Cake Bake Shop Restaurant Opening in 2024 at Disney World
The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers is a new table service restaurant at Walt Disney World that’ll likely open in 2024. It’ll offer sit-down dining and a bakery, replacing ESPN Club at the BoardWalk. This post shares details about what’s on the horizon, including current construction photos. (Updated March 25, 2024.)
This new restaurant and bakery is one of many additions as part of a major reimagining of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Over the next few years, Walt Disney World is adding and reimagining elements of the beloved turn-of-the-century promenade and inside the Deluxe Resort, including a charming new lobby design, nearby coffee bar, delectable dining options, refreshed guest rooms, and other special touches.
The Cake Bake Shop Restaurant will offer both savory and dessert menus, along with afternoon tea service, in a whimsical atmosphere that complements the magic of the idyllic charm of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn that guests know and love. This new concept will serve up storybook sweet treats and dreamy desserts, as The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers makes a “seaside splash” at Disney’s BoardWalk.
March 25, 2024 Update: We’re back with a few updates on the Cake Bake Shop. The first is that the exterior is finally enclosed and work is beginning on the interior of the building. The second is that, unsurprisingly, the restaurant’s official website has removed the line that it’s opening in “early” 2024. Cake Bake Shop is now just opening in 2024 according to the company (we shall see).
Reinforcing the likely reality that Cake Bake Shop will open this year, the restaurant is now hiring. According to their official Instagram account, the Cake Bake Shop will be hosting open interviews this week. If typical Walt Disney World restaurant trends are followed, that would mean that the Cake Bake Shop will open in late May or June 2024.
Honestly, that is downright shocking to me. In looking at the pace of the project and how much work needs to be completed, I would’ve pegged the opening sometime between October 2024 and Spring 2025 at this point. I cannot overstate just how slowly work has progressed. It’s going to end up taking about the same amount of time to reimagine ESPN Club into Cake Bake Shop as it did to build EPCOT Center!
With that said, it’s entirely possible that funding or resource allocation was an issue. Now that Cake Bake Shop has completed its central kitchen (see below), perhaps they’re refocusing energy and expenses at the restaurant itself. If construction moves full steam ahead, I guess it’s possible that Cake Bake Shop could be done by early Summer 2024. But my money is on July or August rather than May or June.
Here are the last round of photos we took of Cake Bake Shop, from back in January. As noted above, the building has been enclosed since then with windows and walls…
The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers was previously slated to open late last year, but updated its official website to now simply says that it’s “Coming Soon.”
This should be of absolutely no surprise to anyone who has watched construction “progress” (and I use that term very lightly) on the Cake Bake Shop over the course of the last year. This project has somehow moved even slower than CommuniCore Hall in EPCOT, which is impressive, in a way.
The Cake Bake construction photos in this post are new as of late January 2024, and there’s not much difference as compared to ones from 6 months ago. The structure of the former ESPN Club has been taken down to the studs, and the cupola atop the building has been entirely rebuilt. The process of enclosing the building is now starting to begin.
In Disney Parks Official Opening Timelines vs. Predictions, we indicated that there was no chance that the Cake Bake Shop would open last year, and that the most likely target is now Summer 2024. Honestly, if the current pace is maintained, it wouldn’t surprise me if it opens in Late 2024 or even 2025.
Presumably, they’ll speed up the pace at some point, but it’s been anemic for the last year or so. At this point, I wouldn’t count on dining at the Cake Bake Shop on your 2024 Walt Disney World vacation if you’re visiting in the first half of the year.
Part of me wonders if there’s an issue funding the project or some sort of impediment to finishing. Labor shortages for construction projects in Central Florida does remain an issue, so perhaps that’s it? From everything we’ve heard, the Cake Bake Shop’s current locations in Indianapolis are money-printing machines, and it seems like this will be a smash success.
On a more positive note, the company led by Gwendolyn Rogers just completed a new 31,200-square-foot commercial bakery in the Trinity Industrial Park in Osceola County, per GrowthSpotter. The offsite bakery is critical to the Cake Bake Shop, and is the only way to produce the volume of baked goods necessary for the restaurant while ensures quality. The BoardWalk restaurant kitchen will focus solely on the savory menu items.
The Cake Bake Shop is best known for its colossal 3-layer cakes, each of which takes up to six hours to complete because they’re all hand-stacked, hand-decorated and hand-cut. The Cake Bake Shop sells 12 varieties each day. Due to the number of cakes, anticipated volume of the BoardWalk location, and labor-intensive nature of the desserts, the commercial bakery was necessary. Perhaps Rogers first focused resources on the commercial bakery, and now attention will be redirected to the BoardWalk restaurant?
We’ve also heard from family and friends who have dined at the Cake Bake Shop in the last couple of months, who have been told that various servers and other staff at the Indy locations are part of the opening team for the Cake Bake Shop at Walt Disney World. This is good news because there are also labor shortages facing restaurants around Orlando; at the very least, having an experienced opening team means the turnaround time from having construction finished to actually opening is shorter.
In any case, hopefully construction speeds up and the Cake Bake Shop opens by Summer 2024. We can’t wait to eat here!
Whenever Cake Bake Shop does open in 2024, it’ll face a little less competition on the BoardWalk. Big River Grille & Brewing Works permanently closed in early 2024. First opening in 1996 with the rest of BoardWalk, the restaurant ended its nearly three-decade run this year.
Nothing has been announced as a replacement, which is unsurprising given that Big River going out of business was quite abrupt–they only gave employees a few days’ advance notice that the restaurant was closing. For now, Walt Disney World has added food trucks at BoardWalk for lunch. A permanent replacement probably won’t be revealed for several more months–maybe not even until 2025.
In actuality, it’s unlikely that Big River (a microbrewery) and the Cake Bake Shop would’ve been direct competitors despite both being located on the BoardWalk. More than anything, this just underscores how difficult it is for restaurants on the BoardWalk to fill tables as compared to counterparts in the parks or Disney Springs. Cake Bake Shop is “destination” dining, so hopefully it won’t have that problem.
Since the original announcement, Walt Disney World has released new concept art for the Cake Bake Shop, and how its exterior will be redesigned as it takes shape from the closed ESPN Club. As shown in this concept art, there will be two entrances. The existing entrance will become the bakery, and another will be added for the restaurant. In addition to that, large french doors will open to the outside, keeping the space light and airy–a stark contrast to the ESPN Club.
As for the look of the Cake Bake Shop location, I’m of two minds about this exterior concept art for the Cake Bake Shop. On the one hand, the bakery entrance reminds me of a faux storefront of a high end shop inside a ritzy mall. That’s not meant as a positive.
On the other hand, the restaurant side softens up the blocky and uninviting exterior of the former ESPN Club, which never looked quite right as compared to the rest of the BoardWalk. (It was simply more familiar to most fans, since it had always been there.) I don’t expect this to be a perfect fit, either, but it should be better than ESPN Club.
With this new table service restaurant and sweet spot on the horizon, the BoardWalk Bakery has become BoardWalk Deli, a “new” sandwich shop for guests to enjoy a bite along the water’s edge. This joins other food and beverage locations, like BoardWalk Ice Cream, which replaced Ample Hills (another BoardWalk venue that went out of business).
Inside Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, light and airy touches will reinvigorate the lobby, lounge, and guest rooms. Just off the lobby, a new coffee bar with artisanal beverages and quick bites will be available to-go or in newly refreshed seating spaces inside or outdoors.
In a perfect world, Disney would relocate ESPN Club to former location of the short-lived NBA Experience, giving the company’s flagship sports brand an even larger location–and one that’s easier to access for locals. There’s a lot from NBA Experience that could presumably be reused and repurposed, with the venue becoming a hybrid interactive experience and sports bar.
I would not expect that to happen–that move is simply too logical. More likely, Walt Disney World is satisfied with the number of small sports bars in other resorts (and large third party ones at Disney Springs) and ESPN Club will fade away.
Now that Big River has been vacated, perhaps Walt Disney World will opt to revive ESPN Club there. Stranger things have happened!
We are vaguely familiar with the Cake Bake Shop as it’s incredibly popular in Indianapolis, where we used to live. Neither of us have ever been there (it’s my understanding that it books up months in advance), but all of our friends and Sarah’s family rave about it. Locally, Gwendolyn Rogers is an aspirational success story.
In fact, between the time this news broke and we prepared to publish the story, Sarah has received multiple cake photo-filled text messages from family and friends, some of whom are not even Disney fans, who are excited about the news. Word travels fast in Indy, I guess. The Cake Bake Shop’s second location in Carmel, Indiana is enormous, so that should explain how they’re going to fill a space as large as ESPN Club.
Personally, I was hoping that would be turned into a themed escape room, but world-class cake shop is a nice consolation prize. I’m always looking for new and innovative excuses to eat cake, and this should fit the bill nicely.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Excited for the Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers or will you miss ESPN Club? Think this reimagining will work with the hotel theme, or is it unnecessary? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Other thoughts or concerns? 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!
It’s interesting to see exactly how many restaurants have opened in the time span it’s taken Cake Bake just to enclose the structure. I’m still very skeptical this was a good idea, but the Boardwalk does need something to replace ESPN and the brewery (its name escapes me).
I have to say that I am experiencing a mix of incredulousness and in awe also of how slowly things are moving. I was hoping to stop by during our summer trip, so that you for adjusting my expectations because I would have surely thought it would be ready to go by then by looking at the announcment date.
To reply with a comment to my comment….so you’re saying there’s a chance (to quote Lloyd Christmas). I saw the IG recruitment post and was hoping for an opening by my trip, but I just can’t imagine construction, training, etc. to be done by early June.
If you told me they’re hiring now and offered no other information, I’d say that Cake Bake Shop will absolutely be open by early June.
However, the other information here is very important context, and what makes me highly skeptical it’ll be ready by then. But why hire now if it’s actually going to be July or August (or even later)???
I am quite excited about this bakery for two reasons, the Grand Floridian Afternoon Tea has been gone since COVID and I really miss it. The other thing our home resort for our DVC membership is the Beach Club, so this bakery will be an easy walk. From reviews and the photos I’ve seen of The Cakebake Shop, it looks amazing. I think it’ll be a wonderful addition to the Boardwalk. We’ll be there in about 10 days and I’ve been checking on the opening date for months, unfortunately we’ll have to wait another year, but by then the restaurant will have all the kinks worked out.
I hate it. Everything about it screams “Grand Floridian”, not Boardwalk.
Is there a previous post explaining construction delays at Walt Disney World? Maintenance at resorts seems never-ending, but park maintenance and simple enhancements seem to get canned. (Mary Poppins immediately comes to mind.)
An afternoon tea venue; a shop with art and unique themed merchandise; even an Emporium-style animated window, all sounds doable at the back facade of the British pavilion.
Add a simple Cherry Tree Lane streetscape with a few permanent chalk drawings, a Pearly Band, maybe eventually a musical animatronic merry-go-round on the hillside and there’s the start of a promise kept.
Disney used to be better at this.
By the way, Tom, your comment from the Baby Girl post regarding frontline Cast Members being the ‘true stewards of Walt Disney’s legacy’ is Spot On.
At Boardwalk Inn presently ….. that place is an eyesore!
This place is taking forever to build. Total eyesore and construction essentially stopped for months.
I’m absolutely ecstatic that they’re opening a Cake Bake location at a Disney property! I’ve followed their social media for years as a pink-loving former pastry chef, and actually travelled all the way from Atlanta to Indy twice now to dine in at the Carmel location.
The first time I went during Christmas last year for their afternoon tea and everything was phenomenal; they added edible gold glitter to almost everything and the the portions were very generous. It was $65 per person (less for children) and I was stuffed by the time we were done. They also had an option to add champagne or a cocktail from their regular menu for an additional fee. The second visit was the weekend before Easter and we ordered off the regular menu. I had a slice of one of the best quiches I’ve ever had and a cup of soup and was so full that I couldn’t finish! Their raspberry champagne cake is absolutely decadent, and the Marie Antoinette macaron sandwich is delicious and gorgeous to look at.
The decor and service was impeccable both times, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing how this new Disney location differs
I am interested in the afternoon tea. Do you think it will be ADR? or walk-in?
I’d fully expect it to be an ADR, and probably a pretty popular one. Everyone we know in Indy loves this place—it’s going to be hugely popular with the core WDW demo.
My daughter and I visited the Cake Bake shop in Carmel IN yesterday afternoon for the Afternoon Tea Service. It was wonderful! It’s our 3rd time to visit and the food & service is always amazing. When I made the reservation, it had to be made thru their event planner. Not a standard reservation. It required a deposit and the gratuity is added. We asked about the WDW location and she told us that a team of their employees just flew to Orlando to start some work there. She thought it would open in February next year. I’m not sure the information is accurate but we are looking forward to it!
To me, the bakery entrance sure looks a lot like the Boardwalk Deli a few stores down.
Excited at the idea of another place in WDW doing an afternoon tea service. The Grand Floridian’s service was lovely (if overpriced).
Hi Tom! I wonder if Disney ever considered adding something directly from the boardwalks that “the Boardwalk” is supposed to be an idealized version of? The boardwalk feels like its meant to be an idealized version of your Cape May’s, Atlantic City’s of yesteryear, so why not add an iconic brand name restaurant from those Boardwalks? Given the high number of Disney fans that flock here from those areas (New Jersey, New York, etc), I am sure people would love a good slice of Mack/Mancos, Kohrs ice cream, lemonade, etc.? And not just Disney’s version of those items, but the actual thing. Just a thought!
Imagine an Uncle Bill’s, Kohr Bros, or Peace Pie in WDW? That would be incredible!
The coffee shop is replacing a store location in BW (store already shut down). BWV are getting a refurb too, starting in 2023. Rooms already getting taken out of inventory. It should be a hard refurb, last one was over 14 years ago.
Hi Tom,
Have you heard anything about Free Dining returning this year?
I fear I may have to cancel my Nov vacation with the crazy price increases lately and with no free dining as well.
I’m very happy that the rooms will be getting a refresh and that a coffee bar will be added. But like you, I worry about the fate of the lobby. It is my favorite lobby at WDW, simultaneously charming, beautiful, and quirky. Please leave it alone, Disney!
Hi Jodie,
I will be staying at the Boardwalk Inn in May 2023. We are staying in a friend’s Timeshare and the unit is $3,000 for seven days. Is it cheaper to go on your own or stay in a timeshare? Thanks for your review?
We had planned to stay at Boardwalk Villas, but had to cancel the trip (for obvious reasons). Do you think it would be better to avoid staying here during the refurbishment and look to book elsewhere? It looked like the Polynesian was quite a mess for a while there during its renos.
We are at BoardWalk villas now, one of our homes. We love the convenient location. Let me say that we stayed at Rivera for a week, then 3 weeks at OKW before moving to BoardWalk so I might compare some points as these 3 properties are fresh in my mind. We’ve been here a week and have another couple of weeks here. We cook in our kitchen in the villa. First shocker when we moved in was the size of the refrigerator. Rivera and Old Key West both have full size refrigerators. BoardWalk villas is much smaller. Opening the dishwasher is tight as it knocks against a drawer knob. But all in all, it is adequate for our needs and we adjust. It is old but our BoardWalk view is really nice. Having more public rooms like Beach Club does would be nice. We have stayed in BoardWalk Inn when we do a last minute trip, concierge, in the 2 story garden area. That’s all that is left usually last minute. Quaint room set up with the bathroom on a different floor than the bedroom. Concierge is the best. BoardWalk needs a whole new kitchen area not a sprucing up. I loved the tub at Rivera with the bubble bottom. OKW did somewhat of a bathroom redo changing one sink area completely with new cabinets, very nice. One adequate sink and one small sink at BoardWalk could use that redo. It has been raining here this week so getting to the Community Center has not been easy. Love our covered balcony though. It’s the first time we have had that.
We stayed at the Yacht Club the first week in February. Our last day was spent on the BoardWalk. The BoardWalk Bakery had THE best sandwiches we ate all week. The Butter Butter and The Gobbler. (and an amazing snicker-doodle muffin!!!) Also the staff at the restaurant were extra nice and charming. We loved the public spaces of The BoardWalk Inn, the cozy/rich antique feel. We never have stayed here because the actual rooms seem stuffy-old-aunt-abandoned-guestroom. I hope that someday, when they get their make-over, they will be a bit more fine. and I wish all the guest rooms in all the hotels would get rid of the carpet.
Great article, as usual!
I think your idea of moving ESPN from Boardwalk to Disney Springs using the retired NBA Experience space is an excellent one! ESPN is awesome (and I’m not even a sports fan). I don’t see the smaller sports venues taking its place during football season or the big games.
Really looking forward to the Cake Bake Shoppe though. It looks amazing! It’ll fit right into the BW vibe.
As for themes for the BW Inn, I love the subtle Dumbo theme idea posted by another reader. A gentle nod to a nostalgic past…
We’ve never stayed at Boardwalk, but we love to visit while we’re staying at Beach Club. We’re always surprised by the lack of options for food there. We’d welcome anything new.
As for themes or IPs introduced into the rooms, classic Mickey and Minnie would be great, but I also wouldn’t mind seeing an old classic like Dumbo making a subtle appearance, and it would seem to fit right in with the carnival/boardwalk atmosphere!
The Boardwalk Inn has always been a favorite of ours, but during our most recent stay in November, it was very obvious that the rooms and hallways are in serious need of a refresh. They don’t need to be re-themed or reimagined, but they definitely need repairs. I’m happy to hear they recognize this need and are going to address it. We had decided to avoid BI until the rooms were refreshed, and it’s good to hear that this will be done in the near future.
I will be staying at the Boardwalk Inn in May 2023. We are staying in a friend’s Timeshare and the unit is $3,000 for seven days. Is it cheaper to go on your own or stay in a timeshare? Thanks for your review? Will the Boardwalk Inn be renovated by then? Thanks for your reply