Circle of Parks Podcast: Talking all things Walt Disney World
Because there's far too much to see and do. We're here to help guide you through. We are a married couple with two boys age 9 and 6 talking all things Disney World. This podcast will cover the tips and tricks we've learned along our journey, history of the parks and attractions, and most importantly why and how Disney makes us feel how we do while in the parks and that it's ok to feel that way.
Circle of Parks Podcast: Talking all things Walt Disney World
Episode #211: Three Bridges Bar and Grill Dining Review
Nestled on an island in the middle of Lago Dorado at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort sits Three Bridges Bar and Grill, a unique dining venue that breaks the mold of typical Disney restaurants. Join us as we explore this hidden gem that offers a refreshing change of pace from character dining and theme park eateries.
Three Bridges earns its name from the trio of walkways connecting the restaurant to the mainland, creating an intimate setting that feels worlds away from the hustle of the parks. The open-air design showcases stunning views of Grand Destino Tower reflected in the lake waters, with Spanish villa and Mayan-inspired architecture creating a sophisticated ambiance perfect for unwinding after a park day or convention session.
What sets this venue apart is its Spanish-Asian fusion menu, featuring shareable plates like house-made guacamole and white queso with chorizo alongside entrees such as steak frites with smoked paprika fries and plancha-seared mahi with Thai red coconut curry. But the true stars here might be the signature sangria flights - offering seasonal, sparkling, rosé, white, and red varieties that have guests specifically seeking out this location.
While the food delivers solid quality, we found the real value lies in the atmosphere - making this spot ideal for date nights, adult gatherings, or simply enjoying appetizers and drinks with a view. Unlike most Disney restaurants, Three Bridges doesn't accept advance reservations; guests must either walk up or join the waitlist via the My Disney Experience app when physically at Coronado Springs.
For those considering whether to add Three Bridges to their Disney dining lineup, consider it less a destination restaurant and more a beautiful spot to unwind with drinks and small plates. The lakeside setting delivers a romantic, relaxed vibe that's surprisingly hard to find at Disney World - perfect when you need a break from all things Mickey.
Looking to experience Three Bridges on your next Disney vacation? Reach out to our sponsor, Travel Planner Erica, for expert guidance on fitting this and other hidden gems into your perfect Disney itinerary.
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Hello and welcome to Circle of Parks podcast episode number 211. Today we are talking about our recent dinner at Three Bridges Bar and Grill. There is far too much to see and do. We are here to help guide you through, but before we do that we must talk Disney merch. So this week, DisneyStorecom guess what? There are new Starbucks mugs for each park.
Speaker 2:Aren't there always new. Starbucks mugs for each park.
Speaker 1:Well, not the coffee mugs, sometimes tumblers, but the coffee mugs are usually like once a year or so and these are very bright and almost like retro looking. They're very unique, just bright colors, and again for each park. So you've got Animal Kingdom, magic Kingdom, hollywood Studios and Epcot, and again just very bright, but they are cute. Are they my favorite ones that they come out with? No, but they are cute and they are priced at $24.99. And that is this week's Disney merch.
Speaker 2:I feel like you'll be able to find them at that resale store pretty quickly. Possibly, probably, just a hunch.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but you know the last ones. I mean they were still in like World of Disney and stuff for a long time, so I don't know.
Speaker 2:I don't know. Yeah, all right. Well, thank you everybody for joining us. Episode number 211. Happy birthday to Brittany.
Speaker 1:Yes, today's her birthday, yes, thank you. So happy birthday, thank you.
Speaker 2:You're welcome. Today we're going. We talk about disney every single week. We hope to help you have a better walt disney world vacation by doing these dining reviews and hotel reviews, and we don't want to sway your decision either way, but we just want to give you our experiences with these restaurants in and resorts and maybe you can make your own decision, not just based on what we said, but take other input in there right, like if you're kind of on the borderline of trying certain places.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, but and also we helped, we hope to help you break your week up. Just take you to disney for about an hour a week probably not today, because this one probably won't be that long.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But yeah, just hope you get through your week and yeah, let's just get right into it. So what does Brittany say about Three Bridges? We'll get into that at the end.
Speaker 1:We'll get to that in a little bit.
Speaker 2:yes, but what does Disney say about Three Bridges bar and grill Brittany?
Speaker 1:about Three Bridges Bar and Grill, brittany. Yes, so tasty tales. Your story unfolds at a lakefront restaurant inspired by dreamers, adventurers and explorers, like Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Villa del Lago evokes a bygone era in which intersecting travelers shared epic tales over food and drink. Take in sweeping views of Lago Dorado from converging bridges, all three connecting the island of Villa del Lago with the resort. Seekers arrive at this crossroads in search of the fabled seven cities of gold or a romantic lakefront dinner. Consider starting with house-made guacamole and crispy chicken wings. Then enjoy delicious braised pork tacos or steak frites. The restaurant's signature burger caresses your palate with pineapple salsa, oaxaca cheese, tamarind mustard and a beer-battered onion ring. Plus, the bar features a robust selection of cocktails and signature sangria. Pitchers to match your mood may interrupt real quick.
Speaker 2:Yes, I've never heard burger and caress in the same sentence before for your palate.
Speaker 1:Hey, yeah, you know if it's a good burger. They can explore the island's other features, such as additional meeting space in the art garden court in palm court. Plus you can find exclusive villa del lago merchandise at panchitos gifts and sundries panchitos.
Speaker 2:Where else can you find panchito in walt disney world?
Speaker 1:I feel like I know this, but I'm having.
Speaker 2:You should know this. The mexico, yes, where?
Speaker 1:on the ride.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, grand Fiesta tour. Yes, three caballeros, yes, yes, that's panchito.
Speaker 1:So Three Bridges Bar and Grill, you can either walk up and get on the wait list or get a time on the my Disney Experience app, which you can only do when you're at Coronado Springs Resort.
Speaker 2:It's based on your location. Same thing with Geyser Point.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:You can only do it when you're in the resort area.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you can't be 30 minutes away, you know, like location wise anyway. Right Gets its name from the three bridges that connect it to the resort. Lago Dorado means Golden Lake in Spanish. The entire restaurant is open air and is designed as a combination of spanish villa and mayan inspired influences so I think they did a really good job with theming this restaurant I think so too.
Speaker 1:There were a lot of little touches here and there, not only with the lighting and furniture and decor, but just the way it was built in general yeah, it was very beautiful on the lake and it's.
Speaker 2:This is not your typical Disney restaurant at a resort, right? I thought this was very unique and very different, very specific only to Coronado Springs, because this is different than Geyser Point.
Speaker 1:It is Geyser.
Speaker 2:Point's beautiful, but this is a different thing.
Speaker 1:It is yeah, and I mean in the open air. Design boasts beautiful views of Grand Destino Tower and you can also get a glimpse of the Epcot Nighttime Spectacular Illuminis. Yeah, acted like you had something to say no. And this restaurant also has unique seating. Plenty of regular tables are available, but also, you know, like more like patio-type chairs.
Speaker 2:Adirondack chairs.
Speaker 1:Yeah, lower tables as well as high tops around the bar area. Kindirondack chairs yeah, lower tables as well as high tops around the bar area.
Speaker 2:Kind of the same as like Geyser Point you got the low tables, but then you got normal tables and a very relaxed atmosphere here, I think.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and the views are really pretty. Now, when we went, it was still pretty, but the weather we got there just in time and it downpoured and thundered and everything it was still beautiful, but I think it would have been even more beautiful had it not been raining. You know, if we could have seen like a beautiful sunset and things like that.
Speaker 2:See, I think that added to it.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:I thought it was. It added to the ambience of just being out, but being outside, but not out outside.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Right, you know like we did get a little spray from the rain every now and then, but you know, that's okay, I didn't mind that and I thought it really added to just the what's the word I'm looking here for. What's the word I'm trying to figure out of this restaurant. Right, that makes sense. Yeah, because there was nothing else around but us, right? Well, the people in the restaurant yeah but there wasn't, like other things, going on around us right, it was just what was happening, yeah, so I thought it really added to the ambience of it.
Speaker 2:You know, it wasn't raining, yeah, oh well, you know it happens florida right yes uh, but I really enjoyed the atmosphere here yeah, and it was our 15th anniversary too.
Speaker 1:It was, it was and I'm not saying like it ruined it or anything- no, no, I just think like even though the views were very pretty, I think they could have been even more like.
Speaker 2:it had been like a real pretty sunset and maybe at night, with the reflection of the Grandestino Tower on the lake that might, would probably add to it too, with the lights and all that.
Speaker 2:But we hour on the lake. That might would probably add to it too, with the lights and all that, but we weren't there. Like it wasn't night night time yeah, it was evening time, but still light out, right, yeah? So, and again, you can't book this reserve. Uh, this reservation it's walk up only or get on the wait list when you're in the resort area. So, unfortunately, erica couldn't book this for us, right? But let's talk about erica right now. Planning, planning a Disney vacation can be overwhelming, but that's where our new sponsor comes in. You've heard us talk about her for a long time and now she's the official sponsor of this podcast, travel planner Erica with Wishes Co Travel Planning. As a travel planner specializing in Disney destinations, she takes care of every detail, from finding the best resort options for your family booking dining reservations to park strategies, and now offers a special lightning-laying booking service to your park days. She truly offers top-tier service from start to finish, and the best part is her planning services are free when you book your room and ticket package with her.
Speaker 1:We're thrilled to have Travel Planner Erica as the official sponsor of this podcast, and exclusively for Circle of Parks listeners. When you plan your next Walt Disney World or Disneyland vacation or your next run Disney racecation with Erica, you'll receive a Disney gift card based on the value of your trip on your arrival day to put towards your Disney snacks.
Speaker 2:So if you're dreaming of a magical Disney trip, she's the expert you want on your side, ready to plan. Reach out to Erica at TravelPlannerEricacom or follow her on Facebook and Instagram at Travel Planner Erica. Yeah, so she couldn't book that because it's not a dining reservation.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:But you can use a dining credit for here. So keep that in mind, Also speaking of Erica, we're going to be in their podcast tomorrow.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Once Upon a Park podcast. Go check out Erica and Johnny Once Upon a Park podcast. Johnny's her husband. We've had them on here a few times.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:So we're excited to go on their podcast tomorrow and I think we're just going to talk about our trip and did we think the dining, you know, was it worth the free dining and did we get our value out of it?
Speaker 1:and out of the dining.
Speaker 2:Just kind of recap that and um talk, kind of talk about, uh, vero Beach Resort, some too, and in a few weeks we're going to have them back on our podcast as well for a very special episode yes, so uh, look for that. Uh, they'll both be out, probably the same day.
Speaker 1:The podcasts oh, theirs and ours, right? Yeah, coming soon, coming soon.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just just in case so let's talk about the menu again. It is spanish inspired, right?
Speaker 1:yes, and you know. So we had had a special appetizer before we went here.
Speaker 2:Thank you again, Erica.
Speaker 1:Yes, for our anniversary and everything. Erica had a special delivery to our hotel or our resort and it was like a charcuterie board and fruit and everything. It was just amazing. So we didn't try any of the shareables the appetizers here but I did see them and the house made guacamole looked really good. I was watching people's reactions a little bit as they were eating. I wasn't just staring at them or anything you know.
Speaker 2:No, you were being the creep just like. Oh, we should have gotten that you were staring.
Speaker 1:But I was like, okay, yeah, they seem to be enjoying that and it looked good. But I was like, okay, yeah, they seem to be enjoying that and it looked good. And so they have house-made guacamole, they have white queso dip that comes with chorizo, roasted red peppers and tortilla chips.
Speaker 2:That's probably what we would have gotten.
Speaker 1:Yeah, with the boys and everything that probably would have been. It did look filling. It was like a thicker queso, for sure, and then I didn't see anybody with the crispy chicken wings. But it comes with a sweet and spicy. I don't know how to say that sauce yes. Gachujang sauce.
Speaker 2:So the menu here it is Spanish, but Asian fusion.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:So it's different.
Speaker 1:And then they have I don't know if I'm saying this right, so I apologize patacon, which is crispy testones chicken, tinga, cilantro, crema quma, katia cheese and pico de gallo, and then they also have roasted corn dip.
Speaker 1:I did see the table right behind us having the roasted corn dip and it, and it looked good as you were being the creepy stare they were right in my view uh-huh so um likely story so, yes, and I had heard about some of these dips and stuff before we went as well, and so I think that this would be something, maybe to get one of the shareables, and if you're planning on having some adult beverages and stuff, that might be the way to go and not always entrees, which I saw several tables doing exactly that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they also have quite a few salads there, but what did we have?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so again, they have a lot of different salads. You can get grilled chicken, you can get it without meat, or you can also get it with shrimp. And then, zach, you had the steak.
Speaker 2:I had the steak frites.
Speaker 1:And Ryan had that as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Tell us a little bit about that. So it's char-grilled hanger steak with smoked pe, paprika fries and chimichurri.
Speaker 1:This is a hanger steak um it was fine it's 27.
Speaker 2:It was a big serving. It was a big portion. The smoked paprika fries were pretty good.
Speaker 1:That was different yeah, I really like that. I remember trying one of y'all's yeah uh, but again it's, it's.
Speaker 2:It's a hanger steak with chimichurri sauce. Right, it's kind of hard to mess that up unless you overcook it.
Speaker 1:Right, right, it was fine yeah, yeah, I remember the steak looks good. I didn't try the steak, but I did try a couple of fries, I think one from yours, one from ryan's and it and it was good chimichurri sauce had good flavor to it yeah, and you. And if you don't want it already on there, you can get it on the side. Yeah, uh, and then nolan, he wasn't too hungry, he was full from that charcuterie and everything um we were picking our battles and we were picking our battles.
Speaker 1:I would usually, guys, never do this, but this was our anniversary dinner and he's like I'm not hungry, I don't know if I see anything I like. Okay, you know how kids can be. Um, and then we ended up just letting him get churros and churros only. It is what it is, but they do have churros on their dessert menu. And again, I was just, I don't ever do that. It's usually you got to eat a meal and then dessert. But today, because he had eaten some fruit and meats and cheeses beforehand, I was like, okay, fine, churros. And then I had the oh, where'd it go? The plancha seared mahi and shrimp. So this came with basmati rice, bok choy, thai red coconut curry sauce and mint and it was very good. Now, the mahi mahi was a little bit on the drier side, I feel, but when you have this all together it had a very good flavor. Was it the best rice dish that I've had with a coconut curry?
Speaker 2:no, but it was good yeah, that's 29, and again, this is that fusion with asian and spanish food here as well right, yes and then.
Speaker 1:um, that is what we had for our meals. Now again, For dessert. Nolan, his meal was also his dessert. So the warm churros come with a espalette sugar sauce, a spiced chocolate sauce and a tequila caramel sauce. The sauces I liked, the tequila caramel the best.
Speaker 2:I had the sorbet, it was okay. Yeah, it was all right. Nine bucks.
Speaker 1:Right, and the churros were $10. $10. And then they also have coconut flan and tres leches.
Speaker 2:Yes, and I had just a couple of beers and you didn't drink.
Speaker 1:I didn't drink and I know I was like, oh, come on anniversary dinner. And let me tell you it was very tempting because I kept seeing these flights of sangrias.
Speaker 1:This is what they're known for oh, they looked good but I think I was just tired and been out in the heat some and you've heard, if you've listened to us before just something about the summer and the heat and everything. I can't. I don't always want to do alcohol with it. I know a lot of other people are like, yeah, give me a cold one, you know, but with me sometimes that's just not the way I need to go. So I didn't't but the sangria flights. If I could go back on another day and get an appetizer in the sangria flights, that might be what I would do on a day where I hadn't been outside as much.
Speaker 2:So this is what they're known for, right? This is what everybody talks about. When they mention Three Bridges Bar and Grill, they talk about the sangria. When they mention Three Bridges Bar and Grill, they talk about the sangria. So they have a seasonal sangria, a sparkling sangria, a rosé, a white and a red. I don't know the differences between any of these. So, brittany, could you elaborate a little more on these?
Speaker 1:Well, I mean, it's just, some of them are going to be sweeter. Of course sparkling is going to have that little more crispiness. Champagne a little bit yeah, a little bit more like champagne. The rosé is going to be a little sweeter. The white, you know. The red, it just depends on what all they're going to have in it. You know what fruit and stuff as well. But again, they all looked very good and I think that sangria flight to sample all four for $23 isn't bad at all.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, all right. So what did we think of the restaurant Brittany? What did you think of the restaurant, the meal, everything, all of it?
Speaker 1:Yeah. So I think the theming, the decor, the lights, the furniture, everything, I think it's a really good job to have something slightly on the higher end but still an outdoorsy, intimate feel to it. The location, again, you know it takes, you know you can take three different bridges to get to it and the views of the resort are really pretty, you know, with the water and everything. And I think, like what we were saying earlier, certain times of the day may add to that the everything that I saw happening and everything looked, you know, great. Again, was the meal something memorable that I'm going to think about years to come? Maybe not, but if you know, if I were to go back, like I said, I think I would do a shareable, maybe the house, guac, um, and in the sangria flight, but, uh, you know, overall I think it, it was a good place to experience would you go back?
Speaker 1:um, like is it's one that I would say, hey, let's, let's go, let's do this. I want to go back to no so you wouldn't go out of your way for I wouldn't go out of my way for it, but if, like we, if someone that we knew, if we were there or someone we knew was staying there and we happen to be down there at the same time, and they're like hey, you want to meet at three bridges and have a drink then?
Speaker 2:yes, so again, I love the atmosphere here. I love that it's out on the lake, very beautifully done. It's not your typical Disney restaurant, right Like there's no Disney theming here. Yeah no, but it's themed on point to the resort right. Yes. Is this made for families? No, it is not.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, there were families there, we were there.
Speaker 2:Families were there, but this is not a family restaurant. It's not marketed for families. This is marketed for people that are at the convention to come have a drink and have a decent dinner, or a date night a date night, or people that are leaving the parks and want to go have a drink and just relax and relax after the parks yeah, I don't think this is marketed towards families yeah, I think it would be more, especially a little later in the evening, a good date night place, a girl's night, you know something like that yeah.
Speaker 2:So if you're looking to book a restaurant for your family, I would not look here. Um, I think we would enjoy it better if we didn't have the two knuckleheads with this well, and here's the thing too, it's a very romantic setting yes, and and earlier in the day, so we had driven down to orlando.
Speaker 1:You know we had broken up the trip, so we were only driving at that point from atlanta to orlando and we went straight to blizzard beach we were tired you know.
Speaker 1:So we were tired. That's partially why I wasn't drinking, because we've been out in the sun and everything, even though I was in the water, not overly heated still, um, you know, so I think like, yes, it was. It would have been a great, uh, anniversary dinner had it been under different circumstances, not out in the heat earlier in the day and just me and zach.
Speaker 2:Well, I didn't say it was a bad anniversary dinner, just saying I said a better like a better experience, more relaxing.
Speaker 1:Take our time more, sat there longer. Had had some more drinks.
Speaker 2:The steak freaks for 27 bucks. If it was priced any more than that, I probably would have been upset.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Because I mean it was fine.
Speaker 1:Yeah, right, yeah.
Speaker 2:I wouldn't go here specifically to eat. I would go here this like again, like you said, a girls' night, a date night If you're at the convention and whatever, like this is that kind of place. I wouldn't bring your family out of the way to go eat here. That would be my opinion.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:But would I go back again Again? Probably not, Just because there's so many other better places to eat at on property. Not saying this is bad, it was just okay. The theming in the atmosphere was really good though.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, so that's my opinion. The atmosphere takes it, but yeah, I wouldn't go out of my way either, unless someone was just like hey, you want to come and have an appetizer and a beverage, you know, but yeah, I mean, it's one of those, like we can say we've been.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, like we can say we've been. Yeah, yeah, all right, anything else you'd?
Speaker 1:like to say no. I think that will be it for this dining review.
Speaker 2:All right. Well, thank you everybody for listening. If you want to support the podcast, the best way to do that book your next vacation with Travel Point Erica. She's at wwwtravelpointerericacom and she's also on Facebook and Instagram at TravelPod Erica. Go check out their podcast. Once Upon a Park podcast. We'll be on this week's episode. You can email us circleofparks at gmailcom. Our website's wwwcircleofparkscom, and we're on Facebook, instagram and X. We haven't been posting that much lately, been busy with everything. But yeah, happy birthday to Brittany.
Speaker 1:Yes, thank you, everybody wish.
Speaker 2:Brittany a happy birthday and we will talk to you next week. We'll be talking about Summer House on the Lake. Yes, dining review. After that, we'll have a special episode with Brittany and just Nolan For Chef Mickey's and they're going to be giving their dining review on Chef Mickey's. So look forward to those coming up and we will talk to you next week. Talk to you soon, thank you.