lounge quietly reopened in March<\/a> for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and trust me \u2014 it was worth the wait.<\/p>\nThe Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience (Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.))<\/p>\n
From the moment you walk into the intimate space, you are greeted with elegance. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe views were beautiful, and there was such attention that I really felt like I was at a magical tea party,\u201d said Poisall. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a great way to satisfy that need for a cute, girly tea party,\u201d said Moeller. \u201cEvery tea we got to try lived up to the Twinings name, and the food was the perfect pairing to go with the tea. I would highly recommend to anyone thinking about going.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience lounge view. (Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.)A whimsical world of tea<\/p>\n
The experience is inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios\u2019 \u201cAlice in Wonderland,\u201d and the theming doesn\u2019t disappoint. <\/p>\n
Kara, Kaia, and I each ordered the Afternoon Tea, and choosing our tea selections felt like its own kind of adventure. The menu ranges from classic to unique blends. We also got the chance to smell all the tea selection to help us decide, something I highly recommend. <\/p>\n
A box of Twinings tea samples at The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience. (Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
We settled on the following: London Strand, Redbush Caramel Velvet, Blackcurrant & Lavender, Spicy Chai, and Exotic Mango & Ginger.<\/p>\n
Tea guides are on hand to help customize each cup with aromatic additions and optional sweetness \u2014 a thoughtful touch that makes the whole thing feel personal.<\/p>\n
The main eventThe Afternoon Tea three-tier tower at The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience. (Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
Each of us started with an Orange-Cranberry Scone before working our way through an impressive lineup of savory bites and sweet finishes served on a three-tier tower. <\/p>\n
Savory selections:<\/p>\n
Curried Chicken Salad Playing Card Tart\u00a0\u2014 savory curried chicken salad filling topped with cherry gel\u00e9e<\/p>\n
Footman\u2019s Feast\u00a0\u2014 Wonderland Salmon Crisp with a salmon rillette on a miso brown butter crisp<\/p>\n
Tweedledee Egg Salad Sandwich\u00a0\u2014 traditional egg salad on beet bread<\/p>\n
Caterpillar Cucumber Roll\u00a0\u2014 butterfly pea-infused cream cheese and cucumbers on pumpernickel<\/p>\n
The sweet finishes of the Afternoon Tea tower at the Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience. (Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
Sweet finishes:<\/p>\n
The Matcha Mad Hatter\u00a0\u2014 sponge cake with apricot jam and yuzu buttercream<\/p>\n
Tea Party Tart\u00a0\u2014 vanilla tart, coffee custard and chantilly cream<\/p>\n
Flamingo Croquet Choux\u00a0\u2014 filled with passion fruit cream and a raspberry crunch<\/p>\n
Painting the Rose\u00a0\u2014 Earl Grey-flavored teacake painted tableside<\/p>\n
Plant-based options and enhancements \u2014 including a Seasonal Cheese Selection and Royal Osetra Caviar \u2014 are also available for those looking to elevate the experience even further.<\/p>\n
Meeting tea royalty<\/p>\n
Sipping tea at a Disney resort is one thing. Sipping with a 10th-generation member of the Twinings family? That\u2019s a whole different level of enchanted.<\/p>\n
Stephen Twining serves as Director of Corporate Relations and Global Brand Ambassador for Twinings and was a special guest for our afternoon tea experience. <\/p>\n
Kara, Kaia, and I had the chance to ask him about his tea expertise and family legacy. The Disney connection runs deep: Twining\u2019s father helped open the United Kingdom Pavilion at EPCOT.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are so many things that we have in common with Disney,\u201d Twining said. \u201cWe\u2019re always looking to the future. At the end of it, it\u2019s about attention to detail and a great experience for guests \u2014 straight customers. That makes us very natural partners. They\u2019re not afraid to try new things, and neither are we.\u201d<\/p>\n
From left: Kaia Poshall, Stephen Twining, Haley Coomes & Kara Moeller post at the Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience. (Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
When it comes to his personal tea choices, Twining said they shift throughout the day \u2014 and even with the weather.<\/p>\n
\u201cBreakfast time, I\u2019m very old-fashioned English. I like my English Breakfast tea with my breakfast food,\u201d he said. \u201cThen I choose my tea according to where am I, what am I doing, how am I feeling, and what\u2019s the time of day?\u201d<\/p>\n
Evenings call for herbal teas to wind down the caffeine. Hot weather brings him back to green tea, while cold weather returns him to English Breakfast.<\/p>\n
On the topic of sugar, Twining is firm \u2014 though not without nuance. He takes none in his tea.<\/p>\n
Twining compared master tea tasters to professionals holding an MBA \u2014 experts who spend 12 to 15 years honing their craft before logging many more years of experience. Their job is to select and blend specialty teas so that every cup of English Breakfast, for example, tastes exactly the same.<\/p>\n
Blackcurrant & Lavender Tea at the Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience. (Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then you come along and put a spoonful of sugar. All you taste is the sweetness. You\u2019re suppressing the tea,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
There is, however, one exception to his no-sugar rule: chai.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you like the spiciness in chai, by adding the sugar, you suppress the tea \u2014 so you elevate the spices,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s an exception to every rule, and that\u2019s the one.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the Loop: Theme Park Scoops<\/p>\n
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