After a four-year closure, 1900 Park Fare at Disney's Grand Floridian has reopened its doors.
It's now welcoming guests to a dining experience offering buffets of food, character meet-and-greets, and, most importantly, the chance to celebrate the power of a wish.
The idea of wishes is incorporated into the experience from the moment you arrive at your table. The Cast Member who seats your family will give each person a "Wish Card" and ask that you write down a wish to have on hand for the Wish Ceremony.
The Wish Ceremony happens during your meal where over the course of a song all of the characters roam throughout the dining room and ask that you hold up your Wish Card. For me, this was a really cute moment because when I looked around, I saw an abundance of excitement to participate in the ceremony from my fellow dinners (especially the younger guests).
Also, the back of the Wish Card has a copy of each character's autograph.
The restaurant has kept its early 20th-century design but has been refreshed with new color palettes, fabrics, and artwork highlighting pivotal moments in a character's story.
Some images show characters making their greatest wish, while other paintings capture the moment when a wish comes true.
There's a mix of classic Disney tales like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty alongside newer stories such as when Asha and Valentino meet Star in the Disney Movie – Wish. The overall theme shows that wishes are part of everyone's story – we all have wishes that we want to come true.
Throughout your meal, Maribel, Aladdin, Cinderella, and Tiana will each stop by to chat and pose for a photo.
*Recently, Disney has begun testing a modified set-up where Tiana is stationed in her own area to meet guests after they finish their meal, so this new configuration may be what you experience during your next visit.
During the character visits, conversations about wishes are by far the most popular topic. Each of these characters has learned about the power of wishes and oftentimes want to hear about your next wish. These wish conversations led to one of my best character interactions at Walt Disney World.
When I learned Alladin would be at 1900 Park Fare, I chose to bound (aka: Disney Bounding) as Jafar for the evening. After all, it's rare that I get to chat with Aladdin, and I felt it would be an excellent opportunity to bound as his arch-nemesis.
- Burgundy golf shirt
- Black skirt
- Black tie
- Snake tie clip
- Black and gold lamp pocket-square tied in my hair
- Black and gold lamp socks
This all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet is open for breakfast and dinner and offers numerous dining choices, including the very popular strawberry soup (available at both breakfast and dinner).
The dinner menu has both traditional Disney buffet items and noteworthy new additions like curry-roasted chicken and Tiana's gumbo.
With the popularity of the restaurant and its characters, Advanced Dining Reservations are recommended.
Whether it be wishing on a star, receiving a wish from an enchanted candle, finding a dusty old lamp, or having help of a Fairy Godmother, there's no denying that wishes are powerful and they can change the direction of a person's story.
So, in a world full of wishes, take a moment and make your wish - believe in it, believe in yourself, and anything is possible!
~Kelly