There have been plenty of times that we have ended up in Orlando. We have gone as a family to spend time at Disney World, then there have been times where I have gone just for a mother and daughters trip. And each time, we typically end up at the parks since that’s what a lot of Orlando is. But you may be asking yourself what you should do outside of heading to Disney World or going to Universal Studios. And contrary to what people may think, there’s actually quite a lot of things to do including heading to a wonderful Alice in Wonderland bar.
On our recent trip to Kissimmee / Orlando, we went with our extended family where many of us wanted to do things that didn’t involve going to the parks. So afternoon, we headed to High T – a themed Alice in Wonderland bar where we did find ourselves in Wonderland with the great small bites and out of this world, imaginative cocktails.
So if you’re looking for some adult experiences to have in Orlando, I’m here to share with you about the fun time you’ll have at High T.
HIGH T – AN ALICE IN WONDERLAND BAR
THE Wonderland AESTHETIC BAR
This bar is one that you can definitely say is a hidden gem. Located right on Church street in downtown Orlando, you’ll find the door to this magical bar tucked away between other restaurants and bars that also bring their own aesthetic. Upon entry, you’ll be ID’d and checked in for your reservation, if you have made one. Reservations are required for some of their experiences, but not all, but with how busy it began to get during our time there, I highly recommend getting a reservation and getting there on time to make sure that you don’t miss your table.
Walking up the stairs, you’re immediately taken to Wonderland. The bar encapsulates every aspect of the classic book movie with visuals of Alice, the Queen, the White Rabbit, and even the caterpillar. You’ll find that each area of the bar highlights different parts of the story while also bringing the entire aesthetic of the bar together. The bar itself is stained glass with images of Alice and the other characters. Some of the other tables have gardens under a pane of glass. You’ll even find a specific area dedicated to the Red Queen where everything is red and there is a beautiful grand piano played my local artists. You can even find hookah among the area dedicated to the caterpillar. And if you’re someone who enjoys the outdoors, you’ll have the option to also go out to the terrace that brings aspects of the Wonderland garden to life.
THE Alice in Wonderland EXPERIENCE
There are a variety of experiences that are offered at High T including ones that are fit for children as well as one’s that are adults-only. Though, we didn’t take part in any of the experiences nor did we bring children since the family-friendly options weren’t available during the time that we visited, we did look at some of them pre-booking our time and decided that the next time we are in Orlando, we’d have to come back and have one of the experiences. Open from Tuesday through Sunday from 6pm to 2am, you’ll find these variety of experiences:
AFTERNOON TEA WITH ALICE AND FRIENDS
This afternoon tea at the Alice in Wonderland bar is one that welcomes adults and children. You’ll have to pre-book and prepay for this experience, but you are prepaying for the bites that you’ll get to enjoy during your time there. Drinks can be purchased separately when you get your table. During the experience, you’ll get to interact with Alice and some of the other characters as you enjoy afternoon tea including great pastries and finger sandwiches.
For those looking to not partake in the experience with children, you can still opt for an afternoon tea at the bar. This doesn’t include the “friends” aspect, but you still get the pastries and little bites while ordering some of the themed Alice in Wonderland cocktails at the bar.
QUEEN’S LOUNGE
There is a private section of the bar that is decked out in everything that is the Red Queen. It’s an interactive section of the bar where “all is red or it’s off with your head” and there is a gorgeous red piano where live music is played. (Note that the live music played on the piano can be heard throughout the entire bar whether you’ve booked the experience or not.) During our time there, the area was not booked, so we were able to take a peek, but for those who do book, you will have to prepay for the experience which includes champagne with the entire experience. Do note, that this experience is also a timed experience, but from what I understood, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to leave. You can head from the lounge to the bar and continue your time in Wonderland.
CRAFT COCKTAILS IN THIS Wonderland
One thing that did not disappoint at this Alice in Wonderland bar were the cocktails. There have been plenty of times that I have gone to themed bars and the presentation of the cocktails was great, but the quality of cocktails was subpar, but at High T that wasn’t the case. Since we visited with a party of four, we had the option to chose a variety of cocktails, and some of us loved the other’s cocktails so much, that we ended up repeating some for that reason. The cocktail menu is segmented into different categories, so that you can chose the best cocktails for your liking. While I was someone who enjoyed many of the cocktails on Elegant & Elevated selections, my husband was on the Blunt & Boozy. Then my sister was fantasizing around on the Weightless & Whimsical menu. But no matter the part of the menu that you are looking at, you’ll find that there are cocktails that not only look gorgeous but taste amazing.
Due to the presentation and quality, you’ll find that most of the cocktails range in price between $15 – $35, with the majority being in the $15 and $16 price range, while the cocktails closer to the $35 are more boozy and/or are in a teapot which gives you more than one tea cup of a drink. Each cocktail is named in its own unique way to match with different aspects of the Alice and Wonderland story. And various cocktails come with their own experiences. For example, if you get the Ol’ Vorpal (in the brown mug below), you’ll have elements of the cocktail torched in front of you to add the fragrant aspect to the cocktail, and then it’s accompanied with little small bites to taste which each sip which changes the taste of the cocktail. You’ll also find cocktails, such as Flora Persona which has a rose ice cube that you’ll pour your drink into a tea cup along with a variety of other great presentations that I don’t want to give away since you’ll want to experience it for yourself.
Overall, this Alice in Wonderland bar is one that that I would highly recommend and I’m truly upset it only exists in Orlando. If it existed closer to me, you would definitely find me at the bar at least one time each month. Between the experience, the aesthetic, and the cocktails, you’ll want to make sure to include this on your itinerary when visiting Orlando, whether you’re taking a trip to the parks or not.
