Alice in Wonderland Afternoon Tea Returns to the Grand Floridian's Garden View Lounge
The Garden View Lounge at Disney's Grand Floridian has reopened with an Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon tea, pairing eight Twinings blends with a three-tier tower of savory bites and pastries. The reopening also drew a visit from Stephen Twining, the tenth generation of the famous tea family.
The Garden View Lounge at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa has reopened with a reimagined afternoon tea themed to Alice in Wonderland. The service pairs a table-side selection of Twinings loose-leaf teas with warm scones and a three-tier tower of savory bites and pastries, served in one of Walt Disney World's most refined settings.
Key Details
- Where: The Garden View Lounge, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Theme: Alice in Wonderland, from painted roses to a Mad Hatter cake
- Tea: A guided tasting of eight Twinings blends, including the Walt Disney World exclusive Orangery of Lady Grey
- Scones: Orange-Cranberry, with butter, Devonshire cream, and preserves
- Reserve: The official Walt Disney World website
A warm welcome down the rabbit hole
Guests are seated at tables set with delicate floral cups and saucers in a carpeted lounge layered with muted fabrics, polished wood, and Victorian-inspired details that match the Grand Floridian's turn-of-the-century styling. Large windows frame the resort's flowering gardens and palms, so the room stays bright through the afternoon.
The welcome leans into the Wonderland theme. A server pours warm rose water over two compressed tablets in a small bowl, and they expand into scented hand towels, a quiet nod to the whimsy that runs through the whole service.
The tea list is walked through table-side. Guests smell a sample of each of the eight Twinings loose-leaf blends before choosing. Options include a Blackcurrant & Lavender with deep berry and floral notes, and the Orangery of Lady Grey, a citrus-forward black tea that is exclusive to Walt Disney World Resort in the United States.
Tea and scones to start
Individual teapots arrive first, brewed to each guest's selection, so there is no rush and refills are part of the experience once a pot runs dry. Alongside the tea come warm Orange-Cranberry Scones served with butter, Devonshire cream, and preserves. The recipe is available through Disney Eats for anyone who wants to recreate them at home, and guests can request an extra scone during service.
Climbing the three-tier tea tower
The centerpiece is a three-tier tower that moves from savory to sweet. In keeping with the theme, the server first fixes a small problem with the roses on the top tier, which are not yet red, by adding a pour of rose sauce before guests dig in.
The savory bottom tier
The lowest tier carries two savory bites. The Curried Chicken Salad Playing Card Tart tops curried chicken salad with cherry gelee in a flaky shell, and the Footman's Feast Wonderland Salmon Crisp sets salmon rillette on a miso brown butter crisp. A plant-based version of the tower is available, along with a Children's Afternoon Tea and add-ons such as a cheese plate, caviar, and specialty drinks.
The delicate middle tier
The middle tier keeps the flavors light. A Tweedledee Egg Salad Sandwich is served on brightly colored beet bread, and a Caterpillar Cucumber Roll layers butterfly pea flower cream cheese with crisp cucumber on pumpernickel.
The sweet top tier
The top tier is given over to desserts, each dressed with a Wonderland reference. The Flamingo Croquet Choux is a soft puff filled with passion fruit cream and a raspberry crunch. The Matcha Mad Hatter hides a sponge cake with apricot jam and yuzu buttercream over a layer of chocolate.
Painting the Rose pairs an Earl Grey teacake with rose buttercream and rose sauce, and the Tea Party Tart closes things out with coffee custard, Chantilly cream, and tiny edible teacups to lift off the top.
A visit from Stephen Twining
Guests at the reopening were joined by Stephen Twining, the tenth generation of the Twining tea family. His father, Sam Twining, welcomed guests to The Tea Caddy in the United Kingdom Pavilion at EPCOT on October 1, 1982, the day the park opened. Stephen recommended the Cucumber Roll and shared his own habits, reaching for English Breakfast in the morning and green tea in the afternoon, with a splash of milk in stronger blends and nothing added to greens and herbals.
How to reserve the tea experience
The Garden View Lounge Tea Experience suits guests who want to slow the pace of a Walt Disney World day and linger over a long lunch of tea, scones, and views of the resort gardens. Availability and reservations are handled online through the official Walt Disney World site.
