Food Trucks at the Boardwalk.

[MerlinandtheMouse]

For those who don't like and don't eat 'bar food', it's no loss - for those that do like that option - it's painful because Boardwalk once had two such options and now has none.

Food trucks are great, in my opinion - but there are quite a few things they can't 'replace' - who knows if Disney will keep the outside tables where Big River was, but likely not - the food trucks usually just have stand-up tables set up around them - someone looking for a restaurant to sit down, in the air conditioning, have a waiter refilling drinks, etc - a food truck is not equivalent.

The fact that the food truck hours seem to be for lunch only means at dinner time or after park hours, means there are no options at all in the evening.

I'm not 100% sure if the food trucks will all be fully compatible with Disney's pay system or not - hopefully they will because many people head out with nothing but a Magic Band and don't bring cash or credit cards.

The sports-bar concept is something a lot of people enjoy - beers and drinks, lots of TVs playing various sports, and comfort foods/appetizers rather than healthy fare or high-end chef creations. Even some of us who love a good 5-star restaurant and excellent service may not want that every night - so mixing in a relaxed sports bar one night is a great option.

Food trucks by their nature are a 'temporary' solution - they're not there all the time, there's no seating or wait service, and they usually have limited hours and limited supplies. Now if they were to park several food trucks on the Boardwalk, leave them there 11am to 11pm, have supplies brought out to the truck from nearby refrigerators, keep the indoor seating area of Big River open for use by the food truck patrons, and allow you to place an order and sit with a beeper and have wait staff bring the food to your table...then maybe that really could be a replacement for ESPN or Big River.

Especially lately, Disney has plenty of QS options, plenty of healthy fare, and plenty of mid to higher-end sit down restaurants. One thing it has lacking now is sports bar restaurants - as far as I can think, only three remain in two locations: Rix at Coronado, and City Works, and Splitsville at Disney Springs. Just a few years ago, Boardwalk had two.

You make a lot of valid points, especially a need for an easy indoor eatery and that the food trucks should have better opening hours. But I’ll say this to ESPN and Big River, they were never particularly popular and as many have said the food was mediocre at best. Maybe it filled a certain need and demographic, I’ll give it that but it’s not like a Disney is just going to close the second half of the Boardwalk and not do anything with it. These locations obviously weren’t very profitable for them so they’ve closed them and are likely working out what to replace them with, I’m sure we’ll hear about it really soon.

And maybe they’ve taken too long post closing ESPN to open something there but there has been a lot of change and refurbishment at the Boardwalk, I guess ESPN replacement was on the bottom of their list. But now that they’ve abruptly closed Big River I’m sure they have its replacement lined up, like I said, no way they’d shutter nearly half of the Boardwalk and not have a better alternative lined up, although maybe ‘better’ is being a bit generous but I’ll take a ‘newer’ alternative lol

 

[eandt]

Oh my. Sad what's happening over there.

Well if at the BW pool you can get the pizza there or at the BW window, and now the pretzel dog there or at the BW stand. Yay.

lol i had to wait 30 minutes for a slice of pizza at that window last November …. ESPN has been ‘temporarily’ shut down for like 4 years so I am not sure there is much of a plan …. for now the plan seems to be PARK THEM AND THEY WILL COME ..

 

[eandt]

I think they’re fun and different than the same QS/eatery that all the other resorts have. Every boardwalk I have ever visited has had food trucks lining the the street adjacent. I’ve even had friends who brought some well-themed ones to their weddings so I definitely have to disagree with you, they most certainly aren’t third world. I think they’re a quirky and fun temporary replacement but I wouldn’t mind if it became permanent, especially if they changed out the food offerings from time to time, bring in different cuisines to the area.

What do they serve different than any other quick service? Haven’t seen the menus yet

 

[tjkraz]

Serious question.
More than one person on this thread has called the food trucks a “temporary“ or “short term” solution. Do you have knowledge that this will be a short term thing? Has something been announced?

Disney has used food trucks in the past and it has always been a temporary move. So I'd say there's no reason to believe this might be permanent.

We probably won't get clarity on the timeline but the letter BRG management provided to employees indicates the closure was their decision / within their control. Restaurant turnover isn't uncommon at the Boardwalk but they've always brought in something new to fill vacancies.

I don't particularly like the idea of food trucks on the Disney BW, but it's hard to argue that they don't fit the theming. The Jersey BW isn't known for class and refinement.

 

[tom1944]

Last year when we stayed at BLT we frequented Poly and GF for QS as well as BLT. When we went over to Beach Club for a meal we walked over to Swan/Dolphin and the Boardwalk, so it all seemed easy to use the QS at those resorts.

Is it difficult to get QS at the other area resorts if you are not a Food Truck fan?.

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

What do they serve different than any other quick service? Haven’t seen the menus yet

Yeah that’s fair, maybe it’s wishful thinking on my part that they’ll be unique alternatives to what we’ve always been offered

 

[FRANKTSJR]

How about turning Atlantic Dance Hall into a Sports Bar?

 

[eandt]

How about turning Atlantic Dance Hall into a Sports Bar?

Atlantic Dance Hall is actually a great place in its current form …. Not sure how well it does these days but we have always enjoyed it there especially when we were younger and could stay up later than 11pm

 

[zackiedawg]

Would love to see Atlantic become a sports bar. Or even ADD a sports bar to it by separating the two floors so the dance hall could be on one and sports bar restaurant on the other. But I admit I never went to Atlantic so for me it's wasted space...at times, I see a fair crowd going in and out - so I know it's popular with others.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Well ESPN was not a surprise. Any plan yet?

I would have liked them to keep ESPN. I guess that nobody has come in offering big bucks for that spot.

 

[eandt]

Would love to see Atlantic become a sports bar. Or even ADD a sports bar to it by separating the two floors so the dance hall could be on one and sports bar restaurant on the other. But I admit I never went to Atlantic so for me it's wasted space...at times, I see a fair crowd going in and out - so I know it's popular with others.

I’m all for a sports bar but didn’t they just (well 4 years ago)close the one down the block for some reason?

 

[eticketplease]

I would have liked them to keep ESPN. I guess that nobody has come in offering big bucks for that spot.

Isn’t this where the bake shop was supposed to open last year at?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Isn’t this where the bake shop was supposed to open last year at?

Is it or is it where the ice cream shop was? I haven't walked past in quite awhile.

 

[eticketplease]

Is it or is it where the ice cream shop was? I haven't walked past in quite awhile.

I haven’t been there since August but I think so and there is now a new ice cream shop where the old one was. Boardwalk ICe cream? It was another generic name

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I haven’t been there since August but I think so and there is now a new ice cream shop where the old one was. Boardwalk ICe cream? It was another generic name

Well then @Maistre Gracey - the plan has been being worked on for quite awhile!

 

[Marrila]

Isn’t this where the bake shop was supposed to open last year at?

The cake place will be in the old ESPN spot. (Slow) renovations on the building are currently ongoing.

 

[zackiedawg]

Yes - Cake Bake restaurant is being built out of the old ESPN spot - even has a bit of the same shape with the two story round roof near the Epcot end of the Boardwalk. Next door where ESPN extended into the arcade area will be the Cake Bake shop bakery. Then Boardwalk Ice Cream, Boardwalk Deli all in a row.

 

[CarolynFH]

But now that they’ve abruptly closed Big River I’m sure they have its replacement lined up,

It may have been pointed out above that Disney didn’t close BRG, its operator did, and I think Disney was taken by surprise. I hope a casual sit down restaurant takes its place, but in the meantime a rotation of food trucks seems reasonable to me. We were introduced to arepas at Q’Kenan in Orlando, and I wouldn’t mind opportunity to enjoy them on the Boardwalk!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Disney has used food trucks in the past and it has always been a temporary move. So I'd say there's no reason to believe this might be permanent.

We probably won't get clarity on the timeline but the letter BRG management provided to employees indicates the closure was their decision / within their control. Restaurant turnover isn't uncommon at the Boardwalk but they've always brought in something new to fill vacancies.

I don't particularly like the idea of food trucks on the Disney BW, but it's hard to argue that they don't fit the theming. The Jersey BW isn't known for class and refinement.

The only reason I think they might hang around for a long time, maybe even permanent is that they're advertised as a (paid) resort activity in the Boardwalk resort activity guide.
As a person who watches "The Great Food Truck Race", I'm looking forward to food trucks there.

 

[Anthony1971]

While I will agree food trucks are a thing of the past still working in Midtown where they had festivals yearssss ago. The trucks were in fact a great way to try X from a well known restaurant but got way too expansive. NY did a much smaller version before Covid and it was sad to see how empty it was but paying 20 back then for a small plate was exactly what killed it. The trucks at DS and the BW are not this period. If they turn out reasonably acceptable food and open up some seating on the BW it may be ok for a temporary solution. BW year after is going further and further down hill from what it was. I will include cake boss in this… Do not know of anyone who feels like stopping for a slice of cake and a coffee while strolling a BW. Just does not fit the theming.