Hi. My name is Sarah, and I am a caffeine addict. Now all together say “Hi Sarah!”. I see you there in the back, eyes barely open, hunched posture, and preparing your attack for anyone who speaks to you before you have had your fix. My husband can attest to my similar nature before I get my first sip of my ethically grown, sourced and locally roasted pour over each morning. He knows this because he is the one who dutifully marches to the kitchen each day, afraid of what will become me if he doesn’t medicate on time. Don’t worry; I also attend the Drama Queen meeting down the hall!
So what do I do AFTER I have had that first cup? I plan my next Disney trip of course! In the early years of my love affair with Walt Disney World, I was very uneducated about where to get fantastic (not just good!) coffee on our trip. This led to many bad mornings of the in-room percolator. Now, as you coffee lovers know, a bad cup of coffee can be as detrimental to your day as none at all, or worse! It definitely did not start my day off the way I wanted while on vacation. I wanted to be bright eyed and bushy tailed like all of those moms in the advertisements! Okay, I would settle for slightly less excited ;).
All of this led to my last trip to the World, where I set out to find the PERFECT cup of coffee. You, my friends, are about to reap the benefits.
5. Best Iced – Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop at Downtown Disney. I have a soft spot for iced coffee. Perhaps it’s that as a mom/student/working gal, I drank my share of it cold. Something about it being intentionally iced is just gravy. It is perfect for those hot summer days. You will not go wrong getting anything caffeinated on their menu. My choice here is the Iced Caffe Latte, half sweetened as it has a slight cocoa note and smooth dark coffee finish. Who doesn’t like a coffee place that gives you free chocolate samples?? No. One. That’s who.
4. Best Espresso – Gelati – Epcot, World Showcase – No one does espresso like the Italians. If I am lucky enough to be eating at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria I never miss savoring a cup, but you can also get the same thing on the go at Gelati. This feisty little treat will leave your taste buds happy and give you that jolt to get you around the world in one day! World showcase that is! (I kill me.)
3. Best Pressed Pot – Jiko – The Cooking Place. I don’t normally share my coffee, but when I do it is a pressed pot. The Kenyan blend at Jiko is a fantastic after-dinner treat to finish off a great dining experience. I have no cut off time for drinking coffee (as you probably guessed!), but if you do this is a great choice. It is a dark roast with lower caffeine content.
2. Best Dark Roast – Boma Flavors of Africa. When I remember my many visits to Boma, I remember the different things I tried on each visit. One thing I have to order is their dark roast coffee. It has a slight bitter finish, which perfectly accompanies the spicy notes of the African blend. Move over zebra domes, I am going straight for a piping hot mug of this treat. While my husband and children are enjoying the dessert station, I am having a rare moment alone in heaven.
1. Best Overall – Kona Blend – Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. If you have done any previous research on this subject, you undoubtedly have heard about this coffee. There is a reason. It is smooth, balanced, rich, and soothing. When I think about the perfect first sip of coffee, it is this blend that I am dreaming about. My favorite place to grab a cup is Kona Island near the Monorail entrance because it’s easy for on the go. I loved this coffee so much I purchased enough beans from the lobby gift shop to fill my souvenir space in my luggage! If you are visiting Magic Kingdom Park, it is worth setting the alarm 15 minutes early to take the quick Monorail trip to the resort and get back for rope drop, perfection in hand.
*Disclaimer!! It took me a few days to get over the shock that Coffee Mate reigns supreme at Walt Disney World. If you, like me, want to maintain the integrity of the perfect cup (other than black of course), just ask! Disney is notoriously accommodating and I found that most places can get you cream, half and half, or milk. Restaurants can sometimes even cater to the allergy crowd!
**Disclaimer #2 – YES, there are Starbucks in Walt Disney World now. NO, I am not including them in the running. YES, I am sure.
Love this article haha
Fantastic article, Sarah! I’ll be bookmarking this so I know where to go during our next trip! Thanks for sharing!
I totally agree with you on the Kona Blend at the Poly! The first time I savored the pressed pot at Kona Cafe, my life was forever changed! As soon as we returned home we bought our own press and the rest is history!!
I had no idea that they will accommodate the cream fixation I have so thank you for pointing that out!!