A luxurious dining experience is coming back to Disney World — and while we are very excited, we can’t help but be a little bit worried…
The Garden View Tea Room at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is set reopen on March 19th, 2026, after five years of being — and we are so excited to experience the new dining setting, theming, and menu! On paper, the new afternoon tea experience sounds like a home run… but there are a few red flags we just can’t ignore.
While the Tea Room will be loaded with tasty treats and delicious sips in an elegant setting, some practical problems remain, such as the space size.
The Garden View Tea room will have a ton of interested potential guests and not a huge space to accommodate everyone. That’s a dangerous combo.
Demand is going to be massive, supply is going to be tiny, and grabbing a reservation is going to be an absolute nightmare. If you thought getting a spot at certain character meals was stressful… buckle up.
Then there’s the price. Afternoon Tea from noon to 4 PM daily costs $79 per adult and $49 per child (3-9). That’s notably well above other afternoon tea services that offer similar — albeit less refined — experiences.
It doesn’t help that tea service is also SO expensive for what little food you actually get, especially when you compare it to an all-you-can-eat Disney meal.
You’re not paying to get a full belly. You’re paying for finger sandwiches, scones, tiny desserts, and vibes. And look, that’s fine if expectations are set correctly.
With afternoon tea menu offerings, there’s kind of a ceiling to how good it can realistically be. You’re mostly paying for the experience and the chance to try unique teas. Still, we already think people are going to complain about the quality of the food for the price.
A lot of afternoon teas usually cost $35 or less per person, especially outside of true luxury hotels. Afternoon tea’s little sandwiches and pastries are usually equally solid across price points, unless you’re doing a genuinely high-end, white-glove luxury experience. And that’s not exactly what Disney seems to be marketing here.
So what happens when Disney prices this significantly higher, people finally score a reservation, and then realize that they’re still getting the same basic tea-service staples? It may not be pretty.
Don’t get us wrong — we want this to be great, and with Disney running the show, we almost expect it to be. But between the limited seating, the inevitable reservation frenzy, and the value question looming over the whole thing, we’re bracing for some complications.
Regardless, you can expect full coverage and honest analysis from us once the experience reopens, so be sure to keep it posted right here at AllEars for the latest updates!
Sneak Peek INSIDE the NEW Garden View Tea Room at Disney’s Grand Floridian Hotel
How are you feeling about the reopening of the Garden Tea Room? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The $79 price tag is still less than the $95 Roses of Gold Afternoon Tea at Disney Boardwalk’s Cake Bake Shop. That tea offers just 6 tea selections (3 black, 1 green, 2 herbal)), 4 standard tea sandwiches, a scone, and 6 mini pastries & sweets. Yet, I don’t hear about disgruntled patrons. This may be borrowing trouble. There may be an initial rush of reservations due to the 5-year pent-up demand. But then I expect everything to settle down as patrons that typically expect to pay these kind of prices at our country’s grande dame hotels become the Garden View Tea Room’s steady, repeat customers.