Hi Kathy!
Welcome to planDisney! I'm so happy you stopped by with this question. How wonderful to be planning a return trip 40 years later to the very spot where your "happily ever after" began!
Kathy, I fondly remember visiting the
Empress Lilly back in 1989. It was the very first place I met Mickey and Minnie during a character breakfast on my first trip to Walt Disney World Resort. Originally named after Walt Disney's wife, the Empress Lilly has been home to several different dining experiences over the years. You'll be delighted to know the boat is still located in
Disney Springs and is now home to
Paddlefish. This restaurant menu highlights some yummy seafood selections and is open for both lunch and dinner. Advanced dining reservations are recommended and can be made
online or through your
My Disney Experience Mobile App. If you're staying in a
Disney Resorts Collection hotel, you can
start making dining reservations 60 days before your arrival for your entire length of stay while guests at other properties can make reservations 60 days before their desired dining reservation.
If you're looking for ways to add a little something "extra" to your visit to Disney Springs, I have a few suggestions! Located right around the corner from Paddlefish are
Vintage Amphicar Tours. These 20-minute tours offer a unique and fun way to cruise around Disney Springs! Advanced reservations are not available online and must be made at the dock podium or inside the nearby BOATHOUSE BOATIQUE store. This is a very popular experience, so I'd encourage you to stop by early in your visit to Disney Springs to check availability. Another option may be taking in a show at
Drawn to Life Presented by Cirque du Soleil and Disney. Just a short walk from the theater is a great ice cream stop,
Salt & Straw, where you can grab a sweet treat before or after the performance. Personally, my favorite flavor there is the Honey Lavender!
Kathy, congratulations on your special milestone celebration and I'm sending buckets of pixie dust that you continue to create magical memories at Walt Disney World Resort for many years to come! If you have any other questions that we can help answer while you're planning your special trip, please don't hesitate to
ask me or any of my panelist pals here at planDisney - we're all ears!
Cheers!
Kristi