Cake Bake Shop at the BoardWalk is now open

[Minnie1222]

Agreed! Any ideas when that will be?

I'm thinking early or mid-November.

 

[SL6827]

This is what I got for the menu on Disney's app.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

The lack of foot traffic won’t support those prices. Disney makes it difficult to get to the boardwalk and I don’t see that changing.

 

[NYCgrrl]

The lack of foot traffic won’t support those prices. Disney makes it difficult to get to the boardwalk and I don’t see that changing.

How do you think they could make it easier to reach?

 

[dsanner106]

How do you think they could make it easier to reach?

 

[dsanner106]

How do you think they could make it easier to reach?

They could develop a parking plant allow visiting guests an easier time getting there when the lot is not full or make shuttles to boardwalk available from another lot

 

[hcortesis]

The only way to learn if the place is worthy is to try it in person. This shop needs to open ASAP.

No she doesn't. The few of us here are not influencing any of the tens of thousands of her potential customers. They will decide to show up or not in due time.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

They’re putting in the boardwalk flooring outside this morning. I’m hoping they open on Monday mostly because that’s my last day.

 

[patty57]

The lack of foot traffic won’t support those prices. Disney makes it difficult to get to the boardwalk and I don’t see that changing.

I don't know if the lack of foot traffic will impact it or not, however, having it at Disney Springs might have been a better idea.

 

[JoJoGirl]

I can't tell if you are wanting the same style of restaurant back where Big River Grille and Espn were or if you are suggesting something different. Pretty hard to fault Disney for not putting something similar back in those spaces.

Yeah that’s what I’m suggesting.

A little history here: In the late 2010s/early 2020s The ESPN brand faced severe challenges due to the decline of cable TV, the pandemic, and/or its own missteps and difficulties. They downsized operations and let go of a lot of staff. The decision not to reopen their branded restaurant on the Boardwalk after it closed for the pandemic probably stemmed from that, and while a disappointment, was not a surprise.

Big River Grille was always a third party restaurant, not run by Disney. The parent company went through a number of mergers and acquisitions, and the new conglomerate owner closed the Big River chain locations, not just Boardwalk. My understanding is that Boardwalk was the last to close. This came after the closure of ESPN and was not a Disney decision.

Unfortunately, the confluence of these two events, each not explicitly related to performance of the related restaurants, left the Boardwalk without two casual eateries that had both operated at least somewhat successfully since opening day in 1996.

I’d think that the void left by those two similar restaurants could be successfully filled by one eatery that offered a similar product. Just reading this thread you can see that people miss that kind of place and still want it. Cake Bake isn’t offsetting that demand because it is so completely different (and far more expensive). The good thing is that Cake Bake and a Sports Bar would not really compete like ESPN and Big River did.

Maybe Disney is still looking for a tenant for that space and doesn’t want to open their own restaurant, who knows. I hope they find something soon.

 

[Minnie1222]

I don't know if the lack of foot traffic will impact it or not, however, having it at Disney Springs might have been a better idea.

I think this place will be a popular wedding venue. Being at Boardwalk with fewer foot traffic would be more appealing to the wedding party.

 

[JoJoGirl]

I think this place will be a popular wedding venue. Being at Boardwalk with fewer foot traffic would be more appealing to the wedding party.

Not to mention that it’s adjacent to the gazebo on Crescent Lake, which is a great spot for weddings.

 

[Lewisc]

Millers Ale House is probably the best known corporate sports bar. I don't think Big River is large enough.

 

[focusondisney]

A little history here: In the late 2010s/early 2020s The ESPN brand faced severe challenges due to the decline of cable TV, the pandemic, and/or its own missteps and difficulties. They downsized operations and let go of a lot of staff. The decision not to reopen their branded restaurant on the Boardwalk after it closed for the pandemic probably stemmed from that, and while a disappointment, was not a surprise.

The Boardwalk ESPN site was the last ESPN restaurant. Most of the ESPN Zone bar/restaurants closed in 2009-2010. The last ESPN Zone was the Disneyland site & that closed in 2018. That left the Boardwalk restaurant as the last ESPN restaurant. It hung on longer than any other location. The last few times we went, the place was always half empty, the lunch hours & menu had been cut back & the in house entertainment had been cut way back. It’s not surprising that Disney management decided to not reopen after the pandemic.

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

My gosh, those poor people ruin everything, amirite? They probably used a credit card to pay for it, too.

More likely 5 Disney gift cards from Rite Aid

 

[TimmyP]

The Boardwalk ESPN site was the last ESPN restaurant. Most of the ESPN Zone bar/restaurants closed in 2009-2010. The last ESPN Zone was the Disneyland site & that closed in 2018. That left the Boardwalk restaurant as the last ESPN restaurant. It hung on longer than any other location. The last few times we went, the place was always half empty, the lunch hours & menu had been cut back & the in house entertainment had been cut way back. It’s not surprising that Disney management decided to not reopen after the pandemic.

What they need to take the place of Big River is something like the Ballast Point restaurant at Disneyland:

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/downtown-disney-district/ballast-point-brewing-company/

Would fill the need well. I'm not married to Ballast Point the brand, but the theory is the same....

 

[Minnie1222]

My gosh, those poor people ruin everything, amirite? They probably used a credit card to pay for it, too.

Poor as in having very limited means? You won't find many of them at Disneyworld.

I'm talking about the people who can afford the place, but have no intention of paying fully for the experience.

 

[J-Dog]

Poor as in having very limited means? You won't find many of them at Disneyworld.

I'm talking about the people who can afford the place, but have no intention of paying fully for the experience.

I don't understand your point here. The prix fixe menus were started at BOG, Space220, etc, because people wanted to see the unique and immersive experience but didn't want to pay for it. How is this the same?

This place is frilly/lacy/white/fancy decor with glitter and boring-sounding food. It's not Cinderella's castle, the Beast's castle, or a space station. What exactly is the "experience" here? Snooty tea-time with Grandma?

I just don't get it. Still a hard pass for me. But then, I'm a guy. Maybe that's the problem.

 

[kiford]

I don't recall anyone saying ESPN closed because of the cake shop that's extremely overpriced and not unique.

Many may have not loved ESPN but it was unique based on other Disney restaurants at the time. Nowhere else you could grab some food and watch a game.

Cakes? Etc? All over WDW

But the ESPN food was horrible. Overpriced for what you got and terrible. We went once and never again. I'm not saying that I don't think the food prices at CBS aren't insanely high but I'd rather pay high prices for food that I is good (which hopefully it is) than overpay for food I can't finish because it's awful even if it costs less.

 

[J-Dog]

But the ESPN food was horrible. Overpriced for what you got and terrible. We went once and never again. I'm not saying that I don't think the food prices at CBS aren't insanely high but I'd rather pay high prices for food that I is good (which hopefully it is) than overpay for food I can't finish because it's awful even if it costs less.

But that's apples to oranges as far as clientele. I don't see many people who traveled to the Boardwalk for ESPN being the same people who travel there for this place.

The only similarity between these places is the location. Maybe that's a good thing for CBS that it will likely be different people?