Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this age-old saying rings even truer before setting out for a packed day in the theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Disney Parks and Resorts have no shortage of delicious breakfast options, ranging from quick service and grab-and-go options available at your hotel, to elaborately themed character breakfasts, brunch complete with tasty mimosas, and everything in between.
And while you should have no problem finding a worthwhile breakfast spot during your next Disney vacation, there is one restaurant that is now going on three years without its past early morning menu, leaving fans to wonder when (or if) it will ever return.
Credit: Disney
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The Walt Disney World Resort has largely returned to normal since the pandemic changed the world as knew it in 2020. Most attractions, special events, character meet and greets, and more have returned to the Resort, with only a few outliers being permanently closed or still leaving fans waiting for an update.
With most things back to how they were during the "before times," the few dining experiences that have not yet returned may even be forgotten at this point, as most locations are at least open. In recent Disney dining news, characters returned to Cinderella's Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom earlier this month, allowing Guests to once again get the full experience of dining inside Cinderella Castle.
Over in EPCOT, Disney recently revealed that breakfast and lunch will return to Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, the Disney Princess character dining location in World Showcase's Norway pavilion. The update is an exciting one, especially for Guests looking for a way to spend an early morning in World Showcase, which typically opens later than the rest of EPCOT. But this location was not the Park's only character dining experience that had been operating without breakfast for some time now.
Credit: Disney
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Garden Grill Restaurant, located in the Land pavilion, has been a hit with Guests of all ages for years. Its family-style feast is not only accompanied by Disney characters but by one feature that makes this location one of the most unique restaurants in the Park.
While dining at Garden Grill, Guests will notice that the restaurant itself actually slowly rotates (don't worry, it's so slow that you won't feel it moving.) The rotation allows Guests to take in views of different show scenes from the Living with the Land attraction that runs right next door.
Credit: Disney
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As of this writing, Garden Grill Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner where Guests can enjoy a menu featuring Chip 'n' Dale's Harvest Feast; grilled beef with chimichurri and sliced turkey with gravy served along several sides and salad, many of which include fresh vegetables grown right at this EPCOT pavilion. Lunch and dinner also come with the opportunity to meet and take photos with beloved characters, including Chip 'n' Dale of course, along with Mickey and Pluto, all dressed in their best farmers' outfits.
In 2015, Garden Grill Restaurant expanded its operating hours to include breakfast, and it became an instant hit with Guests. The majority of EPCOT's table service restaurants historically have not been open for breakfast (Akershus is the exception here), so it was helpful to have another option with the Garden Grill, especially for families given the array of characters at this location.
Credit: ITM
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Breakfast at Garden Grill Restaurant was also served family style, and like lunch and dinner was "all-you-care-to-enjoy." Included on the menu were Mickey waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, tater tots, biscuits and sausage gravy, and a massive cinnamon roll, along with coffee, tea, juice, and non-alcoholic beverages, plus alcoholic and specialty drinks for an additional upcharge.
Since Disney Parks reopened in summer of 2020, breakfast has been removed from Garden Grill Restaurant. The latest official update on the possibility of breakfast returning came earlier this year, when a Guest asked a planDisney specialist if breakfast would soon be returning.
Unfortunately, Disney's response read:
Valerie, like you, I have always loved the breakfast options at Garden Grill Restaurant in EPCOT. There's just something special about dining in this slowly-rotating restaurant, waiting for Chip 'n' Dale to pop up and say hello! Unfortunately, we still don't have breakfast reopening details for this restaurant.
Credit: Disney
Until Disney shares an update on Garden Grill Restaurant, we are unable to confirm or deny whether or not this popular character breakfast will return to EPCOT.
In the meantime, Garden Grill is currently opening at 11:30 a.m. for lunch with dinner available until 8:00 p.m. daily. Reservations are always recommended for any Disney table service restaurant, and they can be made ahead of your next trip on DisneyWorld.com or in the My Disney Experience app.
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