The Wave

Don’t go with parties of 6 or more. The servers know they are getting 18% gratuity so the pay no attention to you. We had reservations at 5:35 and didn’t get our bill until 7:55pm. The food was decent, although the steak was well done and I asked for medium. The server was nice when she was around… (Which was rare). I would avoid this place if you have a group of 6 or more.

Need to make a last-​minute dinner reservation at Disney? The Wave is always a great bet… especially if you’re looking for a dining option on the monorail line. It’s typically easy to get a last-​minute reservation, the food is delicious and the wine menu is extensive.
The menu here changes seasonally, and typically features a few entrees that showcase fresh, local ingredients. One of my favorite dishes that you can find on the menu seasonally is the curry vegetarian stew, which is typically on the menu in the fall. The vegetarian options here are always flavorful and hearty.
I dined here with girlfriends a couple of weeks ago, and we had EXCELLENT service during our meal. Our server made thoughtful suggestions for wine and entrees. I was planning to order a vegetarian fried rice dish, and the server mentioned that if I like shrimp, that I could add that to the dish in lieu of tofu. Sign me up! It was a delicious dish… though a tad heavier than I would have liked. Then again, I can’t remember the last time I ate fried rice.
Now, there are definitely some restaurants in the Disney area that offer a bit more magic, but those tend to book up well in advance. And it’s probably not the most kid-​friendly dinner option. But if you’re simply seeking delicious food, good wine and great service, The Wave is a contender.

Just had a wonderful dinner at the Wave at Disney’s contemporary resort. Brie, our waitress, made this dinner an experience to remember. The drinks were wonderful, the food was wonderful and even the water pictured below had a Disney flair.
And to top it all off they brought out a solid white chocolate monorail for our daughter who just graduated from Harvard!

I cannot understate how awful this restaurant was. The service was slow, the food completely overpriced and what you paid for were ridiculously small portions. As someone mentioned in the hallways after, «next time I am going to just order a pizza». You will be gouged for lackluster food. Avoid at all costs. Not worth it.

I would not go out of your way to eat at this place, but if you are staying at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and you want something better than the Contempo cafeteria place or the poolside food shack, then the Wave is where it’s at. The Wave has better quality food and better service at a slightly higher price than the cafeteria place. And you can usually find seating at the bar area where they serve the full menu. The burger was quite good, but it is not listed on the full menu, so you need to find it on the bar/​drink menu. The flight of Orlando Organic Beers is a good value and they are 5 oz pours :) I found this as a go to place while staying at the Contemporary, and found it was quicker to get food to go from the Wave than at the poolside place for lunch.

I am hesitant to write this review because I’d rather others don’t find out about The Wave especially when it comes to breakfast. So, I knew it would be a long shot to try to go on standby at Chef Mickey’s but we tried at 9:30 A.M. on a Sunday morning and failed. The hostess was really nice and told us to either try Contempo if we wanted fast service or The Wave if we wanted table service and the same food as Chef Mickey’s. So, we did The Wave because we were super hungry. There was little to no wait at The Wave, so we were able to pretty much walk right in with no reservations, no problem. You can order a la carte at the Wave, but the server informed us that if you did the buffet, the drink was included. This seemed to be the better deal because most a la carte items are over $ 12 and drinks are $ 3, the buffet is $ 22. The food on the buffet is exactly the same as Chef Mickey’s, there may be a few exceptions because it is smaller, but the mainstays are still there — mickey waffles, biscuits and gravy, eggs, bacon, etc. etc. The buffet also features eggs benedict, sweet potato pancakes, bagels, muffins, fresh fruit, oatmeal, and yogurt. Everything I tried was good, and I was very pleased. The service was very friendly and awesome as well. If you are staying at The Contemporary and do not want to go to Contempo or if you are in Disney and just need a solid food stop for breakfast, then do The Wave.

Great restaurant and lounge down stairs in contemporary not many know about. The lounge is a great place to cool of during a long day at the park. I didn’t eat this time but had scallops on previous visit that were incredible.
Have been there during 4 different stays multiple times.

A solid restaurant that may actually make you forget you’re in a theme park. There’s a cool, contemporary design (which fits in well with the theme of the hotel) and friendly, attentive service. The menu changes seasonally (as a nice bonus, it’s focused on local ingredients), which makes it a little hit or miss for me. On my most recent visit we started with the bacon and eggs appetizer (a big hit) and I really enjoyed my entrée (short ribs and some sort of potato side that I don’t recall). I also had a tasty cocktail (an orange creamsicle-​like thing).
This isn’t my favorite restaurant on property, but it’s a nice choice if you need a good meal away from the theme park atmosphere or if you’re looking for an interesting menu with lots of fresh, local options.

We came to the contemporary resort to grab dinner one night as we heard good things about this restaurant in the lobby. Throughout our trip, we did more casual meals whether in Epcot, Magic Kingdom or elsewhere and didn’t really have a sit-​down meal which we were looking for and got here. Overall, the restaurant was nice, but still very family-​oriented (of course) and had a decent size bar up with lounge area in the front for the older crowd to enjoy and a very large dining room.
We got there on time for our reservation at 8 pm, but had to wait about 30 minutes to be seated. After we sat, it took the servers a bit of time to get us served but were friendly throughout our dining experience. For food, we did a mix of meats and fish which everyone said they thought was ok. I did the swordfish that was cooked medium as I ordered and I would recommend for anyone looking for a piece of ‘meaty’ fish.
Overall, for what it was, the food was good, service was friendly and experience was enjoyable. For the price we paid, it was a bit more than I would have anticipated, but ok nonetheless.
Buon appetito.

We had Christmas Eve dinner at The Wave, before continuing upstairs to our Pirates and Pals voyage. It is located at the very back left corner of the Contemporary Resort’s main lobby. The waiting room is a dark deep blue circle of seating that adds a nice touch to the restaurant.
We arrived early and were given a pager, and went to the blue waiting area to sit and chill. In about 5 minutes, our table was ready. The restaurant was mainly empty, and we were seated on the other side of the hostess station, (separated by a wall) in a half booth, half chairs four top table. We had a nice view of the rest of the restaurant.
Our waitress was along shortly, and took our drink orders. I had a very well done cocktail, although I do not see it on their online menu. We also ordered an appetizer of Cheese and Charcuterie Board and while the three cheeses and two cured meats, as well as some raisins still on the vine, and honeycomb. While everything was good, the portions were very meager for over $ 15. For our entrees, we all ended up ordering the Herb-​Salt Seasoned Beef Tenderloin with various changes, (no mushrooms, no sauce, different done-​ness requests). For the most part, all of our changes were honored, however, the person who asked for no sauce still received sauce. None of us saw any onions with the mushrooms topping our steaks, as described on the menu. The steaks were good, but not outstanding. We’re from Texas, so we weren’t expecting stand out steaks. The mashed potatoes, as well as all of the other sides were fantastic, though.
Our waitress was mainly fantastic — going the extra mile for those with allergies and bringing gluten free bread — a wonderful treat for those who couldn’t have regular rolls. We really loved that. We had no complaints until the very end when she forgot to take our 10% off for our Disney Chase card and was MIA until we waved someone else down to go find her. She did correct the mistake and apologize, but it was a mistake that shouldn’t have happened. We spent about $ 200 on dinner, so that 10% made a pretty decent difference on our check.
I feel that Unilocal’s 3.5 stars is really true for The Wave. I’m giving four stars because I think three is too low. There’s good food here and a lot of potential — check it out!

We ate here three times while at Disney – twice for breakfast and once for dinner. The breakfast buffet is delish: the sweet potato pancakes are a must-​try! Dinner is great, too. Very happy with The Wave; otherwise, we wouldn’t have kept coming back.
I should add that service is wonderful, too! Very attentive and kind staff!

Three stars is all I can award to The Wave. The meal was fine — enjoyable and tasty — but relatively average.
The first three beers I was selected were out of stock, which was not a great start. Eventually settled on something they had that was fine, but not as exciting as my first three choices.
Shared fish tacos with my dinner mate. They were average. The tortillas could have been warmed, the fish could have been more plentiful.
The pork chop entrée was nice. Nothing to write home about, but enjoyable.
For a Disney meal that is on the pricier side, I would have hoped for a tsunami, but alas it was just a ripple.

If you’re looking for a quiet dining experience this isn’t a good option, but the food and décor were spot on. I ate here while on vacation at Disney. The food is farm to table and was amazing. I had the chicken and Brussel sprouts and was not disappointed, the dessert flight was pretty tasty too. The bar left a lot to be desired, I understand we were there during dinner rush but no one ever asked is once if we wanted to order a drink and we were sitting at the bar. Overall thoufh, we had a great experience at The Wave and we’ll be back.

Dinner a five star.
Lunch a four.
Tip: go during lunch for a quieter experience. And get the build your own burger it is beyond amazing!
We ate here twice, once for dinner and once for lunch.
Dinner we were seated fairly quickly and had an excellent server. The bread and butter was great! Though the Hawaiian sea salt on top the butter seemed more for show it was tasty.
We had the fish of the day pan seared swordfish and cheese and meat tray and the chicken and wild rice soup.
The swordfish was amazing! It did not taste fishy and was cooked to perfection.
The meat and cheese tray was great and came with three different cheeses and prosciutto and chorizo. Randomly also came with vanilla powder which we did not know what to do with so we left it alone.
The soup was fantastic. The rice was a bit al dente which added some contrasting texture.
Lunch
We loved the bread and butter from dinner so much we asked for it again even though it was not on the menu. Our server was great and got it for us anyway. We think this may be the shift they train the new staff on because our waitress as well as another waiter next to our table kept making mistakes. I.e. This interaction that we experienced/​witnessed throughout our meal. The fish of the day was Arctic char, nope actually it was Salmon, oh oops no it was swordfish, nope you know what it was salmon.
We got the smoked tomato bisque soup which came with a tiny cheese sandwich. It was ok, a bit to smokey and needed more cream.
We got the make your own burger too. The burger was amazing!!! We got the caramelized onions and mushrooms with guacamole and white cheddar. The meat was cooked perfectly, the mushrooms and potato wedges were cooked perfectly as well and added a nice contrast in flavor and texture. The bun was even fantastic. One of the best burgers we ever had!

Tried the breakfast buffet — clean, good food, nice ambiance, attentive service and seated right on time. We took a little one with us — they served him quickly as we ordered off the menu for him.
Our waitress was experienced and did a nice job — wish I had caught her name. :)

Service was super nice. I clumsily knocked over my full glass of rose on my poor Mom and the waitress was kind enough to give me a refill. Shout-​out to the kind, fun waitress.
Now the food? To me, sub par for sure. Perhaps, it was what was ordered, but I would have been more excited going to any chain restaurant. The fish taco and crab/​shrimp tacos ($ 19! for two of each) were just sad. The mahi-​mahi was dry, the tortilla was d*mn near burnt, the cakes were too salty. The jerk spiced porkchop did not resemble jerk. For $ 35+, one piece of bland pork and some fries? Disney, you just rob people. I am so over you.
We would have been better off heating a frozen pizza and calling it a day. Save your money, people. Seriously.

No need to worry if you are not staying at the Contemporary Resort or any Disney resort because you can still enjoy this beautiful restaurant. Parking is FREE! Valet is available too. If driving, just tell security you’re having breakfast at the Wave and you’ll be fine.
This was my first visit here at the restaurant & I absolutely loved it! My guest & I ate breakfast here. We enjoyed the AYCE buffet. The entrance was very lovely, exquisite interior atmosphere, friendly cast members, and awesome server. The buffet is a limited time offering special they are running, so it may not be available all the time. You two drink offerings if you get the buffet. The buffet included: Eggs Benedict, fruits, yogurt, bacon, eggs, sausage, pancakes, Mickey Waffles, different pastries, cereal, smoked salmon, and a few other selections. The area was clean, quiet, efficient service, and great tasting food.
I had a wonderful experience and it was a great way to start our day before heading into the parks at Disney World. I would highly recommend this place for a nice breakfast with your family or just by yourself. Other patrons seemed to be pleased with their breakfast menu.
I plan on coming here again for a delicious warm breakfast soon. Try it out some morning, afternoon, or dinner.

The location of this restaurant still feels awkward to me. I keep looking for the old cafeteria and game room where this place now resides. There’s a buffet table where my favorite air-​hockey table used to be!
Meh, I digress…
I’ve eaten at The Wave on numerous occasions and my experiences have been hit and miss. That of course applies to the food and the service.
I don’t usually give second chances, (fool me once, etc…) but I spend so much time around The Contemporary I’m a little more inclined than I’d normally be to roll the dice if things went sideways on a previous visit.
Like I said, things just run hot and cold here. I may get a great meal and soft service on one visit and great service with a so-​so meal the next. Consistency is the issue here. I’ve never really seen anyone rave about the food or the service here and if they do have something particularly positive to say about their visit, it’s usually followed up with a caveat about the prices.
So, there ya go… I don’t go out my my way to eat here or necessarily avoid the place.
I will say this. I’ve always enjoyed their breakfast buffet. They’re pretty dialed in there! As for lunch and dinner-​Nothing exceptional, nothing terrible. Just a 3 star experience.
That said, if there’s a long wait; do yourself a favor and grab something at the Contempo Café, upstairs. If you find yourself in a «reservation needed» situation, walk around the corner to the front desk and ask the concierge if they can get you into the California Grill. You’ll pay a little more, but the dining experience will be a night and day difference. I mean, if ya gotta wait, why roll the dice? Go where the ratings are always solid!
Have Fun!
–Neil
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Overall my experience at The Wave was good. The Grilled Swordfish I ordered came out as expected but it was pretty much just an average entrée. The wine, champagne, and mixed drinks were fantastic. I highly recommend the Margarita with the Patron made specifically for Disney as well as the Fairy Tale Champagne.
The ambiance leaves a little to be desired. It felt like we were in the basement and the décor wasn’t very special.
The service was impeccable as you would expect at Disney.
I recommend this place if you are looking for something simple and consistent. I think this would be a great option for families with small children but not couples or adult parties.

I consider this spot a hidden gem of Disney dining. Usually not too crowded, delicious, well-​priced food and nice ambiance.
This spot is tucked away on the first floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, just past the front desk. The full name of the restaurant is actually the Wave. of American Flavors, which is represented through the menu offerings.
On my most recent visits I’ve opted to get the Wave Appetizer for Two as my entrée, which includes shrimp cakes and fish tacos-​a fantastic duo and definitely enough food to constitute an entrée for me. The restaurant also serves fantastic bread with a delicious salted butter.
Service here is always attentive!
My only complaint was last time we were seated very close to neighboring diners who were pretty distracting. Obviously who we were seated next to is outside of the restaurant’s control, but I did feel seating was a bit tight in that regard and we were VERY close to them.
All in all, I would recommend the Wave to anyone looking for a delicious, laid back meal on Disney property.