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Disney Parks

The Rubber Duckie Drink RETURNS! We’re Back at The Boathouse in Disney Springs on Reopening Day

We’ve been making our way around Disney Springs for its re-opening today.

The Boathouse Sign

Disney-owned locations won’t be opening until May 27th, but third-party stores and restaurants opened today with new health and safety guidelines. So we’re heading to the dock for a bite to eat and a view of the lagoon!

The Boathouse and The Boathouse Boatique have officially re-opened as of 11AM this morning. Along with the new health and safety measures being taken by Disney Springs, The Boathouse has previously stated that they will be taking “extra precautions to ensure the safety of our staff and customers.” Here is what we experienced while we were there.

Check In

When we first arrived to check in at The Boathouse there was already a line formed behind the host stand, and parties were spacing themselves apart without any markers on the ground.

The Boathouse Disney Springs line

The restaurant is limiting capacity to 25% in dining rooms. In order to dine there, guests can book their reservations in advance for guaranteed inside seating. Walk-ups will also be accepted for outdoor seating where the patio tables are spaced six feet apart.

Seating

Guests were required to be wearing masks at all times, unless you are seated at your table.

The Boathouse

The interior of The Boathouse looked similar to how we remember it, but they had taken away chairs from certain tables and placed black table cloths over them to denote guests were not to be seated here.

The Boathouse Reopening Interior

The Boathouse Reopening Interior

Dining Room Inside The Boathouse

The Boathouse Reopening Interior

We were seated outside with a great view of the water.

The Boathouse Outdoor Seating

However, the outdoor bar was not in service. You are still able to order drinks to your table, though.

The Boathouse

Menu

The Boathouse was using disposable paper menus, which isn’t much of a change-up for the restaurant. Before the closure, they used paper menus with the specific date printed at the top, but now they just aren’t passing menus to the next guest.

MENU: paper menus (they have always had disposable menus with the date printed, but now they aren’t passing to next guest. So you can keep it as a historical souvenir. -clambake isnt on the menu

Dated Paper Menu at The Boathouse

Dated Paper Menu at The Boathouse

That means you can take home your menu if you would like — our server referred to it as a “historical souvenir.” The menu was still extensive — especially for this being the first day back — but the Clambake was not available during our visit.

Service

Since this was our first time back at The Boathouse, you know we had to get a rubber duckie drink. You may know it by its proper name, the Duck Duck Razz.

Duck Duck Razz

We watched the little duckie bob up and down as our server carefully delivered him to the table. Our server was not wearing gloves, but she was careful to only touch the bottom of the glasses.

Sever at The Boathouse

She mentioned the staff was given training packets a week ago and were brought in yesterday for additional training. She said she has has worked in several restaurants and said this is the cleanest she has ever seen a restaurant — even before the closures.

The food runners wore gloves to deliver our plates and noted they change out their gloves between each table.

Sever at The Boathouse

They also shared that the chefs are on 15 minute timers to remind them to stop, wash their hands and change gloves.

The Boathouse Food Runner

Our server cleared our plates for us once we had finished and she told us that the staff was given the choice to come back to work, so everyone there seemed excited to be back.

Food

Our drinks were served with regular glassware and the silverware was traditional flatware wrapped in a cloth napkin.

The Boathouse Silverware

The Boathouse Silverware

The Boathouse Silverware

We ordered a Jumbo Lump Crab Cake that was served with Coleslaw and Brandied Cocktail Sauce.

The crab cake was delicious. It had more crab than breading, but it still had a great sear on the outside — adding a little extra crunch to every bite. The Brandied Cocktail Sauce made for a tangy, creamy addition as well.

The Boathouse Disney Springs Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and Brandied Cocktail Sauce

The Boathouse Disney Springs Jumbo Lump Crab Cake

And you know we can’t resist some fries OR truffles (Don’t believe us? Find out just how many truffles we can pack into a meal here.), so we ordered Truffle Fries to snack on. Lil Rubber Duckie looked jealous in the background… .

The Boathouse Disney Springs

The Boathouse Truffle Fries

The Boathouse Disney Springs

The fries were another tasty, crispy addition to the Crab Cake. Our plates did not have an extra “handling plate” like we saw at Margaritaville in Universal’s CityWalk, but we appreciated the food runners using gloves and the plates were plenty big to prevent the runners’ hands from coming in contact with the food.

Payment

Once we were finished, our server brought us the check just like The Boathouse normally would pre-closure and we paid with a card. Margaritaville in CityWalk eliminated an extra trip to the server station by allowing guests to add a tip immediately when their checks were delivered. However, The Boathouse took the two trips we are used to seeing at restaurants — one check with your subtotal and another once your card has been processed.

The Boathouse Boatique

After we ate, we visited The Boathouse Boatique to see if they had any nautical masks to add to our stash, but they said they are not selling masks at this time.

Amphicars

The Amphicar Launch is scheduled to open today, but when we stopped by, there were not any guests using them. There were markers on the ground for guests to observe the cars — er, boats — er, amphicars.

The Boathouse Amphicar Do Not Stand Markers

The Boathouse Amphicar Do Not Stand Markers

Overall Experience

After our visit to The Boathouse, we thought that the new health and safety measures were well thought out and executed by the staff. Everyone we interacted with seemed happy to be back and were kind and attentive to guests. Although we felt like the servers were being careful and safe, we noticed The Boathouse’s approach was much less overt as Margaritaville in CityWalk. Margaritaville thoughtfully explained what was going on and how they were handing each item for our safety. The Boathouse was careful with distancing and sanitizing, but it felt like they were looking to maintain a similar guest experience to a pre-closure meal whenever possible.

What restaurant will you be visiting first when you go back to Disney Springs? Let us know in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney dining tips, Disney Springs, Featured, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, advance dining reservation, Amphicars, crab cake, dining, Disney, disney dining, disney news, disney parks, disney reservations, disney restaurant, disney restaurants, disney springs, disney springs dining, disney springs reopening, disney springs restaurant, Disney World, Disney World reopening, disney world resort, reopening, rubber duckie, table service dining, The Boathouse, The Boathouse Boatique, walt disney world resort

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Disney Parks

Review: One of the BEST Disney World Restaurants to Come Home To ❤️

We’re taking you along with us today as we visit the newly reopened Disney Springs.

Welcome Back to Disney Springs

Disney released a new set of safety procedures prior to the reopening and we are here to find out how these new protocols impact guests’ dining experiences. Come along with us as we explore dining at Wine Bar George.

Reservations

Wine Bar George opened today, May 20th, at noon. We made a dining reservation shortly after Wine Bar George announced they were reopening, so there was a table waiting for us when we arrived.

Wine Bar George

Wine Bar George is checking in all guests with advance dining reservations digitally so once we arrived, we texted Wine Bar George to be seated. Walk-up guests were instructed to wait in line on special markers until the next available table was ready.

Standing Outside of Wine Bar George

We also noticed Wine Bar George is offering a full to-go food and beverage menu if you don’t feel like dining in.

Wine Bar George Food To-Go

A plexiglass shield has been installed on the hostess’ stand.

Wine Bar George

And hand sanitizer was left out for guests to use at the bar.

Hand Sanitizer

Once we were seated, our server provided us with a brown paper bag to store our masks in while we ate. We were also given some individually wrapped hand wipes.

Wine Bar George

As we looked around, we noticed the tables were all spaced out accordingly while we saw managers wiping down each table and chair after each set of guests left.

Menu

Wine Bar George announced before reopening that they would be using a contactless, digital menu — which requires guests to view menus on their own devices. You scan a QR code provided at your table and can view the menu on your own personal electronic device.

Wine Bar George QR Code for Digital Menus

Before visiting, we noticed the White and Dark Chocolate Trifle and Teriyaki Salmon Salad had been taken off the online menu, but there didn’t appear to be any additional menu cuts. We ordered the Saganaki on Fire and Burrata Cheese apps — two of our absolute Wine Bar George FAVORITES!

Service

Before the restaurant reopened, Wine Bar George announced some of the additional safety measures it would be following. These included ensuring all team members are certified in safe food handling, strict kitchen sanitation standards, requiring all team members to pass a health check before their shift, and strict handwashing policies.

Wine Bar George

The restaurant also said that all place settings, tables, chairs, utensils, and condiments in both dining areas and common areas will be sanitized after each use. We found this was most certainly the case with our dining experience today. Normal glassware is still in use with disposable straws…

Glassware at Wine Bar George

…and paper disposable napkins are being used with regular cutlery rolled up inside.

Paper Napkin and Cutlery at Wine Bar George

When our Burrata came to the table, our server was wearing gloves. After not seeing this small plate of wonderful cheesiness for some time, it was a sight for sore eyes.

Service at Wine Bar George

And when our Saganaki on Fire showed up, the food runner who brought it to us was also wearing gloves. Look out for those flames!

Saganaki on Fire

Normally the server squeezes a fresh slice of lemon over the top for us, causing the flames to grow even higher, but we were instructed to do our own lemon-squeezing.

Saganaki on Fire

Payment

We noticed our server switched gloves before bringing us our check which he said is standard practice for them now. We asked him if he felt comfortable being back and he said yes — “they’ve had a lot of training and feel safe.”

Today’s Lunch at Wine Bar George

All of Wine Bar George employees were very welcoming, especially THIS Wine Bar George employee, George Miliotes himself!

George Miliotes

George told us he is very happy to be back! He also said it feels weird not being to smile at his guests but the master sommelier made it a point to tell us he is, IN FACT, smiling beneath his face mask.

Overall Experience

Overall, the restaurant felt clean, calm, and welcoming. The staff informed us that they felt well-trained and excited about being back. The entire process ran smoothly. Reservations for Wine Bar George are currently available on the My Disney Experience app starting the second week of June as well as available earlier on OpenTable.

Would you visit Wine Bar George with these new measures in place? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney Springs, Featured, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, advance dining reservation, dining, Disney, disney dining, disney reservations, disney restaurant, disney springs, disney springs dining, disney springs restaurant, Disney World, disney world resort, table service dining, walt disney world resort, Wine Bar George

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Disney Parks

Can I Still Walk Around Disney Springs With My Joffrey’s Coffee?! Find Out Here.

If you’re like us, your sleep schedule has probably gotten a little wacky being at home, so you’ve needed LOTS of coffee.

Joffrey’s Reopened

But, it just hasn’t been the same without that extra bit of Disney magic! Well, Disney Springs reopened with its third-party stores and restaurants today. While Disney-owned locations won’t be opening until next week, we’re taking you LIVE with us to see all the places re-open now! But, first, coffee!!! 

Disney World is home to lots of Joffrey’s Coffee locations throughout the parks in Epcot, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and more. But, while the parks are closed, Disney Springs is still reopening its Joffrey’s locations.

Joffrey’s Reopened

One of the biggest questions we’re being asked is if guests are still able to walk around Disney Springs with food and coffee. So, we checked this out at the reopened Joffrey’s. Various Cast Members told us that YES, you can walk around with a beverage or snack! They ask that you remove your mask to take a sip or bite, and replace it between sips or bites.

Joffrey’s Reopened Case

When we arrived at the coffee shop, there were distancing markers on the ground to keep guests six feet apart from one another. At Joffrey’s, they fittingly use coffee bean stickers to denote where to stand. There were also designated entrances and exits to keep the flow of traffic moving a certain way.

There were around 6 bean spots on the ground with one party per bean and you are not allowed to hang out inside the store to drink your coffee. We also noted that the Joffrey’s workers did ask people to stay on their bean before moving up in the ordering line.

Joffrey’s Reopened Distancing Markers

Face Coffee was back on the menu for guests to get that fabulous work of art (their lovely faces) on their lattes and cappuccinos. It’s one of the most entertaining things to do in Disney Springs during your visit if you happen to stop by Joffrey’s.

Joffrey’s Reopened Printable Coffee

Of course, we checked out the pastry case too which was stocked full of delicious-looking donuts, including a new one — just a basic donut with cookies and cream icing.

New Donut

After visiting, we noticed that the coffee spot had indeed reconfigured its retail and dining experiences to fit with the new health and safety guidelines Disney Springs has put in place. The experience didn’t feel too disruptive and the employees enforced the new procedures.

We’re checking out a reopened Disney Springs ALL DAY today so stay tuned to follow along!

What is your favorite drink to get at Joffrey’s Coffee? Let us know in the comments below!

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  3. Review! We’re Loving This NEW Menu Addition to Homecomin’ in Disney Springs!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Counter-Service, disney dining tips, Disney News, disney parks, Disney Springs, Featured, Snacks, Walt Disney World, Disney, disney dining, disney news, disney restaurants, disney springs, face coffee, Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea, joffrey’s reopening, latte selfie

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Disney Business Disney News Disney Parks

News! Earl of Sandwich, Chicken Guy!, and Planet Hollywood in Disney Springs Share New Safety Protocols

Disney Springs is planning to start Disney World’s phased re-opening tomorrow, May 20th.

Chicken Guy!

We’ve been keeping you updated with all of the restaurants that plan to re-open tomorrow, but Earl of Sandwich, Chicken Guy!, and Planet Hollywood just released more information on how they plan to protect guests at the re-opening.

Earlier today, we got a sneak peek of what Disney Springs’ new health and safety protocols look like in practice, but now we know more about how Earl of Sandwich, Chicken Guy!, and Planet Hollywood will adapt their restaurants with extra safety procedures.

Planet Hollywood

These restaurants will first protect guests by enforcing extra safety measures with their employees.

All employees will be required to undergo health checks each day, wash their hands every 20 minutes for 20 seconds, wear personal protective equipment (where appropriate), undergo enhanced training on sanitation and social distancing.

Chicken Guy!

The restaurants will also work with their vendors to ensure they are following similar precautions and will remind employees of these standards at the beginning of each shift.

The restaurants have modified the guest experience by transitioning to single-use menus, installing sanitizer dispensers, and updating the dining room floor plans to promote social distancing. They will sanitize and disinfect tables after each party and will sanitize throughout the restaurant frequently.

Guy’s Favorite Sauces

You can read more about Earl of Sandwich’s opening here, Chicken Guy’s here, and Planet Hollywood’s here. We will continue to keep you updated with the latest and be sure to tune in tomorrow for our live coverage from Disney Springs!

Which of these three restaurants is your favorite and why? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Counter-Service, Disney Springs, Featured, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, advance dining reservation, Chicken Guy!, dining, Disney, disney dining, disney reservations, disney restaurant, disney springs, disney springs dining, disney springs reopening, disney springs restaurant, Disney World, Disney World reopening, disney world resort, Earl of Sandwich, Planet Hollywood, reopening, table service dining, walt disney world resort

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Disney Parks Other

First Look at Frontera Cocina’s Modified Menu For Disney Springs’ Reopening!

Disney Springs will begin a phased reopening on May 20th, with select third-party restaurants and retail locations welcoming back guests.

Frontera Cocina

Frontera Cocina will reopen with Disney Springs on May 20th. And, the restaurant has just shared the temporary menu that they will initially offer!

When Disney Springs reopens, there will be several changes in place. In addition to health and safety measures across property, there will be some location-specific differences as well. One such change — some restaurants will temporarily feature different or limited menu items. And Frontera Cocina has just given us a peek at the delicious bites we can enjoy when they reopen!

Queso Fundido

The menu features several starters, salads, tacos, entrees, sides, and desserts for guests to choose from. And we were excited to see some of our favorite eats will be available (hellooooo Queso Fundido)! Here’s a look at the starters, salads, and tacos that will be offered.

©Frontera Cocina

And here are the entrees, sides, and desserts!

©Frontera Cocina

And, of course, there will be drinks as well! Here are the margaritas, tequila, and sangria guests 21 and older can enjoy.

©Frontera Cocina

Plus, cocktails, beer, wine, mezcal, and other beverages will also be available.

©Frontera Cocina

Frontera Cocina will be reopening with this temporary menu on May 20th. Until then, you can check out our review and see the previous menu here!

Have you eaten at Frontera Cocina? Share your experience with us in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney Springs, Featured, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, Disney, disney dining, disney springs, disney springs dining, disney springs re-opening, disney springs reopening, Disney World, Frontera Cocina, temporary menu