Hurly-Burly officially opens at Disney’s BoardWalk on October 1, and I’m genuinely impressed by how quickly this new addition has come together.
It wasn’t that long ago that Disney revealed plans to transform the former Jellyrolls space, and now we already have an opening date, a full food and beverage menu, and a much better idea of what Hurly-Burly will actually bring to the BoardWalk. Rather than simply becoming another nighttime lounge, the new venue is shaping up to be an all-purpose entertainment space that changes throughout the day.
And perhaps most importantly for those of us who spend a lot of time around Crescent Lake, it gives Disney Vacation Club Members another place to grab food, drinks, and entertainment without ever having to leave the BoardWalk.
Hurly-Burly Opens at Disney’s BoardWalk on October 1
Disney describes Hurly-Burly as a historic seaside theater that was once home to some of the BoardWalk’s celebrated vaudeville performers. The fictional backstory fits naturally into a resort that has always pulled its inspiration from the great turn-of-the-century beach destinations of the Northeast.
That connection is a big part of why I’m looking forward to seeing the finished space. Amy and I grew up traveling to the Jersey Shore and places like Wildwood and Cape May.
Disney’s BoardWalk has always borrowed from places like Atlantic City, the old Jersey Shore boardwalks, and the grand seaside resorts that helped define destinations such as Cape May. There is a nostalgia baked into the entire resort. You have the architecture, the waterfront games, the lights reflecting across Crescent Lake, and a collection of little details intended to make the area feel as though it has been entertaining vacationers for generations.
During the afternoon, the venue will host trivia, games, and other activities designed for the entire family. Then, beginning at 9 p.m., Hurly-Burly becomes a live music venue exclusively for guests ages 21 and older.
More Than a Replacement for Jellyrolls
There will understandably be comparisons between Hurly-Burly and Jellyrolls. Jellyrolls had a devoted following, and losing the dueling piano bar was a significant change to the nighttime personality of Disney’s BoardWalk.
But Disney appears to be trying something broader here.
Instead of creating a venue with essentially one identity, Hurly-Burly can serve several different audiences over the course of a day. A family staying at Disney’s BoardWalk Villas could potentially stop in during the afternoon for trivia and a snack, while adults could return later that evening for cocktails and live music.
That flexibility could make Hurly-Burly useful to far more BoardWalk guests than the space was previously.
It also continues something I’ve been hoping to see around the resort: more reasons to actually spend time on the BoardWalk itself.
For DVC Members staying at BoardWalk Villas, Beach Club Villas, or even within walking distance at the EPCOT-area resorts, having another casual destination for food and entertainment is a welcome addition. Not every evening needs to involve a theme park reservation, a major table-service dinner, or transportation somewhere else on property.
Sometimes you just want to walk downstairs and see what is happening.
The Hurly-Burly Menu Brings More Food to Disney’s BoardWalk
The entertainment concept is interesting, but I may be equally excited about the food.
Hurly-Burly is focusing primarily on shareable appetizers and small plates, including meatballs, antipasto, mini pretzels, shrimp, roast beef sliders, tomato pie, and apple cider doughnuts.
And there are already a few items jumping out at me.
The Tomato Pie Might Be My First Order
At the top of my list is the Tomato Pie, made with focaccia, tomato sauce, oregano, and Pecorino Romano.
Tomato pie is one of those foods that sounds incredibly simple until you have a really good one. When the bread, sauce, seasoning, and cheese are all right, you really don’t need much else.
It also feels perfectly at home with the BoardWalk theme.
There is something about tomato pie and old East Coast boardwalk culture that simply works together, and I’m very curious to see Disney’s interpretation. A plant-based version will also be available upon request.
If I’m sitting inside Hurly-Burly with a drink and ordering a few things for the table, this is probably where I’m starting.
Roast Beef, Horseradish, and Slider Rolls? Sold.
Another immediate contender is the Roast Beef Sliders, featuring shaved roast beef with horseradish-mustard sour cream on slider rolls.
Anything involving horseradish immediately gets my attention.
The combination sounds like exactly what a lounge menu should do well: familiar enough that almost everyone knows what they’re getting, but with enough flavor to make it interesting.
These also seem built for sharing, although I make no promises once the plate actually arrives.
Apple Cider Doughnuts Bring Some Serious Fall Energy
Then we get to the Mini Apple Cider Doughnuts with miso-caramel sauce.
Put the words “apple cider” and “doughnuts” in the same sentence, and you already have me.
The photos make these look like fantastic little doughnut bites, and the miso-caramel sauce could add just enough saltiness to keep them from becoming overly sweet.
What is particularly interesting is how much of this menu seems to be leaning into fall.
Disney hasn’t indicated that these offerings are seasonal, so this could simply be the permanent opening menu. Still, between apple cider doughnuts, caramel corn, bourbon, and some of the richer savory offerings, there is definitely an autumn feeling running through several of these selections.
That raises an interesting question: Will Hurly-Burly eventually rotate portions of its menu seasonally?
We don’t know yet, but this certainly feels like a location where seasonal drinks and small bites would make a lot of sense.
Caramel Corn Cold Brew Continues the Fall Theme
The seasonal feeling becomes even stronger once you reach the non-alcoholic beverages.
The Caramel Corn Cold Brew combines Joffrey’s Cold Brew Coffee with caramel sweet cream and caramel popcorn.
Caramel popcorn on top of cold brew feels just weird enough that I need to try it.
It also sounds like a drink designed specifically for wandering Disney’s BoardWalk on an October evening, which leads to another feature of Hurly-Burly that could prove surprisingly popular.
Select drinks will be available from a walk-up window.
That means you won’t necessarily have to make Hurly-Burly your destination for the evening. You can grab something and continue walking around Crescent Lake, head toward EPCOT, or simply enjoy the atmosphere along the BoardWalk.
For Members who stay in this area regularly, that convenience might become one of the best parts of the new location.
Other non-alcoholic specialty drinks include the Overture in Orange, a frozen orange drink topped with sweet cream, and the Cherry Marquee, made with lemonade and Amarena cherries.
And Then There’s the Caramel Corn Old Fashioned
If the Caramel Corn Cold Brew is the daytime version of this idea, the Caramel Corn Old Fashioned seems like its evening counterpart.
The cocktail features Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon, caramel corn, and The Bitter Truth Decanter Bitters, and it will also be available at the walk-up window.
Again, it’s hard not to pick up on the fall inspiration here.
Bourbon and caramel corn while walking around Disney’s BoardWalk in October sounds like a pretty good combination.
The cocktail menu is considerably larger than that one drink, with options ranging from a spicy margarita-style La Taquilla Picante to the gin-based Mertini, an Overproof Amaretto Sour, the rye-and-applejack Road to Fame, and several additional specialty cocktails.
There will also be wine, beer, cider, and hard seltzer.
Those selections are fairly traditional compared with the specialty drinks, but that may actually be a strength. If one person wants to experiment with a caramel corn Old Fashioned while someone else simply wants a glass of Chardonnay or an Allagash White, everyone should have an option.
What You Need to Know About Hurly-Burly
- Opening Date: October 1
- Location: Disney’s BoardWalk in the former Jellyrolls space
- Afternoons: Family-friendly trivia, games, and activities
- After 9 p.m.: Live music for guests ages 21 and older
- Food: Small plates and shareable bites
- Drinks: Specialty cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, wine, beer, cider, and hard seltzer
- Walk-Up Window: Select beverages will be available without entering the venue
- Reservations: Hurly-Burly will be walk-up only, with no reservations required
Hurly-Burly Could Be Exactly What Disney’s BoardWalk Needs
More than anything, I’m excited to see another piece of Disney’s BoardWalk coming back to life.
The BoardWalk has always been at its best when there is a reason to linger. You should be able to finish dinner, hear music coming from somewhere nearby, grab a drink, stumble across some entertainment, and decide that maybe you aren’t quite ready to head back to your room yet.
Hurly-Burly has the potential to add some of that spontaneity back into the area.
I also appreciate that Disney isn’t treating the former Jellyrolls location strictly as another bar. By opening the venue to families during the afternoon before transitioning to a 21-and-over live music experience at night, Hurly-Burly should get significantly more use throughout the day.
Add a surprisingly interesting menu and a walk-up beverage window, and this may become one of those BoardWalk locations we visit much more frequently than expected.
Personally, I already know my opening order: tomato pie, roast beef sliders, apple cider doughnuts, and probably something involving caramel corn.
Hurly-Burly opens October 1 at Disney’s BoardWalk, and we can’t wait to step inside, explore the reimagined space, and see how it fits into the next chapter of the BoardWalk.
And, of course, we’ll be sharing it all with the DVC Fan community.
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