Disney’s Boardwalk has a new hot spot opening on October 1st, the Hurly-Burly! Located in the former JellyRolls building, the Hurly-Burly has a little bit of something for everyone. Even kids can check it out! I got a sneak peek at the Hurly-Burly ahead of its opening, so let’s talk about what’s there and afterwards, what I think!
So, what’s the story behind this new establishment? You know Disney always has a story! The Hurly-Burly Theatre was once home to the BoardWalk’s best vaudeville acts, with headliner Polly Delmar leading a lineup of ocean themed variety shows night after night.
When the theatre closed, the performers left their personal belongings behind, and a lot of those pieces are still there, preserved throughout the space.
Now, nearly a hundred years later, Hurly-Burly is opening its doors again, bringing back that era of big performances and seaside glamour.
The space itself is beautiful and welcoming. Disney Imagineering raised the floor to create one level throughout with tiered seating so guests can get a better view of the stage. The bar area is sleek and classy. Here are a few drinks from the menu-
Mertini – $19
Plymouth Navy Strength Gin, Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambéry, Hella Cocktail Co. Orange Bitters
Cherry-Vodka Limeade – $17
Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Amarena Cherry, Cold-pressed Lime Juice
Road to Fame – $21
Atlantic Coast-inspired Whiskey Sour made with Michter’s Single Barrel Rye Whiskey, Laird’s Straight Applejack Brandy, and Lemon Juice
We got to sample two drinks, the Caramel Corn Old Fashioned – $21.00 and the Overture in Orange – $6.99 (non-alcoholic). Both were very good!
Now, let’s talk food. The Hurly-Burly has a fun menu. We we given a sample of a few dishes-
Oven Roasted Shrimp
Roast Beef Sliders
Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Mini Apple Cider Doughnuts
Everything that I tried was very good! There are more food options available on the menu, here’s a look-
The Hurly-Burly doesn’t just have a great atmosphere with food and drinks, there’s also entertainment. Before 9pm, you can bring your kids inside to play various games. During the evening, it’s all about music with different bands depending on the day. Music like Motown, throwbacks and top 40. We were given performances from these bands, they were all fantastic! They are-
Sia and the Tinpan Alley- Sunday Nights
American Siren, Thursday Nights
Velvet Soul, Tuesday and Saturday Nights
Velvet Neon, Wednesday Nights
Velvet Vanguard, Friday Nights
This may not be the exact schedule and could be subject to change. There was a little bit of confusion on this one. Regardless, there’s fabulous entertainment each night from 9pm to 1am.
Times for the Hurly-Burley are as follows.
11-4 walk up window
4-9 opens inside for everyone
9-1 adults only (bands begin their sets)
Now that you have all the information and details, let me give you my honest opinion. The Hurly-Burly is impressive. I truly didn’t know what to expect, but I left pleasantly surprised. The inside of the Hurly-Burly is colorful and beautiful. The space is great, imagineering did a fantastic job. When it comes to the food, I like that the offerings aren’t too fancy. What do I mean by that? Picky eaters like myself definitely will have something on the menu that they can order and be happy with. They have simple things like pretzels with cheese and apple cider donuts with caramel. They even have a little dessert tray for kids. Love it!
Let’s talk drinks. It seems as though a lot of thought went into crafting the cocktails for the Hurly-Burly. The two drinks that we tried, one with alcohol one without, were great. The caramel old fashioned was not only very strong, but a bit pricey at $21. All of the specialty mixed drinks are $18 or higher. Yes, I realize that it’s not cheap to get drinks at Disney, I was just a little surprised. Of course, you can always get beer and wine, which is on the menu. I do prefer a cocktail, if you do too, just keep in mind the prices.
I cannot say enough good things about the entertainment. Every band that we saw play and perform were absolutely fantastic. You could go any night of the week and be happy with whoever is playing. They are all top notch truly, very impressive! All of these talented folks truly make the Hurly-Burly even better than it already is.
Parking to go to the Hurly-Burly is the tricky part. As most know, you cannot park at a resort unless you are staying there. Disney has gotten extremely strict on this policy, it can be frustrating at times, especially during the holidays. Even if you just want to visit to see decorations and such, it’s a hard no. That being said, if you’re not staying on the Boardwalk, you’ll have to go to Epcot or Hollywood Studios to get to the Hurly-Burly. Keep in mind, the parks close usually by 9:30, parking lots close not long afterward. Disney transportation, like the Skyliner, shuts down 60 to 90 minutes after the parks close. The Hurly-Burly is open to 1am. I’m not sure what the answer is there, other than staying at resorts in that vicinity.
Disney needs some night life, that’s for sure. Granted, I don’t think we will ever get back to something along the lines of Pleasure Island, but I digress. I can see the Hurly-Burly filling up some of that void for nighttime entertainment. The food is good, the entertainment and atmosphere is amazing, AND they’re open until 1am! Not everyone is ready to go to bed early on vacation, they may want to find a place to let loose and hang out for a bit. I think that the Hurly-Burly just may be the place. I mean, even as we were leaving, I was talking with my colleagues about getting a group of us to come back when they open. So the general consensus all around, it’s a good new spot!
The Hurly-Burly opens to the public on October 1st — definitely add it to your list for your next trip. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. I know I was.
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