It’s finally BACK, and we’re so excited to share our experience!

What’s back, you may ask? Why, it’s 1900 Park Fare of course! We visited the Grand Floridian Resort restaurant on its official reopening day of April 10th, 2024, more than four years after it closed due to the 2020 pandemic. With the reopening, you can now grab breakfast and dinner here once again, and we’re taking you along with us to experience our meal. Let’s dive in!

We visited for both breakfast and dinner on reopening day, but for this review, we’re here to share our dinner experience specifically. Dinner at 1900 Park Fare is a buffet AND a character meal, so there’s a lot to share!

Atmosphere

If you want to visit 1900 Park Fare, we highly recommend snagging a reservation! This restaurant is located in the main building of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, on the first floor next to Grand Floridian Cafe.

It’s time for DINNER at 1900 Park Fare! That’s right, we’re back! We’re trying BOTH meals on opening day! ✨🎠 pic.twitter.com/6YU9wXsu7s

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) April 10, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During its closure, 1900 Park Fare got a bit of a refresh, with new interior decor and design features. As you walk in to check in for your reservation, you’re greeted by a Cast Member at the host stand and asked to take a seat along the cozy hallway that’s lined with fluffy sofa seats.

Looking up at the walls, you’ll find frame prints of several of the design features you’ll see further into the restaurant like the portraits overhead…

… and even some of the ornate decorations that have been here since the restaurant’s creation, like Big Bertha the organ!

The inside sports brand-new wallpaper covering the walls, ample seating between booths and tables with chair combos to fill the dining room, and framed portraits of the “wish makers” along the walls (that’s what they’re calling some of our favorite Disney characters known for making wishes in their films)!

Several tables and chairs make up this main dining area in case you’re not seated at a booth-style seating.

There’s also a back section of the dining room, which has a more intimate feel to it…

… and if you’re seated back here, don’t forget to look up along the walls for even more framed pictures!

As we mentioned above, 1900 Park Fare is a character meal for dinner, and the characters have CHANGED with the reopening. While we know there were decades of visitors who grew a fondness for the former characters who you used to meet here (including all of us here) there are now 3 new characters along with a returning favorite you will see during dinner, Now, you can meet Aladdin as Prince Ali (Ababwa)…

…Princess Tiana in her new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure outfit…

…and Mirabel from Encanto!

You can also find Cinderella here again! She was available in the restaurant before its closure back in March 2020 and is the only former character returning to 1900 Park Fare. Each of these characters comes from stories that celebrate the “magic of a wish.”

Hi Cinderella! ✨👑🩵

📍1900 Park Fare pic.twitter.com/cxNzLGMozm

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) April 10, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What we were most impressed with is that this character dining followed suit with a similar experience you’ll have at Artist’s Point with Storybook Dining. During your meal, the characters will make their way through the restaurant visiting the tables and meeting with you in rounds. These new characters knew they had HUGE shoes to fill due to the overwhelming sense of belonging and outpouring that people had established with the previous beloved characters for years before them. We feel like they did a decent job of keeping that in mind when interacting with the tables to continue to keep the legacy and rapport with returning visitors to the restaurant, while also offering another spin the the reimagined dining experience for those who may be visiting for the first time.

Since we had already experienced breakfast here earlier in the day, we noted this as the same experience repeated at breakfast when the characters visited which proved to us this was an intentional choice on the restaurant’s part. Not only were the characters very interactive with kids, but we were also very taken aback at how well they were able to hold conversations with adults in a different but meaningful and age-appropriate dynamic between age groups.

Once all of the characters had made their rounds to visit with us, it was quite a while before we saw them again, and honestly, that was fine with us! This gave us more time to look around at the decor and take it all in (you know since it was all so new to us) AND ample time to enjoy our meal with minimal interruptions (we’ll get to the food in just a minute and you’ll see why we would have minded being interrupted)!

After the characters have cavalcade around the dining room it’s time for a Wish Ceremony to begin. Once you’re seated at your table, your server will present you with a “Wish Makers Dining Experience” card and will instruct you to think of a wish to write down before the ceremony.

Once you’ve done that, you’re ready for whenever the next ceremony kicks off! You’ll know to get ready when you hear Jiminy Cricket’s voice overhead explaining the ceremony will be happening soon. Once all of the “wish maker” characters have assumed their positions around the restaurant it’s time for your wish to be made official!

Then you’ll hear the announcement to hold your wish card up high in the sky, waive it around above your head, and recite the wishing ceremony phrase.

Menu

Now that we’ve checked out the restaurant as a whole, let’s dive into the menu! As we mentioned above, it’s a buffet, so you’ll get a full spread of eats available.

Many of the menu offerings are inspired by the characters and movies represented. There are options like seafood, Tiana’s Gumbo, Roasted Garlic Sausage, Couscous Salad, and of course, the famous Strawberry Soup.

The buffet also has quite a few sides, including mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans, and more.

For beverages, 1900 Park Fare offers a few specialty cocktails and zero-proof cocktails at an additional charge. Regular fountain beverages are included in the cost of your buffet meal.

There are also some non-alcoholic specialty drinks, including the Special Character Drink, So Many Wishes, and Lavender Lemonade.

We noticed that the beverage options for dinner are the same as what you’ll get at Breakfast so you won’t find yourself feeling like you’re missing out on much. The buffet here was split up into more savory options…

Here’s a look at a few dinner buffet offerings at 1900 Park Fare! pic.twitter.com/94hpsQQSp0

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) April 10, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

… a carving station of meats in the center…

…. salads and toppings…

… breads and fruit…

… and even a few kid’s options like pasta, corn, and chicken nuggets.

And the same gummy bear dispenser we were OBSESSED with at breakfast made a reappearance at dinner (which you know we sprang for first)!

As you pivot away from the savory meal options, you’ll see the dessert buffet selections!

And don’t worry, strawberry soup is still on the dinner menu as well! 🍓

📍1900 Park Fare pic.twitter.com/23eLpoeTwV

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) April 10, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t worry, the famous Strawberry Soup is still available here along with other sweet treats…

…like Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake, Fudge Brownies, the Grand Floridian Financier, and more.

There’s really something for everyone here!

Eats

Ok, bear with us because we’re about to (literally) dig into some of these incredible foods offered here! Our dinner plate was prepared with Prime Rib, Curry Roasted Chicken, Peel and Eat Shrimp, Mashed Potatoes, Mac & Cheese, Impossible Merguez Sausage with Zucchini Noodles, and Green Beans.

Hope you’re hungry! Here’s our plate, complete with Tiana’s Gumbo, new to the menu! It has andouille sausage and jasmine rice! 😋

📍1900 Park Fare pic.twitter.com/GIWgEeN1kE

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) April 10, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We couldn’t rave about this food enough! While we thought everything we tasted was exceptional, the stars on this plate were the creamy, buttered mashed potatoes (especially when you got a bit of Au Jus from the Prime Rib soaked into them), the tender, juicy Prime Rib meat that was roast to perfection (and we literally went back for 3 plates of), and Impossible Merguez Sausage that was chewy and spiced but really shined with the pairing of the zoodles (zucchini noodles).

But, we couldn’t forget to try out Tiana’s Gumbo either! We opted to serve ourselves a heaping of it poured over the white jasmine rice.

This was so warm and had a great spicy heat to it! While it wasn’t an overbearing heat that would make you sprint straight from your table to the nearest water fountain, it certainly had a zesty kick to it that was noticeable.

We really enjoyed the andouille sausage that’s found in it along with the savory gumbo sauce that soaked into the steamed white rice. We’re telling you this impressive dish was worth the wait and lived up to the anticipated hype!

As if we weren’t already full enough, we still had a few desserts to try out! We served up one of almost all of the desserts offered at dinner on our plate including the Grand Floridian Financier, a Vanilla Cupcake with star sprinkles, a Fudge Brownie, Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake, Warm Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Crèam Anglais, and a Toasted Coconut Cake with Passion Fruit Custard and Hibiscus Creme. 

Dessert is here and it looks amazing! Don’t mind if we DO! 😍

📍1900 Park Fare pic.twitter.com/PQqnD3s1XB

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) April 10, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh boy — we got WAY more than we bargained for out of a few of these treats! Our standouts here were the Grand Floridian Financier which looked so good we almost didn’t want to bite into it! It was soft and the GF logo was stamped into the chocolate medallion adorned on the top against a toasted marshmallow topping, the lemon blueberry cheesecake featured a graham cracker crumble crust as the bottom layer but we really could taste the blended flavors of the blueberry and the lemon in the cheesecake.

The chocolate cake with vanilla crèam anglais reminded us of a tiny version of a lava cake from Dominos with its decadent chocolate center when you bit into it and lightly coated powered sugar outer layer. At the same time, the plant-based option in the toasted coconut cake with passion fruit custard and hibiscus cream was spongy at the cake and had a commanding passion fruit taste to the cream (and was glittery making this a popular choice with the kiddos nearby us).

But don’t think we passed over an opportunity to snag another serving of the famous Strawberry Soup, either!

This was as delicious as we remembered it and reminded us of a very thin strawberry smoothie with a light hint of a yogurt taste to it. It is definitely made with real strawberries though because every once in a while you’ll get a few of the strawberry seeds in your spoonful!

Overall

Overall, we found ourselves raving about our meal and our experience well before we walked away from our seats. We have to admit we got a bit misty-eyed when the Wish Ceremony happened and we were able to officially make our wishes. We also recognized and appreciated the change of characters here from its former offerings. Admittedly we were a bit cautiously optimistic about the new cast of characters slated to join the wish makers for this meal and after thinking back on our dinner experience, it feels very on par with the experience the newly designed meal intends to deliver. Additionally, this meal gives you a chance to see several familiar characters like Princess Tiana and Aladdin in a new light (like Tiana in her adventure outfit and Aladdin as Prince Ali) which aren’t versions of these characters you can currently meet out in the parks.

It was nice to see several of the kiddos around us light up when they were able to recognize familiar characters and talk about their wishes with them face to face. We didn’t spend a ton of time waiting for our meal either (even with it being reopening day and certainly as busy as we anticipated it to be). Every Cast Member we encountered here from our hostess, servers at the buffet, and waiter were extremely attentive. While we very much enjoy our meals and experience at Storybook Dining in Artist’s Point, this felt very on par with the same quality of food and overall experience you’ll find there!

Nosh or Not?

Make a wish on a star and visit 1900 Park Fare for dinner if…

• You’re looking for rare character opportunities! This meal has characters in outfits you just won’t be able to find to meet out in Disney World’s park so if this matters to you, definitely make this a priority
• You’ve got to be certain you’re getting a meal that’s “worth it.” We found ourselves very impressed with the experience and the quality of the food. With so many food options offered in the buffet, there really was something for even the smallest of kiddos and heaping portions to fill even the heartiest adults.
• 1900 Park Fare was one of your favorite meals before. While it’s not the same experience, those who really feel a nostalgic pull to the restaurant might find themselves pleasantly surprised with the changes and we think they’re worth checking out!

Let your dreams come true elsewhere if…

• You’re not totally in to meeting with Disney characters. While you might understand that characters at Disney World go hand in hand with each other, they might not be a huge priority to you and your plans while visiting. If you’re someone who isn’t looking to a pay a premium price for a meal with characters, the meal itself may not be enough to hold your interest as characters and their involvement in this meal does play a huge part into the experience here.
• If you’re looking for an entree meal. This restaurant is full buffet-style service so if you’re looking to order a plate and have it brought to your table you simply won’t find that here.
• You’re looking to dine somewhere more intimate and quieter. The restaurant’s open concept of the dining room allows for the characters to flow pretty seamlessly by each of the tables. If you’re looking for a quieter meal to unwind from a full day at Disney World, you might enjoy somewhere else more.

Goodbye, 1900 Park Fare! 👋 pic.twitter.com/0WxLiS31ou

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) April 11, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for coming along with us to 1900 Park Fare for its grand reopening! We’ll keep you in the loop with any more restaurant news and updates, so stay tuned to DFB.

Click Here to Learn More About Disney World Character Meals!

Are you planning a visit to 1900 Park Fare? Tell us in the comments!