It is easy to fixate on the restaurants in the parks, but there are some top notch restaurants in the resorts as well.

Why mention that?  Because this is a great way to spend your last day at Disney.

When traveling in and out of Walt Disney World, I often end up with the dilemma of what to do on the shoulder days – the first and last day of the trip, that is.  You don’t necessarily want to waste the money on park tickets if you are departing at 12 or 1 for the airport, but you also don’t want to just sit in your hotel room counting down the minutes to departure.

So that brings us full circle back to dining – and in this case, The Wave….of American Flavors.

The Wave restaurant is located at Disney’s Contemporary Resort on the first level.  It is almost directly next to the concierge desk and features a modern looking entrance (as featured in the main photo above).

Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this restaurant features a modern, but fun vibe and a family friendly experience.  The menu is listed as “fresh American” the dining room is brightly lit and modern in feel.

Of course, these are subject to change, but the current listed hours are:

The service at Wave is friendly, fast, and efficient.  Normally you can sneak in without a reservation, particularly for lunch if you get there right as it opens, and the service most often is on point.  The servers are polite, a bit formal, but really friendly – and it is one of those restaurants that you feel comfortable in jeans, shorts, or slacks.

You will see folks from visiting conferences, families, and couples all interspersed and enjoying the great food.

As this is located in The Contemporary Resort, it is within walking distance from the Magic Kingdom.  It is about a 10 minute walk, but you can stroll over and grab a meal before heading back to your hotel if you aren’t staying there.

The food itself is usually hot and fresh – and seasoned well.

For breakfast, the eggs benedict and a Bay Lake Bloody Mary (with Florida cane vodka) is a winner.

For the other meals, the burgers are really great as are the short ribs and Chili Rubbed Chicken.

The Wave features a solid organic beer selection and several specialty cocktails such as the Seven Seas Lagoon (vodka, coconut rum, curacao, lime, pineapple, and gummy fish).  There is also a good selection of spirits for more traditional mixed drinks.

They also have a great bar – The Wave Lounge –  as well that is open from noon to 1 am many nights.  The atmosphere is fun and often there is an eclectic mix of business and vacation travelers.  There is a solid bar menu and you can order from a small food menu that does include their delicious signature burger (the vidalia onion glaze is very tasty).

This is a nice place to grab a nightcap if you are getting back from the parks but not quite ready to pack it in.  It ranges from quiet to energetic depending on the night – but both are fun.

Overall, the service and quality of both the Wave restaurant and lounge are great.  Disney classifies this in the $15 – $34.99 range and that seems about right (without cocktails) for the restaurant.

There are no characters and the restaurant doesn’t have a heavy theme.  It is just a solid, consistent resort restaurant that is a favorite of mine to enjoy breakfast before leaving from a stay at the contemporary.

Have a magical day!

Tony

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