A Review of the Grand Floridian Cafe
On my last trip to Walt Disney World in May 2014, I had an ADR that I was very excited to try. I have friends that have raved about the burger at the Grand Floridian Café, and my plan for the day was to head to the Grand Floridian Resort for dinner, then catch the monorail back to Magic Kingdom for the rest of the “Rock Your Disney Side 24 hour” party. My newly acquired Tables in Wonderland card was burning a hole in my pocket, so I was eager to start the savings on food!
The Grand Floridian Cafe at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. Photo courtesy Tom Bricker
It took me a few minutes to find the restaurant, but it was nice to walk around the resort. I have only been there previously to check out the Gingerbread House (on display during the holidays). I showed up a few minutes before my ADR time, and was promptly seated. I do not remember the waiter’s name, but he was very attentive and made some great suggestions.
The Grand Floridian Cafe
I was not planning on ordering an appetizer, but he sold me on the Caramelized Onion Soup Gratinée so I thought why not? This turned out to be a great decision because it was the best French Onion soup that I had ever tasted (take this with a grain of salt, though, because the only other times I have ever had French Onion soup were on the Disney Cruise ships). It was very flavorful and paired well with the bread that was brought out. I was initially beginning to think I was eating more food than I should, but it turned out to be a good decision because I needed the fuel for the night at the Magic Kingdom!
Caramelized Onion Soup Gratinée
The Grand Floridian Burger was brought out in reasonable amount of time, and it was cooked perfectly (I had requested medium well). The menu describes this burger as, “an Angus Chuck Burger, Butter-poached Lobster, Red Onion Marmalade, Crispy Prosciutto, and Arugula on a Brioche Bun”. The toppings were fresh and after the first bite I knew my friends did not steer me wrong on the suggestion. It was the best burger I’ve ever had on Disney property! I hope to compare it to the burger at Beaches and Cream when I visit again in September 2014.
The Grand Floridian Burger
The waiter tried selling me on dessert, but since I was barely able to move after finishing off bread, French Onion soup, fries, and the burger, I politely declined. I handed him my ID, Tables in Wonderland card, and credit card to pay. He brought them back, I smiled at the savings I had with the card (enough to cover the tip!) and went on my way.
The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
Instead of going straight to the Magic Kingdom, I walked over to the Grand Floridian Villas to check them out and get pictures of the Mary Poppins penguin fountain (so cool!), and then I needed to pick up something from the gift shop. After completing these two stops, my stomach was settled so I headed upstairs, hopped on the monorail and exited at the next stop for my night of fun at the Magic Kingdom! I will definitely make my way back to Grand Floridian Café in September when my family returns to Walt Disney World.
