Cake Bake Shop at the BoardWalk is now open

[Minnie1222]

Then there's nothing to the argument that you are paying for the ambiance. Otherwise, I can choose not to tip the server and consider that a "discount", too.

The ambience I was referring to was between the interior of Les Halles and Cake Bake (as seen in the Carmel video). I have no idea what the future area around the take-out window would look like. It may be a lovely outdoors cafe, or it may not. At least there's a quick option for people who want to sample her food without a long sit-down.

 

[Minnie1222]

So...getting back to the theme of this discussion...do we think that this will actually be open in 2024? It does look like it's pretty close.

99% it will open before Thanksgiving. It would be a huge loss to miss the holiday crowds.

 

[Takket]

This place will be jam packed when it opens. We'll see where it is in a year. I was kind of hoping this would have some kind of Grand floridian Tea Room & Champaign type option. maybe that just isn't on the menu yet. My wife predicted $150 a person for such an experience and based on the menu i've seen i'm guessing that's probably accurate if they have it.

Rodgers is not an idiot, i'm sure they know what their target audience is and even if the menu scares off 99% of people, as long as the 1% has enough takers to fill the place every day, that's all that matters to making a profit. Think about how many people are at Disney on a daily basis, vs how many patrons they need to make a profit. it's a pretty tiny number of people they actually have to cater to. The question will be, do they get repeat business?

We've been looking forward to this but looking like it will be a pass for us. I just don't see the price as being commiserate with the experience being offered. You can't really compare this to something like a character meal where you are paying for the characters and memories you are building with your family.

And even if it is the best egg sandwich i've ever had in my life... well there is still a cap on what you'd expect to pay. I'd rather go across the lake to Yachtsman and spend $60 on a filet and know I'm not going to be ask to drop an extra $10 if i want a side with it.

Plus since DW has a dairy allergy i'd like to see what their allergen menu. not much point going there if the only dairy free options are things she doesn't like.

As for the "it's a two hour experience!" well that is a drawback, not a selling point for me. With so much to do at Disney and only so many hours in a day, i don't see how i'm going to devote two hours to eating a sandwich and a slice of cake. that feels like about 20-30 minutes of eating, 15-20 minutes of ordering and waiting for food to arrive, and 70 minutes of doing... what exactly?

 

[StarCruzer]

I do have to say I've been enjoying reading everyone's opinions on this! Lots of thoughts and ideas I hadn't considered.

One thing I found interesting is the the DC location of Jaleo is also $2-5 cheaper per item than the Disney Springs location. I find that a little wild, considering DC area has one of the highest costs of living in the area.

So while I don't love the markup, compared to COL in Indiana, it's probably not too far off. The Disney Premium is too real

 

[bdrex28]

Seriously, you can get THE "Croque Monsieur" at the iconic "Cafe De Flore" in Paris for 20 Euros vs $34 here. Those prices are crazy even for Disney standards LOL

Did you see the price for 6 croissants? $54

When I'm in Paris I can get a croissant from a Boulangerie fresh from the oven each morning with a wonderful espresso and fruit for less than 10€.

 

[MabelM]

With many friends in Indiana, I have heard about this place for several years. I was curious after it was first announced, but have 0 interest after seeing the prices. I am not sure any food in Disney is worth the price. We typically don’t do many table service meals due to the price. At a certain point, the Disney markup isn’t worth it to me. I cannot have the Disney experience at home, but I can have much better food for lower prices. I focus on what I cannot get at home when I am in Disney, I am sure it will do fine because many people are willing to pay any price for a lot of things just because they are in Disney. The 2 hour dining experience is a turnoff for me in Disney. With the amount I pay for the parks, I like to maximize my time there and not with long drawn out meals.

 

[kps7795]

Rodgers is not an idiot, i'm sure they know what their target audience is and even if the menu scares off 99% of people, as long as the 1% has enough takers to fill the place every day, that's all that matters to making a profit. Think about how many people are at Disney on a daily basis, vs how many patrons they need to make a profit. it's a pretty tiny number of people they actually have to cater to.

It was this thought process that led to the disaster that was the Galactic Starcruiser. Apparently, Disney is fated to repeating history by not learning from past mistakes. I'm looking forward to what will be built in this location in four to five years.

 

[enzy65]

This place will be jam packed when it opens. We'll see where it is in a year. I was kind of hoping this would have some kind of Grand floridian Tea Room & Champaign type option. maybe that just isn't on the menu yet. My wife predicted $150 a person for such an experience and based on the menu i've seen i'm guessing that's probably accurate if they have it.

Rodgers is not an idiot, i'm sure they know what their target audience is and even if the menu scares off 99% of people, as long as the 1% has enough takers to fill the place every day, that's all that matters to making a profit. Think about how many people are at Disney on a daily basis, vs how many patrons they need to make a profit. it's a pretty tiny number of people they actually have to cater to. The question will be, do they get repeat business?

We've been looking forward to this but looking like it will be a pass for us. I just don't see the price as being commiserate with the experience being offered. You can't really compare this to something like a character meal where you are paying for the characters and memories you are building with your family.

And even if it is the best egg sandwich i've ever had in my life... well there is still a cap on what you'd expect to pay. I'd rather go across the lake to Yachtsman and spend $60 on a filet and know I'm not going to be ask to drop an extra $10 if i want a side with it.

Plus since DW has a dairy allergy i'd like to see what their allergen menu. not much point going there if the only dairy free options are things she doesn't like.

As for the "it's a two hour experience!" well that is a drawback, not a selling point for me. With so much to do at Disney and only so many hours in a day, i don't see how i'm going to devote two hours to eating a sandwich and a slice of cake. that feels like about 20-30 minutes of eating, 15-20 minutes of ordering and waiting for food to arrive, and 70 minutes of doing... what exactly?

I am the person from IN that goes 1 time a year, I said 2 hours but it could be longer. We went last December and there were 6 of us and I would say it was closer to 3 hours. Everything there is just so slow, to getting seated, to ordering drinks/food, to getting food, then ordering dessert, to getting the check. It is very drawn out, but I like the experience 1 time a year.
A lot of people are walking around taking pictures while at CBS, go to the bakery counter to pursue all the goodies. It is not going to appeal to people that are in a hurry.

 

[Maleficent's Dad]

This place will be jam packed when it opens. We'll see where it is in a year.

Yes. The first few days especially with every "influencer" out there. Stand outside of the doors on day 1 and you'll see the likes of Tom, Molly, and countless others as they have to get the content, pics, & vids online first. Then for the next few months, it will be filled with the tourists like me who want to assess the place for themselves or experience something "new" at Disney. And yes, it will be very interesting to see where the place is in a year - or maybe 2-3 years. As I've previously stated, I'm hoping it's very good. I'm just skeptical for many reasons.

I was kind of hoping this would have some kind of Grand floridian Tea Room & Champaign type option. maybe that just isn't on the menu yet.

Rodgers is not an idiot, i'm sure they know what their target audience is and even if the menu scares off 99% of people, as long as the 1% has enough takers to fill the place every day, that's all that matters to making a profit. Think about how many people are at Disney on a daily basis, vs how many patrons they need to make a profit. it's a pretty tiny number of people they actually have to cater to. The question will be, do they get repeat business?

And here is where I see one of the major flaws in the Cake Bake Shop. The location. Who thought this spot would be good for this type of establishment?!?
I spend a lot of time at the Boardwalk. I can tell you that with the parking restrictions on both sides of the lake, there's not a whole lot of foot traffic during the day. Most resort guests are heading to the parks. The Boardwalk does get hopping during the evening hours, but again, as I've stated, that's mostly families - moms, dads, kids, grandparents, etc. Not the target audience for a formal, 2-hour sit down expensive meal. Just my opinion.
I know the Boardwalk needs more "things to do" including eateries. I desperately want that! And I really want the Cake Bake Shop to be a success for all the right reasons. I just have a lot of questions about the place that won't be answered for quite some time...

 

[reddog21]

It was this thought process that led to the disaster that was the Galactic Starcruiser. Apparently, Disney is fated to repeating history by not learning from past mistakes. I'm looking forward to what will be built in this location in four to five years.

Don't forget NBA experience met the same fate just a lot quicker.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I forgot to mention that the owner’s mission statement of ensuring that foods were made on site was important for me to hear. Not a fan of commercial mass produced foodstuff and I hope overtime she expands on that and tells us more.
Would like to hear that the seafood and fish are wild caught instead of farmed for instance; important from a health stance for individuals and the food stock, to my mind. Also, unfortunately, changes the cost of food.

 

[BrianL]

It was this thought process that led to the disaster that was the Galactic Starcruiser. Apparently, Disney is fated to repeating history by not learning from past mistakes. I'm looking forward to what will be built in this location in four to five years.

At least Disney doesn't own this - they are just the landlord. They might need to keep a backup list of potential tennants though.

And, you know, I don't hope it fails. I hope it does well and is there for a long time. It's just not for me and I do have doubts about the long-term sustainability.

 

[zackiedawg]

I spend a lot of time at the Boardwalk. I can tell you that with the parking restrictions on both sides of the lake, there's not a whole lot of foot traffic during the day. Most resort guests are heading to the parks. The Boardwalk does get hopping during the evening hours, but again, as I've stated, that's mostly families - moms, dads, kids, grandparents, etc. Not the target audience for a formal, 2-hour sit down expensive meal. Just my opinion.
I know the Boardwalk needs more "things to do" including eateries. I desperately want that! And I really want the Cake Bake Shop to be a success for all the right reasons. I just have a lot of questions about the place that won't be answered for quite some time...

If I were to take a guess, I think part of the decision making process for that location was to weigh parking issues for outside guests against the number of on-site guests with easy access to the Boardwalk without cars. With the Boardwalk resort, Beach and Yacht resorts, Swan, Dolphin, and Dolphin reserve resorts all walkable or boatable, with Riviera, Caribbean Beach and Pop all with gondola access, and of course walk-ins from two theme parks (or optional boats) so people spending a day at Epcot could head over and even return to the park again...there's a pretty big pool of potential visitors from that alone.

Boardwalk has been pretty dead with foot traffic lately - no surprise given how stripped down it had become - but I've been a DVC member there since 1996, and it used to be MUCH busier, with a lot of guests walking through to try the restaurants, boardwalk entertainment, etc.

Whether that TYPE of restaurant is right for that hotel or area - I can't say. It's not what I was hoping would end up there, as I thought a more boistrous, fun, bar-type atmosphere felt more appropriate for the Boardwalk and really would have wanted an ESPN type spot, open late, more casual bar fare, etc. The food wasn't really special at ESPN, but it was about having that spot any time of day to catch a game, sit with friends, make new friends, drink, and have reasonably priced and filling grub. It was especially great coming back after park close and knowing it would be open, and probably still crowded especially if games were on.

I still hold out hope something more casual like that might replace Big River's space. I'm curious to see how Cake Bake does. I admit I had no idea who she was, or what the restaurant concept was...I just saw the name, and the decor, and assumed it was going to be a bakery - I really disliked the decision. Then learning that it was a restaurant and served food, I was more optimistic about it. Then learning the prices made me question whether it was a good fit, but still willing to give it a try and see if the food was so outstanding as to make the pricing worth it. Now I hear more how it's like some kind of tea-party-social experience from olden days makes me a little more hesitant - I want to try it out and give it a chance, but don't want to feel like I need to wear a frilly dress and lace gloves to even be admitted. It does seem to lean harder towards a female clientele which again I'm not so sure that's the right approach for a Boardwalk restaurant...but I'll stay open minded and still likely try it out maybe when I'm there in December if it's open.

 

[kps7795]

Don't forget NBA experience met the same fate just a lot quicker.

Unfortunately, you can't completely compare the life of the two disasters because the NBA Experience operations were suspended because of Covid. It will be interesting to see if CBS lasts longer than 1 1/2 years which is how long the Galactic Starcruiser lasted.

 

[Maleficent's Dad]

@zackiedawg Other than your first paragraph, I myself could have written this post verbatim! We're in the same boat with the entire Boardwalk/restaurant/etc! Time will tell, I guess.

 

[Minnie1222]

It's nice to see that many people here are willing to try this place at least once. I've been ordering her cakes through Williams-Sonoma years before learning of her identity, and the cakes are worth repeating. Very happy that she's opening a restaurant at one of my favorite places in the world.

 

[Chirple]

I told my husband about Cake Bake Shop after the menu/prices were posted. I also told him the interior was pretty frilly, but we think we might give this a try at least once. We would consider it a new-to-us experience and then determine whether it was worth repeating. It is only the two of us; while the prices are high, dining here won't set us back.

I can see why a lot of people are disappointed if they had their hearts set on eating here and then seeing the huge markup in prices.

 

[reddog21]

Unfortunately, you can't completely compare the life of the two disasters because the NBA Experience operations were suspended because of Covid. It will be interesting to see if CBS lasts longer than 1 1/2 years which is how long the Galactic Starcruiser lasted.

True, however it was open for a full 7 months and similar to starcruiser rather then lower prices it was better to just scrap the whole idea. From those 7 months they learned enough not to open it back up, which is very telling.

t's nice to see that many people here are willing to try this place at least once

I think most people including myself will give it a shot even though the prices are high.

 

[JoJoGirl]

Wow, many strong opinions here! FWIW, where we live, people will drive 90-120 minutes to go to Cake Bake in Indy. Not every week of course, but many consider it a destination restaurant worth the prices and the trip. YMMV, it’s clearly not for everyone.

One thing the Boardwalk Cake Bake will provide, that is currently lacking in the Crescent Lake area, is a relaxing and unique full-service park-break lunch. Right now it’s hard to find that in between HS and Epcot without hopping on the Skyliner. Trattoria, Flying Fish and Cape May are all closed for lunch. Ale & Compass and Beaches & Cream are bustling not that relaxing.

Maybe I’m dreaming here, but I can totally see myself heading there around 1:30-2:00, when the park gets hot & busy and I need to de-stress and recharge my batteries. It looks like a great place to enjoy a leisurely lunch with a cocktail in a gorgeous, magical air-conditioned space. Then maybe grab a beverage to go and sit on the boardwalk, relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere until I’m refreshed and ready to head back into a park.

Yeah, the prices are silly high and not justified by the food - no argument there. It’s the location and experience that could make it worthwhile for me. I will definitely try it, and could see it becoming a regular stop.

That said, the Boardwalk really needs to fill that Big River Grill space. People are crying out for a casual family sports bar/grill type place. It’s a no-brainer! With ESPN gone, it would probably do great there, and not compete with Cake Bake. (And mitigate some of the hate?) What’s the holdup?

edited for typos

 

[Pyxie]

I heard this morning on Amy and Paul's podcast that CBS was considering a soft opening later this week, but put it off.
As far as cost, I predict she'll have plenty of customers. For lots of people, it's almost a bragging rights to go someplace super expensive on vacation. Ever heard this?

"Took the family to the Cake Bake Shop."
"Wow, I heard that's expensive!"
[Puffs out his chest and smiles]"Yeah, but we can afford it!"

Or something similar.

Maybe for some people. I suspect that if I told most of my friends they would have no idea what Cake Bake Shop even is. I had never heard of it before they announced the location of Disney.