Club Reports: Lake Eola Park, Aku Aku Tiki Bar, B.Nice Patio Bar

We began our Saturday night at Lake Eola Park where the famous water fountain is now sporting Christmas colors. The 1.4km paved sidewalk that circles the park is now all lit-up with holiday lights as well. If you’re looking for something to do to “get out of the house”, Lake Eola is a great destination.
There’s more than two dozen bars and restaurants in the “Lake Eola District” area of downtown, that upscale area to the east of Rosalind Avenue. While making a partial circle on the lake’s pathway, we spotted Aku Aku Tiki Bar along Washington Street adjacent World of Beer. It was our first visit ever!
DJ Smilin’ Dan (USA) had sadly just finished an early Disco set outdoors on their patio. You can find him here every Friday and Saturday evening but only till 10PM.
Inside, the decor ranging from the bar to lamps to the drink cups are, as you would expect, heavily themed South Pacific.
This Tiki can be found in one of the corners. Orlando has several South Pacific-themed bars including Aloha Beautiful on Pine Street downtown and the heavily-themed Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort in Bay Lake.
The southeast corner of Lake Eola Park is home to the Walt Disney Amphitheater, the park’s outside concert venue. And across Rosalind Avenue from the amphitheater is B.Nice Patio Bar where we dropped by for a drink. Another first visit for us!
Here we found DJ 5th-Dimension (USA) playing mostly light House music from his outdoor perch.
The venue is completely outdoors, although covered. One of the most popular nights here is “Wiggle Wednesdays” when you never know who might drop-by to spin. A few weeks ago we heard Portland-based DJ Foxforce005 (USA) had played here!
You know the place is legit because they have a shiny disco ball over the dance floor! Come check it out.
Oh, while we were in the city last night we caught a credible rumor of a new DJ Icey (USA) / DJ Baby Anne (USA) show happening next month downtown! It should be announced pretty soon. Hearing that news plus visiting these new venues assured that a good time was had by all.