Get to Know: Jellyrolls Piano Bar at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort
Adult Walt Disney World guests looking for something to do in the evenings need search no further than Jellyrolls, a dueling pianos bar located at the Disney’s Boardwalk resort.
Jellyrolls is a bar — you must be at least 21 years old to be admitted (IDs are checked at the door) and there is an $18.00 per person cover charge for admission, but there is no drink minimum.
The only food available is free popcorn. There is a full bar as well as a menu of specialty drinks that all taste like versions of vodka infused with Jolly Ranchers.
So what is “dueling pianos”? The Jellyrolls stage is set with two pianos, each manned by a musician, but they’re collaborating, not competing. Sometimes one will take the lead, sometimes the other, and both will add in makeshift percussion and piano harmonies. Both pianists sing.
The real draw here is that there is no set list or agenda. The entire evening, every evening, is music played solely by audience request. On any given evening you might hear classic rock followed by Disney classics followed by current pop songs followed by show tunes followed by country standards. The musicians pride themselves on being able to play ANYTHING. There’s a fair amount of audience interaction, but it’s not required.
When you’re seated, the waitstaff will leave you with a stack of napkins and a pen. To request a song, simply write it on a napkin and drop it off on the end of the stage. Most folks leave a tip with their request, typically a $5.00 bill will get your song played relatively quickly.
There is no downtime during the evening. Two pairs of pianists take turns so that they get breaks, but the audience is constantly entertained.
During one recent visit, the audience seemed equally enthused to hear Springsteen, Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkson, and High School Musical.
Jellyrolls is open from 7:00 p.m. until 1:45 a.m. most nights. Things start to really hop after 9:00, but if you want to make sure you get a table, arrive earlier.
Jellyrolls is located at the end of the Boardwalk closest to the Swan and Dolphin pathway. Parking is available at the Boardwalk or at the Swan and Dolphin. You could get there on foot via Epcot (exiting at the International Gateway) or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There are several caveats about parking at Epcot: you’ll need to use park admission to get through the park and out toward the Boardwalk area and you won’t be able to get back into the park to get your car after Epcot closing hours. Honestly, if you’re going to be drinking, you best bet is to use a taxi/Lyft/Uber to get from the Boardwalk area to your accommodations.