Geyser Point Bar & Grill is a counter-service restaurant and lounge at Walt Disney World’s Wilderness Lodge. The restaurant serves American food, including burgers, sandwiches and seafood. Geyser Point does take part in the Disney Dining Plan as a counter-service credit when applicable. In this review, we’ll cover Geyser Point Bar & Grill’s atmosphere, cuisine and value.
Wilderness Lodge is one of the prettiest areas in all of Walt Disney World, a beautiful respite from the madness of the theme parks. The architecture and water features invoke the Pacific Northwest and National Park lodges throughout the country. Other restaurants within the hotel feature the architecture, as they are all near the lobby. Geyser Point Bar & Grill goes the other route, showcasing the natural beauty around the resort.
Natural beauty may be a little strong since so much of Disney World has been concocted to invoke a certain feel to guests. Even so, the restaurant is minimalistic in design with a roof over the lounge area and a pick-up window for the actual quick-service. Any atmosphere Geyser Point Bar & Grill has is thanks to Bay Lake being right alongside the seating and the beautiful design on the opposite side. Wilderness Lodge has so much backstory and character already inside of it that the restaurant doesn’t need to build on that, instead it just showcases what is already there.
Honestly, I think that’s for the best here. Sitting along the lake is wonderfully pleasant. If that’s not enough, walk a little ways and find a little fireplace or water area to sit by. There’s even geysers that shoot off, hence the name! While substituting aesthetic for story isn’t always a good idea, it works here thanks to the aesthetic augmenting the existing story. I’m hoping I didn’t talk myself into a circle there but it’s very possible.
As I mentioned, part of Geyser Point Bar & Grill does exist as a lounge. While there are no reservations, guests can add their name to the waiting list either in person or on the app. If you choose to go that route, you’ll eventually be seated and waited on. The prices and menu remain the same as the to-go window, although guests will need to tip if they sit at the lounge. If sitting in the lounge, there are seats under cover and a bar. The lumberjack vibe is still there but the water is the focal point.
The other option is to get food from the to-go window and find a seat on your own. Seating under cover won’t be available but there are plenty of other options nearby. If you do want to eat in the lounge then I’d recommend going to Geyser Point during off hours to keep the wait for a seat at a minimum.
Having a meal at Geyser Point Bar & Grill is a very pleasant experience, assuming the weather is cool enough. If you dine here late at night you could watch the Electrical Water Pageant pass by. A little earlier and you’ll catch sunset over the lake. No matter when you dine, it’s a relaxing place to eat and in the top half of Disney World’s counter-service atmospheres.
Moving on to the food, here’s a look at the menu. Being among the wilderness, you might worry that bears will come and eat your food. I love bears but they will not eat you or your food here.
At the suggestion of one of the guys in the to-go area, I went with the chicken wings as one of our entrees. The Teriyaki Chicken Wings are served with Soy, Sesame and Green Onion. They are definitely more of an appetizer and shareable amongst your party. These were definitely tasty and on par with Ohana’s chicken wings. I didn’t find the Teriyaki flavor to be overpowering and the chicken wings were pretty run of the mill as far as the amount of meat on the bone. At $15, I thought these were a little overpriced but good. Next time I’ll likely opt for something more adventurous.
The other item I tried was the Bison Cheeseburger which consists of Bacon, Sweet Crispy Onion Straws, Marionberry Sauce, and Garlic Aïoli along with the Patty and Bun. This is a frontrunner for best burger at Disney World, at least in terms of counter-service options. The burger itself was juicy and packed flavor into it, far different than the usual Disney World cheeseburger. Both the Marionberry Sauce and Garlic Aïoli were delicious and certainly helped make the burger unique. The bacon was fine but wasn’t anything special. At $16, this is a fairly expensive burger but not quite at table-service costs. I do think it’s a better value and more interesting than the Teriyaki Chicken Wings and I would happily order this again, even at the higher price. It was served with fries and they were just fine.
Overall, I came away very impressed with Geyser Point Bar & Grill even with the lack of bears. The food was good although not quite spectacular. The atmosphere is among the most pleasant you’ll encounter at a counter-service setting. I’ve long been an advocate of visiting different resorts and eating there for lunch or dinner, especially relative to Magic Kingdom’s options. I’d absolutely recommend making a trip over to Wilderness Lodge and eating a meal here.
Overall Rating – 9/10
Have you been to Geyser Point Bar & Grill? Let us know your thoughts, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below! Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Check out our planning guide for help! If you enjoy what you’re reading here on Wandering in Disney, please subscribe to the blog and like our social media pages. You can do both of those things on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!
Categories: Restaurant Reviews
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