Spilling the Tea on The Garden View Lounge Tea Experience at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Is This Wonderland Inspired Tea Worth the Splurge?

There is something about afternoon tea that feels a little more special than your average Disney dining experience. Add in the elegance of the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and plenty of Alice in Wonderland touches, it sounds like a pretty magical way to spend an afternoon.

But is the Garden View Lounge Tea Experience actually worth the price?

After experiencing it with my daughter, my answer is: it depends. We genuinely enjoyed our afternoon tea, the theming was on point, and my daughter thought the whole thing was fantastic. The food, however, left a little to be desired for us, which ultimately makes this more of a fun experience than a must-do meal in my book.

If you love Alice in Wonderland, enjoy the tradition of afternoon tea, or are looking for something special to do at Disney World, this is an experience worth considering. However, you have to want the tea experience itself to make the price worthwhile.

Quick Facts:

Location: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Experience: Afternoon tea

Theme: Alice in Wonderland

Menu: Twinings tea selections with scones, small bites and pastries

Cost: $79 per adult and $49 per child (ages 3–9), plus tax and gratuity

Dining Plan: Not accepted

Best For: Alice in Wonderland fans, afternoon tea lovers, special occasions, and families looking for a unique Disney dining experience

Stepping Into Wonderland for a Very Merry (Un)Birthday! 

The Garden View Lounge is tucked inside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and the setting is part of what makes this experience so appealing. The resort is known for its elegant Victorian feel that makes you want to put on a nice dress and pretend you have somewhere very important to be. The Garden View Lounge leans right into that atmosphere with a light, airy garden-inspired setting that feels appropriately fancy without being stuffy.

The tea experience adds an Alice in Wonderland twist to the traditional British afternoon tea, with whimsical details throughout that make it feel like you're stepping into a story rather than simply sitting down for a cup of tea.

For my daughter, the whole thing was a hit!

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We were visiting Disney to celebrate her birthday, and I was a little worried the tea might be too formal for her. Even though Disney advertises a children’s afternoon tea, I wasn't sure how a toddler would feel about sitting through the experience.

As it turns out, I didn't need to worry.

The staff were absolutely wonderful and did a great job of making the experience feel special without making it feel overly formal. They were especially attentive to making sure my daughter felt included. One of my favorite details was something incredibly simple: her apple juice was served in her own little teapot. She wasn't drinking tea, of course, but having her own teapot made her feel like she was part of the experience rather than just sitting at the table while the adults had tea.

And honestly, that is the kind of Disney detail that gets me.

Let's Talk About the Food

This is where my feelings about the experience get a little more complicated.

The food is beautiful. There is no denying that the presentation is part of the fun, and the tea service itself feels elegant and special. You'll enjoy your tea along with a selection of savory bites, scones, and pastries, with options available for both adults and children.

But for me, the food was more style than substance.

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Our favorite bite was the Orange-Cranberry Scones, which were served before the tower of treats. The adult tower included:

• Curried Chicken Salad Playing Card Tart: Curried chicken salad filling topped with cherry gelée

• Footman’s Feast: Wonderland Salmon Crisp with a salmon rillette on a miso brown butter crisp

• Tweedledee Egg Salad Sandwich: A traditional egg salad on beet bread

• Caterpillar Cucumber Roll: Butterfly pea-infused cream cheese and cucumbers on pumpernickel

• The Matcha Mad Hatter: Sponge cake with apricot jam and yuzu buttercream

• Tea Party Tart: Vanilla tart, coffee custard, and chantilly cream

• Flamingo Croquet Choux: filled with passion fruit cream and a raspberry crunch

• Painting the Rose: Earl Grey-flavored teacake painted tableside

The Children's Afternoon Tea included:

• Queen of Hearts Cheese Toastie

• Fanciful Turkey Wrap

• Sunflower Seed Butter and Jelly Bun

• Cheshire Cat Raspberry Macaron

• Chocolate Brownie Branch

• Don’t be late for the vanilla White Rabbit Cupcake

While nothing was terrible, I didn't leave thinking about how delicious the meal was. For the price of the experience, I wanted the food itself to be a little more memorable.

This is an important distinction because I don't think the Garden View Tea Experience is really trying to compete with a traditional restaurant meal. You're paying for the entire experience - the setting, the presentation, the tea service, the Disney theming, and the opportunity to slow down and enjoy something a little different.

If you're looking for a filling meal where the food is going to be the highlight of your afternoon, this probably isn't where I'd spend my dining budget.

If you're looking for an elegant afternoon tea with a little Disney magic sprinkled in, however, this could be exactly what you're looking for.

Is the Garden View Tea Experience Good for Kids?

I was curious how my daughter would feel about this experience because afternoon tea is not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when I think about dining with a toddler, but she loved it! The children's tea experience and the little touches that make kids feel included - like their own tea pot - go a long way. 

The whole experience was a good reminder that you don't necessarily need a character walking up to the table for a dining experience to feel magical for kids. Sometimes the fun comes from being invited into a world that feels a little different from everyday life.

That said, I would consider your child's personality before booking. This is a slower-paced experience, and you're essentially asking a young child to sit through afternoon tea rather than letting them run around a buffet or be distracted by characters popping by the table throughout the meal. 

For kids who love imaginative play, dressing up, Alice in Wonderland, or feeling like a "big kid," I think there is a lot to enjoy! 

Who Should Book the Garden View Tea Experience?

I would consider this experience if you:

• Love Alice in Wonderland or genuinely enjoy afternoon tea

• Want something different from the typical Disney character meals

• Are celebrating a birthday, special occasion, or enjoying a mother-daughter trip

• Like taking your time over a meal rather than rushing off to the next attraction

• Are traveling with a child who enjoys imaginative or dress-up experiences

I would probably skip it if you:

• Are primarily looking for a filling meal

• Are trying to maximize your dining budget

• Don't particularly enjoy tea or the traditional afternoon tea format

• Have kids who struggle with longer, slower meals

• Would rather spend your afternoon in the parks or at the pool

Disney recommends making an advance reservation for the Garden View Lounge Tea Experience, though in my experience I would say reservations are required and a bit hard to get due to the small size of the Garden View Lounge. It is also important to note that full payment, including tax and gratuity, is due at the time of booking with a 24-hour cancellation policy. At this time, dining plans are not accepted for this experience.

Is the Garden View Tea Experience Worth It?

For my family that loves an afternoon tea, this is probably a one-and-done experience - but that doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend it!

My hesitation to return really comes down to the food. We enjoyed the tea and absolutely loved the atmosphere, but we have high expectations when it comes to a tea service, and the food here didn't quite meet them. When I'm spending that much on a dining experience, I want to walk away feeling like the food was just as memorable as everything surrounding it.

My daughter, on the other hand, would happily go back tomorrow. 

And that is exactly why I think this is one of those Disney experiences where the right question isn't simply, "Is it worth it?" - the better question is "Is it worth it for you?"

If you're an Alice in Wonderland fan or someone who genuinely loves the idea of sitting down for a proper afternoon tea, it could be a really fun addition to your Disney vacation. If you're simply looking for a good meal, I'd spend your money somewhere else.

For us, the memories were worth visiting once. The special touches, watching my daughter feel like she was part of something grown-up and fancy, and enjoying a slower afternoon together are things I'll remember long after I've forgotten exactly what was on the tea tray.

It’s a good reminder that some of the best Disney experiences aren't necessarily the ones you'll want to repeat every trip. Sometimes they're the ones that are just unique enough to make a particular vacation feel special. 

Still trying to decide if the Garden View Tea Experience is right for you? 

I help my clients decide which dining reservations are worth prioritizing for their families, so they aren't overspending or missing out on something that would make their trip more magical. Reach out if you want help planning a trip that fits exactly how your family travels!