Looking for the perfect cup of tea in Walt Disney World? Tracking down nearly any other Disney snack may be an easier feat (with the obvious exception of Starbucks), but with some effort there is an astounding amount of unique teas at the resort just waiting to be discovered:
United Kingdom
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Perhaps the most obvious go-to spot for tea at Walt Disney World would be the United Kingdom pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase. Ironically enough though, this spot is actually not the place to have afternoon tea, (we’ll get to that location later). While you may order a cup of tea at the Rose and Crown Dining Room, the real draw in terms of beverages to enjoy in the park while visiting the U.K. is in the traditional ales, lagers, and stouts served in the pub. For tea, you’ll actually need to cross the street and visit the gift shop appropriately called the Tea Caddy.
The Tea Caddy is the place to shop for Twinings Tea of all varieties during your Disney vacation. You may be wondering why you would purchase Twinings Tea at Walt Disney World, since you can probably honestly find the same items cheaper in your local grocery store. Aside from the basics like English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, and Earl Grey, the Tea Caddy offers more of Twinings seasonal blends and a couple of other different varieties of tea that you may have a more difficult time tracking down at home. The shop is also home to an array of Twinings and other tea-themed souvenirs sure to please any tea lover.
Japan
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For a quick tea stop in Japan, have a seat at Katsura Grill, the pavilion’s quick service restaurant that is ironically designed after a traditional Japanese tea house. In addition to udon, teriyaki, and sushi dishes save some room for green tea, or green tea ice cream or cheesecake for dessert.
Tokyo Dining and Teppan Edo may be all about sushi and hibachi dining, but if you have a lunch or dinner planned here and are looking to get in some tea with your meal, the restaurant serves both hot and iced green tea, as well as green tea soft serve ice cream (the same kind that is served in the cart outside, and green tea mousse cake.
Japan’s merchandise set up can be a tea lover’s paradise too. The items in the shop rotate fairly regularly, so if you see a certain tea set you like you may want to snag it while you’re there. Mitsukoshi is also a great place to look for matcha products specifically, as the prices are often reasonable for Disney, and you may even walk away with a better quality and less expensive matcha than what you would find at your local grocery store.
China
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Continuing around World Showcase, stop at China for even more tea-loving goodness. Nine Dragons boasts traditional jasmine tea in addition to a delicious Blackberry Jasmine Iced Tea, iced chai tea, and hot chai milk tea. Right next door in the pavilion’s quick service restaurant, the Lotus Blossom Café, sip on Iced Peach Oolong Tea, or traditional Chinese hot tea (depending on the time of your visit).
For the best tea experience in China however, you’ll want to head to the outermost part of the pavilion to the Joy of Tea Kiosk. The Joy of Tea is the place in Epcot to enjoy some bubble tea (with even more flavors available during the Epcot International Food and Wine or Flower and Garden Festivals at the additional nearby kiosks. Year-round, the Joy of Tea offers bubble milk tea made with sweetened, peach flavored black tea with tapioca pearls, and a sweetened lychee flavored black tea.
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Additional teas of interest here are the traditional jasmine tea and Dragon Well Tea, along with the unique tea smoothies featuring mango green tea and strawberry oolong. The Joy of Tea is also home to one of the most delicious tea cocktails at Walt Disney World, Tipsy Ducks in Love, which is made with bourbon whisky, coffee, black tea, cream and chocolate syrup.
Before leaving China, don’t forget to wander through the pavilion’s gift shops! There you’ll find a variety of traditional Chinese teas as well as tea pots, sets, and other tea accessories.
Morocco
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Morocco’s Spice Road Table though known for beautiful waterfront dining, refreshing cocktails, and small plates, also serves delicious mint iced tea. If you feel like opting for a more caffeinated than boozy visit to this location, this tea can hit the spot during a hot walk around World Showcase. Additional teas may be available for purchase inside Morocco’s gift shops as well.
Jiko – the Cooking Place
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Did you know Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge features 10 different varieties of specialty teas? From herbal blends to specialty Earl Greys and rooibos teas, Jiko has a lot to offer the tea lover in your family. Standouts here include a vanilla sweetened rooibos blend, and the Masala Black Tea Chai, with a blend of fresh spices sure to stand out from our usual chai tea blends.
Garden View Tea Room
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For the ultimate afternoon tea experience at Walt Disney World, you’ll want to make a reservation at the Garden View Tea Room at Disney’s Grand Floridian and Spa. Whether you choose to enjoy tea here during afternoon tea or the princess tea, you’re sure to have a wonderful experience.
Tea is served in traditional fashion, with multiple courses including finger sandwiches, scones, and dessert, along with a pot of tea for each member of your party. A fully stocked tea menu featuring blends by Twinings means that there is a tea for everyone. Enhancements include champagne, cheese and fruit plates, and caviar. Whether you are a tea lover looking to get in some more time with the princesses, or you just want to unwind in upscale Victorian elegance, the Garden View Tea Room is sure to be a hit with Disney tea lovers.
Joffrey’s
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Joffrey’s may be a go-to spot for coffee, but there are a couple of locations in particular that stand out in terms of tea. Animal Kingdom’s Royal Anandapur Tea Company by Joffrey’s is one such place, offering unique blends of both hot and iced teas to guests visiting Asia. The best Joffrey’s tea spot however is the Tea Trader’s Café in Disney Springs. At this location, guests can sip teas (in various forms—hot, iced, frozen…), snack on tea-flavored desserts, and even create custom blends. Can’t make it to Disney Springs? A selection of tea blends and accessories may be ordered through Joffrey’s website.
Earl of Sandwich
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Earl of Sandwich may seem like a surprising choice for tea—their hot tea is fairly standard after all. Though a number of tea bags are available to choose from for hot tea, the real stand out at Earl of Sandwich is the Earl Grey Lemonade. The stronger aroma of Earl Grey tea mixed with the sweetness of lemonade is a refreshing way to enjoy a day at Disney Springs. (And the sandwiches aren’t half bad either).
Wonderland Tea
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Looking for some unique tea souvenirs to bring back home? The majority of the larger Disney gift shops (like the Emporium or Mouse Gear for instance) will stock various types of Wonderland Tea. These whimsical tea blends themed around Alice in Wonderland are quite tasty and can be the perfect gift for yourself or the tea lover you left at home. The tea may be purchased loose or in sachets, and is often placed in the store near equally tempting tea cups and honey spoons.
