food IS a theme park
Let’s be honest: if you are paying Disney World prices, you want every possible second of park time squeezed out of that vacation like the last drop of cold brew on a rope-drop morning.
EPCOT
And thankfully, some hotels really do help with that.
After spending NEARLY 6 years closed, a new version of the Grand Floridian’s Tea Room Experience — located inside the newly rechristened Garden View Lounge — is set to reopen to guests NEXT WEEK!
©Disney
Afternoon tea had been a part of the hotel for decades, with the space formerly offering an afternoon tea party which was mainly geared towards adult guests, as well as the “Perfectly Princess Tea Party” for younger children and their parents.
While both daily events were hugely popular with guests, often selling out months in advance, the parties shut down due to the COVID pandemic, along with the rest of Walt Disney World, in March of 2020. However, when the Grand Floridian reopened that September, the tea parties were nowhere to be found… until March 19th!
March 19th is set to see the debut of a new Tea Room Experience — located inside the Grand Floridian’s newly renamed Garden View Lounge — after just about 6 years missing since the previous versions disappeared from Walt Disney World, and this long-awaited experience is bringing a new dress code with it!
Garden View Lounge
Afternoon tea has been a part of the Grand Floridian for decades, with both an adult-oriented afternoon tea party and the “Perfectly Princess Tea Party” for younger children and their parents being hugely popular with guests, often selling out months in advance.
However, the parties shut down due to the COVID pandemic, along with the rest of Disney World, in March of 2020. However, when the Grand Floridian reopened that September, the tea parties were nowhere to be found… until now.
March at Disney World hotels is kind of like showing up to a party where the weather is perfect, the vibes are high… and someone is also quietly repainting the living room while a Spring Break conga line forms in the hallway.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Here are 6 big hotel changes hitting Disney World in March, plus some very real-world tips for dodging crowds, construction noise, and the emotional damage of showing up for a lounge that is very closed.
It’s been an exciting week for Disney World food. Although we’re not QUITE done with the EPCOT Festival of the Arts, we’ve already received a lot of BIG details about the EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival, including a list of food booths and full menus for each booth!
Shrimp N’ Grits from House of Blues
However, we also saw some regular Disney World restaurants change their menus this week. So let’s take a closer look at these changes.
We’re T-Minus one month away from the reopening of a long-shuttered Disney dining experience at the Grand Floridian Resort.
Garden View Lounge
After spending nearly six years closed, the Garden View Lounge Tea Room Experience — located inside the Grand Floridian — is set to reopen to guests on March 19th for the first time in just about six years.
When it comes to staying at a Disney World hotel, resorts with monorail access to the parks are some of the best! With that said, there are still downsides to staying at one of these hotels…
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
There are so many Disney hotels to choose from that the choice can be overwhelming. Of course, the best thing you can do when selecting your perfect resort is to learn as much about it as you can! Know the theming, the vibes, the amenities, the perks, the location, and — of course — the free transportation options that are available to you. In the case of the Disney World Monorail Resorts, these locations usually check all the boxes and can be considered in a class above the rest. With that said, there are a few downsides to staying at a monorail hotel that aren’t talked about enough
Which hotel you stay at during a Disney World vacation always comes down to personal choice, but there are a few hotels we need to warn you about.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
We LOVE the Disney World hotels. The theming, perks, proximity to the parks, and fantastic amenities keep us coming back for more. With all that said, 2026 is shaping up to be a year where you’re going to want to be very picky about where you stay. Not all Disney World hotels are created equal, and some of these resorts may disappoint you during your next stay…
Disney World is always changing…which means construction is inevitable during your next vacation.
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
While ride refurbishments and theme park expansions dominate Disney World construction discourse, hotel projects hardly go unnoticed. Hotel construction affects where you’ll stay and what kind of lodging experience, after all. In fact, 13 hotels are already scheduled to undergo significant construction. Let’s go over which hotels will be affected and what kind of work will be done at each!
At this point, it shouldn’t shock you that we’re getting more construction news at Disney World! Magic Kingdom is getting a massive expansion, Hollywood Studios is getting a new land, DinoLand just closed at Animal Kingdom, and a new resort is coming.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Another refurbishment that is happening right now is at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. The resort has been undergoing refurbishment for a little while now, and Disney just announced that it won’t be complete any time soon!
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