Update: Summer House on the Lake at Disney Springs
Latest update on Disney World’s newest restaurant: Summer House on the Lake
Disney World’s newest restaurant is opening soon
Work on Summer House on The Lake, a new restaurant coming in “late 2023” to Disney Springs is nearing completion, at least on the exterior. A couple of weeks ago the exterior was nothing more than a steel frame.
It’s amazing how work gets done so fast after sitting partially completed for several years.
The eatery’s parent company, Lettuce Entertain You, is reporting that Summer House on the Lake is on schedule for a late 2023 opening.
I was able to catch a glimpse of the interior, it appears there is still much that needs to be done.
However, given how fast the exterior was assembled, it’s entirely possible crews could button up the interior in time.
According to the Disney Springs website, Summer House on the Lake will have flavorful salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and more at lunch and dinner. And on Saturdays and Sundays, delight in a special brunch menu.
Summer House will also feature an in-house bakery where guests will be able to enjoy a sweet finale to their meal Treats include freshly baked cookies, brownies, and other goodies.
In addition to the bakery, there will be a cookie bar, a dessert-focused market within this Summer House serving up freshly baked cookies and house-made pastries, wine, beer, handcrafted cocktails, nonalcoholic beverages, and more.
Summer House on the Lake is located on the west side of Disney Springs, near the AMC movie theater. Stay tuned for more updates.
Have questions about planning your Orlando vacation? I have answers! Contact me now to get more out of your vacation.
Since 2010, Darren has been making Orlando vacations easy! As an Orlando resident, he is able to provide insider, expert advice on Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and Florida-based cruises.
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The Ganachery: A Disney Springs Must-Do for Chocolate Lovers
Chocolate fans are in for a treat at The Ganachery at Disney Springs.
Chocolate fans are in for a treat at The Ganachery, a one-of-a-kind chocolate shop, at Disney Springs. Located in The Landing, this charming jewel-box shop is reminiscent of an apothecary in another era.
The Ganachery features 16 different kinds of handcrafted ganache (a rich mixture of chocolate and cream) infused with exotic spices and flavors from around the world.
These chocolates fall into four flavor profiles: spices, such as chipotle and cinnamon, classic, such as coffee and caramel; trendy, such as Egyptian sea salt and matcha yuzu; and floral/fruit, such as mint and raspberry.
Plus, nine varieties of custom-made chocolate bars (not made in-house) celebrate Disney’s iconic destinations and the “Fab Five” (Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto and Donald Duck).
Individual Pieces
$3.00
Box of Six
$16.00
Box of Nine
$22.00
Box of Sixteen
$38.00
Pops
Minnie Ganache Pop- milk chocolate ganache enrobed in milk chocolate
$6.50
Mickey Ganache Pop - dark chocolate strawberry ganache enrobed in dark chocolate
$6.50
Millennium Falcon Chocolate Pop - solid milk chocolate with crisp pearls
$7.00
Ahsoka Ganache Pop - (Seasonal) plant-based coconut and blueberry swirled ganache enrobed in dark chocolate
$7.50
Milk Chocolate Marshmallows - house-made vanilla bean marshmallows enrobed in milk chocolate
$8.50
Toffee Crunch - house-made buttery toffee enrobed in dark chocolate, toasted pecans, and sea salt
$11.00
Chocolate Pinatas (Seasonal) Chocolate shell filled with treats
$28.00
Made-To-Order Artisan S’mores
$8.50
Ganache Square Flavors
Orange
Caramel Fleur de Sel
Coffee
Chipotle
Cinnamon
Egyptian Sea Salt
Gianduja Italian Hazelnut
Coconut (plant-based)
Raspberry
Passion Fruit
Milk Chocolate
Celebration
Dark Chocolate 65%
Peanut Butter
Mint
Pistachio
Best Rooms at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Resort
Easy guide to the best rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort
In this guide to the best rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter I’ll cover the various room categories that are offered, where you can find them, plus answer some frequently asked questions that I get as a Disney travel advisor.
At just 1,000 guest rooms, Port Orleans French Quarter is the smallest resort at Walt Disney World. To put this into perspective:
Port Orleans Riverside has 3,000 rooms
Coronado Springs has nearly 2,000 rooms
Caribbean Beach has just over 1,500 rooms
Smaller means less crowds and shorter walks to hotel amenities like the pool and dining.
Port Orleans French Quarter is one of the best kept secrets at Walt Disney World because:
it’s centrally located on Disney World property
dining, pool, lobby and bus depot are all a short walk
Transportation to and from the theme parks doesn’t get any easier. This is the only Moderate hotel to have just one bus stop.
Port Orleans French Quarter is technically in the Disney Springs Resort Area but it’s located right behind Epcot. Magic Kingdom is less than 10 minutes away by bus.
Complimentary boat service is provided to and from Disney Springs along the scenic Sassagoula River.
Best Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter
There are 7 buildings at Port Orleans French Quarter, each with 3 stories. All have exterior corridors.
Rooms are about 315 square feet and include 2 queen beds, a small table with 2 chairs, a split bath, and a mini-fridge.
POFQ rooms sleep a maximum of 4 guests, rollaway beds are not offered. If you have a 5 guests, look into Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside or Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort as these resorts offer a 5th sleeper option.
What are the room categories at Port Orleans French Quarter?
Garden View
King Bed Room
Pool View (Buildings 2 and 5)
River View (Buildings 1, 2, 5, 6, 7)
Standard View (Buildings 1, 3, 4, 7)
Standard View is the most economical room followed by Garden View. The difference between Standard View and Garden View is minimal and they are often used interchangeably and most guests wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
Where are the Standard View Rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort?
Standard View rooms are in buildings 1, 3, 4 and 7.
Garden View rooms can be found throughout the resort, in all buildings. The same is true for King Bed rooms.
River View Rooms are located in the buildings along the Sassagoula River in Buildings 1, 2, 5, 6, 7. Boats going to Port Orleans Riverside and Disney Springs pass by frequently. River View rooms in Building 2 might have noise intrusion from the boat horns.
Where You’ll Find Peace and Quiet
If you’re looking for a for a quiet room location, book a Standard View or Garden View room and request buildings 1 and 7. These buildings will have less people walking by and you’re far enough from the DJ playing music at the pool.
I will often request a 2nd or 3rd floor room for my clients when they are looking for quiet and/or privacy. Rooms on the upper floors won’t have as many people passing by.
Most Convenient Rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter
If you wish to be close to the lobby, dining and bus stop, book a Standard or Garden room and request Buildings 3 and 4.
Are there Preferred rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter?
Preferred Rooms are not offered at POFQ. Pool View would be comparable to Preferred View because your room will be right behind the lobby and transportation depot.
Does Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter have elevators?
Yes. Elevators are available in each building.
How to Make a Room Request at POFQ
Disney will not guarantee room requests but Cast Members at the hotel do try hard to honor them.
If you want help making room your requests, start planning with me today, because I have a few strategies that I have learned over the years that may increase your chances of having your request honored. My client’s requests are honored about 80% of the time.
TIP: The best way to increase your chances is to make your request practical and within the category you booked. For example, don’t book a Standard View room and make a request for a room overlooking the river. River View rooms are a bookable category and they cost more than Standard View. Disney probably won’t won’t honor a complimentary upgrade request.
Contact me now so you can get the most out of your stay at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort! I have plenty of great advice, recommendations and even exclusive offers!
For over 12 years Darren Wittko has been helping people save money at Walt Disney World as both, a travel writer and a travel advisor with Magical Vacations Travel. He’s featured in the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World as a Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent. Darren resides in Celebration, FL.
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My Favorite Restaurants at Disney Springs
Martin Wittko shares his Top 5 favorite restaurants at Disney Springs
By Martin Wittko
Disney Springs. The perfect place to dine, shop, and play! There is a lot to offer when you come to this magical place. Many restaurants are available! From sit down to quick service there are tons of options. Now what are OrlandoParksGuy's (and son) Top 5 restaurants?
Number 5: Boathouse. I recommend sitting outside, The boats and the nice breeze of Florida feel great while you sit over the water.
They have a huge bar with bar food like hamburgers.
They also have upscale-style steaks and are also known for their seafood.
Customers can enjoy boats and boating gear inside, have a round of drinks and a burger, or have a wonderful delicious steak or seafood with family or friends.
The service is wonderful with nice staff caring for your every need!
The place is wonderful, but not as good as Number 4, which is Planet Hollywood. Amazing American food with rock music sing-alongs in an observatory-themed area.
Good burgers with movie props from movies like Back to the Future, Nightmare on Elm Street, Home Alone, and many more!
Well, Number 3 is where we start getting serious.
T-Rex is also an American food restaurant but has a prehistoric time period with cool light show effects and meteor showers.
Great service with amazing staff with a gift shop for prehistoric gifts.
The 2nd best restaurant in Disney Springs is Blaze Pizza. It is wonderful to make your own pizza that is charred and crispy.
A fun way to make your day.
It's open for lunch and dinner.
The last one is the best restaurant in all of Disney Springs. This will probably shock you, but our number 1 is Earl of Sandwich!
The best of the best place to get yummy sandwiches is this 1700s-themed restaurant in the back of Disney Springs.
OrlandoParksGuy: Travel agent for Disney World, Universal Orlando, and Orlando area cruises
Find a table to enjoy the best sandwich you have ever tasted. The Earl really delivers something great!
That is the top 5 restaurants to try in Disney Springs and if you’re feeling hungry book your next vacation to OrlandoParksGuy.com. He is also on Facebook and Instagram.
(written by Martin Wittko I post Disney pictures and funny Disney pictures follow me at martin._wittko) Written by Martin Wittko “the child” of OrlandoParksGuy
Have questions about planning your Orlando vacation? I have answers! Contact me now to get more out of your vacation.
Since 2010, Darren has been making Orlando vacations easy! As an Orlando resident, he is able to provide insider, expert advice on Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and Florida-based cruises.
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Disney Springs Offers New Family Entertainment (Kids Club)
New Family-Friendly Entertainment at Disney Springs Kids Club
I just received a promo email from Walt Disney World that said a new kids club would be coming to Disney Springs. My first thought was that it’s going to be a place where kids will be entertained while their parents go have a nice dinner - similar to Disney Cruise Line.
Nope, the Disney Springs Kids Club is not that at all. Instead, the new Kids Club is, well, strange!
The Disney Springs Kids Club kicks off this Saturday, January 28, 2023 and is a brand-new entertainment offering designed for the whole family to enjoy together.
It will take place at Waterview Park every Saturday morning starting at 10:30 a.m.
OrlandoParksGuy: Travel agent for Disney World, Universal Orlando, and Orlando area cruises
These unique, family-friendly acts will vary each week, and new entertainment will frequently be added to the lineup.
To kick things off, guests may recognize Wassalou, the Afropop band from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
Pick up bongos, maracas and more, while everyone plays and dances along in the drum circle.
Or, boogie down with Flight Crew Jump Rope at a high-energy dance party featuring dazzling jump-rope routines and thrilling acrobatics.
Rounding out the current Disney Springs Kids Club lineup, DJ KD Queen will bring her signature flair to the stage, hosting games, singalongs and more.
Afterwards, Disney is inviting families to enjoy some kid favorite activities like lunch at Splitsville Dining Room, taking a ride on the Marketplace Train Express or building at The LEGO Store play tables – just to name a few.
Have questions about planning your Orlando vacation? I have answers! Contact me now to get more out of your vacation.
Darren is a Disney-focused travel agent with Magical Vacations Travel and has over 13 years of experience. Readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World rate him as a Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent. Darren is also an Orlando-based travel writer with topics ranging from theme parks to cruise lines.
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Meta Quest Virtual Reality Experience Now Opened at Disney Springs
Star Wars fans can enjoy a new limited time experience at Walt Disney World: Meta Quest 2 Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge.
Star Wars fans can enjoy a new limited time experience at Walt Disney World: Meta Quest 2 Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge. This new venue is located at Disney Springs West Side in the former NBA Experience building.
This limited time venue runs from May 2 through July 21, 2022. There is no cost to play but reservations are highly recommended.
You can make an appointment for Meta Quest 2 upon arriving at Disney Springs by scanning a QR code.
Meta Quest Virtual Reality Experience featuring ILMxLAB’s Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge
Darren is a Disney-focused travel agent with Magical Vacations Travel and has over 13 years of experience. Readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World rate him as a Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent. Darren is also an Orlando-based travel writer with topics ranging from theme parks to cruise lines.
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New offerings and returning favorites this year at Disney Springs