Hi Elizabeth,
Welcome to planDisney and thank you for asking us a question about my absolute favourite Disney dining location,
California Grill at
Disney’s Contemporary Resort! No visit to Walt Disney World Resort is complete for me without having a meal there. It’s gotten to the point now where even my son asks me to make a reservation at the “fireworks restaurant” for all of our upcoming trips so that he and my husband (who has a severe shellfish allergy) can have sushi! Dining there truly is a fabulous experience.
I had the chance to experience the California Grill Lounge (sometimes known as the “bar area”) on one of my trips late last year. While I could have ordered the
“prix fixe” dining experience that is offered in the dining room, I’m happy to say that the Lounge has a separate menu, with selections that can be found in the appetizer section of the prix fixe dinner menu (such as the scrumptious braised beef short rib wontons and sushi selections) but also some items that are unique to the Lounge itself, such as a divine 4 cheese pizza from the restaurant’s wood burning oven. Of course, all menu items are subject to change and likely will change given the California Grill’s focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients, but the existence of a separate Lounge menu seems to be here to stay.
One final tip: seating at the bar is EXTREMELY limited, with only a dozen or so seats available for dining. If you’d like to experience the California Grill Lounge, I’d highly recommend either trying to get a seat the moment the restaurant opens for the evening or about 20-30 minutes after the last fireworks set the sky ablaze for the
Magic Kingdom Park’s nighttime fireworks spectacular. I hope my answer helps you plan a delicious visit to Walt Disney World Resort! Please don’t hesitate to come back and see us if you have any other questions.
Have a Magical Day,
Lynne