With regards to Walt Disney World eating places that we’ll revisit time and again, Wailulu Bar & Grill within the Island Tower is our new #1 private favourite family-friendly lounge. Which is exactly why we wished to drop in with a fast “heads up” that this eating hotspot will quickly begin a refurbishment (presumably unplanned?) that’s slated to run by way of June 2026.
Wailulu Bar & Grill will get its identify from the Hawaiian phrases wai and lulu. Fittingly, this calm waterfront restaurant boasts breathtaking views of the Seven Seas Lagoon and Magic Kingdom off within the distance. You may see Cinderella Fortress and boat visitors alongside the water, and listen to the practice whistle off within the distance.
If you happen to dine right here on the proper time, the lounge gives prime views of the Fortunately Ever After fireworks and Electrical Water Pageant. Wailulu additionally advantages from a cool breeze coming off the water, and the peak of the hideous Island Tower blocks out the late afternoon solar. Paradoxically, the resort it calls house is the antithesis of what makes Disney, Disney; in the meantime, the lounge epitomizes the magic of the Trip Kingdom.
We’d all the time strongly suggest doing dinner at Wailulu Bar & Grill for the above-mentioned causes, but it surely quickly is likely to be obligatory. That’s as a result of there’s a refurbishment beginning ASAP that’s going to take a sit-down lunch off the desk (possibly). Right here’s the warning that Walt Disney World has posted:
From April 23 by way of late June, updates shall be made to the outside roofing at Wailulu Bar & Grill within the Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Wailulu Bar & Grill will stay open for service throughout the work. Every day from open till 5 p.m., the bar will supply walk-up service solely, and seating shall be unavailable. Seating will resume from 5 p.m. to shut. Whereas development exercise shall be noticeable throughout daytime hours, efforts shall be made to reduce disruptions.
We’ve already heard from a few confused friends about this, so let’s break down what we expect is impacted…
As you would possibly recall, Wailulu Bar & Grill started providing Advance Eating Reservations (ADRs) again in December. Stroll-Up Waitlist will nonetheless be accessible, as it’s for each restaurant, however reservations are extremely really useful.
Wailulu Bar & Grill is among the many hottest ADRs at Walt Disney World, and Stroll-Up Waitlist is likely to be disabled when demand is excessive (as is the case for different fashionable eating places).
Thus far, there is just one (1) date within the subsequent 60 that’s at the moment providing ADRs for a celebration of 1 or 2. That is nearly actually synthetic throttling, however that’s a unique subject for a unique publish.
For our functions, I can swap to a celebration of three and–like magic–there’s extensive open availability in April, Could and early June 2026. “Humorous” how that works. (Simply downright hilarious–proper, solo vacationers and {couples}?!)
That is related as a result of, at current, there are tons of time slots (for a celebration of three) accessible at Wailulu Bar & Grill earlier than 5 pm (in actual fact, it’s largely ADRs earlier than 5 pm) between now and early June 2026. Have a look:
It doesn’t matter what date vary I search, there are alternatives for lunch at Wailulu Bar & Grill. That doesn’t make sense if the situation received’t be seating friends and is walk-up solely.
It’s doable that that is an error. That that is actually unplanned upkeep (and I assume it’s since Island Tower continues to be fairly new and shouldn’t want routine upkeep already), and the ADR system hasn’t but been up to date to replicate scheduling.
However return and browse the bulletin once more. It particularly mentions the bar being unavailable for seating, and never the “And Grill.” That is needlessly complicated, particularly since Disney largely refers to Wailulu as a singular location (Wailulu Bar & Grill versus Wailulu Bar…and Wailulu Grill), however that’s my principle. That the bar, which is all the time walk-up, is all that’s impacted. The “And Grill” will function as regular, with seating and ADRs all through the day.
After all, this principle may very properly be unsuitable. Wailulu Bar and Wailulu Grill are each underneath the identical roof, no less than with regards to the out of doors seating. They’re actually separated by like 10 ft, so it will be curious if one is impacted however the different isn’t.
One other chance is that Wailulu Bar & Grill solely fills a sure variety of tables per day by way of ADRs, with the remaining put aside for Stroll-Up Waitlist, and that quantity will be accommodated by the indoor seating (maybe there needs to be a 3rd identify for this: Wailulu Eating Room).
Wailulu having indoor-only seating for lunch from now by way of June 2026 can be believable, and makes all the above simpler to reconcile because the indoor eating room has its personal roof.
A ultimate wildcard that we can’t fully dominated out is that this warning was posted for the unsuitable restaurant. As you would possibly’ve learn lately in New Closures & Development Alerts at Polynesian Village Resort, there’s loads of work being executed across the Nice Ceremonial Home on the Poly.
Wailulu isn’t anyplace close to that–it’s within the new Island Tower–but it surely’s doable somebody messed that up. I’m skeptical of that–the refurbishment warning has a bit an excessive amount of specificity for that (and in a manner that differs from the Poly bulletins), but it surely wouldn’t be the primary, second, or thirtieth time one among these notices was unsuitable. We can’t rule out something at this level.
The easiest way to not fear about any of that is by merely doing what we’ve really useful because the starting: making a sundown Advance Eating Reservation for Wailulu Bar & Grill, sitting outdoors, and having fun with day flip to nighttime over the Seven Seas Lagoon and Magic Kingdom. That is the optimum manner of having fun with Wailulu Bar and/or Wailulu Grill. And it’s additionally the way in which renders all the above moot, as a result of sundown is after 5 pm between now and June.
We love Wailulu Bar & Grill a lot that we’ve truly added it to our Listing of the 26 Greatest Eating places at Walt Disney World in 2026. Since addition doesn’t happen with out subtraction, we made the doubtless controversial choice to bump California Grill from this checklist in favor of Wailulu Grill!
Like California Grill, this restaurant boasts breathtaking views (see above) and unmatched environment. Each even have “Grill” within the identify and are situated alongside the monorail loop. In nearly each different manner, the 2 grills are completely different.
Not like California Grill, the menu at Wailulu Grill gives nice worth for cash and the meals is constantly scrumptious. No, it’s not nice eating, however then once more, California Grill arguably isn’t both–even when it rests on its popularity as such. Wailulu Bar & Grill earns a simple and enthusiastic advice for being a wonderful and inexpensive family-friendly possibility.
Wailulu Grill is yet one more game-changer for Walt Disney World, belonging at or close to the highest of lists for greatest fireworks views, greatest bars & lounges, greatest burgers, greatest environment, and extra. This entire publish concerning the refurbishment ‘warning’ is likely to be a thinly-veiled excuse to publish about Wailulu once more, doing the essential (and selfless!) public service of bringing this great place to your consideration, and (right here comes the egocentric half) justifying our future meals at Wailulu Grill.
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Your Ideas
What’s your favourite principle on the Wailulu Bar and/or Wailulu Grill refurbishment? Have you ever dined at Wailulu Bar & Grill? Is it deserving of the hype and enthusiastic advice? Will you be making an attempt to dine at Wailulu Bar & Grill throughout your subsequent Walt Disney World trip? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
