The restaurant roster around Magic Kingdom is seeing a renaissance. Unfortunately, this largely applies to the dining locations at the monorail loop Deluxe Resorts, as opposed to those actually inside the castle park. As we frequently point out, Walt Disney World’s most popular park is also its worst food park.
That’s mostly okay by us. We love taking midday breaks as a reprieve from the chaos and crowds, and a chance to enjoy the monorail or boats across Seven Seas Lagoon or Bay Lake. Transportation around Walt Disney World is an attraction unto itself that too many fans sleep on, but that’s another topic for another day.
Midday breaks are something we strongly recommend during a day at Magic Kingdom, especially if you’re arriving at or before park opening and staying until the bitter end. Thanks to Disney Starlight Night Parade, Magic Kingdom is now often open from 8 am until 11 pm, which means you could be in the park from 7 am until midnight once accounting for Early Entry and late night shopping.
That’s an extreme, but even if you shave a couple hours from that total, it’s a lot of time! A midday break to rest, recharge, and see the beautiful Deluxe Resorts along the monorail loop (plus Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness) is a lovely way to break things up, and enjoy a great meal outside the parks.
Reviewing the best restaurants at the Magic Kingdom area resorts has become something of a series for us, with other recent entries covering Capt. Cook’s (my favorite guilty pleasure), Contempo Cafe (big and well-rounded menu; short walk), and Roaring Fork (under the radar pick; great dinner specials).
Today’s entry takes us to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and its main counter service restaurant, Gasparilla Island Grill.
Like Contempo Cafe, Gasparilla Island Grill was once our #1 ranked counter service restaurant in all of Walt Disney World.
Gasparilla Island Grill received a multi-month refurbishment about 8 years ago, and reopened with a brand-new menu and distinct ordering station. As is often the case with redone restaurants, the culinary team had ambitious ideas for the new menu at Gasparilla Island Grill.
Walt Disney World touted the “elevated flavors, artisanal ingredients and great attention to detail” at each station thanks to a collaboration among several chefs, including Grand Floridian Executive Chef, Scott Hunnel, Grand Floridian Executive Pastry Chef, Erich Herbitschek, and Chef Noah Estabrook.
This was a big deal at the time, especially Hunnel’s involvement. The same team responsible for Victoria & Albert’s had overseen the redo of Gasparilla Island Grill. And they actually were involved–it wasn’t just their names attached to the project. When we first dined at Gasparilla Island Grill in the week after it reopened, we spotted Hunnel in Gasparilla Island Grill at random on several occasions–he even made dessert recommendations to us and other guests.
It’s been a while (7+ years) since I’ve seen Chef Hunnel at Gasparilla Island Grill, and a lot of the “elevated flavors, artisanal ingredients and great attention to detail” have been reduced over time. Gasparilla Island Grill lost its crown as #1 over 5 years ago, and dropped out of the top 10 for a bit.
As great as it was in its prime, there were also times when both were arguably surpassed by Value Resort food courts. Thankfully, that time has passed. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort now once again has a counter service restaurant worthy of its flagship stature.
We have several recommendations with regard to dining at Gasparilla Island Grill, but let’s start by digging into some dishes…
Let’s start with the Buffalo Chicken Flatbread: Fried Chicken, Buffalo Sauce, Bacon, White Cheddar, Mozzarella, Parmesan, and Blue Cheese on House-made Dough.
I’ve done a lot of taste-testing of the pizzas around the Magic Kingdom monorail loop, and I’m convinced the Grand Floridian has the highest quality ones, followed by Contemporary. As much as I like Capt. Cook’s, its pizzas are significantly lesser.
Back when its overhaul was completed, Walt Disney World touted the new ovens that cooked each pizza for 90 seconds at 840 degrees and the pizza dough made in-house daily by Chef Erich’s team at the Grand Floridian Bakery. I ate this Buffalo Chicken Flatbread on the same day as a flatbread at the Polynesian, and the quality difference thanks to the house-made dough was very noticeable.
The quality difference of the toppings is likewise night and day.
The fried chicken is tasty, but that’s not where the main difference lies. It’s in the blend of cheese, sauces, and other toppings. This is a guilty pleasure, sure, but it’s also a high-quality one.
The Buffalo Chicken Flatbread is addictively delicious, and far superior to anything served inside Magic Kingdom (we’re talking head and shoulders about Pinocchio Village House–not even in the same ballpark; barely playing the same sport) or even at Capt. Cook’s. There is one flatbread at Contempo Cafe that’s almost as good, but not quite.
This is the #1 counter service flatbread at Walt Disney World, and is highly recommended. Just writing this has me craving it! Ironically enough, the Buffalo Chicken Flatbread is right up there with My Favorite Meal at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is the highest possible praise. Perhaps I just have a thing for Buffalo Chicken.
Next up is the Roast Beef Sandwich: Roast Beef, Horseradish Aïoli, Caramelized Onion Jam, Crispy Onions, Swiss Cheese, and Arugula on House-made Ciabatta.
This is one of the very best sandwiches at Walt Disney World. Once again, the difference is in the ingredients–starting with that bread that’s freshly made daily at the Grand Floridian Bakery. That Ciabatta is some of my favorite bread anywhere; it’s light and airy and delicious.
Same goes for all of the toppings. I swear they’re using different, higher-quality meats and cheeses at Grand Floridian versus the other resort food courts. My go-to move with the Roast Beef Sandwich is requesting more of the Horseradish Aïoli on the side.
Gasparilla Island Grill rotates through these sandwiches from time to time. Not currently available is one of my all-time favorite Italian sandwiches.
Another strong recommendation is the Caprese Sandwich with Fire-roasted Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, Arugula, Lettuce, Basil, Sherry Vinaigrette, Basil Aïoli, and Balsamic Reduction on House-made Ciabatta. I ordered this recently on a late night after leaving Magic Kingdom (more on this in a bit) and it was still fantastic.
My only disappointment was that it did not come with a side, but was still the same price as at lunch or dinner. Oh well, still better than the flatbreads at Capt. Cook’s.
One more recent addition at Gasparilla Island Grill is the bowls, which are under the “Chef Specialties” section of the menu.
Pictured above is the Barbacoa Bowl: Black Bean and Corn Salad, Lemon Rice, and Cilantro-Lime Sauce.
I found the portion here, especially of the meat, to be a bit on the small side. The bowl was good, with quality ingredients that worked well together. It was also fairly filling, so I guess I have no real complaints there.
Although I have no major criticisms of the Barbacoa Bowl beyond that, it’s also something I probably would not order again.
This type of bowl has become something of a trend at Walt Disney World counter service restaurants, and there are other locations that do them just as well or better. When these first started appearing on menus, I was excited and tried many of them–perhaps this is a “me problem” and I have fatigue of these bowls as a frequent Walt Disney World diner that a normal guest wouldn’t.
But I would also point out that the flatbreads and sandwiches both use house-made ingredients, and are unique to Grand Floridian. If that type of thing matters to you, it’s worth directing your attention to those. They are also a few dollars cheaper than this bowl, and I’d argue that they’re more filling.
You might also consider the Artisan Burger or House-Made Mac & Cheese. It’s been over 2 years since I’ve had either of those, but they were very good in the past. One thing I would note is that none of the hot sandwiches are served on house-made bread–it’s all the generic brioche buns you’ll find everywhere else at Walt Disney World.
Also housemade are the desserts! Back when Chef Hunnel was at the helm here, he boasted (paraphrasing) that the quality of the desserts at Gasparilla Island Grill is on par with the table service restaurants at the Grand Floridian.
Although it depends upon what you order, this has largely held true since. Gasparilla Island Grill quietly has some of the best desserts in all of Walt Disney World, especially for the price point.
Pictured above is the Coconut-Chocolate Cake: Chocolate Cake soaked with Caramel Syrup, filled with Strawberry Sauce, and topped with Coconut-Chocolate Ganache.
If it’s still available when you dine at Gasparilla Island Grill, I highly recommend the Coconut-Chocolate Cake. It is fantastic.
The cake is moist thanks to being caramel-soaked, and it’s a veritable symphony of sauces, textures, and flavors. Rich, delicious and delightful. If this were served to me at Grand Floridian Cafe for ~$10, I’d be satisfied.
It’s probably not quite Citricos or Narcoossee’s quality, but it’s better than any dessert I’ve had in the last year-plus at the Polynesian, Contemporary or Wilderness Lodge counter service restaurants.
If the Coconut-Chocolate Cake is gone by the time you get to Gasparilla, you cannot go wrong with the seasonal desserts.
A couple of those from previous Halloween seasons are pictured above. That’s the Apple Cinnamon Fall Cupcake and Churro Eclair. If you ever have the chance to get these, do it!
My advice for choosing a dessert at Gasparilla Island Grill is the same as entrees. Go for the ones that appear to be made in-house at the Grand Floridian Bakery. They also have some generic ones that are the same as you can find anywhere else; skip those. Generally speaking, this advice applies pretty much everywhere–unique items are almost always better than generic ones. Profound wisdom, I know.
There’s indoor and outdoor seating at Gasparilla Island Grill, a self-service beverage station, restrooms, and an arcade. I usually eat outside unless the heat and humidity are oppressive. The tables out here overlook the water, with the Magic Kingdom off in the distance. It’s lovely.
Gasparilla Island Grill offers Mobile Order, grab-and-go fridges with pre-packaged foods, and cash registers that allow you to place orders in-person. Cast Members will typically ask if you’re dining in or taking your food to go, but in our experience, the plating of the food is fairly random. I didn’t request anything to-go for these meals, and yet, I got several to-go containers.
While I’m usually an advocate of Mobile Order, I don’t really recommend it at Gasparilla Island Grill. The in-restaurant process is efficient, and gives you a chance to actually see the sandwiches and desserts in person. That can be crucial in calling an audible if something looks good (or bad). I’ve changed my planned order on several occasions after scoping out the scene.
As mentioned in passing above, Gasparilla Island Grill also offers Late Night Dining until midnight.
This makes it one of the few Walt Disney World restaurants that’s open after 11 pm. The only other one in the Magic Kingdom area is currently Capt. Cook’s, and the selections at Gasparilla Island Grill are much better.
This extra hour may not seem like a big deal, but again, Magic Kingdom is currently open until 11 pm most nights. If you’re a night owl like me craving a Fourth Meal, this gives Gasparilla Island Grill a huge advantage. It can be sort of a madhouse in here after the Magic Kingdom exodus, but I still recommend walking in as opposed to doing Mobile Order–there are often sandwiches and other items in the coolers that don’t appear on the Mobile Order menu.
I also recommend walking to Gasparilla Island Grill!
One of our favorite additions to Grand Floridian in the last several years is the walkway to Magic Kingdom.
We’ve already breathlessly covered this in “Photos & Video: Meandering the Magnificent Magic Kingdom to Grand Floridian Walkway.” In case you missed that, it’s now possible to walk all the way from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom. Our enthusiasm for the walkway is not hyperbole. It’s a huge win for the Grand Floridian.
While you can also take the boat or monorail to Grand Floridian, the walkway is peaceful and scenic experience.
I routinely spot raccoons, lizards, deer, and other wildlife along this walk. There are also seldom many other people on this path once you get past the smoking area, which is part of the reason I’m offering this “reminder.” I’m guessing even many diehard Walt Disney World fans don’t realize this exists. It used to be a walkway to nowhere. (If you know, you know.)
The walkway can be difficult to find on the Grand Floridian side, but actually starts right by Gasparilla Island Grill. This also means the counter service restaurant is a shorter walk than the rest of the resort. (I can often “beat” the monorail or boat when walking.)
Ultimately, it’s great to see Gasparilla Island Grill partially restored to its former glory. The menu is still reduced as compared to its heyday ~8 years ago, but things are heading in the right direction. I’d love to see that continue, with another unique flatbread added to the menu along with a couple of hot sandwiches.
Bringing back the Mahi Mahi Reuben and Blackened Chicken Sandwich would be huge, as would serving all of the hot sandwiches on house-made bread. Those three changes would instantly make Gasparilla Island Grill a top 5 counter service restaurant at Walt Disney World.
In the meantime, Gasparilla Island Grill is a best-in-class sandwiches at Walt Disney World, the #1 counter service flatbread, and top tier desserts. So if you like any of those things, Gasparilla Island Grill is a great choice for you. And if you don’t…well, are you sure that you even like food?!
At the end of the the day, Gasparilla Island Grill is a great midday break from Magic Kingdom to escape the crowds and weak counter service food scene. And it is quite literally the best spot in the area at the end of the evening at Magic Kingdom, when it’s one of very few restaurants in all of Walt Disney World open until midnight.
This isn’t enough to restore Gasparilla Island Grill as #1 on our List of the Top 20 Counter Service Restaurants at Walt Disney World, but it’s once again easily top 10 and close to top 5. That’s quite the improvement from a few years ago and reason enough to give it your time, money, and stomach space.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you dined at Gasparilla Island Grill in the last year or so? What did you think of the meal? If you’ve dined there previously (in the last ~5 years), do you think it has improved? If you dined here during its glory days (2017-2019), how do you think the current menu stacks up? Agree or disagree with our review and restaurant redemption tale? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
