Come Sit with Us: Date Night in the Sky at California Grill

There’s something special about arriving at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, but this evening, my husband, Daryon, and I weren’t checking in for a vacation. Instead of heading to the front desk, we were meeting two of our favorite people for dinner: my Disney Parks Blog partner-in-crime, Rain, and her sweet husband, Todd, (who, after this dinner, is also now Daryon’s partner-in-crime).

These adventures have become one of my favorite parts of living in Orlando since date nights and group outings look a little different here. One evening might mean a romantic dinner topped off with fireworks, while the next could include a sunset boat ride across Seven Seas Lagoon. At Walt Disney World, every outing feels like a special occasion.

After an escalator ride to the second floor, we checked in for our reservation. Once our table was ready, we were escorted to a dedicated elevator that carried us to the top floor, anticipation building with every passing second. When the doors finally opened, California Grill made quite the first impression, welcoming us with stunning views and an enchanting atmosphere.

This grand reveal immediately had us ‘ooh’ing’ and ‘ahh’ing over the panoramic views of Seven Seas Lagoon and Magic Kingdom Park.

It’s hard to turn away from your view of Cinderella Castle and Space Mountain, but eventually we find ourselves peering at the menu.

While we were taking a look at the selections, Jim, our charming server, let us know that this California cuisine is inspired by fresh, seasonal ingredients. Which you may already know if you’ve been here before — the team refreshes the menu multiple times a year with new bites or drinks to try!

After marking my calendar for the next group outing in December, it was time to get serious.

California Grill offers a prix fixe menu similar to Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest Restaurant. Here, it’s $99 per person and includes three courses. Our whole group had a taste for different things, so this is about to be quite the roundup.

In my opinion, the bread sets the course for the rest of the meal. It’s not only your first bite, but also your first look into the dining experience that is about to unfold. So, I’m sure you could picture my excitement for the next courses after I saw Warm Onion-Fennel Focaccia appear on the table with some extra virgin olive oil and salted butter to adorn it.

It was fresh. It was delicious. We immediately knew this was about to be a meal we wouldn’t forget.

Accompanying the heavenly focaccia were two picture-worthy cocktails for Rain and myself. Favoring anything that comes in a coupe, I gravitated towards the Honeycomb Fizz, which is a new specialty cocktail that the California Grill bartender, Matt, recently created as part of their refreshed menu released in June.

The glassware didn’t lead me astray. By the first sip, I realized this was my new favorite cocktail at Disney. It was the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness because it incorporates a house-made lemon and honey syrup in this beverage.

Now if you like a cocktail with dark liquor and a smoky finish, I’d recommend the Sonoma Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned that Rain had at our double date. She shared that this cocktail was bold, yet smooth.

It’s the perfect beverage if you’re looking for something to sip on while staring out the windows dramatically. Especially since our dinner night had the perfect rainy gloom you expect in a music video about childhood woes.

The star of the appetizer round for most of us was the Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli. This one is a California Grill staple for a reason. The flavors are unmatched, and the ravioli portion feels hearty when placed in front of you.

I had a feeling this would be Daryon’s favorite too, so I waited to see his reaction to trying this dish. Surprised by the tomato-fennel broth, he took a second to appreciate the mix of flavors before turning to us all with wide eyes and a big grin. He shared, “Wow. The broth has so much depth and really adds an extra punch to the pasta dish.”

The first course was a success, and we were sad to see it end, so we started reading about Lead Sushi Chef Jose and discovered a few things about the sushi:

It was a feast for the eyes as much as our stomachs as all four plates were placed before us.

With four entrées to share, we opted for a variety of flavors, ranging from plant-based pasta to fresh seafood and steak. Each meal also had its own wine pairing that we selected based on the recommendation from Jim.

Call me forever changed because the Pan-roasted Carrot Gnocchi left its mark on me. I didn’t realize how much I loved carrots until I tried that dish, and I will be asking our Disney Eats team for a Cooking Up the Magic recipe daily.

The sky has darkened, and other dining guests are making their way to the private outdoor viewing area, which can only mean one thing: Happily Ever After is about to begin.

After one last forkful of our entree, Jim invited us to grab our wine and make our way outside with the other guests. The moment felt sweet and intimate as we gathered on the balcony, anxiously waiting for the intro of the nighttime show at Magic Kingdom to hit the speakers.

With a “Ready to begin…” 🎶 the crisp sound of Jordan Fisher and Angie Keilhauer surrounded us and the fireworks lit up the sky. Now, my favorite part is usually when I hear I Can Go the Distance, but that couldn’t top watching Rain and Todd sing to each other that night.

The 18 minutes flashed by, and we made our way back to our table, starstruck and ready for dessert.

If you have a sweet tooth like me, then this section is for you. Before going to California Grill, I knew this evening called for my stretchy pants. I was not about to miss out on a bite of this delicious food, especially the dessert.

Rather than ordering duplicates, we each selected a different dessert so we could enjoy all four options together. With the plates gathered in the center of the table, it felt like our own dessert tasting experience.

Much like the entrée course, each dessert also featured a recommended dessert wine pairing, thoughtfully selected to complement and elevate the flavors of every sweet bite.

Surprisingly, we all had different favorites from this round. My favorite was the Celebration of Citrus because of the fresh, lemon flavor that felt nice and light after a big meal, but we all had thoughts on why the other three were also the best way to top off the evening. The Blueberry-Goat Cheese Cheesecake was perfect for Daryon, and he’d suggest it to anyone else looking for a more decadent dessert.

Chocolate lovers? Todd would recommend you try the Flourless Chocolate-Espresso Cake, which somehow felt rich without feeling heavy. He let us know that the combo of chocolate and coffee seemed like a partnership we’d want to cover in the Perfect Pairings series on the blog. And he’s not wrong!

But let’s not forget the Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée because it’s a classic for a reason. At our table, Rain won the privilege of breaking the hard outer shell. With a satisfying snap, we all dove into this timeless option, ensuring there was sugar and custard in every bite.

After a night filled with fireworks and fine dining, it was time to stroll back to our cars. Our slow walk back was partnered with a lot of reminiscing on the experience that only completed a few minutes earlier.

And since that day, texts have already been sent in the group chat declaring California Grill as a perfect place to celebrate special occasions at Disney World. I hope you give it a visit on your next trip, and please tell Jim we say hi.