New California Grill Prix Fixe Menu in April 2023
Walt Disney World has announced a new prix fixe menu at California Grill in Contemporary Resort. Starting on April 2023, the rooftop Signature Restaurant will replace its 50th Anniversary Celebration Meal with a fresh dining package. This post covers dates, details, pricing, and some of what’s on the menu.
In case you’ve missed it, California Grill replaced its normal a la carte menu for the 50th Anniversary Celebration prix fixe menu back in October 2021. That menu is priced at $89 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $39 per child (ages 3 to 9), plus tax and gratuity. This special menu will conclude on March 31, 2023 along with the rest of the World’s Most Magical Celebration.
In addition to that, there has been the “Celebration at the Top: 50th Flavors & Fireworks at Disney’s Contemporary Resort” at California Grill. That’s a cocktail party featuring fine food, simmering sips, and beautiful music while awaiting the new Disney Enchantment fireworks spectacular. It cost $129 per person.
While we were never able to book the Celebration at the Top (and eventually just gave up trying), we did do the prix fixe menu at California Grill. We actually really enjoyed that experience and found the value for money to be sufficient given what we ordered. If you revisit our California Grill 50th Anniversary Celebration Dinner Review, you’ll notice it’s quite positive.
Despite that, California Grill has not been high on our list of restaurants to revisit at Walt Disney World. Even though we enjoyed that experience and meal, we favor flexibility when eating “for fun” (rather than the sake of reviews) at Walt Disney World. During any given meal, we might order 3 appetizers, 1 entree, 1 dessert–or 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, 2 desserts–and so on. Really, whatever catches our eyes on the menu. California Grill’s 50th Anniversary menu didn’t really allow for our preferred dining style. But I’m getting ahead of myself–we’ll circle back to this in a bit.
Walt Disney World has announced that beginning April 1, 2023, California Grill will offer a 3-course selection menu featuring contemporary, market-inspired cuisine.
Advance Dining Reservations open on January 31, 2023 for the beginning of the new three-course menu at California Grill. Future dates will open consistent with ADR rules at Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney World has yet to release a full menu for California Grill’s 2023 prix fixe menu, but select items that will include Fire-Roasted Venison, Goat Cheese Ravioli, and Lemon Chiffon Cake.
I’m not sure about the Lemon Chiffon Cake, but the first two menu items are not new. The Fire-Roasted Venison is on the current menu and the (Sonoma) Goat Cheese Ravioli is a standout item from the old menu. Don’t let its underwhelming appearance fool you–this is a first-ballot California Grill hall of famer.
My guess is that a number of other menu items will carry over from the current California Grill menu, with others brought back from the pre-50th menu. Obvious candidates to stick around include the sushi, wontons, and duck pizza from the current appetizer menu.
It’s safe to say the Oak-fired Filet of Beef will stick around from the entree menu (another hall of famer), but I’m not sure what else. I really hope the Cast Iron-grilled Pork Tenderloin also sticks around–that is fantastic. Everything else can change, as far as I’m concerned. I’d also hope for the return of the Grand Marnier Soufflé–but only as long as the kitchen can make a non “deflated” version.
January 29, 2023 Update: Walt Disney World has released more details ahead of the ADR drop date. They’ve also shared that the new menu will consist of Californian cuisine celebrating fresh, seasonal ingredients and the international, melting-pot culture of the Golden State. The chef de cuisine creatively blends new flavors, textures and techniques, delivered in a 3-course selection menu, which Disney says is “a continuation of the highly-successful 50th Anniversary celebration offering.”
You may choose:
- One appetizer
- One entrée
- One dessert
Adult price: $89 per person (ages 10 and up), plus tax and gratuity
Child price: $39 per child (ages 3 to 9), plus tax and gratuity
I know someone (or several someones!) will ask, so to preempt your questions: no, we do not know when the beloved Brunch at the Top will return. This was far and away our favorite meal at California Grill, and we will book that ASAP once it returns. (Actually, I should probably hedge that a bit in light of Monsieur Paul and Takumi-Tei pricing. If Brunch at the Top returns at a significantly higher price, we are out.)
The impediment to Brunch at the Top returning is…drumroll…staffing shortages! Same as has been the case for nearly two years, at this point. I know some of you are getting sick of the staffing “excuse,” but that doesn’t make it any less true. The issue does continue to improve, but apparently not to the point to bring back more specialty or niche options.
As always, a highlight of the meal will undoubtedly be California Grill’s views. This includes windows overlooking Magic Kingdom out of the main dining room and the observation decks.
We always make sure to time our Advance Dining Reservation so that it coincides with the fireworks. In an ideal world, we’re wrapping up desserts about 30 minutes before the show starts, but it doesn’t always work out that way. California Grill is bound to be an even hotter ADR with Happily Ever After returning, too!
In terms of commentary, I can already anticipate the complaints about Walt Disney World doing another prix fixe menu.
As intimated above, I empathize with these, especially as California Grill is of less interest to us given the prix fixe menu. We favor the flexibility of being able to order a la carte, mixing and matching appetizers, entrees, and desserts as the mood and appetites compel us. Without question, an a la carte menu is the more guest-friendly option.
When California Grill’s full menu for April 2023 and beyond drops, Walt Disney World will inevitably explain the permanent move to prix fixe as a way to “enhance” the dining experience with “exquisite and delicious cuisine” or see the culinary team’s creative vision realized. (Those were the purported rationales Disney gave for other shifts to prix fixe.) That is BS, and I don’t know Disney offers such condescending explanations that can be “refuted” with guest complaints.
In actuality, the issue is that it became a common “hack” among cheap locals and others to book California Grill ADRs and only order appetizers or dessert, slowly nursing plates while awaiting fireworks. It was a low-cost way to experience a nice restaurant and have a great view of the fireworks. I don’t know about you, but I’m actually more sympathetic to the real reason for this change that the guest-friendly justifications Disney usually offers.
Walt Disney World’s shift to more prix fixe menus began with Be Our Guest Restaurant’s “cupcakegate,” and I don’t see it letting up anytime soon. That’s especially true with restaurants that have an experiential component. Aside from Be Our Guest Restaurant and California Grill, another example is Space 220 Restaurant.
Almost every other restaurant with an entertainment element of some form already serves something other than an a la carte menu. Most of those are character meals, which are all buffet or prix fixe. About the only notable exceptions that come to mind are 50’s Prime Time Cafe, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, and Coral Reef. Those are popular, but don’t have the same issue with many guests only ordering appetizers or desserts.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Narcoossee’s reopens with a prix fixe menu for the same reason. It’s not quite as necessary there as at California Grill, but it is another popular fireworks spot–and could become more so with the ‘cupcake crowd’ if it’s the next best option due to California Grill doing prix fixe. (Honestly, I’d be more surprised if Narcoossee’s does not do prix fixe for that very reason.)
From what I understand, per guest spending has increased significantly at California Grill since introducing the prix fixe menu. That’s not even remotely surprising. Prix fixe guarantees a minimum spend, blocking those who would book to only do appetizers or desserts as a nice way to see the fireworks.
Personally, I wish there the option for a prix fixe menu or a la carte menu with a minimum spend. We have no problem hitting whatever requirement might exist; we just want the flexibility to eat as we wish. However, I can also understand why Walt Disney World would not want to go this route–and also isn’t transparent about the real motivations for these prix fixe menus.
Many fans may not like prix fixe menus, but even more would not like being told they need to spend $X in order to dine at a restaurant. Even though they’re effectively the same thing, it’s a matter of optics. Imagine all of the clickbait blog and vlog headlines: “Disney DEMANDS Guests Spend $$$ To Step Inside This Restaurant!” It’s really the same deal here, but a softer way of saying the same…albeit a less flexible one.
Ultimately, the “solution” if you don’t like things like the proliferation of prix fixe menus is not to loudly complain online, but to vote with your wallet. So long as Advance Dining Reservations are snapped up quickly and Walt Disney World has no problem filling tables at California Grill, words are meaningless with this one. Demand tells the tale. If that changes, so too could the prix fixe policies.
That might seem snide, but it is what it is. From Disney’s perspective, their current approach allocates limited capacity to those who actually want to do full meals as opposed to the local or ‘Disney on a Dime’ crowd, which is savvy from both a business perspective and guest satisfaction among a more coveted demo. That might mean that we (and maybe many of you) dine at California Grill less or not at all, but that’s the favored outcome from the company’s perspective. If popularity changes, so too will Disney’s approach.
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of the California Grill sticking with a prix fixe menu after the 50th Anniversary ends? Disappointed there’s no a la carte option? Will you be attempting to book this Advance Dining Reservation? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? 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!
Sorry Tom. I’m not buying the “Cupcake Excuse”! Ever since there was dirt it has been possible to eat dinner at Cali AND have the option to return later to view the fireworks from one of both outside roof wings no matter what time your meal concluded. There is / has been, plenty of room on the roof for all fireworks viewing restaurant guests and weve been eating up there several times a year since before the place was exclusively a restaurant. (Do you remember the “Dinner Theatre”?) One doesn’t have to be sitting at a window table to enjoy the fireworks show. In fact, given the layout, the roof is a far better option than most of the interior tables. Nope. IMO the reason that per guest revenue has gone up is that, no matter how much you choose to eat, the base meal prices are higher. In the past my wife always ordered the Goat Cheese Ravioli upsized as a main course. Even with appetzer and dessert this was not as expensive a meal as my steak so the cumulative bill, meal or not, was less at night’s end than a two person Prix Fixe. Well, not if you count our bottle of wine, the price of which, to this day, brings a smile to the server’s face. I don’t really care about the food prices, we’ll eat where we enjoy, but I’m not buying the “Cupcake Excuse.” BTW, we tried the Cali last month. Although the Ravioli wasn’t yet available, we didn’t find the menu choices that restrictive and the wine list is still extensive. We’ll see what happens in May.
I am curious as to the thoughts behind this statement as I tend to doubt it is true: “even more would not like being told they need to spend $X in order to dine at a restaurant”. I have been to many places that charge a cover charge whch is then a credit towards your total bill. No refund it you do not spend it all. I have not heard any complaints where this is the approach.
Not to defend Disney too much but there are also logistical benefits to prix fixe menus (besides guaranteeing a certain amount of income money). The big one is you have a much better idea of how long the each will stay in the restaurant; it is a lot easier to time things so that all the food comes out together and also space out seating (and reservations!) to keep the kitchen from getting too slammed.
That said, I think there are better options to accommodate different styles of guest. One would be prix fixe dinner, a la carte lunch. Another would be the tiered prix fixe menus Tom mentioned. A third would be prix fixe in the main dining room and a la carte at the bar, which I think would be the best compromise. A fourth would be requiring every person to order an entree, although that is the least appealing option in my opinion as there are plenty of people (especially couples) who like to order a bunch of appetizers to share and skip the entree. Those people are still spending a fair amount of money but maybe don’t want something as heavy as a lot of American entrees.
I don’t like prix fixe menus. I don’t want to feel forced to eat an appetizer and a dessert if I don’t want them (which I usually don’t). And if I don’t eat them, I’m still paying for them. And that’s not even considering that not all entrees are created equally and don’t have the same price point, but they’ll all be priced the same. At Citricos or Hollywood Brown Derby, for example, the plant-based is about $20 less than the filet. At a prix fixe restaurant, they’ll cost the same.
Let me go in, order my entree, and leave. I’ll be in and out faster than someone sitting there dining on an appetizer, then an entree, and lastly a dessert. The faster I get in and out, the faster they can seat other patrons.
Alas, I fear for Narcoossee’s. Also seeing the term “enhanced” dining term on the ADR page.
Two thoughts. First, the growth in prix fixe menus means that our family will be enjoying Disney fine dining a lot less. Three-course meals required for every diner are limiting in choice and require paying for too much food. We’d prefer the opportunity to mix and match, sharing desserts, that sort of thing. We never stiffed the restaurant or the servers–our family is large, and we routinely spend several hundred dollars for a higher-end meal when we did them–so it’s frustrating to think that those who do have set the agenda for everyone. Second, I do still glance at menus even though we won’t eat there, so I wonder how California Grill will accommodate dietary needs and preferences with its new prix fixe menu. It’ll be interesting to see.
California Grill has over the years been one of our favorites when visiting Walt Disney World. That being said, I detest Prix-Fixe menus. Sometimes I just want two appetizers or no appetizer or no desert. But I love the choices you have with an ala carte menu. To me they could have both similar to Monsieur Paul’s in which you have a prix-fixe menu and an ala carte menu.
Hey Sarah,
I believe Tom just threw you under the bus!
Scott
I understand why they’re doing it, but I’d rather they require all adult guests to order an entree instead of prefixe. This is mostly because a three-course meal is way too much me for and my partner, it feels like a waste of both food AND the kitchen’s time to do two of everything when we’d rather share an app, get separate entrees, and share a dessert.
Even the ability to swap out an appetizer or dessert for a glass of wine or cocktail from a limited list would be a welcome change.
Fully agree with this! My husband and I did the 50th menu in November and we were SO full and uncomfortable after. Typically we would share an appetizer and/or dessert, but each of us having to eat both ending up being way too much food. I love the idea of swapping for a glass of wine or cocktail!
I think they should reinstate the a la carte menu but with the following tweak: Ring the windows with floor to ceiling blackout curtains/drapes. Then open sections only to those who have ordered full meals. The cheapskates would either miss out completely or be forced to crane their necks to view the fireworks.
This is a ridiculous proposal, and I’m sure you know that, but I love it. I’d be more inclined to book a California Grill ADR for the amusement of the curtain alone!
RIP California Grill brunch. We go to California Grill for most trips but were just saying over New Years that we would spend more if it were ala carte as we would try extras. The Gouda Mac ‘n cheese was a real disappointment this month after being our favorite for so long. Regal Smokehouse Mac was better!
Looking forward to that ravioli return but I’ll still order the sushi….would have ordered both in an ala carte world.
For all the reasons you stated, I can’t really blame Disney.
Even as a guest, it would be a bit annoying if it became impossible to book California Grill because all the tables were being filled with people just ordering a dessert or app to watch fireworks. And it’s not like the former dinner shows like Hoop De Doo had a cheap ala carte option.
What would actually be nice but it not usually the practice at most Disney resort signature restaurants (even aside from staffing issues), would be an ala carte menu at lunch, prix fixe at dinner.
But as long as they are filling up the restaurant with ADRs, I can’t really fault them for prioritizing higher spenders. And generally, the prie fixe is a decent value. While I prefer flexibility, there are plenty of options so that an on-site guests isn’t stuck doing prix fixe for every meal. For most buffets, you’re paying a set price for the character experience. For Space 220 and California Grill, you’re paying a set price that accounts for the experience.
In that sense, one can say California Grill is a great deal — $90 for a VIP fireworks viewing experience… that also comes with a fantastic 3-course meal. (Not the best restaurant at WDW in my opinion, but it’s top 5).
Agree. While the complaints about only prix fixe are valid, at least this prix fixe menu isn’t at an exorbitant cost given that based on previous a la carte pricing it would be pretty hard to get out of California Grill ordering an app, entree, and a dessert for less than $89. It’s a much better value than the VIP fireworks viewing parties Disney offers.
Tom dropping a BS. Love it.
You wouldn’t know it from my writing here, but I swear a lot in real life…still less than Sarah does, though!
I read the post, but didn’t see a price for the April menu. Did I miss something? We plan to make reservations for this summer. While I would MUCH prefer free choice of a menu, I will just spend less on fun drinks and wine if they tell me I have to buy appetizers and dessert (financially, Disney loses with me on that fight). That said, any advice on what time to reserve for best viewing assuming a 3-course meal? Thanks!
Price hasn’t been released yet, but I’d expect it to be in line with the current menu–maybe $95.
Generally speaking, between 90 minutes and 2 hours before fireworks time is the sweet spot for an ADR. This is a long meal, and that allows for the inevitable delay in being seated. It can vary from night to night, though.
I’m with you, Tom. I don’t mind spending money for an excellent meal, but I’d like to choose what I’ll be eating from the full menu! I had an excellent solo meal (spent $100) at Takumi-Tei pre-pandemic. I hate to have to say I won’t be back. I know the optics are bad if Disney says there’s a $75 minimum, for California Grill say, but bars with entertainment often require a two-drink minimum. As a pescatarian with bad GERD who has to be very careful what I eat (nothing acidic, which rules out most fruit, plus chocolate, coffee, and mint at night), many Disney places are not getting my money, especially if prix-fixe. With all the proliferating allergy menus, why can’t Disney offer GERD menus? Many Americans have this problem, even if theirs isn’t as severe as mine.
I think a good compromise would be doing what a couple of the international parks already do: multiple prix fixe menu ‘tiers’ that are more customized and flexible. Still not a perfect solution, but better than this.
We ate there last Friday. Disappointed by quality and prep. We ate there last year in January and loved it.
On the flip side Kona Kafe was delicious and everyone got something different and shared amongst our group. Also Citrico’s was delicious
Hoping California Grill was just a fluke
I’ll be speaking with my wallet. . I DO NOT like Prix Fixe menus. I will not be back to California grill. I have not stepped inside BOG since they changed. And if they do that to my favorite restaurant Narcoossee’s I won’t be back there either. Disney will not force me to eat off of a Prix Fixe menu. No matter how good the food is. Enough is enough.
Speaking (sort of) of Takumi-Tei, I see that it quietly reopened and recently started taking reservations a few nights a week. We just secured one for our trip in a couple of weeks. It’s interesting that none of the Disney blogs or vlogs I follow have mentioned it. Have you heard anything about whether there are changes from pre-pandemic? Besides V&A’s, Takumi-Tei was the best WDW meal we’ve had. I’m really excited, but also a bit nervous that it won’t be the same.
I don’t know anyone (personally) who has dined there since it reopened. We were REALLY excited to go back, but the $250 Omakase price and no a la carte menu made it a non-starter for us. Now that we can actually enter Japan, I’d rather spend half of that amount on a kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto. To each their own, though–I’m sure it’s still fantastic!
A vlogger I like on YouTube, Princess and the Bear, recently reviewed Takumi Tei. The review is only a month old. The “princess” is vegan, and “bear” is a carnivore, so you get reviews on both vegan and meat/fish apps, entrees, and desserts, as well as cocktails.
Thanks!!