Whether it’s stiflingly hot out or pouring rain the weather right now is unpredictable and unwelcoming. It can still be beautiful though and sometimes you just need to get outside. This past Wednesday after work, my fiance and I decided to go for a drink by the water. We headed to Dockside Margaritas at Disney Springs.
We made the drive over to Disney Springs and parked for free. The closest garage to Dockside Margaritas is the new Grapefruit garage. You will have to walk a little way on the overpass, but the walkway ends right by Dockside. The bar is located by the water in the Marketplace area of Springs near Disney’s Tren-D store.
The bar is themed to look like a citrus fruit stand, but it’s really a waterfront bar setting. All of the seating is outdoors and consists of a variety of patio furniture and bar stools set up on a deck. There is a wood covering over it with string lights to make you feel like you’re in someone’s backyard. Some the of tables and seating have umbrellas for protection from the sun. Only a few stools directly at the back counter of the bar are always covered though and offer protection from the rain. The bar offers beautiful views of the water and the Rainforest Cafe volcano across the water.
Dockside Margaritas is a full bar offering bottled and draft beer, wine, liquor, and even frozen margaritas. The frozen portion of the drinks are premixed, but all other cocktails are made to order. There is also often a special themed cocktail of the month such as the current Imagination Pink Punch. The drink menu has 6 margaritas on it, with the most expensive coming in at $15.25. There is also a Featured Margarita that can change so you have to ask about it. They have four drafts and one of these is usually Bud Light, but there is always a seasonal and or local craft beer on draft that is worth checking out. They also have five or six canned beers including White Claw and a hard cider. When it’s a little busier, there is a server who will bring drinks to you when you are seated on the patio furniture not directly at the bar. There aren’t any food options available at the bar itself, but the Marketplace Snacks food stand is very close by or you can order your drinks to go.
When we arrived it was about 8 pm and the sun was still setting. There was no line, so we stepped right up to the counter and ordered. I ordered a 20oz Heavy Seas TropiCannon Citrus IPA, which is one of the seasonal draft beers offered. The citrus and hoppy flavor combination are perfect for the summer. The beer cost about $10 before tip and although Annual Passholders don’t get a discount, cast members now do at this location. This is important as it is a new policy and I’ve never heard of any discounts on alcohol at Disney before.
We decided to sit at the back of the main bar, as it looked like it was going to storm. Before the rain started there was a musician playing some laid back covers amongst the patio furniture. The music wasn’t overpowering, but you will definitely hear it as it’s pumped through the speakers around the bar. The rain ended up coming down, but we were well protected and enjoyed watching it. While it was raining there was no one playing music at the bar or nearby stage so it was fairly quiet. We sat and talked while we watched the storm. After about 40 minutes the rain had stopped and we went for a walk before heading to the car.
We’ve been to Dockside Margaritas a number of times and it’s always fun and laid back. The view facing the water is beautiful if it’s not too hot out. At night the string lights make for a patio party environment. There’s almost always a musician playing something laid back or beachy, but of course, they can be hit or miss. The only real issue with this spot is that the music from the nearby stage can be clearly heard as well as the music playing at the bar. This can cause an uncomfortable experience with two songs playing at once. Make sure to choose a seat far away from the stage that’s also on the water or you can take your drink to go if this situation arises. I recommend Dockside Margaritas for anyone looking for a drink in a laid back outdoor atmosphere during the day or night.