Walt Disney World is obviously a great place for families, but did you know there are also a number of spots for grown-up fun, too? This week we’re taking a peek at the Boardwalk Inn’s nightlife headliner, Jellyrolls. We even made our way over to Atlantic Dance Hall to check out the, um, crowd. So, grab your ID, and check out some fun for the big kids at Walt Disney World!

First let’s check out…

Atlantic Dance Hall!

I really want this place to be awesome. It’s a gorgeous venue both inside and out, and I can almost picture a Gatsby-esque soiree illuminating the room. But that’s not what we got. In fact, there was a weird Family Guy music video sequence on the giant video screen when we walked through the entryway. And on the dance floor, only a lone guy dancing with his beer. Yeah.

That said, I could definitely see this being a fun spot if you had a fairly big group of friends and were looking for a place to cut loose without the embarrassment of other people seeing you shake your groove thang on the beautiful dance floor.

It would also be a fantastic spot for a wedding reception. In fact, future husband, I’ve got my eye on this, so take note. I don’t like to dwell on the negative, so I’ll let you see the place. Like I said, I LOVE the venue, I just wish the business were as good.

At night, the dance floor and bars take on a more modern feel, but I can still see the vintage chic and would LOVE to take photos here in the daylight with a real camera (that I accidentally left in the room since my roomie and I were going on about two hours of sleep and ten hours of Florida sun at this point).

So, if you’re staying on the Boardwalk, it’s not gonna cost you anything but time to check out Atlantic Dance Hall. And, who knows, you may even happen upon people some evening! If it’s open.  😉

It also hosts some swank events like the College Football Awards where Stitchy thought the Sooners were woefully underrepresented.

Really, though, here’s the reason people are headed to the Boardwalk after hours…

They give away jars of money!  No, not really.  Sadly.

You’re actually the ones filling up that jar with what little you have left after a day at the parks.  And those napkins are filled with hopeful song requests and dollar bill dreams for the amazingly talented musicians who take the stage every night at this dueling piano bar.

Let’s check out…

Jellyrolls!

 I’ve been to Jellyrolls a few times, but last month, I went with a mission.  Since I was on a business women trip (love you Romy!), I was going to do some business! With notebook in hand (yes, I am awesome enough to pull off a pink University of Oklahoma notebook at a bar), my roomie and I made our way to an evening of musical triumph punctuated with hard-hitting interview questions about what makes this place tick. This is life in the trenches, people, and I do it all for you! So, here’s what you need to know for a night at Jellyrolls…

Get In

Yes, there’s a cover charge. It’s $22. Yeah, that might be a little steep, but you’re at Disney World. You just bought a single chocolate ice cream bar for more than the cost of the entire box because it’s shaped like a mouse. Multiple times. To ease the blow, though, they will give you free popcorn. Of course, that’ll make you thirsty, sooo…

Get Played

We already went over how you get your songs (hopefully) played, but in case you didn’t catch on…grab a napkin and a pen, fish some green out of your tired wallet and lay it on a piano. It’s pretty tough to stump these guys, so chances are they’ll get to your request. Will it be before you head out? Maybe, maybe not. Slip a bigger bill in if you want to hear it sooner.

Get Happy

The night’s antics totally depend on the crowd, so don’t come in with a sour face or a too-cool attitude. We’re all at Disney which makes us all at least slightly geeky. No one will make fun of you for singing and dancing along to Britney Spears or Baby Got Back (at least not to your face), so let loose and have fun. So, let’s see it in action!

Ray and Scotty (at the pianos) were our tour guides for the night. They spent half the night (ok, maybe not half) answering our ridiculously thoughtful and insightful questions, giving us the dirt, and they even serenaded us with a rousing rendition of a Madonna classic since Romy promised to bring the tiara and corset next time.

Then, of course, we hung out to see what the bar is all about…

Have you been to the Boardalk after dark? What’s your favorite spot? Share in the comments!