by Beth Keating
Review
DisneyBizJournal.com
March 15, 2024
Disney World has been home to a great many limited time treats over the past few weeks, between Women’s History Month specials, new Flower & Garden festival goodies, and springtime Easter delights. We are quickly slipping past this week’s unique offerings, though, with a number of holiday indulgences about to expire.
With so many Instagram worthy, over-the-top Disney confections popping up around the parks, here's one dish that we almost bypassed, until three different cast members pointed it out with their recommendations. Standing in the queue at the quick serve Gasparilla Island Grill at the Grand Floridian, we were refilling our drink mug after visiting the Easter egg displays when a cast member restocking the sweets counter drew our attention to a rather unassuming looking dish of cheesecake. It would certainly get lost among the brightly colored cupcakes and cookies. As she was replenishing the trays, she looked up and said, “I know these look pretty simple, but they are sooo delicious. You should try one. Trust me!”
A second cast member walked by and acknowledged having sampled one the day before… and wholeheartedly agreed with the first cast member. Okay, I was sold. If a cast member (or two) says they are good, I’ll take their word for it.
Then, I got to the cashier, who gushed, “Oh, you’re getting the Bailey’s cheesecake. That is sooo good.” So, if you are counting, we’re now up to three votes of confidence, in a ten-foot walk from the counter to the cashier. Pony up that cash, because I believe them!
The confection that the cast members were enthused about was the St. Patrick’s Day Irish Cream Cheesecake ($6.49). A circle of goodness in a small tin, this dessert looked pretty enough, with its elegant Grand Floridian “GF” initials in green, with a decorative edging of gold sprinkle “coins” around the edges to jazz it up a little, but what was hidden underneath was even more worthy.
The dessert was Bailey’s Irish Cream cheesecake, topped with a thin layer of Chantilly cream. It was sweet and creamy, but light as air. A graham cracker crust on the bottom had an extra dose of cinnamon, giving a counterbalance to the cheesecake. The cheesecake was not quite as light as a whipped cheesecake, but certainly fluffier than a traditional New York style version. Don’t let the “Bailey’s” ingredient scare you off. It was just the subtlest hint of Bailey’s flavor in the cheesecake, not overwhelming at all. It was enough, however, to give the treat some delicious background flavor without overpowering the cheesecake.
This was quite a heavenly afternoon pick-me-up, and if I were staying anywhere in the vicinity of the Grand Floridian between now and St. Patty’s Day, I’d be tempted to go back and get another one for lunch. Or dinner. Or maybe even an indulgent breakfast. (It’s got dairy, after all). I might just have to go back and pick up two or three extra to bring home for dessert for the family on St. Patty’s Day itself.
If you like a nice, sweet indulgence in the afternoon, and happen to be heading over to visit the chocolate egg display at Grand Floridian, take the advice of the cast members at Gasparilla, and snap one of these little dishes up before the leprechauns steal them away for good.
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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.
Get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. More information at
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