Fathoms' undersea theme includes fiber-optic light fixtures shaped like jellyfish, sand art murals along the bar, and silver and black bench seating which undulates like ocean waves. Six sets of couches are built into Fathoms' back wall, and provide an excellent, semi-private view of Fathoms' entertainment stage. Seating in the middle of the lounge is provided by upholstered armchairs in silver fabric surrounding small round tables.

The middle of Fathoms still holds a raised stage with professional lighting and sound system. Covered armchairs are arranged in groups of two or three around circular cocktail tables. These help control the echo in the bar’s large, open floor plan.

Sea-themed cocktails comprise most of Fathoms' bar menu, although beer, wine and spirits are also available.

As with other Disney lounges, Fathoms does double duty during the day by hosting family-oriented activities such as scavenger hunts, bingo and talent shows. At night the stage hosts everything from game shows to live music, DJs, karaoke, comedians, magicians and other performers. The game shows’ setups follow well-known television models: there’s one similar to The Newlywed Game, for example, where contestants try to guess how their partner will answer some random set of questions. This being Disney, most of the questions aren’t as risqué as on the Newlywed Game.

A panoramic photo of the Fathoms lounge before it gets busy.

The live performers’ quality varies. The DJs will play dance-friendly pop songs from the last 40 years, and certain nights will be themed to disco, country, and other styles. You’ll have good odds of being entertained with the live musicians, too – we’ve heard enough eclectic guitarists to make up for the ones who can’t stop channeling their inner James Taylor. The best entertainment bet seems to be the comedians, who can quickly adapt material to their acts. The worst are – we’re not making this up – the juggler/magicians. These are undoubtedly very hard working people with exquisite reflexes and fine motor control. But after five minutes of juggling, you’ve seen the entire range of the skill; there’s no need to stretch it to an hour.

Comparing The Ships

The new decor an improvement over Rockin' Bar D, and the drink menu is more interesting too. It's better than the Wonder's WaveBands, but not as themed as the Dream's Evolution or the Fantasy's Tube.