Four Spectacular Reasons to Eat at Cape May Cafe
Water surrounds the state of Florida, and its presence guarantees residents with something important: seafood! The many Florida beaches combine tourist attractions with delicious meals.
While Central Florida is landlocked, Orlando resides only a 75-minute drive away from several beaches. So, while you may not think of Walt Disney World as a seafood mecca, it is. Several restaurants focus on fish, and I want to talk about one of the best of them. Here are four reasons to eat at Cape May Cafe.
The Location
A visit to Epcot means that you’re likely to eat at Epcot. After all, the park is a foodie’s dream. However, you’ll sometimes want to adopt a different strategy. Sometimes, you’d prefer to take a break from the park and get away from the hubbub. On these occasions, you’d rather stay near the park, though.
At Epcot, you have a couple of ideal options for a meal near the park. The BoardWalk area features several great places like Trattoria al Forno. But I often prefer a visit to Disney’s Beach Club Resort instead. Part of the reason is that I stay at this hotel regularly.
The food here is exceptional. I’m convinced that this place would have a much stronger reputation with foodies if it weren’t so close to Epcot. For many years, guests rarely utilized the International Gateway at the back of the park. It’s an entry/exit gate near the France and United Kingdom pavilions at the park.
You’re more likely to know about the International Gateway now. With the Disney Skyliner station right by there, it’s become a more frequent entry point at Epcot. Well, when you walk out of the park at the International Gateway, the path takes you straight to Beach Club.
Presuming that you walk this way, you’ll notice a (fake) shipwreck to your left. Prepare to turn right. The hotel lobby is on that path. Once you’re in the lobby, you can’t help but notice the signage for Cape May Cafe, which is right by the check-in desk. It’s easy to find, but if you’re not sure, just follow your nose. You can’t possibly miss the smell of fish.
The Theming
The sign for Cape May Cafe actually plays into the theme. It’s a throwback beach restaurant from the vacation days of yore. Disney has styled it like a place where well-to-do families would spend their mornings prepping for a day of sun and fun.
All of the colors in this restaurant are beachy pastels, vibrant with eye-popping brightness. To play up the beach theme, the walls and ceilings have accents like “wave” designs and old-timey beach umbrellas.
Disney even cleverly extends the theme to the serving area. All of the foods are part of one central island. Get it?
Photo: TouringPlans.com
The Character Meal
One of the oddities of Cape May Cafe is its structure. This eatery opens for only two meals a day, breakfast and dinner. The setup for each one is entirely different. At dinner, you’re dining on seafood, and it’s All You Care to Enjoy (AYCE). The only selling point at dinner is the food, which is undeniably mouth-watering.
The breakfast offering is a character meal, and it’s a stylish one at that. Minnie Mouse hosts a gathering of friends for a beach day. It’s a rare occasion where you’ll see Minnie without Mickey, giving her a unique chance to shine on her own. I love the breakfast for this reason, as Minnie deserves a starring role from time to time.
Disney has named this meal as Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast. Joining Minnie are her best friend, Daisy Duck, and Daisy’s special fella, Donald. Goofy is also loyally hanging out with Minnie.
All of them are dressed in their cutest beach attire. These bright and colorful outfits make for unforgettable photos. Goofy’s costume is especially adorable since he has a lifejacket. I guess he never learned to do the dog paddle.
Photo: DisneyFanatic.com
The breakfast cuisine is entirely different than what you’ll find at dinner. It’s standard breakfast fare such as Mickey Waffles, fruits and cheeses, and cereals. Hearty proteins like bacon and sausage are readily available, as are plenty of juices. Adult boat drinks are on the menu, as well. The one with the best reputation is the Cape May Cafe Sunrise, which is orange juice with vodka.
Like Best Friends Breakfast at ‘Ohana, you’ll primarily dine here for the character interactions, though. The two meals cost the same, which is $40.47 per adult at the time of publication. While I heartily recommend both, I realize that the reality is that you’ll only pick one during your stay. You honestly can’t go wrong with either one.
The Fish
At dinner, the menu changes entirely. There’s virtually no overlap because the nighttime cuisine is seafood-intensive. While some would argue that Flying Fish is better, I believe that Cape May Cafe represents the best option at Disney, particularly for guests utilizing the Disney Dining Plan.
Since Flying Fish is a Signature Dining experience, it requires two credits. Cape May Cafe provides much better value due to its single-entitlement cost. In fact, even the cash price of $51.59 per guest is reasonable. Bonefish Grill and Red Lobster chains are often $35 a person, and they’re neither special meals nor at Disney. And make no mistake on the point. The seafood at Cape May Café is exceptional.
You’ll smell the ingredients here from a mile away. Even the walls contain the unmistakable scent of fish. The explanation for this is that many of the dishes come from under the sea. Succulent chilled shrimp, delectable steamed mussels, and zesty herb-marinated salmon are available.
At Cape May Cafe, you may feel overwhelmed with seafood options. You could go cold with snow crab legs or piping hot with fried cod or fried clam strips. The seafood of the day guarantees that you’ll have a bit of variety whenever you visit. Calamari and Bacalao are possibilities on these days.
You needn’t worry about non-seafood fans here. I’m not really a huge fish fan, but I’m always happy at Cape May Cafe. The pork ribs and carved strip loin here are fabulous, and the chicken breast comes with a bold mushroom sauce. There’s even paella for the adventurous.
Whether you prefer breakfast or dinner here, you’ll always be glad that you’re dining at Cape May Cafe.
