I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

So, of course, I had to try this new (and returning) experience for myself. I’m not a tea person by any means. Give me all of the coffee instead, but I like to expand my horizons and try new things.

After six years of being closed, the tea room officially reopened in March 2026 with a new theme and menu. It’s a very popular experience, and understandably so.

I tried it for the first time recently, but is it worth it, especially if you don’t like tea? Keeping reading for my The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience review from when I visited on June 20, 2026.

In this article

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What is The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience?

The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience is an afternoon tea held at the Grand Floridian with an Alice in Wonderland theme.

The tea includes a tower of tea sandwiches and small desserts, along with a selection of Twinings Loose Leaf Teas. You can enjoy as many cups as tea as you’d like. There’s also a plant-based option available.

Keep in mind that there is a dress code. Clothing should be clean, neat, and in good condition. Swimwear isn’t permitted. I wore a casual, floral dress with sandals.

The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience isn’t open on Mondays and Tuesdays. Reservations go fast, so make sure you book as soon as you can.

Important: This experience does not allow modifications once the reservation is confirmed. There is a 24-hour cancellation policy. The full price will be charged/forfeited if you cancel within one day or fail to show up for the reservation.

How much does The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience cost?

The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience costs $79 per adult and $49 per child (ages 3 to 9). Tax and gratuity are not included in these prices.

A tower of tea sandwiches and small desserts are included in the price along with a selection of Twinings Loose Leaf Teas. There are enhancements, non-alcoholic drinks, cocktails, and more that are an additional cost.

If you’re on the Disney Dining Plan, it is not accepted here. Currently, there isn’t a discount offered for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members.

Below is a look at The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience’s menu. There are also allergy-friendly options available.

Food & Drink Menu

Tea Menu

The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience Review

Afternoon Tea Tower

There are two different towers you can choose from:

• Afternoon Tea Tower (features meat and seafood)
• Plant-based Afternoon Tea

I ordered the Plant-Based Afternoon Tea. I asked if I could try the Tweedledee Egg Salad Sandwich that comes on the regular Afternoon Tea Tower, but without the bacon. Unfortunately, it is premade, so that’s not possible.

The Plant-Based Afternoon Tea includes (one per person):

• Orange-Cranberry Scone
• Queen’s Curried Chickpea Tart
• Whimsy Artichoke Crisp
• Dee-licious Gardenwich
• Caterpillar Cucumber Roll
• Cheshire Checkerboard Cake
• Unbirthday Petit Four
• Queen of Hearts Raspberry Tart
• Painting the Rose

Orange-Cranberry Scone

The vegan Orange-Cranberry Scone is absolutely delicious. It is the perfect start to the tea. It’s citrusy, crumbly, and “buttery”.

While the scone is good on its own, it’s also served with three accompaniments:

• Vegan Devonshire Cream
• Vegan Orange Marmalade
• Vegan Whipped Butter

All of these are wonderful, but I liked the vegan Devonshire Cream the best.

Queen’s Curried Chickpea Tart

If you like curry and chickpeas, you’re going to absolutely enjoy the Queen’s Curried Chickpea Tart. It’s topped with a vegan cherry gelée heart.

The shortbread is exactly what a tart should be. The main filling even has a slight sweetness to it. I loved this — a lot.

Whimsy Artichoke Crisp

The Whimsy Artichoke Cake has an interesting texture, but it’s not off putting by any means.

The artichoke is delicious and they even add a garnish resembling caviar. The bottom of the cake is made of rice puffs.

Dee-licious Gardenwich

As an egg salad fan, I’m so glad there is a vegan equivalent of the egg salad sandwich on the regular Afternoon Tea Tower.

The Dee-licious Gardenwich features a tofu filling on a soft beet bun. Both are heaven! My mom didn’t like this, so I happily ate mine and her tea sandwich. Yes, it’s that good.

Caterpillar Cucumber Roll

How cute is the Caterpillar Cucumber Roll? From the cucumbers, to the pumpernickel bread, to the “cream” spread, this is the perfect tea treat. It has a slight floral flavor, but in a good way.

Cheshire Checkerboard Cake

The Cheshire Checkerboard Cake was one of my favorite desserts on the tower! It’s simple and not overly sweet. I don’t even like almond flavoring, but it didn’t bother me here.

Unbirthday Petit Four

The award for cutest dessert goes to the Unbirthday Petit Four. As cute as it is, I didn’t care for this at all. I’m not a fan of ube, which this contains. It also has a sweetness that’s unpleasant.

It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever tasted, but it just isn’t for me. Our server told us this is her favorite, along with her fellow servers at the tea room.

Queen of Hearts Raspberry Tart

I may not be a fan of the Queen of Hearts (she terrified me during the Magic Kingdom parade back in the day when I was little and I still hold a grudge), but the Queen of Hearts Raspberry Tart is amazing.

If you like raspberry linzer cookies, you will love this.

Painting the Rose

We’re painting the roses red. We’re painting the roses red.

This doesn’t look like a cake, but it is. While the Painting the Rose dessert nails the Alice in Wonderland theme, I didn’t like it. It just didn’t wow me.

That said, this dessert comes with a show. Your server “paints” the rose with a raspberry sauce and it’s so cute.

Twinings Loose Leaf Tea Selections

There are also several Twinings Loose Leaf Tea Selections included in the price. I tried:

• Lemongrass & Peppermint (naturally caffeine-free): Refreshing lemongrass blended with sweet peppermint, creating an upliftingly smooth herbal citrus infusion

As a non-tea person, I really enjoyed the Lemongrass and Peppermint. I chose this particular tea, because I like lemon and mint. The lemongrass and peppermint complement each other well, without overpowering one another.

A small tea pot is filled with your selection. You even get multiple cups out of the pot.

Personalized Postcard

The meal ends with the presentation of a personalized postcard that reads:

“Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
The best part of teatime
Was sipping with you.

But now that you’ve eaten
And finished your brew,
We must say farewell
And toodle-oo!”

The postcard comes in an envelope, along with individual cards with the teas you tried.

The personalization and details are superb.

Is The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience worth it?

Yes, the Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience is worth it, even if you aren’t a tea person. It’s truly wonderful.

The experience is special and well-crafted. Believe it or not, the tea is quite filling. It makes for a lovely lighter lunch. You can even try as many teas as you’d like!

I really appreciate that the vegetarian and vegan offerings are actually well thought out and delicious.

While this isn’t something I would do every time, it’s a unique experience that’s extremely well done and perfect for a special occasion. If you’ve been on the fence about booking Grand Floridian’s afternoon tea, do it.

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Have you tried The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience?