The Enchanted Rose is one of the newer lounges at Walt Disney World, located on the 2nd floor of the Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort lobby. Like the name suggests, the lounge is themed after Disney’s Beauty and the Beast with three distinct areas decorated with subtle nods to the 2017 live-action film.
The Enchanted Rose offers signature cocktails, champagne, and select appetizers, making it a great spot to continue on your “Monorail crawl.” The lounge recently began offering walk-up availability in the My Disney Experience app which is how we were seated on our recent DIS Unlimited Happy Hour.
Despite using the process to make a walk-up reservation and waiting briefly, Ryno and I were sat at the bar pictured above. This truly is a beautiful space with deep blue walls, a marble bar top, and gold chandelier mimicking Belle’s dress. Just keep in mind it is pretty loud in this portion of the lounge.
To the right of the bar is the Enchanted Forest section with murals from the animated classic and crystal chandeliers themed to branches in the forest. You can exit the lounge here to sit at the outside patio which fits the aesthetic of the Grand Floridian.
The largest section of the Enchanted Rose is not connected to the others and is themed to Beast’s Castle. Here you can find the actual enchanted rose and familiar characters like Lumiere and Cogsworth.
There is also overflow seating looking down into the Grand Floridian lobby. You would still need to join the walk-up list for this area. This would be my choice of seating during the holiday season to enjoy the smell of the Grand Gingerbread House and the nearly 40-foot-tall Christmas tree.
On to the featured cocktails! Ryno and I both decided to choose a drink from the list; however, there is also a page for signature martinis. Perhaps for the “martini moms” like myself.
Floral Bitter Beauty – Hendrick’s Gin, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Campari Liqueur, Aperol Liqueur, lemon, and soda for $18.
The presentation was decent with the layering of the cocktail and garnish. I did stir the drink before enjoying and was surprised how little the bitterness came through. I really thought I would get more from the Aperol and Campari. I was also disappointed that the floral component from the gin was also missing. The soda and the lemon came through more than the other flavors, making it a not very well-balanced cocktail. While the ingredients were intriguing, I would not order this one again.
Garden Daisy – Don Julio Resposado Tequila, Midori Liqueur, lime, and cucumber for $20.
We were both surprised when Ryno’s drink came out in a coup glass and not like the one pictured in the menu with the ice sphere. However, this would be more of a traditional Daisy cocktail and the sugar rim with the flower petals was a nice touch. Other than that, this was just an okay drink. Just like mine, there were flavors missing. Ryno got little from the Midori and the cucumber which normally has a strong flavor profile.
House-Made Truffle Fries – Black truffle, aged parmesan, served with truffle aioli for $14.50.
I’ve previously enjoyed these truffle fries but since then, the portion size has drastically changed. Ironically, there was plenty of the truffle aioli which was the star of the dish with plenty of truffle flavor. Even though it should have come with more fries, they were both limp and had a burnt oil taste.
Overall, we were DISenchanted with the Enchanted Rose and don’t have plans to go back. Next time I would opt for the Citricos Lounge (which I’ve had a good experience at) or just skip the Grand Floridian on my next “Monorail crawl.” The Enchanted Rose seems to be somewhat divisive, so be sure to let us know in the comments what your experience has been. You can also watch our full review here. Until the next DIS Unlimited Happy Hour, cheers!
