I actually think all four Walt Disney World parks could benefit from a second Starbucks location. And this is coming from someone who does not even drink coffee.
I travel with coffee people. Because of that, I often find myself standing in a very long Starbucks line during the exact part of the day when ride wait times are at their absolute lowest. Look, this is not a slight at them. I know caffeine is essential for most people to get started in the morning. But while waiting at Starbucks, I can’t help but start staring at the My Disney Experience app thinking, “We could have already ridden three attractions by now.” Sure, while I am there, I will grab an iced tea or maybe a breakfast sandwich because I am already committed to the wait at that point, but if it were entirely up to me, I would be speed walking toward the next attraction.
And yes, I already know what some of you are saying. “You’re an adult. Just split up and meet later.” In theory, absolutely. In reality, I have two small kids, and splitting up the group turns a simple coffee run into a full-blown logistical operation. Keeping everybody together is usually just easier for everyone involved.
That is why I genuinely think a second Starbucks location in every park would help. It would spread out crowds during those chaotic morning rushes. The current setup creates these massive bottlenecks every single morning because there is only one main Starbucks in each park serving thousands of guests, all trying to start their day at the same time. Honestly, I would even be fine if a second location only operated during breakfast and early afternoon hours when demand is highest. This does not even need to be some massive all-day operation. It just needs to relieve some of the pressure during those peak rope drop and morning hours.
The issue becomes even more obvious at EPCOT and Animal Kingdom because of how spread out those parks are. At EPCOT, if you are entering through International Gateway from the Skyliner or Crescent Lake area and your plan is to rope drop Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, but your group wants Starbucks first, your entire efficient touring strategy immediately falls apart. Instead of casually making your way into World Showcase, you are now trekking across the park toward Connections Cafe before doubling back to France. It turns what should be a smooth start to the morning into unnecessary extra walking before you have even ridden your first attraction.
The same thing happens at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. If your morning plan involves heading straight toward Asia to ride Expedition Everest, but someone in your group wants Starbucks first, you suddenly have to completely reroute your morning across the park. Again, this is not the end of the world, but it does feel like one of those small operational issues Disney could easily solve in a way that would noticeably improve the guest experience.
EPCOT has two major front doors between the main entrance and International Gateway, yet there is still only one centralized Starbucks location pulling massive crowds every morning. Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom deal with long lines, but at least the Starbucks are near the park entrance.
I am not saying Starbucks needs to completely take over Walt Disney World. I know plenty of people prefer Joffrey’s, and, as I said, I am not even much of a coffee person myself. I just think Disney has reached the point where the demand clearly exists for additional capacity, especially in the morning. When thousands of guests are willing to stand in a 30-minute line before their first ride of the day, adding a second Starbucks location starts feeling less like overkill and more like basic crowd management.
