New Walk-Up Option For Geo-82 and Beak & Barrel: Less Reservation Hassle For UK Visitors

Getting a table at Walt Disney World's newest atmospheric lounge hotspots, Beak and Barrel and Geo-82 has felt nearly impossible since they opened last year. But an update to the My Disney Experience app is changing that from now on, and while having a walk-up list is not going to guarantee the experience, it does mean you’ve got a better chance of getting in. This is effectively giving UK visitors more opportunity to experience these two in-park bar lounges, with a hassle-free walk-up option as well as a reservation option.

Beak & Barrel and Geo-82 Lounges: Differences To Note

Disney’s two most popular in-park lounges no longer need reservations and can be booked in the My Disney Experience app on the day using the walk-up list option:

While advanced dining reservations for these lounges are now not needed, if they are on your trip bucket list, it’s still worth trying to get one.

How UK dining planning is affected?

UK visitors heading to Disney World who wanted to experience Beak and Barrel or Geo-82 previously needed to secure an Advanced Dining Reservation (ADR). This meant 60 days before your holiday, you’d need to log on, pick a date and time and book a reservation, if you could get one. It has been incredibly difficult, although availability has been much better the last few months.

Now, UK visitors don’t need to plan for reservations at these locations, although a walk-up list being available does not guarantee the experience if you don’t have the reservation. It just means that you can join it and if the availability is there, you’ll get in without any planning hassle.

Here’s exactly how it changes UK visitors planning for both dining experiences and park days:

• ADR are not needed to experience Beak and Barrel or Geo-82; you can now decide to try and grab a drink and a snack in these locations on the day, allowing for a bit more spontaneity

• Reduces the number of dining reservations you need to make and the amount of planning you need to do before your holiday if this is a happy-to-do, not must-do experience.

• Last minute cancellations 2 hours before from visitors with reservations will now be used up by the walk-up list so if the parks get quieter, and you want to give it a try, pop your name on the wait list.

• With less rigid itineraries before the holiday, you have more time to enjoy the parks and tour depending on how you feel, whether that’s recovering from the time-difference, or the 20,000 steps a day impact. You can add an extra stop in at one of these bar lounges with the walk-up list feature.

• Book other hard to get dining options before these options.

What’s a walk-up list; how do you use it?

Disney’s World’s walk-up list is effectively like a virtual queue for dining and drinks locations, but it’s based on daily capacity. This means that if there are free tables and space, the location will fill them up using the walk-up list. Both Beak and Barrel and Geo-82 now have this walk-up option, as you can see in the picture below. this means you just click, add your party details, and wait to get a notification your table is ready.

Here’s a step-by-step of how to get that walk-up lounge reservation:

1. Ensure your location services are turned on and you are at Disney World (and not looking from home in the UK)

2. Open the My Disney Experience app and search for either Beak & Barrel or GEO-82.

3. Tap Join Walk-Up List.

4. Enjoy the rest of the park until you receive a push notification that your party is ready to be seated.

The best part of a walk-up list is that you don’t need to battle for Advanced Dining Reservation which have been very difficult to secure for these locations. It also means that you can now add these lounges to your list of places to go for a break from the Florida summer heat this year.

Choosing Between Beak and Barrel and Geo-82 This Summer

Beak and Barrel is the option to choose for anyone who likes pirates, but it’s also the only family option as there is no age-limit. It’s designed to be a place for everyone to experience. For UK families looking to stop and have a drink in the air conditioning, with any family members under 21 who enjoy pirate theming, this is definitely worth a consideration this summer.

Geo-82 is the option to choose for adults only visiting EPCOT. UK families will not be able to make use of this new walk-up availability if they have children in the party. For adults looking to escape the busy parks and summer heat for an hour, this is worth it, but this lounge has a premium price tag. It is a luxury bar experience so won’t suit everyone. The views from table windows are wonderful however.

Neither bar lounge experience is worth more than one visit during a 14-night trip for the UK, and neither experience is worth a special trip to Magic Kingdom or EPCOT for. These bar experiences are best worked into your day if you fancy a drink.

Magic In A Minute

Beak and Barrel and Geo-82, the two most popular in-park bar lounge experiences, both now have a walk-up list option, removing the need for UK visitors to make reservations 60 days before. Reducing the need to plan and choose dining and drinks locations in advance, this is great news for those UK visitors who like more flexibility in their days and the option to pop-in when they feel like it.