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GEO-82

  • Thread starter Thread starter SeventyOne
  • Start date Start date Thursday at 8:30 AM
SeventyOne

SeventyOne

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  • Thursday at 8:30 AM
  • #1
EPCOT lifestyler that I am, went on opening day to GEO-82, the new adults-only, reservation only bar in Spaceship Earth.

Getting in was a chore. Weren't seated until 30 minutes after our ADR time. Which basically means a half hour in the rotting carcass of Project Tomorrow. Broken games, horrible indoor pool smell, constant beeping. At least it's shelter from the rain and minimally air-conditioned.

Once admitted, we took the elevator up, only to wait 15 more minutes in the upstairs lobby. But I won't complain about that, the space, and the bar itself, are stunning. The geosphere motifs are omnipresent, yet somehow still subtle and refined. Closest analogy would be Top of the World at opening. Staff is impeccably dressed doing their best to offer 5-star service. E.g., when you step off the elevator, you're offered a cool towel from a tray, just like Below Decks. The bar itself also has a wonderful panoramic view of the new Future World gardens and the iconic pavilion buildings.

It's an amazing space--yes, made better by the lack of kids. But ... there's a weird incongruence between all the formality (staff are in ties, silverware is tiny and fancy) and the fact 90% of the guests are wearing t-shirts and mouse ears. I'm not a fan of dress codes in theme parks, but it still feels off, maybe "cheapened" is the word? I get similar vibes from Nomad Lounge but this is even more fancy. Obviously a YMMMV situation but I couldn't get over the strangeness of it.

Had the flatbread, it was delicious. Elevated enough to justify the $15 price (at least with the Disney premium). But the drinks, at almost $30, were not good. My browned butter old fashioned was too sweet. And yeah, an old-fashioned should be a little sweet, but this was cloying. Like drinking a whiskey and Mrs Butterworths. My wife, a vodka girlie, went for the most approachable drink on the menu--a coconut and strawberry rum cocktail, I tasted neither fruit, both just overwhelmed by the aged rum. It was a struggle for her to finish it; the lady next to us said she ordered it for the same reason, and hated it as well. The drink menu is trying too hard, and yet still not succeeding. (I want to stress it is a full bar, you can order anything--but where's the fun in that? No idea how those prices are.) FWIW, service was great, if a little slow. Definitely trying for fine dining vibes--which again, seems out of place.

In the end, cancelled our second ADR this weekend. I love the space, but the obscene prices and the hoops to jump through to get in put a damper on my enthusiasm. I really wish it was the kind of place you could wander in and get a standard cocktail, but that is just not the Disney way.
 
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UniversalRBLX

UniversalRBLX

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  • Thursday at 9:59 AM
  • #2
Thanks for the review! I already think $18 for a drink is rough, and $28 for an old fashioned is silly. I love the idea of more lounges/places to chill at the parks, but these prices make it less appealing... which might be the intention (only draw the big spenders).

I think there is a place for "fine" experiences within theme parks (Tiffins, Atlantic, Brown Derby, etc.) but I'd also love for them to add more Trader Sams style places - lively bars & lounges with entertainment and unique experiences. They had a hit with Trader Sams & Docking Bay... and they kind of just stopped.
 
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Jake S

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  • Thursday at 10:27 AM
  • #3
UniversalRBLX said:
I'd also love for them to add more Trader Sams style places - lively bars & lounges with entertainment and unique experiences. They had a hit with Trader Sams & Docking Bay... and they kind of just stopped.
Click to expand...
i’ll co-sign this open letter to josh d’amaro. themed food/drink spots is a huge part of what makes going to these expensive theme parks so enjoyable.
 
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Skipper Justin

Skipper Justin

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  • Saturday at 7:19 PM
  • #4
The drink prices here are wild. Recently ate at Atlantic and the prices were more reasonable than this lounge.
 
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T

Tobias

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  • Saturday at 8:01 PM
  • #5
UniversalRBLX said:
I think there is a place for "fine" experiences within theme parks (Tiffins, Atlantic, Brown Derby, etc.) but I'd also love for them to add more Trader Sams style places - lively bars & lounges with entertainment and unique experiences. They had a hit with Trader Sams & Docking Bay... and they kind of just stopped.
Click to expand...

Jake S said:
i’ll co-sign this open letter to josh d’amaro. themed food/drink spots is a huge part of what makes going to these expensive theme parks so enjoyable.
Click to expand...

The Beak and Barrel opening later this year in MK might help with that, me thinks.
 
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belloq87

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  • Saturday at 9:37 PM
  • #6
I was very impressed with the photos of the interior... and then I saw the menu (and prices).

I will never go here!

And that's kind of a shame, because it looks like the design team did very fine work. But I just can't justify spending $25 - $30 on cocktails when I can go to any number of nice establishments near me and get great, well-crafted drinks for half that price (at most).
 
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SeventyOne

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  • Sunday at 10:57 AM
  • #7
Skipper Justin said:
The drink prices here are wild. Recently ate at Atlantic and the prices were more reasonable than this lounge.
Click to expand...
It's doubly strange because the food prices are reasonable for a high-end resort experience. The flatbread was half the price of my drink. Yeah, the charcuterie is $29, but it's large enough for 2 or 3, and looked fancy as hell. I don't know how spendy the off-menu regular drinks are, but the specialty cocktails that they push so heavily are ridiculously priced.
 
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Jake S

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  • Sunday at 11:46 AM
  • #8
I assume the drinks are that expensive to keep people from hanging out and having five drinks. I’ll show them!!
 
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Clive

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  • Sunday at 12:54 PM
  • #9
$28 for an old fashioned? In Orlando? Excuse me?
 
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OrlandoGuy

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  • Sunday at 6:25 PM
  • #10
SeventyOne said:
It's doubly strange because the food prices are reasonable for a high-end resort experience. The flatbread was half the price of my drink. Yeah, the charcuterie is $29, but it's large enough for 2 or 3, and looked fancy as hell. I don't know how spendy the off-menu regular drinks are, but the specialty cocktails that they push so heavily are ridiculously priced.
Click to expand...
It’s a disturbing trend that’s been cropping up in the new “experience economy.” Now that materials are out of style, what’s a materialist to do? Post their expensive experiences on Instagram for their friends in the same tight knit community to see.
 
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Clive

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  • Sunday at 7:31 PM
  • #11
Just for comparison's sake, craft/specialty cocktails at Carthay Circle Lounge/Restaurant at Disneyland - which is located in a state where these drinks are regularly $18 - top out at $22. Carthay offers a similar level of high-end service, with servers at the restaurant folding and placing the napkins on you each time you sit down. (To @SeventyOne's point, it also feels like it should have a dress code, but doesn't.)
 
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SeventyOne

SeventyOne

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  • Sunday at 8:18 PM
  • #12
Clive said:
Just for comparison's sake, craft/specialty cocktails at Carthay Circle Lounge/Restaurant at Disneyland - which is located in a state where these drinks are regularly $18 - top out at $22. Carthay offers a similar level of high-end service, with servers at the restaurant folding and placing the napkins on you each time you sit down. (To @SeventyOne's point, it also feels like it should have a dress code, but doesn't.)
Click to expand...
Been to both (admittedly close to a decade ago for Carthay) and I'd easily give the edge to Anaheim for the "fancier" bar. Given LA pricing in general, that is insane.
 
Mad Dog

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  • Sunday at 10:50 PM
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Guess they want to keep the riff raff out, namely anyone making less than $500,000 a year. ;) :cool:
 
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UniversalRBLX

UniversalRBLX

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  • Yesterday at 8:43 AM
  • #14
I'd be ok with this lounge being the pricier option if they added a higher capacity & somewhat affordable choice? I think themed and entertaining lounge spaces within the parks is something guests want... they just haven't done a good one yet. I'm optimistic about Bleak & Barrel, and hoping UOR gets into that space as well (not a fan of how Burning Blade turned out interior-wise operationally
 
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HandsomePete

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  • Yesterday at 5:25 PM
  • #15
Clive said:
Just for comparison's sake, craft/specialty cocktails at Carthay Circle Lounge/Restaurant at Disneyland - which is located in a state where these drinks are regularly $18 - top out at $22. Carthay offers a similar level of high-end service, with servers at the restaurant folding and placing the napkins on you each time you sit down. (To @SeventyOne's point, it also feels like it should have a dress code, but doesn't.)
Click to expand...
The old fashioned on the Geo-82 menu ($28) is Woodford Double Oaked while the one at Carthay Circle ($21) is standard Woodford. The price of a bottle of the former is almost twice that of the latter.

I suspect you can order equivalent drinks with lower quality liquor, they’re just shooting for the moon with the “speciality” menu.
 
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Evan

Evan

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  • Yesterday at 5:30 PM
  • #16
HandsomePete said:
The old fashioned on the Geo-82 menu ($28) is Woodford Double Oaked while the one at Carthay Circle ($21) is standard Woodford. The price of a bottle of the former is almost twice that of the latter.

I suspect you can order equivalent drinks with lower quality liquor, they’re just shooting for the moon with the “speciality” menu.
Click to expand...

Yes. Geo-82 is using pretty much all very high end, top shelf liquors. Also many infused or distilled.

Now whether that remains long term, who knows.
 
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Clive

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  • Yesterday at 5:35 PM
  • #17
HandsomePete said:
The old fashioned on the Geo-82 menu ($28) is Woodford Double Oaked while the one at Carthay Circle ($21) is standard Woodford. The price of a bottle of the former is almost twice that of the latter.

I suspect you can order equivalent drinks with lower quality liquor, they’re just shooting for the moon with the “speciality” menu.
Click to expand...

Helpful context, thank you. I still think it's a bizarre choice that misunderstands who will likely be the core audience for this thing, though it does signal WDW's continuing (and embarrassing) desire to cater to the 1% without offering the level of service that sort of individual would expect.
 
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ThemeParks4Life

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  • Yesterday at 6:44 PM
  • #18
HandsomePete said:
The old fashioned on the Geo-82 menu ($28) is Woodford Double Oaked while the one at Carthay Circle ($21) is standard Woodford. The price of a bottle of the former is almost twice that of the latter.

I suspect you can order equivalent drinks with lower quality liquor, they’re just shooting for the moon with the “speciality” menu.
Click to expand...
On the flip side, $21 at DCA sounds ok given their alcohol prices compared to Florida :no_mouth:
 
UniversalRBLX

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  • Yesterday at 7:48 PM
  • #19
Clive said:
Helpful context, thank you. I still think it's a bizarre choice that misunderstands who will likely be the core audience for this thing, though it does signal WDW's continuing (and embarrassing) desire to cater to the 1% without offering the level of service that sort of individual would expect.
Click to expand...
I think Disney realized they needed to clawback the idea of chasing only the "whales" with lots of cash to spend at WDW. It's pretty evident that theme parks are meant for the masses, not a premium experience.

We should expect them to offer more variety in their offerings (including premium offerings like Geo), but I think they learned a valuable lesson.
 
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