH @ Oga's Cantina--but yes are doing Nomad @ AK and R&C @ Epcot--never been to ANY of these places so we're excited! As for MK, I think we're just going to make a 4:00 res @ Tony's & call it a day. Seems to be our only/best option. Will have to "settle" for a glass of vino or a beer and some bread & mozz--okay by me! Thank you again for all the input!! : )