The Cake Bake Store by Gwendolyn Rogers is a brand new desk service restaurant at Walt Disney World that’ll possible open in 2024. It’ll supply sit-down eating and a bakery, changing ESPN Membership on the BoardWalk. This publish shares particulars about what’s on the horizon, together with present building pictures. (Up to date August 30, 2023.)
Per Walt Disney World, the Cake Bake Store is one in all many additions as a part of a significant reimagining of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Over the following few years, Walt Disney World is including and reimagining components of the beloved turn-of-the-century promenade and contained in the Deluxe Resort, together with an enthralling new foyer design, close by espresso bar, delectable eating choices, refreshed visitor rooms, and different particular touches.
The Cake Bake Store Restaurant will supply each savory and dessert menus, together with afternoon tea service, in a whimsical environment that enhances the magic of the idyllic appeal of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn that visitors know and love. This new idea will serve up storybook candy treats and dreamy desserts, as The Cake Bake Store by Gwendolyn Rogers makes a “seaside splash” at Disney’s BoardWalk.
For the reason that authentic announcement, Walt Disney World has launched new idea artwork for the Cake Bake Store, and the way its exterior shall be redesigned because it takes form from the closed ESPN Membership. As proven on this idea artwork, there shall be two entrances.
The prevailing entrance will turn out to be the bakery, and one other shall be added for the restaurant. Along with that, massive french doorways will open to the surface, maintaining the house gentle and ethereal–a stark distinction to the ESPN Membership.
August 30, 2023 Replace: The Cake Bake Store by Gwendolyn Rogers has up to date its official web site to take away the banner that it’s opening in 2023. The web site now merely says that the Cake Bake Store at Walt Disney World is “Coming Quickly.”
This must be of completely no shock to anybody who has watched building “progress” (and I exploit that time period very calmly) on the Cake Bake Store over the course of the final yr. This mission has in some way moved even slower than CommuniCore Corridor in EPCOT, because the construction of the previous ESPN Membership has been taken all the way down to the studs, and the cupola atop the constructing has been totally rebuilt.
In Disney Parks Official Opening Timelines vs. Predictions, we indicated that there was no likelihood that the Cake Bake Store would open this yr, and that the probably goal is now Summer season 2024. Actually, if the present tempo is maintained, it wouldn’t shock me if it opens in Late 2024 and even 2025.
Presumably, they’ll pace up the tempo sooner or later, however it’s been anemic this whole yr. The pictures on this publish are from this month, and truthfully don’t look a lot completely different from the pictures I took in June or July. At this level, I wouldn’t depend on eating on the Cake Bake Store in your 2024 Walt Disney World trip when you’re visiting within the first half of the yr.
I’m of two minds about this exterior idea artwork for the Cake Bake Store. On the one hand, the bakery entrance jogs my memory of a pretend storefront of a excessive finish store inside a ritzy mall. That’s not meant as a constructive.
However, the restaurant facet softens up the blocky and uninviting exterior of the previous ESPN Membership, which by no means regarded fairly proper as in comparison with the remainder of the BoardWalk. (It was merely extra acquainted to most followers, because it had at all times been there.) I don’t anticipate this to be an ideal match, both, however it must be higher than ESPN Membership.
Moreover, a allow was filed for the “buildout of the Cake Bake Store at Disney” with work to be accomplished by Johnson-Lancaster and Associates, an organization that payments itself because the “confirmed meals service tools crew.”
This allow is definitely signed by Gwendolyn Rogers, which is uncommon direct involvement at this stage of a mission. You don’t see Bob Iger’s signature on Imagineering permits! (Clearly, the Cake Bake Store is way smaller scale–however it’s nonetheless good to see private involvement. BoardWalk has been residence to uninvested superstar chef ideas up to now.)
With this new desk service restaurant and candy spot on the horizon, the BoardWalk Bakery has turn out to be BoardWalk Deli, a “new” sandwich store for visitors to take pleasure in a chew alongside the water’s edge. This joins different meals and beverage places, like BoardWalk Ice Cream.
Inside Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, gentle and ethereal touches will reinvigorate the foyer, lounge, and visitor rooms. Simply off the foyer, a brand new espresso bar with artisanal drinks and fast bites shall be out there to-go or in newly refreshed seating areas inside or outdoor.
In an ideal world, Disney would relocate ESPN Membership to former location of the short-lived NBA Expertise, giving the corporate’s flagship sports activities model an excellent bigger location–and one which’s simpler to entry for locals. There’s lots from NBA Expertise that might presumably be reused and repurposed, with the venue turning into a hybrid interactive expertise and sports activities bar.
I might not anticipate that to occur–that transfer is just too logical. Extra possible, Walt Disney World is glad with the variety of small sports activities bars in different resorts (and huge third social gathering ones at Disney Springs) and ESPN Membership will fade away.
We’re vaguely aware of the Cake Bake Store because it’s extremely well-liked in Indianapolis, the place we used to dwell. Neither of us have ever been there (it’s my understanding that it books up months upfront), however all of our pals and Sarah’s household rave about it. Regionally, Gwendolyn Rogers is an aspirational success story.
The truth is, between the time this information broke and we ready to publish the story, Sarah has obtained a number of cake photo-filled textual content messages from household and pals, a few of whom are usually not even Disney followers, who’re excited in regards to the information. Phrase travels quick in Indy, I assume.
The Cake Bake Store’s second location in Carmel, Indiana is gigantic, so that ought to clarify how they’re going to fill an area as massive as ESPN Membership. (Above photograph isn’t from the Cake Bake Store–I used to be simply reminiscing about my favourite Disney truffles and located that.)
Personally, I hoped that might be become a themed escape room, however world-class cake store is a pleasant comfort prize. I’m at all times searching for new and revolutionary excuses to eat cake, and this could match the invoice properly.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Excited for the Cake Bake Store by Gwendolyn Rogers or will you miss ESPN Membership? Assume this reimagining will work with the lodge theme, or is it pointless? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Different ideas or considerations? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!