Hurricane Hanna’s Review

Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar and Grill is a counter service restaurant at Beach Club Resort in Walt Disney World. Located next to Stormalong Bay pool (outside of the gate, though), this dining spot features a sit-down bar, as well as a quick-service order window, and a refillable mug station. In this review, we’ll offer some food photos and thoughts on the pool bar.

If you ask me, Hurricane Hanna’s is the main counter service restaurant at Beach Club. There’s also Beach Club Marketplace, but that’s tucked into a corner of the gift shop/store, and it has always felt like a makeshift option to me. Both accept the Disney Dining Plan as counter service restaurants, even though neither really “feel” like fully-fledged restaurants.

In any case, Beach Club (and Yacht Club, for that matter) is one of the weakest resorts at Walt Disney World in terms of counter service dining (here’s hoping the new restaurant coming this summer to Yacht Club is better) so calling Hurricane Hanna’s the “main” counter service restaurant is not exactly high praise…

Hurricane Hanna’s could have a lot going for it in terms of ambiance. It could be a cool swim-up bar and grill incorporated into part of Stormalong Bay, with an additional walk-up area.

Integrating it into the pool would definitely up the cool-factor, but would pose a challenge since Stormalong Bay is fenced-off.

With so few counter service options at Yacht and Beach Club, restricted access to guests already in the pool area might not be the best idea. On the other hand, isolating it from the pool, as is currently the case, makes it less-convenient for guests lounging at Stormalong Bay.

In a way, Hurricane Hanna’s feels more like it’s serving the Crescent Lake promenade than it does Yacht and Beach Club. (Pictured above is the view standing right at the fence adjacent to Hurricane Hanna’s; hardly a poor view, but the tables at Hurricane Hanna’s do not have this view.)

Ultimately, the best option if you’re staying at Yacht or Beach Club is to send a runner to grab food while lounging at Stormalong Bay, and bring it back to everyone else at the pool…

For our meal at Hurricane Hanna’s, I had the Seafood Roll. I’m pretty sure this used to be a lobster roll (or maybe lobster and scallops?), but now it’s just mystery meat, without explanation from the menu as to what’s in it. I believe it’s shrimp, scallops, and lobster, but there might also be a bit of krab in there, too.

I must have been the winner of that day’s mystery meat contest, as I found this to be shockingly delicious. There was a mild tang from the dressing, and it had an overall refreshing taste, with an ample amount of seafood. The lobster was a bit scant, but it was still inexplicably good.

Now, you probably shouldn’t order this if you’re someone who loves “lobstah rolls,” and claims moral authority about them, requiring strict purity.

However, as someone who believes variations on popular regional dishes are not tantamount to treason, I found it to be a good spin (albeit admittedly lower quality) on a familiar favorite. Given the cost difference between this and the lobster roll at Contempo Cafe (and other Walt Disney World counter service restaurants), I’m fine with it.

Sarah’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Arugula and Sun-dried Tomato Goat Cheese, on the other hand, did not impress. This was like a generic Walt Disney World counter service item, and the toppings couldn’t save this incredibly dry sandwich on a plain bun.

Aside from the Vegetarian Falafel Flatbread (which they were out of when we visited), that’s probably what you’re going to find with the rest of the menu. They have the generic cardboard burger, a pulled pork sandwich, and a couple of ordinary salads.

These housemade chips are pretty common around Walt Disney World, and they’re usually a winner. Sometimes, they can be a bit over-seasoned, but they’re usually good.

Overall, I cannot say we were impressed by Hurricane Hanna’s. As a pool bar, it’s disappointing to have it a bit isolated from the actual pool. As a counter service restaurant, the menu is weak and limited. I liked the seafood roll, but it’s not something I’d go out of my way to get, and the rest of the offerings could use a boost. Sadly, this is about par for the course with Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts when it comes to the counter service restaurants.

You can cobble together an okay dining experience by cherrypicking certain items from each menu (literally, I think each spot has 1-2 good menu items), but the lineups are very limited, and very weak. When you can choose from 15+ different entrees at one of the All Star food courts, it’s a bit insulting that two of Walt Disney World’s most expensive Deluxe Resorts are so limited in counter service choices. Yes, you could “just” go into World Showcase, but that requires a park ticket and 30 minutes of time. Disney should do better given what these resorts cost.

Want more dining tips? Check out our 101 Delicious Walt Disney World Dining Tips. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

Your Thoughts

What do you think of Hurricane Hanna’s? Anything on the menu that you recommend? Do you find the counter service options at Yacht and Beach Club disappointing, or does this not matter to you? Any questions? Hearing from you is half the fun, so please share your thoughts in the comments below!

12 Responses to “Hurricane Hanna’s Review”
  1. MicheleA August 31, 2018
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