Relax with Casual Dining at Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge

 by Beth Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 25, 2021

 

Geyser Point Bar & Grill at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge bills itself as a quick service location on the Disney website, but I beg to differ.  To me, quick service means you grab your meal on a tray after ordering at a walk-up window, while balancing said tray while you wait for someone else to vacate their table so you can grab a seat.  It’s usually crowded, and often chaotic.

 

Geyser Point is anything but.  This hidden gem of a dining spot is a great venue for relaxing after a hard day hitting the theme parks, or even for a laidback lunch or dinner while taking the family to the nearby Wilderness Lodge pool. While there is normally a takeout window available (it wasn’t in service while we were there due to the pandemic, but it reportedly has reopened), our family would heartily recommend pulling up a chair and staying for a while. Since it’s technically a walk-up lounge, you don’t need reservations. We’d bill this place more as a casual dining spot that also offers a to-go window, rather than a typical quick serve location. 

 

The restaurant is a rustic, open air eatery that invites you to sit back on comfy, cushioned  couches at low coffee tables while you enjoy your meal. Some of the seats are at tables along the overhang, while there are also seats at the bar, and you can look out on the Wilderness Lodge’s lush landscaping while you wait for your food to be delivered to your table.  Big-screen TVs are tuned to varying sports if you are interested, and there’s no hurry to get on with the rest of your day, as the staff keeps the pace relaxed and casual. 

 

Our wait time after putting in our names with the host was less than ten minutes, barely enough time to wander down to the dock and take a few pictures of the waterfront. We were seated at a beautiful table tucked just under the roofline, along the shrubbery looking out onto Bay Lake.  While we ate, we watched the sun set and the boats ferrying guests back and forth to the theme parks. It was a really peaceful way to gather at the end of the day.

 

QR codes provided the means to access the menu from our phone, and we had the option of a more abbreviated lounge menu, or the regular lunch and dinner menu that had a few slightly larger plates. 

There’s a lovely Handcrafted Charcuterie board ($18.00) that a nearby table was enjoying, but we opted instead to share the Cheesy Barbecue Brisket with House-made Chips ($11.00). It was so good we briefly contemplated ordering a second one to split, but fortunately our main dishes arrived and saved us from ourselves. (But there’s always next time!) The house-made chips were crunchy and still warm, and not the slightest bit greasy (as is too often the case with homemade chips elsewhere), and the brisket was tender with a slightly smoky taste and a blend of melty cheeses and a few scattered jalapenos.

 

For our main selections, we went with the Bison Cheeseburger ($19.00), served with Bacon, Sweet Crispy Onion Straws, Marionberry Sauce, Lettuce, Tomato and Garlic Aïoli.  The burger was perfectly done, and juicy as well. The marionberry sauce was a nice contrast to the crunch of the onion straws.  This burger was a definite “come back for this one again” entrée. 

We also ordered Shrimp on a Wire, a set of delicious shrimp with Soy-Lime Vinaigrette, Togarashi, Shishito Peppers, and Chili-Aïoli ($13.00). The shrimp was crisp, and the dipping sauce was a nice accompaniment. There was a bit of spiciness to the dish, and the flavors were really fresh.

The desserts were tasty, but not necessarily something to drive out of your way to the Wilderness Lodge for.  We had the seasonal pie ($7.00), which on our evening turned out to be an apple-cranberry pie.  We also sampled the Campfire Brownie, which at $6.00 was cute, with its icing-created campfire flames on top, but it was pretty much your typical chocolate brownie underneath. However, in the past few weeks, depending on the day, Geyser Point has either offered a slightly different version of the campfire brownie, or removed it from the menu altogether.  Either way, you probably won’t miss it much, and Geyser Point has added a few more offerings to the dessert menu in its place. Current to the writing of this article, they were offering a delicious Apple Cider sorbet and a Campfire Mousse, each $7.00.

Other menu choices include smoked turkey sandwiches ($12.00); grilled portobello salads ($10.00-$17.00, depending on add-on toppings); crab cakes ($14.00); and Teriyaki chicken wings ($15.00).

 

While Geyser Point may look somewhat like a bar from the sidewalk, it’s still Disney, and kids are more than welcome. As an outdoor, open-air venue surrounded by National Park-style beams holding up the roof, you hardly notice the kiddos at the other tables as the wide open al fresco setting spreads out any sounds from restless offspring.  There is a small kids’ menu for them.

 
Truthfully, I would have been thrilled with one of the kids’ menu choices when our boys were small.  The kid’s Finger Food Sampler ($7.19) has Sliced Smoked Turkey, Tilamook Cheddar, Spiced Apple Jam, Grape Tomatoes and Sourdough Crisps with a choice of low-fat milk or a bottled water. Our kids would have been really excited with the options on this snacking-style plate, and I would have been ecstatic they were eating something other than chicken nuggets for the third day in a row! There’s also a burger ($7.69) or grilled chicken ($7.49) if your kids don’t like to graze their way through the meal.

 

Geyser Point is billed as a lounge, and it serves a full complement of wines and Draft beers (how fun do the Rogue Dead Guy Ale or the Elysian Dragonstooth Stout sound?), but they also have a few signature drinks as well.  Huckleberry Punch ($15.00) is a combination of 44° North Mountain Huckleberry Vodka, Bols Crème de Cassis, Lemon Juice and Cranberry Juice.  At $15.00 each, the WhipperSnapper Sour has WhipperSnapper Whiskey mixed with Sweet-and-Sour, and the Cascadia Sangria Cocktail is a Zodiac Black Cherry Vodka, Lime Juice and Orange Juice drink topped with Columbia Crest H3 Merlot.  The Northwest Iced Tea is Geyser Point’s version of the Long Island Iced Tea, with 44° North Idaho Potato Vodka, Bacardi Superior Rum, Aviation Gin, Cointreau and Sweet-and-Sour with a splash of Coca-Cola for $14.00.  If those more unique sips don’t interest you, there’s always the ubiquitous and omnipresent Disney Frozen Piña Colava, Banana Cabana, or Captain’s Mai Tai, all at $13.00.

Geyser Point is now on our list of favorite casual dining locations at Disney. Its relaxing ambiance made us sit back and unwind for a while, and the fact that the food was excellent was an added bonus. If you time it right, when the Electrical Water Pageant takes place on Bay Lake, you’ll get a great view of this original-to-the-opening of Disney World nautical display, as it floats right on by Geyser Point.

 

After the craziness of the crowds, the drive over to Wilderness Lodge was well worth the effort.

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

 

Where Should You Eat at Disney If Not Ready to Eat Indoors During COVID?

 by Beth Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

March 2, 2021

 

The pictures on the evening news might have you thinking that everyone is smiling happily, and returning to eating out at restaurants following COVID lockdowns. Despite what your TV might be telling you, not everyone is ready to head indoors and dine at their favorite restaurant. A lot of us are still bringing take-out home, and cooking from scratch in our own kitchens.

 

On a recent non-vacation journey to central Florida, we found ourselves trying to figure out how to eat dinner each day without resorting to a week’s worth of drive-thru food eaten in the comfort of our car.  Here’s a list of some of the dining choices that we discovered at Disney that allowed us to have dinner, comfortably seated outdoors, adequately socially distanced, and without needing theme park passes.

 

Geyser Point, Wilderness Lodge:  This was one of our two favorite choices on Disney property. Seated near the shores of Bay Lake, we were able to dine under an open air roof, watching the boats ferrying guests back and forth to the theme parks. The chairs were super comfortable, and some guests were even seated on cushioned couches and low coffee tables. Big screen TVs played varying sports, and the menu was casual, yet delicious. Think rustic National Parks lodge motif. We were seated at the very edge of the roofline, along the line of shrubbery, and with the more-than-adequate distance between tables, we were almost able to feel like we were dining in a garden overlooking the water.  QR codes provided the means to access the menu from our phone. We’d definitely head back to this relaxing locale again. And probably will, as the food was terrific! 

 

Three Bridges Bar and Grill, Coronado Springs: A similar open-sided design to Geyser Point, Three Bridges is out in the middle of the lake, connected by – shocker- three bridges. Décor is southwestern, with seating again on comfy couches, or wooden tables. The open air restaurant gets great breezes from the lake, and is particularly pretty at night when the lights from the tower reflect off the water.  Staff here was especially attentive, checking temperatures on the way in to the restaurant, offering small plates to rest your mask on, and parking hand sanitizer stations near all the entrances and bathrooms. QR codes again accessed the menu from your phone for less physical contact.  And the food was excellent, too!  This was the overall winner in our central Florida dining experience.  See our dining review here.

 

D-Luxe Burger, Disney Springs: D-Luxe Burger is a quick-serve restaurant that is hooked in to Disney’s mobile order system.  Using your My Disney Experience app, or by pulling up the app using your phone and the QR code at the restaurant, staff interaction is kept to a minimum.  Order your food online, pick it up at the counter when it’s ready, and pick a seat at the umbrella tables outside on the dock. We dined here in the late afternoon, when Disney Springs crowds were low. We chose a table overlooking the blue springs, and were able to enjoy the scenery while we ate. While we were the only ones seated at the dockside umbrella tables at that hour, it is possible that on a busy night, your distancing might be a little less “distanced” than you’d prefer. All in all, the burgers were good, the shakes even better, and it was a solid choice for eating outdoors.

The Polite Pig, Disney Springs: The Polite Pig doesn’t have nearly as much space, or as many tables, for eating outdoors as some of the other options at Disney Springs due to its location near a central walkway, but the food is so good and the tables turn over so quickly that if you pass by at an opportune time and see some open spaces, it’s worth the stop!  The mac and cheese is a solid choice for a side (we actually brought some back to the hotel room to eat), and the coffee-rubbed brisket was worth writing home about.  There’s even an outdoor bar, should you be so inclined after a hard day’s work… or park hopping.

 

The BOATHOUSE, Disney Springs: If you are feeling a little more upscale, The BOATHOUSE offers outside dining on a dock overlooking Lake Buena Vista where you can watch the amphicars plying the waterways. They have a brand new Sunday brunch as well, and are known for their extraordinarily fresh selection of seafood, especially for their oysters.

Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, Disney Springs: This little place in Disney Springs has been a favorite for our family on several occasions, mainly because of the kitschy “Indiana Jones” and “Star Wars” tie-ins. They have outdoor seating right on the water, and they are typically open late so you can grab a bite after you get done with meetings – or the theme parks! 

 

These are just a few of the choices we came across when we were in the Disney area. Disney Springs certainly has plenty of other options, from the outside upper decks at Morimoto Asia, Wine Bar George and Paddlefish, to the rotating selection of food trucks where you can find your own table. Blaze Pizza is super quick, and has a plethora of picnic tables outdoors. Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ is a favorite among locals (get the fried chicken), and has an outdoor patio and “Shine Bar.”  Cookes of Dublin has a smaller outdoor patio, and there are a number of grab-and-go spots like Earl of Sandwich and Morimoto Asia Street Food that have outside tables sprinkled nearby, and of course, there are always the pool bars at the resorts, which almost always have outside dining tables, if you don’t mind a few wet kiddos running by!  

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!