There are not many things I will wait in line for these days. I have officially ridden every ride, ate all of the things, and hardly travel to the parks with little ones anymore. So, the idea of waiting in line for me(other than Starbucks) doesn’t have much appeal to me at this point in my life. *insert the “get off my lawn” and other various elderly jokes.

However, Gideon’s Bakehouse in Disney Springs has created such a buzz, I had to see if it was worth the hype.  First, what is Gideon’s Bakehouse?

The first Gideon’s Bakehouse storefront opened in October 2016 on a budget of $800 and a single employee. They did so well that they opened a second location at Disney Springs! They are a small team with a single owner and no partners or investors. But, who is Gideon?

“In his never-ending search for baking inspiration, Steve Lewis, the bakery creator, purchased what he thought was an antique cookbook published in 1898. To his surprise, the margins were filled with faded notes and doodles from what appeared to be a young boy who had dreams of becoming a baker. The name written at the back of the book was “Gideon,” and Steve decided to fulfill that child’s wishes with the name Gideon’s Bakehouse™. Paying tribute to the origins of the name, Gideon’s shelves are lined with strange works of art, aging books, and curious antiquities from the Victorian era.”- Gideons website

There is a virtual queue for a…COOKIE?

Yep, you heard that right! The Disney Springs location is such a success they instated a virtual queue to ensure they can maintain social distancing in the store and limit the number of shoppers. They also only make a limited number of baked goods a day, so once it’s gone…IT’S GONE!

So, how does this virtual queue work, and is it worth it? Well, we had to test it out for research purposes…

Virtual Queue

The virtual queue works pretty seamlessly. This is how it works:

The first thing you want to do is plan your day. Do you want to get the cookies to go to take back and enjoy over time? Or, are you looking for a snack that day? Either way, a game plan is needed. There were 4 of us total and we decided that we were going to get some cookies and cake to take back home so we didn’t really need to be there first thing in the morning. However, all of us wanted to try the Peanutbutter Cold Brew!

The best suggestion we can give you is to go when you have a dining reservation at Disney Springs. We had reservations at City Works for 5:45 pm. So we got to the Springs around 4:50 and walked over to The Landing where you will find Gideons. The first thing you will see is 2 sets of lines. One to enter and one to get in the virtual queue. Walk over to the sign for the virtual queue and give the friendly employee with the iPad your information. You will get a text immediately letting you know how long your wait is. Our return time was about 2 hours and they don’t let you join the line to enter until your place is called.  So we left and went to dinner at City Works.

While we were waiting for our check at City Works I got a text from Gideons letting us know we could come and get in line. Our server was very busy so it took quite a while to get the check. We got another text alert reminding us of our spot just as we arrived back at Gideons.

When you come back to get in line, they give you a menu. They offer specials depending on what’s going on at the time. We were lucky enough to have come when they were still doing Halfway to Halloween. We looked over the menu and waited about 12 mins in line before we had our turn to go in. I was bound and determined to get the Peanut Butter Cold Brew everyone talked about!

Finally, our time has arrived and we were able to come inside!

Inside Gideons

When I tell you I could stay in this place all day, I am not kidding! Between the funky and slightly haunting artwork and the delish smells, it was heaven. Every inch is covered with a haunted take on Victorian design and there are little signs all over. It really is hard to see it all in the time you’re allotted in there.

It’s important to take a look at the options before you get in line either from the mobile app or from the menu they hand you in line. That way you can move through efficiently to allow others the chance to get in.  There are many cake and cookie options! You can see their full menu HERE if you want to see what they have to make plans for before you go.

We got a lot… There is a 6 cookie limit per person. So we all got our own orders and cookies to take home. But, we ALL got the Peanut Butter Cold Brew to try as well. I would 10/10 order that again and again. I wish there was a walk-up window just to order that.

VERY Honest Review

Now, did we say we were going to wait to get home to try the cookies? Yes. Did that happen? No. Oops! We skipped dessert at City Works and decided to take a seat and try the cookies. I ordered the Peanut Butter Crunch, Death by Gideon’s, Coffee Cake Cookie, and the Peanut Butter Esspresso cookies, and a Peanut Butter Cold Brew.

I broke off a small piece of each one to try. These cookies are HUGE! I am a big cookie fan, and I can pack them away… However, there is no possible way I would have been able to eat one all in one sitting. Thank goodness for the paper wrapping and box!

My favorite is the Peanut Butter Esspresso cookie. It was a Limited Time offering cookie, so it won’t likely be there again when I venture back. Bummer! But, the other three cookies were so incredible. They are the PERFECT mix of sweet and savory.

Pro-Tip

So, a little tip from this Professor, they get better on day 2 and 3! No, really. The flavors in the cookies are so incredible that the longer they sit, the more you taste. It’s the gift that keeps giving if you ask me.

Final Thoughts

I would head to Gideon’s Bakehouse every single time I go to the Springs! It is worth the hype. Every bite is amazing. The price is right for the size of the cookie and cake you receive. Not to mention, every month they have new specials! So, you could try something different every time you go. As you can see from the photos above, they have Pride cake for the month of June! Thanks to our friend Eric @dorkydisneydad for sharing.

Are you considering a trip? This is a great time to plan your perfect vacation! Having a travel advisor means someone there to have your back in any occurrence. There is no additional cost to you and you have peace of mind knowing that your vacation is in good hands. Contact our friends at Key to the World Travel® for a free, no-obligation quote for your next trip. Click here.

If you love following along for the most up to date park information and news, follow us on Instagram too: @themeparkprofessor