Everything You Need to Know About Disney Starbucks
(photo credit: www.disneymagicalvacation.com)
Kids energetically bounding around a small hotel room, begging to go to Magic Kingdom in their pajamas save you from setting an alarm. In the mad rush to get an entire family up, dressed, and ready to board a bus before rope drop is a tall task that will remind you more of a school day than a vacation morning. The only different between school and vacation mornings is that you can’t rely on coffee to help you through the mornings at Walt Disney World.
Ok, you can go to your resort hotel’s quick serve breakfast spot and get a cup of coffee to take with you, but the coffee-flavored water they’re serving at the hotels is a far stretch from a good cup of brew, and even farther from the good-quality lattes and frappes you’re used to picking up each day.
My advice is to make it through the ‘getting ready’ process sans caffeine and hold out for a coffee that will actually do what coffee should do: wake you up and taste delicious!
Magic Kingdom
I’ll never truly get over the fact that the Main Street Bakery is now a Starbucks. When the change was first implemented and Starbucks had officially opened its doors in the Bakery’s old space, I told myself that I would never ever support this mega-million dollar companys’ takeover of Magic Kingdom!
About 45 minutes later, I wanted coffee. And I wanted good coffee. Disney’s (technically Joffrey’s) coffee is ok, but any avid coffee drinker will tell you that it doesn’t even begin to compare to Starbucks’ roasts.
I got over my initial anger and stepped through the doors, a process I would repeat every single time I visit Magic Kingdom. I’ve been there enough times now to figure out a bit of a ‘hack’ to avoiding the long morning lines.
Arrive at the park for rope drop and instead of making a beeline to Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train or Space Mountain, step off Main Street USA into the Starbucks for a surprisingly short wait! Most folks get that first attraction in before they think about breakfast pastries and coffee, so use that knowledge as your line-skipping power!
Animal Kingdom
The announcement of the Starbucks’ opening in Animal Kingdom caused me much less stress than the MK announcement. Located right before the bridge to Harambe Market, the Starbucks in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a morning hot-spot not only for the coffee, but because they have a famous Disney snack on their menu!
The warm Mickey-shaped cinnamon roll is regarded as one of the best on property and makes Starbucks an (even more) popular breakfast destination. If you want one of these rolls- and trust me, you want one- my advice would be to wait it out!
Unlike Magic Kingdom, guests not heading to Flight of Passage have a more relaxed sense about them and tend to stop for their breakfasts first thing. Whenever I have waited after the initial rope-drop rush, I’ve had no problem walking up to the counter without much of a wait!
EPCOT
If you’re coming from the Epcot parking lot or a resort bus in the morning, the Starbucks in Epcot is conveniently located in Future World. Just past Spaceship Earth, the Starbucks is on the right. This Starbucks always, always, always moves the fastest of any on-property and no matter when I visit, I’ve never waited more than 5 minutes before it was my turn to order.
At each of the Disney Parks, there are specially designed mugs from the Starbucks “you are here” collection. Epcot always has some of the coolest looking mugs, and if you’re shopping for a collector of the “you are here” collection, check Epcot first!
In addition to the super cute mugs, the Starbucks in Epcot usually offers a limited-time signature cupcake. I picked up the Spaceship Earth-themed cupcake on my last visit and it was just as delicious as it was perfectly-decorated.
Hollywood Studios
I’ve got a bit of bad news and a bit of good news for you folks visiting Hollywood. I always get the bad out of the way first, so here it is: with Sweet Spells currently under refurbishment, the Starbucks is currently the only spot in Hollywood Studios offering specialty baked goods. I know, it seems crazy to me too! That means the lines are that much longer as not only are the coffee fiends flooding the entryway, so are the pastry enthusiasts!
Good news! There is absolutely a good time to get your Frappuccino that will guarantee minimal wait times. My advice here is the same as it is for Magic Kingdom: arrive for rope drop and make it your first spot if you’re hoping to pick up your coffee first-thing.
If you’d rather speed past the store and hit the guaranteed-to-be-popular Slinky Dog Dash before everyone else beats you, no worries! Usually anytime after 11:00, the coffee drinkers have all purchased their drinks, so you should be good to go, relatively wait-free!
Disney Springs
Most Walt Disney World mornings start in the parks, yet if you’re planning to use your off-day at Disney Springs, you’ve got 2 Starbucks options to choose from. The one in the Marketplace (attached to World of Disney) is never crowded in the mornings, so if you’re after your Starbucks regular, head there!
There is a beautiful Starbucks Reserve over on the West Side of Disney Springs. If you’ve never been to a Starbucks Reserve, you should definitely check this one out! Starbucks Reserves are known for serving roasts of small-batch beans harvested specially for Starbucks in addition to their usual lineup of famed beverages.
The Reserve in Disney Springs, though, is even more special than the rest: they serve wine, beer, and small plates to go along with it! Stop by in the evening for a chance to sample these Starbucks rarities you can only find at Disney Springs!
Whichever Starbucks you choose though, you automatically win, because they all serve their drinks in these adorable Disney Parks/Starbucks mash-up cups! Which on-property Starbucks is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
Are you planning to book a Disney vacation for you and your family? I’d love to help! I am a proud MickeyTravels Authorized Vacation Planner (Platinum Level) specializing in all Disney destinations. From hotel to FastPass+ reservations, I will help with each and every aspect of your trip. And the best part about my services is that they are completely FREE!
You can find me over on Facebook, or contact me directly at msalerno@mickeytravels.com, or 800-308-6257. I can’t wait to start planning your dream Disney vacation!
