25 Drinks of Christmas – Day 21: OLD FASHIONED at Hollywood Brown Derby

The Christmas season is our absolute favorite time of the year. Growing up, one of the little things I loved most was getting an Advent calendar and counting down the days until Santa would be coming down the chimney. As I grew older, I had to leave Advent calendars in the rear view mirror,* but I still miss that daily countdown building anticipation to the big day. So, we’re going to start a virtual Advent calendar here at TouringPlans. For 2022, we are going to countdown our favorite drinks at Walt Disney World and the Universal Orlando Resort.

Criteria: Drinks can be alcoholic or nonalcoholic. Drinks can come from any venue on the property. Bonus points are awarded for the atmosphere where the drink is served. Any drink with glow cubes is immediately disqualified. Ready? Let’s go!

The Drink – Old Fashioned
Location – Hollywood Brown Derby in Disney’s Hollywood Studios

OLD FASHIONED – Ingredients: Knob Creek Disney Select bourbon with Angostura bitters, Luxardo cherries, an orange slice, and a splash of water.

Once again we are reaching out to a Certified Drinking Expert (AKA ) Professor Daniel Miller, co-author of the book Drinking at Disney, and the guy who is on a first name basis with every Uber driver on WDW property.

Drinking at Disney is often highlighted by new, unique cocktails and location-specific drinks, garnishes and drinkware. Sometimes , however, it’s important to sit back and appreciate the classics. The old fashioned at Brown Derby Lounge accomplishes this on multiple levels. First, the Brown Derby Lounge is a throwback to the golden  age of Hollywood, with its white tablecloths and leather-bound menus, which makes it the perfect place to take in a nice sip of a second Hollywood classic, the Old Fashioned.  This outdoor, shaded space is a great spot to enjoy this whiskey cocktail as you take a break from the crowds.” – Prof. Daniel Miller

Let’s get it out of the way – outside of the Brown Derby – most of the actual food in Hollywood Studios isn’t the greatest. That said, DHS – with Brown Derby, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, and ’50s Prime Time Cafe – contains three of the more unique dining experiences in all of Walt Disney World.

The Hollywood Brown Derby might actually be one of the most underrated restaurants in WDW, especially since all the new venues in Disney Springs opened and stole even more of the spotlight away. The decor is straight out of a 1950s movie and the menu is top notch (you have to try the signature Cobb salad, which is named after Robert Cobb, the original owner of the famous Brown Derby in California).

25 Drinks of Christmas TouringPlans Brought to Me…

• Day 1 – Duck Duck Razz at THE BOATHOUSE
• Day 2 – Grown-Ups Lemonade at Woody’s Boathouse
• Day 3 – Yub Nub at Oga’s Cantina
• Day 4 – Isla Nubar in Jurassic Park
• Day 5 – Bam’s Barnstormer at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar
• Day 6 – Santa’s Cookies & Milkshake at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium
• Day 7 – Lost on Safari at Dawa Bar
• Day 8 – SKYLINER SERIES Category 5 at Hurricane Hannah’s
• Day 9 – SKYLINER SERIES Almande Grog at Bar Riva
• Day 10 – SKYLINER SERIES Banana Cabana at Banana Cabana
• Day 11 – SKYLINER SERIES Boubon Breeze at PetalsDay
• Day 12 – Disco H2O at Endless Summer
• Day 13 – Lost Lanes Lager at Splitsville
• Day 14 – Grinch Hot Cocoa at Seuss Landing
• Day 15 – Blue Milk at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• Day 16 – Hawkes’ Grog Ale at Pandora the World of Avatar
• Day 17 – Mai Tai at Strong Water Tavern
• Day 18 – Swizzle Rum Punch at Swizzle Lounge
• Day 19 – Enchanted Orange Dream at Skipper Canteen
• Day 20 – Snow Leopard Salvation at Nomad Lounge
• Day 21 – Old Fashioned at Hollywood Brown Derby

See you tomorrow for the next entry into the 25 Drinks of Christmas Countdown, where we are going to head over to the Universal Orlando Resort. If you had fun, be sure to check out any of our other fun series including Theme Park Hills to Die On, the adventures of David & Derek (theme park’s Goofus & Gallant,) or the famous (infamous?) Theme Park Turkeys of the Year awards. for your listening pleasure, check out the Parkscope Podcast. Your humble author can also be seen producing typos at an inhuman rate on Twitter: @derekburgan

The 25 Drinks of Christmas series couldn’t be done without an All Star team behind us including world class photographers Michael Carelli, Brandon Glover, Scott Sanders, and Hedghehog’s Corner. The drink listing came from a double-secret blue ribbon panel comprised of SAT SIX Fun Squaders including: Megan Stump, Nitro230,The Man Formerly Known as @DrunkAtDisney, Bethany Vinton, Parkscope Joe and Parkscope Nick. As always, Digital Maestro Scott Walker was the cherry on top of the sundae.

*That is an absolute lie. I still buy an advent calendar every year with chocolates in it, and I also buy an annual box of Christmas Crunch, but we’ll keep that between us.