Walt Disney World has a brand new restaurant emptiness to fill on the BoardWalk after one in all its longtime venues went out of enterprise. This lists our high 10 concepts to fill the house and substitute the pub, spanning every thing from character eating experiences to sports activities bars to comedy golf equipment.
In case you missed it, Massive River Grille & Brewing Works completely closed in early 2024. And it was straightforward to overlook, because the time from when the information broke to when the restaurant closed was actually only some days. It was abrupt, and even the staff who labored there didn’t know till the final minute. Walt Disney World was additionally seemingly caught off-guard and has since scrambled to fill the void with meals vehicles.
Whereas we weren’t followers of Massive River, it was a Walt Disney World establishment of kinds, opening in 1996 together with the remainder of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. (Not all establishments are good ones.) Its departure can also be considerably regarding for the ‘well being’ of that finish of the promenade, the place Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance Corridor appear to be hanging on by a thread.
We had been shocked by the response to the information of the Massive River closure, which garnered 70+ reader feedback. Whereas a handful of you had been unhappy to see Massive River finish its practically 3-decade run, most of you wish to see Walt Disney World fill the void and reinvigorate the BoardWalk. This space was as soon as positioned as a secondary ‘vacation spot’ leisure district to Downtown Disney (now Disney Springs) however has been allowed to languish through the years.
We agree that it’d be good to carry the BoardWalk. The losses of ESPN Membership and Ample Hills Creamery on the opposite finish of the promenade had been large blows, and Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance Corridor are shadows of their former selves. It’s time to start the turnaround of Disney’s BoardWalk, respiratory new life into the promenade with brand-new eating ideas and extra. Cake Bake Store will probably be an enormous asset, and so too may this house.
Even with minimal parking, the BoardWalk is inside strolling or boat distance of each EPCOT’s Worldwide Gateway and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s additionally related to hundreds of lodge rooms by way of the Skyliner gondolas, and there are one other few thousand rooms which might be walkable within the Crescent Lake Resort Space.
In different phrases, the nearly any restaurant idea may work on the BoardWalk. The difficulty isn’t one in all amount of company or visitors–it’s one in all high quality. For those who construct it, they may come. Nobody goes to return for a lackluster brewpub, however they may for a few of these 10 eating ideas…
ESPN Membership – This one looks like an extended shot on condition that this did exist–and closed–on the opposite finish of the BoardWalk. And it’ll in all probability by no means occur consequently, as that may be a colossal waste of cash. Nearly like bulldozing a bunch of stuff within the middle of a park and taking 4 years to rebuild roughly the identical factor, minus one fountain and plus bushes and planters. Oh wait.
By no means underestimate The Bob Iger Issue right here, although. No matter your opinions on him as CEO, the person loves sports activities. To a level that nearly clouds his judgment and causes him to pursue enterprise endeavors that won’t make full sense. (Hi there, NBA Expertise!) Usually, that is the kind of factor that may be approach under the pay grade of CEO, however I may see a situation the place Iger stays in one of many new rooms at BoardWalk Inn for a government retreat and is irrationally angered to find Chapek closed ESPN Membership.
Past that, a sports activities bar & grill that’s like a mixture between Massive River and ESPN Membership could be excellent for this spot, and fill an important position that’s now conspicuously absent from this space. There are lots of dads and different sports activities followers who take pleasure in watching “the large recreation,” and there’s not an incredible choice for that that’s simply accessible from the parks. As famous above, that is walkable from EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and likewise is inside Skyliner distance of a ton of resorts. A family-friendly(ish) sports activities bar makes lots of sense right here.
It’s unlucky that this didn’t occur just a few years in the past. Massive River has been on life help for ages, and there’s part of me that wonders whether or not Cake Bake Store could be getting into right here and ESPN Membership would nonetheless be working had Massive River gone below again in the course of the closure when Ample Hills did.
Adventurers Membership – Talking of issues which might be extinct, how concerning the Adventurers Membership?! Truthfully, I feel if the Adventurers Membership managed to hold on for one more 5 years, it could be insanely in style proper now and extremely profitable to the corporate. Simply take a look at Dealer Sam’s and the bucks that makes with the common releases of Tiki mugs.
The Society of Explorers and Adventurers has turn into an enormous factor since Adventurers Membership, as has this type of participatory leisure. Certain, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser closed, however that had extra to do with astronomical prices than it did high quality. Adventurers Membership was quirky, distinctive and addictive–a greater and extra polished incarnation of an leisure model that’s very fashionable proper now. A reincarnated Adventurers Membership could be a smash success among the many ever-growing viewers of Disney Adults–a demographic with tons of disposable revenue.
The potential for Adventurers Membership to return is aided by the truth that its authentic Solid Members nonetheless reunite for personal occasions regularly–we’ve attended a number of they usually simply returned for a Solid Member night time at Magic Kingdom in 2024. Repurposing this house to the Adventurers Membership–whilst a low-dough check–could be an incredible transfer that may immediately carry extra individuals to the BoardWalk.
Comedy Warehouse – Sticking with the theme of former Pleasure Island nightclubs that also have fan followings and performers in Central Florida, the following choice is Comedy Warehouse. This may very well be a fair lower-dough check to see if the idea would work and draw extra crowds to this finish of the BoardWalk.
It wouldn’t be the primary revival of this type, both. “The Comedy Warehouse Vacation Particular” was a family-friendly improvisational comedy present carried out in a flex venue at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a number of years after Pleasure Island closed in the course of the peak of vacation crowds. It hasn’t been performed since development started on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, however the level is {that a} check like this isn’t tough and doesn’t require tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} and a number of years to drag off. Toss something collectively, and see if it resonates with company.
Between the aforementioned Disney Adults and all the normie convention-goers who keep in Crescent Lake, I feel this finish of the promenade being recognized for nightlife would work. It may additionally assist revive Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance Corridor (the latter in all probability wants its personal new idea).
Explorer’s Membership – Each of the above choices require fairness entertainers, which in all probability makes them non-starters since Walt Disney World acts prefer it’s going broke in terms of paying larger wages. Provided that we are able to’t count on the struggling mother and pop store to pony up the pennies for performers, we’d must accept the following neatest thing: a meals court docket vaguely themed to the Adventurers Membership.
Wait, what?! You is likely to be questioning how we bought from level A to B. It’s by means of Hong Kong Disneyland, which is residence to the Explorer’s Membership, which is residence to props from the Adventurers Membership. As initially conceived, the Explorer’s Membership was a counter service restaurant with a number of ordering bays for various kinds of worldwide delicacies and eating rooms with distinct themes.
Mainly, this may be a meals court docket–one thing conspicuously absent from the Crescent Lake resorts–like these discovered on the Average Resorts serving up one thing for everybody on the totally different ordering bays. The eating room may very well be themed to classic Coney Island, or varied boardwalks even. Plus the Adventurers Membership, for the sake of fan service.
Museum of the Bizarre – If this title sounds acquainted, it’s as a result of this was an unbuilt attraction conceived by Imagineer Rolly Crump for Disneyland as a walk-through attraction that may complement Haunted Mansion many years in the past. Museum of the Bizarre is a kind of ideas that continues to drift round Imagineering, and has morphed over time. To my recollection, the final time there have been rumors about it, the thought was for a twist on Mystic Manor in Paradise Pier as a part of the second section of the DCA overhaul. Clearly, that by no means occurred.
Because the attraction itself is unlikely, I feel it’d be cool to see the Museum of the Bizarre idea come to life as a counterpart to Dealer Sam’s. Make it interconnected with S.E.A. and Dealer Sam’s, however a standalone factor that includes its personal props and gags. (A few of which, once more, may come from or be impressed by Adventurers Membership.)
The placement right here is sensible since BoardWalk is accessible and a freakshow kinda factor is becoming for the Coney Island-inspired resort. Since Dealer Sam’s is an enormous success, it stands to purpose that this may be, too. The overflow may benefit Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance Corridor. Relieving a number of the stress on Dealer Sam’s, particularly as a brand new tower is added on the Poly, would even be useful.
BoardWalk Burgers – Walt Disney World had the suitable concept with D-Luxe Burger, nevertheless it’s lengthy trek to Disney Springs only for burgers and when you’re there, there’s the temptation to get cookies and a full meal at one of many many, extra ingenious spots. I suppose the identical may very well be stated for BoardWalk (however swap out cookies for cake), however I additionally really feel like a second outpost of D-Luxe Burger (perhaps name it B-Stroll Burger…it has a sure understated stupidity to it) would work rather well.
There’s so much of various meals that’s simply accessible in Crescent Lake, however not a single spot that focuses on burgers and does them rather well–and effectively. It looks like all the meals on this space is both quick and dangerous, or actually good, expensive and time-consuming. There’s not a lot in-between, and B-Stroll Burger may fill that void with quick meals that’s scrumptious and comparatively moderately priced.
These of us who routinely stroll from Disney’s Hollywood Studios to EPCOT testing park touring technique would eat right here at the very least a dozen occasions per yr. I’m certain others would, too. The conference crowd and others exiting EPCOT may make this a preferred spot even after midnight.
Greek Backyard – One concept a reader urged in response to the Massive River closure information was a Greek quick informal spot mixed with a beer backyard. I really like this concept. Whereas the underrated Amare serves unbelievable Mediterranean delicacies over on the Swan Reserve, that’s too far-off to be on the radar of just about anybody who isn’t staying in that tower.
Not solely that, however whilst a mid-tier restaurant, it’s too good. BoardWalk must be residence to enjoyable handheld indulgences (like pickle-stuffed corn canine!). Gyros, kebabs, spanakopita, and so forth–even just a few American dishes with Greek twists to make it extra crowd-pleasing would work.
Portillo’s – As a local Midwesterner, it’s my civic responsibility to advocate for the enlargement of Portillo’s–that was a part of our pledge of allegiance, if I recall appropriately.
Regardless that Portillo’s is Chicago-based and thus would possibly upset some from New Jersey as being inauthentic, the place has severe Coney Island vibes, should you ask me. It’s additionally scrumptious and the corporate has already expanded to Orlando, so one other outpost at Walt Disney World isn’t an excessive amount of of a stretch.
Coney Cheese – No, not a cheese store. Extra like a rip-off of Chuck E Cheese, however a Disneyfied model within the model of Coney Island. Assume Chuck E Cheese meets Dave & Buster’s meets DisneyQuest meets BoardWalk thematic sensibilities.
This might serve a number of constituencies (sports activities followers, households, and so forth.) whereas providing one thing distinctive that may be distinctly Disney (regardless of the aforementioned comparisons) and an enormous draw for BoardWalk. Personally, I feel DisneyQuest was forward of its time in some methods. An idea prefer it, however simplified/scaled down and geared toward bringing individuals collectively in a communal/tactile setting, may very well be a hit.
Luna Park Disney Friends – I used to be absolutely anticipating 1900 Park Fare to get new characters which might be extra mainstream, however was hoping for one more choice that includes Mickey & Associates in distinctive costumes. There are just a few areas on the worldwide parks that includes Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Donald, Pluto and Goofy in regal and/or Victorian outfits. That will additionally form of work at BoardWalk, which is impressed by turn-of-the-century Atlantic Metropolis.
You understand what else would work for a Mickey & Associates character eating expertise? One thing bizarre. Deliver again the outdated Creepy Clown from the Luna Park Pool water slide for the doorway–or higher but, take inspiration from Toy Story Mania at Tokyo DisneySea for a Creepy Clown Mickey Mouse entrance. Make the costumes a motley crew of misfits in a enjoyable and fanciful setting impressed by Coney Island.
Another choice right here could be leaning into the setting much more, and letting that function the backdrop for an precise motley crew of characters that may very well be extra eclectic. Appease followers who’re upset concerning the adjustments to 1900 Park Fare by bringing these characters right here, together with others which have extra latitude to play and banter.
I may get behind a wedding of the final two concepts: Disneyfied Chuck E. Cheese, however with characters enjoying alongside patrons relatively than Audio Animatronics on stage. These of us who noticed 5 Nights at Freddy’s know that doesn’t all the time finish effectively. And it’d be enjoyable to attempt a brand new character play expertise…nevertheless it additionally is likely to be an unmitigated catastrophe, who is aware of. However something is best than meals vehicles parked on the BoardWalk–so begin testing out concepts, Walt Disney World!
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Your Ideas
What would you prefer to see as a short lived, check, or everlasting alternative for Massive River Grille & Brewing Works? Assume that one thing will take its place on that finish of the BoardWalk anytime quickly? What’s most wanted within the Crescent Lake Resort Space? Assume one thing extra grownup would assist revive Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance Corridor, or ought to Disney focus extra on family-friendly choices for BoardWalk? Do you agree or disagree with our record? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions—even while you disagree with us—is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
