Just temporary while the renovations are going on.
A more casual, relaxed, lower-priced opportunity to visit this restaurant.
Starting July 16, The Wave… of American Flavors will be closed, as we refurbish this space in time for the 50th anniversary celebration of Walt Disney World Resort. Dining is still available here through July 15. And, for a limited time during this closure, you’ll be able to enjoy the breakfast menu served at California Grill.
Everything old is new again. In the Ancient Times, before there was a California Grill, and the 15th floor of the Contemporary was the Top of the World dinner show, they had daily buffet breakfast service, and Sunday brunch. The latter wasn’t anywhere near as elaborate as that California Grill has had recently, but it was along the lines of what most upscale hotels had at the time.
I take no pleasure in saying it, but I don’t know that the California Grill brunch will ever come back. At the original price, it was probably a money-loser. After the price increase, and the generally full house in the Before Times, it probably made decent but not spectacular money.
Having regular breakfast service is much cheaper from both a cost-of-food and service standpoint, and it’s probably going to be a full house every day. The tables are going to turn over faster. The only real downside is the additional wear-and-tear on the furnishings, and the need for an extra comprehensive cleaning after breakfast service is over.
Trying to figure out what Disney is going to do with anything these days is little more than Kremlinology. The biggest problem, so to speak, is that, with the hotels at just about 100% capacity year-round, there’s no need for prestige, loss-leading offerings in food and beverage.
Recall that just a few years ago, there were not one, but two high-end brunch offerings on the monorail loop alone (Narcoossee’s was the other).