History of California Grill

by Sam. 10.19.21

One of those things that's tough to pass up on a trip to Disney is dining at the top of the Contemporary Resort. Aptly originally named "Top Of The World", the restaurant was one of those can't misses when you were talking up 1970's WDW.



While it still had those incredible views it still boasts today, the original vibes the Top of the World put out were alarmingly different. I often make the comment that walking through the lobby of the Contemporary still feels like walking through a JC Penny's catalog you found in your parent's magazine rack 30 years ago. If anything, this was essentially the the restaurant version of that lobby.



In 1981, the "Broadway at the Top" dinner show debuted at the restaurant and ran until Sept 1993. Come for the fireworks but stay for the, um, entertainment?



Check out ImagiNERDing's incredible blog for so much more: http://www.imaginerding.com/2015/08/21/top-of-the-world-contemporary/



Top of the World at the Contemporary Resort, a History
August 21, 2015George


Top of the World at the Contemporary Resort


The Top of the World wasn’t always a Disney Vacation Club members-only lounge. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the Top of the World was the premiere dining and entertainment spot in all of Walt Disney World, especially during the years when the Magic Kingdom would close at 6:00pm and there wasn’t much else to do.

Let’s take a look at Walt Disney World’s original signature dining location!

Brown leisure suits, ruffled dresses, strappy heels, shiny jumpsuits and feathered hair were all but required at the Top of the World in the 1970s. A glass-enclosed eatery on the 15th floor of the Contemporary, the Top of the World offered views that stretched 30 miles in every direction while offering the finest in dining and entertainment in Central Florida. Where else you could you enjoy Roast Duck with Orange Sauce, Veal Romanov and Rose Petal Salad while being entertained by the likes of Carol Lawrence, Jack Jones and Phyllis Diller? And no, the dining plan wasn’t offered at the time!


From the 1977 Walt Disney World Pictorial Souvenir Guide.



A little background on the Top of the World from our favorite Disney historian, Dave Smith:

Nightclub/restaurant on the 15th floor in the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World: open from October 1, 1971 until September 30, 1993. The view over the Seven Seas Lagoon toward the Magic Kingdom is spectacular. The longtime dinner show presented twice nightly was “Broadway at the Top,” with talented performers singing hit numbers from Broadway shows, and the all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch was also popular. The restaurant was replaced by the California Grill in May 1995.

Another shot from the 1977 title.
From the May, 1973 Walt Disney World News:



THE TOP OF THE WORLD, high atop the Contemporary Resort Towers, offers the finest in day and evening dining and entertainment. Delicious breakfast buffet, Monday through Saturday, 8-10:30 am. Luncheon buffet, 11:30 am-2 pm. Sunday brunch buffet, 8:30am-2:30pm.

It’s a new world after dark as the Top of the World presents two dinner/dancing shows nightly, featuring top name entertainment in a relaxed atmosphere. Seatings for dinner are at 6:30 and 9:30 pm, with shows at 8 and 11 pm. Top of the World Lounge open until 2 am. Reservations for the evening are suggested; coats for gentlemen, please.

An entertainer from the 1977 Walt Disney World Pictorial Souvenir.


As you settled in for your evening meal and entertainment, your server would take your drink order. Interested in any of the following?
French 75 – gin, sour mix, champagne and rock candy
Monorail Pink – gin, pineapple and orange juice, grenadine syrup and heavy cream
Monorail Red – tequilla, Galliano, grenadine, lemon bar mix and pineapple juice
Monorail Yellow – rum, orange juice, coconut cream and pineapple juice
Monorail Purple – brandy, wine and grape juice



People even ate at the Top of the World in the daytime! From the 1977 title.
From the resources that I checked, the Top of the World might have been well-known for their salads:
Rose Petal Salad
Carrot Salad
Broccoli and Vegetable Salad with Curry Sauce
Top of the World Shrimp Salad
Spaghetti Salad
Top of the World Chicken Salad
Cauliflower Salad
Tuna Antipasto
Mexican Shrimp Salad
Ham and Rice Salad
Potato Salad
Top of the World Dressing – onion, anchovy, garlic, eggs, cider vinegar, mustard, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce


From the seminal Walt Disney World: The First Decade.

The Summer 1978 Walt Disney World News announced that comedy groups would start appearing at the Top of the World in addition to the traditional lounge-club style of entertainment. There was also an entertainment charge of $7.50 for adults and $3.50 for children that was levied in the late 1970s.


From Walt Disney World: 20 Magical Years.


Entrees offered for dinner, included:
Swiss cheese Ramekin
Roast Duck and Duck Sauce
Duck Tambu
Veal Romanoff
Veal Verdi
Roasted Duck with Orange Sauce
Prime Rib
Roast Sirloin of Beef Jardiniere



Image from the February 1982 Walt Disney World News

In 1982, Disney introduced Broadway at the Top:

…a lively show highlighting the spectacular best of Broadway’s past 30 years. It’s a fast-paced nightclub review of Broadway musicals from the days of Cole Porter to “Chorus Line” and “Evita.” Songs, dances and dialogues pay tribute to some of the Great White Way’s memorable moments, and to the people who made them happen.


The cast includes five exciting young entertainers who take you on a musical memory tour through the “show stoppers” of the American Musical Theatre.


Even though it looks like a prom… This image appeared in the Walt Disney World: First Decade book and the 1984 Walt Disney World Pictorial Souvenir.

Sadly, there were only a few desserts mentioned in my sources:

Apples Supreme – graham cracker crumbs, Granny Smith apples, sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and flour
Frozen Mocha Parfait
Brunch Apple Supreme
Rum Sauce (pour over blueberries or any fruit)
Butterscotch Sauce

I can imagine fried ice cream, flambe-style desserts and other, weirdly decadent dishes, as well.


Image from the 1985 Steve Birnbaum’s Guide to Walt Disney World. The ears belong to Br’er Rabbit.



Broadway at the Top from the 1991 Steve Birnbaum’s Guide to Walt Disney World.



This is image is attributed as the Top of the World Lounge in the 1991 Birnbaum. Apparently, this is a room off to the side of the restaurant.


From Walt Disney World: 20 Magical Years.


Official records state that the Top of the World closed on September 30, 1993 and re-opened as the California Grill on May 15, 1995. I don’t doubt this but I know that my wife and I ate at the Top of the World twice during a May 1994 vacation. When I found the receipt it was billed as the Concourse Grill. I remember it vividly for two reasons: we could see EPCOT ’94 as we ate and it was the first time I ever saw guacamole (yuck). Both times were for lunch, so it might have only been open for certain times.

We turn to Dave Smith, again, to learn about the California Grill:



Restaurant on the top floor of the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World, taking the place of the Top of the World. It opened on May 15, 1995. The restaurant features a stage kitchen with nine exhibition cooking areas, including a wood-burning pizza oven, grill and rotiserie, and three island stoves.

Image from Christopher Finch’s The Art of Walt Disney.


The final image is probably characteristic of why the Top of the World was so beloved: the views. Glasses perched upside-down, waiting to be filled and whisked to thirsty diners, frame the view from the restaurant. A ferryboat and motorlaunch ply the lagoon in the setting Florida sun as we close the chapter on another piece of Walt Disney World history.

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While it might not be this 70's chic anymore, you can still get these amazing scenic vibes, so why not book your next WDW vacay with a former cast member herself? We've got the expertise to get you in the resorts and parks and do almost anything you'd ever want to. Best thing, it's no cost to you! Hit up our FB page HERE or email us HERE.