Disney World’s Teased New BoardWalk Restaurant: Our Wish List of 8 Concepts

A few months ago, Walt Disney World announced a trio of new experiences on the horizon at the BoardWalk, set to opening starting in late 2026. This included specifics of Hurly-Burly bar and Basin soap shop, along with a teaser for a counter service restaurant.

Since then, Walt Disney World has revealed full details about Hurly-Burly at Disney’s BoardWalk, which officially opens on October 1, 2026. Hurly-Burly replaces Jellyrolls and is the next door neighbor to Atlantic Dance Hall, which also closes to the general public on the same date that Hurly-Burly debuts.

Hurly-Burly is a mixed use venue, open in the afternoons for trivia and games designed for the whole family. From 9 p.m. until 1 a.m., experience vibrant evenings of live music exclusively for guests ages 21 and older. Hurly-Burly is themed to a historic seaside theater, that was once the home of vaudeville performers nearly 100 years ago. Along with the entertainment offerings, Hurly-Burly serves up vintage drinks and lite bites inspired by an era of world class performances and nautical novelty.

However, we still don’t know much about the counter service restaurant. Back in the original announcement, Walt Disney World teased that there’s even more to come along the promenade. Specifically, a new quick-service restaurant is “also coming soon” to Disney’s BoardWalk.

Disney previously indicated more on that would be announced later in Summer 2026. Even if you use the astronomical calendar as opposed to Disney’s informal calendar of summer spanning from Memorial Day to Labor Day, summer ended back on September 22, 2026. And yet, we haven’t heard much more about the mystery counter service restaurant.

The most recent “news” on this topic comes via the latest issue of Disney Files, which is the magazine mailed to Disney Vacation Club Members (and also published belatedly online).

In covering Hurly-Burly and Basin, the article ends with a note about a new “soon-to-be-announced” counter service dining destination bound for the BoardWalk, indicating that the news may break shortly after the magazine goes to press. It’s not really telling us anything we don’t already know, although it could be construed as confirming that the counter service restaurant is still happening and hasn’t been quietly cancelled or delayed.

I’m personally not inclined to read that much into it; the article doesn’t have an opening date for Hurly-Burly, suggesting it was written before that was announced back on September 1st. There really isn’t any new-news in the Disney Files article that wasn’t in Walt Disney World’s original announcement back on June 18th.

What we do know is that this new counter service restaurant is “Project Amazon,” and will be located at the former Big River Grille & Brewing Works, which was a table service restaurant and sports bar that closed back in January 2024.

A lot has been happening at Big River over the last few months. For a while there was just a moveable barricade up as crews went in and out, but that’s since been replaced by a proper construction wall. Every time I’ve been on the BoardWalk recently, there’s been audible noise inside, and construction crews have been spotted coming and going. Something is definitely happening, and we’re hopeful this yields an interesting and original restaurant concept. There is very clearly the demand for it!

Speaking of which, that’s another thing we know. While Hurly-Burly is the most ambitious project of the trio, there are a lot of Walt Disney World fans (and especially DVC Members who own or often stay at BWV) who are very enthusiastic about a new counter service restaurant. Based on reader response, it would seem that this counter service restaurant is actually the #1 most-anticipated project of the trio.

As Crescent Lake regulars ourselves, we’ve been daydreaming about options ourselves. This lists our top 8 counter service concepts to fill the former Big River Grille & Brewing Works restaurant space…

Mixed Use Bar & Grill Restaurant

Our assumption is that whatever is coming to the Big River location is not a straightforward counter service spot. There are already several of those around Crescent Lake, and none are particularly popular because they’re all too pedestrian. Disney adding another simple and unambitious fast food spot would be a mistake.

Accordingly, we’re expecting that Walt Disney World will pull from its recent playbook with a multi-purpose offering similar to Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge or Wailulu Bar & Grill at Island Tower. In between counter service and table service, efficient, family friendly, and indoor/outdoor water views. This type of family-friendly option has proven immensely popular with guests, and it would fill a major void at Crescent Lake.

Another possibility is something like Primo Piatto and Bar Riva at Disney’s Riviera Resort. That’s a fantastic one-two punch, both are best-in-class at Walt Disney World. If this concept can replicate that, it will be a huge success, drawing guests from all around Crescent Lake (and perhaps beyond).

None of these are quick-service restaurants in the strict sense of the term, but Walt Disney World needs a “go big or go home” attitude with this location, as another boring counter service spot isn’t going to move the needle for guests. Using this blueprint at BoardWalk given its success in the last ~8 years at Walt Disney World makes the most sense.

Disney’s All Star Cafe

There isn’t a chance that Walt Disney World is going to open a restaurant called All Star Cafe at the BoardWalk, so at minimum, the name would need to change. But I’d love to see this restaurant return to Walt Disney World, as there was a time in the 1990s when All Star Cafe was my favorite place to eat anywhere.

(For those who are unfamiliar with it, All Star Cafe was Planet Hollywood, except with Wayne Gretzky, Joe Montana, Shaquille O’Neal, Ken Griffey Jr, Andre Agassi, and Monica Seles as “owners” and faces of the brand. As a SportsCenter-obsessed kid during the “Big Show” era, it was the coolest thing ever.)

In any case, a sports bar & grill concept that’s like a mix between Big River and ESPN Club but with fast casual food would be perfect for this spot, and fill a vital role that’s now conspicuously absent from this area following the closure of both those venues. There are a lot of dads and other sports fans who enjoy watching “the big game,” and there’s not a great option for that that’s easily accessible from the parks. A family-friendly(ish) sports spot that serves counter service food and beer makes a lot of sense here.

Explorer’s Club Restaurant

Back before Hurly-Burly was announced and the Jellyrolls space was still in play, we had hoped it’d become the Adventurers Club (or Comedy Warehouse). Given that won’t be happening, we’ll settle for the next best thing: a food court vaguely themed to the Adventurers Club.

This might seem like a stretch, but a version of this already exists at Hong Kong Disneyland, which is home to the Explorer’s Club. As originally conceived, the Explorer’s Club was a counter service restaurant with multiple ordering bays for different types of international cuisine and dining rooms with distinct themes. It has a Society of Explorers & Adventurers backstory, and props from the Adventurers Club line the walls.

While a lot of the props ended up in Hong Kong when the Adventurers Club closed, there are others still in the Archives. And even beyond the Adventurers Club, we’d be interested in an eclectic and eccentric venue themed to vintage Coney Island, with nods to a variety of defunct Pleasure Island venues for the sake of fan service.

BoardWalk Burgers & Brews

Walt Disney World had the right idea with D-Luxe Burger, but it’s long trek to Disney Springs just for burgers and once you’re there, there’s the temptation to get cookies and a full meal at one of the many, more inventive spots. The same could be said for BoardWalk (but swap out cookies for cake), but a second iteration of the D-Luxe Burger concept could perform really well.

There’s a lot of different food that’s easily accessible in Crescent Lake, but not a single spot that specializes in burgers and does them really well–and efficiently. It seems like all of the food in this area is either fast and bad, or really good, pricey and time-consuming. There’s not much in-between, and BoardWalk Burgers & Brews could fill that void with fast food that’s delicious and relatively reasonably priced.

The convention crowd and guests exiting EPCOT could make this a popular spot even after midnight. With Hurly-Burly right next door, we could see this place being perpetually packed. It would also do a decent job of filling the void left by Big River Grille & Brewing Works, albeit as a counter service burger joint.

Greek Garden

A Greek fast casual spot combined with a beer garden would be a great fit for this spot. While the underrated Amare serves fantastic Mediterranean cuisine over at the Swan Reserve, that’s too far away to be on the radar of pretty much anyone who isn’t staying in that tower.

Not only that, but even as a mid-tier restaurant, it’s too nice. BoardWalk should be home to fun handheld indulgences (like pickle-stuffed corn dogs!). Gyros, kebabs, spanakopita, etc. Even a few American dishes with Greek twists to make it more crowd-pleasing would work.

We’ve become big fans of the new concept at Tangierine Cafe in World Showcase, and something like that but with more of a Greek twist would work well on the BoardWalk. Sarah also requests healthier and lighter options, but I’m willing to settle for only the indulgent stuff (twist my arm).

Portillo’s

As a native Midwesterner, it’s my civic duty to advocate for the expansion of Portillo’s; that was part of our pledge of allegiance, if I recall correctly. Even though Portillo’s is Chicago-based and thus might upset some from New Jersey as being inauthentic, the place has serious Coney Island vibes, if you ask me.

It’s also delicious and Portillo’s has already expanded to Orlando, so another outpost at Walt Disney World isn’t too much of a stretch. The only downside of Portillo’s might (honestly) be that it’s too good. Not only would this be bad for guests’ waistlines (just as it was for mine in college when Portillo’s was fully to blame for my freshman fifteen), but it could be so popular that the line and crowds would be a problem.

I maintain that this is why In-N-Out Burger doesn’t have a Downtown Disney location. Speaking of which…

Third Party Fast Casual Food

On the third party side, other promising possibilities aside from Portillo’s would be hot chicken or sliders, both of which remain trendy. Walt Disney World has also been more collaborative with local small businesses, so I also wouldn’t bet against a second Polite Pig or 4 Rivers.

Right behind Portillo’s, my dream tenant would be Orlando standout Pizza Bruno, but that seems a tad too small-scale. I’m also skeptical that Disney wants to create competition for the hugely popular and lucrative BoardWalk Pizza Window. Another savory concept from Gideon’s Bakehouse does strike me as unlikely since it’s more niche and just expanded.

I also wouldn’t bet against another collaboration with Gordon Ramsay, although Earl of Sandwich seems unlikely given the existence of BoardWalk Bakery. One of the challenges is coming up with concepts that don’t overlap or conflict with existing tenants, and would actually be popular with guests. (The latter rules out most health-conscious concepts. Sorry, Sarah.)

Who knows, with In-N-Out expanding to the East Coast, maybe Walt Disney World lands that burger joint before Disneyland. I’d bet against that. In addition to it being (literally) too popular, In-N-Out is infamously averse to collaboration.

Coney Cheese

Not a cheese shop, although I wouldn’t be averse to a counter service restaurant with cheese in every single dish. More like a rip-off of Chuck E. Cheese, but a Disneyfied version in the style of Coney Island. Think Chuck E. Cheese meets Dave & Buster’s meets DisneyQuest meets BoardWalk thematic sensibilities. But in a smaller venue, and definitely not that ambitious.

This could serve several constituencies (sports fans, families, etc.) while offering something unique that would be distinctly Disney (despite the aforementioned comparisons) and a big draw for BoardWalk. DisneyQuest was ahead of its time in some ways, and a concept like it, but simplified/scaled down and aimed at bringing people together in a communal/tactile setting, could be a success.

It may seem like this is too small of a space for such a venue, but Swan & Dolphin opened “Lagoon Lanes, Games & Eats” in a similarly-sized area. (We also just went to Chuck E. Cheese last weekend for the first time as adults, and it is much smaller than I remember it being when I was a kid.) Although the above sounds rather grandiose and ambitious, all I’d really expect here is something along these lines; a good variety of counter service cuisine and interactivity.

Ultimately, there’s a rundown of our wish list for the soon-to-be-announced counter service restaurant at Disney’s BoardWalk that’ll replace the vacant Big River Grille & Brewing Works venue.

My gut is that this counter service location will either end up being one of the most exciting in all of Walt Disney World or completely phoned-in, with almost no middle ground. That either the beancounters have calculated that a second pizza window is “good enough” and would alone do gangbusters, or they’re going to bet big on it.

Given that Hurly-Burly nightclub is pretty much the best-case scenario for a Jellyrolls replacement, we’re going to choose the optimistic outlook here. As far as in-house concepts go, using the Wailulu Bar & Grill blueprint or a D-Luxe Burger clone is probably the realistic outcome. We’d love something like Tangierine Cafe, and think lighter and healthier food would be an asset, but comfort food in a quasi-bar & grill setting is more crowd-pleasing.

The fact that Walt Disney World has only teased the quick-service restaurant with more news coming later suggests to me that it’s more likely than not a third party operating participant in this location. In which case, it’s possible plans are not completely finalized, or the outside vendor isn’t quite ready to make an announcement and wants to do so on their terms, which is causing the delay.

Because work is definitely ongoing at this location, and Walt Disney World isn’t averse to announcing in-house concepts months (or years!) before they come to fruition, it seems like we would’ve had an official announcement months ago if this were a Disney-owned restaurant. Who knows, though, there could be other delays keeping this from being officially unveiled, or perhaps they’re waiting until October 1st, when Hurly-Burly debuts. We’ll keep you posted!

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Your Thoughts

What type of counter service concept do you think will “soon” be announced for the former Big River Grille & Brewing Works venue? Would you prefer an in-house Disney concept or partnership with a prominent or local third party? What is most needed in the Crescent Lake Resort Area? Would you like to see something on the sports bar spectrum, or should Disney focus more on family-friendly options for BoardWalk? Do you agree or disagree with our list? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!