Walt Disney World Custom Cakes & A Special Anniversary Surprise

Did you know that there’s a custom cake service at Walt Disney World? I had no idea until I read about it on the DISboards. I had been wondering what to get my mom and her husband for their anniversary, especially since that was the occasion of this trip to Walt Disney World which we tagged along on. After viewing the gallery of what other’s had ordered, I decided this was the perfect gift and my husband gave me the ‘okay’. Everything turned out so much better than expected!

So I discussed the idea with my step-sister, while whispering in the corner so my mom and her dad wouldn’t hear us. She asked if she could chip in since she was also wondering what to get and thought this was a fantastic idea. She also helped tremendously in keeping it a surprise and making sure everything went smoothly.

I was able to get a reservation at the Garden View Tea Room at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (thanks for the suggestion, Chef Robert). Everything was set for the late afternoon on the day we were visiting the Magic Kingdom.

We had already been to Epcot and Animal Kingdom the previous days so we were all tired. My step-sister came to me early in the morning letting me know that my mom said they were thinking about not going to the reservation later on. That was not a good sign. That day was nasty hot and insufferably humid. We all dragged from one attraction to another at ridiculously slow speeds. As we got closer to our reserved time, my mom again said she and her husband just wanted to go back to the hotel and rest. I told her she had to go to the reservation. Period. It was kind of weird ordering my mom what to do but it had to be done.

We took the boat across the lake to the Grand Floridian. I was not sure what to expect but this resort was gorgeous. The Garden View Tea Room was a small area that looked more like a sitting room than a restaurant. It truly felt like a typical afternoon tea with gracious hostesses and serene views.

Service was VERY slow but it almost forced us to relax. My mom was getting antsy when she saw the prices and wondered when we should order. The waitress was very kind and later brought out two mauve roses, congratulating my mom and her husband on their anniversary. When you make a reservation for the restaurant online, you can note if you celebrating anything when making the reservation online. I didn’t know about the roses so that was a nice surprise for me as well (we were not charged for them by the way). They were tickled pink. After that special gesture, it was time.

The waitress then came out with the cake. My mom and her husband were so surprised! They loved it so much and even cut the cake together. Man, was it good. It was light, melted in our mouths, and we all wanted a second piece. Washing it down with a spot of delicious tea was divine!

In case you were wondering, I ordered an 8″ with white buttercream, white cake, vanilla custard, white chocolate Mickey & Minnie topper with gold accents (3D front/flat back, not available at Boardwalk Bakery), no fondant, piped Mickey heads in red and black.I asked for flowers in colored icing but got a sugar orchid that was more expensive but lovely. Fed 5 adults and 1 child. I can’t post the price here because my mom reads my blog too (just message me if you want to know).

A full FAQ is on the DISboards thread but keep these in mind:

• You must make an advance dining reservation at a Disney restaurant/hotel for the cake to be delivered. Only one bakery (Boardwalk Bakery) lets you pick up but the options there are limited.
• Custom cakes must be ordered at least 48 hours in advance.
• The cost of the cake is added to your dining bill.
• The staff does an amazing job at helping to make the experience special.
• If you don’t want a massive bill/meal, try the Garden View Tea Room for drinks only.