Photos & First Impressions: Disney World’s New Beauty and the Beast Bar
Over the weekend, Walt Disney World’s new Beauty and the Beast-inspired bar at Grand Floridian Resort & Spa soft opened. Before stopping in to try the menu (which we also did later in the evening), we rope dropped Enchanted Rose to pore over this new-look lounge.
In this post, we’ll share 20 photos that highlight the aesthetic and themed design of Enchanted Rose Lounge, so you can see whether this new Beauty and the Beast bar might appeal to you. We’ll also offer some commentary on the style of Enchanted Rose to let you know what we think of it.
Basically, it’s a chance to scroll through and see photos of the interior design of the new location, which was previously Mizner’s Lounge. If you’re interested, you can also read my rambling assessment of the look of this new Beauty and the Beast bar…
Fair warning: I’m not a fan. This should come as no surprise if you’ve read our previous posts when the Beauty and the Beast bar was first rumored and subsequently when Enchanted Rose’s menu and other info was revealed.
Unfortunately, there’s no happy ending or twist here. The end result of this re-imagined restaurant at Walt Disney World’s flagship resort did not wow me or exceed my expectations.
The thing is, if you’re really excited about Enchanted Rose Lounge or are a huge Beauty and the Beast fan, what does the opinion of some random dude on the internet matter? Me not liking this bar has zero impact on your enjoyment of it, and as with everything, tastes vary.
It certainly doesn’t offend or impact me that so many of you commit regular Country Bear heresy. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, however wrong they may choose to be about the greatest attraction of all time.
Accordingly, if you’ve been anxiously awaiting Enchanted Rose, perhaps the best course of action here is to simply enjoy the photos and skim past the text, or simply read our Enchanted Rose Lounge Food & Drinks Review, which focuses solely on the menu.
With that preface out of the way, we’ll take a tour of Walt Disney World’s new Beauty and the Beast bar…
My primary reaction remains what it was when this was first announced: who is the target audience?
Is it older patrons stopping for a cocktail before one of the finest meals of their lives at Victoria & Albert’s? Affluent resort guests wanting something sophisticated? Locals looking for something new? The Instagram crowd trying to find that next great Walt Disney World wall?
It might’ve been ordinary, straightforward, and even (perhaps) dated, but at least Mizner’s knew its audience. I’m not so sure the same can be said for Enchanted Rose Lounge.
It seems like it’s attempting to offer something for everyone, but the end result could be that it strongly appeals to no one.
The biggest problem in this regard is it never goes all-in on a cohesive aesthetic. At the very most, this is a Beauty and the Beast-inspired bar (rather than a themed one), and the inspiration isn’t always apparent.
It’s possible (if not probable) that there were some ‘character integrity’ or other worries about characters and settings from a children’s movie being used in a bar, which explains why the live action film was used as the source material here instead.
However, even the live action Beauty and the Beast wasn’t leveraged much at Enchanted Rose Lounge. By my count, there are three characters present in the bar scattered on various bookshelves, plus the enchanted rose itself, and a handful of other nods to the film.
If you weren’t actively seeking out these movie-inspired details or the Beauty and the Beast connection, you might miss it completely at Enchanted Rose Lounge.
In terms of theme, you also won’t find much. An environment inspired by Beauty and the Beast would ostensibly feature classical baroque designs or flourishes evoking the French countryside.
To some degree, it does.
You could make the case that some of the furniture is baroque and the general look of the place, taken as a whole with its various decorations, appears vaguely French.
However, a lot of the furniture trends more towards mid-century modern than it does anything classical. The overall style of the bar is not nearly as ornate or lavish as you’d expect for such styles.
To be sure, there are some alluring touches at Enchanted Rose Lounge.
The marble table/bar tops and gold accents are both classy. There’s a variety of nice trim, recessed lighting, and the furniture is all substantial and high quality, irrespective of whether it fits whatever the theme here might be.
What’s perhaps most odd is the impermanence of it all. This appears less detailed than Red Rose Taverne, the Beauty and the Beast-inspired counter service restaurant at Disneyland, which was originally intended to be temporary.
It appears as if the entire style of Enchanted Rose Lounge could literally be changed overnight into something totally different without missing a beat.
I’m not kidding.
Look at everything that establishes some semblance of theme or style here–almost all of it is furniture, fixtures, or decorations perched atop the mantle or in the bookshelves that could easily be removed.
Even the signature gold chandelier, which takes its inspiration from Belle’s flowing ball gown, consists of strands of glass that are individually hung and could be removed one by one.
This gold chandelier is beautiful, but it doesn’t have anything approaching the same depth or quality as chandeliers aboard Disney Cruise Line. This is elegant, but very much minimalist.
Throughout Enchanted Rose Lounge, there’s a minimalist and modern vibe that underscores everything.
Some of the (removable) furniture is high-quality, but the built-in bookshelves are simply painted and other finishings are either superficial are wholly lacking.
Decorations like the books, vases, teapots, etc., help mask this, so the basic appearance of the underlying design doesn’t stick out quite as much.
Nevertheless, I’m surprised by just how much this resembles Ale & Compass Restaurant–but with Beauty and the Beast stuff added to shelves.
Even the wall murals and some art in Enchanted Rose Lounge are not specifically Beauty and the Beast.
Rather, they’re sufficiently vague and generalized that they could remain and fit whatever next fairytale theme takes the place of Beauty and the Beast here.
The term “blank slate ride” has been thrown around for (rumored) future attractions that will lean heavily on projection-mapping and things that can be swapped out quickly to produce totally new attractions with minimal downtime.
Enchanted Rose could be Walt Disney World’s first “blank slate bar.” It really wouldn’t surprise me if this was installed with the expectation that it’d be something different in 5 years.
Arguably, this is a good thing.
A movie based upon a French fairytale is a really odd choice for Walt Disney World’s Victorian-themed flagship resort. If you’ve objected to Enchanted Rose on that basis (as I have), you might be pleased to see Imagineering didn’t work overtime to create something truly opulent and ornate.
That’s my general take. I’m left wholly unimpressed by the end result and am scratching my head as to who the intended audience is here.
I’m also happy it’s not hyper-themed in a way that makes it even more jarring against the rest of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa…or makes it likely to last for the next several decades.
Modern design and the darker color palette still doesn’t fit this hotel, but it could be worse.
About the biggest loss as of right now is the relocation of the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra from their iconic balcony (which is now seating), but I’m hopeful they’ll reclaim their proper location once the popularity of this Beauty and the Beast bar fizzles out.
Overall, that’s where I end up with Enchanted Rose Lounge. It doesn’t appeal to me at all (then again, I wasn’t the world’s biggest Mizner’s fan) and I have a hard time envisioning who the audience will be once the initial hype dies down. It’s not interesting or good enough to be a destination bar and it’s probably too large to be a standard resort lounge. I also still wonder why it was built here as a half-measure instead of Disney’s Riviera Resort where it could’ve been something truly special.
However, Enchanted Rose Lounge also doesn’t bother me tremendously–it’s more confusing than anything else. I’m sure tons of other Walt Disney World guests will absolutely adore it, which is fine. Not everything needs to cater directly to me. If all of this looks nice to you, be sure to also check out our Enchanted Rose Lounge Food & Drinks Review, so you know what to order.
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Your Thoughts
Do you agree or disagree with our impressions of Walt Disney World’s new Beauty and the Beast bar? Are you excited to see and experience Enchanted Rose Lounge for yourself? 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!
While I agree that it’s totally out of character with the rest of the hotel, the old Mizner’s was just so dismally bland that it’s still an upgrade IMO. I do wish they could have found a way to keep the orchestra in there, however.
While I am looking forward to checking out ER this December, I was struck at how off the 2nd floor (former orchestra) area looks juxtaposed against the lobby level I love the look of the 2nd floor area alone but it is jarring when glimpsing the lobby in the background. I know this is heresy but it seems to me an overall GF renovation is needed.
Why is Disney taking the minimalist approach with everything? From the hotel rooms to the restaurants. The starkness is taking away from the overall character of these places such that it looks like any other resort chain out there. I hate it. This, to me, does not give me a “Beauty & the Beast” vibe at all. Why wouldn’t they have reimagined the space around an ornate ballroom, taking inspiration from the live action film? I think that would have meshed better with the GF than all of the blue in these pictures. Add this to the growing sea of “reimagined” disappointments lately. It doesn’t spark my imagination in any way.
That’s NewDisney – minimalism is less expensive, and most guests won’t notice it’s not as immersive as it should be by Disney standards. NewDisney also doesn’t think too hard about long-term – by removing the little touches (anyone else miss the bed runners in the resorts? Because we sure do, without them the beds look like hospital beds!), it’s eroding the goodwill of lifetime fans, and at some point, it will stop us from going back. Costs keep going up but we feel the value isn’t there as much anymore, so we will spend our vacation dollars accordingly. 🙁
I’m just glad the lounge is significantly larger. More than once I’ve had to wait for a seat, or wedge myself in while standing.
I’m curious about your being disappointed with the band moving downstairs. It seems like a win to have them down below where you can grab a seat (and a drink) and watch them right in front of you. I’ve seen a few pictures & vlogs where the guests were enjoying the band from just a few feet away. Seemed fantastic.
Is it for nostalgic reasons you prefer them upstairs?
“Is it for nostalgic reasons you prefer them upstairs?”
Maybe?
Personally, I thought there was a certain grandeur to sitting in the lobby and gazing up at the orchestra. It felt befitting of the Grand Floridian, and was something (to my eyes, at least) more special.
Perhaps guests experiencing it today for the first time ‘up close and personal’ on the lobby level would lament the notion of the orchestra being moved upstairs. I’m not entirely sure about that–it’s hard to tell here whether my view is colored by nostalgia or I’m being truly objective.
Very fair reply.
I’ve always enjoyed my time in the Grand Floridian lobby, and look forward to seeing how the changes feel to me.
I like the look of the bar area, and definitely see my self sitting there, enjoying an old fashioned when having a midday break from the magic Kingdom. The rest of the place looks a bit lifeless. None the less, ill definitely be frequenting. We loved a checky drink at Mizners on our last trips.
Also, it may have some beneficial acoustical effects, with the sound carrying throughout the space, like at museums or cathedrals, etc. – adds an ethereal quality.
Where has the orchestra gone? Listening to them in the lobby / atrium area was magic.
The mid-century chairs are incredibly jarring. I get that aesthetic is extremely popular, but in what way does any of this mesh? It’s very off-putting to me personally.
ick. i agree with every word of this. it doesn’t fit here at all. i don’t even see why a movie overlay was even necessary (somewhere bob chapek shoot daggers with his eyes at me).
Where is the orchestra located now? Hope you can hear it well from inside the bar, as that would be the only reason I’d visit this bar and pay those prices. Outdoor seating is a nice addition.
I just want to know why some dude has a Chic Fil A cup at the bar…
“Chic Fil A” is maybe the best unintentional misspelling of the year. Perfect commentary on trying to “French-ify” a place that is (ostensibly) thematically rooted in the American deep south of the past.
Well played.
I certainly don’t know, but perhaps there will be changes underway for the whole of the Grand Floridian. Lots of Disney resorts are beginning to lean minimalist and modern. GF is neither of those, except for this new lounge….just a thought,
Too much dark colors have been used to make this location pop, which does not fit the balance of GF. Too bad, I miss the instruments and an occasional conversation with the teddy bear lady.
Heading there next week, first trip back since the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra lost its founding band leader, Patrick Doyle… Along with missing he, Richard Gerth, Lynn (the Teddy Bear Lady) and now the BB remod, the “grandness” of the GF will be as muted as the paint job… Mostly, I’m upset with the relocation of the Orchestra to the area previously used for the concierge… I’m praying for a return to less IP-based nonsense.
I like your notion of it being a “blank slate bar”, and I think they may have been going for just that. To building anything heavily Disney-themed at a not-so-heavily themed hotel would clash a bit. It also, like you said, gives them the chance to swap it out without too much difficulty if the theme doesn’t do well or just needs an update.
I completely understand WHY they did it though. It is really the least “Disney” of the three MK resorts, and with it about to be connected by foot it makes sense to try and tie it in some. Given the subject mater to choose from, I think Beauty/Beast is a good option. Old enough to not infringe on Contemporary, and not so far off to the period or feel as to take away from the Floridian itself.
“Given the subject mater to choose from, I think Beauty/Beast is a good option.”
Personally, if this style had to be done, I would’ve used Alice in Wonderland or Mary Poppins at Grand Floridian, and put Beauty and the Beast at Riviera.
And if you’re drunk enough, Alice in Wonderland actually makes sense.
Hi Tm. Love your reviews! I’m sitting in Wolfgang Puck (the table service) right now and would not have tried it if not for your glowing reviews of the Express next door. (And this place was bang on! Chef Jeff Exec Sous Chef made a special allergy friendly meal today and it was my best meal of the trip!) But I digress…
I stumbled on Enchanted Rose on my way to Citricos and really liked it. (I liked the Rose. Citricos not so much.). The Rose was modern and minimalist with a fresh take on a classic tale. It was everything Mizners was not. (Miztners being dated, stuffy and with no theming at all). I loved the chandelier as it was a nice surprise once I saw it was a nod to Bell’s dress. I loved the color as the Grand Floridian over all is cold, and just too too white.
I will agree that I miss the jazz band in its old location. And wonder what the lobby will be like with the Christmas crowds now? Overall from the fresh roses to the finds hidden in the bookshelves- it was the perfect spot for a pre dinner glass of bubbly!
Thanks for your reviews! I have discovered so many great things at both coasts thanks to you and your wife’s adventures. And your pre Disney shopping list for products to use while in the Florida climate is a godsend. Frogs towel, individual suntan packs, ground tarp, Anker charger, Body Glide (yikes the heat) all delivered as usual this last week here.
Exactly right Tom! The kiddie pool is already Alice Themed. It would have fit in perfectly.
Makes me wonder if this is Bob Chapek design orders….Looks like this belongs on a Disney Cruise Liner, not at the GF.
it would fit better on the cruises for sure. everything from the colors to the decor does not fit at GF at all.
I think Tom’s missing what really ties it all together (and it’s not the rug).
It’s that 19 dollar margarita on the menu. Nothing screams France like a margarita priced like an entree out in the real world.
Pinnacle of theme.
Oh, I’m not missing that. We’ll have plenty on the food and drinks (including pricing!) in tomorrow’s review…
(With that said, I did laugh out loud at your comment.)
And a 25$ Old Fashioned!!! Crazy…
This blue. It has its place, somewhere, but certainly not in a food and/or beverage establishment. I get the attempt at fastastical and moody, but research has shown that blue hues actually suppress appetites, and this particular blue brings that to a stronger degree. Ever wonder why you get hungry looking at warmer shades of red or yellows? This new design would be better as an upscale shoe or lingerie store.
It looks like a group of French hipsters found an old abandoned bar, picked up some decorations from their local Emmaus and made it their own.
Well played.
Three words: Too. Much. Blue. Also, if we’re talking anything “castle”, you need stonework and dark hardwoods. If we’re talking “proper library”, you need properly finished hardwood shelves that look like actual wood, not something that looks like it belongs in a 5 year old’s room. Those blue painted boo shelves are just such a huge miss. Not every bar needs to be a dark cave, but nothing in these pictures says “French”, “provincial”, “castle” or “beast”.
This makes no sense to me or my husband (and we’re definitely people who would stop in for a drink before or after a meal at the GF) in the most straightforward sense of location and decor. It doesn’t mesh at all with the rest of the resort, especially the furniture which as you noted, Tom, is mid-century modern, yet supposed to be French countryside inspired? I think you’re spot on with your assessment that this looks very similar to equally as bland Ale & Compass. Oh well, hopefully it will be fixed down the road to something more fitting of the Grand Floridian. We can hope!
I agree with your assessment – Disney Resorts are famous for their “themes” that are not always tied to specific Disney films. Rather, the resorts are “Disney” simply through their intense attention to detail and their immersive themes. The mid-century furniture, the dark colors, and the odd idea of theming an adult lounge to a family film looks strange at the Enchanted Rose and are especially jarring in the gleaming whiteness of the Grand Victorian. Let’s hope that the orchestra returns to its proper place soon and that the darkness of the “Enchanted Rose” remains confined to this singular location.
“…minimalist and modern vibe that underscores everything.” this sums up the problems with it pretty well.